Tiltable Radiant Heater

Disclosed is a portable radiant heating device that has a base, a radiant heat source mounted in a tiltable reflector, and a safety interlock device located in the base. The safety interlock uses a pressure-sensitive foot that prevents the heater from producing infrared heat when not in contact with a mounting surface. The safety interlock device also prevents the heater from producing infrared heat when the reflector is not tilted so as to prevent excessive amounts of infrared heat from being directed towards the mounting surface.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention is directed to the field of portable radiant heaters. More specifically, the present invention is directed to a tiltable portable radiant heater with a base that contains safety interlocks that prevent the operation of the portable radiant heater in certain configurations.

BACKGROUND

Portable heating devices ordinarily use one of two methods to provide warmth to an individual, animal, or some sort of device or system. The first of these methods involves warming the air in the space where the individual, animal, device, or system is located. These heating devices function well but are not energy efficient as they must warm the air in the entire space in order to provide warmth to the individual, animal, etc. The second of these methods uses radiant heat. In these second type of heaters an infrared heat source directs infrared heat onto the intended target (individual, animal, etc.). In order to improve efficiency, radiant heaters often have reflective elements to direct the infrared heat toward an intended target. The addition of a reflective element often means that the portable radiant heater is required to be oriented such that the infrared heat is directed toward the intended target. A common method of orienting portable heating devices is to provide a base that can be placed on a floor or other flat mounting surface. While convenient for placement in an area of a room, if the intended target is located at other than a fixed height from the mounting surface, a portable radiant heater may not effectively direct heat toward the target. In other words, the heat may be focused below or above a main portion of the target. What is needed is a portable radiant heating device that can be adjusted to direct heat up or down to provide radiant heat to the main portion of the target while protecting mounting surfaces from excessive heating.

SUMMARY

Embodiments relate to devices for focusing and directing radiant heat to a target area. More specifically, exemplary embodiments of a radiant heater comprise a base, a source of infrared heat, a reflector, a safety screen mounted to the reflector, a flexible connection between the base and the reflector that permits the reflector to tilt upwards or downwards, where the base further comprises a safety interlock that prevents the source of infrared heat from energizing when the base is not in contact with a mounting surface. The safety interlock also prevents the source of infrared heat from energizing when the reflector is oriented such that a portion of the infrared heat is directed toward the mounting surface.

The above summary is not intended to describe each illustrated embodiment or every implementation of the invention. Rather, the exemplary embodiments are chosen and described to provide an overview or framework for understanding the nature and character of the claimed aspects and implementations so that those skilled in the art can appreciate and understand the principles and practices of the invention. The Figures and the detailed description that follow more particularly exemplify these exemplary embodiments, and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIGS.1-6illustrate various views of an exemplary portable radiant heating device100. As illustrated inFIGS.1-6, the radiant heating device comprises a heater assembly102and a base assembly,104. The heater assembly102comprises a reflector106and a heat source108.FIG.7illustrates a safety interlock assembly700according to an exemplary embodiment. The exemplary embodiment of the safety interlock assembly700comprises a plunger foot receiving cavity702, a plunger shaft column704, a switch housing706which houses the disconnect switch (not shown), and a plunger assembly708. Also illustrated are an electrical cord710, an electrical connection enclosure712, and an indicator lamp714. Certain of these components may not be present in all exemplary embodiments.FIG.8is an exploded view800of the safety interlock assembly700ofFIG.7. Illustrated are the disconnect switch802, switch fixing plate804, and enclosure cover806. The plunger assembly708is illustrated in an exploded view. Also shown is the plunger foot808. Referring now toFIG.8Bwhich illustrates an enlarged view of the plunger assembly708and the plunger foot808. As illustrated, an exemplary embodiment of a plunger assembly708comprises a plunger shaft810, a plunger collar812, an upper spring814, and a lower spring816. As illustrated, the plunger collar812is formed with cutouts818and tabs820formed between the cutouts818. The cutouts818engage with capture fingers822formed in the plunger foot808. When the plunger collar812is arranged such that the cutouts818align with the capture fingers822, the tabs820are captured by capture fingers822such that the plunger collar812is held against the plunger foot808. When in such a position, the lower spring816is held between the plunger foot808and the plunger shaft810such that the plunger shaft810is held by the lower spring816in a completely extended position relative to the plunger collar812. In certain exemplary embodiments, the size and spacing of the cutouts818and capture fingers822are arranged such that the plunger collar812is only installable in one rotational orientation relative to the axis of the plunger foot808. As illustrated inFIG.9, the plunger collar812(shown without cutouts and tabs) comprises an opening902that is configured to align the flanges904,906, and908found on the plunger shaft810relative to the plunger foot808. Thus, the plunger shaft810is held in a constant rotational orientation relative to the plunger foot808. Also visible is a lower collar910portion of the plunger shaft810. This lower collar910serves to prevent the plunger shaft810from escaping from the plunger collar812when held in an extended position by the lower spring816. Referring again toFIG.8B, the plunger foot808comprises two mounting tabs824that engage openings formed in the plunger foot receiving cavity702. The plunger foot808also comprises alignment fins826and828that engage alignment slots (not shown) located in the plunger foot receiving cavity702. The interaction between the alignment slots and the alignment fins826and828serves to ensure that the plunger foot808be held in a consistent rotational alignment relative to the plunger foot receiving cavity702. The combination of the plunger foot alignment and the plunger shaft alignment results in a consistent rotational alignment of the plunger shaft810relative to the plunger shaft column704and thus the disconnect switch802.

