Hydrocarbon fuel-powered smart heating device

Abstract

The present invention is directed to a uniquely designed portable heating device that utilizes a hydrocarbon fuel source to provide controlled heat output, specifically providing a user with ability to automatically control heat output from the device, including customizing the desired range of temperature of heat to be emitted from the device and the duration of time during which the heat is to be emitted from the device.

Description

[0001] HYDROCARBON FUEL-POWERED SMART HEATING DEVICE

[0002] Cross-Reference to Related Applications

[0003] This application claims priority to, and the benefit of, U.S. Provisional Application No. 63 / 605,061, filed December 1, 2023, the content of which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.

[0004] Technical Field

[0005] The disclosure relates generally to warming devices, more particularly, to a portable heating device utilizing a hydrocarbon fuel source to provide controlled heat output.

[0006] Background

[0007] There are currently a wide variety of heating devices available. Some heating devices are personal heating devices, such as electric blankets and heaters, which are used to provide heat to a user so that they can stay warm and comfortable. Other heating devices may be used in connection with providing heat to certain appliances that are traditionally limited to use within the confines of a plug-in electrical source. Such appliances may include, for example, personal haircare appliances (e.g., hair dryer, curling iron, etc.), clothing iron or steamer, heat massagers, body warmers, hot glue guns, food or beverage warmers, lanterns, cooking-related gear, such as a grill, stove, hot plate, or the like.

[0008] While portable heating devices are available, such devices have drawbacks. For example, portable energy sources may generally include electrical energy sources (i.e., rechargeable batteries) or fuel sources. While batteries are sufficient for certain devices, batteries are often not able to provide enough energy for maintaining the high temperatures necessitated by portable heating devices. Portable heating devices that utilize a fuel source may be cumbersome to operate and further pose a certain safety risk, particularly due to the fact that the fuel may serve as a source of ignition for causing an unintended fire to occur.

[0009] Summary

[0010] The present invention is directed to a uniquely designed portable heating device that utilizes a hydrocarbon fuel source to provide controlled heat output, specifically providing a user with ability to automatically control heat output from the device, including customizing the desired range of temperature of heat to be emitted from the device and the duration of time during which the heat is to be emitted from the device. As such, the device of the present invention is entirely portable and provides a safe and effective means of producing heat in an intuitive and easy to operate manner, thereby reducing risk of injury and potentially catastrophic damage and injury in the field.

[0011] The device is generally in the form of a compact and portable assembly, including a housing that encloses various components within. In particular, the device generally includes a regulator configured to receive fuel released from a fuel cartridge that is releasably coupled to the regulator. More specifically, the housing includes a port configured to receive fuel energy sources in the form of replaceable or rechargeable cartridges that are filled with a fuel (e.g., butane, propane, high-performance propane / isobutane four-season fuel, a combination thereof, etc.) in liquid, a partial liquid, or a gas state. A given fuel cartridge can include, or can plug into, a vaporizer that transitions the fuel into gas and transfers the gas to the regulator. In turn, the regulator transfers / emits the vaporized fuel to a burner for subsequent ignition and controlled burning of the fuel. The burner is fully enclosed within a series of shield members within the device, such that any resulting flame from the burner is fully contained within the housing. The burner is positioned adjacent to a heater element, such that heat is transferred from the ignited fuel to the heater element. The heater element comprises a durable and resilient material (e g., metallic, ceramic, etc.) configured to receive and subsequently emit heat from the ignited fuel. For example, the heater element may generally in the form of a burner plate or the like.

[0012] The heating device further includes a control module configured to control one or more functions of the device. More specifically, the control module is configured to provide autonomous or semi-autonomous control over the output of heat, including, among other things, automatic control over the temperature of emitted heat from the device as well as automatic control over the duration of time in which heat is emitted from the device. In particular, the control module may generally include a processor and a computer-readable medium carrying instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the control module to control and monitor the release of fuel and the ignition of vaporized gas, based, at least in part, on feedback received from sensors operably associated with one or more components of the device. For example, the one or more sensors may include, but are not limited to: 1) a temperature sensor (e g., thermistor or the like) associated with the heater element and configured to provide temperature readings of the heater element; 2) a temperature sensor and / or infrared (IR) sensor associated with the burner to provide readings indicative of whether the fuel is ignited and burning; and 3) one or more motion sensors (e.g., accelerometers, gyrometers, or the like) to provide motion readings associated with movement of the heating device (which can be useful in indicating movement, or lack thereof, of the device or a given orientation of the device).

