Field of the Invention

The invention relates to a universal radiator intended for heating both housing and non-housing spaces, with universal options of connecting to heating circuits.

Description of the Prior Art

The background of the invention in the field can be characterized that there are several types of radiators used for heating, among which panel radiators are the most common. Furthermore, there are plenty of tube (bathroom) radiators and various design radiators that are manufactured. These radiators are often welded from tubular sections of various shapes and pipes .

The panel radiator usually consists of two connecting bars shut with covers at the end, which are equipped with bushings used for connection to the heating circuit. The connecting bars can be made of steel, copper or aluminium sections or pipes and are mutually connected by heating sections. The heating sections can be also made of steel, copper or aluminium sections or pipes. To allow the heating medium (heating water) to flow through the radiator, the connecting bars and heating sections are linked by holes .

The operating principle of the radiator is that the heating medium enters the radiator through one bushing and transmits the heat to the surroundings while flowing through connecting bars and heating sections. This process cools the heating medium down and the cooled medium flows through the other bushing back to the heating system. The bushings not used for connecting to the heating system are shut with (shut-off or deaeration) covers.

The manufacturers of radiators have to deal with problems about different types of connecting radiators to the heating system (e.g. from right, from left, diagonally, from below downwards) due to several reasons - structural, designing or visual ones.

The problem with existing solutions can be characterized that when the connection is unsuitable, the radiator heat output may decrease by tens of percents. To prevent the heat output of existing basic radiator embodiments from decreasing without adjustments, the input and output bushing must be installed at different connecting bars. So the heating medium flows into the radiator e.g. from the right through the upper or lower bushing, wherein it flows through the whole right connecting bar and holes to heating sections. After that the cooled heating medium flows through holes, the whole left connecting bar and the lower bushing out to the heating circuit. A similar connection from the left is also possible, just with the radiator connected reversely.

A problem may arise when a one-sided lateral connection of the radiator to the heating circuit is required and when both inlet and outlet bushing are to be placed at the same side, so in one connecting bar. This arrangement may cause that the heating medium can flow freely (by line of least resistance) e.g. from the right upper (inlet) bushing through the connecting bar directly to the right lower (outlet) bushing without flowing through heating sections. In that case an adjustment of the radiator construction is necessary to prevent the heating medium from flowing through this shortened route.

The typical solution of the problem described above that is used nowadays to guarantee a constant heat output of the radiator with the one-sided lateral connection is a barrier placed in one or both connection bars to guide the heating medium (heating water) stream. This arrangement can be described using this specific example: The heating medium flows into the radiator from right through the upper bushing. It flows through the upper part of the right connecting bar and through holes to upper heating sections. The cooled heating medium flows through upper holes to the left connecting bar and subsequently through lower holes to the lower heating sections. Through lower holes the heating medium flows into the lower part of the right connecting bar and subsequently it drains away from the radiator through the lower bushing, wherein the right connecting bar is divided by a barrier to the upper and lower part. The remaining (not used) bushings are shut with (shut-off or deaeration) covers. Alternatively, instead of barriers the suitably designed tubes passing through one of connecting bars can be also used to prevent the heating medium from undesirable flow. This solution and other similar solutions have one big disadvantage, because they require the radiator that supports all the required connection types to be manufactured in several versions for specific connections. If we wanted the variant of radiator with connection from the left, the barrier would have to be placed in the left connecting bar. If we wanted to connect the same radiator so the heating medium entered e.g. from the left and drained away from the right, we would have to remove the barrier completely. There is a partial solution for a universal connection, e.g. the solution according to Finimetal EP0764824A1 with barriers that can be blinded. However, this solution is quite complicated.

The described necessity to have several variants of the same radiator just due to different connection types causes big problems in logistics, ordering and delivering radiators, because the customer has to define the radiator precisely according to its connection type and consequently the manufacturer has to produce and deliver the radiator of the selected type. That involves a big risk of errors during ordering and manufacturing radiators. In addition to this, the delivered radiator cannot be used e.g. when the construction layout changes and the radiator has to be connected in a different manner. So for suppliers and merchants it is impossible to have radiators in stock and ready to be picked up instantly, because they always have to take into account the construction layout etc. Nature of the Invention

The radiator with practically universal features, as for different required connection variants, eliminates the disadvantages of current radiator embodiments. It means there is only one radiator embodiment that is manufactured in the production plant and simple assembly tools can be used to connect this radiator to the heating system as required. The need for that solution can be underlined by the fact that the radiator is equipped with welded hangers at the back side for mounting to the wall. In fact, this explicitly defines the position of the radiator towards the wall and individual variants of connecting the radiator to the heating circuit must obey that .

The radiator according to the invention, which profits from the flow of the heating medium (most frequently heating water) , usually consists of tubular heating sections that are firmly connected (usually welded) with two peripheral tubular connecting bars. These tubular connecting bars are connected to the tubular heating sections through holes for the heating medium stream. Each tubular connecting bar is equipped with two bushings (with inner threads) placed one above the other one, one in the upper part and the other in the lower part of the connecting bar. The left tubular connecting bar and the right tubular connecting bar are linked by a pipe underneath. Both ends of the pipe overlap into tubular connecting bars, wherein they are coaxial with both the left lower bushing and right lower bushing and are adjusted, usually skewed for a nipple or a plug to be screwed on through the designated lower bushing.

