Thermocouple Shutoff for Portable Heater

Abstract

Provided is an assembly comprising a combustion-powered heater, a target component, and a transducer operatively engaged with said target component. A combustion-powered heater may comprise a combustion site adapted to power said heater. A target component may be engaged with the combustion site. A transducer may be adapted to measure the temperature of the target component and adapted to shut-down said combustion-powered heater in response to a temperature measurement of less than a temperature limit.

1 . An assembly comprising:
 a combustion-powered heater comprising a combustion site adapted to power said heater;   a target component engaged with said combustion site; and   a transducer operatively engaged with said target component, said transducer,
 adapted to measure the temperature of the target component, and 
 adapted to shut-down said combustion-powered heater in response to a temperature measurement of less than a temperature limit. 
   
     
     
         2 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein said heater is portable. 
     
     
         3 . The assembly of  claim 2 , wherein said heater is adapted to consume oxygen from air and propane fuel. 
     
     
         4 . The assembly of  claim 3 , wherein said target component comprises a burner output modifier. 
     
     
         5 . The assembly of  claim 4 , wherein said operative engagement of the transducer with said burner output modifier comprises embedding said transducer within said burner output modifier. 
     
     
         6 . The assembly of  claim 5 , wherein said burner output modifier comprises a radiant surface. 
     
     
         7 . The assembly of  claim 6 , wherein said transducer comprises at least one thermocouple. 
     
     
         8 . The assembly of  claim 7 , wherein said adaptation to shut-down said combustion-powered heater is an adaptation wherein said thermocouple ceases holding open a normally-closed valve. 
     
     
         9 . The assembly of  claim 8 , wherein the temperature of the radiant surface is adapted to be less than the temperature limit during operation of the heater in an atmosphere comprising less than 18% oxygen by volume. 
     
     
         10 . A method of selectively shutting off a combustion-powered portable heater, comprising:
 providing a combustion-powered heater, said heater comprising a combustion site adapted to power said heater when in operation;   engaging a target component with said combustion site in such a manner that said combustion site heats said target component when in operation; and   operatively engaging a transducer with said target component, said transducer,
 adapted to measure the temperature of the target component, and 
 adapted to shut-down said combustion-powered heater in response to a temperature measurement of less than a temperature limit. 
   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein said heater is portable. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein said heater is adapted to consume oxygen from air and propane fuel. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein said target component comprises a burner output modifier. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein said operatively engaging a transducer with said burner output modifier comprises embedding said transducer within said burner output modifier. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein said burner output modifier comprises a radiant surface. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein said transducer comprises at least one thermocouple. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein said adaptation to shut-down said combustion-powered heater is an adaptation wherein said thermocouple ceases holding open a normally-closed valve. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein said thermocouple ceases holding open a normally-closed valve during operation of said heater in an atmosphere comprising less than 18% oxygen by volume. 
     
     
         19 . An assembly comprising:
 a portable, combustion-powered heater comprising a combustion site adapted to power said heater, said heater adapted to consume oxygen from air and propane fuel;   a radiant surface engaged with said combustion site; and   at least one thermocouple embedded within said radiant surface, said at least one thermocouple,
 adapted to measure the temperature of the radiant surface, and 
 adapted to cease holding open a normally-closed valve to shut-down said combustion-powered heater in response to a temperature measurement of less than a temperature limit. 
   
     
     
         20 . The assembly of  claim 19 , wherein the temperature of the radiant surface is adapted to be less than the temperature limit during operation of the heater in an atmosphere comprising less than 18% oxygen by volume.