Portable electric heater

Abstract

A portable electric heater possessing characteristics similar to a portable electric oil filled heater absent the use oil and its associated manufacturing and environmental problems. The device includes an electric heater, a rotatable plenum and an external housing providing space saving characteristics.

1 . A portable electric heater comprising: 
 a stand alone housing having a front, a rear, a top, and a bottom, wherein said rear comprises at least one substantially planar surface oriented substantially vertical;    an air inlet located in said housing allowing air to enter said housing;    an air outlet relative to said substantially planar surface of said rear, said air outlet located substantially in an upper portion of said housing;    a blower disposed within said housing between said air inlet and said air outlet;    an electric heating element disposed within said housing between said blower and said air outlet;    an exhaust air stream generated by said blower;    a heated exhaust air stream formed by the heating of said exhaust air stream by said electric heating element, said heated exhaust air stream exiting said housing via said air outlet; and    a forward facing direction of discharge of said heated exhaust air stream relative to said substantially planar surface of said rear;    wherein said forward direction of discharge and said air outlet is within a range defined by a substantially vertical upward direction and a substantially vertical downward direction.    
   
   
       2 . The portable electric heater of  claim 1 , wherein said direction of discharge of said heated exhaust air stream allows said at least one substantially planar surface of said rear of said housing to be placed adjacent substantially vertically oriented objects absent a substantially direct impingement of said heated exhaust air stream on said substantially vertically oriented objects.  
   
   
       3 . The portable electric heater of  claim 1 , wherein said housing further comprises: 
 said front having a substantially planar surface oriented substantially vertical;    two side walls disposed between and connecting said front and said rear;    said top having a substantially planar surface oriented substantially horizontal; and    a curved surface formed at said upper portion of said housing between said front and said top;    wherein said air outlet is in said curved surface.    
   
   
       4 . The portable electric heater of  claim 3 , further comprising an upper limit and a lower limit of adjustment, wherein said direction of discharge of said heated exhaust air stream from said air outlet is adjustable between said upper limit and said lower limit.  
   
   
       5 . The portable electric heater of  claim 1 , further comprising an overall height, an overall width, and an overall depth of said housing, wherein said overall depth of said housing is less than either said overall height and/or said overall width of said housing.  
   
   
       6 . The portable electric heater of  claim 5 , further comprising: 
 an overall form factor for said portable electric heater defined by said overall height times said overall width times said overall depth; and    a foot-print for said portable electric heater defined by said overall width times said overall depth;    wherein said portable electric heater is adapted to be placed with said substantially planar surface of said rear of said housing positioned adjacent a substantially vertically oriented object;    wherein said overall form factor and said foot-print comprise a minimal overall depth to limit a distance that said housing extends horizontally from said vertically oriented object to provide a space savings portable electric heater.    
   
   
       7 . The portable electric heater of  claim 6 , wherein said overall form factor further comprises said overall height being at least about three times said overall depth, and said overall width being at least about two times said overall depth.  
   
   
       8 . The portable electric heater of  claim 5 , wherein said overall depth is less than about 8 inches, said overall width is greater than about 12 inches and said overall height is greater than about 18 inches.  
   
   
       9 . The portable electric heater of  claim 5 , further comprising an exit elevation of said heated exhaust air stream above a support surface wherein said exit elevation is greater than said overall width and/or said overall depth.  
   
   
       10 . The portable electric heater of  claim 1 , further comprising an exit elevation of said heated exhaust air stream above a support surface wherein said exit elevation is greater than about 18 inches.  
   
   
       11 . The portable electric heater of  claim 1 , wherein said air outlet is located in said front of said housing.  
   
   
       12 . The portable electric heater of  claim 1 , wherein said air outlet is located in said top of said housing.  
   
   
       13 . The portable electric heater of  claim 1 , further comprising an outlet surface between said front and said top of said housing, wherein said air outlet is located in said outlet surface.  
   
   
       14 . The portable electric heater of  claim 13 , wherein said outlet surface further comprises a curved surface.  
   
   
       15 . The portable electric heater of  claim 14 , wherein said curved surface comprises a concave curved surface relative to a position within said housing.  
   
   
       16 . The portable electric heater of  claim 13 , wherein said outlet surface further comprises a straight surface that tampers upward and rearward at an angle from said front to said top.  
   
