Patent Application
20240337386
A popular category of fire pits, referred to in the art as smokeless fire pits, use different types of air channels to heat air while delivering the heated air to the top of the fire box. Delivering this air aids in the combustion and decreases smoke produced by the fire. A drawback is that the air channels can come between a person sitting beside the fire pit and the heat of the fire. In cooler weather, those sitting around a fire pit want to feel heat from the fire.
Heat deflectors on fire pits are designed to redirect heat away from the fire and reflect it back towards the surrounding area. This helps to increase the overall warmth and efficiency of the fire pit by ensuring that more of the heat generated by the fire is radiated outwards rather than being lost to the surrounding air. Heat deflectors work by using reflective surfaces to bounce the heat waves generated by the fire back towards the area around the fire pit. Heat waves are a form of electromagnetic radiation that is emitted by any object that has a temperature above absolute zero. They are a type of infrared radiation, which has a longer wavelength than visible light and is not visible to the human eye. When a fire burns in a fire pit, it emits heat waves in the form of infrared radiation. These waves are absorbed by any objects in their path, including the ground, walls, and nearby people. Heat deflectors on fire pits are designed to redirect these heat waves away from the fire and reflect them towards the surrounding area, which helps to increase the overall warmth and efficiency of the fire pit. The heat waves that are reflected by heat reflectors are the same infrared radiation emitted by the fire. The reflector simply redirects this radiation in a more useful way, which allows it to be felt by people and objects nearby, rather than being lost to the air. Heat also leaves a fire pit through the hot air flow that rises up away from the pit.
The disclosure provides a heat deflector for use with a fire pit. The heat deflector is placed over the fire box and directs and reflects heat from the fire laterally outwardly where it can be felt by those sitting around the fire pit.
The disclosure provides an exemplary configuration of a heat deflector that is mounted to an accessory post. The heat deflector is thus supported from a single structure extending up from the fire pit. The exemplary configuration can be rotated from a position that is not above the fire box to a position that is above the fire box. This allows the heat deflector to be kept in a ‘ready to use’ position while the fire builds or while one cooks over the fire. The user can then rotate the deflector into an ‘in use’ position when desired. The exemplary configuration also can be adjusted up and down with respect to the fire box. Both adjustments can be made while the fire is burning and without removing the deflector from the fire pit.
The disclosure provides a heat deflector having a secondary deflector member spaced above a primary deflector member to define a secondary heat chamber. A conical deflector extends down from the primary deflector member. The conical deflector and the primary deflector member reflect infrared heat radiation from the fire to the area surrounding the fire pit. In addition, the heat deflector redirects the hot air flow rising from the fire pit. The primary deflector member stops most of the hot air flow from the fire from rising and pushes it laterally outwardly past its outer edges. The outer portions of the primary deflector member can be angled downwardly toward the fire box. Holes in the primary deflector member allow some of the hot air flow to pass through the primary deflector member up to the secondary deflector member where a majority are routed laterally. The secondary deflector member prevents most of the hot air flow from escaping straight up from the fire pit by requiring most to be routed laterally around the secondary deflector member. In some situations, a logo or other opening will be cut the secondary deflector member which will allow some hot air to pass directly through the secondary deflector member. A heated chamber is defined between the upper surface of the primary deflector member and the lower surface of the secondary deflector member. The supports for the secondary deflector member define openings that allow heat to escape laterally from the heated chamber. The secondary deflector member is not as wide as the primary deflector member so that the combustion products that escape laterally the secondary deflector member are within the outer perimeter of the primary deflector member.
The disclosure provides a heat deflector that is optimally used at a level 12 to 14 inches about top of fire box of the fire pit to provide up to a 24 percent increase in temperature experienced by one sitting level with the heat deflector compared to the same fire pit without the heat deflector.
The disclosure provides a heat deflector having a cone that projects down toward the fire box from the primary deflector member. The cone functions as a deflector that reflects heat in the form of radiation from the fire. The cone can be made up of a plurality of flat sides.
The disclosure provides one configuration of a heat deflector using the minimal support that allows the fire to be seen and allows one sitting around the fire pit to see another person sitting across the fire pit. The fire is visible because only a single support extends upward from the side of the fire pit to support the heat deflector.
The disclosure also provides another configuration of a heat deflector that uses two supports with both supports extending upward from different sides of the fire pit.
The preceding non-limiting aspects of the disclosure, as well as others, are more particularly described below. A more complete understanding of the devices, assemblies, and methods can be obtained by reference to the accompanying drawings, which are not intended to indicate relative size and dimensions of the assemblies. In those drawings and the description below, like numeric designations refer to components of like function. Specific terms used in that description are intended to refer only to the particular structure of the embodiments selected for illustration in the drawings and are not intended to define or limit the scope of the disclosure.
This description of exemplary embodiments is intended to be read in connection with the accompanying drawings, which are to be considered part of the entire written description. The drawing figures are not necessarily to scale and certain features may be shown exaggerated in scale or in somewhat schematic form in the interest of clarity and conciseness. In the description, relative terms such as “horizontal,” “vertical,” “up,” “down,” “top” and “bottom” as well as derivatives thereof (e.g., “horizontally,” “downwardly,” “upwardly,” etc.) should be construed to refer to the orientation as then described or as shown in the drawing figure under discussion. These relative terms are for convenience of description and normally are not intended to require a particular orientation. Terms including “inwardly” versus “outwardly,” “longitudinal” versus “lateral” and the like are to be interpreted relative to one another or relative to an axis of elongation, or an axis or center of rotation, as appropriate. Terms concerning attachments, coupling and the like, such as “joined,” “connected,” and “interconnected,” refer to a relationship wherein structures are secured or attached to one another either directly or indirectly through intervening structures, as well as both movable or rigid attachments or relationships, unless expressly described otherwise.
