Patent Grant
11098923
This application claims priority to and benefits of Chinese Patent Application Serial Nos. 201610206314.6 and 201620268478.7, both filed with the State Intellectual Property Office of P. R. China on Mar. 31, 2016, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
The present disclosure relates to the field of household appliance manufacturing technology, more particularly to an electric radiator.
In the related art, an electric radiator, in particularly a far infrared electric radiator may form a forced convection by using an electric motor to drive apparatuses such as a fan, so as to decrease a temperature, thus resulting in problems of a complex structure, high cost and high energy consumption. Moreover, if the air is blocked and may not be discharged, an accident may happen due to a high temperature. For example, when a towel is covered on the electric radiator, a process of discharging the air may be affected, inside temperature may continue to increase and thus easily causes an accident such as a fire.
Embodiments of the present disclosure seek to solve at least one of the problems existing in the related art to at least some extent. Accordingly, an object of the present disclosure is to provide an electric radiator with advantages of a simple structure, low cost and low energy consumption, and if air to be discharged is blocked, the electric radiator may stop heating, so as to achieve a higher use safety.
The electric radiator according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes: a housing provided with an air channel cover therein; a heating assembly disposed in the housing and defining a natural convection air channel with the air channel cover, an air supply inlet being formed at a first end of the natural convection air channel and an air supply outlet being formed at a second end of the natural convection air channel above the air supply inlet, air in the natural convection air channel being heated by the heating assembly to form a natural convection in the natural convection air channel; a mesh hood mounted onto a front surface of the housing and covering the heating assembly and the air supply outlet; a first temperature limiter mounted onto the heating assembly and adjacent to the air supply outlet in an up-down direction.
In the electric radiator according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the heating assembly is used to heat the air in the natural convection air channel to form the natural convection therein, so that air guide apparatuses such as an electric motor and a fan may be omitted, and thus the structure is simpler, the cost is lower and the energy consumption is lower. Moreover, the first temperature limiter is adjacent to the air supply outlet in the up-down direction, so that when a towel test is performed, that is, when the temperature is over high because the electric radiator is covered by obstacles such as clothes, the electric radiator can stop heating so as to ensure the safety.
Additionally, the electric radiator according to the present disclosure further has additional technical features as follows:
In some embodiments of the present disclosure, the electric radiator further includes: a second temperature limiter mounted in the housing and adjacent to a front wall of the housing and to the air supply inlet in the up-down direction.
In some embodiments of the present disclosure, the heating assembly includes: a reflector disposed in the housing and defining the natural convection air channel with the air channel cover, the air supply outlet being formed at the reflector and the air supply inlet being formed at the housing; a heating unit, the heating unit and the first temperature limiter being mounted onto the reflector respectively and facing to the mesh hood.
Alternatively, the air channel cover is located behind the reflector.
Alternatively, a plurality of the heating units are provided and each of the heating units is extended in the up-down direction, and the plurality of the heating units are spaced apart from each other in a left-right direction, the first temperature limiter is located in a middle of the plurality of the heating units in the left-right direction.
In some embodiments of the present disclosure, an isolation rib is disposed on the reflector and defines a receiving groove facing to the mesh hood, the heating unit is assembled in the receiving groove and the first temperature limiter is mounted onto the isolation rib.
Furthermore, a mounting groove is formed at the isolation rib, faces to the mesh hood and runs through the isolation rib in a thickness direction of the isolation rib, and the first temperature limiter is mounted in the mounting groove.
In some embodiments of the present disclosure, the air supply outlet is located at a top of the housing and faces forwards, the air supply inlet is located at a bottom of the housing and faces backwards, the second temperature limiter is located at a bottom front of the first temperate limiter.
Preferably, the second temperature limiter is located below the mesh hood and in a middle of the housing in a left-right direction.
In an alternative embodiment of the present disclosure, the housing includes: a front housing body, the heating assembly, the mesh hood and the second temperature limiter are mounted onto the front housing body respectively; a rear housing body mounted onto the front housing body detachably, the air supply inlet being formed at the rear housing body.
