Heating appliance

Abstract

 A heating appliance (1) for the purpose of central space heating as well as sanitary water heating, comprising at least the following components: a heat exchanger (2), a burner (3), a fuel supply device (4), a combustion air supply device (5), an electronic control unit, pumping means (6, 7), and a sanitary water heating element (8), wherein the heating appliance comprises at least a first and a second housing (1a and 1b, respectively), which can be fitted independently of each other, while at least the above components (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8) are so divided over the housings (1a, 1b) that none of the housings (1a, 1b) with the components accommodated therein exceeds a particular weight.

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a heating appliance for the purpose of central space heating as well as sanitary water heating, comprising at least the following components:
   a heat exchanger, a burner, a fuel supply device, a combustion air supply device, an electronic control unit, pumping means, and a sanitary water heating element.

[0002] Such appliances are known from practice and are used in particular in single-family dwellings for the purpose of the central heating thereof and for the purpose of sanitary water heating.

[0003] The known heating appliances generally comprise a single housing which accommodates all components of the heating appliance. Such a heating appliance for use in a single-family dwelling generally weighs well over 50 kg, which is the maximum weight that may be lifted by two persons under the Working Conditions Act in a number of countries. Accordingly, when installing such a heating appliance, the fitter performs an operation that can cause damage to his health, in particular to his back. Moreover, such an installing operation is forbidden according to the Working Conditions Act. The object of the invention is to provide a heating appliance which is simple to install without the risk of the fitter sustaining any damage to his health and without involving any violation of the Working Conditions Act.

[0004] To that end, the heating appliance of the type described in the opening paragraph hereof is characterized in than it comprises at least a first and a second housing which can be fitted independently of each other, while at least the components mentioned are so divided over the housings that none of the housings with the components accommodated therein exceeds a particular weight.

[0005] Owing to the components of the heating appliance being accommodated in different housings which can be fitted independently of each other, while none of the housings exceeds a particular weight, the fitter or fitters can instal the heating appliance without thereby running the risk of causing damage to their health and without violating the Working Conditions Act when installing the appliance.

[0006] According to a further elaboration of the invention, the heating appliance has two housings, while the first housing with the components accommodated therein does not weigh more than about 50 kg and the second housing with the components accommodated therein does not weigh more than about 25 kg.

[0007] Since the maximum lifting load for one person should not exceed about 25 kg, in this embodiment of the heating appliance the first housing will have to be fitted by two fitters, while thereafter the second housing can be fitted by one fitter.

[0008] Further elaborations of the invention are described in the subclaims and will be further clarified on the basis of an exemplary embodiment with reference to the drawings.

Fig. 1 shows a first exemplary embodiment of a heating appliance according to the invention and

Fig. 2 shows a second exemplary embodiment of a heating appliance according to the invention.

[0009] The heating appliances represented in Figs. 1 and 2 each comprise two housings 1a, 1b which can be fitted independently of each other. The different components of the heating appliance, such as inter alia a heat exchanger 2, a burner 3, a fuel supply device 4 such as for instance a gas control valve, a combustion air supply device 5, such as for instance a fan, where also the mixing of the gas with the combustion air occurs, an electronic control unit (not shown), pumping means 6, 7, and a sanitary water heating element 8, are divided over the two housings 1a, 1b, in such a manner that neither of the housings with the components accommodated therein exceeds a particular weight. The pumping means 6, 7 can comprise either two separate pumps, one of them intended for the sanitary water heating circuit and the other for the space heating circuit, or a single pump 7 with a three-way valve 6 which directs the hot water either into the space heating circuit or into the sanitary water heating circuit. According to the invention, the different housings with the components of the heating appliance 1 accommodated therein will have a weight below the maximum weight one or two persons are allowed to lift according to the standards laid down by law in the country in question. In the Netherlands the standard is that one person may not lift more than 25 kg. Since the total weight of the heating appliances intended for single-family dwellings is currently about 75 kg, such a heating appliance cannot be installed without involving violation of the Working Conditions Act, which in practice entails the possibility of the installers of such heating appliances damaging their health.

[0010] In the exemplary embodiments shown, the heating appliance comprises two housings 1a, 1b. Of course, it is also possible to divide the heating appliance into more than two housings when it is impossible to keep the weight of the housings below the limit set. In the present exemplary embodiment the first housing la with the components accommodated therein does not weigh more than about 50 kg and the second housing 1b with the components accommodated therein does not weigh more than about 25 kg. The first housing 1a can therefore be safely installed by two installers, while the second housing 1b can be safely installed by one installer.