   
       17 . The portable electric heater of  claim 1 , further comprising an upper limit and a lower limit of adjustment, wherein said direction of discharge of said heated exhaust air stream from said air outlet is substantially forward relative to said substantially planar surface of said rear and adjustable between said upper limit and said lower limit.  
   
   
       18 . The portable electric heater of  claim 17 , wherein said air outlet is positioned to discharge said heated exhaust air stream in a direction of discharge that is substantially vertical upward when said air outlet is positioned at said upper limit.  
   
   
       19 . The portable electric heater of  claim 18 , wherein said air outlet is positioned to discharge said heated exhaust air stream in a direction of discharge that is substantially vertical downward when said air outlet is positioned at said lower position.  
   
   
       20 . The portable electric heater of  claim 17 , further comprising an air directing mechanism for directing said heated exhaust air stream to a desired location.  
   
   
       21 . The portable electric heater of  claim 20 , wherein a movement of said air directing mechanism causes said direction of discharge of said heated exhaust air stream to rotate between said upper limit and said lower limit.  
   
   
       22 . The portable electric heater of  claim 21 , wherein said air directing mechanism further comprises a slide slidably disposed within a slot in said housing, wherein a movement of said slide causes said direction of discharge of said heated exhaust air stream to rotate to any position between said upper limit and said lower limit.  
   
   
       23 . The portable electric heater of  claim 22 , further comprising an upper stop and a lower stop for limiting a movement of said slide within a predetermined range between said upper limit and said lower limit.  
   
   
       24 . The portable electric heater of  claim 21 , wherein said direction of discharge of said heated exhaust air stream is substantially vertical upward at said upper limit, and wherein said predetermined range between said upper limit and said lower limit is greater than about 90 degrees.  
   
   
       25 . The portable electric heater of  claim 21 , wherein said direction of discharge of said heated exhaust air stream is substantially vertical upward at said upper limit, and wherein said predetermined range between said upper limit and said lower limit is about 180 degrees or less.  
   
   
       26 . The portable electric heater of  claim 21 , wherein said upper limit and said lower limit confines said direction of discharge of said heated exhaust air stream to a forward direction at any angle between an upward direction and a downward direction, thereby substantially preventing said heated exhaust air stream from impinging on a substantially vertically oriented object positioned adjacent said rear of said housing.  
   
   
       27 . The portable electric heater of  claim 21 , further comprising a temperature detection device located on and/or in said housing, wherein said temperature detection device detects a temperature proximate said heated exhaust air stream.  
   
   
       28 . The portable electric heater of  claim 27 , wherein said temperature detection device is located at said lower limit of said rotation of said discharge direction of said heated exhaust air stream.  
   
   
       29 . The portable electric heater of  claim 20 , further comprising movable louvers located near said air outlet, wherein said direction of discharge of said heated exhaust air stream is adjusted via a repositioning of said movable louvers.  
   
   
       30 . The portable electric heater of  claim 29 , wherein said direction of discharge of said heated exhaust air stream is adjusted horizontally side to side via a repositioning of said movable louvers.  
   
   
       31 . The portable electric heater of  claim 1 , further comprising an oscillation mechanism for oscillating said direction of discharge of said heated exhaust air stream in at least one of: an up and down direction and/or a side to side direction.  
   
   
       32 . The portable electric heater of  claim 1 , further comprising a temperature boundary formed substantially vertically along an imaginary plane extending out from said substantially planar surface of said rear of said housing, wherein said direction of discharge of said heated exhaust air stream is limited to a forward direction between a substantially vertical upward direction and a substantially vertical downward direction, wherein said temperature boundary prevents the direct impingement of said heated exhaust air stream on said other substantially vertically oriented objects located rearward and adjacent said at least one substantially planar surface of said rear of said housing.  
   
   
       33 . The portable electric heater of  claim 1 , wherein said electric heating element further comprises a horizontal aspect ratio defined by a horizontal length of said electric heating element divided by a vertical height of said electric heating element, wherein said horizontal aspect ratio of said electric heating element is at greater than about 2.  
   
   
       34 . The portable electric heater of  claim 1 , wherein said electric heating element further comprises a Positive Temperature Coefficient heating element.  
   
   
       35 . The portable electric heater of  claim 1 , further comprising an outlet grill located proximate said air outlet, wherein said outlet grill is located completely in said upper portion of said housing.  
   
