Patent ID: 6978496

Claim:
A portable water heater for providing a continuous flow of hot water by heating the water as it flows to the user for immediate use, the portable water heater comprising: a fuel burner configured to produce heat as fuel is burned; a heat transfer conduit fluidly connected to a water source, said heat transfer conduit being configured to transfer the heat produced by said fuel burner to the water flowing through said heat transfer conduit; a heat shield connected to the fuel burner, the heat shield including at least one sidewall and the heat shield being sized and configured to facilitate heat transfer from the fuel burner to the heat transfer conduit; a connector that is sized and configured to mechanically couple the heat shield to a housing disposed about the heat transfer conduit, the connector selectively connecting the heat shield and the housing by frictional engagement to allow the heat shield and the housing to be attached and detached; and a pump being sized and configured to pump water through said heat transfer conduit with sufficient force to allow a user to take a shower, said pump being disposed within the water of the water source.