GB2438517A

GB2438517A - Simulation device for a hearth

Info

Publication number: GB2438517A
Application number: GB0709901A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Gerrit Catharinus Van Suijdam
Original assignee: DRU VERWARMING BV
Current assignee: DRU VERWARMING BV
Priority date: 2006-05-23
Filing date: 2007-05-23
Publication date: 2007-11-28
Also published as: GB0709901D0; NL1031860C2

Abstract

The present invention relates to a simulation device for a hearth comprising a hearth apparatus 6 that contains a simulation heating area with means for suggesting a burning hearth fire, a casing 2 encasing the hearth apparatus, and at least one heating element 13 for heating air. The casing may comprise a mantelpiece, a cabinet or a chimney breast. Preferably, the heating element is an electric heating element. An air-displacement means, such as a fan, is provided for displacing air heated by the heating element. The heating element is electrically coupled to the hearth apparatus to enable simultaneous control of the hearth apparatus, the heating element and the air-displacement means. In use, the heating element is located outside the hearth apparatus but is preferably installed inside the casing. A switching device may be provided for controlling the hearth apparatus, heating element and fan. Preferably, the switching device comprises a remote control for controlling the simulation device from a distance.

Description

( 2438517 A simulation device for a hearth.

The present invention relates to a simulation device for a hearth comprising a hearth apparatus (hat contains a simulation heating area with means for suggesting a burning hearth lire, a casing encasing the hearth apparatus, at least one heating element for heating air, which is electrically coupled to the hearth apparatus to enable simultaneous control of the hearth apparatus and the at least one heating element and air-displacement means for displacing air heated by the at least one heating element Such a device is known as an electric hearth, which may or can be installed in a casing such as a mantelpiece, cabinet or chimney breast, with the possibility of simulating a hearth lire in the hearth apparatus because light is projected onto a projection screen in the form of flames. At its front side, the side facing a room in which the hearth is installed, or at least the side intended to face a room, the hearth apparatus is provided with a transparent plate, usually made of glass, which screens the simulation heating area from the room The heating element and a fan, being the air-displacement device, are contained inside the hearth apparatus, hidden from view. Above, or sometimes beneath, the transparent plate is a grid through which the fan can blow the air heated by the heating element from the hearth apparatus into the room. When the electric hearth is switched on a flame image on the projection screen will create a visual simulation of a burning hearth and the heating element and the fan will be simultaneously switched on so that air will be heated in the hearth apparatus, which will be subsequently blown into the room in which the electric hearth is installed.

A drawback of the known electric hearth is that the hearth apparatus is fairly large on account of the number ol elements it is required to accommodate This substantially restricts the freedom of design in such an electric hearth, which is particularly disadvantageous in the case of straightforward designs that must be suitable for installation in relatively small areas The present invention therefore aims to solve the aforementioned problems and to provide a device according to the preamble with the possibility of a smaller design of the hearth apparatus. This aim is achieved by the present invention in that the at least one heating element is at least in the Simulation device's installed condition installed outside the hearth apparatus. The present invention ( herewith overcomes the preconceived notion that a heating element must ne installed inside (he hearth apparatus because it is assumed to be necessary br the hot air Lo be introduced into the room from the simulated hearth lire to ensure a better simulation of a real hearth containing a real fire radiating heat Installing the at least one heating element and the air-displacement device outside the heartli apparatus implies a saving in space in the hearth apparatus not only on account of the absence ol the elements concerned themselves. Because the at least one heating element and the air-displacement device must for understandable reasons be hidden from the view of persons in the room in which (he electric hearth is installed, those elements can often not be installed in an efficient position n the hearth apparatus. and specific room must be created or reserved for them Another drawback of the known electric hearth is that the temperature in the hearth apparatus may rise substantially in the vicinity of the at least one heating element arid the hot air flow. Allowance must be made for this in choosing the elements to he installed in the hearth apparatus, for example for simulating the flame image. to prevent the risk of elements being damaged by heating, or even the risk of fire. This has the effect of increasing costs An alternative is to provide screening elements in the hearth apparatus for elements that are susceptible to the heat. This also has the eflect of increasing costs and may lead to a need for more room inside the hearth apparatus. These drawbacks are also prevented by installing the at least one heating element outsiiieihe hearth apparatus.

