Patio Heater Side Heat Director

Abstract

A Patio Heater Side Heat Director is disclosed. The patio heater side heat director attachment is attachable to a conventional patio heater so that the dome attachment hangs down from the heater's heat shield on one side. The side heat director is designed to reflect incident heat/energy on one side of the heater towards the opposing side of the heater. The side heat director defines two or more lobes that assist in focusing the energy reflected by the director. The side heat director is easily attached to a conventional patio heater, by clipping or crimping the heat director to the edge of the patio heater heat shield. Finally, the side heat director attachment has a very low thermal mass so that very little heat energy is retained by the side heat director attachment, such that the largest possible percentage of the heater energy is reflected towards the seating area.

1 . An attachment for patio heaters, said patio heaters comprising a central burner and having a heat shield thereover, said heat shield defining a perimeter edge, the attachment comprising:
 a first lobe;   a second lobe;   a center ridge bisecting said first and second lobes; and   an upper edge extending between said first and second lobes, said upper edge configured to be attachable to a section of said perimeter edge.   
     
     
         2 . The attachment of  claim 1 , wherein the inner face defined by said first lobe and said second lobe are generally concave shapes intersecting at said center ridge. 
     
     
         3 . The attachment of  claim 2 , further defined by a lower edge, said lower edge being generally curved at said first and second lobes, and defined by a notch where said center ridge intersects said lower edge. 
     
     
         4 . The attachment of  claim 3 , wherein said upper edge is defined by one or more pockets formed therein to capture the perimeter edge of the heat shield. 
     
     
         5 . The attachment of  claim 4 , wherein said pockets are defined by a circumferential curl formed in said upper edge extending from a ridge formed circumferentially adjacent to said upper edge. 
     
     
         6 . The attachment of  claim 5 , wherein said pockets comprise a plurality of attachment tabs having gaps formed between each, said tabs forming said pockets. 
     
     
         7 . The attachment of  claim 6 , wherein said pockets are selected from a group of pockets including narrow pockets and offset pockets, said offset pockets defined by a greater separation between said curl and said ridge than said narrow pockets. 
     
     
         8 . The attachment of  claim 7 , wherein said first and second lobes are defined by pleats formed therein. 
     
     
         9 . The attachment of  claim 8 , wherein said first and second lobe are separate members interconnected at a seam formed therebetween. 
     
     
         10 . A patio heater, comprising:
 a central burner and having a heat shield thereover, said heat shield defining a perimeter edge; and   a heat redirector attachment extending from said perimeter edge, comprising:
 a first lobe having a concave shape facing said central burner; 
 a second lobe having a concave shape facing said central burner; 
 a center ridge bisecting said first and second lobes; and 
 an upper edge extending between said first and second lobes, said upper edge configured to be attachable to a section of said perimeter edge. 
   
     
     
         11 . The patio heater of  claim 10 , wherein said upper edge of said attachment is defined by one or more pockets formed therein to capture the perimeter edge of the heat shield. 
     
     
         12 . The patio heater of  claim 11 , wherein said pockets are selected from a group of pockets including narrow pockets and offset pockets, said offset pockets defined by a greater separation between said curl and said ridge than said narrow pockets. 
     
     
         13 . The patio heater of  claim 12 , wherein said first and second lobes are defined by pleats formed therein. 
     
     
         14 . The patio heater of  claim 13 , wherein said pockets are defined by a circumferential curl formed in said upper edge extending from a ridge formed circumferentially adjacent to said upper edge. 
     
     
         15 . The patio heater of  claim 14 , wherein said first and second lobe are separate members interconnected at a seam formed therebetween. 
     
     
         16 . A combination patio heater and heat redirection device, comprising:
 a central burner and having a heat shield thereover, said heat shield defining a perimeter edge; and   heat redirection device attached to said perimeter edge of said heat shield, the redirection device comprising:
 a first lobe having a concave shape facing said central burner; 
 a second lobe having a concave shape facing said central burner; 
 a center ridge bisecting said first and second lobes; and 
 an upper edge extending between said first and second lobes, said upper edge being attachable to said perimeter edge. 
   
     
     
         17 . The combination of  claim 16 , wherein said first and second lobe are separate members interconnected at a seam formed therebetween. 
     
     
         18 . The combination of  claim 17 , wherein said upper edge of said redirection device is defined by one or more pockets formed therein to capture the perimeter edge of the heat shield. 
     
     
         19 . The combination of  claim 18 , wherein said pockets are selected from a group of pockets including narrow pockets and offset pockets, said offset pockets defined by a greater separation between said curl and said ridge than said narrow pockets. 
     
     
         20 . The combination of  claim 19 , wherein said pockets are defined by a circumferential curl formed in said upper edge extending from a ridge formed circumferentially adjacent to said upper edge.