Heater module

Abstract

The heating module comprises a fixed flange, a central frame, and a front cover. The fixed flange has an annular side wall configured to be attached to an exhaust duct of the cooling system through which an airflow is provided. The central frame has an opening formed therefor for the airflow to flow, and includes one or more heating elements arranged to heat the airflow, and supports for adjusting the one or more heating elements across the opening. The front cover has a grate that aligns with the opening in the central frame, through which the airflow is exhausted.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63 / 591,996 filed on October 20, 2023, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

[0002] The present invention relates to heating apparatuses, and more specifically to a heating module having one or more heating elements configured to be used in conjunction with a cooling system.

BACKGROUND ART

[0003] Evaporative air coolers are a type of cooling system that uses a fan to circulate ambient air through a moist cooling medium, where water is converted to water vapor by evaporation, thereby cooling the ambient air flow. Various solutions that function to supply a heated air flow by utilizing evaporative air coolers have been proposed. For example, U.S. Patent No. 8,490,422 to Al Waban discloses an evaporative air cooler equipped with one or more heaters. U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 20030131985 to Patterson et al. discloses an evaporative air cooler provided with a heater that heats an air flow. U.S. Patent No. 5,482,657 to Wright discloses a heater coupled to an evaporative air cooler.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0004] Embodiments described herein relate to a heating module configured to be detachably attached to a cooling system to form a heating system. The cooling system supplies an airflow, which is heated by the heating module and then exhausted through it. The heating module includes a fixed flange having an annular sidewall, configured to be detachably attached around an exhaust opening in the exhaust duct of the cooling system. The annular sidewall includes a lip for positioning the heating module in the cooling system. A frame is coupled to the fixed flange, with an opening formed in the frame through which the airflow passes. One or more heating elements configured to heat the airflow are mountable to at least one heater support coupled to the frame. The heater support adjustably positions one or more heating elements parallel to each other and spaced across the opening in the frame, and the heating elements heat the airflow exhausted from the exhaust duct of the cooling system. In one embodiment, the one or more heating elements include a plurality of positive-temperature-coefficient heating elements that are adjustably positioned to heat the airflow. The airflow is heated by flowing through one or more spaces formed between the plurality of heating elements. The front cover features a grille that is mounted in alignment with the frame's openings, through which airflow is exhausted.

[0005] This heating module is detachably mounted to the cooling system and is capable of heating an airflow and exhausting the airflow heated by one or more heating elements through an opening in the frame. When the cooling system is used to cool the airflow, the heating module is removed from the cooling system. In heating mode, the pump supplying water to the cooling system is disabled, and the airflow supplied from the cooling system flows through the rear opening of the heating module, through the heating module, and between the multiple heating elements, and is exhausted from the front of the heating module. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0006] Embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0007] Figure 1 shows a front elevation view of an embodiment of a heating module equipped with a rotary switch assembly.

[0008] Figure 2 shows a front side perspective view of an embodiment of the heating module shown in Figure 1, including the rocker switch assembly.

[0009] Figure 3 shows a perspective view of the heating module from Figure 2, coupled to an evaporative air cooler.

[0010] Figure 4 shows a rear elevation view of the heating module shown in Figure 1 or Figure 2.

[0011] Figure 5 shows a schematic exploded view of the heating module shown in Figure 1 or Figure 2.

[0012] Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view of the heating module shown in Figure 1 or Figure 2, and shows a cross-section cut along line 6-6 in Figure 1.

[0013] The drawings are not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed and described in this invention. The drawings are not necessarily to scale and are primarily intended to clearly illustrate the principles of this invention. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0014] The following detailed description refers to the accompanying drawings illustrating specific embodiments that may carry out the present invention. These embodiments are intended to illustrate aspects of the present invention in enough detail that a person skilled in the art can carry it out. Other embodiments may be utilized and modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the invention. Therefore, the following detailed description should not be construed as restrictive. The scope of the present invention is defined solely by the entire scope of the accompanying claims and the equivalents to which such claims are claimed.