[0013] More specifically, the control module is operably associated with the regulator via circuitry and configured to control operation thereof to thereby control the amount of fuel provided to the burner and the duration over which fuel should be provided. For example, the regulator may include a valve coupled to a valve motor configured to actuate the valve (or actuate one or more components associated therewith) between a fully closed position, a fully opened position, and a plurality of positions therebetween to thereby control the amount of fuel to be provided to the burner to be subsequently ignited and burned and cause heat to be emitted from the heater element. The heating device may generally include a display and user inputs for turning the device on and off and setting certain parameters of the device, including setting a desired temperature of heat to be emitted from the heating element. As such, during operation of the device, the control module receives temperature readings associated with the heater element and, based on certain control logic, the control module is configured to automatically adjust fuel output from the regulator so as to maintain a specific set temperature of heat to be emitted from the heater element in response to the temperature readings. The device may further allow for a user to set a desired duration of time during which heat should be emitted from the device. Accordingly, once the set duration of time has passed, the control module is configured to effectively close the valve of the regulator, thereby preventing further fuel from being provided to the burner and thus effectively shutting off the device and reducing heat output to zero.

[0014] The control module is further able to receive data readings from the temperature sensor or IR sensor associated with the burner, thereby providing the control module with an indication as to whether the burner is functioning (i.e., whether fuel is being provided to the burner and remaining ignited during use). As such, the control module is configured to automatically sense, during operation, whether fuel has inadvertently or prematurely been extinguished. In the event that the control module determines that the fuel has been extinguished and is no longer burning (during a time in which the fuel should in fact be burning), then the control module is configured to automatically reignite fuel at the burner (i.e., control generation of a spark from an electrode or the like operably associated with the burner).

[0015] The control module is further able to receive data readings from the one or more motion sensors (e.g., accelerometers, gyrometers, or the like), thereby providing the control module with an indication of movement, or lack thereof, of the device and / or provide the control module with an indication of an orientation of the device. As such, if the control module determines that the heating device has moved and is no longer within an acceptable orientation (i.e., tilted onto its side or upside down), the control module is configured to automatically stop the release of fuel to the burner (i.e., turn off the valve of the regulator).

[0016] The heater element may generally be configured to emit heat and further transfer such heat by way of conduction. For example, in some embodiments, the heating assembly may be particularly useful in generating heat and transferring said heat to a container for creating a warm environment within the container. In particular, the container may include a heat transfer element comprising a material (e.g., metallic, ceramic, etc.) configured to make direct contact with the heater element of the heating device and transfer heat from the heater element to an interior of the container so as to create a heated environment within the container. Accordingly, the container is able to provide a warm environment at a set temperature that is automatically controlled via the heating device based on input from a user. Accordingly, a user may utilize the container to keep certain goods stored within the container to be maintained at a desired temperature for a desired period of time, regardless of the external air temperature.

[0017] Aside from being useful in storing food items that a user would want to keep at a certain temperature, the heating device, in combination with the container, may be particularly useful in warming and maintaining lithium-ion batteries at a desired temperature, regardless of any harsh environmental conditions, most notably low temperatures in the freezing or sub-freezing range. Lithium-ion batteries are finding more and more uses in a variety of applications in today's world, including a variety of tools and products where portability is desired and essential. However, the performance of lithium-ion batteries is also highly dependent on temperature. Lithium-ion battery cells-require careful temperature control because of decreased chemical reaction rates at lower temperatures, translating to a reduction of the current carrying capacity of the cell. It is a commonly known issue with lithium-ion batteries that their chemistry is greatly affected by low or very cold temperatures. Specifically, lithium-ion batteries reach an optimal electrical discharge rate when the temperature is above a certain amount (e.g., generally 59° F., or higher). Any temperature lower than this, lithium-ion battery performance begins to diminish. When the temperature reaches 0° C, the performance drops considerably and the discharge rate is generally no higher than 5 amps. Lithium-ion batteries generally cease to function when the temperature falls below -10° C.

[0018] Accordingly, the heating device in combination with the container provide a quick and efficient method for warming and keeping a lithium-ion battery from a temperature well below the optimal operating temperature of the battery, as well as maintaining the temperature of the battery within its temperature limits rating for producing maximum electrical discharge. Maintaining the temperature of the lithium-ion battery in this temperature range permits the battery to be always ready for use, and also has been shown to extend the useful lifetime of the battery itself.

[0019] Brief Description of the Drawings

[0020] FIG. l is a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of a portable heating assembly consistent with the present disclosure.

[0021] FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the portable heating assembly, illustrating the various components thereof.

[0022] FIG. 3A is a first perspective view, partly in phantom, of the portable heating assembly illustrating the various components thereof.

[0023] FIG. 3B is a second perspective view, partly in phantom, of the portable heating assembly illustrating the various components thereof.

[0024] FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a container to which the heating assembly is configured to be releasably coupled to and provide conduction of heat from the heater element to the container and subsequently provide a heated environment within the container.

[0025] FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the container illustrating one embodiment of a heat transfer element (in the form of a thermal plate) configured to contact the heater element of the heating assembly and receive heat therefrom.

[0026] FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing the heating assembly coupled to the container and receiving a fuel cartridge. FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing an exemplary interior of the container and a battery provided within.

[0027] FIG. 8 is a perspective view of an exemplary cooking grill configured to utilize heat emitted from a heating assembly consistent with the present disclosure.

[0028] Detailed Description

[0029] By way of overview, the present invention is directed to portable warming devices. In particular, the present invention provides a uniquely designed portable heating device that utilizes a hydrocarbon fuel source to provide controlled heat output, specifically providing a user with ability to automatically control heat output from the device. The device of the present invention is entirely portable and provides a safe and effective means of producing heat in an intuitive and easy to operate manner, thereby reducing risk of injury and potentially catastrophic damage and injury in the field.

[0030] Turning now to the figures, FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of a portable heating assembly consistent with the present disclosure. FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the portable heating assembly and FIGS. 3 A and 3B are perspective views, partly in phantom, of the portable heating assembly illustrating the various components thereof.

[0031] As shown, the heating assembly is a standalone device that is entirely portable in nature. The heating assembly generally includes a housing comprising a top portion, a bottom portion (serving as a base), and sidewalls that collectively enclose various components within.

[0032] The various components include a regulator configured to receive fuel released from a fuel cartridge that is releasably coupled to the regulator. More specifically, the housing includes a port configured to receive fuel energy sources in the form of replaceable or rechargeable cartridges that are filled with a fuel (e.g., butane, propane, high-performance propane / isobutane four-season fuel, a combination thereof, etc.) in a liquid, a partial liquid, or a gas state. A given fuel cartridge can include, or can plug into, a vaporizer that transitions the fuel into gas and transfers the gas to the regulator.

[0033] The fuel cartridge may include any type of connection for releasably coupling the cartridge to the heating assembly to provide fuel therefrom. For example, the connection may include, but is not limited to a threaded connection, press-fit connection, bayonet-style connection, or the like. Accordingly, the heating assembly may include a corresponding connection for receiving and retaining the fuel cartridge. It should be noted that, in some embodiments, the heating assembly may include an adaptor that directly couples to the cartridge, wherein the adaptor is an intermediary component that couples to the cartridge and allows the cartridge to operably couple to the heating assembly. With use of adaptors, the heating assembly and the cartridge operably couple without having to be directly compatible with each other.

