Patent Application
20210222882
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
The disclosure relates to thermal fan device and more particularly pertains to a new thermal fan device for blowing heated air from a fireplace.
The prior art relates to thermal fan device.
An embodiment of the disclosure meets the needs presented above by generally comprising a screen that is positionable in front of a fireplace. A blower is coupled to the screen and the blower urging air through the screen when the blower is turned on. In this way the blower urges heated air outwardly from the fireplace to enhance heating an area. A thermoelectric power supply is coupled to the screen wherein the thermoelectric power and the thermoelectric power supply produces an electrical current when the thermoelectric power supply is exposed to a thermal gradient. It this way the thermoelectric power supply converts heat from the fireplace into electrical current. The blower is electrically coupled to the thermoelectric power supply.
There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the disclosure in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the disclosure that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.
The objects of the disclosure, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the disclosure, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure.
The disclosure will be better understood and objects other than those set forth above will become apparent when consideration is given to the following detailed description thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexed drawings wherein:
With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to
As best illustrated in
A blower 24 is coupled to the screen 12 such that the blower 24 is in fluid communication with an interior of the fireplace 14. The blower 24 urges air through the screen 12 when the blower 24 is turned on to urge heated air outwardly from the fireplace 14. In this way the blower 24 enhances heating an area. The blower 24 comprises a dish 26 that is comprised of a fluid impermeable material to inhibit air from passing therethrough. Additionally, the dish 26 is comprised of a thermally conductive material such that the dish 26 is in thermal communication with ambient air.
The dish 26 has a bottom wall 28 and a top edge 30, and the top edge 30 is coupled to the screen 12 having the dish 26 being aligned with the hole 20 in the screen 12. The dish 26 extends away from the back surface 18 of the screen 12 such that the dish 26 is in thermal communication with the fireplace 14 when the screen 12 is positioned therearound. Additionally, the bottom wall 28 has an opening 31 extending therethrough.
The blower 24 includes a motor 32 that is mounted in the dish 26. The motor 32 rotates in a first direction when the motor 32 is turned on and the motor 32 may comprise an electric motor 32 or the like. The blower 24 includes a fan 34 that is coupled to an output shaft of the motor 32. The motor 32 rotates the fan 34 when the motor 32 is turned on to urge air from the fireplace 14 into the area being heated.
A thermoelectric power supply 36 is coupled to the screen 12 and the thermoelectric power supply 36 is in thermal communication with the fireplace 14 when the screen 12 is positioned therearound. Moreover, the thermoelectric power supply 36 produces an electrical current when the thermoelectric power supply 36 is exposed to a thermal gradient. In this way the thermoelectric power supply 36 converts heat from the fireplace 14 into electrical current. The blower 24 is electrically coupled to the thermoelectric power supply 36. Additionally, the thermoelectric power supply 36 may comprise a Peltier device or the like.
A heat sink 38 is included that has a basal surface 40 and a plurality of fins 42. The heat sink 38 is coupled to the screen 12 having the basal surface 40 being positioned in the hole 20 in the dish 26. In this way the heat sink 38 is in thermal communication with ambient air in the area being heated. The thermoelectric power supply 36 is coupled to the basal surface 40 such that the thermoelectric power supply 36 is in thermal communication with the heat sink 38. Thus, the heat sink 38 communicates the temperature gradient to the thermoelectric power supply 36 when the thermoelectric power supply 36 is exposed to heat produced by the fireplace 14. Additionally, the motor 32 is removably attached to the fins 42 on the heat sink 38. A thermometer 44 is coupled to the screen 12 such that the thermometer 44 is in thermal communication with the fireplace 14. In this way the thermometer 44 can display the temperature of the fireplace 14.
In use, the screen 12 is positioned around the fireplace 14 when a fire is burning in the fireplace 14. In this way the thermoelectric power supply 36 is exposed to heat produced by the fire. Additionally, the thermoelectric power supply 36 is in thermal communication with the heat sink 38. Thus, the thermoelectric power supply 36 converts heat from the fire into electrical current to power the motor 32. In this way the fan 34 blows heated air to enhance heating the area without the need for batteries or a power cord.
With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of an embodiment enabled by the disclosure, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by an embodiment of the disclosure.
Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the disclosure. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the disclosure to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the disclosure. In this patent document, the word “comprising” is used in its non-limiting sense to mean that items following the word are included, but items not specifically mentioned are not excluded. A reference to an element by the indefinite article “a” does not exclude the possibility that more than one of the element is present, unless the context clearly requires that there be only one of the elements.
