Versatile heater/cooler

• US 4,960,103 A
• Filed: 06/30/1989
• Issued: 10/02/1990
• Est. Priority Date: 06/28/1988
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Charles L. Urso
• Original Assignee: Charles L. Urso
• Inventors: Urso, Charles L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Young, James C.
• Application Number:
  US07/373,462
• Time in Patent Office: 459 Days
• Field of Search: 126/5, 126/43, 126/44, 126/204-210, 126/367, 126/266, 126/389, 128/399, 128/400, 128/402, 312/1
• US Class Current: 126/204
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 7/00 Heating or cooling appliances for medical or therapeutic treatment of the human body heating or cooling means in connection with bedsteads or mattresses A47C21/00 ; massage, therapeutic baths A61H; hyperthermia using electric or magnetic fields or ultrasound A61N; electric heating elements H05B
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 3/06 Movable containers

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.

Claims

1. A heater for heating liquid comprising:

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 and generally downward toward the second conduit, the body having a floor below the rood, the roof underside being generally sloped upward toward the first conduit such that the vertical distance within the chamber between the floor and the roof generally increases as the distance toward the first conduit decreases.

2. The heater as defined in claim 1, wherein a cross-sectional area taken perpendicularly through a longitudinal axis of the first conduit is substantially larger than a cross-sectional area taken perpendicularly through a longitudinal axis of the second conduit wherein the relatively large first conduit area connecting with the highest portion of the chamber enables convenient entry of relatively large combustion related components into the chamber by way of the first conduit.

3. The heater as defined in claim 1, further comprising a gate which spans across the lower interior of the heater to guide air downward close to the floor of the chamber for efficient combustion, the gate being removable by way of the first conduit.

4. The heater as defined in claim 1, further comprising an air director spanning the lower interior of the heater, the director having a curved wall for directing the air downward to enhance combustion, the director being removable by way of the first conduit.

5. A portable combustion apparatus comprising:

a container for containing liquid, the container having walls which includes an inside surface;

a heater for heating liquid, the heater having a hollow conduit including an outside surface 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 heater having connecting means for connecting a fuel source in fluid communication with the interior of the conduit for supporting combustion of fuel when the heater is at least partially submersed in the liquid for heating the same;

an elongated projection fixed to one said surface; and

a channel having an end portion, the channel being fixed to said other surface and the channel receiving the projection through the end portion such that the channel and projection are slidable relative to each other so that the heater can be detachably mounted to the interior of the container wherein the heater is held against the upward buoyant force of the liquid and the downward force of gravity.

6. The portable combustion apparatus as defined in claim 5, wherein the channel and elongated projection are normally horizontal.

7. The portable combustion apparatus as defined in claim 5, further comprising:

the container having a lid, the lid having an edge portion defining a vent port;

the channel forming at least a portion of a flange, the flange substantially surrounding the conduit and being normally positioned beneath and adjacent the lid edge portion when the lid is on the container so that the flange inhibits the passage of gases other than those associated with combustion from passing through the vent port thereby inhibiting heat losses form the container.

8. The portable combustion apparatus as defined in claim 5, further comprising a latch supported to move between an open position and a locked position, the latch in the locked position blocks the end of the channel thereby securing the heater within the container.

9. The portable combustion apparatus as defined in claim 8, wherein the latch includes a handle which is weighted such that the latch is urged toward the locked position by gravity.

10. A portable combustion apparatus comprising:

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 the fuel;

a container having a plurality of walls enclosing the conduit and connecting means, 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.

11. The apparatus as defined in claim 10, wherein the container opening is a vent port defined by an openable lid which forms an upper wall of the container.