Personal portable heater

Abstract

A portable heater can include a housing including a base and an enclosure and a burner assembly disposed within the enclosure, the burner assembly including a heating surface, wherein the enclosure and the heating surface are rotatable, with respect to the base, between a first rotational position and a second rotational position. In some examples, the heating surface is a curved surface. In some examples, a tilt switch is provided that has a position that is independent of the rotational position of the enclosure. The portable heater can also include temperature control features for maintaining fuel tank temperature at an improved operating condition.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A portable heater comprising:
 a housing including a base and an enclosure; and   a burner assembly disposed within the enclosure, the burner assembly including a heating surface;   wherein the enclosure and the heating surface are rotatable, with respect to the base, between a first rotational position and a second rotational position.   
     
     
         2 . The portable heater of  claim 1 , further comprising a handle rotatably secured to the enclosure. 
     
     
         3 . The portable heater of  claim 1 , wherein the second rotational position is at least 45 degrees from the first rotational position. 
     
     
         4 . The portable heater of  claim 1 , wherein the first rotational position is 10 degrees with respect to a first plane, the first plane being orthogonal to a second plane defining a bottom-most portion of the base, and wherein the second rotational position is 60 degrees with respect to the first plane. 
     
     
         5 . The portable heater of  claim 1 , wherein the heating surface is infinitely positionable between the first and second rotational positions. 
     
     
         6 . The portable heater of  claim 1 , wherein the heating surface is incrementally positionable between the first and second rotational positions. 
     
     
         7 . The portable heater of  claim 6 , further including a positioning arrangement having a first indexing part associated with the base and a second indexing part associated with the enclosure, wherein the first indexing part indexes with the second indexing part to provide incremental rotational positions between the enclosure and the base. 
     
     
         8 . The portable heater of  claim 7 , further including a first side part mounted to a first side of the enclosure and a second side part mounted to a second side of the enclosure, wherein the second indexing part is mounted to the first side part. 
     
     
         9 . The portable heater of  claim 1 , wherein the burner assembly includes a pilot light and an oxygen depletion sensor, wherein the pilot light and oxygen depletion sensor are operable between the first and second rotational positions. 
     
     
         10 . The portable heater of  claim 1 , wherein the burner assembly includes a gas pressure regulating valve configured to receive a fuel tank, wherein the gas pressure regulating valve is rotatable with respect to the enclosure. 
     
     
         11 . The portable heater of  claim 1 , wherein the burner assembly includes a heat shield separating the heating surface from a receiving area for receiving a fuel tank, wherein the heat shield includes one or more apertures for allowing heat from the heating surface to pass through to the receiving area. 
     
     
         12 . The portable heater of  claim 1 , wherein the heating surface is a curved surface and has pores extending generally orthogonally to the heating surface. 
     
     
         13 . The portable heater of  claim 1 , further including a tilt switch operable to disable the burner assembly under a tilt condition, wherein the orientation of the tilt switch is independent of the first and second rotational positions. 
     
     
         14 . A portable heater comprising:
 a housing including an enclosure and a base, the enclosure defining an interior space between a first sidewall and a second sidewall, the enclosure including a first mounting bracket located within the interior space; and   a burner assembly disposed within the enclosure interior space, the burner assembly including a heating element, the heating element defining:
 a main body defining a curved outer heating surface; and 
 a plurality of pores extending through the main body from a rear side to a front side, wherein at least some of the plurality of pores are disposed generally orthogonally to the outer heating surface. 
   
     
     
         15 . The portable heater of  claim 14 , wherein at least some of the plurality of pores are disposed in a non-parallel relationship with at least some others of the plurality of pores. 
     
     
         16 . The portable heater of  claim 14 , wherein the heating surface is curved in a direction between first and second sides of the enclosure. 
     
     
         17 . The portable heater of  claim 14 , wherein each of the plurality of pores is disposed generally orthogonally to the outer heating surface. 
     
     
         18 . A portable heater comprising:
 a housing including a base and an enclosure;   a burner assembly disposed within the enclosure, the burner assembly including a gas valve, a connection assembly for connecting a fuel tank to the gas valve, and a heating element connected to the gas valve and being secured to a burner housing; and   a rear heat shield located between the burner housing and the gas valve, the rear heat shield dividing the enclosure into a front portion including the heating element and a rear portion including the connection assembly, the rear heat shield including one or more apertures for allowing heat from the burner housing to provide heat to the enclosure rear portion.   
     
     
         19 . The portable heater of  claim 18 , further including a rear cover at least partially enclosing the rear portion of the enclosure. 
     
     
         20 . The portable heater of  claim 19 , wherein the rear cover covers a top area of the rear portion and leaves a bottom area of the rear portion uncovered.