GB2445029A

GB2445029A - Fuel effect fire with upward heated air flow

Info

Publication number: GB2445029A
Application number: GB0625784A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Christopher Simon Stonier
Original assignee: Domestic Fire Appliances Ltd
Current assignee: Domestic Fire Appliances Ltd
Priority date: 2006-12-22
Filing date: 2006-12-22
Publication date: 2008-06-25
Anticipated expiration: 2026-12-22
Also published as: GB0625784D0; GB2445029B

Abstract

A fire 10 has simulated fuel 22, a pressure creating means 34, such as a fan, for creating a flow of air, a heating means 40, which may be electric heating elements, to heat the air flow and a passage 36 to direct the heated air upwards. The fire may have two housing sections 13, 14, the ducting 36 being telescopically adjustable so that the two housing sections can be adjusted with respect to one another. The upper housing 13 may have a light source 18, flicker element 20 and simulated fuel 22. The lower housing may house the fan 34, heating means 40 and controls for the fire 58. A grate or lip 46 may be provided in the ducting 36 to prevent objects falling into the duct. There may be a deflector 26 to deflect the flow of heated air.

Description

A Fire The present invention relates to fires, particularly but not

exclusively electric fires.

It is known to provide electric fires as an alternative to solid fuel or gas fires to fit to original and reproduction cast iron fireplaces. Such fires include a fuel effect part which is arranged to simulate the appearance of burning fuel, typically comprising a moulded housing which is illuminated by a flickering light source, the fire also including heating means. In some examples, the heating means is in the form of radiant heating elements, while in other examples the fire includes a pressure creating means which provides a flow of air over a heating element. Typically the flow of air exits from the front of the fire just above ground level through an aperture, which when the fire is not in operation is covered by a cover member which could be in the form of an ash pan cover. However, such an airflow arrangement does not reproduce the conventional convection airflow of a traditional fire, and it is inconvenient for the user to have to remove the cover member while the fire is in operation.

According to a first aspect of the present Invention, there is provided a fire, the fire including a fuel effect part which is arranged in use to simulate the appearance of burning fuel, pressure creating means for providing a flow of air, heating means for heating the flow of air, the fire defining a passage which is arranged in use to direct the heated airflow upwardly.

Possibly the heating means is electrically powered.

Possibly the heated airflow is directed substantially vertically upwardly Possibly the fuel effect part is located above the pressure creating means.

Possibly the heated airflow is directed upwardly alongside the fuel effect part.

Possibly the fuel effect part is arranged for viewing by a user from a first direction Possibly the heated airflow is directed alongside the fuel effect part on a side away from the first direction. Possibly the fire includes ducting which may define part of the passage Possibly the ducting extends from the pressure creating means.

Possibly the fuel effect part defines a channel, which may form part of the passage.

Possibly the ducting is receivable within the channel, and may be slidably receivable therein to permit the spacing between the fuel effect part and the pressure creating means to be varied Possibly the fire includes barrier means for preventing the entry of items into the ducting. Possibly the barrier means includes a lip, which may extend around the channel. Possibly the barrier means includes a grating, which may extend across the passage, and may define apertures which permit the heated airflow to flow through the grating.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a fireplace assembly, the fireplace assembly including a fire as described in the preceding statements and a deflector for deflecting the heated airflow.

Possibly the deflector deflects the heated airflow substantially along the first direction An embodiment of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:-.

Fig 1 is a schematic side sectional view of a fireplace assembly including a fire; and Fig. 2 is a perspective view from the rear and above of the fire of Fig. 1.

Fig. 1 shows a fireplace assembly 10, the fireplace assembly 10 including a fire 12. The fire 12 includes an in use upper fuel effect part 13 which includes a fuel effect housing 14 defining a fuel effect housing interior 16. The fuel effect housing 14 could be formed by moulding of a plastics or fibreglass material to simulate the appearance of fuel such as coals or logs The fire 12 includes a light source 18 located within the fuel effect housing interior 16. The light source 18 could be in the form of a light bulb, a plurality of light bulbs, a lighting emitting diode or a plurality of light emitting diodes or any other suitable light source. The fire 12 includes a spinner member 20 which is mounted for rotation above the light source 18 so that heat rising from the light source 18 causes the spinner member 20 to rotate, 1 5 providing a flickering light effect The fuel effect housing 14 includes an upper surface 28 on which can be positioned in use a plurality of fuel effect members 22, which could be in the form of coal pieces or log pieces.

The fire 12 includes an in use lower heater housing 30 which is positioned beneath and spaced apart from the upper fuel effect housing 14.

The heater housing 30 defines a heater housing interior 32. The fire 12 includes pressure creating means in the form of a fan 34 which is located within the heater housing interior 32. The fire 12 includes ducting 36 which extends from the fan 34 upwardly. The upper end of the ducting 36 is received within a channel 24 defined by the fuel effect housing 14, the ducting 36 defining a duct passage 38.

The heater housing 30 defines an inlet aperture 42.

The fire 12 includes heating means in the form of a plurality of electrically powered heating elements 40, which are located in the duct passage 38.

The fire 12 includes control means in the form of a controller 58 which is located within the heater housing interior 32.