The nipple consists of a through tube; at one end this tube is ended with an outer flange adhered (through not visible sealing) to the inner shoulder of the right lower bushing or to the inner shoulder of the left lower bushing, wherein at its other end the through pipe of the nipple is mounted on the left end of the pipe or the right end of the pipe. The joint between the tube and the left end or the right end of the pipe is sealed with a not visible sealing, e.g. O-ring. The joint between the plug tube and the left end or the right end of the pipe is also sealed with a not visible sealing, e.g. O-ring. Alternatively, the nipple can be equipped with a thread at the periphery of its outer flange to screw into the left lower bushing or the right lower bushing. The nipple conducts the heating medium from the pipe via tube, through the lower bushing into the heating circuit. All four bushings have the same pipe construction with inner thread and inner shoulder. In this case the front side of the outer thread for the nipple is equipped with a groove for screwing or with a hexagon socket for Allen key.

The plug consists of a tube that is at one side ended with an outer flange adhered to the inner shoulder of the right lower bushing or to the inner shoulder of the left lower busing. At the other end the plug tube (shut by a barrier that forms a cap) is put on the left pipe end or the right pipe end, wherein the plug tube has at least one radial hole between the barrier and the flange used for the heating medium to flow into the relevant tubular connecting bar. Alternatively, the plug can be equipped with a thread at the periphery of its outer flange to screw into the left lower bushing or the right lower bushing. In this case the front side of the outer thread of the plug is equipped with a groove for screwing.

Overview of Figures in Drawings

Other advantages and benefits from the configuration with the radiator connected to the heating circuit are obvious from the attached drawings, where Fig. 1 - radiator with heating medium inflow through right upper bushing and cooled heating medium outflow through right lower bushing, Fig. 2 - radiator with heating medium inflow through left upper bushing and cooled heating medium outflow through left lower bushing, Fig. 3 - radiator with heating medium inflow through right upper bushing and cooled heating medium outflow through left lower bushing, Fig. 4 - radiator with heating medium inflow through right lower bushing and cooled heating medium outflow through left lower bushing, Fig. 5 - radiator with heating medium inflow through left lower bushing and cooled heating medium outflow through right lower bushing, Fig. 6 - detailed representation of plug and nipples for screwing into bushing, Fig. 7 - subassembly with nipple screwed into bushing, Fig. 8 - subassembly with plug screwed into bushing.

Description of the Invention Embodiments

The examples of possible configurations with inlets and outlets of the heating medium into/from the radiator listed below represent the prevailing variants of this invention, however also different variants are possible.

Example 1.

The radiator that takes advantage of the heating medium flow and consists of tubular heating sections 1, which are firmly connected with two peripheral tubular connecting bars 2,3, while these bars are connected with tubular heating sections 1 through holes 4, wherein each tubular connecting bar 2,3 is equipped with two bushings 8, 10 and 9, 11 placed one above the other one, up and down (see Fig. 1); the radiator is connected to the heating medium inlet through the right upper bushing 11 and to the (cooled) heating medium outlet through the right lower bushing 9. The left upper bushing 10 and left lower bushing 8 are both closed with caps 14, wherein the right end 7. °f the pipe 5 has a nipple 12 inserted through the right lower bushing 9.

The working principle of the described configuration is that the hot heating medium flows into the radiator from the right through the right upper bushing 11 and flows through the entire right tubular connecting bar 3 and through holes 4 into the heating sections 1. The cooled heating medium flows through holes 4 leading into the left tubular connecting bar 2 and from there it drains away through the pipe 5 into the right lower bushing 9. There is a nipple 12 that is mounted on the pipe 5 through the right lower bushing 9; this nipple connects the pipe 5 with the right lower bushing 9, through which the cooled heating medium flows into the heating circuit. Using the nipple 12 prevents the cooled heating medium outflow from mixing with the hot heating medium inflow in the right tubular connecting bar 3. This increases the radiator efficiency.

Example 2.

The radiator that takes advantage of the heating medium flow and consists of tubular heating sections 1, which are firmly connected with two peripheral tubular connecting bars 2,3, while these bars are connected with tubular heating sections 1 through holes 4, wherein each tubular connecting bar 2,3 is equipped with two bushings 8, 10 and 9, 11 placed one above the other one, up and down (see Fig. 2) ; the radiator is connected to the heating medium inlet through the left upper bushing 10 and to the (cooled) heating medium outlet through the left lower bushing 8. The right upper bushing 11 and left lower bushing 9 are both closed with caps 14, wherein the left end 6 of the pipe 5 has a nipple 12 inserted through the left lower bushing 8.

The functions and effects of this configuration are identical with the preceding example, just with the radiator's inlets and outlets on the left side.

Example 3.