In a preferred embodiment according to the present invention the at least one heating element is in the simulation device's installed condition installed at a distance from the hearth apparatus. This increases the freedom in designing such a simulation device even more, especially with respect to the positioning oi the hearth apparatus in relation to the at least one heating element and the air-displacement devices In a preferred embodiment according to the present invenlion the at least one heating element is installed inside the casing This way the hearth apparatus can combine the effect of the visual simulation with the perception of a burning hearth that is simulated by the hot air of the at least one heating element because a person in the room in which the hearth is installed will feel or at least perceive the hot air flow as coming from the simulated hearth fire.

It is moreover preferable for (he casing to be provided with at least t one outlet, via which the air-displacement device can displace air from the casing to a room. Displacing air heated by the at least one heating element from the casing to the room approximates the effect of heated air being blown from the hearth apparatus into the room. This is because (he hearth apparatus is contained in the casing, so that the hot air can be blown from the casing in the vicinity of the hearth apparatus without it incidentally being necessary for the at least one heating element to be installed relatively close to the hearth apparatus. Air that is displaced in the casing at some distance Irorn the hearth apparatus can be led by means of air ducts to a position close to the hearth apparatus, from where it can he blown out of the casing.

In a preferred embodiment according to the present invention the at least one outlet is provided above the hearth apparatus. This way an air flow From a real hearth with a real hearth fire can be suggested in a simple, natural way In one embodiment according to the present invention the at least one outlet is provided at the front of the casing. The aim is again to simulate in the most natural way an air flow of a lire burning in the hearth apparatus.

In another preferred embodiment according to the present invention two outlets are provided on opposite sides ci the casing. This will contribute towards uniform heating of the room in which the simulation device is installed. The two outlets lying opposite one another can be combined with an outlet at the front of the casing -which will enable both the simulation effect and gradual heating of the room.

In a preferred embodiment according to the present invention at least two heating elements are provided. In the case of installation in a known hearth apparatus it has for reasons of for example efficient use of space inside the hearth apparatus so far been common practice to provide one heating element. Using two or more heating elements however implies some major advantages In the first place ills possible to install, instead of one heating element with a relalively high power.

for example 2000 Watt, a number of smaller heating elemenls, each with a lower power. For example two elements, each with a power of 1000 Watt, whose overall power however corresponds to, or may even exceed that of the heating elements so far used in electric hearths The greater the power ol a heating element, the greater the number of precautions that must be taken on account of the risk 01 damage to elements by heat, or even the risk of lire By now dividing the power between a number of heating elements the precautions may be of a smaller design than when

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use is made of a single heating element with a powei that exceeds that of the individual (smaller) elements, but is less than that of the sum ol Lhe (smaller) elements together. Another advantage is that in the case described in the previous paragraph, in which at least two outlets for hot air are provided in a casing.

individual heating elements can be provided near the individual outlets, so that the air heated by the individual heating elements can be blown directly into the roorii This leads to a high level of efficiency because no heaL remains in the casing during the transport of hot air from a heating element lying at some distance from the ventilation opening to the ventilation opening In an alternative simulation device according to the present invention the hearth apparatus contains an opening and/or a duct for transporting air heated outside the hearth apparatus via the hearth apparatus to an outlet in the hearth apparatus to the room. This way the advantage of the freedom of aesign realised by installing the at least one heating element and the air-displacement devices outside the hearth apparatus can be combined with the advantage of the most faithful possible simulation by the simulation device of a flow of hot air created by a fire burning in the hearth apparatus.

It is furthermore preferable for a switching device to be provided, for switching on and oil the hearth apparatus and also the at least one heating element and the fan It will be obvious that this is intended to imply not a central switch unit of a house or building, but a switch unit that is intended exclusively, or at least predominantly, for switching and/or controlling the simulation device. The central switch unit may comprise a remote control for controlling the simulation device from a distance The at least one heating element is preferably an electric heating element. tithe simulation device is an electric hearth, it is preferable for the at least one heating element to be electrically excited, too This way the visual simulation effect and the heating of the room can both be ellected by supplying only electricity as energy The present invention will be further elucidated below on the basis of a preferred embodiment according to the present invention with reference to the enclosed drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of an electric health according to the present invention,

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Figure 2 is a front view ol the electric hearth shown in figure 1, and Figure 3 is a side view of the hearth shown in figure 1.

