Portable electric heater deenergized by a tip-over responsive actuator

A portable electric heater including a housing having a rear wall, a substantially planar front wall, a bottom support and a top wall. Retained by the housing are a resistive heating element and an electrical circuit for connecting the heating element to an electrical power source. The circuit includes a switch having a closed condition that connects the heating element to the electrical power source and an open condition that disconnects the heating element from the electrical power source. Included with the switch is a manually operable actuator projecting from the front wall and movable in a single motion between a stable first position producing the closed condition and a stable second position producing the open condition, and wherein the actuator is shaped and arranged to be moved into the second position in response to contact with a substantially planar surface.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
This invention relates generally to a portable electric baseboard heater 
and, more particularly, to a portable electric baseboard heater having a 
safety shutoff switch. 
Portable electric heaters are used extensively to heat various types of 
environments. Typically such heaters are equipped with a power cord for 
connection to a conventional power outlet and a on-off switch for 
controlling a resistive heating element. Safe operation of such heaters 
requires that they be energized only when in a predetermined orientation. 
For that reason, many heaters are provided with auxiliary tip-switches 
that prevent energization of the heating element with the heater in other 
than the predetermined operating orientation. Although providing an 
important safety feature, conventional tip-switches are relatively 
expensive and add significantly to the cost of the heating unit. Another 
problem associated with portable electric heaters results from shipment 
thereof with an on-off switch in an on position. Such a condition commonly 
results in undesirable energization of the heater's heating element in 
response to initial insertion by a user of a power cord plug into an 
electrical outlet. 
The object of this invention, therefore, is to provide an improved portable 
electric baseboard heater that alleviates the problems described above. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
The invention is a portable electric heater including a housing having a 
rear wall, a substantially planar front wall, a bottom support and a top 
wall; the housing defining an air inlet and an air outlet. Retained by the 
housing are a resistive heating element; and an electrical circuit for 
connecting the heating element to an electrical power source. The circuit 
includes switch adapted in a closed condition to connect the heating 
element to the electrical power source and in an open condition to 
disconnect the heating element from the electrical power source. Included 
with the switch a manually operable actuator movable between a first 
stable position producing the closed condition and a second stable 
position producing the open condition. The actuator is shaped and arranged 
to be moved into the second position in response to contact with a 
substantially planar surface and thereby prevent energization of the 
heating element with the heater tipped on its front wall. 
According to one feature of the invention, the actuator comprises an arm 
mounted for pivotal movement between the first and second positions, and 
the arm in the first position projects outwardly from the front wall and 
in the second position is substantially aligned therewith. The pivotable 
arm facilitates desired operation of the switch in response to engagement 
between the front wall and a surface such as the floor. 
According to other features of the invention, the arm in moving from the 
first position to the second position moves toward the top wall, and its 
first position includes an outer end portion projecting outwardly and 
upwardly from the front wall. This arrangement facilitates closing of the 
switch by a packing carton to prevent shipment of the heater in an on 
condition. 
According to yet another feature of the invention, the top wall defines a 
recess for receiving the outer end portion with the arm in its second 
position. The recess accommodates the arm when the front wall abuts a 
planar surface such as the floor.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
A portable electric heater 11 includes a housing 12 having a planar front 
wall 13, a rear wall 14, a top wall 15 and a bottom support wall 19. 
Included in the top wall 15 is an arcuate portion 17 that defines a 
recess. A conventional resistive heating element 21 is mounted in the 
housing 12 and is connected to a power cord 22 terminating with a male 
plug 23. Defined by the front wall 13 are a plurality of openings 25 that 
form an air inlet to the housing 12. Similarly formed in a planar portion 
27 of the top wall 15 are a plurality of openings 28 that form an air 
outlet in the housing 12. 
Also mounted within the housing 12 and electrically connected to the 
resistive heating element 21 is an electrical on-off switch 31. The switch 
31 includes a manually operable actuator arm 32 projecting through a slot 
30 in the front wall 13. An inner length portion 33 of the arm 32 is fixed 
to a pivotable on-off switch mechanism 34 within the housing 12 and an 
outer end portion 35 forms an obtuse angle with the inner portion 33. The 
actuator arm 32 is manually operable between a stable position shown by 
solid lines in FIG. 3 and an off position shown by dashed lines therein. 
As shown in FIG. 6, the resistive heating element 21 is connected to the 
electrical plug 23 by the on-off switch mechanism 34. 
During proper use, the electric heater unit 11 is oriented in the manner 
shown in FIGS. 1-3 with the bottom wall 19 resting on a suitable support 
surface such as the floor and the rear wall 14 engaging a suitable planar 
surface such as a wall. After insertion of the electrical plug 23 into a 
conventional outlet, the switch 31 can be operated to produce energization 
of the resistive heating element 21 and creating airflow that enters the 
air inlet 25, acquires heat from the heating element 21 and is discharged 
through the air outlet 28. 
As shown in FIG. 3, with the switch 31 in its on position, the outer end 
portion 35 of the actuator arm 32 projects outwardly and upwardly from the 
planar front wall 13. Conversely, with the switch 31 in its off position 
the portion 33 of the actuator arm 32 is substantially coplanar alignment 
with the planar front wall and the outer end portion 35 is received by the 
recess formed by the surface 17. In the event that the electric heater 
unit 11 tips forwardly producing engagement of the front wall 13 with a 
planar support surface 41 as shown in FIG. 4, the switch arm 32, if in its 
on position will be engaged thereby and automatically pivoted to its off 
position. Thus, energization of the resistive heating element 21 is 
prevented with the heater unit 11 in the unsafe position illustrated. 
The switch 31 additionally functions to prevent undesirable shipment of the 
heater unit 11 with the switch 31 in an on position. As shown in FIG. 5, 
during insertion of the unit 11 into an open upper end 42 of a shipping 
carton 43, the actuator arm 32, if in an on position will engage the 
carton 43 and be pivoted into its off position. 
Obviously, many modifications and variations of the present invention are 
possible in light of the above teachings. It is to be understood, 
therefore, that the invention can be practiced otherwise than as 
specifically described.