US 5,171,973 A · Radiant electric heaters

Abstract

A radiant electric heater arrangement for connection to a power supply system providing first and second different power supply voltages, for example 120 volts and 240 volts, includes a heater having at least first and second heating elements, a rectifier and a switch coupled to the heating elements and to the rectifier. The switch is able to couple the heating elements and the rectifier in a number of different configurations including (a) coupling the heating elements selectively in series and in parallel with one another; (b) coupling the heating elements selectively to the first and second power supply voltages; and (c) coupling the rectifier selectively in series with at least one of the heating elements, thus providing a plurality of user selected power output levels of the heater. Where three or more heating elements are provided, at least one of the heating elements is preferably an infra-red lamp.

Claims11

Dependent claims

A radiant electric heater arrangement for connection to a power supply system providing first and second different voltages, comprising:

a heater having at least first and second heating elements;
rectifier means;
manually operable switch means coupled to the at least first and second heating elements and to the rectifier means for manually selecting any one of plurality of substantially constant different power settings and arranged:
to couple the at least first and second heating elements selectively in series and in parallel with one another to form a plurality of combined heating elements, and to couple at least one of the combined heating elements selectively across the first and second different power supply voltages;
to couple one of the at least first and second heating elements independently of any coupling of the other or others of the at least first and second heating elements selectively across the first and second different power supply voltages;
and
to couple the rectifier means selectively in series with at least one of the at least first and second heating elements.

4 more elements

A radiant electric heater arrangement for connection to a power supply system providing first and second different voltages, comprising:

a heater having at least first and second heating elements;
rectifier means;
manually operable switch means coupled to the first and second heating elements and to the rectifier means for manually selecting any one of a plurality of substantially constant different power settings and arranged:
to couple the at least first and second heating elements selectively in series and in parallel with one another to form a plurality of combined heating elements, and to couple at least one of the combined heating elements selectively across the first and second different power supply voltages;
to couple the first and second heating elements independently and selectively across the first and second different power supply voltages;
and
to couple the rectifier means selectively in series with at least one of the at least first and second heating elements.

4 more elements

A radiant electric heater arrangement for connection to a power supply system providing first and second different voltages, comprising:

a heater having at least first, second and third heating elements;
rectifier means;
manually operable switch means coupled to the heating elements and to the rectifier means for manually selecting any one of plurality of substantially constant different power settings and arranged:
to couple at least two of the first, second and third heating elements selectively in series and in parallel with one another to form a plurality of combined heating elements, and to couple at least one of the combined heating elements selectively across the first and second different power supply voltages;
to couple one of the first, second and third heating elements independently of any coupling of the others of the first, second and third heating elements selectively across the first and second different power supply voltages;
and
to couple the rectifier means selectively in series with at least one of the heating elements.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Radiant electric heaters

Life of this patent

Radiant electric heaters

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims11