Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02617847 2008-01-11
Docket No. 87340.3080 PATENT
Customer No. 30734
A PORTABLE HEATER AND TOOL BOX METHOD AND
APPARATUS
FIEI.D OF THE INVENTION
[0001) The present invention relates generally to a portable heater.
More particularly, the present invention relates to a portable heater with a
tool
box integrated with the heater.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002) Often workers who are working on a construction project, such as
building a new building, have to work in an environment where the air is not
conditioned. For example, when constructing a new home or commercial
building, the heating. system may not be installed and the environment may be
very cold for the workers. One solution to this problem is to bring small
portable
heaters into the area where the workers are working to provide heat. One
problem with some portable heaters is that they may be bulky and hard to move
from one space to another.
[0003] An additional problem faced by workers, is that they often
require using many different tools. While tool belts are one way to permit the
workers to easily carry several different tools, some workers may require more
tools that can be fit on a tool belt. Workers may have tool boxes in order to
store
all the tools they may require. Additionally, tool boxes provide a small
measure
of security to store tools. Additionally, tool boxes provide a means for
transporting tools from one place to another. One problem with tool boxes that
they may be bulky and heavy thus awkward to move to place to place as workers
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finish one area and move on tio another area.
[0004] In addition to heaters and tools, workers may also require lights,
latters, and other pieces of equipment in order perform their job. Often when
work is finished for the day, at end of a week, or other time period, in order
to
minimize tools lost to theft or corrosion due being exposed to the elements,
workers pack up their equipment and take them with them when they leave the
work area. -
[0005] Because there are so many different pieces of equipment, many
which may be heavy, awkward, and bulky, a substantial amount of time is spent
moving, packing and unpacking equipment. This time could have been spent
working.
[0006] Accordingly, it is desirable to provide an apparatus that and
method that performs several functions desired by workers. Such an apparatus
and method may provide heating to a space, tool storage, and a means of tool
transportation in a easy to move and manipulate manner. Such a method or
apparatus can reduce the amount of pieces of equipment that need to be moved.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] The foregoing needs are met, to a great extent, by the present
invention, wherein in one aspect an apparatus and method is provided that in
some embodiments provide tool storage and heat in a portable and easy to move
around piece of equipment. By combining both tool boxes and the heater, two
large bulky pieces are consolidated into one and by equipping the apparatus
with
wheels it may be easily manipulated and moved from place to place.
[0008] In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, a
portable heater is provided. The portable heater includes a housing; a heating
element encased in the housing; and a tool box comprising part of the housing.
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[00091 In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention,
a portable heater is provided. The portable heater may include means for
housing; means for creating heat encased in the housing means; and means for
storing tools comprising part of the housing means.
[00101 In accordance with yet another embodiment of the present
invention, a method of providing heat and tool storage in a portable unit is
provided. The method includes providing a heating element; housing the heating
element; and attaching a tool box to the housing thereby creating a unified
tool
box and heater housing.
[0011] There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, certain embodiments
of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof herein may be
better
understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be
better
appreciated. There are, of course, additional embodiments of the invention
that
will be described below and which will form the subject matter of the claims
appended hereto.
[0012] In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the
invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited
in its
application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the
components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the
drawings.
The invention is capable of embodiments in addition to those described and of
being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood
that
the phraseology and terminology employed herein, as well as the abstract, are
for
the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting.
[0013] As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception
upon which this disclosure is based may readily be utilized as a basis for the
designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the
several
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Customer No. 30734
purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims
be
regarded as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not
depart
from the spirit and scope of the present invention.
BR1EF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[00141 FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating the portable heater and
tool box according one embodiment of the invention.
100151 FIG. 2 is a cutaway side view of the tool box heater of Fig. 1.
[0016] FIG. 3 is a partial view of the mechanism that permits locldng of
the handle when the handle is extended to an extended position.
(00171 FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the portable heater with
accessories.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0018] The invention will now be described with reference to the drawing
figures, in which like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout. An
embodiment in accordance with the present invention provides a portable heater
and tool box combined together into a single unit.
[0019] Fig. 1 is a perspective view illustrating a portable heater 10 in
accordance with the invention. A portable heater 10 has a housing 12. The
housing 12 includes a tool box portion 141ocated above a heater portion 16.
The
tool box portion 14 and heater portion 16 share a common housing 12.
