Underfloor heating and / or cooling panel

Abstract

An underfloor heating and / or cooling panel 10 comprises a thermally insulative body 12 having a reinforcing layer 14 such as a cementitious or fibre mesh layer. The panel includes one or more grooves 22 for receiving an elongate heating and / or cooling means such as a water conduit (34, figure 3) or an electric heating element, and a plurality of recesses 26 spaced apart from each other along the groove(s). The recesses 26 are for receiving adhesive or levelling material and serve to increase thermal energy transfer from the heating and / or cooling means to a floor laid over the panel in use. The recesses are ideally elliptical, at least 120 mm in length and spaced from one another by at least 90 mm. The total area of the recesses ideally comprises at least 15% of the area of the panel.

Description

The present invention relates to an underfloor heating and / or cooling panel and to a floor configured to be heated and / or cooled from below. Underfloor heating is used to heat rooms and comprises a heating means extending beneath a floor of the room. Typically, the heating means may be a conduit which carries hot water, or an electrical heating element. A similar principle can be applied for cooling, in which chilled water or another heat transfer fluid may flow through the conduit. The conduit or electrical heating element will typically have a mounting which may include insulation to prevent or limit heat moving to or from the ground beneath the floor. However, the use of such insulation may limit the passage of movement of heat to or from the floor, and so may reduce the heat output to, or cooling effect on, the room, as well as increasing the time taken for the floor to be heated and / or cooled. When installing underfloor heating or cooling, floor surface components, such as tiles, carpet, vinyl flooring, or wooden flooring, are required to be installed on top of the heating and / or cooling means. However, it is typically necessary to install a supporting structure between the heating and / or cooling means and the floor surface components, to provide structure support to the floor surface components. The supporting structure may prevent or limit passage of heat from the heating and / or cooling means into the room, and / or may add time, expense, and material requirements to the installation of the underfloor heating and / or cooling system. It is an object of the present invention to reduce or substantially obviate the aforementioned problems. According to the present invention there is provided an underfloor heating and / or cooling panel for supporting a floor surface component and for receiving an elongate heating and / or cooling means, the panel comprising: a panel body comprising a thermally insulative material, the panel body having a floor-surface-component-supporting major surface, a rear major surface which faces an opposing or substantially opposing direction to the floor-surface-component-supporting major surface, a minor surface between the major surfaces, at least one groove at the floor-surface-component-supporting major surface for receiving the elongate heating and / or cooling means, and a plurality of recesses spaced apart from each other along the or each groove, each recess for receiving adhesive or levelling material and defining an opening in the floor-surface-component-supporting major surface which has a width which is greater than a width of the or each groove; and a reinforcing layer on at least one of the floor-surface-component-supporting major surface and the rear major surface. The recesses allow for adhesive or levelling material, such as screed, to fill space around the elongate heating and / or cooling means and therefore make good surface contact therewith. Since the adhesive or levelling material will typically be a better conductor of heat than the insulative material of the panel body, heat may therefore transmit more effectively from the panel and to the floor surface components, or vice versa. In the instance of heating, it has been determined that the presence of the recesses provide at least a 10% gain in the heat output of the system. Furthermore, due to the presence of the reinforcing layer, floor surface components, such as tiles, can be supported by the panel. As such, no intervening supporting structure is required to be used between the panel and the floor surface components. As such, heat may be able to transmit from the elongate heating and / or cooling means to the floor surface components, or vice versa, in a more direct and efficient manner, as well as providing an system which is simpler and easier to install. Preferably, each recess may be elongate and may have a longitudinal extent which is aligned with that of the or each groove. Advantageously, the longitudinal extent of each recess may be greater than that of a spacing between adjacent recesses along the groove. In this way, the recesses are densely arranged and so may provide a greater heat output or cooling effect. Beneficially, each recess may be elliptical or substantially elliptical. In a preferable embodiment, each recess may extend at each side of the groove. Optionally, each recess may be concave. Such a shape may be more easily filled by the adhesive or levelling material due to the lack of corners, reducing the chance of gaps or voids in the recess. Preferably, the recesses may have a spacing of at least 90 mm. For example, the spacing between adjacent recesses may in particular be 95 mm. Advantageously, the length of each recess may be at least 120 mm, for example 131 mm. In a preferable embodiment, a total area of the openings of the recesses may represent at least 15%, for example 17%, of the area of the panel. Preferably, the reinforcing layer may comprise a cementitious material. This provides effective reinforcement, as well as potentially allowing for better bonding with an adhesive or levelling material which is applied to the floor-surface-component-supporting major surface. Beneficially, the reinforcing layer may comprise fibres. Advantageously, the fibres may be in the form of a mesh. Fibres can provide effective reinforcement. The reinforcement layer may therefore be fibre cement. In a preferable embodiment, the reinforcing layer may be on the floor-surface-component-supporting major surface. Since the floor surface components are laid on the floor-surface-component-supporting major surface, it is preferable that this surface, in particular, is reinforced. Additionally, there may be two reinforcing layers, one on the floor-surface-component-supporting major surface and one on the rear major surface. This may provide a greater degree of reinforcement. Preferably, the recesses and / or the or each groove may be devoid of reinforcing layer. Beneficially, there may be a plurality of grooves, each groove being interconnected. Therefore, the same elongate heating and / or cooling means can extend