GB2574638A - Panel for holding a fluid circulation pipe - Google Patents

Abstract

The panel, for use in an underfloor or cooling heating system, is moulded from polymer material and integrally formed with an array of castellations 3 between which there is a network of channels for receiving a flexible fluid circulation pipe, and pipe supports 16 which are configured to resiliently support the pipe within the channels. Each pipe support preferably includes a platform held between a pair of flexible end connectors and with opposing sides edges that are unconnected to the panel. Pipe clips 8 comprising a pair of opposed spring arms with inturned projections to retain a pipe are preferably provided independently of the castellations. The castellations are preferably arranged in groups of four on two perpendicular lines X,Y which intersect at the centre of the group. Four pipe clips may be formed alongside the four castellations in each group. Each castellation preferably has a central recess for receiving a fixing screw.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to panels for holding fluid circulation pipes, as used in underfloor heating or cooling systems for example.

BACKGROUND

In the installation of underfloor heating or cooling systems in which water is circulated through pipes, various ways of holding the pipes may be used. In dry construction floors the pipes may be clipped into heat transfer plates which typically sit on a layer of thermal insulation. A suitable flooring material is then laid in contact with the plates, such as chipboard.

In wet construction floors it is known to lay the pipes using preformed panels which are laid side-by-side on a suitable sub-floor such as a concrete slab, timber deck, or thermal insulation board. Such known panels comprise a moulded polymer sheet of generally uniform thickness. The sheet is profiled such that upper surface of the panel has an array of integrally formed castellations which, between the castellations,

- 2 form channels to receive the underfloor heating pipe. The pipe may take a straight path across the panel between the castellations, but the pipe may also be bent through 90 degrees or turned through a full 180 degrees taking a suitable path around the castellations. In general, the castellations are used to guide the pipe along the desired path and they also hold the pipe in position when pressed into the channels. Each panel will normally hold several runs of pipe traveling along parallel pathways. Once the pipe has been laid, a screed can be applied directly over the panels to embed the heating pipes within the screed, permitting direct heat transfer between the screed and the fluid within the pipes.

Generally, the abutting edges of the panels are arranged to interlock so that pumped screed cannot penetrate between the panels and cause them to lift. In addition, the panels may also be secured to a suitable sub floor using staples.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

When viewed from one aspect the present invention proposes a panel (1) which includes pipe supports (16) configured to resiliently support the pipe within the channels.

In an embodiment the pipe supports (16) each include a platform (17) which is held between a pair of flexible end connectors (18, 19).

- 3 In an embodiment the panel has pipe clips (8) to hold the fluid circulation pipe (12) independently of the castellations (3).

In an embodiment the panel has pipe clips (8) which comprise a pair of opposed spring arms (9, 10).

In an embodiment the the opposed spring arms (9, 10) both have inturned projections (11) to retain a fluid circulation pipe (12).

In an embodiment the castellations (3) are arranged in groups of four on two perpendicular lines (X, Y) which intersect at the centre of the group.

In an embodiment four pipe clips (8) are formed alongside four castellations (3) in a group.

In an embodiment a pipe support (16) is positioned between each pair of castellations in a group.

In an embodiment the castellations (3) each have a central recess (6) forming a through-hole for a fixing screw.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The following description and the accompanying drawings referred to therein are included by way of non-limiting example in order to

- 4 illustrate how the invention may be put into practice. In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a top view of a panel for holding a fluid circulation pipe;

Figure 2 is a bottom view of the panel;

Figure 3 is a first enlarged portion of section C-C of Fig. 1;

Figure 4 is the enlarged detail A of Fig. 1;

Figure 5 is a second enlarged portion of section C-C of Fig. 1;

Figure 6 is an enlarged portion of the section E-E of Fig. 1;

Figure 7 is an enlarged edge view of the panel showing an edge clip;

Figure 8 shows two of the panels connected side-by-side;

Figure 9 is a further top view of the panel showing two possible pipe runs;

- 5 Figure 10 is another top view showing another configuration of pipe run;

Figure 11 is a top view of a decking board for use with the panels; and

Figure 12 is a section through the decking board.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Referring firstly to Fig.s 1 and 2, the panel 1 is intended to hold a flexible fluid circulation pipe as used in an underfloor heating installation. The panel is typically formed from a suitable polymer as a single injection moulding, and includes a generally square or rectangular base plate 2 of generally uniform thickness. The panel has an array of castellations 3 which are upstanding from the base plate 2 forming an interconnected network of channels between the castellations.

