EP0226521A1 - Fireplace with two operating modes - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a fireplace with two operating modes which will find application in particular in the sphere of domestic heating. According to the invention, the fireplace (1) comprises a hearth, closed by two front doors (2) and (3), the lateral walls of which are double so as to form convection casings (4) and (5). Moreover, the lateral convection casings are articulated in order to allow the retraction of the front doors (2) and (3) into their internal volume. The front doors (2) and (3) stored thus modify the operating circuit and the appearance of the convection heating apparatus. The invention will find its application most specifically in industry with manufacturers of heating equipment. <IMAGE>

Description

The invention relates to a double-stage fireplace which will find its application in particular in the field of domestic heating.

There are known fireplaces with double heating stages, that is to say hearth fireplaces capable of operating with an open or closed hearth.

This type of chimney has spread widely due to the many advantages of the two modes of operation.

To benefit from a high energy efficiency, precise regulation of the heating operation and possibly of different hot air distribution points, the closed hearth chimney is used. In this case, the hearth is closed by front doors, and the hearth is supplied with oxygen by air supply pipes where the flow is regulated. The burnt gases are obviously evacuated by a smoke evacuation duct and exchangers are very often set up to recover the calories and distribute them to different chosen places.

The closed door heating speed corresponds to a high energy efficiency and maximum efficiency of the chimney, however, the spectacle of the flames cannot be observed due to the presence of the closed doors.

The other stage of heating, which corresponds to the operation of the open hearth fire, on the contrary, makes it possible to benefit from the spectacle of the fire in which case the doors are opened so as to leave the apparent hearth.

According to this heating regime, walking can be more difficult to control given the gaping opening left in front of the chimney. A good part of the calories released heat the immediate environment of the chimney by radiation.

In this case, the fireplace is often not used as a generator of calories to be dispersed in different rooms of the house but as a decorative element to create a spectacle and release of heat in its immediate environment.

As a decorative element, the presence of open doors is not desirable. In fact, the internal face of the doors is covered with tar, soot and other jtotal unsightly bropots. It is precisely this face of the door which is visible during open hearth operation. Some manufacturers equip their chimney with removable doors which can thus be removed during open hearth operation. However, this solution is hardly appreciated by users since this disassembly is a messy operation and moreover it is necessary to have a place to store dirty doors during the operation of the chimney.

Other manufacturers offer the retraction of the front door in the hood. This solution is only satisfactory for small and light doors, which limits its field of use. Indeed, it is necessary that the hood is sufficiently large enough to be able to receive not only the door but the entire hinge mechanism for supporting the door.

So far, no completely satisfactory solution has been found to the previously stated problem.

The main purpose of the present invention is to present a double-stage chimney that is fully transformable to adapt, both aesthetically and operation to the heating regime adopted.

From an aesthetic point of view, the double-stage chimney of the present invention is similar to traditional closed hearth fireplaces, that is to say the presence of massive doors closing off the hearth when the chimney operates with closed hearth and also to chimneys open without door during open hearth operation.

The doors of the fireplace of the present invention are retractable without disassembly therefore with great ease of operation and allow to offer the spectacle of an open hearth operation without the visible presence of the doors. On the aesthetic and practical level, this is an improvement over the existing system.

In addition, the double-stage chimney of the present invention also makes it possible to adapt as best as possible in terms of thermal efficiency to the chosen heating regime.

In operation with closed doors, the maximum heat is obtained by a precise metering of the combustion air admitted to the hearth which implies a high efficiency.

On the other hand, in open fire operation, the combustion is not controlled and the yield is poorer.

Generally a manufacturer must make a choice either he favors the closed door operation to obtain a good output or he favors the fire show by opening the doors or by using a glazed door with a very large air intake to the detriment of the output.

With the design of the double-stage chimney of the present invention, the chimney exhibits optimal characteristics in the two heating regimes.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will appear during the description which follows which is however given only for information and which is not intended to limit it.

The double-stage chimney, particularly finding its application in the field of domestic heating, which comprises a hearth closed by one or more front doors is characterized by the fact that the lateral convection boxes are articulated and allow the retraction of the or the front doors in their interior volume so that the doors can be folded against the side walls of the hearth.

