Radiant heater

Abstract

A portable heater providing both radiant and forced air heat a closed loop heating element positioned within a substantially oval shaped reflector, The reflector air vent allows air to pass in from a bottom of the reflector, over the closed loop heating element and the reflector. A housing surrounds the reflector and heating element. A blower is located at a lower end of the housing and draws air inward and up between the reflector and the heating element from which it emerges past the heating element. Control knobs for controlling a thermostat and output power level are located at the top surface of the housing.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A portable heater for providing radiant and convection heat, said heater comprising:
 a housing including an upper end, a lower end, a back portion and a front portion, the housing further including an air intake located a bottom of the back portion, a grill located in the front portion forming an air outlet;   a heating element;   a reflector disposed between the heating element and the back portion of the housing, the reflector having a substantially oval shape, where the heating element is positioned within the reflector with the reflector at least partially surrounding at least of portion of the heating element, the reflector having a front surface capable of projecting radiant heat out of the heater through the grill, the reflector including an air vent arranged along a bottom portion of the reflector;   a blower mounted within the lower end of the housing, interposed between the air intake and the air vent in the reflector for propelling air across the length of the reflector and the heating element; and   electrical circuitry including fan controls, said electrical circuitry supplying power to the blower and the closed loop heating element.   
     
     
         2 . A portable heater as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the heating element comprises a closed loop heating element. 
     
     
         3 . A portable heater as set forth in  claim 2 , wherein the closed loop heating element comprises two “U” shaped heating elements. 
     
     
         4 . A portable heater as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the reflector forms a race track prismatic reflector having a raised center portion and a curved outside wall. 
     
     
         5 . A portable heater as set forth in  claim 4 , wherein the reflector has a substantially “W” shape cross section along a horizontal axis. 
     
     
         6 . A portable heater as set forth in  claim 5 , wherein the reflector has a substantially “W” shape cross section along a vertical axis. 
     
     
         7 . A portable heater as set forth in  claim 5 , wherein the outside walls of the reflector are stepped. 
     
     
         8 . A portable heater as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the heating element provides radiant heat and the blower causes air to pass in through the air vent, between the reflector and the heating element and between the heating element and the grill. 
     
     
         9 . A portable heater for providing radiant and convection heat, said heater comprising:
 a housing including an upper end, a lower end, a back portion and a front portion, the housing further including an air intake located a bottom of the back portion, a grill located at the front portion forming an air outlet;   a closed loop heating element;   a reflector having a raised center portion and a curved outside wall forming a substantially oval channel, the heating element positioned within the oval channel, the reflector having a front surface capable of projecting radiant heat out of the heater through the grill, the reflector including an air vent arranged along a bottom portion of the oval channel;   a blower mounted within the lower end of the housing, interposed between the air intake and the air vent in the reflector for propelling air across the length of the oval channel and the heating element; and   electrical circuitry including fan controls, said electrical circuitry supplying power to the blower and the closed loop heating element.   
     
     
         10 . A portable heater as set forth in  claim 9 , wherein the closed loop heating element comprises two “U” shaped heating elements. 
     
     
         11 . A portable heater as set forth in  claim 9 , wherein the reflector has a substantially “W” shape cross section along a horizontal axis. 
     
     
         12 . A portable heater as set forth in  claim 11 , wherein the reflector has a substantially “W” shape cross section along a vertical axis. 
     
     
         13 . A portable heater as set forth in  claim 9 , wherein the outside walls of the reflector are stepped. 
     
     
         14 . A portable heater as set forth in  claim 9 , wherein the closed loop heating element is affixed to the reflecting with a plurality of support members, the support member spacing the closed loop heating element a distance from the outside wall of the reflector. 
     
     
         15 . A portable heater as set forth in  claim 14 , wherein the support members are made of a resilient material. 
     
     
         16 . A portable heater as set forth in  claim 9 , wherein the closed loop heating element provides radiant heat and the blower causes air to pass in through the air vent, between the oval channel of the reflector and the closed loop heating element and between the closed loop heating element arid the grill. 
     
     
         17 . A portable heater for providing radiant and convection heat, said heater comprising:
 a housing including an upper end, a lower end, a back portion and a front portion;   a grill located in the front portion forming an air outlet;   a base removeably attached to the lower end, wherein said base is decoupled from lower end of the housing in a shipping configuration, the base being affixed to the back portion in the shipping configuration.   
     
     
         18 . A portable heater for providing radiant and convection heat as set forth in  claim 17 , further comprising:
 a heating element; and   a reflector disposed between the heating element and the back portion of the housing, the reflector including an air vent arranged along a bottom portion of the reflector, where the heating element is positioned within the reflector with the reflector at least partially surrounding at least of portion of the heating element, the reflector having a front surface capable of projecting radiant heat out of the heater through the grill.   
     
     
         19 . A portable heater for providing radiant and convection heat as set forth in  claim 18 , further comprising:
 a blower mounted within the lower end of the housing, interposed between an air intake located a bottom of the hack portion and the air vent in the reflector far propelling air across the length of the reflector and the heating element.   
     
     
         20 . A portable heater for providing radiant and convection heat as set forth in  claim 17 , wherein when in the shipping configuration the potable heater is disposed in a package for shipment from a place of manufacturing to a place of sale.