FIREPIT HEAT DIRECTOR

Abstract

A heat director (4) for a firepit (1) reflects and directs heat from the firepit (1) outwards (horizontally). The heat director (4) is located above, and spaced apart from, the heat source (5) of the firepit (1), and is substantially horizontal with respect to the surrounding ground. Generally vertical brackets (3) are fixedly mounted to the heat director (4), and are used to keep the heat director (4) in its desired position. In a preferred embodiment, the heat director (4) is made of tempered glass, but it may also be made of metal. In some embodiments, the heat source (5) is surrounded by a windscreen (2). In these embodiments, the brackets (3) are also fixedly mounted to the windscreen (2). Set screws (23) are used to attach the brackets (3) to the heat director (4), and to the windscreen (2) in those embodiments where a windscreen (2) is present. In embodiments where a windscreen (2) is not present, the brackets (3) may be modified so that they rest on a heat insulating mass (6) that surrounds the heat source (5).

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

This invention pertains to the field of firepits, such as outdoor gas or propane firepits, and, more particularly, to techniques for reflecting and directing heat emanating from the firepit outwards towards persons surrounding the firepit.

BACKGROUND ART

Firepits, such as those using natural gas and propane as heat sources, are widely used in residential yards and other places for purposes of, e.g., providing heat to persons positioned around the firepit. In conventional firepits, much of the heat emanating from the firepit is dissipated upwards, where there is no benefit to the surrounding persons. Consequently, this heat is wasted, and the surrounding persons don't receive as much heat as they desire. It is an object of the present invention to assure that much of the heat emanating from the heat source is reflected and directed outwards from the heat source, i.e., horizontally.

DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION

The present patent application comprises a heat director (4) for directing heat from a firepit (1) outwards towards persons situated around the firepit (1). In a preferred embodiment, the firepit (1) comprises a heat source (5) optionally surrounded by a windscreen (2), which may be made of tempered glass. The heat director (4) is located above the heat source (5) in a spaced-apart relationship to the heat source (5), and is horizontal, or substantially horizontal, with respect to the surrounding ground. Preferably, the heat director (4) is made of tempered glass. Several generally vertical support brackets (3) for the heat director (4) are attached to the windscreen (2) when present and to the heat director (4), and serve to maintain the desired position of the heat director (4). In those embodiments where the windscreen (2) and/or the heat director (4) are made of tempered glass, the brackets (3) are preferably attached to the windscreen (2) and heat director (4) using set screws (23) that are tipped with nylon or Teflon, to prevent cracking or shattering the tempered glass (2, 4) when the screws (23) are overtightened.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other more detailed and specific objects and features of the present invention are more fully disclosed in the following specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of the invention, showing a firepit (1) having a heat source (5) with a surrounding windscreen (2), and a heat director (4) supported by generally vertical brackets (3) that are attached to the windscreen (3).

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the right side of the FIG. 1 embodiment, showing details of a bracket (3), associated set screws (23), and the attachments (26, 25) of the bracket (3) to the windscreen (2) and heat director (4), respectively, using the set screws (23).

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of bracket (3) for use when a windscreen (2) is not present.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Firepits (1) are sold by many manufacturers in many sizes, and are widely used. In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1, firepit (1) comprises a heat source (5) surrounded by a relatively massive heat insulator (6) which prevents heat emanating from the heat source (5) from inadvertently causing a fire in the area surrounding the firepit (1). The heat source (5) typically comprises natural gas or propane. In the FIG. 1 embodiment, a windscreen (2) surrounds the heat source (5), and serves to prevent wind from extinguishing the heat source (5). The windscreen (2) is formed from four vertical sections in the FIG. 1 embodiment, and is typically fabricated of transparent tempered glass. A heat director (4) is rigidly fastened to the tops of two of the sections of the windscreen (2), and is positioned above the heat source (5) in a spaced-apart relationship to the heat source (5). The heat director (4) is substantially horizontal with respect to the ground upon which the firepit (1) rests, and is preferably planar. Heat director (4) advantageously reflects and directs heat from the firepit (1) outwards (horizontally). In the absence of the heat director (4), most of the heat from the heat source (5) would dissipate upwards, and be wasted in those scenarios where persons surrounding the firepit (1) desire to be heated by the heat source (5).

In the FIG. 1 embodiment, the heat insulator (6), heat source (5), windscreen (2), and heat director (4) all have a rectangular shape in the horizontal plane. Preferably, the heat director (4) is sufficiently large to cover the entire cross-section of the heat source (5) and windscreen (2) in the horizontal plane, so as to minimize wasted heat. In a preferred embodiment, the cross-section of the heat director (4) in the horizontal plane is greater than that of the windscreen (2); for example, the heat director (4) may extend out as far as the edges of the heat insulator (6) in the two (opposing) directions that are not bounded by the brackets (3).

In a preferred embodiment, the heat director (4) is made of a single piece of tempered glass, but in other embodiments, heat director (4) is made of metal.