[0015] In this specification, the expressions “one embodiment,” “a embodiment,” or “embodiments” mean that the features referred to are included in at least one embodiment of the Art. Individual references to “one embodiment,” “a embodiment,” or “embodiments” in this specification do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment, and are not mutually exclusive unless explicitly stated so and / or readily apparent to those skilled in the art. For example, features, structures, functions, etc., described in one embodiment may, but not necessarily, be included in other embodiments. Therefore, the Art may include various combinations and / or integrations of the embodiments described herein.

[0016] In this specification, references to “front,” “rear,” “top,” “bottom,” and their derivatives generally mean directions relative to the embodiment shown in Figure 1. That is, “front” generally refers to the direction toward the front 136 of the heating module 100 from which the heated airflow is exhausted, and “rear” generally refers to the direction opposite to the direction of “front,” or toward the rear opening 138 of the module 100 as shown in Figure 4. “Top” and “bottom” generally refer to the sides of the heating module 100 or exhaust grille 190 that extend toward the top and bottom edges of the page, respectively, in Figure 1. The term “lateral sides” generally refers to the left and right sides of the heating module 100, or the left and right sides of the exhaust grille 190 of the heating module 100 as shown in Figure 1.

[0017] This specification describes an embodiment of a heating module 100 for use in a cooling system, which is a ventilation or circulation system, equipped with a fan for supplying airflow. The heating module 100 shown in Figures 1 and 2 is configured to be coupled to an exhaust duct 120 that forms an exhaust opening 125 of a cooling system, which is an evaporative air cooler 130, thereby transforming the evaporative air cooler 130 into a heating system 132 that provides at least one heating mode. Figure 3 shows the heating system 132, including the heating module 100 detachably attached to the exhaust duct 120 of the evaporative air cooler 130. When the cooler 130 is used to cool a space or room, the heating module 100 can be removed from the evaporative air cooler 130. The heating module 100 described herein is not limited to use with an evaporative air cooler 130, but can be modified for use in any of the various ventilation or circulation systems having an exhaust opening for exhausting air.

[0018] The heating module 100 includes a front section 136 as shown in Figures 1 and 2 and a rear opening 138 as shown in Figure 4. The rear opening 138 is configured to span the exhaust opening 125 of the evaporative air cooler 130. When the evaporative air cooler 130 is in cooling mode, the exhaust grille or register (not shown), normally attached to the exhaust duct 120 of the evaporative air cooler 130, is removed, and the heating module 100 is attached to the exhaust duct 120 of the evaporative air cooler 130 so as to cover the exhaust opening 125. This allows the evaporative air cooler 130 to be selectively converted to a heating system 132 by the user. In heating mode, it is preferable not to operate the water supply or circulation system of the evaporative air cooler 130, including the pump, in order to prevent humidification and cooling of the airflow. An exhaust fan (not shown) inside the evaporative air cooler 130 generates an airflow that flows through the exhaust opening 125 of the exhaust duct 120 of the evaporative air cooler 130 and the rear opening 138 of the heating module 100. This airflow flows through one or more heating elements 144 of the heating module 100, comes into contact with them, is heated, and is then exhausted from the front 136 of the heating module 100.

[0019] Figure 5 shows an exploded view of the heating module 100. The heating module 100 includes a fixing flange 150 for attaching the heating module 100 to the evaporative air cooler 130, a frame or heater support 160 equipped with means for installing one or more heating elements 144, and a front cover 185 supported on the frame 160 and integrated with or coupled to an exhaust grate or mesh 190.

