Engine pre-heater
OwnerRay Kinginventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An engine pre-heater and heater assembly comprising a housing having a passage extending therethrough for passage of coolant through the pre-heater. The housing provides at least one opening defined therein separate from the passage, and an electric heating element is inserted therein, the heating element projecting into the passage whereby the heating element is in direct contact with the coolant to heat it. The heating element is supplied with electrical power from a power source for enabling the heating element to heat the coolant. In an alternative embodiment, an air blower directs heat generated by the heated coolant, or by air heated in the passage (dry heat), to an area external to the heater assembly.
Claims28
An engine pre-heater, the pre-heater being of a type adapted to be connected between an engine and a radiator by a hose comprising:
- a housing having a passage extending therethrough for passage of coolant through the housing;
- a plurality of openings defined within the housing, each of which are separate from the passage;
- and
- an electric heating element inserted into each of the plurality of openings, the heating element projecting into the passage of the housing whereby the electric heating element is in direct contact with the coolant, the electric heating element being supplied with electrical power from an electrical power source for enabling the electric heating element to heat the coolant.
A heater assembly, the heater assembly being of a type adapted to be connected between a radiator providing coolant and a pump for circulating the coolant, comprising:
- a housing having a passage extending therethrough for passage of the coolant through the housing, the housing further comprising at least one opening defined therein separate from the passage;
- an electric heating element inserted and mounted into the at least one opening, the heating element projecting into the passage of the housing whereby the electric heating element is in direct contact with the coolant;
- a power source in communication with the heater assembly, for supplying the electric heating element and the pump with power, for enabling the electric heating element to heat the coolant and the pump to circulate the coolant;
- and
- an air blower, the air blower including a blower motor and fan blades driven by the blower motor for directing heat generated by the heated coolant to an area external to the heater assembly, the air blower being supplied with power from the power source.
A heater assembly comprising:
- a housing having an air passageway extending therethrough for passage of air through the housing, the housing further comprising at least one opening defined therein separate from the air passageway;
- an electric heating element inserted and mounted into the at least one opening, the heating element projecting into the the air passageway of the housing whereby the electric heating element is in direct contact with air in the air passageway;
- a power source in communication with the heater assembly, for supplying the electric heating element with power, for enabling the electric heating element to heat the air in the air passageway;
- and
- an air blower, the air blower including a blower motor and fan blades driven by the blower motor for directing the heated air from the air passageway to an area external to the heater assembly, the air blower being supplied with power from the power source.
An engine pre-heater, the pre-heater being of a type adapted to be connected between an engine and a radiator by a hose comprising:
- a housing having a passage extending therethrough for passage of coolant through the housing, the housing further comprising at least one opening defined therein separate from the passage;
- an electric heating element inserted into the at least one opening, the heating element projecting into the passage of the housing whereby the electric heating element is in direct contact with the coolant, the electric heating element being supplied with electrical power from an electrical power source for enabling the electric heating element to heat the coolant;
- and
- a thermostatic control in association with the electric heating element and the coolant in the housing, wherein the thermostatic control is adapted to turn the electric heating element off when a temperature of the engine coolant exceeds a pre-determined level, and wherein the thermostatic control is adapted to turn the electric heating element on when a temperature of the engine coolant falls below a pre-determined level.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.