Heating panel and method therefor

Abstract

A radiant heating panel, for typical use as cover for interior walls and ceilings, is provided, that is manufactured in a continuous process involving at least one sheet material, a settable material and a heating element. A method of installing such a heating panel is also provided, along with an apparatus and method required to terminate the heating panel.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD[0001]The present invention relates to a heating panel and methods of production and installation therefore. More particularly but not exclusively it relates to a wallboard heater and method therefore.BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION[0002]Wallboards are typically used to provide an interior finish for building constructions. They may consist of gypsum panels coated on each side by a paper sheet. The introduction of a heating element into a wallboard for use as a radiant and convection heater is known, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,598,960. Typically such wallboard heating operates mainly on the principle of radiant heating, with a small amount of convection heating resulting from the heated wallboard.[0003]This heating offers many advantages, in that when the heating panel is used to cover a wall or preferably a ceiling, the heating effect it generates allows for an even distribution of heat, with a relatively large part of the room being exposed to the radiant heating e...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

"The present invention is a method of manufacturing a heating panel that includes a continuous wallboard feed with at least one heating element incorporated therein. The method involves depositing a layer of settable material onto a first sheet of material to form a continuous open wallboard feed, and then depositing one or more heating elements or electrical conductor members along the length of the continuous open wallboard feed. The heating panel can also include a second sheet of material to form a closed wallboard feed. The method allows for the manufacture of heating panels with precise control over the location and size of the heating elements, and can also include steps of allowing the settable material to at least partially set and cutting the panel to size. The heating panel can also include a layer of settable material and an electrical conductor member that acts as a busbar to allow for termination of the heating panel at an opposed side of the heating elements. The invention also includes a heating panel made by the method described above."

Problems solved by technology

However, the manufacture of such moulded heating panels is an expensive manual production process, and is difficult and hence expensive to automate.

Further, such batch-type production processes may not allow for high production rates.

A faulty connection of a heated water pipe system can result in parts of a ceiling or wall being ruined.

However, such heating panels is labour intensive as two sets of panels need to be installed in or on the ceiling.

Localised heating behind the wallboard means that high temperatures could cause the gypsum (which started as calcium sulphate hemihydrate, before it is hydrated and sets as calcium sulphate dihydrate after excess water is dried off) to lose its integrity and degenerate back to its hemihydrate form.

Heating panels installed behind ceiling cladding may also result in a longer heating up period, and may cause problems due to the high heat above the ceiling wallboards.

One example of this is that structural timber may dry out and / or shrink, causing warping and / or movement of the installed ceiling.

The termination of electrically heated panels with embedded circuits or circuits disposed immediately behind the installed ceiling or wall panels can also be problematic, since any short circuit break in the circuit would be difficult to establish and locate.

Also, such systems usually have established termination points at particular predetermined locations relative to the wall board, and may be difficult to connect up where they are not easily accessible.

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