The disclosure provides a heat deflector 2 that includes a primary deflector member 4 and a secondary defector member 6 that is supported in a position spaced above primary deflector member 4 by a plurality of legs 10 to define a secondary heat chamber 8. Secondary deflector member 6 is centered with respect to primary deflector member 4. Secondary deflector 6 can be flat or can include two crossing brakes 7 (such as a five-degree bend) that provide it with a slight depth (like a shallow cone) to increase its rigidity. Legs 10 define openings 11.
In the exemplary configuration depicted in the drawings, both deflector members are generally round and have a maximum width (or diameter). In other embodiments, these members can be provided in different shapes such as square, hexagonal, oval, or octagonal. The maximum width of primary deflector member 4 is greater than the maximum width of secondary deflector member 6.
A lower deflector 12 extends down from primary deflector member 4. Primary deflector member 4 defines an opening above lower deflector 12. The opening has a maximum width that is 75 to 95 percent a maximum width of lower deflector 12. Lower deflector 12 is generally conical in shape so that its sidewall is angled to reflect radiation from the fire outwardly towards the area surrounding the fire pit. In the exemplary configuration, lower deflector 12 includes a plurality of flat sidewall sections that fit together to form the frustum of a pyramid. In the drawings, six flat sidewall sections are used with a closed bottom wall 14 that truncates the generally conical shape to form a frustum of a hexagonal pyramid. In other embodiments, lower deflector 12 can be conical, can include a different number of sidewall sections, and can eliminate bottom wall 14 with its sidewall or sidewall sections joining at a point.
The above deflector components are made from stainless steel, aluminum, or other materials that reflect infrared radiation and stand up to high heats. They also can be made from these or other materials and further include reflective coatings to increase the amount of heat reflected.
Heat deflector 2 is carried above fire box 20 of a fire pit 22 on an accessory post 24 such as that used to hold a grill 26 as shown in
Heat deflector 2 includes mounting tube 30 adapted to be slid over accessory post 24. A handle 32 and a locking fastener 34 are carried by mounting tube 30. Locking fastener 34 can be rotated to lock the position of mounting tube 30 with respect to accessory tube 30. Support arms 36 extend from mounting tube 30 to opposite portions of primary deflector member 4. Mounting tube 30 is connected to primary deflector member 4 at its outer edge with a reinforcing plate 38 supporting the connection. In the exemplary configuration, mounting tube 30, plate 38, and primary deflector member 4 are welded together. In other configurations, these elements can be connected with fasteners and/or interference fits.
Primary deflector member 4 defines a plurality of openings 40 outwardly of lower deflector 12 to allow a portion of the hot air flow from the fire to pass through primary deflector member 4 to chamber 8. As shown in
Primary deflector member 4 has four edge portions 50 that are bent downward up to five degrees from flat. Bending edge portions 50 downward increases the rigidity of primary deflector member 4 and helps to direct the hot air flow that is moving out across the outer edge of primary deflector member 4 somewhat downward as it leaves deflector 2. Each edge portion 50 is defined by a straight bend that extends between spaced points along the outer edge of primary deflector member 4. Edge portions 50 can be the same size and the respective bends are each spaced from one another.
An alternative embodiment of a heat deflector 102 is depicted in
Secondary deflector 6 can be flat or can include two crossing brakes such as breaks 7 described above.
Heat deflector 102 includes two mounting tubes 30 with two support arms 36 running between tubes 30 and being connected (welded or fasteners) at their midpoints to primary deflector member 4. Arms 36 provide support and rigidity to heat deflector 102.
Each mounting tube 30 includes a crank tab 31 connected to an inner side of tube 30. Crank tab 31 defines at least one opening that allows crank tab 31 to be connected (with a hook) to a chain or a wire of a crank (not shown) mounted above heat deflector 102. The crank can be used to raise or lower heat deflector 102 along accessory posts 24. The crank can be centered with respect to heat deflector 102 to provide even force to both sides of heat deflector 102.
As above, a reinforcing plate 38 is connected to primary deflector member 4 around tube 30. In the alternative embodiment of heat deflector 102, reinforcing plate 38 includes a tab 39 that extends downwardly over the outer edge of primary deflector member 4 to shield handle 32 from the heat of fire pit 22.
In the foregoing description, certain terms have been used for brevity, clearness, and understanding. No unnecessary limitations are to be implied therefrom beyond the requirement of the prior art because such terms are used for descriptive purposes and are intended to be broadly construed. Moreover, the above description and attached illustrations are examples and the invention is not limited to the exact details shown or described. Throughout the description and claims of this specification the words “comprise” and “include” as well as variations of those words, such as “comprises,” “includes,” “comprising,” and “including” are not intended to exclude additives, components, integers, or steps. Up, down, left, right, top, and bottom are in reference to the orientation of the drawings.
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent application No. 63/457,001 filed Apr. 4, 2023; the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 63457001 | Apr 2023 | US |
