On-Board Powered Forced-Air Heater for Remote Use and Leak-Safe Storage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Portable forced-air heaters require an external source of electric energy for operation, limiting their use in remote environments without access to a conventional wall outlet, and they are bulky with fuel leakage issues when stored in alternative orientations.
Innovation Solution
A self-contained forced-air heater with an on-board electric-power supply, including a fuel tank, combustion chamber, and a motorized fan, optionally featuring a light source and fuel-management system to minimize fuel leakage, allowing operation without external power and enabling storage in alternative orientations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If forced-air heaters are designed to be portable and operate in remote environments, then they should not require external electric power sources, but traditional heaters require plugging into wall outlets which are unavailable in remote locations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the heater with an on-board electric power source (battery) and fuel pump system into a single integrated unit. This merging eliminates the need for external wall outlets and extension cords, allowing the heater to operate independently in remote environments where utility power is unavailable.
Solution Approach 2:
The heater is designed to be self-sufficient by incorporating its own electric power source and fuel delivery system. The battery-powered pump automatically delivers fuel to the combustion chamber without requiring external intervention or infrastructure, enabling the heater to serve itself in isolated locations.
2Power
If high-output fans are used to provide sufficient heating capacity, then heating performance is improved, but electric energy consumption increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the power source parameter from grid electricity to on-board battery power. This allows the system to operate independently and provides flexibility in power management, including the ability to monitor battery charge levels and adjust operation accordingly to optimize energy usage while maintaining required heating output.
3Volume of moving object
If the heater is stored in alternative orientations to conserve space, then storage efficiency is improved, but liquid fuel leaks from the heater
Solution Approach 1:
The fuel pump system automatically manages fuel delivery based on the heater's operational state and orientation. The system includes sensors and control mechanisms that detect fuel level and orientation, automatically adjusting fuel flow to prevent leakage regardless of storage position, eliminating the need for manual draining before storage.
4Productivity
If multiple electrical devices are operated simultaneously on construction jobsites, then productivity is improved, but the limited number of available outlets becomes a constraint
Solution Approach 1:
The heater is designed with multi-functionality, serving both as a heating device and a mobile electric power source. The on-board battery system can power the heater's fan and pump, and potentially provide auxiliary power to other tools or devices on the jobsite, eliminating the limitation of having only one outlet available at a time.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables operation in remote environments without external electric power and minimizes fuel leakage during storage, providing a portable and efficient heating solution with integrated power and illumination.
Implementation Method 1
A forced-air heater having a self-contained on-board electric-power supply
Implementation Method 2
a fan blade is rotated by an electric motor
Implementation Method 3
A combustible liquid fuel from a fuel tank is atomized and mixed with air inside the combustion chamber where it is combusted, resulting in the generation of a flame
Implementation Method 4
a fan blade is rotated by an electric motor to draw ambient air into the heater to be heated by the combustion of the air/fuel mixture. The heated air is expelled out of the heater by the continuous influx of air caused by the fan
Data Source
AI summary
A forced-air heater having a self-contained on-board electric-power supply that allows the forced-air heater to operate without an external electric power source; a fuel tank; a combustion chamber; a support; a housing including upper and lower housing portions; a motorized fan that during operation draws in ambient air through an air intake and forces air into the combustion chamber.