EP-4740926-A1 - SAUNA STOVE AND METHOD FOR REPLACING A HEATING DEVICE OF SUCH A SAUNA STOVE

Abstract

The invention relates to a sauna heater (2) comprising a housing (4), a heating element (6), and an electrical connector with a plug element (22) arranged on the heating element and a mating plug element (24) located inside the housing. The housing has a heating element opening through which the heating element can be inserted into the housing (4) such that the plug element (22) engages with the mating plug element (24). The invention further relates to a method for replacing a heating element of such a sauna heater.

Inventors

• Schwarze, Kevin

Assignees

• EOS Saunatechnik GmbH

Dates

Publication Date

20260513

Application Date

20250520

Claims (16)

1. Sauna heater comprising a housing (4), a heating device (6) and an electrical plug connection with a plug element (22, 26) arranged on the heating device (6) and a plug counterpart element (24, 28) arranged inside the housing (4), characterized in that that the housing (4) includes a heating device opening through which the heating device (6) can be inserted into the housing (4) in such a way that the plug-in element (22, 26) engages with the plug-in counterpart element (24, 28).
2. Sauna heater according to claim 1, characterized by that the heating device (6) can be removed from the housing (4) through the heating device opening.
3. Sauna heater according to claim 1 or 2, characterized by that the heating device opening can be closed with a cover, the cover being in particular relative to the housing (4) is movable and/or pivotable and/or the cover is fixed to the heating device (6) or the housing (4).
4. Sauna heater according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized by a positioning arrangement configured such that the heating device (6), when it is completely arranged in the housing (4), is arranged in a defined position relative to the housing (4) in which the plug-in element (22, 26) engages with the plug-in counterpart element (24, 28), wherein the positioning arrangement in particular comprises a positioning element fixed to the heating device (6) and a positioning counterpart element connected to the housing (4).
5. Sauna heater according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized by a rail system comprising at least one, in particular two, guide or running rail(s) connected to the housing (4) and at least one, in particular two, guide element(s) guided in the guide or running rail(s), wherein the heating device (6) is displaceable, in particular by means of the rail system, between a removal position in which the heating device (6) is arranged outside the housing (4) and an installation position in which the heating device (6) is arranged completely inside the housing (4) and the plug-in element (22, 26) is engaged with a plug-in counterpart element (24, 28).
6. Sauna heater according to claim 5, characterized by a receiving element which is movable by means of the rail system and on which the heating arrangement can be arranged, wherein the positioning arrangement is designed in particular such that the heating device (6) can be arranged in exactly one defined position on the receiving element.
7. Sauna heater according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized by that the heating device opening is formed on a side wall or on the top of the housing (4).
8. Sauna heater according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized by that the heating device (6) is displaceable on a base plate (42) of the housing (4) or between side walls of the housing (4), in particular along a displacement axis extending in a horizontal or a vertical direction.
9. Sauna heater according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized by an insert (8) for receiving heat storage medium, wherein the housing (4) comprises an insert opening (14) through which the insert (8) can be inserted into and removed from the housing (4), wherein the insert (8) is connected to at least one handle element (10), wherein the insert opening (14) corresponds in particular to the heating device opening.
10. Method for replacing a heating device of a sauna heater according to any one of claims 1 to 9, comprising the following steps: (a) Removing a heating device (6) from a housing (4) through a heating device opening in the housing (4), and (b) the insertion of a further heating device (6) into the housing (4) through the heating device opening.
11. Method according to claim 10, characterized by that in step (a) a contact of a plug element (22, 26) arranged on the heating device (6) and of a plug counterpart element (24, 28) arranged in the housing (4) is automatically released.
12. Method according to claim 10 or 11, characterized by that by inserting the further heating device (6) into the housing (4) according to step (b) a contact is automatically established between a further plug-in element (22, 26) arranged on the further heating device (6) and the plug-in counterpart element (24, 28) arranged in the housing (4).
13. Method according to any one of claims 10 to 12, characterized by that in step (a) the heating device (6) is moved translationally relative to the housing (4), in particular in a horizontal and/or vertical direction.
14. Method according to any one of claims 10 to 13, characterized by that the heating device opening is opened before step (a), in particular by translationally moving a cover and/or pivoting the cover about a pivot axis extending in a vertical or horizontal direction.
15. Method according to any one of claims 10 to 14, characterized by that after step (b) the heating device opening is closed by means of the cover or a further cover, in particular the cover being attached to the heating device (6) before step (a) is fixed and/or the cover or another cover is fixed to the further heating device (6) before step (b).
16. Method according to any one of claims 10 to 15, characterized by that the further heating device (6) is placed on a rail system of the sauna heater (2, 20) in step (b).

