GB2413178A

GB2413178A - Real flame fire comprising reflective panels for creation of depth illusion

Info

Publication number: GB2413178A
Application number: GB0502558A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Richard Stokes
Original assignee: Focal Point Fires PLC
Current assignee: Focal Point Fires PLC
Priority date: 2005-02-08
Filing date: 2005-02-08
Publication date: 2005-10-19
Anticipated expiration: 2025-02-08
Also published as: GB0502558D0; GB2413178B

Abstract

A heating apparatus comprising first and second reflective panels, and a flame means, such as a gas burner. The first reflective panel is tinted such that it absorbs a proportion of the incident light, and the second reflective panel is partially reflective. The flame means is positioned between the first and second reflective panels, and such that it generates a flame in front of the first reflective panel. In this way, multiple flame images are created in the first reflective panel, and the reflection of additional background luminosity is reduced, thereby enhancing the visual effect of the flame.

Description

A HEATING APPARATUS

The present invention relates to a heating apparatus, and in particular, to a domestic fire arrangement which provides a visible real flame.

There are numerous prior art domestic fire arrangements which produce an attractive visible flame. Such fire arrangements may comprise for example a "real" fire in which a solid fuel, for example coal or wood, is combusted.

Alternatively a suitably configured gas burner arrangement may be provided in which the gas is combusted to similarly produce a "real" living flame.

Fires which produce a visible flame are popular and aesthetically pleasing. Indeed, often it is the visual effect of a burning fire and flames provided by a fire which influences the purchase of a domestic heating appliance, ..

rather than the efficiency and amount of heat generated by the fire.

In particular, contemporary fires such as "slim-line", or "plasma", fires are becoming increasing popular. The development of flueless gas fires means that these fires may be provided with real flames, and has increased the number of locations in the house where a gas fires may be situated.

Whilst previously gas fires could only be located where there was an existing chimney or flue, or on an outside wall so that the exhaust gases could be vented, flueless gas fires can be situated anywhere where they can be reached by a fuel supply.

In addition, these fires, as they are slim-line and relatively light weight can be wall mounted, rather than free standing. However, because such fires have a very shallow front-to-back dimension, this allows little space for providing a gas burning arrangement of suitable size to produce a flame having the required aesthetic appearance and visual impact of more conventional prior art arrangements.

In addition, the size of the flame which may be provided is limited by the level of emissions which may be produced by a flue-less fire.

Previously, fires comprising a "real fire" effect, which provide heat via a fan heater, have utilised reflective panels within the fire arrangement to amplify the visual effect and provide the illusion of depth. For example, GB 2,180,927A describes providing a highly reflective rear panel and partially reflective front panel, with an artificial fuel bed located therebetween. The reflection of the artificial fuel bed in the rear panel, and the further reflection provided by the front panel, produces the visual effect of increased depth of fuel bed.

In such fires, the relatively low luminosity of the artificial "fire effect" fuel bed, requires a highly reflective rear panel, and a front panel that is partially reflective. The partial reflectiveness of the front panel is required as the natural Defection of clear glass is insufficient to reflect the low level luminosity of the fire effect fuel bed back to the rear panel. Furthermore, the partial reflectivity is used to conceal the imitation fuel bed when the heater is turned off, as this arrangement is not considered aesthetically pleasing without the glow of the fire effect.

However, such an arrangement is not suitable for "real flame" gas fires. As well as being more expensive than clear heat-proof glass, partially reflective glass front panels require reflective coatings which cannot withstand the higher temperatures produced by the real flames.

Furthermore, a highly reflective rear panel has the disadvantage that it reflects not just the flame, but also the burner arrangement required for the flame, thus producing an appearance which is detrimental to the aesthetics.

Moreover, the highly reflective rear panel has the further disadvantage that it also reflects objects from within room, which detracts from the visual effect.

With this in mind, there is an increasing desire to improve the visual effect, and visual impact, of the flames generated in such fires, as well as to generally improve the aesthetic appearance of the flames within such fires.

It is an object of the present invention to provide improvements in relation to one or more of the matters discussed above or generally.

