GB2333356A - Construction of a reflector in a flame-effect electric fire - Google Patents

Abstract

A flame effect electric fire comprises a translucent simulated fuel bed, a translucent fireback (6) extending upwardly from said fuel bed, a reflector (16) mounted behind the fireback (6) and including a body portion (18) extending generally downwardly and rearwardly of the fireback (6), and a source of light (12) for projecting light intermittently onto the underside of the fuel bed and onto the reflector (16), the reflector (16) being of generally peaked or domed shape, the body portion (18) thereof including a plurality of irregular finger elements (22) tapering upwardly and inwardly of the reflector (16), the reflector (16) further including a lower transverse lip portion (20) extending generally downwardly and forwardly of the fireback (6), the surface of said lip portion (20) of the reflector (16) comprising irregular areas (24) of differing reflectivity, light reflected from the body portion (18) creating a flame effect on the fireback (6), and light reflected from the lip portion (20) creating, on the fireback (6) immediately above the fuel bed, a darker region of intense turbulence resembling smoke intermingled with lighter regions resembling flames.

Description

FLAME-EFFECT ELECTRIC FIRE The present ivention relates to electric fires of the type which incorporate devices to simulate the visual effects of live flames such as would issue from fires burning solid fuel.

Electric fires are a very popular and convenient form of radiant domestic heating, and many such fires, especially when they are designed for installation in the opening of a conventional solid fuel fire or upon a hearth, are constructed to give the overall impression of a solid-fuel fire. In such cases, a moulding to represent the upper surface of a bed of partly-burned solid fuel is a very common feature of such fires.

An important characteristic of a normal solid-fuel fire is the effect produced by flickering flames, and it is attempts to produce this effect which have most engaged the designers of electric fuel-effect fires. One common approach has been to provide a vented spinner, mounted for rotation about a vertical axis above a coloured electric bulb. When the bulb is illuminated, the heat rising from the bulb causes the spinner to rotate and, by virtue of the vents in the spinner, coloured light is intermittently directed at the underside of the translucent simulated fuel bed. The resulting effect is a crude rhythmic simulation of the light from a flame.

In order to produce a more credible visual effect, one method which has been adopted is to provide a translucent back to the space above the siumlated fuel bed and to create a vertical flicker effect on the rear of that fireback by means of ribbons, held at their ends in a generally upright position and caused to move by a current of air created by a fan.

An alternative method has been to provide a reflector behind the translucent fireback in which are formed generally upwardly extending flutings onto which light is incident from the bulb and from which light is reflected onto the fireback, the configuration of the flutings being such as to create a flame effect on the rear of the fireback.

However, the flame effects provided by the aforementioned arrangements lack reality, and in particular lack the intensity and turbulence of the constantly varying flame/smoke combination associated with the intermediate regions of a fire immediately above the fuel bed.

It would be desirable to be able to provide an electric fire which displayed improved flame effect characteristics compared with current arrangements, and which was still of relatively simple construction and economic to manufacture.

According to the present invention there is provided a flame effect electric fire comprising a translucent simulated fuel bed, a translucent fireback extending upwardly from said fuel bed, a reflector mounted behind the fireback and including a body portion extending generally downwardly and rearwardly of the fireback, and a source of light for projecting light intermittently onto the underside of the fuel bed and onto the reflector, the envelope of the reflector being of generally peaked or domed shape in front elevation, the body portion thereof including a plurality of irregular finger elements each extending substantially upwardly of the reflector towards a region substantially centrally above the reflector, the reflector further including, along the lower transverse extent thereof, a lip portion extending generally downwardly and forwardly of the fireback, the surface of at least said lip portion of the reflector comprising irregular areas of differing reflectivity, light incident on the body portion and the lip portion of the reflector being reflected therefrom onto the rear of the fireback, the light reflected from the body portion creating an upwardly tapering flame effect, and the light reflected from the lip portion creating, immediately above the fuel bed, a darker region of intense turbulence resembling smoke intermingled with lighter regions resembling flames.

The varying reflectivity of the surface of the lip portion of the reflector is such that the region of intense turbulence resembling smoke is created by the darker or less reflective regions of that surface while the flames intermingled therewith are created by the lighter or more reflective regions of that surface.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the transitional region between the body portion and the lip portion of the reflector is generally concave about an axis extending transversely of the element.

The irregular areas of differing reflectivity may extend upwardly into the lower regions of the body portion of the relflector.

