Patent ID: 7046918

Claim:
A space heater comprising an exterior case and a heater core mounted inside the exterior case, said exterior case having an air inlet for ambient air and an air outlet for heated air, said heater core having a fan communicating with the air inlet and the air outlet for moving air through the heater core, at least one linear source of infrared radiant energy and a heat exchanger mounted in the heater core, said heat exchanger having first and second sides, said first side facing and surrounding said at least one linear source of infrared radiant energy, said heat exchanger being formed of copper material pretreated at a temperature and for a time sufficient to soften the copper material and to partially blacken the surface of the copper, said space heater further having an air passageway defining a path of air movement from the air inlet, along the length of at least one linear source of infrared radiant energy and along the length of the first side of the heat exchanger and out the air outlet.