   
       36 . The portable electric heater of  claim 1 , further comprising a control assembly for controlling one or more of: rotation of said direction of said heated exhaust air stream vertically up and down, oscillation of said heated exhaust air stream from side to side, power on/off, a power setting of said electric heating element, and/or a rotational speed of said blower.  
   
   
       37 . The portable electric heater of  claim 1 , further comprising a notch in a lower portion of said rear of said housing.  
   
   
       38 . The portable electric heater of  claim 1 , wherein said bottom of said housing further comprises a substantially flat and planar surface for engaging a substantially flat and planar surface of a support surface, and wherein said rear of said housing further comprises a substantially flat and planar surface that may be positioned adjacent an object having a substantially flat and planar surface extending upward and substantially orthogonal to said support surface.  
   
   
       39 . A portable electric heater comprising: 
 a housing defining a first interior space;    an air inlet in said housing allowing air to enter said first interior space;    an air outlet in an upper portion of said housing allowing air to exit said first interior space;    a heater assembly disposed within said first interior space comprising;    at least one entry port;    at least one air passageway;    a motor having at least one shaft;    at least one air impeller connected to said at least one shaft of said motor;    a rotatable plenum in fluid communication with said at least one air passageway;    a second interior space defined by said rotatable plenum;    at least one hot air exit in said rotatable plenum allowing air to exit said second interior space;    a substantially horizontal axis of rotation about which said rotatable plenum rotates;    an upper limit and a lower limit of rotation of said rotatable plenum;    at least one electric heating element located between said impeller and said hot air exit;    a heated exhaust air stream exiting through said air outlet; and    an angular direction of discharge of said heated exhaust air stream, wherein said angular direction of discharge of said heated exhaust air stream is adjustable vertically up and down as said rotatable plenum rotates about said substantially horizontal axis of rotation between said upper limit and said lower limit.    
   
   
       40 . The portable electric heater of  claim 39 , further comprising: 
 a flow of ambient air induced by a rotation of said at least one air impeller, said flow of ambient air being drawn into said first interior space through said air inlet and subsequently entering said at least one entry port of said heater assembly;    an exhaust air stream generated by said rotation of said at least one air impeller, said exhaust air stream being discharged through said at least one air passageway; and    said heated exhaust air stream being formed by said exhaust air stream being heated by said at least one electric heating element, wherein said heated exhaust air stream subsequently exits said housing through said air outlet.    
   
   
       41 . The portable electric heater of  claim 39 , wherein said motor is substantially stationary during a rotation of said rotatable plenum.  
   
   
       42 . The portable electric heater of  claim 41 , further comprising a transfer duct between said at least one air impeller and said rotatable plenum.  
   
   
       43 . The portable electric heater of  claim 39 , wherein said motor moves in conjunction with said rotatable plenum during a rotation of said rotatable plenum.  
   
   
       44 . The portable electric heater of  claim 39 , wherein said rotatable plenum further comprises an elongate rotatable plenum having a longitudinal length oriented horizontally, wherein said hot air exit further comprises an elongate hot air exit having a longitudinal length oriented horizontally, and wherein said elongate rotatable plenum and said elongate hot air exit are substantially aligned.  
   
   
       45 . The portable electric heater of  claim 44 , wherein said electric heating element further comprises an elongate electric heating element having a longitudinal length oriented horizontally, and wherein said elongate electric heating element is substantially align with said elongate rotatable plenum and said elongate hot air exit.  
   
   
       46 . The portable electric heater of  claim 45 , wherein said at least one air impeller further comprises an elongate air impeller having a longitudinal length oriented horizontally, and wherein said elongate air impeller is substantially align with said elongate rotatable plenum, said elongate electric heating element, and said elongate hot air exit.  
   
   
       47 . The portable electric heater of  claim 39 , wherein said rotatable plenum further comprises a front portion and a rear portion, wherein said at least one air impeller is disposed at least partially within a rear portion of said rotatable plenum.  
   
   
       48 . The portable electric heater of  claim 39 , further comprising an extension, wherein said extension extends from said rotatable plenum, said extension being accessible through an opening in said housing and utilized to rotate said rotatable plenum to adjust said angular direction of discharge of said heated exhaust air stream.  
   
