Free-standing patio heater

Abstract

An outdoor, free standing area heater comprises a vertically extending housing defining an interior and a heat producing source for producing a flame that heats air and at least one glass tube directing at least a portion of the heated air upwardly inside the housing. An upper hood is located above the housing at a position for the heated air conducted by the at least one glass tube to impinge on the upper hood, the upper hood being shaped to redirect the heated air in a direction away from the housing and in a general downward direction from the upper hood. The glass tube is substantially surrounded by side panels that are provided with a plurality of cutouts in a wall defining each of said side panels, wherein the cutouts leave a percentage closure of the wall in the range from 1 to 65 percent.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An outdoor, free standing area heater, comprising:
 a vertically extending housing defining an interior;   a heat producing source for producing a flame that heats air and at least one glass tube directing at least a portion of the heated air upwardly inside the housing;   an upper hood located above the housing at a position for the heated air conducted by the at least one glass tube to impinge on the upper hood, the upper hood being shaped to redirect the heated air in a direction away from the housing and in a general downward direction from the upper hood; and   the at least one glass tube being substantially surrounded by side panels that are provided with a plurality of cutouts in a wall defining each of said side panels, wherein the cutouts leave a percentage closure of the wall in the range from 1 to 65 percent.   
     
     
         2 . The outdoor area heater of  claim 1 , wherein the side panels surround the at least one glass tube. 
     
     
         3 . The outdoor area heater of  claim 1 , wherein the cutouts render the remaining wall in the panels into artistic and decorative shapes. 
     
     
         4 . The outdoor area heater of  claim 1 , wherein the panels are rendered in the shape of decorative screens. 
     
     
         5 . The outdoor area heater of  claim 4 , wherein the panels are removably attached to enable changing the over visual appears of the area heater to meet individual artistic styles. 
     
     
         6 . The outdoor area heater of  claim 1 , wherein the upper hood is defined by a peripheral edge that imparts to the upper hood a give shape and area dimension and including a generally laterally extending hood screen extending beyond the peripheral edge of the upper hood. 
     
     
         7 . The outdoor area heater of  claim 6 , wherein the hood screen comprises a plurality of hood screen cutout that impart to the hood screen an artistic style similar to that of the panels. 
     
     
         8 . The outdoor area heater of  claim 7 , wherein the upper hood is three-sided, imparting to it a general triangular shape. 
     
     
         9 . The outdoor area heater of  claim 7 , wherein the upper hood cutouts leave a percentage closure of the upper hood in the range from 1 to 65 percent 
     
     
         10 . The outdoor area heater of  claim 1 , wherein the panels taper upwardly and inwardly as they extend from a bottom toward the upper hood. 
     
     
         11 . The outdoor area heater of  claim 1 , wherein the housing comprises a frame with at least three corner uprights. 
     
     
         12 . The outdoor area heater of  claim 1 , wherein the cutouts form in the panels one or more of spiral, tree leave, and flower shapes.