• - la figure 1 illustre à titre d'exemple un mode préférentiel de réalisation de la cheminée à double allure de la présente invention.
• - la figure 2 représente un premier mode d'articulation des caissons latéraux,
• - la figure 3 représente un second mode d'articulation des caissons latéraux,
• - la figure 4 schématise en vue de dessus les différents angles de débattement des portes frontales des caissons latéraux.

The invention will be better understood on reading the following description accompanied by attached drawings, among which:

• - Figure 1 illustrates by way of example a preferred embodiment of the double-stage chimney of the present invention.
• FIG. 2 represents a first mode of articulation of the lateral boxes,
• FIG. 3 represents a second mode of articulation of the lateral boxes,
• - Figure 4 shows schematically a top view of the different angles of travel of the front doors of the side boxes.

The present invention relates to a double-stage fireplace which will find its application in particular in the field of domestic heating.

We know this type of chimney which has two heating regimes depending on whether the hearth is closed or open each of the heating regimes has specific characteristics, in particular a closed hearth can be perfectly regulated however the recovery calories should preferably pass through heat exchangers.

In the case of an open hearth, it is more difficult to regulate the progress of the fire and it is in the environment near the chimney that the calories are dispersed in the form of radiation. However, the spectacle offered by the play of the flames of the fireplace makes this type of operation very attractive despite its lower energy efficiency.

Figure 1 shows schematically a double-stage chimney 1 which in the case of the figure is shown as operating with a closed hearth. The hearth is closed by two front doors 2 and 3 and surmounted by a fume hood 18.

A double-stage chimney operating in closed mode is used in its high-efficiency functional mode. This is why a maximum of calories must be evacuated from the chimney in order to recover them to heat different places. In this respect, the hearth is generally formed of double side walls between which an air circulation is ensured by convection. This air, taking away the calories released by the hearth, can be directed to the places that need to be heated.

Figure 1 shows schematically the side boxes and 5 which act as a double wall for the hearth and in which an air circulation shown diagrammatically by the arrows 6 is ensured. The air enters through the lower part of the box 7 and exits through orifices 8 made in the upper part of the boxes and 5.

In traditional double-fireplaces, the previous configuration is respected and during the second heating regime, doors 2 and 3 are simply opened to offer the spectacle of the fireplace.

Unfortunately, on the aesthetic level, when the doors 2 and 3 are open, the latter have a face generally loaded with tar, soot and deposit, which constitutes a serious drawback from the aesthetic point of view. Some manufacturers have designed a possible disassembly of the doors, however this operation is not easy and the storage of the doors is problematic.

In addition, in the case of an open hearth heater, generally users wish to cause local heating of the room where the chimney is located without operating the lateral convection heaters which cause heat losses to the fireplace.

These drawbacks can be overcome thanks to the features of the present invention in which the double-stage chimney 1 has lateral convection boxes 4 and 5 which are articulated and which allow the front doors 2 and 3 to be retracted into their internal volume so so that the doors can fold back against the hearth walls.

Various embodiments can be envisaged, FIG. 2 represents the case in which the lateral boxes 4 and 5 have a vertical axis of articulation 9 arranged on the rear of the chimney. Being able to open the side boxes 4 and 5 in a way like a wallet allows the doors to be stored in their interior volume.

FIG. 3 represents the case of side boxes 4 and 5 having a horizontal axis of articulation 10. When the side boxes are folded down, they mask the doors, hence the pleasant aesthetics of the open hearth fireplace.

To concentrate the maximum number of calories in the hearth of the chimney and thus obtain maximum radiation from the hearth, some users will wish to stop the phenomenon of heat exchange by convection through the side walls of the chimney when the latter is operating at hearth open.

This objective can be achieved by judiciously arranging the fixed air discharge orifices so that the latter are completely or partially closed off by the front doors 2 and 3 when the latter are folded down and contained in the interior volume of the side boxes 4 and 5.

