Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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TITLE OF THE INVENTION
MULTI-FUNCTIONAL FIREPLACE
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a multi-functional
fireplace apparatus.
BACKGROUND OF TFIE INVENTION
Multifunctional fireplaces are known in the art. Such
multifunctional fireplaces include both heating and air conditioning
apparatuses.
It is difficult to repair complex multifunctional
fireplaces since it is not simple for the common owner to gain access to
the internal contents of these fireplaces.
Gas fireplaces are also well known in the art.
While a variety of conventional gas fireplaces can be
used for heating, gas fired fireplaces having a rated input of more than
8.5 kW (30,000 BTU/h), have a decorative flame that produces radiant
heat which renders the room in which they are installed uncomfortable.
As such, it is preferable to limit these fireplaces to less than 7.0 kW
(25,000 BTUIh).
Moreover, since the decorative flame of the fireplace
is visible, when operated as a heat source, the fireplace's flame
appears without warning following a request for heat by a thermostat.
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This may be cause for alarm by the dwelling occupant. Therefore, it is
inconvenient to use the decorative flame as a source of heat.
There thus remains a need for an improved fireplace.
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is therefore to
provide an improved fireplace.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
More specifically in accordance with the present
invention there is provided a fireplace comprising:
a housing being mountable within a wall-structure, the
housing comprising an exhaust conduit;
a moveable firebox being removably mounted within
the housing, the firebox comprising a fluid conduit,
wherein when the firebox is mounted within the
housing, the fluid conduit is contiguous with the exhaust conduit.
In an embodiment, the fluid conduit is mounted to a
top portion of the firebox.
In an embodiment, the fluid conduit comprises a
combustion-air conduit and a flue gas conduit.
In an embodiment, the . housing comprises a
combustion-air-conduit portion, the conduit portion being) contiguous
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In an embodiment, the door is a grid for allowing heat
to exude therefrom.
In an embodiment, the firebox comprises rollers to be
rolled in and out of the housing.
In an embodiment, the rollers are mounded to a
bottom portion of the firebox.
In an embodiment, the firebox comprises guide
members to be guided in and out of the housing.
In an embodiment, the guide members are mounded
to a bottom portion of the firebox.
In an embodiment, the firebox is mounted to a sliding
assembly for being slid in and out of the housing.
In an embodiment, the sliding assembly comprises a
base member, a median member configured to be guided along the
length of the base member, the firebox member comprising a stand
being configured to be guided along the length of the median member.
In an embodiment, the firebox further comprises a
burner.
In an embodiment, the burner is a gas burner.
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with the combustion-air conduit of the firebox when the firebox is
mounted within the housing.
In an embodiment, the fireplace further comprises a
conduit-connector for connecting the flue gas conduit together with the
exhaust conduit when the firebox is mounted within the housing.
In an embodiment, the flue-gas and exhaust conduits
comprise respective collars, the conduit-connector comprising flange
portions being mountable to the respective collars.
In an embodiment, the housing comprises a
combustion-air conduit portion, an auxiliary conduit-connector
connecting the housing combustion-air conduit portion together with
the firebox combustion--air conduit when the firebox is mounted within
the housing
In an embodiment, the firebox combustion-air conduit
surrounds the flue gas conduit, the housing combustion-air conduit
portion surrounding the exhaust conduit.
In an embodiment, the fireplace further comprises a
door providing access to the exhaust conduit and the fluid conduit.
In an embodiment, the door is positioned above the
firebox.
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In an alternative embodiment, the burner is an electric
heating element.
In an embodiment, the burner is an ambience burner
5 for producing a decorative flame.
In an embodiment, the ambience burner exudes only
minimal heat for producing the decorative flame.
In an embodiment, the fireplace further comprises a
secondary burner.
In an embodiment, the secondary burner is a gas
burner.
In an alternative embodiment, the secondary burner is
an electric heating element.
In an embodiment, the secondary burner is a heater
burner for producing heat.
In an embodiment, the heater burner is independently
modulated from the ambience burner.
In an embodiment, the firebox comprises a
combustion chamber, the combustion chamber comprising the
secondary burner, the secondary burner being a heater burner.