[0020] The fixed flange 150 (also called a flanged collar or flanged duct) includes an annular side wall or collar 200 and a flange 202 projecting radially outward from the annular side wall 200. The annular side wall or collar 200 is detachably attached to the outer surface of the side wall forming the exhaust opening 125 of the exhaust duct 120 or the evaporative air cooler 130 by clamps, screws, or other possible fastening devices that can be attached to the exhaust duct 120 (e.g., by pressure and / or friction within or against the exhaust duct 120).

[0021] As best illustrated in the embodiment shown in Figure 6, the annular side wall 200 includes an outer wall 210 and an inner wall 220. The outer wall 210 extends from the rear opening 138 toward the frame 160. The inner wall 220 connects to the outer wall 210 along the rear opening 138 and is generally tapered radially inward from the rear opening 138 toward a lip 225 extending radially inward from the inner wall 220. A gap 227 is formed between the inner wall 220 and the outer wall 210. The inner wall 220 serves to form a tight fit between the fixed flange 150 and the exhaust duct 120. Between the rear opening 138 and the lip 225, the inner wall 220 forms an annular shoulder 230 that projects radially inward for attaching the fixed flange 150 to the evaporative air cooler 130. The fastener extends through a boss 240 formed in the annular side wall 200, attaching the fixed flange 150 to the evaporative air cooler 130. The inner wall 220 is provided with a notch 250 through which the fastener can pass and which is alignable with the boss 240. In one embodiment, the notch 250 and / or gap 227 provide some adjustment range for the fixed flange 150 when attaching or detaching the heating module 100 to or from the evaporative air cooler 130. The lip 225 acts as a stopper to position the heating module 100 relative to the exhaust duct 120 of the evaporative air cooler 130 in order to align the fastener that passes through the boss 240 with a pre-formed hole used to attach an exhaust grille or register to the exhaust duct 120 when used in cooling mode. As shown in Figure 4, pocket holes 270 are formed in the outer wall 210 of the fixed flange 150, which extend forward (towards the front surface 136) and correspond to screw bosses 280 that extend rearward from the frame 160 for attaching the fixed flange 150 to the frame 160, as shown in Figure 6. The outer wall 210 of the annular side wall 200 of the fixed flange 150 and the side wall 285 of the frame 160 engage with each other and have surfaces 295 and 300, respectively, which are formed to form a fitting joint that prevents the fixed flange 150 from moving relative to the frame 160.This mating joint can be formed using various joints or splices known to those skilled in the art to immovably attach the fixed flange 150 to the frame 160, including, for example, scarf or splice joints that form a mating that prevents movement at the joint. It is also conceivable that the fixed flange 150 is formed integrally with the frame 160.

[0022] As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the frame 160 includes a main wall 305. The main wall 305 may include a recess or opening 308 and an opening 315 configured to accommodate a junction box 310 extending rearward therefrom, and the opening 315 may include a reinforcing rib 318 extending across the opening 315. In one embodiment, the junction box 310 is formed integrally with the frame 160. The side wall 285 of the frame 160 extends rearward from the outer edge of the main wall 305 toward the outer wall 210 of the annular side wall 200 of the fixed flange 150.

[0023] A heater support section 320, which may include multiple bosses or other means for mounting one or more heating elements 144 on the frame 160, extends rearward from the back of the main wall 305 and engages with a mount 325 coupled to one or more heating elements 144. The multiple bosses 320 are spaced apart so that one or more heating elements 144 can be adjusted to fit relative to the opening 315 and the exhaust grate 190, thereby allowing the one or more heating elements 144 to be arranged parallel and spaced apart to heat the airflow or ventilator circulating within the evaporative air cooler 130 and exhausted through the opening 315 and the exhaust grate 190. As shown in Figure 4, the heater support section 320 is positioned above and below the opening 315 formed in the frame 160, and the opening 315 is aligned with the exhaust grate 190. The heater support 320 is positioned to accommodate various configurations of one or more heating elements 144, which can be adjustablely positioned across and / or behind the opening 315. The illustrated heater support 320 is positioned horizontally above and below the opening 315, thereby allowing one or more heating elements 144 to be positioned vertically, but the heater support 320 may also be positioned vertically along the sides of the opening 315 to allow one or more heating elements 144 to be positioned horizontally. In the illustrated embodiment, one or more heating elements 144 are positioned to maximize heating of the airflow and minimize the airflow that passes through unheated. Specifically, one or more heating elements 144 are positioned close to each side of the opening 315, forcing at least a large portion of the airflow to flow between one or more heating elements 144. Other types of coupling means are also conceivable that would allow one or more heating elements 144 to be positioned fixedly and / or adjustablely.