FIG.10illustrates an enlarged portion ofFIG.3which illustrates the heater assembly102of a portable radiant heating device100in a partially rotated position. Shown is an engagement finger1004. The engagement finger1004is oriented such that when the heater assembly102is lowered to its lowest rotated position and thus proximate to a mounting surface such as a floor or tabletop (not illustrated), the engagement finger1004contacts the plunger shaft810. When the engagement finger1004contacts the plunger shaft810force exerted by the lower spring816is overcome such that the plunder shaft810is partially depressed.

As illustrated inFIG.11A, when the portable radiant heating device100is not in contact with the mounting surface such as a floor or tabletop, the plunger foot808is held in a position by the upper spring814wherein the plunger foot808extends out of the plunger foot receiving cavity702such that a portion of the plunger foot808extends below the bottom of the safety interlock assembly700. As is shown, in such an arrangement the flange908is not in contact with the actuator1102of the disconnect switch802. As a result, the switch is “open” or not conducting electrical current as shown in the schematic switch diagram at1104. When the portable radiant heating device100rests on the mounting surface, the weight of the portable radiant heating device100overcomes the spring force applied by the upper spring814such that the plunger foot808is pressed into the plunger foot receiving cavity702. When this occurs, the plunger collar812moves upward and causes the plunger shaft810to move upward relative to the disconnect switch802. This is illustrated inFIG.11Bwhere the flange908causes the actuator1102of the disconnect switch802to close the switch as illustrated in the schematic switch diagram at1106. In an exemplary embodiment, an electrical current is allowed to flow into a source of infrared heat (not shown inFIGS.11A-11C).

In order to prevent damage caused by infrared heat being applied to the mounting surface, the source of infrared heat should be disabled when the heater assembly102of the portable radiant heating device100is in a lowered orientation. As we described in the discussion ofFIG.10, when the heater assembly102is in a lowered orientation, the engagement finger1004contacts the plunger shaft810, causing the plunder shaft810to be partially depressed. When the plunger shaft810is depressed, the tension of the lower spring is overcome such that the plunger shaft810is pressed into the plunger collar812. As illustrated inFIG.11C, when this occurs the flange908moves below the actuator1102of the disconnect switch802such that the switch opens as illustrated in the schematic switch diagram1108. The result is that electrical energy is not applied to the source of infrared heat such that damage to the mounting surface is avoided. In addition to avoidance of damage, these disconnect operations can prevent the infrared heat source from causing surfaces from being damaged or catching fire should the portable radiant heater be disturbed or otherwise tip over.

Any implementation or embodiment disclosed herein can be combined with any other implementation or embodiment, and references to “an implementation,” “some implementations,” “one implementation,” “an embodiment,” “some embodiments,” “certain embodiments,” or the like are not necessarily mutually exclusive and are intended to indicate that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the implementation can be included in at least one implementation or embodiment. Such terms as used herein are not necessarily all referring to the same implementation. Any implementation or embodiment can be combined with any other implementation or embodiment, inclusively or exclusively, in any manner consistent with the aspects and implementations disclosed herein.

Where technical features in the drawings, detailed description, or any claim are followed by reference numbers, the reference numbers have been included to increase the intelligibility of the drawings, detailed description, and claims. Accordingly, neither the reference numbers nor their absence have any limiting effect on the scope of any claim elements.

Coupled elements can be electrically, magnetically, mechanically, or physically coupled with one another directly or with intervening elements. Scope of the systems and methods described herein is thus indicated by the appended claims, rather than the foregoing description, and changes that come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are embraced therein.