According to the present invention there is provided a heating apparatus as described in the accompanying claims.

In an embodiment of the invention there is provided a heating apparatus comprising a first reflective panel; a flame means, such as a gas burner, for generating a flame in front of the first reflective panel; and a second reflective panel. The first reflective panel is tinted such that absorbs a proportion of the incident light. The second reflective panel is partially reflective.

In use, the flame from the flame means is located, adjacent and in front of the first reflective panel. In this way a reflection of the flames which is produced in the back panel is clear and un-impinged (as compared, for example with prior art fires which include a false "fuel bed"). In addition, the light from the flame is transmitted through the second reflective panel. As this panel is transmissive, the flame can be viewed from the front of the fire.

However, as the front reflective panel is also partially reflective, the flame is also reflected back to the first reflective panel. This creates multiple reflections of the flame in the first reflective panel, thereby increasing the visual effect of the flame.

::::e Surprisingly, it has been found that by providing a tinted A..

first reflective panel, for example by using polished sheet metal screen, such as tinted stainless steel, only the ...

highly luminous flame is reflected. In particular, it has ... : been found that by providing a first reflective panel which....

is reflective, but also dark enough to absorb most low intensity light, reflections from the burner and objects from within the room in the first reflective panel may be avoided.

In an embodiment, the first reflective panel is made from a black coloured stainless steel. However, it is envisaged that the panel may also be brown, dark blue, or any other colour which provides the panel with suitable optical properties. Alternatively, the first reflective panel may be smoked glass or some other material which appears opaque but is also reflective.

Furthermore, it has been also been found that, due to the high luminosity of the real flame, normal heat-proof clear glass may be used for the second reflective panel, as its natural reflectiveness is suitable, and sufficient, to produce a reflection of sufficient intensity to be reflected back in the first rear reflective panel, thus providing a multiple reflection therein. In this way, a dramatic, impressive, and unexpected enhanced visual effect can be obtained.

Specifically, this arrangement provides an impression that there are several flames, or layers of flames, and that the fire is many times its true depth, with the multiple flame effect providing the illusion of a much larger fire. Whilst the aesthetic effect of this is significant and dramatic in itself, it also means that a smaller flame can be provided . to generate the effect of a larger more dramatic fire. This .

arrangement more efficient since less fuel needs to be i..

combusted to generate a smaller flame.

- ..

In an embodiment, the first rear reflecting panel is formed ... : such that it is not flat. Preferably, the first reflective....

panel corrugated, and several vertical corrugations are provided across the width of the panel. The corrugations provide increased vertical rigidity to the rear reflecting panel, and mitigate or obviate any effects of warping due to the high flame temperature.

Furthermore, the corrugations provide and additional visual effect which is aesthetically pleasing. Alternatively, the first reflective panel may comprise vertical waves, square corrugations, or be formed in any other suitable shape.

In a further embodiment, at least one additional reflective panel may be provided in front of the second reflective panel. Preferably a third reflective panel is provided. The third reflective panel may be clear glass or, preferably, partially reflective glass. As the third reflective panel is positioned in front of the second reflective panel, it is not subject to the high flame temperatures of such, and may therefore be provided with a reflective coating. The third reflective panel further enhances the visual effect of the flame by providing an additional reflective surface to reflect the image of the flame to the first reflective panel, thereby increasing the number of multiple reflections therein.

In an embodiment, the angular orientation of the third reflective panel relative to the second reflective panel may be varied. By varying the angular orientation of the third reflective panel, the height of the flames reflected in the - first reflective panel may be varied. . ë : ë An embodiment of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the following illustrative figures in which: .. : Figure 1 is a side section view of the fire; . . --. : Figure 2 is a front view of the fire showing the multiple reflection effect according to the present invention; Figure 3 is a front view of a modified fire with a back panel including corrugations; and Figure 4 is a side section view of an embodiment of the invention including a third reflective panel As can be seen In Figures 1 and 2, heating apparatus 6 is a slim-line 'plasma' style gas fire, although it will be appreciated that the present invention is not limited to this style of gas fire. The heating apparatus 6 is a flueless gas fire and is adapted to be mounted on an interior wall to provide both a heat source and a decorative feature.