[0034] The regulator transfers / emits vaporized fuel to a burner for subsequent ignition and controlled burning of the fuel. As shown, the burner may be fully enclosed within a series of shield members within the assembly, such that any resulting flame from the burner is fully contained within the housing. The shield members may include apertures arranged in a particular pattern so as to allow air influx and assist in removing exhaust gas from the regulator / burner.

[0035] The burner is positioned adjacent to a heater element positioned at the top cover portion of the assembly, such that heat is transferred from the ignited fuel to the heater element. The heater element comprises a durable and resilient material (e.g., metallic, ceramic, etc.) configured to receive and subsequently emit heat from the ignited fuel. For example, the heater element may generally in the form of a burner plate or the like.

[0036] The heating device further includes a control module (provided via a printed circuit board (PCB) of the like) configured to control one or more functions of the device. More specifically, the control module is configured to provide autonomous or semi-autonomous control over the output of heat, including, among other things, automatic control over the temperature of emitted heat from the heating assembly. The control module may further be configured to provide automatic control over the duration of time in which heat is emitted from the device. In particular, the control module may generally include a processor and a computer-readable medium carrying instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the control module to control and monitor the release of fuel and the ignition of vaporized gas, based, at least in part, on feedback received from sensors operably associated with one or more components of the device. For example, the one or more sensors may include, but are not limited to: 1) a temperature sensor (e.g., thermistor or the like) associated with the heater element and configured to provide temperature readings of the heater element; 2) a temperature sensor and / or infrared (IR) sensor associated with the burner to provide readings indicative of whether the fuel is ignited and burning; and 3) one or more motion sensors (e.g., accelerometers, gyrometers, or the like) to provide motion readings associated with movement of the heating device (which can be useful in indicating movement, or lack thereof, of the device or a given orientation of the device).

[0037] The control module may generally be operably associated with the regulator via circuitry and configured to control operation thereof to thereby control the amount of fuel provided to the burner and the duration over which fuel should be provided. For example, the regulator may include a valve coupled to a valve motor configured to actuate the valve (or actuate one or more components associated therewith) between a fully closed position, a fully opened position, and a plurality of positions therebetween to thereby control the amount of fuel to be provided to the burner to be subsequently ignited and burned and cause heat to be emitted from the heater element.

[0038] More specifically, the heating assembly may generally include a display and user inputs for turning the device on and off and setting certain parameters of the device, including setting a desired temperature of heat to be emitted from the heating element. As such, during operation of the device, the control module receives temperature readings associated with the heater element and, based on certain control logic, the control module is configured to automatically adjust fuel output from the regulator so as to maintain a specific set temperature of heat to be emitted from the heater element in response to the temperature readings. The device may further allow for a user to set a desired duration of time during which heat should be emitted from the device. Accordingly, once the set duration of time has passed, the control module is configured to effectively close the valve of the regulator, thereby preventing further fuel from being provided to the burner and thus effectively shutting off the device and reducing heat output to zero.

[0039] The control module is further able to receive data readings from the temperature sensor or IR sensor associated with the burner, thereby providing the control module with an indication as to whether the burner is functioning (i.e., whether fuel is being provided to the burner and remaining ignited during use). As such, the control module is configured to automatically sense, during operation, whether fuel has inadvertently or prematurely been extinguished. In the event that the control module determines that the fuel has been extinguished and is no longer burning (during a time in which the fuel should in fact be burning), then the control module is configured to automatically reignite fuel at the burner (i.e., control generation of a spark from an electrode or the like operably associated with the burner). The control module is further able to receive data readings from the one or more motion sensors (e.g., accelerometers, gyrometers, or the like), thereby providing the control module with an indication of movement, or lack thereof, of the device and / or provide the control module with an indication of an orientation of the device. As such, if the control module determines that the heating device has moved and is no longer within an acceptable orientation (i.e., tilted onto its side or upside down), the control module is configured to automatically stop the release of fuel to the burner (i.e., turn off the valve of the regulator).

[0040] The control module may be fully enclosed within a series of shield members within the assembly so as to protect the control module and any related circuitry from heat.

