Patent Application
20070095931
This is the first application filed for the present invention.
Not Applicable.
The present invention relates generally to radiant heating systems and, in particular, to hangers for installing tubing in a radiant heating system.
Radiant heating systems for living and/or working spaces are widely known. One popular type of radiant heating system for these applications is the hydronic heating system wherein a heated fluid such as water is pumped through an endless tubing loop installed under a floor (“RFH” or Radiant Floor Heating) or inside a wall (“RWH” or Radiant Wall Heating). Heat is supplied to the living area or workspace from heated fluid circulated through the endless loop which heats the floor or wall via natural heat transfer mechanisms, i.e. radiation, convection and conduction. The fluid is typically heated by a boiler which burns a carbonaceous fuel such as natural gas or fuel oil or, alternatively, by a gas or electrical heated water heater, or the like.
Traditionally, hydronic heating coils have been installed between floor joists or wall studs with at least one loop between each pair of adjacent joists or studs. Furthermore, the endless loop has traditionally been supported in close contact with the floor or wall surface and heat conductive plates have been used to enhance the radiation of heat from the endless loop to the undersurface of the floor.
Prior art radiant heating systems suffer from a number of disadvantages. First, the radiant plates which support the heating tubes are secured directly to the floor or wall surface. This promotes “hot spots” on the floor or wall. Heating fluid temperatures must therefore be controlled in order to prevent hot spots which could prove injurious or discomforting to occupants of the heated space. Second, plastic tubing used in hydronic heating system is vulnerable to puncture by fasteners driven through the flooring or the wall structure by persons who are not aware of the hazard. Such accidental damage to the heating system can cause water damage and potentially cause damage to the fluid distribution pump and/or the boiler used for heating the fluid. Third, at least one loop is required in each inter-joist space in order to lay out the endless heating loop efficiently as well as to provide adequate radiant heat in most climates. Fourth, as noted above most boilers operate at temperatures which exceed the desired temperature of a floor surface. It is therefore necessary to provide some mechanical arrangement to prevent fluid heated by the boiler from circulating in an undiluted condition through the hydronic heating system. Expensive flow control components which must be installed by skilled workmen are therefore required in the heating system. This contributes to the cost of installation and maintenance of the system.
These problems were addressed by the hydronic heating system described in Applicant's U.S. Pat. No. 5,542,603 (MacDuff) which issued Aug. 6, 1996. This hydronic heating system includes a conduit for circulating heated fluid beneath a floor. The conduit is suspended a predetermined distance beneath the floor, which provides more uniform heat transfer, eliminating unwanted hot spots. The hydronic heating system is installed so that the conduit runs transverse to the floor joists, i.e. the conduit passes through holes bored in the joists.
Accordingly, it is desirable to provide an improved hydronic heating system that facilitates installation by permitting the fluid conduit to be run between, and generally parallel to, the floor joists to facilitate installation.
It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a hydronic heating system that is rapidly and easily installed.
The invention therefore provides a hydronic heating system for radiant floor heating, comprising a length of tubing defining a conduit within which a heated fluid can be circulated; and a plurality of hangers that suspend the tubing a predetermined distance beneath the floor, each hanger comprising: a stem having a top end that can be secured to the underside of the floor; and a helical hook at a bottom end of the stem for supporting the tubing, the helical hook having a free end that is spaced away from the stem a distance that is about equal to an outer diameter of the tubing, the helical hook forming an arc with respect to the stem that does not exceed 270° to permit the hook to be slid over a side of the tubing and rotated 90° to lock the tubing within the hook when the hanger is secured to the underside of the floor.
The invention further provides a method of installing a hydronic heating system, the method comprising: extending a tubing beneath a floor to be heated; sliding a helical hook at a bottom end of a hanger over the tubing, the helical hook having a free end that is spaced away from a stem of the hanger by a distance that is about equal to an outer diameter of the tubing, the helical hook forming an arc with respect to the stem that does not exceed 270° to permit the hook to be slid over a side of the tubing and rotated 90° to lock the tubing within the hook when the hanger is secured to the underside of the floor; and, sliding the hangers over the tubing at predetermined intervals and securing the respective hangers to an underside of the floor to suspend the tubing a predetermined distance below the underside of the floor.