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In an embodiment, the firebox defines a flame
chamber, the flame chamber and the combustion chamber being
separate, the flame chamber comprising the burner, the burner being
an ambience burner for producing a decorative flame.
In accordance with another aspect of the present
invention there is provided a fireplace comprising:
a housing being mountable within a wall-structure;
a firebox comprising an ambience burner for
producing a decorative flame; and
a heater burner,
wherein the heater burner produces heat to be
exuded by the fireplace.
in an embodiment, the ambience burner is a gas
burner.
In an alternative embodiment, the ambience burner is
an electric heating element.
In an embodiment, the heater burner is a gas burner.
fn an alternative embodiment, the heater burner is an
electric heating element.
In an embodiment, the ambience burner exudes only
minimal heat in order to produce the ambience flame.
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In an embodiment, the heater burner is independent
of the ambience burner.
In an embodiment, both the ambience and heater
burners are positioned within a chamber defined by the firebox.
In an embodiment, the firebox defines a flame-
chamber including the ambience burner and comprises a separate
combustion chamber including the heater burner.
In an embodiment, the ambience and heater burners
are placed in tandem.
In an embodiment, the fireplace further compriese a
combustion chamber including the heater-burner.
In an embodiment, the housing comprises a
combustion chamber, the heater burner being positioned within the
combustion chamber.
In an embodiment the fireplace further comprises a
plurality of heater burners.
In an embodiment, the ambience burner and each of
the heater burners are independently modulated from one another.
In an embodiment, the fireplace further comprises
heat-conduits for the passage of heat produced by the heater burner.
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In an embodiment, the heat-conduits are branched to
a various rooms of a dwelling.
In an embodiment, the fireplace further comprises a
ventilator for accelerating the flow of exuded heat.
In an embodiment, the ventilator is linked to a
controller, a senor being positioned at a heat output and being linked to
the controller, the controller receiving temperature data from the sensor
and controlling the ventilator to accelerate the flow of heat accordingly
so as to reach a temperature determined by the controller.
In an embodiment, the fireplace further comprises an
air conditioner.
In an embodiment, the fireplace further comprises:
a heat exchanger for passing therethrough flue gases
emanating from the decorative flame;
an air-passage ending in an air-output for provide air
from the air-conditioner to flow therethrough, the air-passage being
near the heat exchanger; and
an air bypass assembly, for providing air produced by
the air conditioner and flowing through the air-passage tco bypass the
heat exchanger.
In are embodiment, the air bypass assembly
comprises a shield moveable between open and closed positions, the
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shield providing for air produced by the air conditioner to flow through
the air-output when in the open position thus bypassing the heat
exchanger.
In an embodiment, the fireplace further comprises a
ventilator for accelerating the flow of air produced by the air
conditioner.
In an embodiment, the ambience and heater burners
are independently modulated, the ambience burner exuding only
minimal heat for producing an ambience flame thus providing for the
conditioner to exude cool air when the ambience burner produces a
flame.
In an embodiment, the air conditioner and the heater
burner are linked to a controller.
In an embodiment, the controller comprises a
thermostat for modulating the air-conditioner and the heater burner.
In an embodiment, the firebox is removable from the
housing, the ambience burner being positioned within a chamber
defined by the firebox, the heater burner being positioned within the
housing.
In accordance with a further aspect of the present
invention there is provided a fireplace comprising:
a housing being mountable within a wall-structure;
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a firebox positioned within the housing; and
a multiple burner assembly.
In an embodiment, the multiple burner assembly
5 comprises:
at least one ambience burner for producing a visible
flame within the firebox; and
at least one heater burner for producing heat to be
exuded by the fireplace.
In an embodiment, the ambience burner further
produces sufficient heat to be exuded by the fireplace so as to heat a
dwelling.
In an embodiment, the ambience burner exudes only
minimal heat to produce a visible flame within the firebox.
In an embodiment, the ambience and heater burners
are independently modulated.
In accordance with yet another aspect of the invention
there is provided a fireplace comprising:
a firebox;
at least one burner for producing heat;
a heat-conduit for providing heat to flow from the
burner to an output;
a ventilator for accelerating the flow of heat through
the heat-conduit;
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a controller linked to the ventilator for receiving
ventilation data therefrom and for control thereof; and a
heat sensor positioned at the output and being linked
to the controller so as to transmit heat data thereto;
wherein the controller receives heat data from the
heat sensor, the controller processing the heat data and controlling the
ventilator to accordingly accelerate heat flow so as to reach a
predetermined temperature,
In an embodiment, there controller is finked to the
ventilator and the heat-sensor via a link selected from the group
consisting of: a wire linkage, remote linkage.
In accordance with yet a further aspect of the present
invention there is provided a fireplace comprising:
a firebox comprising a burner for producing a flame;
a flue gas conduit in fluid communication with the
firebox and a heat-output;
a heat exchanger in fluid communication with the flue
gas conduit and the heat-output;
an air conditioner
an air-passage in fluid communication with the air-
conditioner and an air-output, the air-passage being near the heat
exchanger; and
a bypass assembly comprising at least one shield at
the air-output, the shield being moveable between open and closed
positions,
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wherein when air produced by the air-conditioner
flows through the air-passage the shield is moved to the open position
to let air though the air-output and to bypass the heat exchanger.
In accordance with a still yet a further aspect of the
present invention, there is provided a multifunctional fireplace
compring:
a housing being mountable within a wall-structure;
a moveable firebox removably mounted within the
housing;
a multiple burner assembly comprising:
at least one ambience burner for producing a visible flame within
the firebox; and
at least one heater burner for producing heat to be exuded by
the fireplace;
a heat-conduit for providing heat to flow from the
heater burner to a heat-output;
a ventilator for accelerating the flow of heat through
the heat-conduit;
a controller linked to the ventilator for receiving
ventilation data therefrom and for control thereof; and a
heat sensor positioned at the heat-output and being
linked to the controller so as to transmit heat data thereto
a flue gas conduit in fluid communication with the
firebox and a flue gas-output;
a heat exchanger in fluid communication with the flue
gas conduit and the flue gas-output;
an air conditioner;
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an air-passage in fluid communication with the air-
conditioner and an air-output, the air-passage being near the heat
exchanger; and
a bypass assembly comprising at least one shield at
the air-output, the shield being moveable between opera and closed
positions.
In accordance with still yet a further aspect of the
present invention, there is provided a system for modulating the
temperature in a dwelling comprising:
a controller comprising a temperature selecting
switch;
a burner assembly linked to the controller for
transmitting data thereto and for receiving a signal therefrom;
a heat conduit being in fluid communication with the
burner assembly and the dwelling;
an air conditioner linked to the controller for
transmitting data thereto and for receiving a signal therefrom; and
a cool air conduit in fluid communication with the air
conditioner and the dwelling;
wherein operation of the burner assembly and the air
controller is selectively controlled via a signal from the controller when
the temperature selecting switch is operated.
In an embodiment; the temperature selecting switch is
a thermostat.
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In an embodiment, the burner assembly comprises a
plurality of burners.
In an embodiment, the present invention uses a
common housing to install the firebox, the furnace, the heat exchanger,
the air conditioner, and the air exchanger.
In an embodiment, the present invention provides the
capacity to modulate the burner of the hot air furnace and hence, offer
comfort for the user.
In an embodiment, the present invention uses multiple
burners in the same fireplace.
In an embodiment, the invention uses two gas
burners. One burner is an ambience burner and is visiblf: through the
fireplace glass door. The other. burner is a heating burner and is the
principal burner of the hot air gas furnace. The two gas burners are
placed within the apparatus; this configuration allows the two gas
burners to use the same inlet conduit for fresh air needed for
combustion, the same outlet or evacuation conduit of flue gases and
the same gas supply conduit.
In an embodiment, the two gas burners are placed in
tandem, one behind the other, within the fireplace apparatus. The
foregoing simplifies the manufacturing of the present fireplace.
In an alternative embodiment, the burners are so
positioned relative to each other in order to achieve the heating
burner's effect of minimising the negative effects of the ambiance
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burner when used as a heating burner.
In an embodiment, two or more burners can be used
to in and as well as outside the housing of the present fireplace.
5 In an embodiment, the present invention is capable of
providing heating, air conditioning, assisted fresh air ventilation and a
fireplace function to a dwelling.