Looking now at the figures, an electric hearth 1 according ro the present invention is shown with a mantelpiece 2 with two side panels 3, a front panel 4 and a cover plate 5, ventilation openings 12 being provided between the side panels 3 and the front panel 4 on the one hand and the cover plate 5 on the other Contained in the mantelpiece 2 is a hearth apparatus 6 placed on an elevation 7 The hearth apparatus 6 has a frame 8 that contains a glass plate 9 through which a projection screen lOis visible that is installed behind plastic elements lila the form of logs. Near the ventilation openings 12 are heating elements 13 with an integrated fan The electric hearth 1 is or can be installed in a room with the far side of the side panels 3 and the cover plate 5 being placed against a wall (not shown). This way a mantelpiece of an open hearth is simulated. The electric hearth 1 is connected to the electric lacilities (not shown) of a building and when the electric hearth 1 is switched on an image of flames is projected onto the projection screen 10 by means of lighting (not shown). Further lighting (not Shown) moreover creates a glowing effect in the plastic elements 11 in the form of logs. This way an open hearth with burning logs is visually simulated for a person in the room in which the mantelpiece 2 containing the electric hearth 1 is installed.

Electric heating elements 13 incorporating a Ian are installed at the lop of the mantelpiece 2 near the ventilation openings 12 between the cover plate 5 and the side panels 3 for heating the room. When the electric hearth 1 is switched on the heating elements 13 are also switched on, which, as a result of an underpressure created by the tans near the heating elements 13. attract air from the room as indicated by arrows A, which air is inside the mantelpiece 2 drawn towards the heating elements 13, where the air is heated and blown back into the room via ventilation openings 12 at the sides of the electric hearth 1, as indicated by arrows B Because the heating elements 13 are provided predominantly adjacent (0 the ventilation openings, the air is blown into the room immediately after being heated.

The pictured embodiment is included solely to illustrate the present invention and has no restrictive influence whatsoever on the scope of protection oi the present invention as determined by means of the following claims Many variations within this scope of protection will be conceivable for a person skilled in ( the art. The ventilation openings for sucking in and blowing out air may (or example be provided at any desired place in the mantelpiece 2. as may the associated heating elemenLs It is also possible to install heating elements elsewhere and to lead them to ventilation openings for example directly above the hearth apparatus by means of ducts The number of heating elements is less important with respect to the principle of the present invention, but does actually contribute towards the resulting freedom of design. One heating element can equally well be used instead of two heating elements, or on the contrary a larger number of heating elements.

depending on the requirements and needs ol designers and users. Instead of a mantelpiece. the structure may be a different type of casing, such as a cabinet or a chimney breast, in which case the casing is hidden from sight as it were behind a wall containing the electric hearth. (

Claims

CLAIMS

1. A simulation device for a hearth comprising a hearth apparatus that conLains a simulation heating area with means for suggesting a burning hearth fire, a casing encasing the hearth apparatus, at least one heating element for healing air, which is electrically coupled to the hearth apparatus to enable simultaneous control of the hearth apparatus and the at least one heating element and air- displacement means for displacing air heated by the at least one heating element. characterised in that the at least one heating element is at least iii the simulation device's installed condition installed outside the hearth apparatus 2 A simulation device according to claim 1, characterised in that the at least one heating element is in the simulation device's installed condition installed at some distance from the hearth apparatus.

3 A simulation device according to claim 1 or claim
2. characterised in that the at least one heating element is installed inside the casing 4 A simulation device according to claim 3, characterised in (hat the casing is provided with at least one outlet, through which the air-displacement means can displace air from the casing to a room.

5. A simulation device according to claim 4, characterised in that the at least one outlet is provided above the hearth apparatus.

6 A simulation device according to claim 4 or claim 5, characterised in that the at least one outlet is provided at the front of the casing.

7 A simulation device according to any one of claims 4 5 or 6, characterised in that two outlets are provided on opposite sides of the casing 8 A simulation device accoroing to any one or more of the preceding claims, characterised in that the hearth apparatus comprises an opening and/or a duct for transporting air heated outside the hearth apparatus via the hearth apparatus to an outlet in the hearth apparatus to the room 9 A simulation device according to any one or more ol the preceding claims, characterised in that at least two heating elements are provided.

10.A simulation device according to any one or more of the preceding claims characterised in that a switching device is provided for conirolling the hearth apparatus and also the at least one heating element and the fan 11. A simulation device according to any one or more of the preceding ( claims, characterised in that the al least one heating element is an electric healing element.

12. A simulation device as herein described with reference to the accompanying Figures i to
3.