[0041] The heating assembly includes a portable power source to provide power to the control module, regulator motor, electrode (for spark ignition), and the digital display. The portable power source may generally include battery(ies), including rechargeable battery(ies). The power source (i.e., battery pack or the like) may be fully enclosed within a series of shield members within the assembly so as to protect the battery(ies) from heat. The heating assembly may further include a charging port configured to receive an electrical input for charging the battery(ies) (e.g., a DC input voltage 5V USB C charging port, for example, or any kind of charging input).

[0042] It should be noted that the heating assembly described herein may include similar or like components as those of the portable heating systems and methods described in U.S. Patent No. 10,575,614, incorporated by reference herein.

[0043] The heater element may generally be configured to emit heat and further transfer such heat by way of conduction. For example, in some embodiments, the heating assembly may be particularly useful in generating heat and transferring said heat to a container for creating a warm environment within the container.

[0044] For example, FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a container to which the heating assembly is configured to be releasably coupled to and provide conduction of heat from the heater element to the container and subsequently provide a heated environment within the container. FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the container illustrating one embodiment of a heat transfer element (in the form of a thermal plate) configured to contact the heater element of the heating assembly and receive heat therefrom. FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing the heating assembly coupled to the container and receiving a fuel cartridge. In particular, the heating assembly and container may be releasably coupled to one another via a mechanical connection, wherein the heating assembly includes a pair of rails configured to fit within a pair of corresponding slots formed within a base of the container, or vice versa. Upon sliding the heating assembly into engagement with the container, the heat element of the heating assembly may become aligned with a corresponding heat transfer element of the container. For example, as illustrated in FIG. 5, the container may include a heat transfer element comprising a material (e.g., metallic, ceramic, etc.) configured to make direct contact with the heater element of the heating device and transfer heat from the heater element to an interior of the container so as to create a heated environment within the container. Accordingly, the container is able to provide a warm environment at a set temperature that is automatically controlled via the heating device based on input from a user. Accordingly, a user may utilize the container to keep certain goods stored within the container to be maintained at a desired temperature for a desired period of time, regardless of the external air temperature.

[0045] In addition to being useful in storing food items that a user would want to keep at a certain temperature, the heating device, in combination with the container, may be particularly useful in warming and maintaining lithium-ion batteries at a desired temperature, regardless of any harsh environmental conditions, most notably low temperatures in the freezing or subfreezing range.

[0046] FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing an exemplary interior of the container and a battery provided within. Lithium-ion batteries are finding more and more uses in a variety of applications in today's world, including a variety of tools and products where portability is desired and essential. However, the performance of lithium-ion batteries is also highly dependent on temperature. Lithium-ion battery cells-require careful temperature control because of decreased chemical reaction rates at lower temperatures, translating to a reduction of the current carrying capacity of the cell. It is a commonly known issue with lithium-ion batteries that their chemistry is greatly affected by low or very cold temperatures. Specifically, lithium-ion batteries reach an optimal electrical discharge rate when the temperature is above a certain amount (e.g., generally 59° F., or higher). Any temperature lower than this, lithium-ion battery performance begins to diminish. When the temperature reaches 0° C, the performance drops considerably and the discharge rate is generally no higher than 5 amps. Lithium-ion batteries generally cease to function when the temperature falls below -10° C. Accordingly, the heating device in combination with the container provide a quick and efficient method for warming and keeping a lithium-ion battery from a temperature well below the optimal operating temperature of the battery, as well as maintaining the temperature of the battery within its temperature limits rating for producing maximum electrical discharge. Maintaining the temperature of the lithium-ion battery in this temperature range permits the battery to be always ready for use, and also has been shown to extend the useful lifetime of the battery itself.

[0047] In addition to providing heat to a container, as previously described herein, the heating assembly may further be useful in a variety of other products the utilize heat. For example, the heating assembly may be useful with cooking apparatuses, including, for example, a portable cooking grill. FIG. 8 is a perspective view of an exemplary cooking grill configured to utilize heat emitted from a heating assembly consistent with the present disclosure.