The castellations are arranged with a regular pattern on a grid formed by two perpendicularly intersecting sets of equally-spaced parallel lines, X and Y. The castellations on the lines X are equally spaced along the lines, with the same pitch as the distance between the lines. The castellations on the lines Y, which extend perpendicular to the lines X, are again equally spaced along the lines at the same pitch as the line spacing, but the castellations are positioned such that each castellation is located at the centre

- 6 of four castellations on lines X.

In plan view each of the castellations 3 has four sides which extend generally parallel to the lines X and Y. As can be seen in the sectional view of Fig. 3, the castellations 3 have flat tops 5 but they also contain a recessed central fixing hole 6 through which a screw can be inserted to fix the panel to a suspended timber sub-floor for example.

Turning to the detailed view of Fig. 4, four castellations 3 are grouped around each of the points of intersection between lines X and Y, four pipe clips 8 are formed alongside the four castellations

3. As shown in the sectional detail of Fig. 5, each pipe clip comprises a pair of opposed spring arms 9 and 10 which are located adjacent to, but separate from, one of the castellations 3. The arms 9 and 10 are spaced along the respective line, X or Y, and both have inturned projections 11 to retain a fluid circulation pipe 12 with the axis of the pipe extending parallel to the intersecting line Y or X respectively. The opposing inner faces of the arms 9 and 10 also diverge slightly towards the base plate 2 so that the arms tend to exert a slight downward pull on the pipe 12.

It will be noted that grooves 14 are formed in the top surface of the base plate 2, running parallel to the lines X and Y, each extending alongside the castellations 3 through the centre of a pipe clip 8. These indicate the direction of the pipe runs along the channels between the castellations 3.

- 7 A resilient pipe support 16 is formed between the adjacent corners of each pair of castellations 3. The pipe support is shown in sectional detail in Fig. 6. The pipe support has a platform 17 which is held above the base plate 2 between a pair of flexible end connectors 18 and 19, the longitudinal side edges of the platform being unconnected to the base plate 2. The supports 16 resiliently support the flexible pipe, acting against the slight downward pull exerted by the pipe clips 8, with the result that the top of the pipe is held slightly above the flat tops 5 of the castellations 3 (see Fig. 5). As shown in Fig. 4, the pipe supports 16 are positioned at the intersection of each pair of mutually perpendicular pipe runs indicated by the grooves 14, but since the pipe supports are inclined at an angle to both pipe runs (and to the lines X and Y) they can support the pipes equally irrespective of the direction of the pipe.

When laying the panels 1 they can be clipped together by means of edge clips 40 which extend along two adjacent edges of each panel - see Fig.l. As seen in Fig. 7, the clips 40 comprise upstanding lugs over which an edge of the adjacent panel is frictionally engaged. The edge details of the panels are arranged to marry up when the panels are laid, as shown in Fig. 8, so that the pattern of castellations, as described above, is continuous.

In use the panels are laid onto a suitable sub floor and the fluid conducting pipe 12 is pressed into the channels between the castellations in a suitable configuration, following the grooves 14. The pipe is held by the pipe clips 8 and resiliently supported by the

- 8 pipe supports 16. Fig. 9 shows the path which may be taken by a straight pipe run 12.1, and a pipe run 12.2 incorporating a 90° bend. The minimum bend radius is achieved by encircling two castellations for a 90° bend, or three castellations for a 180° bend, as indicated by the pipe run 12.3 in Fig. 10.