The radiator that takes advantage of the heating medium flow and consists of tubular heating sections 1, which are firmly connected with two peripheral tubular connecting bars 2,3, while these bars are connected with tubular heating sections 1 through holes 4, wherein each tubular connecting bar 2,3 is equipped with two bushings 8, 10 and 9, 11 placed one above the other one, up and down (see Fig. 3) ; the radiator is connected to the heating medium inlet through the right upper bushing 11 and to the heating medium outlet through the left lower bushing 8. The left upper bushing 10 is closed with a cap 14. The right end 7 of the pipe 5 has a nipple 12 inserted through the right lower bushing 9, wherein the right lower bushing 9 is closed with a cap 14.

The working principle of the described configuration is that the hot heating medium flows into the radiator from the right through the right upper bushing 11 and flows through the entire right tubular connecting bar 3 and through holes 4 into the heating sections 1. The cooled heating medium flows through holes 4 leading into the left tubular connecting bar 2 and from there it drains away through the left lower bushing 8 into the heating circuit. There is a nipple 12 that is mounted on the pipe 5 through the right lower bushing 9; this nipple connects the pipe 5 with the right lower bushing 9. In this variant the right lower bushing 9 is closed with a cap 3^4, so the heating medium does not flow through the pipe 5.

Example 4 .

The radiator that takes advantage of the heating medium flow and consists of tubular heating sections 1, which are firmly connected with two peripheral tubular connecting bars 2,3, while these bars are connected with tubular heating sections 1 through holes 4, wherein each tubular connecting bar 2,3 is equipped with two bushings 8, 10 and 9, 11 placed one above the other one, up and down (see Fig. 4); the radiator is connected to the heating medium inlet through the right lower bushing 9 and to the heating medium outlet through the left lower bushing 8. The right lower bushing 9 has a plug 13 mounted on the right end 7 of the pipe 5, wherein the right upper bushing 11 and the left upper bushing 10 are both closed with caps 14.

The working principle of the described configuration is that the hot heating medium flows through the right lower bushing 9 into the plug 13, which shuts the pipe 5 with the barrier 133 pushed against the right end 7 of this pipe. The hot heating medium flows through radial holes 134 of the plug 13 into the right tubular connecting bar 3 and from there through holes 4 into tubular heating sections 1, where the heating medium is cooled down. After that the medium flows through holes 4 into the left tubular connecting bar 2, from which it drains away through the left lower bushing 8 into the heating circuit.

Example 5.

The radiator that takes advantage of the heating medium flow and consists of tubular heating sections 1, which are firmly connected with two peripheral tubular connecting bars 2,3, while these bars are connected with tubular heating sections 1 through holes 4, wherein each tubular connecting bar 2,3 is equipped with two bushings 8, 1_0 and 9, 11 placed one above the other one, up and down (see Fig. 5) ; the radiator is connected to the heating medium inlet through the left lower bushing 8 and to the heating medium outlet through the right lower bushing 9. The left upper bushing 10 and the right upper bushing 11 are both closed with caps 14. The right lower bushing 9 has a plug 13 mounted on the right end 7 of the pipe 5 that shuts the pipe 5 and makes it impassable for the heating medium. The plug 13 is equipped with radial holes 134 for the cooled heating medium streaming.

The working principle of the described configuration is that the hot heating medium flows into the radiator through the left lower bushing 8 into the left tubular connecting bar 2 and through holes 4 of the left tubular connecting bar 2 into the heating sections 1. From there the cooled heating medium flows through holes 4 into the right tubular connecting bar 3. Consequently, the cooled heating medium flows through radial holes 134 of the plug 13 into the right lower bushing 9 and then into the heating circuit. Example 6.

This example concerns the radiator that takes advantage of the heating medium flow and consists of tubular heating sections 1, which are firmly connected with two peripheral tubular connecting bars 2,3, while these bars are connected with tubular heating sections 1 through holes 4, wherein each tubular connecting bar 2,3 is equipped with two bushings 8, 10 and 9, 11 placed one above the other one, up and down, wherein Fig. 6 to 8 show alternative embodiments of the nipple 12 with a thread Zl at the periphery of its outer flange 122 to screw the nipple 12 into the left lower bushing 8 or to the right lower bushing That seals more effectively the nipple 12 against the inner area of the relevant tubular connecting bar 2 or 3 and consequently prevents from undesirable seepage of the heating medium. The nipple 12 is used for the outflow of the heating medium from the pipe 5 through the tube 121 and the lower bushing 8 or 9 into the heating circuit. All four bushings 8, 9 and 10, 11 have the same pipe construction with the inner thread Z. In this case the front side of the outer thread 122 for the nipple 12 is equipped with a groove D for screwing or with a hexagon socket I for Allen key.

Alternatively, the outer flange 132 of the plug 13 can have a peripheral outer thread Zl to screw it into the left lower bushing 8 or the right lower bushing . In this case the front side of the outer flange 132 for the plug 13 is equipped with a groove D for screwing. Screwing the plug 13 seals this plug 13 more effectively against the inner area of the relevant tubular connecting bar 2 or 3 and consequently prevents from undesirable seepage of the heating medium.

Technical applicability

The universal radiator is intended for heating both housing and non-housing spaces.