Additional aspects and advantages of embodiments of present disclosure will be given in part in the following descriptions, become apparent in part from the following descriptions, or be learned from the practice of the embodiments of the present disclosure.
Reference will be made in detail to embodiments of the present disclosure. The same or similar elements and the elements having same or similar functions are denoted by like reference numerals throughout the descriptions. The embodiments described herein with reference to drawings are explanatory, illustrative, and used to generally understand the present disclosure. The embodiments shall not be construed to limit the present disclosure.
With reference to
As shown in
Specifically, the housing 100 is provided with the air channel cover 600 therein, and the air channel cover 600 may be a separate component mounted in the housing 100 and may also be formed integrally with the housing 100. The heating assembly 200 is disposed in the housing 100 and defines a natural convection air channel 101 with the air channel cover 600. An air supply inlet 102 is formed at a first end of the natural convection air channel 101 and an air supply outlet 103 is formed at a second end of the natural convection air channel 101, in which the air supply outlet 103 is located above the air supply inlet 102. Air in the natural convection air channel 101 is heated by the heating assembly 200 to form a natural convection in the natural convection air channel 101. The mesh hood 300 is mounted onto a front surface of the housing 100 and covers the heating assembly 200 and the air supply outlet 103. The first temperature limiter 400 is mounted onto the heating assembly 200 and adjacent to the air supply outlet 103 in an up-down direction.
With reference to drawings, a working process of the electric radiator 1 according to embodiments of the present disclosure is described.
When the electric radiator 1 is working normally, the air in the natural convection air channel 101 is heated by the heating assembly 200, and the heated air in the natural convection air channel 101 may rise and may be discharged out of the natural convection air channel 101 from the air supply outlet 103 and meanwhile air at a room temperature may enter into the natural convection air channel 101 from the air supply inlet 102, thus forming the natural convection in the natural convection air channel 101 without additional air guide apparatuses such as an electric motor and a fan. The natural convection may contribute to a decrease in a normal working temperature of the first temperature limiter 400, so as to prevent the first temperature limiter 400 from being mistakenly started.
If objects such as towel are covered on the electric radiator 1, on one hand, a passageway of the natural convection is blocked because the air supply outlet 103 is covered by the towel, so that the temperature at the first temperature limiter 400 may be increased quickly, and on the other hand, after the electric radiator 1 is covered by the towel, in a sealed space formed above the mesh hood 300 and the heating assembly 200, heat is difficult to dissipate, which further increases the temperature of the first temperature limiter 400, and thus an action is performed by the first temperature limiter 400 and the electric radiator 1 may stop heating.
It should be understood by the skilled person in the art that one air supply outlet 103 or a plurality of the air supply outlets 103 may be provided, and no matter how many the air supply outlet(s) 103 may be, the natural convection air channel 101 is ensured to have a sufficient air supply area, so that an effect of the natural convection in the natural convection air channel 101 and an effect of decreasing the temperature of the first temperature limiter 400 by the natural convection may be achieved.
In conclusion, in the electric radiator 1 according to embodiments of the present disclosure, the heating assembly 200 and the air channel cover 600 define the natural convection air channel 101 together, and the air in the natural convection air channel 101 may be heated directly by the heating assembly 200 so as to form the natural convection. On one hand, air guide apparatuses such as an electric motor and a fan may be omitted, so that the structure is simplified, the cost is lowered, and the energy consumption is decreased. On the other hand, the temperature inside a normally working electric radiator 1 may be effectively decreased and a temperature limiter may be located, so that the first temperature limiter 400 may be mounted onto the heating assembly 200 and adjacent to the air supply outlet 103 in an up-down direction. In such a way, if the electric radiator 1 is covered by obstacles such as clothes so as to reach an over-high temperature, the electric radiator 1 may stop heating, and thus the safety is ensured and the electric radiator 1 may pass a towel test in the safety requirement.
It should be understood by the skilled person in the art that the temperature limiter may be directly communicated with the heating assembly, and may also be indirectly communicated with the heating assembly via a controller. When a temperature value of the temperature limiter reaches a safety limit value, a signal may be sent to the heating assembly or the controller to stop the heating of the heating assembly.
