Patent Application
20070101983
There are no related applications.
This invention relates to a method and apparatus for heating an outdoor area, such as a patio, and more particularly, to an apparatus designed to permit the warming of a selected area in a chosen radial direction distal from the apparatus.
Patio heaters have traditionally been sold to restaurants and bars in order to extend the usefulness of outdoor spaces such as decks and patios when the weather is cold. Recently, such heaters have also been sold to individuals for personal use on decks or in back yard spaces for the same purpose. These types of heaters usually comprise a base where the fuel source is located and a support member extending upward from the base in order to raise the heat generation mechanism to a height where it does not pose a danger to persons walking under it or in the same area. Having an elevated heat source also provides for more flexibility in using the space to be heated because there are no areas that are unsafe or uncomfortable whereas a heat source that is not elevated would necessitate a that a certain safety radius be maintained, thus taking up valuable space. These patio heaters are usually fuelled by liquefied petroleum (LP) gases so that they do not need to remain in a fixed location in order to operate in a beneficial way. The mobility offered by an easily transportable fuel source also offers flexibility in floor plans and outdoor activities.
One shortcoming of presently available free-standing heaters is that they must be centrally placed in the area to be heated in order to maximize the efficiency of the heat distribution and, accordingly, fuel consumption. Because they provide heat in a circular area having a pre-determined radius from the central point where the heat generation occurs, many existing heaters cannot be efficiently placed on the periphery of the seating area in a restaurant setting, for example, because they will waste energy and fuel by heating areas that do not generate income or are not being used. In a home setting, it may not be safe for children to have the heating device in the center of a patio where it could easily be knocked over.
It is known in the art to make one directional heaters or heaters that heat a specified arc while rotating back and forth, these types of heaters are usually powered by electricity and generate radiant heat and are thus limited to a certain location on the periphery of an area to be heated unless potentially dangerous extension cords are used. It these heaters were placed in the middle of an area to be heated, they suffer from the drawback that they are not raised above the floor and thus also create a burning hazard. Further, they do not have the capability of heating 360 degrees around the heat source, but rather must be pointed in a pre-selected direction and rotated periodically and are thus not suited for heating an area from the center of that area.
Accordingly, for the reasons set forth herein and for others as may be reasonably apparent to those skilled in the art, there is a need for a portable free-standing heater that can safely project heat either radially or in a chosen direction depending on the needs of the user.
In accordance with the present invention, a patio heater is provided which is improved in its economical use and distance and direction of heat projection in a desired direction over prior commercially available patio heaters. The concave heat reflector is capable of being angled relative to the heat exhaust opening, which is horizontal. Altering this angle permits heated gases and air to be redirected in a desired direction with increased distance capability. This improvement has the benefits of extending and focusing the reach of the heat generated by the heat source contained within the patio heater and, consequently, improving the efficiency of the patio heater. Of course, should the user wish, the patio heater of the instant invention can also be used in the traditional 360 degree heating mode. The heater of the instant invention can be placed either near a wall or in the center of a space to be heated and can still deliver maximum efficiency.
Of course, other objects, advantages and features of the present invention will become more apparent upon reading of the following non-restrictive description of preferred embodiments hereof, given by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings.
Referring now to the drawings,
In a first embodiment, fuel such as LP gas or propane is stored in the enclosure 16 at the base of the elongated support member 10. The elongated support member 10 is preferably hollow in order to permit the fuel to safely travel from the enclosure 16 to the heat source 14, where combustion or other heat generation activity can occur. The shown embodiment also contains a clasp 8 that can be opened to access the LP gas or propane. Further, a set of wheels 6 are included for ease of movement and increased flexibility in floor-planning.
Once heat is generated in the heat source 14, it is directed upward by the side wall 18 of the exhaust receptacle 20, where it comes into contact with and is redirected by the heat reflector 22. As demonstrated in this
In this embodiment, the position of the heat reflector 22 is altered by moving the elongated control rod 28 in a vertical direction. The elongated control rod 28 is engaged with the heat reflector 22 at a slidable connector 32 in such a way that moving the elongated control rod 28 in a vertical direction causes the heat reflector 22 to rotate about a rotatable connector 30, said rotation occurring solely about a horizontal axis. The slidable connector 32 performs a function that may be performed by any number of different embodiments as those skilled in the art will recognize. To state it another way, the point of engagement between the elongated control rod 28 and the heat reflector 22 must be mobile, in this embodiment to permit travel when the angle of the heat reflector 22 in relation to the heat exhaust opening 24 is altered.
Referring now to
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While the present invention is intended to increase the versatility and safety of outdoor patio heating, other uses will be apparent to those skilled in the art. It will be understood that the above description of the present invention is susceptible to various modifications, changes and adaptations, and that the same are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalents of the appended claims.
