Electric heating panel

Claim 2

In combInation, a room having a plurality of separate panels mounted to form one surface of said room, some of said panels being prefinished electric heating panels each having an attractive exposed substantially planar surface with an electric heating element embedded in the heating panel, each of said heating panels being mounted in a manner to be replaced without damaging the adjacent panels, changed in number, and rearranged in location with other of said separate panels to provide a desired pattern of heat so that said prefinished electric heating panels extend over selectable portions of said one surface, said panels being further characterized in that said prefinished electric heating panels are substantially indistinguishable when mounted and when viewed toward said one surface thereof from other of said panels which do not contain an electric heating element, each of said prefinished electric heating panels being defined by the combination comprising: a first member formed from heat conducting material which readily transmits heat from said heating element through said first member for defining the exposed substantially planar surface of said electric heating panel when mounted in said room, and readily distributes heat from said heating element over substantially the entire exposed surface thereof, said member further defining upturned flanges at the sides of said exposed surface, each of said upturned flanges extending at least a portion of the thickness of said electric heating panel, a second member formed from heat insulating material which inhibits the transmission of heat therethrough, said second member being at least partially enveloped at the edges thereof by said upturned flanges on said first member, said second member being substantially coextensive with the extent of the inner face of said exposed surface and bonded thereto, said electric heating element being sandwiched between said first member and said second member so that a substantial portion of the heat generated by said heating element is transmitted through said first member into said room, said electric heating element being arranged in sinuous fashion substantially adjacent said first member so that heat generated therefrom may readily be transmitted through said first member, said element further defining terminal conductors passing through said second member and extending therefrom from an unflanged and exposed surface thereof, said terminal wires being adapted for electrical connection to either or both a source of power and the terminal wires from other electric heating panels in said room.

Claim 3

The invention of claim 1 wherein said surface is the ceiling of the room and said other of said panels are acoustical ceiling tiles, which do not provide heat.

Claim 4

The invention of claim 2 wherein said ceiling is a drop ceiling having a suspended grid frame with the panels loosely resting on said frame.

Claim 5

A prefinished electric heating panel for use in combination with a room having a plurality of separate panels mounted to form one surface of said room, some of said panels being said prefinished electric heating panels each having an attractive exposed substantially planar surface with an electric heating element embedded in the heating panel, each of said heating panels being capable of being mounted in a manner to be replaced without damaging the adjacent panels, changed in number, and rearranged in location with other of said separate panels to provide a desired pattern of heat so that said prefinished electric heating panels may extend over selectable portions of said one surface, said panels being further characterized in that said prefinished electric heating panels are substantially indistinguishable when mounted and when viewed toward said one surface thereof from other of said panels which do not contain an electric heating element, said prefinished electric heating panel being defined by the combination comprising: a first member formed from heat conducting material wHich readily transmits heat from said heating element through said first member for defining the exposed substantially planar surface of said electric heating panel when mounted in said room, and readily distributes heat from said heating element over substantially the entire exposed surface thereof, said member further defining upturned flanges at the sides of said exposed surface, each of said upturned flanges extending at least a portion of the thickness of said electric heating panel, a second member formed from heat insulating material which inhibits the transmission of heat therethrough, said second member being at least partially enveloped at the edges thereof by said upturned flanges on said first member, said second member being substantially coextensive with the extent of the inner face of said exposed surface and bonded thereto, said electric heating element being sandwiched between said first member and said second member so that a substantial portion of the heat generated by said heating element is transmitted through said first member into said room, said electric heating element being arranged in sinuous fashion substantially adjacent said first member so that heat generated therefrom may readily be transmitted through said first member, said element further defining terminal conductors passing through said second member and extending therefrom from an unflanged and exposed surface thereof, said wires being adapted for electrical connection to either or both a source of power and the terminal wires from other electric heating panels in said room.

Claim 6

A prefinished electric heating panel for use in combination with a room having a plurality of separate panels mounted to form one surface of said room, some of said panels being said prefinished electric heating panels each having an attractive exposed substantially planar surface with an electric heating element embedded in the heating panel, each of said heating panels being capable of being mounted in a manner to be replaced without damaging the adjacent panels, changed in number, and rearranged in location with other of said separate panels to provide a desired pattern of heat so that said prefinished electric heating panels may extend over selectable portions of said one surface, said panels being further characterized in that said prefinished electric heating panels are substantially indistinguishable when mounted and when viewed toward said one surface thereof from other of said panels which do not contain an electric heating element, said prefinished electric heating panel being defined by the combination comprising: a first member formed from heat conducting material wHich readily transmits heat from said heating element through said first member for defining the exposed substantially planar surface of said electric heating panel when mounted in said room, and readily distributes heat from said heating element over substantially the entire exposed surface thereof, said member further defining upturned flanges at the sides of said exposed surface, each of said upturned flanges extending at least a portion of the thickness of said electric heating panel, a second member formed from heat insulating material which inhibits the transmission of heat therethrough, said second member being at least partially enveloped at the edges thereof by said upturned flanges on said first member, said second member being substantially coextensive with the extent of the inner face of said exposed surface and bonded thereto, said electric heating element being sandwiched between said first member and said second member so that a substantial portion of the heat generated by said heating element is transmitted through said first member into said room, said electric heating element being arranged in sinuous fashion substantially adjacent said first member so that heat generated therefrom may readily be transmitted through said first member, said element further defining terminal conductors passing through said second member and extending therefrom from an unflanged and exposed surface thereof, said wires being adapted for electrical connection to either or both a source of power and the terminal wires from other electric heating panels in said room.

Claim 7

The invention of claim 4 wherein said panel is rectangular with smooth prefinished side edges for cooperating with the supporting grid frame of a drop ceiling.

Claim 8

The invention of claim 4 wherein said first member is a metal member having upturned flanges at the sides thereof, said heating element and said second member being positioned within said flanges so that the flanges form the side edges of said panel.

Claim 9

The invention of claim 6 wherein said second member is a lightweight cellular material which can resist high temperatures.