Indeed, due to their thickness, the front doors can perfectly cover the exhaust air orifices 8 of the hot air. Similarly, by adopting a small thickness for the dimensioning of the lateral boxes 4 and 5, the orifice 7 for introducing fresh air can also be closed by the front doors 2 and 3 when these are folded down inside. side boxes.

Of course, the side boxes must be able to be installed regardless of the heating rate chosen, Also, the side boxes 4 and 5 have on their front face cutouts 11 in which are housed hinges 12 for hinge doors.

These hinges 12 are slightly offset to the outside so that this arrangement allows the folding of said doors flat against the side walls of the hearth.

FIG. 4 shows a top section view of such an arrangement of the hinges 12.

If the user would like to be able to operate his chimney at an open hearth pace without slowing down convection heating, a provision similar to that of FIG. 4 will have to be adopted.

According to this configuration, the interior volume of the lateral boxes 4 and 5 is largely dimensioned so that the positioning of the doors in their interior volume modifies only slightly the section of the air passage by convection.

In addition, the doors must be able to be applied against the side walls 13 and 14 of the hearth 15 with close contact so that good thermal conduction can be ensured. In this way, the calories pass through the side walls 13 and then through the folded doors 2 and 3 before reaching the air in circulation in the interior volume of the side boxes. It is necessary to eliminate all the air between the side walls of the hearth 13 and 14 and the doors 2 and 3 to facilitate maximum heat conduction.

Very often the front doors, for reasons of aesthetics in particular, are molded and, to obtain the thermal properties set out above, it will be advantageous to have side walls 13 and 14 of the hearth 15 which have a profile complementary to the moldings of the front doors 2 and 3 so as to obtain thermal contact over the entire surface of said doors.

The side boxes 4 and 5 will preferably be made of an insulating material so as to reduce heat losses.

As illustrated in FIG. 4, the lateral boxes 4 and 5 have on their front face a recess 16 which acts as a stop for the front doors when these are operated without first opening the side boxes 4 and 5.

The maximum clearance of the doors in this case is illustrated in phantom under the reference 17 in FIG. 4.

Other implementations of the present invention, within the reach of ordinary skill in the art could also have been envisaged without departing from the scope thereof.

Claims (10)

1. Double-stage fireplace which will find its application in particular in the field of domestic heating, and which comprises a hearth (15) closed by one or more front doors (2) and (3), characterized in that it has lateral convection boxes (4) and (5) articulated and allowing the retraction of the front door or doors (2) and (3) in their interior volume. 2. Double-stage fireplace which will find its application in particular in the field of domestic heating, and which comprises a hearth (15) closed by one or more front doors (2) and (3), characterized in that it has side walls (13) and (14) double to form convection boxes (4) and (5). 3. Double-stage chimney according to claim 1, characterized in that the lateral boxes (4) and (5) of convection have a vertical axis (9) of articulation disposed at the rear of the chimney (1). 4. Double-stage chimney according to claim 1, characterized in that the lateral convection boxes (4) and (5) have a horizontal axis of articulation (10) disposed in their upper or lower part. 5. Double-stage chimney according to claim 1, the convection boxes (4) and (5) of which have orifices (7) and (8) for the circulation of air, characterized in that the front doors (2 ) and (3) folded in the convection boxes (4) and (5) close all or part of the air circulation orifices (7) or (8) by convection. 6. Double-stage chimney according to claim 1, characterized in that the lateral convection boxes (4) and (5) have on their front face cutouts (11) in which are housed the hinges (12) of articulation front doors (2) and (3). 7. Double-stage fireplace according to claims 2 and 6, characterized in that the hinges (12) of the doors are. offset so as to allow the folding of said doors (2) and (3) flat against the side walls (13) and (14) of the hearth (15). 8. Double-stage fireplace according to claim 7, characterized in that the side walls (13) and (14) of the hearth (15) have a profile complementary to the moldings of the front doors (2) and (3) and may or may not constitute an additional decoration in the chosen style. 9. Double-stage chimney according to claim 1, characterized in that the lateral convection boxes (4) and (5) are made of an insulating material. 10. Double-stage chimney according to claim 1, characterized in that the lateral boxes (4) and (5) of convection have on their front face a recess (16) which acts as a stop for the front doors (2) and (3).

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