This disclosure relates to outdoor or backyard fire pits and more particularly to fire pit inserts.
An open fire creates an inviting, relaxing atmosphere. People will often pass long hours just staring into the flickering flames and talking to friends. Such fires were once strictly limited to campsites and campgrounds but are now finding increased usage in backyards and on patios due to the prevalence of fire pits, which have become desirable additions to outdoor spaces. Fire pits are available in a wide variety of shapes and sizes and can be used with fire wood and also with gaseous fuels, such as propane and natural gas. Even with such a wide variety of options, the flame generated by one fire pit is generally similar in appearance to the flame of another fire pit.
Fire is often used decoratively in fireplaces and in theatrical fire effects for its unique and powerful sensory impact. In theatrical effects, bursts of fire are sometimes triggered in conjunction with music. To date, such theatrical fire effects have required the use of a pre-recorded sequence of timed triggers. This greatly reduces the cost and randomness of the visual effects that a flame display can generate.
Accordingly, a need exists for a fire pit insert assembly that can mix sound waves and fuel to randomly modulate a flame. It is to such a fire pit insert assembly that the inventive concepts disclosed herein are directed.
Embodiments of a fire pit insert include a mixing tube that has a first (fuel outlet) end, a second (soundwave input) end located below and horizontally offset from the first end, and a fuel inlet located between the first and second ends. A fuel distribution chamber is connected to the first end.
The fuel distribution chamber may include a top plate with a plurality of orifices, a bottom plate spaced apart from the top plate, and a baffle located between the top and bottom plates, with the baffle arranged coaxial to the fuel outlet end. In some embodiments, the baffle includes a planar plate with at least one concave-shaped side.
A housing or surround may contain the mixing tube and fuel distribution chamber. At least one soundwave source can be connected to the second end and contained within the housing. In some embodiments, the first end of the mixing tube is located above and arranged coaxial to a lowermost end of the mixing tube. The second end of the tube is located above the lowermost end of the mixing tube. The mixing tube may be square-shaped and include at least one bend between the first and second ends, and this bend can be the lowermost end or bottom of the mixing tube
The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate one or more implementations described herein and, together with the description, explain these implementations. The drawings are not intended to be drawn to scale, and certain features and certain views of the figures may be shown exaggerated, to scale or in schematic in the interest of clarity and conciseness. Not every component may be labeled in every drawing. Like reference numerals in the figures may represent and refer to the same or similar element or function. In the drawings:
Elements and Numbering Used in the Drawings and Detailed Description
Before explaining at least one embodiment disclosed herein in detail, it is to be understood that the inventive concepts are not limited in their application to the details of construction and the arrangement of the components or steps or methodologies set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The inventive concepts disclosed herein are capable of other embodiments, or of being practiced or carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein is for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting the inventive concepts disclosed and claimed herein in any way.
In the following detailed description of embodiments of the inventive concepts, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a more thorough understanding of the inventive concepts. However, it will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art that the inventive concepts within the instant disclosure may be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well-known features have not been described in detail to avoid unnecessarily complicating the instant disclosure.
As used herein, the terms “comprises,” “comprising,” “includes,” “including,” “has,” “having,” and any variations thereof, are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion. For example, a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements is not necessarily limited to only those elements, and may include other elements not expressly listed or inherently present therein.
Unless expressly stated to the contrary, “or” refers to an inclusive or and not to an exclusive or. For example, a condition A or 8 is satisfied by anyone of the following: A is true (or present) and 8 is false (or not present), A is false (or not present) and 8 is true (or present), and both A and 8 are true (or present).
In addition, use of the word “a” or “an” are employed to describe elements and components of the embodiments disclosed herein. This is done merely for convenience and to give a general sense of the inventive concepts. This description should be read to include one or at least one, and the singular also includes the plural unless it is obvious that it is meant otherwise.
As used herein, qualifiers like “substantially,” “about,” “approximately,” and combinations and variations thereof, are intended to include not only the exact amount or value that they qualify, but also some slight deviations therefrom, which may be due to manufacturing tolerances, measurement error, wear and tear, stresses exerted on various parts, and combinations thereof, for example.
Finally, as used herein any reference to “one embodiment” or “an embodiment” means that a particular element, feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment. The appearances of the phrase “in one embodiment” in various places in the specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment.
Referring now to the drawings, and in particular
An audio source 45, such as a portable music player, a smart phone, a tablet computer, a karaoke machine, or the like is also utilized with the device 10. The audio source 45 provides a wireless audio signal 50 to the device 10. The wireless audio signal 50 is envisioned as a radio frequency signal such as Bluetooth® signal, although other types of radio frequencies such as Wi-Fi, infrared signals, proprietary radio frequency signals, and the like could be used with equal effectiveness. The audio source 45 would typically be located nearby within the patio setting 20 such that it could be controlled with regards to musical content, volume, playback, and the like. The overall size of the area of perforations 30 is envisioned to be approximately twenty (20) inches by twenty (20) inches in a generally square configuration. However, other shapes and sizes could also be utilized. An alternate embodiment of usage includes use of the top surface 25 as a cooking surface.
