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CA2165042A1 - Adjustable electric heater - Google Patents

Adjustable electric heater

Info

Publication number
CA2165042A1
CA2165042A1 CA002165042A CA2165042A CA2165042A1 CA 2165042 A1 CA2165042 A1 CA 2165042A1 CA 002165042 A CA002165042 A CA 002165042A CA 2165042 A CA2165042 A CA 2165042A CA 2165042 A1 CA2165042 A1 CA 2165042A1
Authority
CA
Canada
Prior art keywords
housing
heater according
outlet opening
base
outlet
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Abandoned
Application number
CA002165042A
Other languages
French (fr)
Inventor
Rodney B. Jane
Jui-Shang Wang
Robert L. Marvin, Jr.
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Kaz USA Inc
Original Assignee
Honeywell Consumer Products Inc
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Honeywell Consumer Products Inc filed Critical Honeywell Consumer Products Inc
Publication of CA2165042A1 publication Critical patent/CA2165042A1/en
Abandoned legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • FMECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F24HEATING; RANGES; VENTILATING
    • F24HFLUID HEATERS, e.g. WATER OR AIR HEATERS, HAVING HEAT-GENERATING MEANS, e.g. HEAT PUMPS, IN GENERAL
    • F24H3/00Air heaters
    • F24H3/02Air heaters with forced circulation
    • F24H3/04Air heaters with forced circulation the air being in direct contact with the heating medium, e.g. electric heating element
    • F24H3/0405Air heaters with forced circulation the air being in direct contact with the heating medium, e.g. electric heating element using electric energy supply, e.g. the heating medium being a resistive element; Heating by direct contact, i.e. with resistive elements, electrodes and fins being bonded together without additional element in-between
    • F24H3/0411Air heaters with forced circulation the air being in direct contact with the heating medium, e.g. electric heating element using electric energy supply, e.g. the heating medium being a resistive element; Heating by direct contact, i.e. with resistive elements, electrodes and fins being bonded together without additional element in-between for domestic or space-heating systems
    • F24H3/0417Air heaters with forced circulation the air being in direct contact with the heating medium, e.g. electric heating element using electric energy supply, e.g. the heating medium being a resistive element; Heating by direct contact, i.e. with resistive elements, electrodes and fins being bonded together without additional element in-between for domestic or space-heating systems portable or mobile

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Thermal Sciences (AREA)
  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Combustion & Propulsion (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Direct Air Heating By Heater Or Combustion Gas (AREA)

Abstract

A heater including a base; a housing mounted on the base and defining air outlet means and an air flow path communicating therewith; a heating mechanism retained in the air flow path;
and an adjustment mechanism for altering the orientation of the outlet means so as to substantially change the direction in which air heated by the heating mechanism is discharged from the housing.

