EP0335048A1 - Panoramic multi-sided fireplace door - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a panoramic multi-sided fireplace door, in particular intended to form a protective and impervious screen for an insert fire for a fireplace hearth. The panoramic door (2) of the invention is intended to cover the different faces of the fireplace (1) at an angle in order to allow, in addition to a protection against ejections, control of the combustion while offering a maximum view of the hearth. The door (2) is articulated in low position about the shaft (13) or is retracted into the hood (4). The door (2) is formed from a wide continuous glazed strip, constituted by an assembly of glass plates or of a folded glass, accommodated in a frame which does not have a central upright. The invention is of interest to fireplace manufacturers. <IMAGE>

Description

The invention relates to a multi-sided panoramic fireplace door, in particular intended to form a screen for protecting and sealing an insert hearth, fireplace hearth or the like.

By the designation "chimney", the invention includes all direct heating elements with closed or open combustion. These are mainly closed hearths such as inserts or even wood-burning fireplaces constructed of refractory masonry with an open hearth.

There is a growing interest in fireplaces with double heating regimes. This type of equipment is capable of operating with an open hearth, that is to say without combustion control, but offers the spectacle of the flame. With this heating regime, the combustion efficiency is poor since there is no control over the oxygen supply. Many unburnt gases escape, which means that this mode of heating is only used for its attractive appearance.

With the closed hearth heating regime, there is a perfect control of the oxygen supply, which makes it possible in particular to control the rate of combustion. The heating efficiency is good, unfortunately there is no direct spectacle of the flame.

Significant progress has been made with the development of panoramic doors for closing fireplaces. Thus, even during closed hearth operation, vision of the flame is possible. The waterproof panoramic door also forms a protective screen which protects the environment from projections from the fireplace. The panoramic door is generally retractable in the hood of the chimney via an articulated mechanism with levers.

This arrangement is completely satisfactory for built-in fireplaces which have only one open face. Indeed, in this case, the panoramic door is in one piece and even when it is lowered, the support frame of the door integrates with the circumference of the chimney and does not constitute a hindrance for the vision of the flame. On the other hand, for corner chimneys or protruding chimneys, that is to say when the hearth is open laterally, the current construction technique consists of using a panoramic door per face or a monobloc frame on which are placed windows bordered laterally by motants.

This embodiment derived from the construction of built-in fireplaces suffers from several drawbacks. First of all, if several panoramic doors are used, the multiplication of lifting and articulation means is penalizing economically. In addition, it is necessary to respect the tightness between the doors and the installation of motants between each of them is necessary.

The use of a multi-sided frame is very unsightly due to the presence of the uprights which destroy the harmony of the fireplace. The hearth seems enclosed between the uprights and the spectacle of the flame is felt. In addition, this type of chassis must be mounted on slides to allow it to be retracted into the hood. If you want to be able to open the frame by rotation to access the fireplace, it is necessary to design a hinge for one or each of the doors, but the rotation of the entire frame is incompatible with retractable sliding techniques. traditionally used.

The public is preferably looking for indoor fireplaces with a panoramic door to operate in closed hearth heating mode while enjoying the spectacle of the flame. Manufacturers record a significant decline in angle chimneys in favor of built-in fireplaces precisely because of the unattractive and the lack of convenience of this type of fireplace combined with a panoramic door of traditional design.

The main object of the present invention is to present a multifaceted panoramic chimney door specially designed for protruding or angled chimneys, which allows them to operate in closed hearth mode with perfect vision of the flame given the absence of an upright. .

The fireplace is surrounded by a completely transparent screen which respects the aesthetics of the flame.

Another object of the present invention is to present a multifaceted panoramic door which can open or retract in the hood of the chimney when the latter operates according to the open hearth heating regime. The opening by rotation of the door is appreciable to facilitate the reloading of the chimney in fuel.

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 multi-sided panoramic fireplace door. in particular intended to form a screen for protecting and sealing an insert hearth or chimney hearth, which covers in closed position the different faces of the chimney protruding or angled to allow combustion control and avoid projections, and which is articulated and retractable in the hood, is characterized by the fact that it is formed:
- a continuous glass strip which follows the faces of the chimney,
- lifting and articulation means for the glazed strip.

• - la figure 1 schématise une cheminée en angle qui comporte une porte panoramique multiface selon une mise en oeuvre de la présente invention,
• - la figure 2 schématise un premier mode de réalisation de la bande vitrée continue qui appartient à la porte panoramique multiface,
• - la figure 3 illustre une seconde exécution de cette bande vitrée continue,
• - la figure 4 montre un mode de réalisation préférentiel de la bande vitrée continue selon la présente invention,
• - la figure 5 représente une disposition particulière de la bande vitrée continue adaptée aux cheminées saillantes,
• - la figure 6 illustre les différents éléments constituant les moyens de levage et d'articulation de la porte panoramique multiface,
• - la figure 7 schématise la mise en oeuvre des moyens de verrouillage du relevage de la porte panoramique multiface,
• - la figure 8 montre une variante d'exécution des moyens de verrouillage du relevage de la porte panoramique multiface.