[0024] The exhaust grate 190 provides a passage or outlet for exhausting the heated airflow, and in one embodiment, the exhaust grate 190 is approximately the same size as the opening 315. The exhaust grate 190 may have one or more openings of various sizes and shapes passing through it. The exhaust grate 190 can limit or restrict the insertion of objects into the heating module 100 and prevent particles of a selected size from being exhausted from the heating module 100. The exhaust grate 190 is positioned in front of one or more heating elements 144 to prevent a user or object from coming into contact with one or more heating elements 144.

[0025] As shown in the embodiments described herein, one or more heating elements 144 include four positive-temperature-coefficient (PTC) heater elements or self-regulating heaters formed from a ceramic material to provide efficient heat generation and heat transfer. One or more heating elements 144 convert electricity into heat and generate a thermal output that heats the airflow that passes through and flows through the one or more heating elements 144. One or more heating elements 144 have a positive temperature coefficient of resistance such that the resistance of the elements increases with increasing temperature. As a result, the elements generate a large amount of heat at low temperatures, and the amount of heat generated by the elements decreases as the temperature rises. The self-regulating characteristics of one or more heating elements 144 prevent damage to the heating module 100 or the evaporative air cooler 130 due to overheating. In the heating module 100, other types of heating elements may be used to supply a heated airflow, including, for example, tubular heating elements, heater coils, and other means for heating air that are well known to those skilled in the art. The components of the heating element may consist of one or more elements having various compositions depending on the application and / or requirements of the heating system 132.

[0026] The junction box 310 accommodates the electrical components of the heating module 100, encloses the electrical connection between the power source or the power cord 328 (see Figure 5) and the electrical components, and protects against short circuits. In the embodiment shown in Figure 4, the junction box 310 is disposed on the left side and the right side of the opening 315, and the fixing flange 150, the frame 160, and the front cover 185 are configured to integrate the junction box 310 into the heating module 100 together with the associated electrical components. Each junction box 310 is provided with one or more openings or cable connection portions 330 (see Figure 6), through which power lines and / or communication lines such as, for example, the power cord 328 extend. It is contemplated that the junction box 310 may be disposed above and / or below the opening 315. It is also contemplated that one or more junction boxes 310 may be disposed on one side of the opening 315.

[0027] In one embodiment, one of the junction boxes 310 includes a switch assembly 350. The switch assembly 350 is electrically connected to a power supply 328 and is selectively actuated by the user via a thermostat (not shown) to automatically actuate one or more heating elements 144 of the heating module 100 and / or to actuate one or more heating elements 144 of the heating module 100 to control the temperature. The switch assembly 350 may include one or more of various switches, including push-button switches, microswitches, rotary switches, rocker switches, or other switches known to those skilled in the art. In one embodiment shown in Figure 1, the handle, knob, or actuator 351 of the rotary switch assembly 350 extends through an opening in the front cover 185 of the heating module 100. The rotary switch assembly 350 includes at least one heating mode, preferably at least two heating modes (warm mode and hot mode), and an alternative option for turning off the heating module 100. In warm mode, fewer than all of the heating elements 144 are electrically connected, and in hot mode, all of the heating elements 144 are electrically connected. In the illustrated embodiment including four heating elements 144, two of the heating elements 144 are electrically connected in warm mode, and four of the heating elements 144 are electrically connected in hot mode. In one embodiment shown in Figure 2, the switch assembly 350 is a rocker switch having three positions, functioning similarly to that described with respect to the rotary switch assembly 350.

