Patent ID: 7403703

Claim:
A radiant electric heater ( 2 ) comprising: a base ( 8 ) of thermal and electrical insulation material having a surface supporting at least one electric heating element comprising at least one elongate electrically conductive ribbon ( 10 ), the at least one electrically conductive ribbon ( 10 ) being supported on edge; a rod-like temperature-responsive device ( 16 ) extending lengthwise partly across the heater ( 2 ) from an edge thereof and over the at least one electric heating element ( 10 ); the surface of the base ( 8 ) being provided with an elongate recess ( 22 ) with sloping sides ( 24 , 26 ) extending beneath and along the length of the rod-like temperature-responsive device ( 16 ), wherein the elongate recess has a width which increases with increasing distance from the edge of the heater, and wherein the at least one electrically conductive ribbon ( 10 ) is supported in and traverses the elongate recess ( 22 ) such that an upper edge ( 28 ) of the at least one electrically conductive ribbon ( 10 ) substantially follows a contour of the surface of the recess and whereby the upper edge ( 28 ) of the at least one electrically conductive ribbon ( 10 ) at a region ( 30 ) underlying the rod-like temperature-responsive device ( 16 ) is provided at a predetermined distance from the rod-like temperature-responsive device ( 16 ) and is at a lower level relative to the upper edge ( 28 ) of the at least one electrically conductive ribbon ( 10 ) at regions ( 32 , 34 ) at either side of the elongate recess ( 22 ), the at least one electrically conductive ribbon ( 10 ) in the regions ( 32 , 34 ) at either side of the elongate recess ( 22 ) being provided on a substantially planar surface of the base.