Conveniently the areas of differing reflectivity are created by adhering pieces of different coloured foil onto the surface of the reflector, although it will be apparent that such an effect can be created in other ways, for example by selectively spraying said surface.

In one embodiment of the invention, the body portion includes a plurality of irregular flutings therein each extending substantially upwardly and inwardly of the reflector towards said region substantially centrally above the reflector to define therebetween said plurality of finger elements, and whereby the front surface of the reflector is of generally irregular undulating shape.

In an alternative embodiment of the invention, gaps are provided in the body portion between adjacent finger elements.

Preferably the reflector element is moulded from a light coloured resin material, the simulated fuel bed is moulded from a plastics material and the fireback comprises a translucent acrylic sheet on the rear of which is mounted a polycarbonate sheet for diffusion purposes.

By way of examples only, embodiments of the invention will now be described in greater detail with reference to the accompanying drawings of which: Fig. 1 is a front elevation, partly cut-away, of a fire according to the invention; Fig. 2 is a section on the line A-A in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is an isometric view from the front and to one side of the reflector of the fire of Figs. 1 and 2 to a larger scale and with the reflective foil pieces rrmoved; Figs 4 and 5 are, respectively, a front view and an isometric view from the front and to one side of an alternative reflector for a fire according to the invention.

Referring to Figs 1 to 3 of the drawings, the basic fire apart from the reflector is of relatively conventional construction and comprises an electric fan-assisted heater 2 having a plurality of heating elements above which is mounted an upwardly and rearwardly inclined sheet 4 of translucent plastics material on which are supported pieces of washed anthracite (not shown) to simulate a bed of solid fuel.

A fireback 6 extends vertically upwardly from the rear of the inclined sheet 4 and comprises a translucent sheet of, for example, acrylic material backed by a thin sheet of polycarbonate to diffuse light passing through the fireback 6 from the rear thereof as will be detailed below.

A vented spinner 8 is mounted below the simulated fuel bed and is supported on a bracket 10 for rotation about a vertical axis.

An electric light bulb 12, typically orange or red in colour, is fixed on the bracket 10 immediately below the spinner 8 such that, on switching on the bulb 12, heat therefrom causes the spinner 8 to rotate and light from the bulb 12 shines through the vents of the rotating spinner 8.

The vents in the spinner 8 are preferably of varying inclinations and dimensions with the result that light passing through the spinner 8 changes in intensity and direction as the spinner 8 rotates, some of said light intermittently and irregularly illuminating the fuel bed from below and creating a simulated flame effect therein in conventional manner.

The rear of the fire is closed by a metal back 14 on which is mounted a reflector indicated generally at 16 and located behind the fireback 6. The reflector 16, which is formed from a light coloured resin and is of generally triangular configuration in front elevation, has a flat rear surface and comprises an upper body portion 18 which extends generally downwardly and rearwardly relative to the fireback 6, and a lower lip portion 20 which extends generally downwardly and forwardly relative to the fireback 6.

The transitional region between the upper body portion 18 and the lower lip portion 20 of the reflector 16 is of concave configuration as best seen in Fig. 2, the lip portion 20 of the reflector 16 forming a small proportion of the overall reflector 16 again as shown in Fig. 2.

The front surface of the body portion 18 of the reflector 16 is provided with a plurality of irregular and asymmetric finger elements or protrusions 22 each extending generally upwardly of the reflector 16 and generally inwardly of the reflector 16 towards the apex thereof, the protrusions being longitudinally peaked. Trough-like flutings, also of irregular, asymmetric shape, are formed between adjacent protrusions, each fluting extending generally upwardly of the reflector 16 and being directed towards the apex thereof, the bases of the flutings being concave.

The configuration of the three-dimensional, undulating front surface of the body portion 18 of the reflector 16 resembles flames andis such that, on intermittent and irregular illumination by light from the bulb 12 passing through the spinner 8, said light is reflected from the body portion 18 onto the fireback 6 and is diffused therethrough to illuminate the fireback 6 in the manner of constantly changing, flickering flames. The generally triangular configuration of the reflector 16, and in particular the upward and inward inclination of the protrusions and flutings on the body portion 18, results in good simulation of a real fire in which the flames peak towards a chimney outlet for the flue gases.