In an embodiment, the present invention is convenient
for certain types of dwellings for which integrated heating, ventilation
10 and air conditioning are suitable; the foregoing functions are distributed
throughout these types of dwellings by a network of conduits.
In an embodiment, the present invention uses fresh
air ventilation with heat or energy recovery capacity, which provides for
energy efficient stale air replacement.
15 In an embodiment, the present invention provides a
heated air distribution system for all rooms in a dwelling.
In an embodiment, the present invention distributes
cooled air from an air conditioning system.
In an embodiment of the present invention, heated air
distribution can also be used to distribute fresh air in order to replace
stale air, which is exhausted from the building. Hence, heat recovery or
energy recovery ventilation system, improves the operative
performance of the fireplace.
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Other objects, advantages and features of the present
invention will become more apparent upon reading of the following non
restrictive description of embodiments thereof, given by way of
example only with reference to the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
In the appended drawings where like elements are
referenced by like reference numerals and in which:
Figure 1 is a perspective view of the fireplace in
accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;
Figure 2 is a schematic sectional side view of the
embodiment of Figure 1;
Figure 3 is a perspective view of the firebox in
accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;
Figure 4 is a an enlarged view of section 4 of Figure
3;
Figure 5, is a perspective view of a firebox in
accordance with another embodiment of the present invention within a
wall structure;
Figure 6 is a side view of the firebox of Figure 5;
Figure 7 is a side view of a firebox according to a
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further embodiment of the present invention within a wall structure;
Figure 8 is a side view of a firebox according to yet
another embodiment of the present invention within a wall structure;
and
Figure 9 is a schematic representation of a heat
control system in accordance with an embodiment of the present
invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENT
The present invention will be herein described with
reference to the appended drawings so as to exemplify the invention
and not limit its scope.
Figure 1 shows a fireplace 10 in accordance with an
embodiment of the present invention.
As will be discussed herein fireplace 10 may comprise
a multifunctional fireplace including heating and air conditioning
capabilities.
The fireplace 10 includes a housing 12, which is
mountable within a wall structure 13, see Figures 2 <~nd 5-8 of a
dwelling such as an apartment, condominium or the like. In this way,
the front or facade of the fireplace 10 is exposed and the rest of the
apparatus is concealed.
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The housing 12 includes compartments for various
components, which will be discussed herein.
As such and with reference to both Figures 1 and 2,
the fireplace 10 includes a firebox 14, a furnace 16, a heat exchanger
18, a ventilator 20, an air conditioner 22, and an air exchangerlheat
recovery unit 24.
Turning back to Figure 1, the housing 12 includes
panels 26, which serve to compartmentalize the housing 12 for the
various components, which will be described herein. Furkhermore, the
housing 12 also includes a cover 28.
Turning now to Figure 2, the firebox 14 defines a
chamber 30, in which a flame (not shown) may burn about decorative
wood 31, and a door element 32 such as a glass or any other type of
see through door, for example. As will be better explained below the
firebox 14 is moveable and hence, removeably mounted within the
fireplace 10.
The firebox 14 includes a first burner 34 within
chamber 30. This first burner element 34 is an ambience burner and
hence, is responsible for the burning a decorative flame within chamber
30 that is visible through the transparent door 32. As mentioned before
this burner may emulate the appearance of wood fire. The firebox 16
also includes a separate combustion chamber 36 on its rear side.
Chamber 36 includes a second burner 38, which is heating burner 38.
In this non-limiting embodiment the heating burner 38 i:> the principle
burner of fireplace 10.
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As such the furnace 16 is a multiple burner assembly
including an ambience burner and a heating burner. In this particular
embodiment, the multiple burner furnace 16 is a double burner
assembly 16.
Of course in another embodiment, instead of a
furnace burner 39 a heat pump (not illustrated) may be utilised.
As will be discussed herein, those having skill in the
art can contemplate a greater number of burners within the context of
the present invention.
As will also be discussed the burners maybe
positioned at other suitable locations within fireplace 10.
A warm air outlet conduit 40 is positioned above the
firebox 14 and includes an outlet grid 41 at the front of the fireplace 10.
