Versatile heater/cooler
First Claim
1. A portable temperature conditioning apparatus comprising:
- a container having a plurality of walls defining a hollow interior, the walls having insulating means for inhibiting the transfer of heat through the walls, the walls including a lid having a longitudinal axis and a portion having an edge defining a limb port of a size suitable for insertion of a user'"'"'s limb through the port and into the interior of the container, the edge being substantially curved in order to comfortably surround the limb;
means for producing a temperature condition within the container;
a pair of U-shaped carrying handles, each handle having a pair of legs wherein each leg is pivotally connected to the container such that each handle is movable between an erect position and a lower position; and
means for retaining the handles in an erect position so that together the handles can support broad surfaced items above the container to aid the user.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A versatile heater/cooler (2) comprising a chest (4) having insulated walls (6, 8, 10, 12, 14) including a lid (10). Contained within the chest is a removable heating and cooling source (46) which is submersible in a liquid for heating or cooling the latter. The source comprises first and second vertical conduits (48, 50) having lower portions connected for fluid communication with a transverse body (52) which forms a combustion chamber. The chamber serves for burning fuel (80) or for containing a refrigerant introduced by way of the conduits. Included in the chest lid is a vent port (110) for venting the chest contents including the source, and two limb ports (18, 20) for inserting the limbs of a user through the ports and into the interior of the chest. A self-adjusting shield (22, 24) connected to an edge portion of each limb port, yieldingly surrounds each limb for preventing hot or cold air losses from the chest. The invention also includes movable carrying handles (126, 128) which, in an erect position, form a frame which supports various user aids for special applications of the invention.
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Citations
23 Claims
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1. A portable temperature conditioning apparatus comprising:
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a container having a plurality of walls defining a hollow interior, the walls having insulating means for inhibiting the transfer of heat through the walls, the walls including a lid having a longitudinal axis and a portion having an edge defining a limb port of a size suitable for insertion of a user'"'"'s limb through the port and into the interior of the container, the edge being substantially curved in order to comfortably surround the limb; means for producing a temperature condition within the container; a pair of U-shaped carrying handles, each handle having a pair of legs wherein each leg is pivotally connected to the container such that each handle is movable between an erect position and a lower position; and means for retaining the handles in an erect position so that together the handles can support broad surfaced items above the container to aid the user. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A portable temperature conditioning apparatus comprising:
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a first conduit having a hollow interior and upper and lower end portions wherein the upper end portion includes an opening for fluid communication between the conduit interior and the outside atmosphere; a second conduit having a hollow interior and upper and lower end portions wherein the upper end portion includes an opening for fluid communication between the second conduit interior and the outside atmosphere; a hollow cylindrical fuel well positioned below the lower end portions of both conduits for containing fuel; and connecting means for connecting the well in fluid communication with the interiors of the conduits wherein the conduits the well and the connecting means form a substantially Y-shaped configuration having a plurality of hot exterior surfaces when the fuel is undergoing combustion so that when the Y-shape is closely enclosed by a container containing fluid the hot surfaces together with inner surfaces of the container define openings on each side of the well and between the conduits for enhancing heat transfer by convectional circulation through the openings. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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9. The apparatus as defined in claim 9, further comprising the combination being enclosed by a container having a longitudinal axis and including a plurality of walls having insulating means for inhibiting the transfer of heat through the walls, the walls including a lid and means for allowing fluid communication between the conduits and the exterior of the container, the walls defining a rectangular sided interior wherein the Y-shape spans the interior at a position perpendicular to the longitudinal axis such that the openings defined by the Y-shape allow convectional circulation of fluid in the container wherein the fluid circulates through the openings for heat transfer.
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14. A portable temperature conditioning apparatus comprising:
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a conduit having a hollow interior and upper and lower end portions wherein the upper end portion includes an opening for fluid communication between the conduit interior and the outside atmosphere, the conduit having an air passage portion and a combustion gas passage portion; a body having a roof and a floor which define respective upper and lower limits of a combustion chamber positioned below the upper end portion of the conduit and the body being connected to the lower end portion of the conduit for fluid communication between the chamber and the conduit interior; a hollow fuel well extending downward from the body for receiving a fuel source; and means for sealing the combination such that the well and body including the combustion chamber and roof are fluid tight and submergible in a liquid for heating the latter by combustion of fuel. - View Dependent Claims (15)
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16. A portable temperature conditioning apparatus comprising:
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a conduit having a hollow interior and upper and lower end portions wherein the upper end portion includes an opening for fluid communication between the conduit interior and the outside atmosphere; connecting means for connecting a fuel source in fluid communication with the interior of the conduit for supporting combustion of fuel; a container having a plurality of walls enclosing the conduit and connecting means, the walls having insulating means for inhibiting the transfer of heat through the walls, the container having an opening for allowing fluid communication between the conduit interior and the exterior of the container; and an openable cover positioned across the container opening thereby inhibiting the passage of air therethrough, the cover having a bottom surface positioned at the conduit opening for blocking the same thereby preventing combustion of fuel. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19)
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20. A portable combustion apparatus comprising:
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a first conduit having a hollow interior and upper and lower end portions wherein the upper end portions includes an opening for fluid communication between the conduit interior and the outside atmosphere; a second conduit having a hollow interior and upper and lower end portions wherein the upper end portion includes an opening for fluid communication between the second conduit interior and the outside atmosphere; a body defining a combustion chamber and the body being connected with the lower end portions of the first and second conduits such that the chamber is in fluid communication with the interiors of the conduits, the body having a roof for transferring heat to an environment in which the body can be submerged; and a hollow well extending downward from the body, the well being in fluid communication with the combustion chamber and with the interiors of the first and second conduits. - View Dependent Claims (21)
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22. A heater for heating liquid comprising:
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a first conduit having a hollow interior and upper and lower end portions wherein the upper end portion includes an opening for fluid communication between the conduit interior and the outside atmosphere; a second conduit having a hollow interior and upper and lower end portions wherein the upper end portion includes an opening for fluid communication between the second conduit interior and the outside atmosphere; a body defining at least a portion of a combustion chamber, the body being connected with the lower end portions of the first and second conduits such that the chamber is in fluid communication with the interiors of the conduits, the body having a roof for transferring heat to a liquid environment in which the body can be submerged, the roof having an underside positioned directly over the chamber wherein the underside is sloped to extend in a downward direction to a lateral portion of the chamber; and a hollow well extending downward from the body;
the well being in fluid communication with the combustion chamber and with the interiors of the first and second conduits.
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23. A heater for heating liquid comprising:
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a first conduit having a hollow interior and upper and lower end portions wherein the upper end portion includes an opening for fluid communication between the conduit interior and the outside atmosphere; a second conduit having a hollow interior and upper and lower end portions wherein the upper end portion includes an opening for fluid communication between the second conduit interior and the outside atmosphere; and a body defining at least a portion of a combustion chamber, the body being connected with the lower end portions of the first and second conduits such that the chamber is in fluid communication with the interiors of the conduits, the body having a roof for transferring heat to a liquid environment in which the body can be submerged, the roof having an underside positioned directly over the chamber wherein the underside is sloped to extend in a downward direction to a lateral portion of the chamber.
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Specification