The front surface of the lip portion 20 of the reflector 16, which is relatively smooth, has a plurality of small pieces of reflective foil 24 deposited thereon in a random pattern and substantially covering said surface. Said pieces of foil 24 are also deposited on the concave transitional region between the body portion 18 and the lip portion 20 of the reflector 16, and a few such pieces may also be randomly deposited in the lower regions of the flutings and on the lower sides of the protrusions 22 on the body portion 18.

Some of the pieces of foil 24 are light in colour, for example silver, and others of the pieces of foil 24 are darker in colour, for example red, the overall effect being such that, on intermittent and irregular illumination of the lip portion 20 by light from the bulb 12 passing through the spinner 8, said lignt is reflected from the pieces of foil 24 onto the region of the fireback 6 immediately above the simulated fuel bed and is diffused therethrough to illuminate that region of the fireback 6 in the manner of the heart of a conventional fire.

More particularly, the provision of the reflective pieces 24 of light and dark colours disposed as described above results in the simulation of an intense, turbulent fire comprising a constantly changing pattern of interspersed smoke created by the darker foil pieces and flames created by the lighter foil pieces, thus resembling the heart of a fire from which arise the flames created by reflection from the upper body portion 18 of the reflector 16.

The flickering flame effect created by the reflector 16 is such as to change visually when viewed from different angles, thus creating a realistic 3-D effect very similar to an authentic flame.

Figs 4 and 5 show an alternative reflector in which parts equivalent to those of Fig. 3 are similarly referenced.

The envelope of the reflector 16 in front elevation is of generally dome shape with the finger elements 22 being independent of one another and spaced apart to define gaps 30 therebetween.

Again the configuration of the reflector 16 of Figs 4 and 5, which is effectively a laterally stretched version of that of Fig. 3 with the material between the finger elements 22 removed, is such as to create a good simulation of a real fire in which the 'flames' created thereby peak towards the chimney outlet for the flue gases.

Clearly the precise configuration and orientation of the reflector 16 can be chosen to suit particular requirements in particular the irregular sculpting of the flutings and protrusions 22 of the embodiment of Figs 1 to 3 and the finger elements 22 of the embodiment of Figs 4 and 5 can be varied within wide limits, while the foil pieces 24 can be replaced by other reflective means, for example selective painting or spraying of the reflector 16.

Other modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

Claims (8)

1. CALIMS 1. A flame effect electric fire comprising a translucent simulated fuel bed, a translucent fireback extending upwardly from said fuel bed, a reflector mounted behind the fireback and including a body portion extending generally downwardly and rearwardly of the fireback, and a source of light for projecting light intermittently onto the underside of the fuel bed and onto the reflector, the envelope of the reflector being of generally peaked or domed shape in front elevation, the body portion thereof including a plurality of irregular finger elements each extending substantially upwardly of the reflector towards a region substantially centrally above the reflector, the reflector further including, along the lower transverse extent thereof, a lip portion extending generally downwardly and forwardly of the fireback, the surface of at least said lip portion of the reflector comprising irregular areas of differing reflectivity, light incident on the body portion and the lip portion of the reflector being reflected therefrom onto the rear of the fireback, the light reflected from the body portion creating a flame effect, and the light reflected from the lip portion creating, immediately above the fuel bed, a darker region of intense turbulence resembling smoke intermingled with lighter regions resembling flames.
2. 2. An electric fire as claimed in claim 1 in which the transitional region between the body portion and the lip portion of the reflector is generally concave about an axis extending transversely of the reflector.
3. 3. An electric fire as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 in which the irregular areas of differing reflectivity extend upwardly into the lower regions of the body portion of the reflector.
4. 4. An electric fire as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4 in which the areas of differing reflectivity are created by adhering pieces of different coloured foil onto the surface of the reflector.
5. 5. An electric fire as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4 in which the body portion includes a plurality of irregular flutings therein each extending substantially upwardly and inwardly of the reflector towards said region above the reflector to define therebetween said plurality of finger elements, and whereby the front surface of the reflector is of generally irregular undulating shape.
6. 6. An electric fire as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 5 in which gaps are provided in the body portion between adjacent finger elements.
7. 7. An electric fire as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 6 in which the reflector is moulded from a light coloured resin material, the simulated fuel bed is moulded from a plastics material and the fireback comprises a translucent acrylic sheet on the rear of which is mounted a polycarbonate sheet for diffusion purposes.
8. 8. A flame effect eletric fire substantially as described with reference to and as illustrated by the accompanying drawings.