Description

- 21650~2 This invention relates generally to a convection heater and, more particularly, to a portable convection heater which can be adjusted to produce heated air discharge in different directions.
Convection heaters are used extensively to increase personal comfort by elevating the temperature in living environments.
Generally, a convection heater is elongated and employs as a heating mechanism either an electrical or a fluid based heating element. Most convection heaters are so called baseboard heaters mounted on a wall at a slightly elevated location or on a floor adjacent to a wall. When the heating mechanism is activated, air within a heater housing is heated and rises naturally by convection. The heated air discharges from the heater housing through an upper outlet, and the discharging air produces ambient airflow into the housing through inlets located in a lower portion of the housing. Although generally quite effective and useful, prior convection heaters have exhibited heat distribution limitations resulting from their inherent capacity to transmit heated air only into a specific zone.
The object of this invention, therefore, is to provide an improved baseboard heater with an improved and selective capacity for heated air distribution.
The invention is a heater including a base; a housing mounted on the base and defining air outlet means and an air flow path communicating therewith; a heating mechanism retained in the - 21650~2 air flow path; and an adjustment mechanism for altering the orientation of the outlet means so as to substantially change the direction in which air heated by the heating mechanism is dis-charged from the housing. The adjustment mechanism provides the heater with selective heated air distribution pattern capability.
According to one feature of the invention, the adjustment mechanism allows movement of the housing on the base so as to alter the orientation of the outlet means. Desired distribution patterns are obtained by changing the orientation of the housing on the base.
According to another feature of the invention, the adjustment means includes a pivot coupling which allows between the housing and the base pivotal movement between first and second positions that direct said outlet opening in substantially different directions. A desired outlet orientation is obtained by merely pivoting the housing on the base.
According to still another feature of the invention, the heater includes a latch releaseably latching the housing in a plurality of positions between the first and second positions.
The latch facilitates the establishment of a variety of stable outlet opening orientations.
According to yet another feature of the invention, the first position directs the outlet opening substantially vertically and the second position directs the outlet opening substantially 2l6sn~2 horizontally. This feature provides selective functional heated air distribution patterns.
According to a further feature of the invention, the housing is substantially elongated having a length at least twice its height. The elongated housing desirably extends the heatedairdistribution pattern.
According to additional features of the invention, the heater is portable, the heating mechanism is an electrical heating element; and the heater includes a power cord connected to the heating element and an electrical plug connected to the power cord. These features permit selective positioning of the heater in any desired location.
According to an important feature of the invention, the heater includes a blower mechanism for moving air out of the outlet opening. The blower provides desired heated air distribu-tion for all outlet opening orientations.
According to other features of the invention, the blower mechanism includes a plurality of centrifugal discharge blowers spaced apart longitudinally in the housing. This feature provides manufacturing cost efficiency for an elongated heater.
According to additional features of the invention, the heating mechanism and the blowers move with the housing, the inlet includes first and second inlet openings defined by, respectively, opposite side walls of the housing and a third inlet - 21650~2 opening defined in a rear wall thereof; and the outlet opening is defined by alternatively a top and front wall of the housing.
Optimum operational performance are provided by these structural features.
These and other objects and features of the invention will become more apparent upon a perusal of the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein:
Fig. 1 is a right, front perspective view of a heater according to the invention;
Fig. 2 is a longitudinal cross sectional view of the heater shown in Fig. l;
Fig. 3 is a cross sectional view taken along lines 3-3 of Fig. 2;
Fig. 4 is a partially cut away end view of the heater shown in Figs. 1-3; and Fig. 5 is an end view showing multiple positions of the heater illustrated in Figs. 1-4.
A portable electric heater 11 includes an elongated housing 12 mounted on an elongated base 13, and a heating mechanism 15 and blower assembly 16 both supported by and retained within the housing 12. Also included with the heater 11 is an adjustment mechanism 18 which accommodates relative movement between the housing 12 and the base 13. Forming the housing 12 are a rear wall 21, a front wall 22, a top wall 23, a bottom wall 24, and a pair of side walls 26, 27. The top wall 23 defines an outlet opening 31 covered by a grillwork 32. Each of the side walls 26, 27 defines an inlet opening 33 covered by a grillwork 34.
Another inlet opening 36 is defined in a lower central portion of the rear wall 21 and is covered by a grillwork 37. Extending between the inlet openings 33, 36 and the outlet opening 31 is an air flow path 39 (Figs. 2 and 3) defined by the rear wall 21 and the side walls 26, 27.
The heating mechanism 15 includes a plurality of transversely spaced apart, longitudinally aligned insulation plates 41 supported from the side walls 26, 27 of the housing 12.
Formed along top and bottom edges of the insulation plates 41 are longitudinally distributed slots 42. Also included in the heating mechanism 15 are resistive heater element wires 43 retained by the slots 42 in the insulation plates 41.
The blower assembly 16 includes a plurality of centrifugal discharge blower wheels 27 distributed along a longi-tudinal axis of the elongated housing 12. Supporting the blower wheels 47 are drive shafts 50 extending between the side walls 26, 27. Also mounted on the drive shafts 50 and between adjacent pairs of the blower wheels 27 are electrically energized motors 48.