[0011] In the exemplary embodiments shown, the first housing la contains at least the three-way valve 6, the pumping means 7, and the sanitary water heating element 8. The second housing 1b contains at least the heat exchanger 2, the burner 3, the fuel supply device 4, and a combustion air supply device 5. Obviously, more components can be present in the two housings 1a, 1b. Thus, in the first housing 1a, for instance an electronic control unit with a control panel will be accommodated and both housings will contain piping leading the heating water and the sanitary water to the relevant components. The advantage of such a division of the components over the two housings 1a, 1b is that the second housing 1b can be designed as a standard unit which can be used with first housings la of different designs. This standard unit can then be used, for instance, with a first housing 1a of which the sanitary water heating element 8 is constructed as a sanitary water tank 8a having accommodated therein a hot water conveying heating spiral 8b which, in the condition where the second housing 1b is mounted on the first housing 1a, is connected to the heat exchanger 2. Such a "boiler design" is shown in Fig. 1. On the other hand, the first housing 1a can comprise a sanitary water heating element 8 which is constructed as a sanitary water conveying spiral 8c extending in or around a hot water tank 8d which, in the condition where the second housing 1b is mounted on the first housing 1a, is connected to the heat exchanger 2. Such a "through-flow heater design" is represented in Fig. 2. Thus for both the design with a sanitary water boiler 8a, 8b and the design with the sanitary plater through-flow heater 8c, 8d, the same second housing 1b with the components 2, 3, 4, 5 accommodated therein can be used, which is particularly favourable from the point of view of production technique and economy.

[0012] In order to facilitate mounting the second housing 1b on the first housing 1a, both housings 1a, 1b are provided with guide elements 9a, 9b which are adapted for cooperation with each other, so that the second housing 1b can be simply slid onto the first housing la. These guide elements 9a, 9b can be designed as rail elements.

[0013] In order then to further enable the heat exchanger 2 to be connected to the central space heating circuit and to the sanitary water heating circuit in a simple manner, it is possible, in accordance with a further elaboration of the invention represented in the present exemplary embodiments, for the first housing la to comprise four connecting pipes 10, 11, 12, 13, of which the first two 10, 11 have a first end connected to the pumping means 6, 7 and form, respectively, a supply and return pipe of, respectively, a central space heating circuit and sanitary water heating circuit of which the sanitary water heating element 8 is a part, and of which the third 12 is a gas supply pipe and the fourth is a drain pipe for water of condensation. Then, further, the second housing 1b comprises four connecting pipes 14, 15, 16, 17, of which the first two 14, 15 are connectable to a second end of the first two connecting pipes 10, 11 of the first housing la and form an outlet pipe and an inlet pipe, respectively, of the heat exchanger 2. The third connecting pipe 16 of the second housing 1b is connectable to the third connecting pipe 12 of the first housing 1a and is a gas pipe 16 leading to the fuel supply device. The fourth connecting pipe 17 is connectable to the fourth connecting pipe 13 of the first housing la and is a drain pipe 17 for water of condensation, through which water of condensation formed in the heat exchanger 2 can be discharged.

[0014] Connecting the connecting pipes 10, 11, 12, 13 to the connecting pipes 14, 15, 16, 17 can be accelerated by providing these connecting pipes with rapid couplings. When it is then further ensured that the connecting pipes 10, 11, 12, 13 of the first housing la and the connecting pipes 14, 15, 16, 17 of the second housing 1b are so arranged with respect to the guide elements 9a, 9b that when the second housing 1b is fitted on the first housing 1a via the guide elements 9a, 9b, the connecting pipes 10-17 are coupled to each other when the two housings 1a, 1b are disposed in the final mounted position, the achievement is that the second housing 1b is mounted and connected to the rest of the system with a single movement. For instance in case of failure of a component of the second housing 1b, the second housing 1b with the components 2, 3, 4, 5 accommodated therein can be simply uncoupled and be replaced by another, spare second housing which the fitter has with him. The repair of the second housing 1b with components 2, 3, 4, 5 accommodated therein can then take place in a repair shop and the users of the heating appliance immediately have a system in working order at their disposal.

[0015] By ensuring that at least the second housing 1b is airtight, the heating appliance can also be used in unventilated spaces.

[0016] As is represented clearly in the figures, both exemplary embodiments comprise a first housing 1a which has an L-shaped configuration and a second housing 1b which is of block-shaped design. The guide rails 9a are arranged on the upper side of the horizontal leg of the L of the first housing 1a, so that when the second housing 1b has been partly fitted on the guide elements 9a, the installer no longer needs to lift the second housing 1b but only needs to shove it rearwards in order to ensure that the connecting pipes 10, 11, 12, 13 and 14, 15, 16, 17, respectively, are coupled to each other by means of the rapid couplings.

