METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR FIREPLACE CONVERSION
A method and system for conversion of a fireplace to an updated or different model or configuration is provided. For example, such conversion can apply to any fireplace configuration, indoor and outdoor, commercial and residential, to provide a different fireplace appearance. A converted fireplace comprises an existing firebox, an existing exhaust system, a shell and replacement firebox, and an exhaust adapter. The firebox and exhaust system typically comprise the existing structure within a residential or commercial fireplace installation. The firebox can he of various heights, widths and depths, and yet still be converted, while the exhaust system can comprise various configurations, such as B-vent, direct vent and the like, and yet coupled to the replacement fireplace unit.
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This application claims priority to and benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/723,407, filed on Nov. 7, 2012 and entitled “METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR FIREPLACE CONVERSION.”
Technical FieldThe present invention relates, generally, to fireplaces, and in particular to a method and system for conversion of fireplaces into an updated or otherwise different configuration or appearance.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONVarious fireplaces for residential and commercial users have been made available to consumers over the years with increased efforts to provide for more aesthetically pleasing configurations.
Unfortunately, much like buying a new car, once a new fireplace is purchased and installed, the consumer will likely need to keep the selected fireplace design for many years before updating or changing the fireplace design or appearance. This is because removing the existing system and installing a completely new fireplace results in substantial additional expense in labor and materials, i.e., essentially a duplication in original installation investment in efforts and costs, and thus requires most consumers to continue use that original design to realize their monetary investment in the selected fireplace design before changing out to an updated design.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONIn accordance with various aspects of the present invention, a method and system for conversion of a fireplace to an updated or different model or configuration is provided. For example, such conversion can apply to any fireplace configuration, indoor and outdoor, commercial and residential, to provide a different fireplace appearance.
In accordance with an exemplary embodiment, a converted fireplace comprises an existing firebox, an existing exhaust system, a shell and replacement firebox, and an exhaust adapter. The firebox and exhaust system typically comprise the existing structure within a residential or commercial fireplace installation. The firebox can be of various heights, widths and depths, and yet still be converted into a variety of configurations, while the exhaust system can also comprise various configurations, such as B-vent, direct vent and the like, and yet coupled to the replacement fireplace unit. In an exemplary embodiment, the shell comprises a body, a pair of framing channels, and a pair of adjusting legs and is configured to be suitably aligned within the firebox, while the replacement firebox is configured to slide within the shell and provide the front fireplace appearance. Further, the exhaust adapter comprises a collar plate and an adapter component, and depending on the spacing, the type of fireplace type and the exhaust configuration, can possibly include one or more flex liners, and can be further configured to operatively couple the replacement firebox/shell to the existing exhaust system.
The exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in conjunction with the appended drawing figures in which like numerals denote like elements and:
The present invention may be described herein in terms of various materials, composites and functional components. It should be appreciated that such materials, composites and functional components may be realized by any number of characteristics and configurations. For example, while examples of the conversion system and method are discussed with respect to conventional fireplaces, any fireplace insert configuration can be utilized to provide an updated or different configuration or appearance.
As used herein, the term “flex liner” includes flex sections, flex vent liners, and flex vents. Flex liners may be made of aluminum.
In accordance with various aspects of the present invention, a method and system for conversion of a fireplace to an updated or different model or configuration is provided. For example, such conversion can apply to providing a replacement unit for any fireplace configuration, indoor and outdoor, commercial and residential, to provide a different fireplace appearance.
In accordance with an exemplary embodiment, with reference to
To facilitate conversion of the fireplace appearance or design, shell and replacement firebox 160 comprise a shell body, a pair of framing channels, and a pair of adjusting legs and is configured to be suitably aligned within firebox 120, despite firebox 120 having various sizes (heights, widths and depths). For example, in accordance with an exemplary embodiment, with additional reference to
Framing channels 366 and 368 are suitably selected to have heights approximate that of body 362 and are configured to facilitate attachment of body 362 (and thus top 364) to firebox 120. While
Exhaust adapter 180 is configured to facilitate operative coupling of shell/replacement firebox 160 to existing exhaust system 140. In various exemplary embodiments, exhaust adapter 180 comprises a collar plate, a flex liner and an adapter component, with different configurations of such components depending on the type of exhaust system currently used, e.g., B-vent or direct vent, or desired, as well as the spacing available from top of shell 160 to the exhaust system.
For example, with reference to an exemplary embodiment illustrated in
To facilitate coupling of collar plate 482 to an existing exhaust piping 492 of exhaust 440, in this particular exemplary embodiment, flex liner 484 is configured to be suitably smaller in diameter than piping 492, e.g., a 4 inch (4″) liner and 5 inch (5″) B-vent pipe, and having a length such that flex liner 484 can be suitably inserted within piping 492. To provide a secure fitting, flex liner 484 has gasket 490 suitably configured to fit securely around flex liner 484 and having an outer diameter configured to fit securely inside of piping 492 once flex liner 484 and gasket 490 are inserted within piping 492. For example with further reference to
In accordance with other exemplary embodiments, for example, with reference to
In this exemplary embodiment, to facilitate coupling of collar plate 482 to an existing exhaust piping 492 of exhaust 440, flex liner 484 is configured to be suitably smaller in diameter than piping 492, e.g., a 4″ liner and 5″ B-vent pipe, and having a length that extends approximately within the spacing between collar plate 482 and the top of firebox 420. To couple flex liner 484 to the top of firebox 420 (and thus to piping 492), rather than incorporating a gasket configuration, an adapter plate 486 can be utilized. For example with further reference to
In some B-vent installations, the spacing between the top of shell 460 and the top of firebox 420 is very minimal, such that no flex liner is suitably needed, or in other cases, the structural or operational integrity of existing piping 492 is in question. For example, with reference to
As discussed, exhaust adapter 180 can be configured as well with any other venting arrangements for fireplaces. For example, with reference to an exemplary embodiment illustrated in
In this exemplary embodiment, flex liner 684 is configured to be suitably smaller in diameter than outer piping 692, e.g., a 4″ liner and a 5″ or 6″ vent pipe, but could also have a diameter as substantially the same as the piping, and having a length that extends approximately within the spacing between collar plate 682 and the top of firebox 620. To couple flex liner 684 to the top of firebox 620 (and thus to piping 692), adapter plate 686 is utilized, for example similar to the configuration illustrated in
In this embodiment for direct vent fireplace exhaust, flex liner 684 is configured with piping 692 to provide air intake, with exhaust system 640 further including another collar 694, a collar adapter 696 and a direct vent termination vent cap 698. Collar 694 can suitably comprise a custom size collar, e.g., 5″ or 6″ collar, or other similar arrangements for coupling piping to adapters and then connecting to vent caps. Collar adapter 696 can comprise a universal collar adapter, configured for coupling both an intake and exhaust piping system to a direct vent cap 698, which can comprise any direct vent termination cap configuration now known or hereinafter devised. As a result, a secure intake pathway with the needed integrity between direct vent shell 660 and direct vent cap 698 is realized.