~_ 2165042 The adjustment mechanism 18 is formed by a pivot coupling assembly 51 joining each end of the housing 12 to the base 13. Each coupling assembly 51 includes a cylindrical pivot shaft 52 extending from an end of the housing 12 and a hollow cylindrical bearing 53 formed at an end of the base 13. The bearings 53 pivotally retain the shafts 52 so as to allow pivotal movement of the housing 12 on the base 13 between first and second positions shown, respectively, by solid and dashed lines in Fig. 5.
In response to pivotal movement of the housing 12 on the base 13, the orientation of the outlet opening 31 is altered to sub-stantially change the direction in which heated air is discharged.
As depicted in Fig. 5, in the first position of the housing 12, heated air is discharged from the outlet opening 31 in a substantially vertically upward direction and, in the second position of the housing 12, heated air is discharged from the outlet opening 31 in a substantially horizontal direction.
The heater 11 also includes a latch mechanism 55 (Fig.4) affecting rotation of the housing 12 on the base 13. Establishing the latch mechanism 55 are teeth 57 formed at diametrically opposed positions on the pivot shafts 52 at each end ~f the housing 12, and a pair of spring latch arms 58 retained by each cylindrical bearing 53. As the housing 12 pivots on the base 13, the spring latch arms 58 sequentially engage circumferentially spaced apart recesses 61 between the teeth 57. Each engagement 21650~

of the latch arm 58 with a recess 61 establishes between the housing 12 and the base 13 a releaseable position intermediate the first and second positions shown in Fig. 5.
Prior to use of the heater 11, a plug 63 tFig. 2) is inserted into a conventional power outlet socket (not shown) attached to one end of a power cord 64. An opposite end of the power cord 64 is connected to circuitry (not shown) retained in an electrical control box 65 at one end of the housing 12 and connected to the electrical motors 48 and the heater element wires 43. Operatively coupled to the conventional circuitry in the control box 65 are a switch knob 67 and a thermostatic control knob 68. Actuation of the switch knob 67 energizes the motors 48 to produce rotation of the blower wheels 47 and establish heating current flow to the heater element wires 43.
The rotating blower wheels 47 draw ambient air in through the inlet openings 33, 36 and along the air flow path 39 encompassing the heater wires 43. Air heated by the wires 43 is discharged through the outlet opening 31 in a direction selected by manual manipulation of the housing 12 on the base 13. Thus, the adjustment mechanism 18 and the blower assembly 16 provide induced discharge of heated air into any of a variety of directions intermediate the vertical and horizontal discharge directions produced in the first and second housing positions shown in Fig. 5.

~ 21650~2 g Obviously, many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in light of the above teachings.
For example only, selective outlet orientations could be provided by plural individually activated outlets having different orientations. Also, heated air discharge patterns could be altered by movement of a housing to reverse the functions of inlet and outlet openings. It is to be understood, therefore, that the invention can be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.

Claims (23)