between adjacent grooves. Advantageously, the panel may further comprise the elongate heating and / or cooling means. Additionally, the elongate heating and / or cooling means may be a fluid receiving conduit, in particular a hot water conduit or chilled water conduit. However, it will be appreciated that in some instances an electrical heating element may be considered instead of a fluid receiving conduit. Preferably, the rear major surface is devoid or substantially devoid of recesses. This allows the panel to provide unidirectional, or substantially unidirectional, heat transmission or absorption, since the recesses permit a greater degree of heat to be outputted or received from the floor-surface-component-supporting major surface than from the rear major surface. As such, the panel maximises the transmission of heat to the room or receipt from the room, whilst still preventing or limiting the transmission of heat between the panel and the ground. The panel generates a higher output with less downward losses, which means the panel is more energy efficient According to a second aspect of the invention, there is provided a floor configured to be heated and / or cooled from below comprising the underfloor heating and / or cooling panel having the elongate heating and / or cooling means, and at least one floor surface component supported by the floor-surface-component-supporting major surface. For a better understanding of the present invention, and to show more clearly how it may be carried into effect, reference will now be made by way of example only to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows a plan view of an embodiment of an underfloor heating and / or cooling panel in accordance with a first aspect of the invention; Figure 2 shows a perspective view of the panel of Figure 1; and Figure 3 shows a cross sectional view of the panel of Figure 1 along line A-A and including the heating and / or cooling means and adhesive or levelling material. Referring firstly to Figures 1 and 2, there is shown an underfloor heating and / or cooling panel 10 which comprises a panel body 12 and a reinforcing layer 14. The panel body 12 comprises a thermally insulative material, such polystyrene, for example extruded polystyrene. However, it will be appreciated that other materials considered good insulators of heat may be considered. Here the panel body 12 consists or consists essentially of the insulative material, and as such the insulative material should be rigid. However, the panel body 12 could feasibly have a multimaterial construction with non-insulative parts which may permit a non-rigid insulative material to be used. The panel body 12 is panel shaped, being generally flat and having a floor-surface-component-supporting major surface 16, a rear major surface 18 which faces an opposing or substantially opposing direction to the floor-surface-component-supporting major surface 16, and at least one minor surface 20 between the major surfaces. Here the panel 10 is generally cuboidal, having four minor surfaces 20, although it will be appreciated that other shapes may be considered. The panel 10 is elongate, although panels 10 having a non-elongate shape, such as having square major surfaces, may be considered. The major surfaces may each have a longitudinal extent of at least 1000 mm, for example 1200 mm, and may have a lateral extent or width of at least 500 mm, for example 600 mm. The panel 10 may have a thickness or depth of 20 mm, at a location which is not recessed or grooved. There is at least one groove in the panel body 12 which is at the floor-surface-component-supporting major surface 16. The groove is for receiving an elongate heating and / or cooling means, which will be further described hereinbelow. Here each panel body 12 has a plurality of grooves. There is a plurality of primary grooves 22, which extend in parallel or substantially parallel to each other and are preferably aligned with a longitudinal extent of the panel 10. The primary grooves 22 preferably extend along the entirety of the longitudinal extent of the board. The primary grooves are preferably straight, or substantially straight, and / or may have a semicircular or concave cross-section. At least two of the primary grooves 22 are interconnected to each other by curved return grooves 24. The return grooves 24 are generally semi-circular, although return grooves adjacent to an edge may have a quarter circle shape to connect with those of an adjacent panel. The return grooves 24 allow for the same heating and / or cooling means to extend between multiple primary grooves 22. Here there are four primary grooves 22, each of which are interconnected to an adjacent primary groove 22 or adjacent primary grooves 22 via a return groove 24 or return grooves 24. However, it will be appreciated that an alternative number of primary grooves 22 may be considered, including only a single primary groove. Each of the primary grooves 22 has a plurality of recesses 26 which are spaced apart from each other along a longitudinal extent of the groove 22. The recesses 26 are for receiving adhesive or levelling material. The recesses define an opening in the floorsurface-component-supporting major surface 16 which has a width which is greater than a width of the or each groove. Each recess 26 can be considered to be a widening of the respective primary groove 22 and so each recess is contiguous with said groove 22. Each recess 26 preferably extends at each lateral side of the primary groove 22 and may be elongate or substantially elongate. The recesses 26 may each have an elliptical or rounded lozenge shape. However, it will be appreciated that other shapes may be considered, for example rectangular or diamond shapes. Each recess 26 preferably has a concave surface or interior, although it will be appreciated that a flat bottomed and / or flat sided recess may be considered. There are here four recesses 26 per primary groove 22, although it will be appreciated that alternative numbers may be considered. A longitudinal extent of each recess 26 is greater than that of a spacing between adjacent recesses 26 along the groove. For example, here, each recess 26 has a longitudinal extent of at least 120 mm, such as 131 mm, and there may be a spacing between adjacent recesses of a groove of at least 90 mm, such as 95 mm. The recesses 26a, proximal to a first longitudinal end 28 of the panel 10, may have a spacing to the first longitudinal end 28 of the panel 10 which is half or substantially half of the spacing between recesses 26, for example 45 mm. The recesses 26 are only at the floor-surface-component-supporting major surface 16, and do not extend through to the rear major surface 18. There are preferably no recesses, or substantially no recess, at the rear major surface 18. As such, the panel is configured to provide unidirectional heat or unidirectional cooling. The reinforcing layer 14 is on or at the floor-surface-component-supporting