   
       49 . The portable electric heater of  claim 48 , wherein said extension further comprises a slide and/or a rotatable knob.  
   
   
       50 . The portable electric heater of  claim 39 , wherein said angular direction of discharge of said heated exhaust air stream is substantially vertical upward when said rotatable plenum is at said upper limit.  
   
   
       51 . The portable electric heater of  claim 39 , further comprising a predetermined angular range of adjustability of said angular direction of discharge of said heated exhaust air stream, wherein said predetermined angular range is about 180 degrees or less.  
   
   
       52 . The portable electric heater of  claim 51 , further comprises an oscillation mechanism, wherein said angular direction of discharge of said heated exhaust air stream oscillates within said predetermined angular range.  
   
   
       53 . The portable electric heater of  claim 39 , wherein said second interior space is charged with a positive static pressure.  
   
   
       54 . The portable electric heater of  claim 39 , further comprising at least one air directing component disposed within said second interior space, wherein said at least one air directing component distributes the flow of said exhaust air stream in a substantially even fashion over the length of said at least one hot air exit.  
   
   
       55 . The portable electric heater of  claim 39 , wherein said at least one air impeller comprises one of a centrifugal impeller, a cross flow impeller, and/or an axial impeller.  
   
   
       56 . The portable electric heater of  claim 39 , wherein said electric heating element further comprises a Positive Temperature Coefficient heating element.  
   
   
       57 . The portable electric heater of  claim 56 , further comprising a temperature sensing component and electronic controls, wherein said temperature sensing component is positioned on and/or within said housing to senses an air temperature, and wherein said electronic controls control a rotational speed of said at least one air impeller based upon said air temperature detected by said temperature sensing component.  
   
   
       58 . A portable electric heater comprising: 
 a housing extending vertically upward from a support surface, said housing comprising at least one rear wall having at least one substantially planar surface oriented substantially vertical;    a first interior space defined by said housing;    an air inlet located in a lower portion of said housing allowing air to enter said first interior space;    an air outlet located in an upper portion of said housing allowing air to exit said housing;    a heater assembly disposed within said first interior space and in fluid communication with said air inlet and said air outlet, said heater assembly comprising;    an entry port and an air passageway;    a motor including at least one shaft;    an air impeller connected to said at least one shaft of said motor;    a rotatable plenum in fluid communication with said air passageway;    a second interior space defined by said rotatable plenum;    a hot air exit allowing air to exit said second interior space;    a substantially horizontal axis of rotation of said rotatable plenum; and an electric heating element located between said impeller and said hot air exit;    a heated exhaust air stream exiting said air outlet, wherein said heated exhaust air stream is generated by a rotation of said air impeller and discharging exhaust air from said air impeller through said electric heating element;    a direction of discharge of said heated exhaust air stream that is adjustable in at least a vertical direction by a rotational movement of said rotatable plenum;    an upper limit and a lower limit, wherein said rotational movement of said rotational plenum is limited between said upper limit and said lower limit; and    a predetermined range of adjustability of said direction of discharge of said heated exhaust air stream defined between said upper limit and said lower limit;    wherein said direction of discharge of said heated exhaust air stream at said upper limit and/or said lower limit is substantially parallel to and/or angled a forward direction away from said at least one substantially planar surface of said at least one rear wall;    wherein said upper limit and said lower limit facilitate the establishment of a temperature boundary formed vertically along an imaginary plane extending out from and oriented substantially coplanar with said substantially planar surface of said at least one rear wall and said temperature boundary impedes a substantially direct impingement of said heated exhaust air stream on other objects located rearward of said at least one substantially planar surface of said at least one rear wall.    
   
   
       59 . The portable electric heater of  claim 58 , wherein said predetermined range of adjustability includes about 180 degrees or less.  
   
   
       60 . The portable electric heater of  claim 58 , further comprising a temperature detection device located proximate said lower limit of said predetermined range of adjustability.  
   
   
       61 . The portable electric heater of  claim 58 , further comprising: a front surface, a top surface, and a curved surface located in an upper portion of said housing between said front surface an said top surface, wherein said air outlet is located in said curved surface.  
   
   
       62 . The portable electric heater of  claim 62 , wherein said curved surface has a radius of curvature substantially similar to a radius of said rotational movement of said rotatable plenum to facilitates said adjustability of said direction of discharge of said heated exhaust air stream.