Portable heater with interchangeable battery

A portable heater comprising:

• a) a housing assembly within which a fuel-fired burner assembly having a fuel ignitor is disposed;
• b) a handle mounted to a top side of the housing assembly, the handle being for transporting the portable heater;
• c) a blower fan for forcing air through the housing assembly and across the burner assembly;
• d) a base structure supporting the housing assembly from below;
• and
• e) an electrical power and control system mounted to the base structure and configured to power at least the blower fan and the fuel ignitor, the electrical power and control system including electrical prongs for receiving a female plug from an A/C power source and including a battery interface having:
• i) a major surface extending from a closed end wall surface to an open end along a longitudinal axis, and extending between oppositely facing sidewall surfaces;
• ii) a plurality of electrical contacts located proximate the closed end wall surface and extending towards the open end, the plurality of electrical contacts being displaceable relative to the major surface in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis between a first position, for engaging with a battery of a first type, and a second position, for engagement with a battery of a second type;
• iii) a pair of retention wall structures extending inwardly from the sidewall surfaces, the pair of retention wall structures each defining a first retaining surface for engaging with the battery of the first type and a second retaining surface for engaging with the battery of the second type, the first retaining surface being parallel to and spaced from the major surface at a first height, the second retaining surface being parallel to and spaced from the major surface at a second height different from the first height;
• iv) a first latch arrangement including a first catch surface, defined below the major surface, for engaging with a latch associated with the battery of the first type;
• and
• v) a second latch arrangement including a pair of second catch surfaces, defined in the opposing sidewall surfaces, for engaging with a latch associated with the battery of the second type.