The panel is intended to be used in conjunction with specially provided decking boards, shown in Fig. 11. The decking boards 20 each have four edges 21-24, a top face 31 and a bottom face 32 (Fig. 12). Two adjacent edges 21 and 22 have bottom recesses to form top tongues 25 and 26 which extend continuously along the full length ofthe respective edges, forming an unbroken continuation of the top face 31. The other two edges 23 and 24 have top recesses to form corresponding bottom tongues 27 and 28 which also extend continuously along the full length of the respective edges, forming an unbroken continuation of the bottom face 32. When the boards are laid edge-to-edge the tongues form half lap joints so that the top and bottom surfaces 31 and 32 of the boards are co-planar with no intervening gaps between the boards. In cross-section, Fig. 12, the boards can be seen to comprise a top layer 29 which provides the top face 31 and forms a thermal mass, typically 12 mm thick. The top layer is formed of a binder reinforced with fibres, e.g. mineral fibres, such as a fibre-cement mix. A thin heat-conductive layer 30, typically a 100 microns thick, e.g. aluminium or other heat-conducting metal, is bonded to the underside of the top layer to provide the bottom face 32.

- 9 When the decking boards 20 are laid on top of the panels 1 they are supported directly on the top faces of the castellations 3. The integral pipe clips 8 and the resilient pipe supports 16 ensure that the pipe is firmly held in contact with the heat-conducting aluminium layer 30, ensuring good thermal transfer between the pipe 12 and the decking boards.

A conventional floor finish such as ceramic tiles can be laid directly onto the decking boards. Unlike conventional pipe-laying panels, the arrangement of panels and decking boards ensures excellent thermal transfer to the overlying floor surface but without the inconvenience and delay of laying a wet screed.

The resilient supports ensure that the pipe is supported at the optimum position for maximum heat transfer while the resilient clips ensure that the pipe is held securely, independently of the castellations.

Whilst the above description places emphasis on the areas which are believed to be new and addresses specific problems which have been identified, it is intended that the features disclosed herein may be used in any combination which is capable of providing a new and useful advance in the art.

Claims (13)

1. A panel (1) for holding a fluid circulation pipe, the panel being moulded of polymer material and integrally formed with:

- an array of castellations (3) having a network of channels between the castellations to receive a flexible fluid circulation pipe (12); and

- pipe supports (16) configured to resiliently support the pipe within the channels.

2. A panel according to claim 1 in which the pipe supports (16) each include a platform (17) which is held between a pair of flexible end connectors (18, 19).

3. A panel according to claim 2 in which opposing side edges of the platform (17) between the flexible end connectors (18, 19) are unconnected to the panel.

4. A panel according to any preceding claim including pipe clips (8) to hold the fluid circulation pipe (12).

5. A panel according to claim 4 in which the pipe clips (8) hold the pipe (12) independently of the castellations (3).

6. A panel according to claim 4 or 5 in which each pipe clip (8) comprises a pair of opposed spring arms (9, 10).

7. A panel according to claim 6 in which the opposed

- 11 spring arms (9, 10) both have inturned projections (11) to retain a fluid circulation pipe (12).

8. A panel according to any preceding claim in which the castellations (3) are arranged in groups of four on two perpendicular lines (X, Y) which intersect at the centre of the group.

9. A panel according to claim 8 when appended to any of claims 4 to 7 in which four pipe clips (8) are formed alongside the four castellations (3) in each group.

10. A panel according to claim 9 in which the opposed spring arms (9, 10) of each pipe clip are spaced along a respective line (X, Y).

11. A panel according to claim 8, 9 or 10 in which a pipe support (16) is positioned between each pair of castellations in the group.

12. A panel according to claim 11 in which each pipe support (16) is inclined with respect to both of the lines (X, Y).

13. A panel according to any preceding claim in which the castellations (3) each have a central recess (6) forming a through-hole for a fixing screw.