[0048] As such, the device of the present invention is entirely portable and provides a safe and effective means of producing heat in an intuitive and easy to operate manner, thereby reducing risk of injury and potentially catastrophic damage and injury in the field.

[0049] As used in any embodiment herein, the term “module” and “unit” may refer to software, firmware and / or circuitry configured to perform any of the aforementioned operations. Software may be embodied as a software package, code, instructions, instruction sets and / or data recorded on non-transitory computer readable storage medium. Firmware may be embodied as code, instructions or instruction sets and / or data that are hard-coded (e.g., nonvolatile) in memory devices. “Circuitry”, as used in any embodiment herein, may comprise, for example, singly or in any combination, hardwired circuitry, programmable circuitry such as computer processors comprising one or more individual instruction processing cores, state machine circuitry, and / or firmware that stores instructions executed by programmable circuitry. The modules may, collectively or individually, be embodied as circuitry that forms part of a larger system, for example, an integrated circuit (IC), system on-chip (SoC), desktop computers, laptop computers, tablet computers, servers, smartphones, etc.

[0050] Any of the operations described herein may be implemented in a system that includes one or more storage mediums having stored thereon, individually or in combination, instructions that when executed by one or more processors perform the methods. Here, the processor may include, for example, a server CPU, a mobile device CPU, and / or other programmable circuitry. Also, it is intended that operations described herein may be distributed across a plurality of physical devices, such as processing structures at more than one different physical location. The storage medium may include any type of tangible medium, for example, any type of disk including hard disks, floppy disks, optical disks, compact disk read-only memories (CD-ROMs), compact disk rewritables (CD-RWs), and magneto-optical disks, semiconductor devices such as read-only memories (ROMs), random access memories (RAMs) such as dynamic and static RAMs, erasable programmable read-only memories (EPROMs), electrically erasable programmable read-only memories (EEPROMs), flash memories, Solid State Disks (SSDs), magnetic or optical cards, or any type of media suitable for storing electronic instructions. Other embodiments may be implemented as software modules executed by a programmable control device. The storage medium may be non-transitory.

[0051] As described herein, various embodiments may be implemented using hardware elements, software elements, or any combination thereof. Examples of hardware elements may include processors, microprocessors, circuits, circuit elements (e.g., transistors, resistors, capacitors, inductors, and so forth), integrated circuits, application specific integrated circuits (ASIC), programmable logic devices (PLD), digital signal processors (DSP), field programmable gate array (FPGA), logic gates, registers, semiconductor device, chips, microchips, chip sets, and so forth.

[0052] Reference throughout this specification to “one embodiment” or “an embodiment” means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment. Thus, appearances of the phrases “in one embodiment” or “in an embodiment” in various places throughout this specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment. Furthermore, the particular features, structures, or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments.

[0053] The term "non-transitory" is to be understood to remove only propagating transitory signals per se from the claim scope and does not relinquish rights to all standard computer- readable media that are not only propagating transitory signals per se. Stated another way, the meaning of the term "non-transitory computer-readable medium" and "non-transitory computer- readable storage medium" should be construed to exclude only those types of transitory computer-readable media which were found in In Re Nuijten to fall outside the scope of patentable subject matter under 35 U.S. C. § 101. The terms and expressions which have been employed herein are used as terms of description and not of limitation, and there is no intention, in the use of such terms and expressions, of excluding any equivalents of the features shown and described (or portions thereof), and it is recognized that various modifications are possible within the scope of the claims. Accordingly, the claims are intended to cover all such equivalents.

[0054] Incorporation by Reference

[0055] For any references and citations to other documents, such as patents, patent applications, patent publications, journals, books, papers, web contents, made throughout this disclosure, all such documents are hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entirety for all purposes.

[0056] Equivalents

[0057] Various modifications of the invention and many further embodiments thereof, in addition to those shown and described herein, will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the full contents of this document, including references to the scientific and patent literature cited herein. The subject matter herein contains important information, exemplification and guidance that can be adapted to the practice of this invention in its various embodiments and equivalents thereof.

