US 4,309,593 A · Electric heater which reduces the chance of electrical shock

Abstract

An electric heater construction which significantly reduced the possibility of electrical shock to a user thereof. This electric heater includes an outer casing with an open front, a protective grille mounted over the open front of the outer casing, a reflector assembly mounted within the outer casing and a heating element enclosure mounted to the reflector assembly such that it is electrically insulated therefrom. A ribbon-type of heating element is mounted within the heating element enclosure. If any portion of the heating element should break or for any other reason become disengaged from the insulated mounted structure, the heating element enclosure effectively prevents it from coming in contact with any non-insulated portion of the device which is readily accessible to a user of the heater thereby protecting a user of the device from electrical shock.

Claims19

Dependent claims

In an electric heater having an outer casing with an open front, the improvement comprising:

a protective grille attached to the outer casing and covering a substantial portion of said open front;
a reflector mounted within the casing;
a heating element enclosure having a perforated face;
means for mounting said heating element enclosure within an operative proximity of said reflector and for electrically insulating said enclosure from said reflector and for preventing said heating element from contacting said reflector in the event said heating element becomes broken, disengaged or abnormally deflects, the apertured face of said heating element enclosure outwardly facing the open front of said outer housing;
and
a ribbon-type heating element mounted within said heating element enclosure and electrically insulated from said casing said enclosure having substantially the entire heating element mounted therein.

3 more elements

An electric heater comprising:

an outer casing with an open front;
a protective grille attached to said outer casing and covering said open front;
a reflector having an inner cavity formed by a rear surface and being at least partially reflective and a plurality of side reflective surfaces extending outwardly from the periphery of said rear surface, said reflector being mounted within said outer casing such that said inner cavity is adjacent to the open front of said outer casing;
a ribbon-type of heating element;
and
means for mounting said heating element within the inner cavity of said reflector and for preventing said heating element from contacting said reflector in the event said heating element becomes broken, disengaged from said mounting means or abnormally deflects, said mounting means including a heating element enclosure which substantially encloses the entire heating element therein, said enclosure being mounted within the inner cavity of said reflector and further including means for electrically insulating said enclosure from said reflector.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Electric heater which reduces the chance of electrical shock

Life of this patent

Electric heater which reduces the chance of electrical shock

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims19