WO2007020196A1

WO2007020196A1 - An electric fire

Info

Publication number: WO2007020196A1
Application number: PCT/EP2006/065031
Authority: WO
Inventors: Martin Betz; Noel O'neill
Original assignee: Basic Holdings
Priority date: 2005-08-12
Filing date: 2006-08-03
Publication date: 2007-02-22
Also published as: EP1752711A1; DE602005003024T2; DE602005003024D1; ATE376653T1; EP1752711B1

Abstract

An electric fire is provided that includes first and second sheets of glass, the sheets being mounted in a frame and a housing respectively. The frame is receivable within an interior portion of the housing. An air blower is provided in an upper portion of the housing and is configured to direct heated air downwardly in front of the first sheet of glass such that it exits the housing in a downward direction.

Description

An electric fire.

Field of the invention

The invention relates to electric fires. The invention particularly relates to an electric fire that is configured to simulate a fireplace and provides an improved aesthetic appearance.

Background to the invention

Electric fires are known in the art. Initially introduced to replace the traditional fireplace, they were dimensioned so as to fit into the hearth of the fireplace. They are advantageous over the traditional fire based on combustible fuels in that the heat is immediate on turning on the fire and there is no cleaning required. Some of the earlier models included two or more elements that could be selectively activated to determine the amount of heat output. These were often situated in the bottom portion of the fire, and had a coal effect plastic moulding provided thereabove, which could be backlit so as to provide the coal effect.

Developments from these included the removal of the electric elements and their substitution by a fan blower. A housing was provided that included therein a heating element that was situated adjacent to a fan blower. The fan was configured to blow the heated air out from the housing so as to provide for heating over an extended area within the room.

As part of these configurations a grill was required in the front face of the housing. This grill is required to prevent the insertion of objects into the moving parts of the air blower. Although this grill is a requirement for the operation of such electric heaters, the provision of the grill in the front face detracts somewhat from the overall appearance of the heater- a fact that is becoming more and more important in the sale of such heaters where the consumer is looking for a functional heater that provides heat from an aesthetically pleasing housing. The occlusion of the grill from a front view of such heaters is addressed by the heater of GB2386680 which provides a frame spaced apart from the front of the housing of the heater- the frame being dimensioned to overlap with the location of the grill thereby occluding the grill from view.

Although such a heater achieves it desired objective, i.e. the occlusion of the grill elements from view, the requirement to have the frame spaced forward from the housing thereby requires a heater of larger cross section depth than is desired for many applications.

There is therefore a need to provide an electric fire incorporating an air blower that is configured to generate the necessary heat, yet does not require the presence of a cumbersome frame to hide the presence of the blower.

Summary

These and other requirements are addressed by an electric fire in accordance with the present invention. Such a fire is detailed in claim 1 with advantageous embodiments detailed in the dependent claims.

According to a first embodiment of the invention an electric fire is provided that includes a housing and a frame; the frame being mountable to a front portion of the housing and providing a support for a first piece of glass that is supported in a vertical orientation, the housing providing a support for a second piece of glass that is also mounted in a vertical orientation, parallel to the first piece of glass, the housing further including a platform located in front of and substantially perpendicular to the second piece of glass, the platform providing a support for locating a fuel bed, such that when the frame is mounted to the housing, the platform is situated between the first and second sheets of glass, and wherein the housing is further configured to support a heating element and an air blower, the air blower being provided in an upper portion of the housing and being mounted adjacent to the heating element such that heated air from the heating element may be blown by the blower out of the housing, the upper portion defining a rebate configured to receive a portion of the frame supporting the first piece of glass, such that on mounting the frame to the housing, the first piece of glass is located within an area defined by the housing and further wherein the outlet of the air blower is configured to blow the heated air downwardly in front of the first piece of glass, where it may vent outside the electric fire.

By configuring the outlet of the blower to blow air downwardly over the front of the first piece of glass it is not necessary to provide a grill on the front panel of the housing. The air outlet of the heater is protected by the provision of the frame in front of the housing. In this embodiment of the present invention the provision of the rebate in the upper portion of the housing enables a mounting of the frame within an interior portion of the housing and therefore integrates some of the frame within the housing, reducing the overall depth of the fire.

The mounting arrangement of the air blower provides an exit channel from the exit port of the blower, such that the air flow is channelled through a hood. By mounting the blower to such a hood, separate baffles are not required to redirect the flow of the air and it is therefore easier to manufacture and assemble such fires.

The frame may be hung from the housing or alternatively hinge mounted to the housing such that it acts much like a door. By providing a removable frame, if access is required to an inner portion of the housing, the frame can be simply moved away from its normal position and access is provided. The electric fire typically includes adjustable mounting legs such that on installation one or more of the legs can be adjusted to achieve the correct orientation of the electric fire.

The fuel bed may include any real or artificial combustible material such as logs, coals or indeed stones or the like which are dimensioned to represent a real fuel.

These and other features of the present invention will be better understood with reference to the following drawings/

Brief description of the drawings

Figure 1 is a cross section through an electric fire in accordance with an embodiment of the invention.

Figure 2 is a view from the front of the fire of Figure 1.

Detailed description of the drawings

The invention will now be described with reference to an exemplary embodiment of the invention. It will be understood that specific components and integers are described for ease of explanation and it is not intended that the invention be limited in any way except as may be deemed necessary in the light of the appended claims.

Figure 1 shows, in cross section, an electric fire 100 in accordance with the invention. The fire 100 includes a housing 105 having a door provided on a front portion thereof, the door configured to support a frame 110. The door and the frame may be integrally formed or indeed the frame can be a separate component which is coupled to the door. The frame is mountable to a front portion 115 of the housing and provides a support for a first piece of glass 120 that is supported in a vertical orientation. The housing 105 provides a support for a second piece of glass 125 that is also mounted in a vertical orientation, parallel to the first piece of glass. The housing further includes a platform 130 located in front of and substantially perpendicular to the second piece of glass at a lower region thereof. The platform providing a support for locating a fuel bed such as artificial coals or logs (not shown), such that when the frame is mounted to the housing, the platform is situated between the first and second sheets of glass. In this way if a person is viewing the fire from the front, they see the fuel bed in a lower portion of the fire.

The housing is further configured to support a heating element 134 and an air blower 140. The air blower 140 is provided in an upper portion 145 of the housing 105. Its intake 150 is mounted so as to suck air into the blower and the outlet 151 is adjacent to the heating element such that heated air from the heating element may be blown by the blower out of the housing.

The upper portion 145 of the housing further defines a rebate 155 in a front portion of the housing. The rebate is dimensioned and configured to receive a portion 160 of the frame 110 supporting the first piece of glass 120, such that on mounting the frame to the housing, the first piece of glass is located within an area defined by the housing. Such a mounting arrangement ensures that the heated air is blown downwardly in front of the first piece of glass, where it may vent outside the electric fire.

By configuring the outlet of the blower to blow air downwardly over the front of the first piece of glass it is not necessary to provide a grill on a front panel 170 of the housing. The obviation of such a requirement to provide the grill is advantageous from an aesthetic perspective but also means that it is less likely that foreign objects can be inserted into the mechanism of the air blower from outside the housing thereby breaking the air blower. The air outlet of the heater is not visible from the front of the fire and is protected by the provision of the frame in front of the housing. Differently to the mechanism of GB2386680, there is therefore no need for a protective frame in front of the housing obscuring the grill from view. In this embodiment of the present invention the provision of the rebate in the upper portion of the housing enables a mounting of the frame within an interior portion 175 of the housing and therefore integrates some of the frame within the housing, reducing the overall depth of the fire. There is no distinct area or gap where the housing does not overlap with some portion of the frame.

In order to mount the air blower within the housing it is desirable to first mount the air blower to a mounting frame 180. The combined mounting frame and air blower are then provided as a single unit which may be attached with the housing. This mounting arrangement of the air blower provides an exit channel such that the air flow is channelled through a hood 195. By mounting the blower to such a hood, separate baffles are not required to redirect the flow of the air and it is therefore easier to manufacture and assemble such fires.

The use of the two panes of glass with the coal or log components provided therebetween increase the perception of the depth of view of such a fire. The inner pane 125 may be partially mirrored or provided with a reflective coating so as to contribute to the Optiflame™ effect that is discussed in our earlier patent, GB 2 230 335. Such an effect requires a motor 200 and other ancillary components such as lighting elements 135. the motor is typically provided within a lower portion 205 of the housing.

As seen in Figure 2, access to controls for the fire may be provided by an aperture 210 in the housing. The frame occludes a main portion of the housing and if access is required to an inner portion of the housing, the frame can be simply removed away from its normal position and access is provided. The electric fire typically includes adjustable mounting legs 215 such that on installation one or more of the legs can be adjusted to achieve the correct orientation of the electric fire.

Power is provided by way of an electric cable 220 which may be used to couple the electric fire unit to a mains power supply.

The words comprises/comprising when used in this specification are to specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps or components but does not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers , steps, components or groups thereof.

Claims

1. An electric fire including a housing 105 and a frame 110; the frame being mountable to a front portion of the housing and providing a support for a first piece 120 of glass that is supported in a vertical orientation, the housing providing a support for a second piece of glass 125 that is also mounted in a vertical orientation, parallel to the first piece of glass, the housing further including a platform 130 located in front of and substantially perpendicular to the second piece of glass at a region thereof, the platform providing a support for locating a fuel bed, such that when the frame is mounted to the housing, the platform is situated between the first and second sheets of glass, and wherein the housing is further configured to support a heating element 134 and an air blower 140, the air blower being provided in an upper portion 145 of the housing and having its outlet 151 mounted adjacent to the heating element such that heated air from the heating element may be blown by the blower out of the housing, the upper portion defining a rebate 155 configured to receive a portion 160 of the frame supporting the first piece of glass, such that on mounting the frame to the housing, the first piece of glass is located within an area defined by the housing and further wherein the outlet of the air blower is configured to blow the heated air downwardly in front of the first piece of glass, where it may vent outside the electric fire.

2. The electric fire of claim 1 wherein the provision of the rebate in the upper portion of the housing enables a mounting of the frame within an interior portion of the housing and therefore integrates some of the frame within the housing, reducing the overall depth of the fire.

3. The electric fire of claim 1 or 2 wherein the air blower is mounted initially to a mounting frame 180 , the combination of the air blower and its mounting frame providing an exit channel from an exit port of the blower, such that the air flow is channelled through a hood 195.

4. The electric fire of any preceding claim wherein the frame is removably mountable to the housing such that if access is required to an inner portion of the housing, the frame can be moved away from its normal position to provide the requisite access.

5. The electric fire of claim 4 wherein the frame is provided on a door which is hinge mounted to the housing.

6. The electric fire of any preceding claim further including adjustable mounting legs such that on installation one or more of the legs can be adjusted to achieve the correct orientation of the electric fire.