Outdoor patio heater

Abstract

An outdoor heater such as an outdoor patio heater may include a number of panels and ribs that securely couple the panels together. The heater may include a coupling assembly that easily and securely couples a support such as a pole to a tabletop, pedestal or base. The tabletop, pedestal and/or base may be formed of a variety of materials, for example, fiber-reinforced plastic, allowing a large variety of aesthetically pleasing effects.

1 . An outdoor heater, comprising:
 a base;   an elongated support member having a first end and a second end opposed to the first end, the elongated support member selectively coupleable proximate the first end thereof to the base for support thereby;   a heat source selectively coupleable to the elongated support member proximate the second end of the elongated support member; and   a canopy selectively coupleable to at least one of the heat source or the elongated support member positioned relatively above the heat source with respect to the base, the canopy comprising a number N of panels and an equal number N of elongated ribs, the panels each having a pair of opposed side edges, the elongated ribs each having a pair of longitudinally extending channels, each of the channels sized to receive a respective one of the side edges of a respective one of the panels, each of the channels having a retention structure to physically engage at least a portion of the received one of the side edges to secure two of the panels to each of the elongated ribs.   
   
   
       2 . The outdoor heater of  claim 1  wherein the channels are formed in opposed edges of the elongated ribs. 
   
   
       3 . The outdoor heater of  claim 2  wherein an opening of the channels at the edges of the elongated ribs are smaller than a thickness of the side edges of the panels to be received in the channel and the channels are open at an end of the elongated rib to allow the side edges of the panels to slide into the channels. 
   
   
       4 . The outdoor heater of  claim 3  wherein the retention structure is a lip formed in the channel. 
   
   
       5 . The outdoor heater of  claim 4  wherein the channels have a substantially L-shaped cross-section when viewed along a longitudinal axis. 
   
   
       6 . The outdoor heater of  claim 2  wherein the elongated ribs have a substantially annular cross-section. 
   
   
       7 . The outdoor heater of  claim 1  wherein the side edges of each of the panels are thicker than an interior portion of the panels. 
   
   
       8 . The outdoor heater of  claim 1  wherein the side edges each include a roll portion of the panel. 
   
   
       9 . The outdoor heater of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a top cap structure fastenable relatively above the canopy.   
   
   
       10 . The outdoor heater of  claim 9  wherein the top cap structure comprises an upper plate and a lower plate, the upper and the lower plates fastenable together to securely sandwich a top edge of each of the panels therebetween. 
   
   
       11 . The outdoor heater of  claim 10  wherein the top cap structure further comprises a sloped cover selectively coupleable to the upper plate positioned above the upper plate with respect to the lower plate. 
   
   
       12 . The outdoor heater of  claim 9  wherein the top cap structure comprises a set of fasteners to couple the lower plate to a portion of the heat source. 
   
   
       13 . The outdoor heater of  claim 1  wherein the canopy further comprises a number N of end pieces, each of the end pieces having a recess sized to accommodate an end of a respective one of the elongated ribs. 
   
   
       14 . The outdoor heater of  claim 1  wherein the side edges of the panels taper from a bottom edge to a top edge such that the bottom edge of the panel is wider than the top edge of the panel. 
   
   
       15 . The outdoor heater of  claim 14  wherein a portion of the panels proximate the top edge is non-planar with respect to a remainder of the panel. 
   
   
       16 . The outdoor heater of  claim 1  wherein the heat source is a burner. 
   
   
       17 . The outdoor heater of  claim 1  wherein the base forms a cavity sized to receive a fuel source. 
   
   
       18 . The outdoor heater of  claim 1  wherein the base has a hatch that is selectively openable, the hatch sized to receive a standard size refillable fuel tank of between approximately 1 gallon and approximately 12 gallons of fuel capacity. 
   
   
       19 . The outdoor heater of  claim 1  wherein the base comprises a shell of fiber reinforced plastic. 
   
   
       20 . The outdoor heater of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a table top supported by the base.   
   
   
       21 . The outdoor heater of  claim 20  wherein the table top includes a throughhole and a recess about the throughhole and the elongated support member has a threaded portion, and further comprising:
 an upper washer having an outer diameter and an inner diameter, the outer diameter sized to be received in the recess of the table top and the inner diameter sized to receive at least a portion of the elongated support member therethrough;   a collar having a threaded throughhole sized and dimensioned to matingly couple with the threaded portion of the elongated support member.   
   
   
       22 . The outdoor heater of  claim 21  wherein the collar includes a least one opening sized to receive a portion of a tool for use in securing the collar. 
   
   
       23 . The outdoor heater of  claim 21 , further comprising:
 a lower washer having an inner diameter sized to receive at least a portion of the elongated support member therethrough, the lower threaded washer positionable between the collar and the table top in use.   
   
   
       24 . The outdoor heater of  claim 21 , further comprising:
 a ferrule having an outer diameter and an inner diameter, the outer diameter larger than a diameter of the recess of the table top and the inner diameter sized to closely receive a portion of the elongated support member.   
   
   
       25 . The outdoor heater of  claim 24 , further comprising:
 at least one gasket having an inner diameter sized to receive at least a portion of the elongated support member, the gasket positionable between the ferrule and the table top.