Referring now to
A wireless receiver 82 and an audio power amplifier 84 are located adjacent to at least one of the speakers 75. Further details on the interconnections between the wireless receiver 82 and the audio power amplifier 84 with the speakers 75 and the electrical cutoff switch 35 will be provided herein below. The sound waves produced by the speakers 75 such as music or voice, produces nodes and anti-nodes on the interior of the lower enclosure box 55. The nodes and anti-nodes move the flammable gas as it is emitted from the perforations 30 in the top surface 25 producing the effect of resultant flames on the topside of the fire pit 15 (as shown in
Referring now to
The device 10 can be inserted into a wide variety of fire pit 15 (as shown in
In one embodiment the device 10 can be utilized by the common user in a simple and effortless manner with little or no training. It is envisioned that the device 10 would be manufactured and constructed in general accordance with
Operation would begin by actuating the electrical cutoff switch 35 to supply electrical power to the wireless receiver 82 and the audio power amplifier 84. The user would then wirelessly connect the audio source 45 to the wireless receiver 82 and ensure the proper music is being played through the speakers 75. Next, the user would actuate the fuel cutoff valve 40 and establish a flow of flammable gas into the top surface 25 of the device 10. After an appropriate period of time, envisioned to be approximately ten (10) seconds, an ignition source such as a lighter or match would then ignite the flammable gas to enable flames on the top surface 25. At this point in time, the effect of flames “dancing” in coordination with the audio could be enjoyed.
When finished with use, the electrical cutoff switch 35 and the fuel cutoff valve 40 would be placed into an off or deactivated position to reset the device 10 for future use in a cyclical manner.
The mixing tube 108 includes a fuel inlet 136 (
The top plate 104 is configured to cooperate with the bottom plate 106 to define a gas distribution space 119. In some embodiments, the top plate 104 has an inverted cake pan shape, with sidewalls 105, which may be sloping, and a lip 107. A gasket 124 is used to provide a gas tight seal between the top plate 104 and the bottom plate 106. The top plate 104 is provided with a plurality of orifices 120 from which flames are emitted. The overall size of the area of orifices may be approximately twenty inches by twenty inches in a generally square configuration. However, other shapes and sizes could also be utilized. In one embodiment, the orifices 120 may range in number from 1,500 to 2,000 and range in size from about 0.020 inches to about 0.060 inches.
A baffle plate 140 is positioned in the fuel or gas distribution space 119 in axial alignment and spaced relationship with the first end 131 of the mixing tube 108 in a way that gas flowing from the mixing tube 108 is directed evenly throughout the gas distribution space 119 and in turn through the orifices 120. The baffle plate 140 may be formed in a variety of shapes and sizes to distribute the flow of gas in a desired pattern. In one embodiment, the baffle plate 140 is a generally planar plate with four concave sides 141.
In one embodiment, the second speaker 111 is mounted in a side of the housing 102 and directed outwardly from the housing 102. While one outwardly directed speaker is shown mounted to the housing 102, it will be appreciated that a variety of speakers may be used to achieve a desired sound quality. The speakers 110 and 111 are connected to or in communication with a conventional source of audio signals, such as a radio, tape player, CD player, cellular telephone or the like, either wirelessly or directly. A communication center 115 mounted in the housing 102 may be used to house a receiver for receiving wireless audio signals, to house conventional audio components. The center 115 may also be used to house a controller for audio volume and a controller for gas volume.
The sound waves produced by the first speaker 110, such as music or voice, produce nodes and anti-nodes which travel through the mixing tube 108 and force the fuel gas through the mixing tube 108 and into the gas distribution space 119 The nodes and anti-nodes move the fuel as it passes through the orifices 120 in the top plate 104 producing the effect of resultant flames on the topside of the top plate 104 to move or “dance” according to the frequency of the waves (consisting of the nodes and anti-nodes) produced by the first speaker 110.
From the above description, it is clear that the inventive concepts disclosed and claimed herein are well adapted to carry out the objects and to attain the advantages mentioned herein, as well as those inherent in the disclosure. While embodiments have been described for purposes of this disclosure, it will be understood that numerous changes may be made which will readily suggest themselves to those skilled in the art and which are accomplished within the spirit of the inventive concepts disclosed herein.
This application claims priority to U.S. Ser. No. 15/600,323, filed May 19, 2017, which in turn claimed priority to U.S. 62/339,532 filed May 20, 2016.
Number | Name | Date | Kind |
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2210477 | Benecke et al. | Aug 1940 | A |
3642091 | Nohara | Feb 1972 | A |
6896512 | Rattner | May 2005 | B2 |
20040060554 | Schlosser | Apr 2004 | A1 |
20060003276 | Bachinski | Jan 2006 | A1 |
20110294079 | McBride | Dec 2011 | A1 |
Entry |
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ExperiencingPhysics, “Visualizing Sound Through Fire in 3D”, Mar. 12, 2013, http://www.instructables.com/id/Visualizing-Sound-Through-Fire-in-3D/. |
Number | Date | Country | |
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62339532 | May 2016 | US |
Number | Date | Country | |
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Parent | 15666291 | Aug 2017 | US |
Child | 15836575 | US | |
Parent | 15600323 | May 2017 | US |
Child | 15666291 | US |