In some embodiments of the present disclosure, as shown in
In such a way, the electric radiator 1 according to the embodiments of the present disclosure may stop heating when it is blocked in the front, thus further improving the use safety. Therefore, the electric radiator 1 may pass a wall test in the safety requirement. Moreover, the first temperature limiter 400 and the second temperature limiter 500 may not interfere with each other.
Specifically, as shown in
Alternatively, as shown in
Alternatively, as shown in
In some embodiments shown in
Furthermore, a mounting groove is formed at the isolation rib 211, faces to the mesh hood 300 and runs through the isolation rib 211 in a thickness direction of the isolation rib 211, and the first temperature limiter 400 is mounted in the mounting groove. For example, the mounting groove has a forward opening and runs through the isolation rib 211 in the left-right direction, so that the first temperature limiter 400 may be fixed onto the isolation rib 211 more firmly.
In some specific embodiments of the present disclosure, as shown in
It should be understood that, a power line 800 may be provided in and pass through the housing 100. The power line 800 may be in electric connection with the first temperature limiter 400 and the second temperature limiter 500 respectively, so as to realize the protection action of the first temperature limiter 400 and the second temperature limiter 500. Preferably, the power line 800 may be mounted onto the bottom of the housing 100, so that line arrangement is convenient and may not affect the installation of the electric radiator 1.
In an alternative embodiment of the present disclosure, as shown in
With reference to drawings, an electric radiator 1 according to a specific embodiment of the present disclosure is described in detail as follows. It should be understood that the following description is illustrative, and shall not be construed to limit the present disclosure.
As shown in
Specifically, the housing 100 includes a front housing body 110 and a rear housing body 120 which are inclined from the bottom to the top and from the front to the rear respectively. The switch 111 and the temperature adjusting knob 112 are disposed on the front housing body 110 respectively. The rear housing body 120 is detachably mounted onto the front housing body 110 and the air supply inlet 102 is formed at a bottom of the rear housing body 120 and faces backwards. The heating assembly 200 includes a reflector 210 and two heating units 220. The reflector 210 is mounted onto the front housing body 110 and located inside the housing 110. The air supply outlet 103 is formed at the top of the reflector 210 and located above the air supply inlet 102 and faces forwards. The mesh hood 300 is mounted onto the front housing body 110 and covers the heating assembly 200 and the air supply outlet 103. A heat insulation component 700 is provided between the top of the mesh hood 300 and the front housing body 110. An isolation rib 211 is disposed on a front surface of the reflector 210 and extends essentially in the up-down direction. The isolation rib 211 defines two receiving grooves arranged on the reflector 210 in the left-right direction, and the two heating units 220 are mounted into the two receiving grooves respectively. The air channel cover 600 is disposed in the housing 100 and located behind the reflector 210, and thus the natural convection air channel 101 is defined between the reflector 210 and the air channel cover 600. Specifically, the reflector 210 and the air channel cover 600 are tilted backwards respectively, so that the natural convection air channel 101 is inclined in the vertical plane.
The mounting groove is formed at the isolation rib 211, faces forwards and runs through the isolation rib 211 in the left-right direction, and the first temperature limiter 400 is mounted in the mounting groove. The first temperature limiter 400 is located at an upper portion of the reflector 210 and in the middle of the two heating units 220 in the left-right direction. The second temperature limiter 500 is disposed in the housing 100 and located below the mesh hood 300, and located in the middle of the front housing body 110 in the left-right direction and at a bottom front of the first temperature limiter 400. The power line 800 is mounted at the bottom of the rear housing body 120 and is in electric connection with the first temperature limiter 400 and the second temperature limiter 500 respectively.
With reference to drawings, the working process of the electric radiator 1 according to the embodiments of the present disclosure may be described.
When the electric radiator 1 is working normally, the air in the natural convection air channel 101 is heated by the two heating units 220 through the reflector 210. The heated air in the natural convection air channel 101 may rise and may be discharged out of the natural convection air channel 101 from the air supply outlet 103, meanwhile the air at a room temperature may enter into the natural convection air channel 101 from the air supply inlet 102, thus forming the natural convection in the natural convection air channel 101. The natural convection may contribute to a decrease in the temperature of the first temperature limiter 400.
