Patent Application
20080181589
The present invention relates generally to a portable heater. More particularly, the present invention relates to a portable heater with a tool box integrated with the heater.
Often workers who are working on a construction project, such as building a new building, have to work in an environment where the air is not conditioned. For example, when constructing a new home or commercial building, the heating system may not be installed and the environment may be very cold for the workers. One solution to this problem is to bring small portable heaters into the area where the workers are working to provide heat. One problem with some portable heaters is that they may be bulky and hard to move from one space to another.
An additional problem faced by workers, is that they often require using many different tools. While tool belts are one way to permit the workers to easily carry several different tools, some workers may require more tools that can be fit on a tool belt. Workers may have tool boxes in order to store all the tools they may require. Additionally, tool boxes provide a small measure of security to store tools. Additionally, tool boxes provide a means for transporting tools from one place to another. One problem with tool boxes that they may be bulky and heavy thus awkward to move to place to place as workers finish one area and move on to another area.
In addition to heaters and tools, workers may also require lights, latters, and other pieces of equipment in order perform their job. Often when work is finished for the day, at end of a week, or other time period, in order to minimize tools lost to theft or corrosion due being exposed to the elements, workers pack up their equipment and take them with them when they leave the work area.
Because there are so many different pieces of equipment, many which may be heavy, awkward, and bulky, a substantial amount of time is spent moving, packing and unpacking equipment. This time could have been spent working.
Accordingly, it is desirable to provide an apparatus that and method that performs several functions desired by workers. Such an apparatus and method may provide heating to a space, tool storage, and a means of tool transportation in a easy to move and manipulate manner. Such a method or apparatus can reduce the amount of pieces of equipment that need to be moved.
The foregoing needs are met, to a great extent, by the present invention, wherein in one aspect an apparatus and method is provided that in some embodiments provide tool storage and heat in a portable and easy to move around piece of equipment. By combining both tool boxes and the heater, two large bulky pieces are consolidated into one and by equipping the apparatus with wheels it may be easily manipulated and moved from place to place.
In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, a portable-heater is provided. The portable heater includes a housing; a heating element encased in the housing; and a tool box comprising part of the housing.
In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention,
a portable heater is provided. The portable heater may include means for housing; means for creating heat encased in the housing means; and means for storing tools comprising part of the housing means.
In accordance with yet another embodiment of the present invention, a method of providing heat and tool storage in a portable unit is provided. The method includes providing a heating element; housing the heating element; and attaching a tool box to the housing thereby creating a unified tool box and heater housing.
There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, certain embodiments of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof herein may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are, of course, additional embodiments of the invention that will be described below and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.
In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of embodiments in addition to those described and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein, as well as the abstract, are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting.
As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception upon which this disclosure is based may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention.
The invention will now be described with reference to the drawing figures, in which like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout. An embodiment in accordance with the present invention provides a portable heater and tool box combined together into a single unit
In some embodiments of the invention the housing 12 may be metal. In other embodiments the housing 12 may be plastic. The portable heater 10 is equipped with wheels 18. While only one wheel 18 is shown in the view illustrated in
Two feet 20 are attached to the housing 12 of the heater portion 16. The feet 20 permit the portable heater 10 to remain stationary when the heater 10 is left on substantially horizontal surfaces. In other words, if a floor has a minor incline, the heater 10 will not roll as the feet 20 will provide friction between the heater 10 and the floor.
The heater 10 is equipped with a handle 22. The handle 22 in some embodiments of the invention can be retracted between an extended position as shown in solid lines in
A tool box handle 24 is mounted to the tool box lid 44 via the handle brackets 25.
Several controls for the heater are mounted on the tool box portion 14. For example, an on/off switch 26, thermostat 28 and a warning light and/or reset button 30 are mounted on the tool box portion 14 of the housing 12.
The on/off switch 26 in some embodiments of the invention may be a simple toggle switch for supplying or denying power to the heating element 40 (see
The warning light 30 and/or reset button 30 may be illuminated when power is supplied to the heating element 40 (see
The tip switch will shut off the heating element 40 (see
in embodiments of the invention where the portable heater 10 is an electric heater, the heater 10 may be equipped with a power inlet 32. The power inlet 32 may be a high voltage inlet configured to receive a high voltage power line such as a 220 volt line. Also mounting on heater 10, as shown in
The examples stated above as the high voltage inlet being 240 and the standard being 120 volts, are merely mentioned as these are standard voltages for the United States. However, other voltages may be used in accordance of the invention.
Located within the housing 10, are wiring configurations to permit the power outlets 34 to be wired to the power inlet 32 in such a manner as to supply the voltages described above from power inleted to the power inlet 32. Power obtained from the power inlet 32 in some embodiments of the invention, is also used to supply power to the heating element 40 (
The portable heater 10 is equipped with a grill 38 which protects the heating element 40 (see
Turning now to
The heater portion 16 of the portable heater 10 includes a heating element 40. The heating element 40, as shown in
In embodiments of the invention where the electric heater 10 is a forced air heater, a fan motor 43 and fan 45 are mounted in the heater 10 and configured to cause air to flow through the heater, the electric heating element 40 and through the grill 38.
The wheel 18 is connected to the heater 10 via an axle 48. The axle 48 is in turn connected to the heater 10 by a series of brackets 50. The handle 22 is attached to the portable heater 10 via brackets 51. The heater 10 may be moved from place to place by a user grasping the handle 22, pivoting the heater 10 about the axel 48 to lift the feet 20 to no longer be in contact with a floor and then wheeling the heater 10 to a desired location on the wheels 18.
When the heater 10 is in the desired location, the heater 10 may be rotated about the axle 48 until the feet 20 are again in contact with the floor. The feet 20 may be equipped on their ends with a rubber or plastic cup 53 that provides a skid-resistance surface to help keep the heater 10 in place once the feet 20 are in contact with the floor. The feet 20 are connected to the heater 10 via brackets 54 in some embodiments of the invention. In other embodiments of the invention, the feet 20 may be attached to the heater 10 in any suitable manner.
In the embodiments of the invention where the handle 22 can be in a raised extended position or a lower retracted position as illustrated in
The spring loaded buttons 54, when they are aligned with holes 56 located in the larger diameter portion 58 of the handle 22, extend through the holes 56 the buttons 54 extending through the holes 56 secure the small diameter portion 52 within the larger diameter portion 58 of the handle 22. When it is desired to collapse the handle 22, an operator may push in the spring loaded buttons 54 in through the holes 56. Once the spring loaded buttons 54 have retreated inside the large diameter portion 58, the small diameter portion 52 may telescope and move inside the large diameter portion 58 allowing the handle 22 to move to a retracted position.
Other suitable means for allowing the handle 22 to move between an extended and retracted position, may also be done in accordance with the invention. The larger diameter portion 22 may also be equipped with several sets of holes 56 permitting the small diameter portion 52 to be secured within the large diameter portion 58 of the handle 22 at multitude of different positions as selected by a user.
The many features and advantages of the invention are apparent from the detailed specification, and thus, it is intended by the appended claims to cover all such features and advantages of the invention which fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and variations will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation illustrated and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.