1. A heater comprising:
a base;
a housing mounted on said base and defining air outlet means and an air flow path communicating therewith;
a heating mechanism retained in said air flow path; and an adjustment mechanism for substantially altering the orientation of said outlet means so as to substantially change the direction in which air heated by said heating mechanism is discharged from said housing.
2. A heater according to claim 1 wherein said adjustment mechanism allows movement of said housing on said base so as to alter the orientation of said outlet means.
3. A heater according to claim 2 wherein said outlet means comprises an outlet opening, said housing further defines an inlet opening, and said flow path extends between said inlet opening and said outlet opening.
4. A heater according to claim 3 wherein said adjustment means comprises pivot coupling means connecting said housing and said base.
5. A heater according to claim 4 wherein said pivot coupling means allows between said housing and said base pivotal movement between first and second positions that direct said outlet opening in substantially different directions.
6. A heater according to claim 5 including latch means for releaseably latching said housing in a plurality of positions between said first and second positions.
7. A heater according to claim 6 wherein said first position directs said outlet opening substantially vertically, and said second position directs said outlet opening substantially horizontally.
8. A heater according to claim 7 wherein said housing is substantially elongated having a length at least twice its height.
9. A heater according to claim 8 wherein said heater is portable, said heating mechanism comprises an electrical heating element; and including a power cord connected to said heating mechanism, and an electrical plug connected to said power cord.
10. A heater according to claim 4 wherein said heating mechanism is supported by for movement with said housing.
11. A heater according to claim 10 wherein said pivot coupling means allows between said housing and said base pivotal movement between first and second positions that direct said outlet opening in substantially different directions.
12. A heater according to claim 11 including latch means for releaseably latching said housing in a plurality of positions between said first and second positions.
13. A heater according to claim 12 wherein said first position directs said outlet opening substantially vertically, and said second position directs said outlet opening substantially horizontally.
14. A heater according to claim 1 including a blower means for moving air in said air flow path toward said outlet means.
15. A heater according to claim 14 wherein said adjustment mechanism allows movement of said housing on said base so as to alter the orientation of said outlet means.
16. A heater according to claim 15 wherein said outlet means comprises an outlet opening, said housing further defines an inlet opening, and said flow path extends between said inlet opening and said outlet opening.
17. A heater according to claim 15 wherein said adjustment means comprises pivot coupling means connecting said housing and said base.
18. A heater according to claim 17 wherein said heating mechanism is supported by for movement with said housing.
19. A heater according to claim 18 wherein said blower means is supported by for movement with said housing.
20. A heater according to claim 19 wherein said pivot coupling means allows between said housing and said base pivotal movement between first and second positions that direct said outlet opening in substantially different directions.
21. A heater according to claim 20 including latch means for releaseably latching said housing in a plurality of positions between said first and second positions.
22. A heater according to claim 19 wherein said housing is elongated and said blower means comprises a plurality of centrifugal discharge blowers spaced apart longitudinally in said housing.
23. A heater according to claim 22 wherein said inlet comprises first and second inlet openings defined by, respectively, opposite side walls of said housing and a third inlet opening defined in a rear wall thereof; and said outlet opening is defined by alternatively a top and front wall of said housing.
CA002165042A 1995-05-30 1995-12-12 Adjustable electric heater Abandoned CA2165042A1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US45293495A 1995-05-30 1995-05-30
US08/452,934 1995-05-30

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
CA2165042A1 true CA2165042A1 (en) 1996-12-01

Family

ID=23798563

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
CA002165042A Abandoned CA2165042A1 (en) 1995-05-30 1995-12-12 Adjustable electric heater

Country Status (2)

Country Link
EP (1) EP0745814A3 (en)
CA (1) CA2165042A1 (en)

Families Citing this family (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US7158716B2 (en) * 2002-12-18 2007-01-02 Lasko Holdings, Inc. Portable pedestal electric heater
GB0505280D0 (en) * 2005-03-16 2005-04-20 Chung Mei Ind Ltd Low noise fan heater
GB2433312A (en) * 2005-12-14 2007-06-20 Basic Holdings An apparatus providing a flow of temperature adjusted air
NO335920B1 (en) * 2006-06-30 2015-03-23 Defa As Auxiliary heating
NO340926B1 (en) * 2014-11-10 2017-07-17 Defa As Auxiliary heating

Family Cites Families (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB945067A (en) * 1961-06-05 1963-12-18 Goblin Ltd B V C Improvements in electric fan-heaters
CH428017A (en) * 1965-06-17 1967-01-15 Petz Elektro Waerme Techn Fans, in particular thermal fans
DE2752187A1 (en) * 1977-11-23 1979-06-07 Mkt Moderne Kuechentechnik Gmb Defroster for refrigerators and freezers - consists of blower with heating element after blower impeller in air flow

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
EP0745814A3 (en) 1997-07-16
EP0745814A2 (en) 1996-12-04

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