Portable warmer suitable for a body

• US 6,206,909 B1
• Filed: 03/31/1998
• Issued: 03/27/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Kusaka, Takaaki, Yabuuchi, Hidetaka, Yoshida, Kiyonobu, Kimura, Shigehiro, Hanada, Touru, Nakai, Kouji
• Primary Examiner(s): Dvorak, Linda C. M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): RAM, JOCELYN D
• Application Number:
  US09/052,007
• Time in Patent Office: 1,092 Days
• Field of Search: 607/108, 607/112, 607/149, 607/152, 2 4/4, 219/211, 219/527
• US Class Current: 607/108
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00132 Setting operation time of a device A61B2017/00123 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2007/0094 using a remote control
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2007/023 with pockets for receiving packs or pouches
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 7/034 Flameless

Abstract

A fuel tank stores fuel gas. A catalytic burning section is connected to the fuel tank for generating heat based on an oxidative reaction between the fuel supplied from the fuel tank and air. The fuel tank and the catalytic burning section are assembled as a catalytic heat generating apparatus. The catalytic heat generating apparatus is detachably installed in a housing of a heater section. The heater section has both ends provided with a pair of belt portions wound around a user'"'"'s body.

Claims

1. A warmer comprising:

a catalytic heat generating apparatus comprising a fuel tank for storing liquefied combustible gas, and a catalytic burning section connected to said fuel tank for generating heat of catalytic combustion based on an oxidative reaction of said combustible gas supplied from said fuel tank and air;

a heater section comprising a housing for accommodating said catalytic heat generating apparatus; and

a pair of belt portions provided at both ends of said heater section for fixing said heater section to a user'"'"'s body,

wherein said catalytic heat generating apparatus comprises a plurality of housing units including a housing unit of said fuel tank and a housing unit of said catalytic burning section which are connected via a flexible connecting member.

2. The warmer in accordance with claim 1, wherein said housing has an opening for taking said catalytic heat generating apparatus into and out of said housing.

3. The warmer in accordance with claim 1, wherein said catalytic burning section is securely held in said housing by a fixing member.

4. The warmer in accordance with claim 1, wherein said heater section comprises a plurality of ventilation holes for communicating an inside space of said housing with an external space.

5. The warmer in accordance with claim 4, wherein at least part of said ventilation holes is provided on a bottom of said housing.

6. The warmer in accordance with claim 1, wherein said catalytic burning section comprises an intake section for introducing air from an external space and an exhaust section for emitting combustion gas, and at least one passage is provided to connect either of said intake and exhaust sections to the external space.

7. The warmer in accordance with claim 1, wherein said heater section comprises a heat transfer board for diffusing the heat generated from said catalytic burning section.

8. The warmer in accordance with claim 1, wherein a cushion member is provided on at least one of said heater section and said belt portions.

9. The warmer in accordance with claim 1, wherein

said plurality of separate housing units comprise a first housing unit and a second housing unit,

said first housing unit accommodates said catalytic burning section, and

said second housing unit accommodates a control section for controlling combustion of said catalytic burning section.

10. A warmer as recited in claim 1, wherein said catalytic heat generating apparatus is detachable from said housing of said heater section for easing maintenance of said catalytic heat generating apparatus as well as cleaning of said heater section.

11. A warmer comprising:

a catalytic heat generating apparatus, comprising a fuel tank for storing liquefied combustible gas, and a catalytic burning section connected to said fuel tank for generating heat of catalytic combustion based on an oxidative reaction of said combustible gas supplied from said fuel tank and air;

a heater section comprising a housing for accommodating said catalytic heat generating apparatus; and

a pair of belt portions provided at both ends of said heater section for fixing said heater section to a user'"'"'s body,

wherein said catalytic burning section comprises an intake section for introducing air from an external space and an exhaust section for emitting combustion gas, and at least one passage is provided to connect either of said intake and exhaust sections to the external space, and

said passage has one end connected to said either of said intake and exhaust sections and the other end extended to one of said belt portions and communicated with said external space.