[0020] In some embodiments of the invention the housing 12 may be
metal. In other embodiments the housing 12 may be plastic. The portable heater
is equipped with wheels 18. While only one wheel 18 is shown in the view
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Customer No. 30734
illustrated in Fig. 1, a second wheel is provided but is hidden by the heater
portion
16.
[0021] Two feet 20 are attached to the housing 12 of the heater portion
16. The feet 20 pennit the portable heater 10 to remain stationary when the
heater
is left on substantially horizontal surfaces. In other words, if a floor has a
minor incline, the heater 10 will not roll as the feet 20 will provide
friction
between the heater 10 and the floor.
[0022] The heater 10 is equipped with a handle 22. The handle 22 in
some embodiments of the invention can be retracted between an extended
position as shown in solid lines in Fig. 1, and retracted position as shown in
broken lines in Fig. 1. In other embodiments in the invention, the handle 22
is
fixed and remains in the extended position.
100231 A tool box handle 24 is mounted to the tool box lid 44 via the
handle brackets 25.
[0024] Several controls for the heater are mounted on the tool box portion
14. For example, an on/off switch 26, thermostat 28 and a warning light and/or
reset button 30 are mounted on the tool box portion 14 of the housing 12.
[0025] The on/off switch 26 in some embodiments of the invention may
be a simple toggle switch for supplying or denying power to the heating
element
40 (see Fig. 2). The thermostat 28 in some of the embodiments of the invention
and as shown in Fig. 1, may be a rotating knob that can vary the intensity of
heat
out put from the heating element 40 ( see Fig. 2).
[0026] The warning light 30 and/or reset button 30 may be illuminated
when power is supplied to the heating element 40 (see Fig. 2). Some
embodiments of the invention may be equipped with a safety device such as a
tip
switch.
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[00271 The tip switch will shut off the heating element 40 (see Fig. 2),
when an undesirable condition is detected such as the heater 10 being tipped
at an
unacceptable angle. In such instances the tip switch will cut off power to the
heating element 40 (see Fig. 2). Such embodiments may be equipped with a reset
button 30 where an operator can push the reset button 30, once the undesirable
condition has been eliminated and restore power to the heating element 40 (see
Fig. 2).
[0028] In embodiments of the invention where the portable heater 10 is an
electric heater, the heater 10 may be equipped with a power inlet 32. The
power
inlet 32 may be a high voltage inlet configured to receive a high voltage
power
line such as a 220 volt line. Also mounting on heater 10, as shown in Fig. 1,
some embodiments of the invention may also be equipped with power outlets 34.
The power outlets 34 may be protected by outlet covers 36 as illustrated in
Fig. 1.
The power outlets 34 may be a standard power outlet delivering household
voltage such as 120 voltage. In other embodiments of the invention, the
voltages
and outlets may be modified to conform with whatever power standards are used
in the location where the portable heater 10 will be used.
[0029] The examples stated above as the high voltage inlet being 240 and
the standard being 120 volts, are merely mentioned as these are standard
voltages
for the United States. However, other voltages may be used in accordance of
the
invention.
[0030] Located within the housing 10, are wiring configurations to permit
the power outlets 34 to be wired to the power inlet 32 in such a manner as to
supply the voltages described above from power inleted to the power inlet 32.
Power obtained from the power inlet 32 in some embodiments ofthe invention, is
also used to supply power to the heating element 40 (Fig. 40). Thus, the power
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Customer No. 30734
inlet 32 is operablely connected to both the heating element 40 (see Fig. 2)
and
the power outlet 34. In embodiments of the invention where the warning light
30
is illuminated to indicate that power is being supplied to the heater 10, the
warning light 30 is also operatively connected to the power inlet 32 in order
to
supply the appropriate amount of power to the warning light 30.
[0031] The portable heater 10 is equipped with a gri1138 which protects
the heating element 40 (see Fig. 2), while at the same time allows air to pass
in
and out of the housing 12.
[0032] Turning now to Fig. 2, a cutaway side view of the portable heater
is shown. Fig. 2 illustrates the tool box lid 44 in an open position exposing
the
interior portion 42 of the tooI box 14. The lid 44 secured to the tool box 14
with
a hinge 46. The hinge 46 maybe any suitable hinge capable of securing the lid
44
to the tool box 14 and permitting the lid 44 to be raised and lowered as
desired.