When the towel test is performed, the towel covers the electric radiator 1, on one hand, a passageway of the natural convection is blocked because the air supply outlet 103 is covered by the towel, so that temperature at the first temperature limiter 400 may be increased quickly, and on the other hand, after the electric radiator 1 is covered by the towel, in a sealed space formed above the mesh hood 300 and the reflector 210, heat is difficult to dissipate, which further increases the temperature of the first temperature limiter 400, and thus an action is performed by the first temperature limiter 400 and the electric radiator 1 may stop heating.
When the wall test is performed, an obstacle is provided in front of the electric radiator 1, on one hand, a rate of the heat dissipation at the second temperature limiter 500 may be decreased, and the temperature of the second temperature limiter 500 may be increased significantly, and on the other hand, the thermal radiation of the reflector 210 and the heating unit 220 may be reflected by the obstacle in front of the whole electric radiator 1, so that the temperature of the second temperature limiter 500 may be increased, and thus an action is performed by the second temperature limiter 500 and the electric radiator 1 may stop heating.
In conclusion, in a far-infrared electric radiator 1 according to the present disclosure, the air between the reflector 210 and the air channel cover 600 may be heated by the heating unit 220 and the reflector 210, so as to form the natural convection in the natural convection air channel 101. At the same time, the first temperature limiter 400 is disposed at the upper portion of the reflector 210, the second temperature limiter 500 is disposed at the bottom of the front housing body 110, and the second temperature limiter 500 is located at the bottom front of the first temperate limiter 400, so as to pass the towel test and the wall test. That is, under both situations that the electric radiator 1 is covered by obstacles such as clothes and blocked by obstacles such as a wall in the front, the electric radiator 1 may stop heating so as to ensure the safety. In the far-infrared electric radiator 1 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the air guide apparatuses such as an electric motor and a fan are omitted, so that the structure is simpler, the cost is lower and the energy consumption is lower.
Other structures and operations of the electric radiator 1 according to embodiments of the present disclosure are known to a skilled person in the art, which is no more described in detail herein.
In the specification, unless specified or limited otherwise, relative terms such as “central”, “thickness”, “up”, “down”, “front”, “rear”, “right”, “left”, “horizontal”, “vertical”, “top”, “bottom”, “inner” and “outer” should be construed to refer to the orientation as then described or as shown in the drawings under discussion. These relative terms are for convenience of description and do not require that the present disclosure be constructed or operated in a particular orientation. In addition, terms such as “first” and “second” are used herein for purposes of description and are not intended to indicate or imply relative importance or significance. Thus, features limited by “first” and “second” are intended to indicate or imply including one or more than one these features. In the description of the present disclosure, “a plurality of” relates to two or more than two.
In the description of the present disclosure, unless specified or limited otherwise, it should be noted that, terms “mounted,” “connected” and “communicated” may be understood broadly, such as permanent connection or detachable connection, electronic connection or mechanical connection, direct connection or indirect connection via intermediary, inner communication or inter reaction between two elements. These having ordinary skills in the art should understand the specific meanings in the present disclosure according to specific situations.
Reference throughout this specification to “an embodiment,” “some embodiments,” “one embodiment”, “another example,” “an example,” “a specific example,” or “some examples,” means that a particular feature, structure, material, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment or example is included in at least one embodiment or example of the present disclosure. Thus, the appearances of the phrases such as “in some embodiments,” “in one embodiment”, “in an embodiment”, “in another example,” “in an example,” “in a specific example,” or “in some examples,” in various places throughout this specification are not necessarily referring to the same embodiment or example of the present disclosure. Furthermore, the particular features, structures, materials, or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments or examples.
Although explanatory embodiments have been shown and described, it would be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the above embodiments cannot be construed to limit the present disclosure, and changes, alternatives, and modifications can be made in the embodiments without departing from spirit, principles and scope of the present disclosure.
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