The invention further provides a hanger for suspending a tubing for circulating a heated fluid in a hydronic heating system. The hanger comprises a stem having a top end securable to an underside of a floor; and a helical hook at a bottom end of the stem, the hook having a free end that is spaced from the stem by a distance that is about equal to an outer diameter of the tubing, the helix forming an arc with respect to the stem that does not exceed 270° to permit the hook to be slid over a side of the tubing and rotated 90° to lock the tubing within the hook when the hanger is secured to the underside of the floor.
Further features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description, taken in combination with the appended drawings, in which:
It should be noted that throughout the appended drawings, like features are identified by like reference numerals.
The invention provides a hydronic heating system and a hanger that facilitates installation of fluid distribution tubing for the hydronic heating system.
As shown in
As shown in
The hydronic heating system 10 typically includes a zone valve 30 for regulating the fluid flow through the conduit 16. The zone valve 30 is controlled by a thermostat (not shown), which opens the zone valve 30 when the thermostat demands heat and closes the zone valve 30 when heat is no longer required. Typically, the thermostat also controls the boiler 12 and pump 14.
As shown in
A plurality of heat-radiating fins 50 which promote heat transfer from the tubing/conduit 16, are connected to the tubing 16 at predefined intervals, as described in Applicant's U.S. Pat. No. 5,542,603 (MacDuff) entitled HYDRONIC HEATING SYSTEM which is hereby incorporated by reference.
As shown in
It should also be expressly understood that although the invention is illustrated with reference to a floor supported by floor joists through which holes may be bored, the invention is equally adapted to be used with floors constructed with open or “space joist” systems, well known in the art, stressed-skin panels, reinforced concrete, or any other flooring system that presents a relatively flat floor underside into which fasteners can be driven.
The hanger 100 further includes a helical hook 120 at a bottom end 122 of the stem 102. The hook 120 has a free end 124 that is spaced apart from the stem 102 by a distance 126 that is about equal to an outer diameter of the tubing 16. The helical hook spirals away from the stem 102 and forms an arc with respect to the stem that does not exceed 270° (see
In one embodiment, the helical hook 120 is integrally formed with the stem 102. In one embodiment, the stem 102 (including the upper loop 106) and the hook 120 are integrally formed from a single piece of metal wire, stainless steel for example. The hanger 100 can be constructed to accommodate any size of tubing. The length of the stem 102 positions the tubing a desired distance beneath the floor, such as, for example, three inches.
As illustrated in
The hydronic heating system 10 can be installed by extending or “pulling” a tubing 16 beneath a floor 42 to be heated. The tubing 16 is positioned between and generally parallel to floor joists 44 as was shown in
During installation, each successive hanger 100 is slipped over the tubing 16 by passing the tubing through the gap 126 and rotating the hanger 100 about 90° before fastening the hanger 100 to the underside 41 of the floor 42 using a threaded fastener 110, for example. In one embodiment, the hangers 100 are secured to the underside of the floor 42 midway between adjacent joists 44 to ensure uniform heat transfer to the floor 42.
Once all of the tubing 16 is hung for the zone 40, the tubing 16 is connected to the boiler 12 and pump 14, or, if there are other zones, to the return and distribution manifolds 18, 20, as described earlier.
The heat-radiating fins 50 are attached to the tubing 16 in order to promote heat transfer from the tubing 16 to the floor 42. The heat-radiating fins 50 may be attached to the tubing 16 after the tubing is threaded through the respective joists and either before or after the hangers 100 are installed to support the tubing 16.
The embodiments of the invention described above are intended to be exemplary only. The scope of the invention is therefore intended to be limited solely by the scope of the appended claims.