[0028] In the embodiments shown in Figure 1 and Figure 2, one of the junction boxes 310 includes an electrical receptacle assembly 360. The electrical receptacle assembly 360 is electrically connectable to the power source 328, and is arranged to supply power to the evaporative air cooler 130 and / or other devices, thereby minimizing the use of power outlets. The electrical receptacle assembly 360 may include a face plate 362 mounted on the front cover 185. In the illustrated embodiment, the electrical receptacle assembly 360 includes two outlets or sockets 364 for connecting electrical equipment to the electrical receptacle assembly 360. A plug (e.g., a 3-prong plug) for a power supply cord (not shown) for the evaporative air cooler 130 can be inserted into any one of the electrical sockets 364 of the heating module 100, and another electric device can be inserted into the other outlet 364. Since the evaporative air cooler 130 can be plugged into the heating module, only one wall outlet or extension cord is required to supply power to both the fan of the evaporative air cooler 130 and the heating module 100 via the power source 328 of the heater 100.

[0029] The evaporative air cooler 130 is of a type provided with one or more switches or controls for selectively operating the pump while the fan of the cooler 130 is operating, whereby water can be selectively delivered from the tank in the cooler 130 through the nozzles, and fine water droplets can be delivered into the airflow generated by the fan to produce a desired evaporative cooling effect. The heating module 100 may be provided with instructions or indications that the pump is not operated or the power supply to the pump is cut off when the heating element 144 is operated.

[0030] The front cover 185 is coupled to and supported by the front surface 385 of the main wall 305 of the frame 160. As best shown in Figure 6, an annular rim 390 is integrally formed around the front surface 385 of the main wall 305 of the frame 160 and projecting forward from there, having an inner circumference equal to or slightly larger than the outer circumference of the front cover 185. The front cover 185 is mounted to the front surface of the main wall 305 of the frame 160, with ribs or spacers 395 extending between them to support and / or position the front cover 185 relative to the frame 160. An exhaust grate 190 having an opening extending through it is coupled to or integrally formed with the front cover 185 to exhaust heated airflow from the heating module 100. The heated airflow exits the heating module 100 through the port or exhaust grate 190.

[0031] Various arrangements of the various components illustrated, as well as components not illustrated, are possible without departing from the spirit and scope of this disclosure. The embodiments described herein are intended to be illustrative, not restrictive. Alternative embodiments that do not depart from the scope thereof will be obvious to those skilled in the art. Those skilled in the art can develop alternative means to implement the improvements described herein without departing from the scope of this disclosure. Certain features and partial combinations are useful and can be adopted without reference to other features or partial combinations, and are assumed to be within the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A heating module configured to be attached to a cooling system to form a heating system, wherein the cooling system supplies an airflow, A fixed flange that can be detachably attached to the exhaust duct of the cooling system, A frame coupled to the fixed flange, having an opening through which the airflow passes, A heating element for heating the airflow, comprising one or more heating elements that are attachable to at least one heater support connected to the frame for arranging the one or more heating elements across the opening, and which heat the airflow exhausted from the exhaust duct of the cooling system, The heating module is operable to heat the airflow and exhaust the airflow heated by one or more heating elements through the opening in the frame, and is removed from the cooling system when the cooling system is used to cool the airflow. Heating module.

2. The heating module according to claim 1, wherein the fixing flange has an inwardly projecting lip for positioning the fixing flange of the heating module relative to the exhaust duct of the cooling system.

3. The heating module according to claim 1, wherein one or more heating elements include positive temperature coefficient heating elements.

4. The heating module according to claim 1, wherein the one or more heating elements are a plurality of heating elements that can be arranged in parallel and spaced apart in an adjustable manner, and the airflow is heated by flowing between the plurality of heating elements.