major surface 16 and the rear major surface 18. As such there are here two reinforcing layers 14. This provides greater structural integrity for the underfloor heating and / or cooling panel 10. Whilst there is preferably a reinforcing layer 14 at both major surfaces, it will be appreciated that it may in fact only be at one of the two major surfaces, in particular at the floor-surface-component-supporting major surface 16. The or each reinforcing layer 14 preferably comprises a matrix material such as cement or another cementitious material. The reinforcing layer 14 additionally or alternatively may be fibre reinforced, for example having a fibre mesh. The fibre may be cellulose fibre, for example. The reinforcing layer 14 may therefore be fibre cement. The or each reinforcing layer 14 is joined to the panel body 12, for example the cement may self-adhere to the panel body 12 when it is applied, and as such the panel body 12 and the or each reinforcing layer 14 are a single unit. The reinforcing layer is preferably applied by a machine as a slurry. The reinforcing layer 14 is preferably not on or at any of the grooves 22, 24 or recesses 26 of the floor-surface-component-supporting major surface 16. As such, the reinforcing layer 14 may be applied with a mask to avoid application to the grooves or recesses 26. Alternatively, the reinforcing layer 14 may be applied to the whole of the floor-surface-component-supporting major surface 16, and then the recesses 26 and grooves are excavated through the reinforcing layer 14. The panel 10 preferably also includes one or more transit grooves 30. These are at or adjacent to a second longitudinal end 32 of the panel 10 and extend laterally across the panel 10, being perpendicular or substantially perpendicular to the primary grooves 22. Whilst transit grooves 30 are preferred, it will be appreciated that transit grooves 30 may be omitted from a version of the panel 10. Referring now in addition to Figure 3, to install an underfloor heating and / or cooling system, a plurality of panels 10 may be provided and arranged onto the structural floor of a room, such as a structural timber floor or a structural concrete floor. Along with the aforementioned panels 10, corner panels, for turning the heating and / or cooling means at a corner of the floor, and highway panels, for allowing efficient laying of the heating and / or cooling means across a transitory distance, may also be provided. The structural floor may first need to be levelled with a levelling compound, such as latex. The panels 10 are arranged on the structural floor so that the primary grooves 22, return grooves 24, and or transit grooves 30 of adjacent panels 10 are aligned. As such, the panels 10 are contiguously arranged so that the relevant grooves 22, 24, 30 of one panel 10 are contiguous or continuous with corresponding grooves of the adjacent panel. The floor surface components, floor finishes, or floor coverings, such as tiles may be fastened or adhered to the structural floor as appropriate. The elongates heating and / or cooling means is then laid into the grooves 22, 24, 30 of the panels 10. The return grooves 24 allow the same elongates heating and / or cooling means to extend between adjacent primary grooves 22, and the transit grooves 30 allows for the same elongates heating and / or cooling means to be laid across the panels 10 where required. The elongate heating and / or cooling means preferably comprises a fluid receiving conduit 34, such as tubing or piping, which is preferably flexible. The fluid receiving conduit 34 may have a diameter of 12 mm or 16 mm, for example, and so the grooves 22, 24, 30 are preferably sized to accommodate these diameters of tubes. Adhesive or levelling compound 36 is then applied to the floor-surface-component-supporting major surfaces 16 of the panels 10, which fills the grooves 22, 24, 30 and recesses 26. The adhesive or levelling compound 36 may also be termed or comprise screed or cement. Floor surface components, such as tiles, timber boards, vinyl flooring, or carpet, for defining the user surface of the floor, may then be laid directly on the screed 36. Where appropriate, components, such as tiles, may be laid on the screed 36 while wet so that the screed 36 adheres the tiles. As such, the panel 10 may be able to be tiled directly onto. The fluid receiving conduit 34 is connected to a hot water source and when hot water flows through the fluid receiving conduit 34 the heat is transferred to the screed 36 and then through the floor surface components and into the room. Since the screed 36 is a better conductor of heat than the thermally insulative material of the panel body 12, the presence of the recesses 26 increases the heat output by at least 10% compared to if the recesses 26 were not present. Since no intervening supporting structure is required between the panels and the floor surface components, the transfer of heat therebetween is improved. Alternatively or additionally, the fluid receiving conduit 34 may be connected to a chilled water source, such as a refrigeration system, to allow for heat to be transferred from the room and to the fluid receiving conduit, via the floor surface components and screed. This provides a cooling effect on the room. Alternatively, instead of laying fluid receiving conduits, a flexible electrical heating element, such as a cable, may be lain in the grooves 22, 24, 30 in a similar manner, to allow the heating of the panel and screed via electricity. It is therefore possible to provide an underfloor heating and / or cooling panel which has an increased heat output or cooling effect compared to conventional panels, as well as being able to lay floor surface components, such as tiles, onto the panel. The embodiments described above are provided by way of example only, and various changes and modifications will be apparent to persons skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. An underfloor heating and / or cooling panel for supporting a floor surface component and for receiving an elongate heating and / or cooling means, the panel comprising:a panel body comprising a thermally insulative material, the panel body havinga floor-surface-component-supporting major surface,a rear major surface which faces an opposing or substantially opposing direction to the floor-surface-component-supporting major surface,a minor surface between the major surfaces,at least one groove at the floor-surface-component-supporting major surface for receiving the elongate heating and / or cooling means, anda plurality of recesses spaced apart from each other along the or each groove, each recess for receiving adhesive or levelling material and defining an opening in the floor-surface-component-supporting major surface which has a width which is greater than a width of the or each groove; anda reinforcing layer on at least one of the floor-surface-component-supporting major surface and the rear major surface.