Description

The present invention relates to a sauna heater comprising a housing, a heating element, and an electrical connector. The invention further relates to a method for replacing the heating element of such a sauna heater. Sauna heaters are known in various designs from the prior art. These known sauna heaters typically consist of a housing and a heating element located within the housing. During assembly, the heating element is installed in the housing and connected to a power source via wiring, such as a terminal block. With conventional sauna heaters, assembling and disassembling the heating element is therefore time-consuming and labor-intensive. In particular, a qualified electrician is required to disconnect and connect the heating element to the power source. The object of the present invention is to provide a sauna heater which allows for easy maintenance and replacement of a heating element by a single technician. Furthermore, the object of the present invention is to provide a method for replacing a heating element of such a sauna heater. This problem is solved according to the invention by the sauna stove with the features of claim 1 and the method with the features of claim 10. According to the invention, a sauna heater is provided, comprising a housing, a heating device, and an electrical connector. The electrical connector has a plug element arranged on the heating device and a mating plug element located inside the housing. The housing includes an opening for the heating device. The heating device can be inserted into the housing through this opening in such a way that the plug element engages with the mating plug element, in particular automatically. The core idea of the invention is therefore to provide a heating device opening in the housing, which allows the heating device to be easily inserted into the housing. The electrical connector is designed such that the plug element automatically engages with the mating plug element when the heating device is located inside the housing. Thus, when the heating device is inserted into the housing, it is automatically connected to a power source via the plug connection, without the need for a qualified electrician to connect the heating device to a power source. The heating device is therefore easy to install. In an exemplary embodiment of the sauna stove according to the invention, the heating device and thus also the component attached to the heating device The arranged plug-in element can be removed or extracted from the housing through the heating device opening. In an exemplary embodiment of the sauna stove according to the invention, the heating device opening can be closed with a cover. The cover can be moved and/or swivelled relative to the housing. The cover can be fixed to the heating device or to the housing. In a preferred embodiment, the sauna heater according to the invention comprises a positioning arrangement for positioning the heating device relative to the housing. The positioning arrangement is designed, for example, such that the plug-in element is engaged with the plug-in counterpart element when the heating device is inserted into the housing. The positioning arrangement makes it possible, for example, to guide the movement of the heating device relative to the housing when inserting the heating device into the housing and/or to limit the relative movement of the heating device to the housing. The positioning arrangement can therefore be designed such that the heating device, when it is completely arranged in the housing, is in a defined position relative to the housing in which the plug-in element is engaged with the plug-in counterpart element. The positioning arrangement can include a positioning element and a positioning counter element. The positioning element is, for example, fixed to the heating device. The positioning counter element can be connected to the housing, in particular fixed directly to the housing. For example, the positioning element or the positioning counter element is a positioning pin and the positioning counter element or the positioning element is a positioning hole, in particular in the form of a blind hole. The positioning arrangement may also be or include a stop element against which the heating device rests when it is completely enclosed in the housing. In an exemplary embodiment, the sauna heater according to the invention comprises a rail system. The rail system can have at least one, in particular two or a plurality, guide or running rail(s) connected to the housing and at least one, in particular two or a plurality, guide element(s) guided in the guide or running rail(s). The guide elements can be or include running elements, sliding pieces or sliders and/or (sliding) carriages. In an exemplary embodiment of the sauna heater according to the invention, the heating device is movable between an extended position, in which the heating device is arranged outside the housing, and an installed positio