A fireplace cooling air inlet conduit 42 is positioned beneath the firebox
14. A return air inlet conduit 44 is positioned beneath the fireplace
cooling air inlet 42.
The air exchangerlheat recovery assembly 24 is
positioned in a suitable position, in this non-limiting example it is
positioned behind the firebox 14. The air exchangerlheat recovery unit
24 includes conduit 45, which is an outdoor fresh air inlet, and conduit
48, which is a dwelling stale air inlet
it should be noted that the respective functions of
conduits 46 and 48 are interchangeable.
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The air conditioner assembly 22 is positioned in a
suitable location within fireplace 10. In this non-limiting example, the air
conditioner assembly is shown to be placed above the air exchanger
and heat recovery assembly 24.
5 Again the ventilator 20 is positioned in any suitable
location within fireplace 10. In this non-limiting example, the ventilator
20 is shown to be positioned above the air conditioner 22.
In this non-limiting example, the heat exchanger 18
for furnace 16 is positioned above the ventilator 20. This heat
10 exchanger includes six side-by-side U-shaped tubes 19 (five tubes are
clearly shown in Figure 1 ), each mounted to a panel 21. Of course,
other heat exchanger known in the art may also be contemplated within
the context of the present invention.
A flue gases connector 50 is positioned above the
15 firebox 14 and leads to an exhaust conduit 52 that ends in a first
manifold structure 54. The first manifold structure 54 leads to six short
longitudinal extending hollow members 56 (see Figures 1 and 2, only
one hollow member 56 shown here). Each hollow member 56 is in is in
fluid communication with one end 57 (see figure 2) of respective U-
20 shaped tube 19 of the heat exchanger assembly 18. A second manifold
structure 58 is positioned above the first manifold structure 54. Six
hollow extensions 60 (see Figure 1, only 5 are clearly shown) extend
from a respective an opposite end 61 of a respective U-shaped tube 19
of the heat exchanger 18 to the second manifold structure 58 for fluid
communication therewith. Furthermore, the second manifold structure
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58 is in fluid communication with a flue gas conduit 52 upwardly
extending therefrom and ending in a flue gas outlet 64.
A combustion air inlet aperture 65 is forrned in cover
28 and surrounds the flue gas conduit 62 to reach both the firebox
chamber 30 and the combustion chamber 36.
One or several bypass shutters 66 are so positioned
as to force return air 78 through or around the heat exchanger 18 or
the ventilator 20. In this non-limiting example, a bypass shutter 66 is
shown to be placed above the heat exchanger assembly 18 and the
ventilator 20. These bypass shutters serve to prevent air that will be
made cold by the air conditioner to be heated by the fireplace when the
decorative flame is lit only. Even though, when the heating burner 38
is not used and the ambience burner 34 is solely operated, the heat
and flue gases exuded therefrom, even in minimal amounts and
passing through the heat exchanger 18 may cause air surrounding this
heat exchanger 18 to warm up. This would be counterproductive when
operating the air conditioner 22. The bypass shutters when open (as
shown in Figure 1 ) allow for the conditioned air to pass through outlets
67 (see Figure 1) while bypassing the heat exchanger 18. Hence, the
user can enjoy the sight of a lit fire in the firebox chamber 30 while
receiving cold air from the air conditioner 22 that has not been warmed
up by the flue gasses and the heat exuded from the lit fire.
A plenum 68 for cooled or heated air is positioned at
the top portion of the apparatus 10 and terminates in an outlet 70.
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As mentioned above the firebox 14 is a moveable
firebox and hence, may be moved in or removed from the fireplace 10
as shown in Figure 5 and 8.
Turning to Figures 3 and 4 (and Figure 8), the
moveable firebox 14 includes a fluid conduit 72, which comprises a flue
gas conduit 74 and a combustion air inlet conduit 76. As in Figures 5-
8, the flue gas conduit 74 is contiguous with the exhaust conduit 52
and the combustion air inlet 76 is contiguous with the combustion air
inlet 65. The flue gas conduits 74 and the exhaust conduit 52 include
respective collars 78 and 80, which are connected together via a
removable circular connector 82 by way of its flange portions 84 and
86. The combustion air inlet 76 and the lower portion 88 of the
combustion air inlet 65 include respective collars 90 and 92 which are
connected together via a cylindrical auxiliary connector 94 by way of its
flange portions 96 and 98.
In the present non-limiting example illustrated herein,
the removable connectors 82 and 94 are in the form of corresponding
bands. For example, connector 94 comprises a large band 95 (shown
in Figure 4) and a smaller corresponding band 97 (shown in Figure 5).
In another example, bands 95 and 97 may be semi-circles than can be
taken apart when removing connector 94 or assembled together when
connector 94 is mounted to collars 90 and 92. Similarly. connector 82
includes two bands such as a larger band 83 (shown in Figure 3),
which is assembled with a corresponding band (not shown) when
mounted to collars 78 and 80. Again the corresponding bands of
connector 82 may be semi-circles as well. In other embodiments
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contemplated by one having skill in the art the connectors 82 and 94
may include a plurality of attachable band members.
As will be easily understood by the skilled artisan, the
bands of connectors 82 and 94 may be locked together by a variety of
mechanical means such as and without limitation fasteners, levers and
the like.
In the example shown herein, the contiguous
combustion air inlets 65 and 76 surround the contiguous flue gas
conduits 52 and 74. In this regard, the corresponding pair of bands of
connectors 82 and 94 are respectively sealed together as well as being
sealed via a variety of sealing and locking means known in the art to
the contiguous flue gas conduits 52 and 74 and the contiguous
combustion air inlets 55 and 76 in order to create two seated and
separate channels so that combustion air and flue gasses do not mix.
Of course other suitable configurations for providing
flue gasses to exit the firebox chamber 30 and combustion air to enter
the firebox chamber 30 as well as the combustion chamber 36 may be
contemplated by the skilled artisan.
Turning now to Figures 3, 5, 6, 7 and 8 the moveable
firebox 14 is removably mounted within the housing 12 of the fireplace
10. Various embodiments can be contemplated within the scope of the
present invention for moving the firebox 14 in and out of housing 12. In
this regard the housing provides a cabin space 13 (see Figures 6 to 8)
for the firebox 14.
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With respect to Figure 3, the firebox 14 has a flat
bottom surface 100 and can be removed by being slid out of the
housing 12.
With respect to Figures 5 and 6, the firebox 14
includes rollers 102 at its bottom surface so as to be rolled in and out of
housing 12.
With respect to Figure 7, the firebox 14 includes a
guide member 104 at its bottom portion 100 so as to be slid in and out
of the housing.
With reference to Figure 8, the firebox 14 is mounted
to a sliding assembly 106 at its bottom surface 100. The sliding
assembly includes a base member 108, a median member 110 which
is guided along the base member without being disassociated
therefrom via guides {not shown). A stand 112 is mounted to the
firebox bottom surface 100. Stand 112 is guided along the median
member 110 without being disassociated therefrom via guides {not
shown). In this way the firebox is moved in and out of the housing 12
via the telescoping movement the sliding assembly 106. Of course, this
telescoping movement may be manually or otherwise operable.
With particular reference to Figure 8, the fireplace 10
also includes a door 107 than can be opened to allow access to the
flue gas connector 50 so that the conduits 65 and 76; and 52 and 74
may be either connected or disconnected as described above.
It should be noted that the door 107 in the illustrated
example included grid 41 (see Figure 2). Of course, a variety of door
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elements may be contemplated by the skilled artisan, such as
electrically powered doors or slidable doors, or fully removable doors to
provide access to the connector 50 and its sub-parts as described
above.
5 It should also be noted that when removing the
firebox 14 from housing 12 as explained above any gas joints and/or
electrical wiring may also be disconnected or kept in place if flexible
andlor extendable andlor long enough conduits are used.
As shown in Figure 9, the various components such
10 as the multiple burner furnace 16, the air conditioner 22, the ventilator
22, the bypass assembly and a heat sensor 114 which is mounted at
any heat output can be linked to a controller 116 for rE:ceiving data
therefrom and for control thereof. Hence, the present invention also
provides a fireplace and air conditioner modulating system 200. This
15 controller 116 may be data processor such as computer or the like and
is linked to a thermostat 118 for manually modulating the multiple
burner assembly 16 and the air conditioner 22. As can be
contemplated by the skilled artisan, this linkage may be via a wire or a
wireless linkage.
