Thermocouple Shutoff for Portable Heater

1 . An assembly comprising:

a combustion-powered heater comprising a combustion site adapted to power said heater;

a target component engaged with said combustion site; and

a transducer operatively engaged with said target component, said transducer,

adapted to measure the temperature of the target component, and

adapted to shut-down said combustion-powered heater in response to a temperature measurement of less than a temperature limit.

2 . The assembly of claim 1 , wherein said heater is portable.

3 . The assembly of claim 2 , wherein said heater is adapted to consume oxygen from air and propane fuel.

4 . The assembly of claim 3 , wherein said target component comprises a burner output modifier.

5 . The assembly of claim 4 , wherein said operative engagement of the transducer with said burner output modifier comprises embedding said transducer within said burner output modifier.

6 . The assembly of claim 5 , wherein said burner output modifier comprises a radiant surface.

7 . The assembly of claim 6 , wherein said transducer comprises at least one thermocouple.

8 . The assembly of claim 7 , wherein said adaptation to shut-down said combustion-powered heater is an adaptation wherein said thermocouple ceases holding open a normally-closed valve.

9 . The assembly of claim 8 , wherein the temperature of the radiant surface is adapted to be less than the temperature limit during operation of the heater in an atmosphere comprising less than 18% oxygen by volume.

10 . A method of selectively shutting off a combustion-powered portable heater, comprising:

providing a combustion-powered heater, said heater comprising a combustion site adapted to power said heater when in operation;

engaging a target component with said combustion site in such a manner that said combustion site heats said target component when in operation; and

operatively engaging a transducer with said target component, said transducer,

adapted to measure the temperature of the target component, and

adapted to shut-down said combustion-powered heater in response to a temperature measurement of less than a temperature limit.

11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein said heater is portable.

12 . The method of claim 11 , wherein said heater is adapted to consume oxygen from air and propane fuel.

13 . The method of claim 12 , wherein said target component comprises a burner output modifier.

14 . The method of claim 13 , wherein said operatively engaging a transducer with said burner output modifier comprises embedding said transducer within said burner output modifier.

15 . The method of claim 14 , wherein said burner output modifier comprises a radiant surface.

16 . The method of claim 15 , wherein said transducer comprises at least one thermocouple.

17 . The method of claim 16 , wherein said adaptation to shut-down said combustion-powered heater is an adaptation wherein said thermocouple ceases holding open a normally-closed valve.

18 . The method of claim 17 , wherein said thermocouple ceases holding open a normally-closed valve during operation of said heater in an atmosphere comprising less than 18% oxygen by volume.

19 . An assembly comprising:

a portable, combustion-powered heater comprising a combustion site adapted to power said heater, said heater adapted to consume oxygen from air and propane fuel;

a radiant surface engaged with said combustion site; and

at least one thermocouple embedded within said radiant surface, said at least one thermocouple,

adapted to measure the temperature of the radiant surface, and

adapted to cease holding open a normally-closed valve to shut-down said combustion-powered heater in response to a temperature measurement of less than a temperature limit.

20 . The assembly of claim 19 , wherein the temperature of the radiant surface is adapted to be less than the temperature limit during operation of the heater in an atmosphere comprising less than 18% oxygen by volume.