With reference to Figure 1, the heating apparatus has a front 12 and a back 11. The front 12 includes a frame 13.

The heating apparatus is provided with a first reflective panel 1 which is located at the rear of the fire, and a second reflective panel 3 which is located at the front of the fire.

The second reflective panel 3 is made from a clear heat proof glass, which is partially reflective, although it could be made from any other suitable material which is heat resistant and is both light transmissive and reflective.

The first reflective panel 1 is located at the rear of the fire 6 such that it is visible from the front through the second reflective panel 3. An air space 5 separates the first reflective panel 1 and the second reflective panel 3.

In this embodiment, the first reflective panel 1 is made from a nontransmissive, reflective material, provided by a tinted and highly polished stainless steel. In this embodiment, the first reflective panel 1 is a coloured "mirror black" polished stainless steel, produced using an electro- chemical process which does not involve pigment.

The black coloured stainless steel has colour properties, measured using a Garner Colour Photospectrometer, as follows: L value; within the range 36 to 46 a value; within the range -4 to 3 b value; within the range -5 to 5.

The stainless steel may be any other colour which provides a suitable reflective property. Whilst it needs to be a dark colour, the actual colour may be varied to provide different visual effects. It will be appreciated that the first reflective panel 1 may also be any suitable reflective non- transmissive material, such as smoked glass.

A gas burner 4 is located in the space 5 between the first reflective panel 1 and the second reflective panel 3. The gas burner 4 is positioned such that, in use, it is obscured from view by the frame 13. The gas burner 4 is a strip burner which provides a continuous linear flame 2. A series of discrete individual flames could, alternatively, be provided. The length of the gas burner 4 is such that the a... -

flame 2 substantially traverses the interior width of the A. frame 13. This provides a desirable aesthetic appearance but. ..

is not essential to the working of the invention. .

The gas burner 4 is positioned in front of the first reflective panel 1, such that the flame 2 is reflected in the first reflective panel. The gas burner is further positioned such that the flame 2 is visible through, and reflected in, the second reflective panel 3.

With reference to Figure 2, the flame 2 is reflected in the first reflective panel 1 producing first reflection 7. The flame 2 is also reflected in the second reflective panel 3, producing a second flame image. This second flame image is reflected back in the first reflecting panel 1 producing second reflection S. First reflection 7 is also reflected in the second reflective panel producing a fourth flame image. This forth flame image is again reflected back in the first reflective panel 1 producing third reflection 9. Thereby, a multiple flame image is produced which provides the illusion that there are four flames within the heating apparatus 6, and that the space 5 is considerably deeper than it actually is.

The number of multiple images produced is dependent on the reflectivity of the first and second reflective panels 1 and 3. The higher the reflectivity the greater the number of multiple images produced. It has been found that for the a heating apparatus 6 including a black coloured stainless steel first reflective panel 1, and a clear glass second reflective panel 3, the number of multiple reflections achieved is three.

The spacing of the flames images may be altered by varying the distance between the first and second reflective panels 1 and 3, and by varying the positioning of the gas burner 4 between the front and the back of the air space 5. The multiple flame images may also be altered by varying the angle of the second reflective plate 3 relative to the first reflective plate 1. . . It has been surprisingly found that by providing a first reflective panel 1, which is tinted to absorb a proportion of the incident light, only the highly luminous flame is reflected therein. The degree to which the first reflective panel 1 is tinted determines the amount of light which is absorbed. By providing a dark tinted first reflective panel 1 which is opaque, or at least appears opaque, all low intensity light such as the reflection of the from the burner 4 and objects from within the room, is absorbed and not reflected. Only the high intensity light resulting from the flame 2 being positioned in close proximity to the first reflective panel 1 is reflected.

Furthermore, it has been also been found that providing a second reflective panel 3 that is partially reflective such that it is both transmissive and reflective, adds to this effect. It has been found that the clear glass is particularly effective as it transmits the low intensity light and only reflects the high intensity light of the flame 2 back to the first reflective panel.

