JPH036659Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] "Field of Industrial Application" The present invention relates to a floating heater for preventing freezing near the liquid surface.

``Prior art'' One type of water storage tank is one that is buried underground in order to minimize the influence of outside air, but even in such a water tank, freezing near the liquid level in winter or in cold regions is avoided. I can't.

One example of such countermeasures is to introduce a heating element mainly composed of a sheathed heater into the aquarium to prevent freezing.Another example of such countermeasures is to place a floating heater with a heater on the underside of a hollow float inside the aquarium. There is a way to prevent freezing by floating it on the ground.

``Problems to be solved by the invention'' In the case of each of the above-mentioned means, it is possible to prevent freezing to a certain extent, but there are problems described below.

For example, in the case of antifreeze measures that use a heating element,
Since the entire inside of the tank is heated via the heating element at the bottom of the tank, a large-capacity heating element is required, which not only makes it impossible to efficiently heat only the vicinity of the liquid level, but also cannot respond to fluctuations in the liquid level.

On the other hand, in the case of freezing prevention means using a floating heater, the heater is held in the middle or upper layer of the water tank using the buoyancy of the hollow float, so it is possible to heat the area near the liquid surface more efficiently than in the previous example. Although it can respond to surface fluctuations, the upper hollow float is inevitably larger than the lower heater, and due to the large hollow float, the heater is submerged considerably below the liquid surface, and the heater position is moved away from near the liquid surface. Therefore, it is insufficient because it only heats the vicinity of the liquid surface.

Moreover, since the heater itself has a small surface area, such as a bobbin type or a ring type, it is not possible to heat a wide area near the liquid surface.If the heater is made larger to cope with this, a hollow float to match this need is also required. As a result, the overall size increases, resulting in uneconomical structure and inconvenience in handling.

In addition, at a low liquid level where the floating heater touches the bottom, the floating heater tips over and the heater part protrudes above the water surface, causing dry heating.

In view of the above-mentioned problems, the present invention aims to provide a stable floating heater for anti-freezing that can efficiently and intensively heat only the vicinity of the liquid surface where freezing is likely to occur.

``Means for Solving the Problems'' In order to achieve the intended purpose, the floating heater for antifreeze according to the present invention has a plurality of insulated plate-shaped heating elements arranged one above the other so as to face each other. A flat open space is provided between the facing parts, and these plate-shaped heating elements are connected to each other via a spacer, and a plate-shaped heating element is placed on the upper surface of the uppermost plate-shaped heating element. It is characterized by a float attached.

``Operation'' The anti-freeze floating heater of this invention utilizes the buoyancy of the float to float it above the liquid surface, and centrally heats the area near the liquid surface via multiple plate-shaped heating elements under the float. By doing so, freezing near the liquid surface can be prevented.

"Embodiments" Hereinafter, embodiments of the anti-freeze floating heater according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

In Figures 1 and 2, 1 is a plate-shaped heating element, 2
is a plate-shaped float, and 3 is a spacer.

The plate-shaped heating element 1 includes a thin sheet heating element 1a that can generate heat from both the upper and lower sides, a thin insulating material 1b made of plastic, for example, which protects the entire surface of the sheet heating element 1a in a watertight manner, and a sheet heating element 1a that can generate heat from both upper and lower surfaces. A thermostat 1c is attached to a part of the planar heating element 1a in order to maintain the heat generation temperature of the heating element 1a at a predetermined value.

The float 2 is made of polystyrene foam with a low specific gravity, but the float 2 may also be composed of a float base material made of urethane foam and a float exterior material made of a plastic with a low specific gravity that covers the outer periphery of the float base material. .

A plurality of plate-shaped heating elements 1, for example, two sheets, are arranged one above the other so as to face each other,
A flat open space is provided between the facing portions, and the plurality of plate-shaped heating elements 1 are connected to each other via spacers 3.

The float 2 is a plate-shaped heating element 1 located at the top.
It is integrally attached to the top surface of the.

The cord 4 connected to the planar heating element 1a passes through the float 2 and is pulled out to the outside.
The cord pull-out portion is located above the liquid level S in the manner of use described later.

When the floating heater for freezing prevention according to the present invention is placed in a water tank (not shown), the upper part of the float 2 floats above the liquid level S, and each plate-shaped The heating element 1 is at the liquid level S
It will be located slightly below the

In this state, when each plate-shaped heating element 1 is energized, the liquid that has entered the open space between the plate-shaped heating elements 1 and the liquid under the lowest plate-shaped heating element 1 cause these plate-shaped heating elements to generate heat. The liquid surface is heated via the body 1, and thus only the vicinity of the liquid surface can be efficiently and concentratedly heated to prevent the liquid surface from freezing.

``Effects of the Invention'' As explained above, the anti-freezing floating heater according to the present invention includes a plurality of plate-shaped heating elements, a flat open space between these plate-shaped heating elements, and an upper surface of the uppermost plate-shaped heating element. The plate-shaped floats attached to the heater have a generally compact structure, so when the floating heater is floated on the liquid surface, each plate-shaped heating element at the bottom of the float is deep below the liquid surface. Not only can the area near the liquid surface be heated through these plate-shaped heating elements without sinking, but also the area near the liquid surface can be heated over a wide area with the wide upper and lower heating surfaces of each plate-shaped heating element. When combined with the ability to centrally heat the liquid in nearby areas using the upper and lower plate-shaped heating elements, the effect of preventing freezing of the liquid surface and the heating efficiency at that time are significantly improved.

In addition, since the floating heater has a flat structure, it is possible to ensure a compact structure and a stable ability to follow changes in the liquid level. An empty heating state that would cause the heating element to fall over, that is, a situation where the plate-shaped heating element protrudes above the water surface, does not occur.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a cutaway perspective view showing an embodiment of the floating heater of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is an explanatory view showing the floating heater of the present invention in use. 1... Plate heating element, 1a... Planar heating element, 1b
...Insulating material, 2...Float, 3...Spacer,
...open space, S...liquid level.

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] A plurality of insulated plate-shaped heating elements are arranged one above the other so as to face each other, and a flat open space is provided between the facing parts, and these plate-shaped heating elements are connected to each other via a spacer. connected,
A floating heater for anti-freezing, in which a plate-shaped float is attached to the top surface of a plate-shaped heating element located at the top.