Further, in accordance with the direct-vent embodiments, exhaust adapter 680 further includes a second flex liner 688 that is suitably coupled to collar plate 682, e.g., coupled to exhaust collar 782, and then extends through flex liner 684, adapter plate 686, piping 692, and collar 694 and terminating at collar adapter 696. Thus, a second secure pathway for exhaust is provided between shell 660 and direct vent cap 698.
In direct vent installations where the spacing between the top of shell 660 and the top of firebox 620 is very minimal, such that no flex liner is suitably needed, or in other cases, wherein the structural or operational integrity of existing piping 492 is in question, other embodiments can be implemented. For example, with reference to
While the above exemplary embodiments illustrate the conversion of older, existing B-vent fireplaces into updated or newer ones (as well as the conversion of older, existing direct vent fireplaces into updated or newer direct vent models), it should be appreciated that the B-vent fireplaces can also be suitably converted into direct vent configurations. For example, with additional reference to
Having described various embodiments for conversion of direct vent and B-vent fireplace configurations, a method for installation can be further appreciated. With reference to
The present invention sets forth a system and method for providing a fireplace conversion that is applicable to various fireplace insert applications. It will be understood that the foregoing description is of exemplary embodiments of the invention, and that the invention is not limited to the specific configurations shown. Various modifications may be made in the design and arrangement of the methods and processes set forth herein without departing from the scope of the invention. These and other changes or modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the present invention.
Claims
1. A converted fireplace system, said fireplace comprising:
- at least one of an existing firebox frame and exhaust system;
- a shell comprising a pair of adjusting legs, a pair of framing channels, a body, and a top; the pair of adjusting legs configured to support or level the shell once mounted within the existing firebox;
- a replacement firebox unit configured to slide within the shell and connect to the framing channels; and
- an exhaust adapter configured to operatively couple the shell to the existing firebox frame and exhaust system, the exhaust adapter comprising a collar plate to couple to the shell and adapter component for coupling to the firebox frame.
2. The converted fireplace system according to claim 1, wherein the top of the shell may be integrated with the body of the shell.
3. The converted fireplace system according to claim 1, wherein the exhaust adapter includes a flex liner in between the collar plate and adapter component.
4. The converted fireplace system according to claim 3, wherein exhaust adapter is configured to facilitate conversion to a direct vent exhaust system.
5. The converted fireplace system according to claim 3, wherein exhaust adapter is configured to facilitate conversion to a B-vent exhaust system.
6. The converted fireplace system according to claim 1, wherein the adapter component comprises at least one of a gasket, adapter plate, and integrated adapter.
7. A fireplace converter comprising:
- a shell comprising adjusting legs, framing channels, a body, and a top, wherein the pair of adjusting legs are configured to support or level the shell once it is mounted within an existing firebox;
- a replacement firebox unit configured to slide within the shell and connect to the framing channels; and
- an exhaust adapter configured to operatively couple the shell to the existing firebox and an existing exhaust system, wherein the exhaust adapter comprises a collar plate to couple the shell and an adapter component for coupling to the firebox frame.
8. The fireplace converter according to claim 7, wherein the top of the shell may be integrated with the body of the shell.
9. The fireplace converter according to claim 7, wherein the exhaust adapter comprises a flex liner in between the collar plate and the adapter component.
10. The fireplace converter according to claim 7, wherein exhaust adapter is configured to facilitate conversion to a direct vent exhaust system.
11. The fireplace converter according to claim 7, wherein exhaust adapter is configured to facilitate conversion to a B- vent exhaust system.
12. A method for converting a fireplace to an different appearance, said method comprising:
- removing existing shell and components from an existing firebox;
- attaching an exhaust adapter to the existing firebox;
- sliding and attaching a shell body to the existing firebox via the exhaust adapter;
- adjusting legs to support the shell body; and
- inserting a replacement firebox into the shell body.
13. The method according to claim 12, said method further comprising attaching framing channels to the shell body to attach the shell body to the existing firebox.
Type: Application
Filed: Nov 7, 2013
Publication Date: May 15, 2014
Applicant: FPI FIREPLACE PRODUCTS INTERNATIONAL LTD. (Delta)
Inventors: Melissa Oakford (Delta), Bruce Unruh (Delta), Tracy Zomar (Delta)
Application Number: 14/074,429
International Classification: F24B 1/18 (20060101); F24B 13/00 (20060101);