In the embodiment if Figure 3, the first reflective panel 1 corrugated to increase the vertical rigidity. The first reflective panel 1 is provided with vertical corrugations 2, which are formed by bending the panel at several points along the width. In addition to increasing the vertical rigidity of the panel 1 and mitigating the effects of heat warping, the corrugations also add to the visual effect. To this end, the first reflective panel may be formed or corrugated in various shapes to alter the visual appearance.

Referring to Figure 4, there is shown an embodiment in which a third reflective panel 14 is provided in front of the second reflective panel 3. The third reflective panel provides a second reflective surface to reflect flame images back to the first reflective panel 1, thereby increasing the number and/or spacing of the multiple reflections. The third reflective panel 14 may be clear glass, or may also be glass having a reflective coating or smoked glass. A standard reflective coating may be applied to the third reflective panel 14 as it is not directly subjected to the heat of the flame 2.

The angular orientation of the third reflective panel 14 relative to the second reflective panel 3 may be varied to alter the appearance of the multiple flame images.

Similarly, the spacing between the second and third reflective panels may also be varied, until the desired characteristics of the reflections produced are obtained.

Claims

CLAIMS 1. A heating apparatus comprising: a first reflective panel; a flame means for generating a real flame in front of the first reflective panel; and a second reflective panel; wherein the first reflective panel is tinted such that it absorbs a proportion of the incident light, and the second reflective panel is partially reflective, such that multiple reflections of the flame are created in the first reflective panel. -. 2. A heating apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the flame means is a gas burner. 3. A heating apparatus according to claim 1 or 2 wherein the first reflective panel comprises a polished metal material, such as stainless steel. 4. A heating apparatus according to claim 1 or 2 wherein the first reflective panel is smoked glass. 5. A heating apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the second reflective panel is clear, heat-proof glass. 6. A heating apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the first reflective panel is formed such that it is not flat. 7. A heating apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims wherein first reflective panel is corrugated. 8. A heating apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims comprising at least one additional reflective panel in front of the second reflective panel. 9. A heating apparatus according to claim 8 wherein the at least one additional reflective panel in front of the second reflective panel is a third reflective panel. 10. A heating apparatus according to claim 8 or 9 wherein the at least one additional panel is provided with a reflective coating. 11. A heating apparatus according to any one of claims 8 to .'.: wherein the at least one additional reflective panel is, .e angled relative to the second reflective panel. ë 12. A heating apparatus according to any one of the, preceding claims wherein the orientation of the second. ,.. reflective panel may be varied relative to the first reflective panel. 13. A heating apparatus as hereinbefore described and as shown in any of the accompanying drawings. Amendments to the claims have been filed as follows CLAIMS

1. A heating apparatus comprising: a first reflective panel) a flame means for generating a real flame in front of the first reflective panel; and a second reflective panel) wherein the first reflective panel is tinted such that it absorbs a proportion of the incident light, and the second reflective panel is partially reflective, such that multiple reflections of the flame are created in the first reflective panel.

2. A heating apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the flame means is a gas burner.

3. A heating apparatus according to claim 1 or 2 wherein the first reflective panel comprises a polished metal material.

4. A heating apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the first reflective panel comprises stainless steel.

5. A heating apparatus according to claim 1 or 2 wherein the first reflective panel is smoked glass.

6. A heating apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the second reflective panel is clear, heat-proof glass.

7. A heating apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the first reflective panel is formed such that it is not flat. lit

8. A heating apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims wherein first reflective panel is corrugated.

9. A heating apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims comprising at least one additional reflective panel in front of the second reflective panel.

10. A heating apparatus according to claim 9 wherein the at least one additional reflective panel in front of the second reflective panel is a third reflective panel.

11. A heating apparatus according to claim 9 or 10 wherein the at least one additional panel is provided with a reflective coating.

12. A heating apparatus according to any one of claims 9 to 11 wherein the at least one additional reflective panel is angled relative to the second reflective panel.

13. A heating apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the orientation of the second reflective panel may be varied relative to the first reflective panel.

14. A heating apparatus as hereinbefore described and as shown in any of the accompanying drawings.