Portable heater

Abstract

A heater is provided with a heater core having a source of thermal energy in a heat exchange relationship with a heat exchanger. A fan moves air through the heater core from an air inlet to an air outlet. The heater core is thermally insulated by an air jacket from an exterior case.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A heater, comprising:
 an exterior case comprising an air inlet and an air outlet;   a heater core within the exterior case and being in communication with the air inlet and the air outlet;   a fan communicating with the air inlet and the air outlet for moving air through the heater core;   said heater core comprising a source of thermal energy and a heat exchanger, the heat exchanger comprising an inner duct and an outer duct, the inner duct being disposed adjacent and surrounding the source of thermal energy and the outer duct surrounding the inner duct to define an intermediate chamber between the inner and outer ducts;   said inner and outer ducts of said heat exchanger each oriented such that they extend along a direction between walls of said exterior case wherein said air inlet and air outlet are disposed, and   wherein the heat exchanger is removably coupled to the heater to permit removal of a modular unit comprising the outer duct and the source of thermal energy.   
     
     
         2 . The heater of  claim 1 , wherein the inner duct is arranged generally concentric with the outer duct. 
     
     
         3 . The heater of  claim 1 , further comprising a dividing wall separating the heater core into a first portion adjacent the air inlet and a second portion adjacent the air outlet, the dividing wall inhibiting fluid communication between the air inlet and air outlet. 
     
     
         4 . The heater of  claim 3 , wherein the dividing wall has an opening extending therethrough and the heat exchanger is in fluid communication with the opening, such that air moving through the heater core from the first portion to the second portion is forced to proceed through the heat exchanger. 
     
     
         5 . The heater of  claim 1 , further comprising an air jacket extending at least partially between the exterior case and the heater core, the air jacket being adapted to provide a cooling airflow through the air jacket that does not pass through the heater core. 
     
     
         6 . The heater of  claim 5 , said air jacket being in fluid communication with the air inlet and the air outlet in said exterior case. 
     
     
         7 . The heater of  claim 1 , wherein the heat exchanger comprises a bracket adapted to positively couple the source of thermal energy to the heat exchanger, the bracket being at least partially removable from the heat exchanger to permit replacement of the source of thermal energy without removal of the heat exchanger from the heater. 
     
     
         8 . The heater of  claim 1 , wherein the source of thermal energy is concentric with said inner and outer ducts such that they all share a common longitudinal axis. 
     
     
         9 . The heater of  claim 1 , wherein the heat exchanger comprises a mounting plate coupled to the outer duct, the mounting plate being removably coupled to the heater to permit removal of the source of thermal energy. 
     
     
         10 . The heater of  claim 9 , wherein the heat exchanger is coupled to the heater via a twist-lock arrangement. 
     
     
         11 . A heater, comprising:
 an exterior case comprising an air inlet and an air outlet;   a heater core within the exterior case and being in communication with the air inlet and the air outlet;   a fan communicating with the air inlet and the air outlet for moving air through the heater core;   said heater core comprising a source of thermal energy and a heat exchanger, the heat exchanger being disposed within the heater core and extending along a longitudinal axis extending between walls of said exterior case wherein said air inlet and air outlet are disposed, the heat exchanger comprising an inner duct surrounding the source of thermal energy and an outer duct surrounding the inner duct; and   an air pathway defining a path of air movement progressing from the air inlet, through the heat exchanger, and out the air outlet,   wherein the heat exchanger is removably coupled to the heater to permit removal of a modular unit comprising the outer duct and the source of thermal energy.   
     
     
         12 . The heater of  claim 11 , wherein the air pathway includes a serpentine pathway progressing through the heat exchanger. 
     
     
         13 . The heater of  claim 11 , further comprising a dividing wall separating the heater core into a first portion adjacent the air inlet and a second portion adjacent the air outlet, the dividing wall inhibiting fluid communication between the air inlet and air outlet, the dividing wall further comprising an opening extending therethrough and the heat exchanger being in fluid communication with the opening, such that air moving through the heater core is forced to proceed through the heat exchanger. 
     
     
         14 . The heater of  claim 11 , further comprising an air jacket extending at least partially between the exterior case and the heater core, the air jacket being adapted to provide a cooling airflow through the air jacket that does not pass through the heater core. 
     
     
         15 . The heater of  claim 11 , said modular unit further comprising said inner duct. 
     
     
         16 . A heater, comprising:
 an exterior case comprising an air inlet and an air outlet;   a heater core within the exterior case and being in communication with the air inlet and the air outlet;   a dividing wall separating the heater core into a first portion adjacent the air inlet and a second portion adjacent the air outlet, the dividing wall inhibiting fluid communication between the air inlet and air outlet, the dividing wall further comprising an opening extending therethrough;   a fan communicating with the air inlet and the air outlet for moving air through the heater core;   said heater core comprising a source of thermal energy and a heat exchanger, the heat exchanger being disposed within the heater core and comprising an inner duct surrounding said source of thermal energy and an outer duct surrounding the inner duct,   wherein the heat exchanger is in fluid communication with the opening, such that air moving through the heater core from the first portion to the second portion is forced to proceed through the heat exchanger prior to being discharged through said opening and thereafter through the air outlet,   wherein the heat exchanger is removably coupled to the heater to permit removal of a modular unit comprising the outer duct and the source of thermal energy.   
     
     
         17 . The heater of  claim 16 , wherein the inner duct is coupled to the dividing wall about the opening. 
     
     
         18 . The heater of  claim 16 , wherein the heat exchanger is disposed within the heater core and extends along a longitudinal axis extending between walls of said exterior case wherein said air inlet and air outlet are disposed. 
     
     
         19 . The heater of  claim 16 , further comprising an air jacket extending at least partially between the exterior case and the heater core, the air jacket being adapted to provide a cooling airflow through the air jacket that does not pass through the heater core. 
     
     
         20 . The heater of  claim 16 , wherein the heat exchanger further comprises a bracket adapted to positively couple the source of thermal energy to the heat exchanger, the bracket being at least partially removable from the heat exchanger to permit replacement of the source of thermal energy without removal of the heat exchanger from the heater.