Patent Application
20220196247
The invention relates to an accessory for use with a fire pit. More particularly, the invention relates to a tabletop accessory for locating above the fire pit and for use as a heat shield.
Outdoor fire pits have, in the past, been permanent fixtures built from rock, concrete, metals, or other resilient and heavy materials. Often the fire pit is built directly on the ground and is not readily portable. Other fire pits have been developed that may be somewhat portable. However, in an effort to contain fire and ash, combustion properties are less than desirable. Smoky fires, possibly with little light or radiated heat, have been the result.
In an attempt to address the above and related concerns, Applicant filed an application for “Non-Gas Fire Pit”, as shown and described in U.S. Pub. 2020/0096199, and assigned to Lamplight Farms Incorporated, hereby incorporated by reference.
It is desirable to provide an accessory for facilitating enhanced use and protection of the fire pit device described above.
To further enhance the functionality of the Non-Gas Fire Pit referenced above, and other devices sharing some of the features of the Non-Gas Fire Pit, a tabletop accessory is shown and described herein. The accessory of the invention may be used as a tabletop for a fire pit when the fire pit not in use, such as may be the case during warm summer months. The accessory of the invention has additional uses, i.e., the accessory supports a cover when the fire pit is stored. The accessory may be placed under the fire pit for use as a heat shield when the fire pit is in use. In one embodiment, the legs are removable for facilitating ease of shipping and storage.
In greater detail, a table accessory for use with a fire pit is shown and described herein. In one embodiment, the table accessory has a hollow body having an upper surface, a lower surface and width. In one embodiment, the accessory body is circular. In other embodiments, the accessory body may be square, rectangular, hexagonal, octagonal, or anther shape. A plurality of accessory legs extend from the lower surface of the accessory body. Each of the accessory legs have a terminal end.
The table accessory is sized to be supported by a fire pit. An example fire pit has an inner chamber wall defining a fire pit chamber having an upper end. The fire pit has a top panel that surrounds the upper end of the chamber of the fire pit. The terminal ends of the accessory legs are configured to be received on the top panel of the fire pit. A stand at a lower end of the fire pit has a plurality of fire pit legs for supporting the fire pit.
The table accessory defines an accessory height from the upper surface of the accessory body to the terminal ends of the accessory legs. The fire pit legs define a fire pit leg height. The accessory height is less than the fire pit leg height for facilitating locating the table accessory under the fire pit chamber of the fire pit for use of the table accessory as a heat shield.
Referring now to the figures, shown is a fire pit designated generally 10. Fire pit 10 includes chamber 12. Chamber 12 is partially defined by inner chamber wall 14 and fuel grate 16. Inner chamber wall 14 preferably defines a plurality of apertures 18. Outer wall 20 surrounds inner chamber wall 14. Top panel 22 spans between inner chamber wall 14 and outer wall 20.
Stand 21 is located below outer wall 20. Stand 21 includes support ring 22. A plurality of fire pit legs 24 are affixed to support ring 22 for supporting fire pit 10. Fire pit legs 24 have a fire pit leg height 26.
Referring now to
Accessory 30 has a plurality of accessory legs 40 extending from lower surface 36 of body 32. Each accessory leg 40 has terminal end 42. Accessory 30 has accessory height 44 from upper surface 34 to terminal end 42 of accessory legs 40. Terminal ends 42 of accessory legs 40 are configured to be received on top panel 22 of fire pit 10.
In a preferred embodiment, accessory height 44 is less than fire pit leg height 26 for facilitating locating accessory 30 under stand 21 of chamber 12 of fire pit 10 for use of accessory 30 as a heat shield for providing a thermal barrier to protect surfaces below the fire pit from heat (see, e.g.,
It is to be understood that the terms “including”, “comprising”, “consisting” and grammatical variants thereof do not preclude the addition of one or more components, features, steps, or integers or groups thereof and that the terms are to be construed as specifying components, features, steps or integers.
If the specification or claims refer to “an additional” element, that does not preclude there being more than one of the additional element.
It is to be understood that where the claims or specification refer to “a” or “an” element, such reference is not be construed that there is only one of that element.
It is to be understood that where the specification states that a component, feature, structure, or characteristic “may”, “might”, “can” or “could” be included, that particular component, feature, structure, or characteristic is not required to be included.
Where applicable, although state diagrams, flow diagrams or both may be used to describe embodiments, the invention is not limited to those diagrams or to the corresponding descriptions. For example, flow need not move through each illustrated box or state, or in exactly the same order as illustrated and described.
Methods of the present invention may be implemented by performing or completing manually, automatically, or a combination thereof, selected steps or tasks.
The term “method” may refer to manners, means, techniques and procedures for accomplishing a given task including, but not limited to, those manners, means, techniques and procedures either known to, or readily developed from known manners, means, techniques and procedures by practitioners of the art to which the invention belongs.
The term “at least” followed by a number is used herein to denote the start of a range beginning with that number (which may be a ranger having an upper limit or no upper limit, depending on the variable being defined). For example, “at least 1” means 1 or more than 1. The term “at most” followed by a number is used herein to denote the end of a range ending with that number (which may be a range having 1 or 0 as its lower limit, or a range having no lower limit, depending upon the variable being defined). For example, “at most 4” means 4 or less than 4, and “at most 40%” means 40% or less than 40%.
When, in this document, a range is given as “(a first number) to (a second number)” or “(a first number)-(a second number)”, this means a range whose lower limit is the first number and whose upper limit is the second number. For example, 25 to 100 should be interpreted to mean a range whose lower limit is 25 and whose upper limit is 100. Additionally, it should be noted that where a range is given, every possible subrange or interval within that range is also specifically intended unless the context indicates to the contrary. For example, if the specification indicates a range of 25 to 100 such range is also intended to include subranges such as 26-100, 27-100, etc., 25-99, 25-98, etc., as well as any other possible combination of lower and upper values within the stated range, e.g., 33-47, 60-97, 41-45, 28-96, etc. Note that integer range values have been used in this paragraph for purposes of illustration only and decimal and fractional values (e.g., 46.7-91.3) should also be understood to be intended as possible subrange endpoints unless specifically excluded.
It should be noted that where reference is made herein to a method comprising two or more defined steps, the defined steps can be carried out in any order or simultaneously (except where context excludes that possibility), and the method can also include one or more other steps which are carried out before any of the defined steps, between two of the defined steps, or after all of the defined steps (except where context excludes that possibility).
Further, it should be noted that terms of approximation (e.g., “about”, “substantially”, “approximately”, etc.) are to be interpreted according to their ordinary and customary meanings as used in the associated art unless indicated otherwise herein. Absent a specific definition within this disclosure, and absent ordinary and customary usage in the associated art, such terms should be interpreted to be plus or minus 10% of the base value.
Thus, the present invention is well adapted to carry out the objects and attain the ends and advantages mentioned above as well as those inherent therein. While the inventive device has been described and illustrated herein by reference to certain preferred embodiments in relation to the drawings attached thereto, various changes and further modifications, apart from those shown or suggested herein, may be made therein by those of ordinary skill in the art, without departing from the spirit of the inventive concept the scope of which is to be determined by the following claims.