12. A warmer as recited in claim 11, wherein said catalytic heat generating apparatus is detachable from said housing of said heater section for easing maintenance of said catalytic heat generating apparatus as well as cleaning of said heater section.

13. A warmer comprising:

a catalytic heat generating apparatus, comprising a fuel tank for storing liquefied combustible gas, and a catalytic burning section connected to said fuel tank for generating heat of catalytic combustion based on an oxidative reaction of said combustible gas supplied from said fuel tank and air;

a heater section comprising a housing for accommodating said catalytic heat generating apparatus; and

a pair of belt portions provided at both ends of said heater section for fixing said heater section to a user'"'"'s body,

wherein said fuel tank is detachable from said catalytic heat generating apparatus, and a storage is provided on at least one of said belt sections for storing a spare fuel tank.

14. A warmer as recited in claim 13, wherein said catalytic heat generating apparatus is detachable from said housing of said heater section for easing maintenance of said catalytic heat generating apparatus as well as cleaning of said heater section.

15. A warmer comprising:

a catalytic heat generating apparatus comprising a fuel tank for storing liquefied combustible gas, a catalytic burning section connected to said fuel tank for generating heat of catalytic combustion based on an oxidative reaction of said combustible gas supplied from said fuel tank and air, and a time control section for feedback controlling a temperature of said catalytic burning section to a set value;

a heater section comprising a housing for accommodating said catalytic heat generating apparatus; and

a pair of belt portions provided at both ends of said heater section for fixing said heater section to a user'"'"'s body.

16. The warmer in accordance with claim 15, wherein said control section is associated with a hand operated controller for allowing a user to set a desirable temperature.

17. The warmer in accordance with claim 16, wherein said hand operated controller is held in a holder provided on one of said belt portions.

18. A warmer as recited in claim 15, wherein said catalytic heat generating apparatus is detachable from said housing of said heater section for easing maintenance of said catalytic heat generating apparatus as well as cleaning of said heater section.

19. A warmer comprising:

a catalytic heat generating apparatus comprising a fuel tank for storing liquefied combustible gas, a catalytic burning section connected to said fuel tank for generating heat of catalytic combustion based on an oxidative reaction of said combustible gas supplied from said fuel tank and air, and a time control section for controlling a combustion time in said catalytic burning section;

a heater section comprising a housing for accommodating said catalytic heat generating apparatus; and

a pair of belt portions provided at both ends of said heater section for fixing said heater section to a user'"'"'s body.

20. The warmer in accordance with claim 19, wherein said time control section stops supply of said combustible gas to said catalytic burning section in response to an elapse of a predetermined time during a supplying operation of said combustible gas from said fuel tank to said catalytic burning section.

21. A warmer comprising:

a catalytic heat generating apparatus comprising a fuel tank for storing liquefied combustible gas, a catalytic burning section connected to said fuel tank for generating heat of catalytic combustion based on an oxidative reaction of said combustible gas supplied from said fuel tank and air, and a temperature control section for feedback controlling a temperature of said catalytic burning section to a set value;

a heater section comprising a housing for accommodating said catalytic heat generating apparatus, said housing having an opening for taking said catalytic heat generating apparatus into and out of said housing; and

a pair of belt portions provided at both ends of said heater section for fixing said heater section to a user'"'"'s body.

22. A warmer comprising:

a catalytic heat generating apparatus comprising a fuel tank for storing liquefied combustible gas, a catalytic burning section connected to said fuel tank for generating heat of catalytic combustion based on an oxidative reaction of said combustible gas supplied from said fuel tank and air, and a time control section for controlling a combustion time in said catalytic burning section;

a heater section comprising a housing for accommodating said catalytic heat generating apparatus, said housing having an opening for taking said catalytic heat generating apparatus into and out of said housing; and

a pair of belt portions provided at both ends of said heater section for fixing said heater section to a user'"'"'s body.