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

• FIG. 1 shows schematically an angle fireplace which comprises a multifaceted panoramic door according to an implementation of the present invention,
• FIG. 2 shows diagrammatically a first embodiment of the continuous glazed strip which belongs to the multiface panoramic door,
• FIG. 3 illustrates a second embodiment of this continuous glazed strip,
• FIG. 4 shows a preferred embodiment of the continuous glazed strip according to the present invention,
• FIG. 5 represents a particular arrangement of the continuous glazed strip adapted to projecting chimneys,
• FIG. 6 illustrates the various elements constituting the lifting and articulation means of the multiface panoramic door,
• FIG. 7 shows diagrammatically the implementation of the means for locking the lifting of the multiface panoramic door,
• - Figure 8 shows an alternative embodiment of the means for locking the lifting of the multi-sided panoramic door.

The present invention relates to a multi-sided panoramic fireplace door, in particular intended to form a screen for protecting and sealing an insert hearth or a fireplace hearth.

Chimneys with double heating regime traditionally include one or more retractable doors which allow to operate with closed or open hearth. Each of these heating regimes has advantages and depending on whether one is more oriented towards the warm and friendly aspect of open fireplaces or towards the efficiency and high efficiency of the closed hearth, one works with open or closed door .

An interesting intermediate solution has been proposed by the manufacturers who have developed a panoramic door allowing the fireplace to be closed and a screen to be protected from projections while offering the spectacle of the flame. The door is built in one piece and hinged around lever arms which allow it to be retracted into the hood. This is a completely satisfactory solution for built-in fireplaces since the panoramic glass door consists of a glass panel supported by a frame of traditional design.

When the chimney is of the angle type, or when it is projecting, that is to say that the hearth has clear lateral sides, a simple flat panoramic door is not enough to close the hearth. It is necessary to use a multi-sided door or multiple doors independent.

Independent doors have the disadvantage of requiring individual retracting mechanisms, which is expensive. Furthermore, the tightness which must be ensured between each of the doors means that fixed uprights which constitute unattractive columns when the chimney is operating with an open hearth are required.

The fireplace can also be closed by a one-piece multi-sided panoramic door which includes a frame on which there are as many glass walls as there are faces required. Again, there are separation amounts placed between each of the glass walls which are unsightly. Then, the sliding lifting mechanism which is traditionally used does not also ensure the opening by rotation of the door. This prevention makes it less convenient to use the chimney in particular to ensure its refueling.

The present invention is particularly interested in corner or protruding chimneys which require to ensure the tight closure of the hearth the use of a multi-sided door. The proposed solution eliminates the presence of an amount between each of the faces. In addition, in addition to the retraction in the hood of the door, the latter can open and leave a large clearance to facilitate the reloading of logs, for example from the fireplace.

Figure 1 shows schematically as an example a corner fireplace (1) with a multi-sided panoramic door (2). Since it is a corner fireplace, the door has two sides.

When the door is in place, it closes completely the hearth (3) which thus works with a heating rate controlled by the air intake. In addition, the panoramic door (2) makes it possible to avoid any projection of particles emitted during the crackling of the hearth.

The spectacle of the flame is perfectly visible in complete safety since the panoramic door (2) does not present any obstacle to the view.

The panoramic door (2) is retractable in the hood (4) and can also pivot around a lateral articulation (5).

According to the invention, the multi-sided panoramic door consists of a continuous glazed strip which follows the faces of the chimney (1) and means of lifting and articulation of the glazed strip.

Several embodiments of the continuous glazed strip can between envisaged. In particular, FIG. 2 represents the production of the continuous glazed strip (6) in a curved or curved shape. The lifting and articulation means in this case bear directly on the continuous glazed strip (6). However, this is a particularly expensive embodiment and which, moreover, suffers from a certain fragility due to the direct fixing to the glass.

In FIG. 3, the continuous glazed strip (6) is obtained by folding along an edge (7) of a glazed wall. By cons, in the embodiment illustrated in Figure 4, the glass strip (6) is placed in a frame (10).

In fact, in the frame, the glazed strip can be placed as illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3. Thus, the fixing is transferred to the frame and no longer to the glass. to increase resistance.

Furthermore, FIG. 4 shows an additional possibility of embodiment in which the glazed strip (6) is formed by the contiguous positioning of glass plates (8 and 9) in the frame (10).

This technique is economical since it requires no glass working except cutting, and benefits from good resistance. However, special care must be taken so that the plates (8) and (9) are contiguous and avoid any introduction of secondary air at this level, which would adversely affect the quality of combustion of the fireplace. The frame (10) could for example be made of cast iron.