A set of rigid generally vertical brackets (3) attaches the heat director (4) to the windscreen (2). In the embodiment of FIGS. 1 and 2, the number of brackets (3) is two, but in other embodiments, the number of brackets (3) can vary. The brackets (3) can be made of tempered glass, metal, or some other fireproof material. In the illustrated embodiment, both the windscreen (2) and the heat director (4) are elongated in the horizontal plane, and the two brackets (3) are situated at distal ends of each of the heat director (4) and windscreen (2). As shown in FIG. 2, each bracket (3) has a lower vertical slot (26) that securely grasps a vertical wall of the windscreen (2) from two opposing sides of the windscreen (2). The heat director (4) is attached to each bracket (3) via a horizontal slot (25) that is formed at the top of each bracket (3). The horizontal slot (25) securely grasps the heat director (4) from two opposing sides of the heat director (4). Set screws (23) are used to secure the vertical slot (26) to the windscreen (2), and the horizontal slot (25) to the heat director (4), respectively. Particularly in those embodiments where heat director (4) and/or windscreen (2) are fabricated of tempered glass, the set screws (23) are preferably tipped with nylon or Teflon, so that the relatively fragile tempered glass will not crack or shatter even when the screws (23) are tightened more than is necessary to accomplish their intended purpose.

Preferably, the windscreen (2), heat director (4), brackets (3), and screws (23) all have the same, or substantially the same, coefficients of thermal expansion, so that the position of the heat director (4) is not disrupted when heat is applied to the heat source (5) and thereby partially absorbed by the windscreen (2), heat director (4), brackets (3), and screws (23).

In an alternative embodiment of bracket (3) as shown in FIG. 3, a windscreen (2) is not present as part of the firepit (1). In this embodiment, four brackets (3) are typically used rather than two, the brackets (3) are lengthened compared with the FIG. 1 embodiment (to maintain the same distance of the heat director (4) above the heat source (5) as in the FIG. 1 embodiment), and the brackets (3) are provided with relatively wide horizontal feet (31) for stability so that the brackets (3) can securely stand on heat insulator (6). In this embodiment, the brackets (3) are used for the same purpose as in the FIG. 1 embodiment, and are attached to the heat director (4) in the same manner as described above.

In other alternative embodiments of the present invention (not illustrated), the heat source (5) has a shape in the horizontal plane that is other than rectangular. For example, the shape of the heat source (5) may be circular, oblong, elliptical, or square. In these embodiments, the heat director (4) typically has the same general shape in the horizontal plane as the heat source (5). A windscreen (2) may or not be present. When a windscreen (2) is present, the windscreen (2) typically has the same general shape in the horizontal plane as the heat source (5), and the cross-sectional area of the heat director (4) in this plane is at least as great as that of the windscreen (2). The heat director (4) is deployed as described above, e.g., it is horizontal with respect to the ground, and is situated in a spaced-apart location above the heat source (5). Brackets (3) are used as described above.

In any one of the above embodiments, the brackets (3) can have fixed lengths or variable lengths. When fixed length brackets (3) are used, the heat director (4) is positioned a fixed distance above the heat source (5). Variable lengths can be accomplished by, e.g., using nesting two-piece brackets (3), wherein a first piece nests inside a larger piece, and the two pieces are held in the desired position with set screws or other means. The brackets (3) have the same length, to maintain the heat director (4) horizontal. In these embodiments, heat director (4) is spaced apart from heat source (5) by a variable, rather than a fixed, distance, while still remaining horizontal. The variable spacing allows the user to modulate the amount of heat that is reflected and directed by the heat director (4).

The above description is included to illustrate the preferred embodiments and is not meant to limit the scope of the invention. The scope of the invention is limited only by the following claims. From the above discussion, many variations will be apparent to one skilled in the art that would yet be encompassed by the spirit and scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A firepit comprising:

a heat source; and

a substantially horizontal heat director situated above, and spaced apart from, the heat source.

2. The firepit of claim 1 wherein the heat director is spaced apart from the heat source by a fixed distance, by means of a set of generally vertical brackets holding the heat director in a fixed position.

3. The firepit of claim 1 wherein the heat director is spaced apart from the heat source by a variable distance, by means of a set of generally vertical brackets each having the same variable length.

4. The firepit of claim 3 wherein each bracket comprises two pieces, a first piece fitting inside a slightly larger second piece, with the two pieces held in position by set screws or other means.

5. The firepit of claim 1 wherein the heat director is fabricated of tempered glass.

6. The firepit of claim 1 wherein the heat director is fabricated of metal.

7. The firepit of claim 1 further comprising a set of generally vertical brackets, each bracket having an upper horizontal slot adapted to grasp opposing sides of the heat director.

8. The firepit of claim 7 further comprising a windscreen having at least one vertical surface and positioned around the heat source, wherein each bracket has a lower vertical slot adapted to grasp two opposing sides of a vertical surface of the windscreen.

9. The firepit of claim 8 wherein the horizontal and vertical slots are fastened to the heat director and to the windscreen, respectively, via set screws.

10. The firepit of claim 9 wherein the set screws are tipped with nylon or Teflon.

11. The firepit of claim 9 wherein the heat director, windscreen, brackets, and set screws have substantially the same coefficients of thermal expansion.

12. The firepit of claim 1 further comprising a windscreen surrounding the heat source, wherein:

the heat director is positioned above the windscreen and covers at least the entire area of the windscreen in the horizontal plane; and

a set of generally vertical brackets connects the heat director to the windscreen.

13. The firepit of claim 1 further comprising a heat insulator surrounding the heat source, wherein:

a set of generally vertical brackets holds the heat director in place above the heat source, with each bracket resting on the heat insulator via a horizontal foot.

14. The firepit of claim 1 wherein the heat source comprises natural gas or propane.

15. The firepit of claim 1 wherein each of the heat source and heat director has a rectangular shape in the horizontal plane.

16. The firepit of claim 1 wherein at least one of the heat source and heat director has a shape in the horizontal plane that is other than rectangular.