20 Turning back to Figure 2, air and heat circulation
within the fireplace 10 will be now be described.
Fresh combustion air, represented by arrow A, enters
the fireplace 10 through the combustion air inlet 65 and flows towards
the furnace 16. Since furnace 16 includes two burners 34 and 38
25 combustion air enters the firebox chamber 30 and the combustion
chamber 36.
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Cold air, represented by arrow B, enters the fireplace
through the fireplace cooling air inlet 42. This air B flows around
firebox 30 and combustion chamber 36 and is returned to the dwelling,
through the warm air outlet conduit 40 and out of the outlet grid 41 as
5 heated air as represented by arrow C.
Return air, represented by arrows D, is recovered
through the return air inlet 44 and flows towards the air conditioner
assembly 22.
Cooled or heated air, represented by arrows E), exits
10 the fireplace 10 from the air conditioner 22 through plenum 68, which
terminates at outlet 70.
The skilled artisan will immediately appreciate from
the present disclosure that the heat outletlwarm air outlet conduit 40
may be in fluid communication with a network of heat outlets (not
illustrated) discharging heated fluid in various rooms or areas of a
given dwelling for heating/ warming thereof. Likewise, the cold air
plenum 68 may also be in fluid communication with cool air outlets in
various rooms or areas of a given dwelling in order to discharge cool
air therein.
Returning to the multiple burner 16 which can include
a furnace having two or more burners such as gas andlor electrical
burners or a heat pump, the heating burner may be positioned
elsewhere in or outside of the present fireplace. For example, the
heating burner 38 can be positioned within a combustion chamber
above the firebox 14. The combustion chamber 36 may be positioned
outside the fireplace housing 12. In another embodiment, the heating
CA 02475527 2004-07-22
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burner 38 can be positioned next to the manifold 54 or even on the
heat exchanger tubes 19. In one example three of the tubes 19
function to reactive heat from the firebox chamber 30 while the other
three tubes 19 function to receive and exude heat frou~n respective
heating burners 38. A variety of ways of setting up the two or more
burners can be contemplated within the scope of the invention.
In operation, the user adjusts the thermostat 118 to a
desired temperature this data is then transmitted to the controller 116.
In the case where the user calls for heat, the controller
116 verifies if the ambience burner 34 is in operation or if it is
producing the desired temperature. If not, the heating burner 38 will be
turned on and the ventilator 20 will be put into operation. The sensor
114 at any heat outlet will detect the temperature. In the case where
the ambience burner is not on and the desired temperature is not
reached after a predetermined period, the controller '116 turns the
ambience burner 34 on. In the case where the ambiencE; burner is on
the controller 116 will detect this and the ventilator 20 is put into
operation in the same way, and after a predetermined period, if the
desired temperature of the dwelling is not attained, the controller will
turn the heating burner 38 on. Alternatively, the controller 116 after
having received data from the heat sensor 114 that' the desired
temperature has not been reached after a predetermined period can
augment the speed of the ventilator 20 so as to reach this desired
temperature. Hence, there are various ways of raising the heat in a
dwelling via the present invention.
CA 02475527 2004-07-22
28
When either burner is 34 or 38 is inactive and the
other burner 34 and 38 is active it is preferable to prevent the
circulation of combustion air A through the inactive burner 34 order to
prevent the cooling thereof, which will entail a reduction of the
efficiency multiple burner assembly 16. To this end, moi:orized shield
shutters (not shown) are used on either the combustion air conduit
branch of each burner 34 and 38 leading to the firebox chamber 30 and
to the combustion chamber 26 respectively. These shield shutters may
also be used on the smokelflue gas conduit branch of each burner 34
and 38 before they meet. In accordance with one embodiment, in
order to permit the use of a gas pilot for the ambience burner 34, a
standard open shield shutter is used which needs to be electrically fed
in order to close. In effect, since the use of a gas pilot permits the
ambience gas burner 34 to work even if there is an electrical blackout,
it is necessary to ensure that neither the inlet of combustion air nor the
outlet of flue gases are hampered by the shield shutter.