The tools will be stored in the interior portion 42 of the tool box 14.
[0033] The heater portion 16 of the portable heater 10 includes a heating
element 40. The heating element 40, as shown in Fig. 2, is a tubular shaped
electric heating element. A reflector 39 is configured to provide a conduit
for air
to flow through the heater 10 and to, in some embodiments, reflect the heat
through the grill 38 and out into the environment in which the heater 10 is
located. In some embodiments of the invention and as shown Fig. 2, insulation
41 may be located behind the reflector 39 providing insulation between the
heater
portion 16 and the tool box portion 14. The insulation 41 my also be
configured
to permit the housing 12 to be cool enough as to avoid burning objects that
come
in contact with the housing 12.
[0034] In embodiments of the invention where the electric heater 10 is a
forced air heater, a fan motor 43 and fan 45 are mounted in the heater 10 and
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configured to cause air to flow through the heater, the electric heating
element40
and through the grill 38.
[0035] The wheel 18 is connected to the heater 10 via an axle 48. The
axle 48 is in tum connected to the heater 10 by a series of brackets 50. The
handle 22 is attached to the portable heater 10 via brackets 51. The heater 10
may
be moved from place to place by a user grasping the handle 22, pivoting the
heater 10 about the axel 48 to lift the feet 20 to no longer be in contact
with a
floor and then wheeling the heater 10 to a desired location on the wheels 18.
[0036] When the heater 10 is in the desired location, the heater 10 may be
rotated about the axle 48 until the feet 20 are again in contact with the
floor. The
feet 20 may be equipped on their ends with a rubber or plastic cup 53 that
provides a skid- resistance surface to help keep the heater 10 in place once
the
feet 20 are in contact with the floor. The feet 20 are connected to the heater
10
via brackets 54 in some embodiments of the invention. In other embodiments of
the invention, the feet 20 may be attached to the heater 10 in any suitable
manner.
[0037] In the embodiments of the invention where the handle 22 can be in
a raised extended position or a lower retracted position as illustrated in
Fig. l, the
raising and lowering of the handle 22 may be accomplished by a telescoping
portion of the handle 22 as illustrated in Fig. 3. Fig. 3 shows a larger
diameter
portion 58 of the handle tube 22. A smaller diameter portion 52 of the handle
fits
inside the larger diameter portion 58 of the handle 22. The difference in
diameter
permits the smaller diameter portion 52 to telescope within the larger
diameter
portion 22. In order to secure the smaller diameter portion 52, in a
particular
place within the larger diameter portion 22, the small diameter portion 52 is
equipped with spring loaded buttons 54.
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(0038] The spring loaded buttons 54, when they are aligned with holes 56
located in the larger diameter portion 58 of the handle 22, extend through the
holes 56 the buttons 54 extending through the holes 56 secure the small
diameter
portion 52 within the larger diameter portion 58 of the handle 22. When it is
desired to collapse the handle 22, an operator may push in the spring loaded
buttons 54 in through the holes 56. Once the spring loaded buttons 54 have
retreated inside the large diameter portion 58, the small diameter portion 52
may
telescope and move inside the large diameter portion 58 allowing the handle 22
to
move to a retracted position.
[0039] Other suitable means for allowing the handle 22 to move between
an extended and retracted position, may also be done in accordance with the
invention. The larger diameter portion 22 may also be equipped with several
sets
of holes 56 permitting the small diameter portion 52 to be secured within the
large diameter portion 58 of the handle 22 at multitude of different positions
as
selected by a user.
[0040] Fig. 4 shows a heater 10 with optional attachments 60-66. A light
60 is mounted to the handle 22 and is plugged into the power outlet 34. A
battery
charger 62 is also plugged into the power outlet 34. The battery charger 62
can
charge battery 64 for tools such as a cordless drill 66 or other tools. The
power
outlets 34 can be used for any other desired attachments in accordance with
the
invention. Attachments may include but are not limited to fans, blowers, saws,
vacuums, drills, radios or any other electric device.
j0041] The many features and advantages of the invention are apparent
from the detailed specification, and thus, it is intended by the appended
claims to
cover all such features and advantages ofthe invention which fall within the
true
spirit and scope of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and
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Customer No. 30734
variations will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired
to limit the
invention to the exact construction and operation illustrated and described,
and
accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to,
falliiig
within the scope of the invention.