When addressing a projecting chimney, the three exterior faces of this type of chimney can advantageously be covered by a double multifaceted panoramic door as illustrated in FIG. 5. Each of the doors (11) and (12) in it covers half the opening of the hearth and is constructed according to the technique used for the corner chimneys as illustrated above.

Figure 6 shows schematically the lifting and articulation means of the multi-sided panoramic door (2) according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. These lifting means comprise a vertical axis (13) fixed to the frame of the chimney or the insert by fixed bearings (14) and (15). The panoramic door (2) is mounted on the axis (13) by means of mobile bearings (16) and (17) which are free to rotate about the axis (13) along which they slide. In this way, the opening of the door (2) can be done around the axis (13) and the retraction of the door (2) in the hood (4) is also possible by sliding the movable bearings (16) and (17) along the axis (13).

A compensation system (18) facilitates the lifting of the door (2) in the hood (4). By way of example, the compensation system (18) is formed by a counterweight (19) connected by a cable (20) to the mobile bearing (17).

The axis (13) is advantageously surrounded by a grid (21) to improve the aesthetics of the chimney by hiding the axis (13) whose surface is shiny.

Special precautions must be taken to prevent the door from being lifted when it is opened or vice versa, as this could damage it. To this end, the panoramic door includes locking means which prevent it from any vertical maneuver when it is open. Figure 7 shows schematically an embodiment of these locking means which are in the form of cutouts (22) and (23) made in the front face of the chimney at the lifting and articulation means. These cutouts allow the rotational movement of the movable bearings (16) and (17) when these are placed in correspondence with the cutouts, that is to say when the door is in the low position. By cons, during a door lifting operation (2), the movable bearings (16) and (17) engage in a vertical slot (24) which prevents any rotational movement of the door.

If for aesthetic reasons, we do not wish to make the cutouts (22) and (23) on the front face of the chimney, the part of FIG. 7 can be placed inside the front face of the chimney and for example the movable bearing (165) could be replaced by a finger integral with the movement of the door (2).

FIG. 8 shows, as a variant, another embodiment of these locking means which in particular avoid any vertical maneuver when it is open or vice versa.

In this figure, we find the multi-sided panoramic door (2), the glass strip (6) and the frame (10). This frame (10) is articulated on the axis (13) by means of the mobile bearings (16 and 17) which also allow the sliding of the door along said axis (13).

However, unlike FIG. 7, it is thanks to a cutout (25) made, in particular in a frame (26), fixed in front of the opening of the hearth, that the locking is authorized.

Indeed, when the frame (10) is in the low position, the rotation of the bearing (17) is allowed freely and as a result the door is articulated in rotation about the axis (13).

On the other hand, if the door is open, the lifting of the door will be prohibited by the presence of the articulation (17) inside the notch (25).

On the other hand, when the door is properly closed, the lifting of the door will be authorized along the axis (13). For example the branch of the bracket (27) of the bearing (17) is provided such that it slides freely along the vertical upright (28) of the frame (26) as shown in Figure 8 in phantom.

Furthermore, it should be noted that in this embodiment of FIG. 8, a stop (29) has been provided to avoid the excessive lifting of the door as well as a grid (30) then serving as a cover for the means described. above, thus improving the aesthetics of the fireplace.

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 (9)

1. Panoramic multi-sided chimney door, in particular intended to form a screen for protecting and sealing the hearth of a chimney insert or hearth, which covers in closed position the different faces of the projecting chimney or at an angle to allow control combustion and avoid splashes and which is articulated and retractable in the hood, characterized in that it is formed:
- a continuous glazed strip (6) which follows the faces of the chimney (1),
- lifting and articulation means (5) of the glazed strip (6). 2. Multiface panoramic door according to claim 1, characterized in that the continuous glazed strip (6) is in the form of a curved glass plate. 3. Multiface panoramic door according to claim 1, characterized in that the continuous glazed strip (6) is in the form of a folded glass plate (7). 3. Multiface panoramic door, according to claim 1, characterized in that the continuous glazed strip (6) is formed by the contiguous placement of plates (8) and (9) of glass in a frame (10). 5. Multiface panoramic door, according to claim 1, characterized in that the lifting and articulation means (5) are formed by:
- a vertical axis (13) fixed to the frame of the chimney (1) by fixed bearings (14) and (15),
- movable bearings (16) and (17) free to rotate about the axis (13) along which they slide and which are fixed to the continuous glazed strip (6). 6. Multiface panoramic door according to claim 5, characterized in that movable bearings (16) and (17) are connected to a compensation system (18) for lifting such as a counterweight mechanism (19). 7. Multiface panoramic door according to claim 5, characterized in that the locking means prevent the panoramic door (2) from being raised when the latter is in the open position. 8. Multiface panoramic door according to claim 7, characterized in that the locking means are in the form of cutouts (22, 23) and a vertical slot (24) which guides the movement of the mobile bearings (16 ) and (17). 9. Multiface panoramic door, according to claim 5, characterized in that the axis (13) is surrounded by a protective grid (21).

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