# US 4,392,478 A · Portable heat circulation means > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 4,392,478 A - Document ID: US4392478A - Status: Granted - Kind: A - Application number: 06/282,692 - Filed: 1981-07-13 - Granted: 1983-07-12 - Earliest claimed: 1981-07-13 - Inventors: Hugh J. Black - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US4392478A ## CPC - F24H 3/02: with forced circulation - F24H 9/0073: {Arrangement or mounting of means for forcing the circulation of air} - F24H: FLUID HEATERS, e.g. WATER OR AIR HEATERS, HAVING HEAT-GENERATING MEANS, e.g. HEAT PUMPS, IN GENERAL (steam generation F22) ## Abstract A heat circulation device is provided which is portable to be usable placed upon conventional space heaters and particularly upon kerosene fueled heaters which includes a plenum housing adapted to be placed upon the heater which defines a plenum chamber therein for gathering heated air. The upper surface of the plenum chamber defines a generally convex heated surface and the sidewalls of the plenum chamber include apertures therein. A main housing is located immediately above the plenum housing which is adapted to provide a flow of cool air via a blower assembly wherein this cool air is guided to travel across the convection surface to be warmed thereby and then to travel past the hot air apertures to create a suction thereagainst similar to the Venturi principle and hence draw warm air outward therefrom. In this manner the heated air being supplied into the plenum chamber from the kerosene or other heater will be re-circulated in an outwardly directed manner 360.degree. with respect to the heat circulation device itself. The convection surface is convexed and inclined slightly downwardly in all directions to thereby urge this warm air into the lower areas of the surrounding room to facilitate circulation thereof. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A portable heat circulation means, particularly adapted to be placed upon heaters such as kerosene heaters, comprising: (a) a plenum housing means defining a plenum chamber therein and adapted to be positionable upon a heater, said plenum housing means defining a plenum intake means therein to receive warm air to be gathered within said plenum chamber, said plenum housing further comprising: 1. a plenum wall means extending about said plenum chamber and defining a plurality of hot air apertures therethrough establishing fluid flow communication between said plenum chamber and the external environment; and 2. a plenum top means extending over said plenum wall means to define said plenum chamber therebelow, said plenum top means being generally convex in an upwardly facing direction to provide: a. a convex convection surface thereabove; b. a main housing means fixedly secured above said plenum housing means and defining a cool air inlet adjacent said convex convection surface, said main housing means defining a cool air chamber therein, said main housing means and said plenum housing means defining a main outlet means therebetween, said main housing means defining a cool air inlet means therein; and c. a blower means located within said main housing means and being operative to draw air inwardly through said cool air inlet means into said cool air chamber and outwardly through said cool air outlet means along said convex convection surface for heating thereof and out through said main outlet means into the surrounding environment. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The means as defined in claim 1 wherein said blower means comprises a fan means mounted within said main housing means and a drive means operatively secured to said fan means for rotation thereof. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The means as defined in claim 2 further including a control means in electrical connection with respect to said drive means to vary the speed of operation thereof to vary the speed of rotation of said fan means. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The means as defined in claim 2 further including an indicator means in electrical communication with respect to said drive means to be in the indicating mode responsive to operation of said drive means. ### Claim 5 (depends on 2) The means as defined in claim 2 further including a switch means in electrical communication with respect to said drive means to selectively interrupt and communicate electrical power to said drive means. ### Claim 6 (depends on 2) The means as defined in claim 2 wherein said main housing means defines a drive compartment within which said drive means is located and a firewall means separating said drive compartment from said cool air chamber to protect said drive means from excessive heat. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The means as defined in claim 6 wherein said firewall means defines firewall apertures therethrough to admit cool air into said cool air chamber. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The means as defined in claim 6 further including a heat shield fixedly secured to said firewall between said drive means and said firewall. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The means as defined in claim 1 wherein said convex convection surface is shaped as an inverted cone. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The means as defined in claim 1 wherein said main outlet means is located adjacent said hot air apertures to draw hot air therefrom when the air is flowing thereacross. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The means as defined in claim 10 wherein said convex convection surface includes a lip means extending outwardly therefrom over said plenum wall means to increase the suction of air traveling adjacent said hot air apertures and to increase the circulation of warmed air being circulated out through said main outlet means. ### Claim 12 A portable heat circulation means, particularly adapted to be placed upon heaters such as kerosene heaters, comprising: (a) a plenum housing means defining a plenum chamber therein and adapted to be positionable upon a heater, said plenum housing means defining a plenum intake means therein to receive warm air to be gathered within said plenum chamber, said plenum housing further comprising: 1. a plenum wall means extending about said plenum chamber and defining a plurality of hot air apertures therethrough establishing fluid flow communication between said plenum chamber and the external environment; and 2. a plenum top means extending over said plenum wall means to define said plenum chamber therebelow, said plenum top means being generally convex in an upwardly facing direction to provide: a. a convex convection surface thereabove being shaped like an inverted cone; b. a main housing means fixedly secured above said plenum housing means and defining a cool air inlet adjacent said convex convection surface, said main housing means defining a cool air chamber therein, said main housing means and said plenum housing means defining a main outlet means therebetween, located adjacent to said hot air apertures to suction hot air therefrom, said main housing means defining a cool air inlet means therein, said main housing means defining a drive compartment and defining a firewall means separating said drive compartment from said cold air chamber; c. a blower means located within said main housing means and being operative to draw air inwardly through said cool air inlet means into said cool air chamber and outwardly through said cool air outlet means along said convex convection surface for heating thereof and out through said main outlet means into the surrounding environment, said blower means further comprising a fan means mounted within said cool air chamber of said main housing means and a drive means mounted in said drive compartment thereof and operatively secured to said fan means for rotation thereof; d. a control means in electrical connection with respect to said drive means to vary the speed of operation thereof to vary the speed of rotation of said fan means; e. an indicator means in electrical communication with respect to said drive means to be in the indicating mode responsive to operation of said drive means; and f. a switch means in electrical communication with respect to said drive means to selectively interrupt and communicate electrical power to said drive means.