Of course, the above only occurs when both burners
are mounted to the firebox 14 (in chambers 30 and 66) and not when
the heating burner 38 is mounted elsewhere as exemplified above.
In an embodiment, when the burners 34 and 36 are
gas pilot burners in this way the multiple burner assembly 16 may
function even when the electrical current is cut-off:
The configuration of the burners 34 and 38 in
accordance with 'the present invention permits compact installation.
Use of multiple burners such as burners 34 and 38 provides for a hot
air furnace assembly 16 with a modulating capability. Using a heating
CA 02475527 2004-07-22
29
burner 38 eliminates discomfort associated with high po~nrer ambience
burners 34 as well as with unexpected flames in conventional
decorative gas fireplaces.
The flue gas conduit (including members 52, 54 and
56) permits smoke to flow from the fireplace assembly 14 towards the
heat exchanger 18 where the flue gases will serve to heat the air in the
dwelling before being exhausted through members 60, 58 et 62.
In an embodiment, the gas firebox 14 and the hot air
gas furnace 16 use a direct-vent evacuation system. A direct-vent
system refers to a system where the intake of combustion air A and the
discharge of flue gases are both gravity-dependent and both join the
exterior of the dwelling or building by way of a common terminal or
other like outlet.
It should be noted that it is within the scope of the
present invention to evacuate air and gas by a variety of means known
to one having skill in the art.
In an embodiment, the intake of fresh air for the
ventilation system 20 with energy recovery 24 occurs at a
predetermined distance from the common terminal of the
aforementioned direct-vent.
The evacuation terminal aperture of vitiated air can be
positioned with the terminal of the direct-vent but two different conduits
should be used to direct the vitiated air from the fireplace 10 to the
common outlet in order to prevent the vitiated air flow from disturbing
the combustion process.
CA 02475527 2004-07-22
Cooled or heated air E is distributed by the apparatus
10 through the air plenum 68 and into the dwelling by a network of
conduits (not shown) and is returned, as shown by arrow D, to the
apparatus 10 through the return air conduit 44 at the front or facade of
5 the fireplace 14 so as to flow to the air conditioner 22.
Two types of conduit networks can be used: a low
pressurellow speed type, and a high pressure/high speed type as well.
The fireplace 10 utilizes one or many ventilators 20
capable of variable speeds, which can be under the control, or not of
10 the temperature of the heated air or any other measurement. Variable
speed ventilation having a sufficient capacity provides for the fireplace
10 to easily adapt to the two-conduit system for distributing air in the
building and/or dwelling.
In the case where the user will manually control the
15 thermostat in order to coos a room or the dwelling, this signal will be
transmitted to the controller 116 which wifi shut off the heating burner
38 and turn the air conditioner 22 on to the desired cooling
temperature. A switch (not shown) may be provided to keep the
ambience burner 34 on for decorative purposes while the air condition
20 22 is in operation.
Air conditioning is assured by an air conditioner
system 22 having separate components, where the air exchanger
assembly 24 permits cooling of the air and is mounted within the
housing 12 and the rest of the machinery (not shown) is mounted on
25 the exterior of the building.
CA 02475527 2004-07-22
31
It is possible to use a heat pump instead of air
conditioning. A heat pump provides the possibility of air conditioning or
cooling of the air as well as heating of air to a certain minimal external
temperature where after heating by gas combustion will be used.
In a non-limiting example the heating capacity
required for the present apparatus is 14.5 kW and more (50,000
BTU/h).
In a non-limiting example the ambience burner 34 is
of about 7 kW.
In a non-limiting the heating burner 38 is about 8 kW
and is the principal burner of the hot air furnace 16.
It is to be understood that the invention is not limited
in its application to the details of construction and parts illustrated in the
accompanying drawings and described hereinabove. The invention is
capable of other embodiments and of being practised in various ways.
It is also to be understood that the phraseology or terminology used
herein is for the purpose of description and not limitation. Hence,
although the present invention has been described hereinabove by way
of preferred embodiments thereof, it can be modified, without departing
from the spirit, scope and nature of the subject invention as defined in
the appended claims.
