Forced air heater

Abstract

A forced air heater is provided that includes: a heating element; a heat sink mounted on the heating element; and an air mover directing air towards the heating element such that the directed air provides impinged airflow in relation to the heating element. There is also provided a heater that includes a temperature sensing device, the temperature sensing device includes: a sensing plate mounted on a metallic component in the environment to be heated; and an electrical contact connected to the sensing plate, wherein the electrical contact is thermally coupled with the metallic component via the sensing plate. There is further provided a method of controlling a heater that includes a temperature sensing device that it is thermally connected to a solid component in the environment to be heated.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A forced air heater comprising:
 a heating element;   a heat sink mounted on the heating element; and   an air mover directing air towards the heating element such that the directed air provides impinged airflow in relation to the heating element.   
     
     
         2 . The heater of  claim 1 , wherein the heat sink has at least one extended surface extending approximately in the direction of the air directed from the air mover. 
     
     
         3 . The heater of  claim 1 , wherein the air mover directs the air such that the angle of impingement is an acute angle relative to the heating element. 
     
     
         4 . The heater of  claim 3 , wherein the angle of impingement is between 30 and 60 degrees relative to the heating element. 
     
     
         5 . The heater of  claim 1 , wherein the air mover comprises a plurality of air movers and each air mover directs air towards the heating element at a different angle. 
     
     
         6 . The heater of  claim 5 , wherein the plurality of the air movers comprises two air movers and each air mover directs air towards the heating element from opposite sides of the heating element. 
     
     
         7 . The heater of  claim 1 , wherein the heating element is a positive temperature coefficient (PTC) heating element. 
     
     
         8 . The heater of  claim 1 , wherein the heating element and the heat sink are configured such that air directed at the heating element contacts the heating element or the heat sink and is then directed in multiple directions out of a body of the heater. 
     
     
         9 . The heater of  claim 1 , further comprising a temperature sensing device wherein the temperature sensing device is thermally coupled with a solid heat-conductive object in the environment to be heated. 
     
     
         10 . The heater of  claim 9 , wherein the temperature sensing device comprises:
 a sensing plate mounted on the solid heat-conductive object in the environment to be heated; and   an electrical contact connected to the sensing plate,   wherein the electrical contact is thermally coupled with the heat-conductive object via the sensing plate.   
     
     
         11 . A heater comprising a temperature sensing device, the temperature sensing device comprising:
 a sensing plate mounted on a solid heat-conductive object in the environment to be heated; and   an electrical contact connected to the sensing plate,   wherein the electrical contact is thermally coupled with the heat-conductive object via the sensing plate.   
     
     
         12 . The heater of  claim 11 , wherein the solid heat-conductive object in the environment to be heated comprises a solid heat-conductive component of the heater. 
     
     
         13 . The heater of  claim 11 , wherein the solid heat-conductive object in the environment to be heated is metallic. 
     
     
         14 . A method of controlling a heater, the method comprising:
 mounting a temperature sensing device such that it is thermally connected to a solid object in the environment to be heated;   monitoring the temperature via the temperature sensing device;   turning the heater on when the temperature from the temperature sensing device is below a first temperature threshold; and   turning the heater off when the temperature from the temperature sensing device is above a second temperature threshold.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the solid object in the environment to be heated comprises a solid component of the heater. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the solid object in the environment to be heated comprises a metallic object. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the metallic object comprises a metallic component of the heater.