The fire 12 includes barrier means in the form of a barrier lip 26 which extends upwardly along the rear edges of the fuel effect housing 14 and in particular around an upper part of the fuel effect housing channel 24, to contain the fuel effect members 22 on the upper surface 28 and prevent the fuel effect members 22 from falling into the duct passage 38 The barrier means includes a barrier grating 46 which extends across the duct passage 38 arid defines a plurality of grating apertures 48 to permit the passage of air through the grating 46, but substantially prevent entry of the fuel effect members 22, or other items into the duct passage 38 In use, the heater housing 30 is located on a hearth 50, substantially abutting a fireplace back 52. The fuel effect housing 14 is mounted above the heater housing 30. The fire 12 could include mounting means, which permit the spacing of the fuel effect housing 14 from the heater housing 30 to be varied in accordance with the requirements of the installation.

As the fuel effect housing 14 is mounted above the heater housing 30, the ducting 36 is slidably located within the channel 24. The ducting 36 and channel 24 have correspondingly substantially parallel side walls to effectively provide telescopic location of the ducting 36 within the channel 24, permitting the spacing between the fuel effect housing 14 and the heater housing 30 to be varied.

The fireplace assembly 10 could include a deflector 54 which extends upwardly and forwardly from the fireplace back 52 above the duct passage 38.

In use, the fan 34 draws cold air from the room through the inlet aperture 42 as indicated by arrows A. Air is exhausted from the fan 34 along the duct passage 38 over the heating elements 40 as indicated by arrows B The heated air passes through the grating apertures 48 upwardly along the fuel element housing channel 24 and is deflected by the deflector 54 into the room as indicated by arrows C. The duct passage 38 and the channel 24 thus form a continuous passage along which the heated air is directed substantially vertically upwardly.

In Fig 1, the user's view point is indicated by an eyeball symbol 56, the user viewing the fireplace assembly 10 along a direction indicated by arrow D. The inlet aperture 42 could be relatively small, and for practical purposes invisible to the user, particularly if vanes or louvres are positioned over the inlet 42. In contrast, the duct passage 38 and channel 24 can be relatively large, allowing a relatively large heated airflow at a relatively low flow rate.

The channel 24 is located on the side of the fuel effect housing 14 away from the users viewpoint 56, so that the relatively large opening of the channel 24 is visually unobtrusive to the user, while permitting easy cleaning of the channel 24 and of the grating 46, for example, by a vacuum cleaner nozzle.

Various other modifications could be made without departing from the scope of the invention. The fuel effect part could include any suitable fuel simulation means. The fuel effect housing could be of any suitable size or shape, and could be formed of any suitable material. The pressure creating means could be of any suitable type. The heating means could be of any suitable type The heater housing could be of any suitable size or shape.

The duct passage and fuel effect housing channel could be of any suitable size or shape The control means could be of any suitable type.

There is thus provided an electric fire which provides an upwardly directed heated airflow at a relatively slow flow rate providing comfort for the user while remaining visually unobtrusive. The arrangement of the present invention permits the fuel effect part of the fire to be spaced at a variable distance according to installation requirements from the pressure creating means Whilst endeavouring in the foregoing specification to draw attention to those features of the invention believed to be of particular importance it should be understood that the Applicant claims protection in respect of any patentable feature or combination of features hereinbefore referred to and/or shown in the drawings whether or not particular emphasis has been placed thereon

Claims

Claims 1 A fire, the fire including a fuel effect part which is

arranged in use to simulate the appearance of burning fuel, pressure creating means for providing a flow of air, heating means for heating the flow of air, the fire defining a passage which is arranged in use to direct the heated airflow upwardly.
2 A fire according to claim 1, in which the heating means is electricafly powered
3 A fire according to claims 1 or 2, in which the heated airflow is directed substantially vertically upwardly.
4 A fire according to claims 1 to 3, in which the fuel effect part is located above the pressure creating means.
A fire according to claim 4, in which the heated airflow is directed upwardly alongside the fuel effect part.
6 A fire according to claim 5, in which the fuel effect part is arranged for viewing by a user from a first direction, and the heated airflow is directed alongside the fuel effect part on a side away from the first direction.
7 A fire according to any other preceding claim, in which the fire includes ducting which defines part of the passage.
8 A fire according to claim 7, in which the ducting extends from the pressure creating means
9 A fire according to any preceding claim, in which the fuel effect part defines a channel, which forms part of the passage.
A fire according to claim 9 when dependent on claim 8, in which the ducting is receivable within the channel.
11 A fire according to claim 10, in which the ducting is slidably receivable within the channel to permit the spacing between the fuel effect part and the pressure creating means to be varied.
12 A fire according to claim 7 or any claim dependent thereon, in which the fire includes barrier means for preventing the entry of items into the ducting.
13 A fire according to claim 12 when dependent on claim 9 or any claim dependent thereon, in which the barrier means includes a lip, which extends around the channel
14 A fire according to claims 12 or 13, in which the barrier means includes a grating, which extends across the passage, and defines apertures which permit the heated airflow to flow through the grating.
A fireplace assembly, the fireplace assembly including a fire as defined in any of the preceding claims and a deflector for deflecting the heated airflow.
16 An assembly according to claim 15 when dependent on claim 6 or any claim dependent thereon, in which the deflector deflects the heated airflow substantially along the first direction.
17 A fire substantially as hereinbefore described and with reference to the accompanying drawings.
18 A fire assembly substantially hereinbefore described and with reference to the accompanying drawings.
19 Any novel subject matter or combination including novel subject matter disclosed herein, whether or not within the scope of or relating to the same invention as any of the preceding claims.