Patent ID: 6973260

Claim:
A portable electric heater for providing a heated exhaust air stream at an elevation above a support surface, said portable electric heater comprising: an elongate housing having at least one sidewall, a top end, a bottom end, and a longitudinal length extending substantially upward from said bottom end to said top end, and a horizontal cross sectional area; a base for supporting said elongate housing in a vertical and upright position on said support surface, said base contacting said support surface; at least one interior space within said elongate housing; at least one inlet opening in said elongate housing allowing inlet air to enter said at least one interior space; an air blower assembly disposed within said at least one interior space for receiving said inlet air, said air blower assembly comprising: i) at least one non-axial air impeller having a substantially vertical axis of rotation; and ii) at least one motor for rotating said non-axial air impeller about said substantially vertical axis of rotation to generate an exhaust air stream; at least one vertically oriented elongate outlet opening in said elongate housing allowing said exhaust air stream to exit said at least one interior space; and at least one vertically oriented elongate electric heating element disposed within said at least one interior space between said air blower assembly and said at least one outlet opening; wherein the flow of said exhaust air stream from said non-axial air impeller toward said at least one vertically oriented elongate outlet opening is a substantially direct and straight vector; wherein substantially all of said exhaust air stream is heated by said at least one vertically oriented elongate electric heating element forming said heated exhaust air stream; wherein said heated exhaust air stream exits said elongate housing at an elevation above said support surface, said elevation being defined by a distance from where said base contacts said support surface to a highest vertical exit point of said heated exhaust air stream from said at least one interior space; and wherein said elevation of said heated exhaust air stream is about 20 inches or greater.