Back to results
US 5,805,767 AGranted
Electronically-controlled heater
OwnerGary Jouas, Guy Deluca +2inventors
InventorsGary Jouas, Guy Deluca, Phillip G. Tassicker, Herbert K. Streich
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A heater, especially a portable electric space heater, that includes safety features selected from at least one of the following, which may turn off the heater or trigger an alarm or both: motion sensors for determining whether an object is within an unsafe distance of the heater; temperature sensors for determining whether the internal temperature of the heater is rising too fast, or is too much above ambient temperature so that it represents an unsafe condition, or is above a preset safe level.
Claims36
A heater comprising:
- a portable housing;
- heating element within the portable housing to heat living and other habitation spaces;
- and, motion detection means for determining whether motion of predefined characteristics is taking place near the heater, and for deenergizing the heating element in response to said motion.
A heater comprising:
- a portable housing:
- heating means within the portable housing to heat living and other habitation spaces;
- motion detection means for determining whether motion beyond a predefined threshold is taking place within the space near the heater;
- and, alarm means responsive to a signal generated by the motion detection means for indicating that motion was detected by the motion detection means.
1 more element
A heater comprising:
- a portable housing;
- heating element within the portable housing to heat living and other habitation spaces;
- temperature sensing element for detecting the rate of the temperature rise of the heater, and for deenergizing the heating means in response to an abnormal condition manifested when the rate at which the internal temperature of the heater rises faster than a predetermined rate.
A heater comprising:
- a portable housing;
- heating element within the portable housing to heat living and other habitation spaces;
- first temperature sensing means for determining an internal temperature of the heater;
- second temperature sensing means for determining an ambient temperature of the space in which the heater is located;
- and,
- comparison means for determining a difference between the internal temperature and the ambient temperature, and for deenergizing the heating element in response to an abnormal condition manifested when the difference exceeds a predetermined amount.
3 more elements
A heater comprising:
- a portable housing;
- heating element within the portable housing to heat living and other habitation spaces;
- temperature sensing means for determining an internal temperature of the heater;
- and,
- comparison means for determining a difference between the internal temperature and a predetermined reference temperature corresponding to an upper limit for the safe operation of the heater, and for deenergizing the heating means in response to an abnormal condition manifested when the internal temperature equals or exceeds the reference temperature.
2 more elements
A heater comprising:
- a portable housing;
- heating element within the portable housing to heat living and other habitation spaces;
- and,
- at least one safety means selected from the group consisting of (i) motion detection means for determining whether motion is taking place near the heater, and for deenergizing the heating means in response to such motion;
- (ii) first temperature sensing element for determining an internal temperature of the heater, and for deenergizing the heating element in response to an abnormal condition manifested when the rate at which the internal temperature of the heater rises faster than a predetermined rate;
- (iii) second temperature sensing means for determining an internal temperature of the heater, and for deenergizing the heating element in response to an abnormal condition manifested when the internal temperature of the heater exceeds a predetermined upper limit temperature for safe operation of the heater;
- and, (iv) third temperature sensing means for determining an internal temperature of the heater, fourth temperature sensing means for determining the ambient temperature of the space in which the heater is located, and a comparison means for determining the difference between the internal temperature of the heater and the ambient temperature, and for deenergizing the heating element in response to an abnormal condition manifested when this difference exceeds a predetermined amount.
4 more elements
A heater comprising:
- a portable housing;
- heating means within the portable housing to heat living and other habitation spaces;
- and,
- at least one safety means selected from the group consisting of (i) motion detection means for determining whether motion is taking place near the heater, and for triggering an alarm signal in response to such motion;
- (ii) first temperature sensing means for determining an internal temperature of the heater, and for triggering an alarm signal in response to an abnormal condition manifested when the rate at which the internal temperature of the heater rises faster than a predetermined rate;
- (iii) second temperature sensing means for determining an internal temperature of the heater;
- and for triggering an alarm signal in response to an abnormal condition manifested when the internal temperature of the heater exceeds a predetermined upper limit temperature for safe operation of the heater;
- and, (iv) third temperature sensing means for determining an internal temperature of the heater, fourth temperature sensing means for determining the ambient temperature of the space in which the heater is located, and a comparison means for determining the difference between the internal temperature of the heater and the ambient temperature, and for triggering an alarm signal in response to an abnormal condition manifested when this difference exceeds a predetermined amount.
5 more elements
A heater comprising:
- heating element for generating heat;
- motion detection means for determining whether motion of predefined characteristics is taking place near the heater, and for deenergizing the heating element in response to such motion;
- and,
- alarm means responsive to a signal generated by the motion detection means for indicating that motion was detected by the motion detection means
- wherein the motion detection means generates a first signal in response to far zone disturbances such that the alarm element is activated without deenergizing the heating means and wherein the motion detection means generates a second signal in response to near zone disturbances such that the alarm means is activated at about the same time the heating element is deenergized.
2 more elements
A heater comprising:
- heating element for generating heat;
- motion detection means for determining whether motion of predefined characteristics is taking place near the heater, and for deenergizing the heating element in response to such motion;
- and,
- alarm means responsive to a signal generated by the motion detection for indicating that motion was detected by the motion detection means;
- wherein the motion detection means generates a first signal in response to far zone disturbances such that the alarm element is activated without deenergizing the heating means and wherein the motion detection generates a second signal in response to near zone disturbances such that the alarm means is activated before the heating element is deenergized.
2 more elements
A heater comprising:
- heating element for generating heat;
- temperature sensing means for detecting the rate of the temperature rise of the heater, and for deenergizing the heating element in response to an abnormal condition manifested when the rate at which the internal temperature of the heater rises faster than a predetermined rate;
- wherein the heater is connected to an electric power source having a stated voltage and experiencing transient variations from the stated voltage, further comprising means for monitoring the transient variations and for comparing the rate of internal temperature rise with the transient variations so that the heating element is deenergized only in response to an abnormal condition not associated with such transient variations.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.