2. An underfloor heating and / or cooling panel as claimed in claim 1, wherein each recess is elongate and has a longitudinal extent which is aligned with that of the or each groove.

3. An underfloor heating and / or cooling panel as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the longitudinal extent of each recess is greater than that of a spacing between adjacent recesses along the groove.

4. An underfloor heating and / or cooling panel as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein each recess is elliptical or substantially elliptical.

5. An underfloor heating and / or cooling panel as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein each recess extends at each side of the groove.

6. An underfloor heating and / or cooling panel as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein each recess is concave.

7. An underfloor heating and / or cooling panel as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the recesses have a spacing of at least 90 mm.

8. An underfloor heating and / or cooling panel as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the length of each recess is at least 120 mm.

9. An underfloor heating and / or cooling panel as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein a total area of the openings of the recesses represents at least 15% of the area of the panel.

10. An underfloor heating and / or cooling panel as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the reinforcing layer comprises a cementitious material.

11. An underfloor heating and / or cooling panel as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the reinforcing layer comprises fibres.

12. An underfloor heating and / or cooling panel as claimed in claim 11, wherein the fibres are arranged as a mesh.

13. An underfloor heating and / or cooling panel as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the reinforcing layer is on the floor-surface-component-supporting major surface.

14. An underfloor heating and / or cooling panel as claimed in claim 13, wherein there are two reinforcing layers, one on the floor-surface-component-supporting major surface and one on the rear major surface.

15. An underfloor heating and / or cooling panel as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the recesses and / or the or each groove are devoid of reinforcing layer.

16. An underfloor heating and / or cooling panel as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein there are a plurality of grooves, each groove being interconnected.

17. An underfloor heating and / or cooling panel as claimed in anyone of the preceding claims, wherein the rear major surface is devoid or substantially devoid of recesses.

18. An underfloor heating and / or cooling panel as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, further comprising the elongate heating and / or cooling means.

19. An underfloor heating and / or cooling panel as claimed in claim 18, wherein the elongate heating and / or cooling means is a fluid receiving conduit.

20. A floor configured to be heated and / or cooled from below comprising the underfloor heating and / or cooling panel as claimed in claim 18 or claim 19, and at least one floor surface component supported by the floor-surface-component-supporting major surface.

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