5. The heating module according to claim 1, further comprising one or more spacers positioned relative to the frame and in front of the one or more heating elements, wherein the front cover has an exhaust grille aligned with the opening in the frame.

6. The heating module according to claim 1, further comprising a switch assembly electrically connected to one or more heating elements, the switch assembly being operable in a plurality of heating modes, the plurality of heating modes including a first mode in which fewer heating elements than all of the plurality of heating elements are electrically connected to heat the airflow, and a second mode in which all of the plurality of heating elements are electrically connected to heat the airflow.

7. The heating module according to claim 1, further comprising an electrical receptacle assembly having at least one electrical socket accessible through the front surface of the heating module and configured to supply power to an electrical device.

8. The heating module according to claim 1, wherein the cooling system is an evaporative air cooling system.

9. The heating module according to claim 8, wherein the pump of the cooling system is disabled when the heating module is coupled to it and in heating mode.

10. A heating module configured to be attached to a cooling system to form a heating system, A fixed flange having an annular side wall configured to be detachably attached to the cooling system is provided around the exhaust opening of the cooling system. A frame having an opening formed for the airflow to pass through, A plurality of heating elements configured to heat the airflow and arranged at intervals across the opening of the frame, The front cover comprises a front cover having a grid aligned with the opening in the frame through which the aforementioned airflow passes and exhausts, The cooling system includes an evaporative air cooling system. In heating mode, the pump supplying water to the evaporative air cooling system is disabled, and the airflow provided by the evaporative air cooling system passes through the rear opening of the heating module, through the heating module, between the multiple heating elements, and is exhausted from the front of the heating module. Heating module.

11. The heating module according to claim 10, wherein the annular side wall has a lip for positioning the heating module relative to the cooling system.

12. The heating system according to claim 10, wherein the plurality of heating elements include positive temperature coefficient heating elements.

13. The heating module according to claim 10, further comprising at least one heater support portion extending rearward from the back surface of the frame, which supports a plurality of heating elements that can be adjusted to be arranged parallel to each other and spaced apart behind the opening of the frame.

14. The heating module according to claim 10, wherein the front cover includes one or more spacers for positioning the grid relative to the frame.

15. The heating module according to claim 10, further comprising a power cord electrically connected to a switch assembly, wherein the switch assembly is operable to electrically connect to the plurality of heating elements to heat the airflow, and the switch assembly is operable between one or more modes in which power is supplied from the power cord to one or more of the plurality of heating elements and an option to turn off the heating module.

16. The heating module according to claim 10, further comprising a power cord that is electrically connected to an electrical receptacle assembly having at least one electrical socket accessible through the front cover, and capable of supplying power to the cooling system by supplying power to an electrical device.

17. A heating module configured to be attached to a cooling system to form a heating system, A fixed flange having an annular side wall configured to be detachably attached to the discharge duct of the cooling system, wherein the annular side wall has a lip for positioning the heating module relative to the cooling system, A frame having an opening formed for the airflow to pass through, A plurality of positive temperature coefficient heating elements arranged to heat the aforementioned airflow, At least one heater support for adjusting the arrangement of the plurality of positive temperature coefficient heating elements parallel to each other across the opening of the frame, wherein the airflow is heated by flowing between the plurality of positive temperature coefficient heating elements, A grid is attached to the frame in alignment with the opening, through which the airflow is exhausted. A heating module equipped with the following features.

18. The heating module according to claim 17, further comprising a switch assembly that is electrically connected to the plurality of positive temperature coefficient heating elements and configured to be operable to supply power to them.

19. The heating module according to claim 17, further comprising an electrical receptacle assembly having at least one electrical socket accessible from the front of the heating module, the electrical receptacle assembly configured to supply power to an electrical device.

20. The heating module according to claim 17, wherein the pump of the cooling system is detachably attached to the heating module and is disabled when the heating module is in heating mode.

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