Claims

Claims1. A portable heating device comprising: a regulator configured to receive fuel from a portable fuel source; a burner configured to receive and bum vaporized fuel from the regulator, said burner being enclosed within one or more shield members to thereby prevent any resulting flame from the burner from being exposed to an external environment during burning of vaporized fuel; a heater element configured to receive thermal energy from the burning vaporized fuel and emit resulting heat therefrom; and a control module operably coupled to the regulator and / or burner and configured to automatically control a temperature of heat emitted from the heater element based, at least in part, on feedback data received from one or more sensors operably associated with at least one of the regulator, burner, and heater element.

2. The portable heating device of claim 1, wherein the control module comprises a processor and a computer-readable medium carrying instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the control module to control the amount of fuel supplied to the burner and the subsequent ignition of vaporized fuel, based, at least in part, on feedback received from the one or more sensors.

3. The portable heating device of claim 2, wherein the one or more sensors comprise at least one of: a temperature sensor associated with the heater element and configured to provide temperature readings of the heater element; a temperature sensor and / or infrared (IR) sensor associated with the burner to provide readings indicative of whether the fuel is ignited and burning; and one or more motion sensors to provide motion readings associated with movement of one or more components of the heating device and / or an orientation of one or more components of the heating device.

4. The portable heating device of claim 3, wherein control module is operably associated with at least the regulator via circuitry and configured to control operation thereof to thereby control the amount of fuel provided to the burner and the duration over which fuel is provided.

5. The portable heating device of claim 4, wherein the control module is operably coupled to a valve motor and configured to control operation of the valve motor to thereby actuate a valve member of the regulator between a fully closed position, a fully opened position, and a plurality of positions therebetween, thereby controlling the amount of fuel to be provided to the burner to be subsequently ignited and burned.

6. The portable heating device of claim 5, wherein, in response to temperature readings from a temperature sensor associated with the heater element, the control module is configured to automatically adjust fuel output from the regulator so as to maintain a specific set temperature of heat to be emitted from the heater element in response to the temperature readings.

7. The portable heating device of claim 5, wherein, in response to data readings from a temperature sensor or IR sensor associated with the burner, the control module is configured to automatically sense, during operation, whether fuel has inadvertently or prematurely been extinguished.

8. The portable heating device of claim 7, wherein, in response to a determination that fuel has been extinguished and is no longer burning during a time in which fuel should be burning, the control module is configured to automatically reignite fuel at the burner.

9. The portable heating device of claim 8, wherein the control module is configured to control generation of a spark from an electrode operably associated with the burner.

10. The portable heating device of claim 5, wherein, in response to data readings from one or more motion sensors associated with one or more components of the heating device, the control module is configured to determine whether the heating device and / or one or more components of the heating device has moved and is no longer within an acceptable orientation.

11. The portable heating device of claim 10, wherein, in response to a determination that the heating device and / or one or more components of the heating device is no longer within an acceptable orientation, the control module is configured to automatically stop the release of fuel to the burner by automatically adjusting the valve to the fully closed position.

12. The portable heating device of claim 1, further comprising one or more user inputs for controlling operation of the heating device and a display for providing visual indication of the operation of the heating device.

13. The portable heating device of claim 12, wherein the one or more user inputs allow for setting parameters of the operation of the heating device, said parameters comprising an on state, and off state, and a desired temperature of heat to be emitted from the heater element.

14. The portable heating device of claim 12, wherein the control module is configured to automatically control a temperature of heat emitted from the heater element based, at least in part, on a user set parameter associated with desired temperature of heat to be emitted from the heater element.

15. The portable heating device of claim 1, wherein the heater element comprises a material configured to transfer heat to a container by way of conduction to thereby create a warm environment within the container.

16. The portable heating device of claim 1, wherein the one or more shield members comprise a set of apertures to allow air influx and assist in removing exhaust gas from the regulator and / or burner.

Images