[0017] It will be clear that the invention is not limited to the exemplary embodiments described but that various modifications are possible within the scope of the invention. Thus, for instance, the division of the different components of the heating appliance over the two housings can be chosen differently and the appliance can also comprise more than two housings if two housings do not suffice to bring the total weight of each of the housings below a particular maximum value. Also in the case of more than two housings, of course, it is preferred that they can be connected to each other in a simple manner, that is, that for this purpose guide elements are provided and that the couplings between the different pipes or cables are rapid couplings and plugs, respectively, the connection of which is automatically effected when mounting one housing onto the other.

Claims

1. A heating appliance (1) for the purpose of central space heating as well as sanitary water heating, comprising at least the following components: a heat exchanger (2), a burner (3), a fuel supply device (4), a combustion air supply device (5), an electronic control unit, pumping means (6, 7), and a sanitary water heating element (8), characterized in that the heating appliance comprises at least a first and a second housing (1a and 1b, respectively) which can be fitted independently of each other, while at least said components (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8) are so divided over the housings (1a, 1b) that none of the housings (1a, 1b) with the components (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8) accommodated therein exceeds a particular weight.

2. A heating appliance according to claim 1, characterized in that the heating appliance has two housings (1a, 1b), the first housing (1a) with the components (6, 7, 8) accommodated therein not weighing more than about 50 kg and the second housing (1b) with the components (2, 3, 4, 5) accommodated therein not weighing more than about 25 kg.

3. A heating appliance according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the first housing (1a) comprises at least the electronic control unit, the pumping means (6, 7), and the sanitary water heating element (8), while the second housing (1b) contains at least the heat exchanger (2), the burner (3), the fuel supply device (4), and a combustion air supply device (5).

4. A heating appliance according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that both the first and the second housing (1a and 1b, respectively) are provided with guide elements (9a, 9b) adapted for cooperation with each other, so that the second housing (1b) can be simply slid on the first housing (1a).

5. A heating appliance according to claim 3 or 4, characterized in that the first housing (1a) is provided with four connecting pipes (10, 11, 12, 13), of which the first two (10, 11) have a first end connected to the pumping means (6, 7) and form, respectively, a supply and return pipe of, respectively, a central heating circuit and sanitary water heating circuit of which the sanitary water heating element (8) forms a part, and of which the third (12) is a gas supply pipe and the fourth (13) is a drain pipe for water of condensation, while the second housing (1b) also comprises four connecting pipes (14, 15, 16, 17), of which the first two (14, 15) are connectable to a second end of the first two connecting pipes (10, 11) of the first housing (1a) and are an outlet pipe and inlet pipe, respectively, of the heat exchanger (2), of which the third (16) is connectable to the third connecting pipe (12) of the first housing (1a) and a gas pipe (16) leading to the fuel supply device (4), and of which the fourth (17) is connectable to the fourth connecting pipe of the first housing (1a) and is a drain pipe (17) for water of condensation, which is connected to the heat exchanger (2).

6. A heating appliance according to claim 5, characterized in that the connecting pipes (10, 11, 12, 13) of the first housing (1a) are provided with rapid couplings adapted for cooperation with rapid couplings provided on the connecting pipes (14, 15, 16, 17) of the second housing (1b).

7. A heating appliance according to claims 4 and 6, characterized in that when fitting the second housing (1b) on the first housing (1a) via the guide elements (9a, 9b) in a final mounted position, the connecting pipes (10, 11, 12, 13) of the first housing (1a) are connected to the connecting pipes (14, 15, 16, 17) of the second housing (1b) by means of the rapid couplings.

8. A heating appliance according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least the second housing (1b) is airtight.

9. A heating appliance according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the sanitary water heating element (8) is constructed as a sanitary water tank (8a) having accommodated therein a hot water conveying heating spiral (8b) which in mounted condition of the second housing (1b) is connected to the heat exchanger (2).

10. A heating appliance according to any one of claims 1-8, characterized in that the sanitary water heating element (8) is designed as a sanitary water conveying pipe coil (8c) which extends in or around a hot water tank (8d) which in mounted condition of the second housing (1b) is connected to the heat exchanger (2).

11. A heating appliance according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the first housing (la) has an L-shaped configuration and the second housing (1b) is block-shaped.

Drawing