SMOKELESS FIRE PIT RING

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit of priority of U.S. non-provisional application Ser. No. 29/928,266, filed Feb. 9, 2024, the contents of which are herein incorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE SUBJECT DISCLOSURE

The present subject disclosure relates to fire pits and, more particularly, to a portable smokeless fire pit ring that can be inserted into a pre-existing fire pit so that the fire seated in the fire pit is smokeless.

Fire pits are designed to contain fire and prevent it from spreading, where those gathered therearound can use the emitting heat for keeping warm, cooking, or as a centerpiece for a social gathering. A fire pit can vary from a pit dug in the ground, a raised rock lined construction, or a raised ceramic and/or metal housing with legs. The circumscribed area of the fire pit, the “fire chamber”, contains fuel for combustion typically wood, other solid fuel made from compressed organic material, or liquid fluid.

Combustion produces smoke, which is a combination of gases and small suspended particles of soot or other solids, resulting from the burning of the fuel in the fire pit. This smoke can be an irritant to those gathering around the fire. Furthermore, some of the gases in the smoke are combustible and can produce thermal energy through combustion if the temperature within the fire chamber is higher. Thus, the hotter the fire the more efficient it is at converting the potential energy that otherwise is lost in standard fire pits.

Which explains the growing popularity of portable smokeless fire pits. However, most fire pits are fixed or integrated in situ, thus bringing a separate, portable smokeless fire pit inconvenient in terms of space utilization, especially at campsites or parks with the area designated for burning fuel can be very limited.

As can be seen, there is a need for a portable smokeless fire pit ring that can be inserted into a pre-existing non-smokeless conventional fire pit so that the fire seated in the fire pit is smokeless when the portable smokeless fire pit ring is in use.

SUMMARY OF THE SUBJECT DISCLOSURE

In one aspect of the subject disclosure, a portable smokeless fire pit ring for insertion into a pre-existing fire pit includes the following: a tubular body having a circular configuration and defined by an upper edge and a lower edge, said tubular body being dimensioned to occupy a fire chamber of the pre-existing fire pit; a row of upper air holes positioned adjacent to the upper edge of the tubular body, the cumulative cross-sectional area of said upper air holes being configured to establish an upper airflow into the fire chamber; a row of lower air holes positioned adjacent to the lower edge of the tubular body, the cumulative cross-sectional area of said lower air holes being greater than that of the upper air holes to establish a lower airflow that channels smoke and heat back into the fire chamber; and a flange extending radially from the tubular body adjacent to the upper edge, the flange being configured to seat on an upper surface of the pre-existing fire pit to support the tubular body therein.

In another aspect of the subject disclosure, the portable smokeless fire pit ring providing the following: a tubular body having a circular configuration and defined by an upper edge and a lower edge, the tubular body configured to be inserted into a void so as to define a fire chamber; a flange extending radially from the upper edge, the flange configured to seat on an upper surface of a structure that defines the void to support the tubular body when inserted within the void; a plurality of upper air holes formed near the upper edge, the upper air holes arranged to permit an upper airflow into the fire chamber; and a plurality of lower air holes formed near the lower edge, the lower air holes having a cumulative cross-sectional area greater than that of the upper air holes to facilitate a greater lower airflow that channels smoke and combustion gases back into the fire chamber to enhance combustion efficiency.

In yet another aspect of the subject disclosure, the portable smokeless fire pit ring further provides wherein the flange radially extends a flange distance so that in the used condition the tubular body is seated in the pre-existing fire pit/structure there is a circumferential air gap between an exterior surface of the tubular body and the pre-existing fire pit/structure of approximately two inches, and wherein a height of the tubular body is dimensioned so that in the used condition a lower air gap of approximately two inches is established between the lower edge and a base of the pre-existing fire pit/structure.

These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present subject disclosure will become better understood with reference to the following drawings, description and claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a top-front perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of the subject disclosure.

FIG. 2 is a top elevation view of an exemplary embodiment of the subject disclosure.

FIG. 3 is a bottom elevation view of an exemplary embodiment of the subject disclosure.

FIG. 4 is a right elevation view of an exemplary embodiment of the subject disclosure.

FIG. 5 is a left elevation view of an exemplary embodiment of the subject disclosure, illustrating the upper airflow 35 and the lower airflow 45.

FIG. 6 is a front elevation view of an exemplary embodiment of the subject disclosure.

FIG. 7 is a rear elevation view of an exemplary embodiment of the subject disclosure.

FIG. 8 is a section view of the subject disclosure in a used condition within a pre-existing fire pit or fire pit structure 90 and illustrating the ‘A’ lower air gap and the ‘B’ circumferential air gap.

FIG. 9 is FIG. 8 illustrating the resulting air flows enabled by the upper and lower air holes when in use, wherein a void 50 of the pre-existing fire pit/structure 90 is partially occupied by the subject disclosure and the void 50 is filled with combusting fuel.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE SUBJECT DISCLOSURE

The following detailed description is of the best currently contemplated modes of carrying out exemplary embodiments of the subject disclosure. The description is not to be taken in a limiting sense but is made merely for the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the subject disclosure, since the scope of the subject disclosure is best defined by the appended claims.

Broadly, an embodiment of the subject disclosure provides a portable smokeless fire pit ring having a tubular body having a circular configuration defined by an upper edge and a lower edge, the body being adapted for insertion into a void so as to define a fire chamber. The fire pit ring further includes a flange extending radially from the upper edge, which is configured to engage an upper surface of the surrounding fire pit to support the tubular body within the fire chamber of the fire pit. A plurality of upper air holes formed near the upper edge permits an upper airflow into the fire chamber, while a plurality of lower air holes formed near the lower edge, having a cumulative cross-sectional area greater than that of the upper air holes, facilitating a greater lower airflow that channels smoke and combustion gases back into the fire chamber to enhance combustion efficiency.

Referring to FIGS. 1 through 8, the subject disclosure includes a fire pit assembly 100 with a tubular body 10 having a circular, round, or ring configuration, and being shaped and dimensioned to occupy the fire chamber of a pre-existing (or “intrinsic”) fire pit 90 or structure that defines a void 50 sufficient for a fire chamber. The body 10 has an upper edge 12 and a lower edge 14, wherein the terms ‘upper’ and ‘lower’ are directional terms defined by the intrinsic fire pit assembly 100 in an operable condition—i.e., where ‘lower’ and similar direction terms connote the portion of the fire ring associated with the base or ground of the fire chamber. Also, FIG. 1, “lower’ is associated with the lower margin of the Figure, while “upper” is the diametrically opposing direction or the upper margin of FIG. 1. The fire pit assembly 100 may be made from powder coated steel other sufficiently fire resistant and durable materials that can be used for the purposes described herein.

The “height” of the tubular body 10, the distance between the upper edge 12 and the lower edge 14 is determined based on the height of the intrinsic fire pit—i.e., from the floor/ground/base to the upper surface of the fire pit. Specifically, the difference between the height of the tubular body 10 and the height of the intrinsic fire pit it is seated in is preferrable approximately 10 inches so the air can flow between the inner circumferential surface 16 of the tubular body and its outer circumferential surface 18.

Radially extending from the upper edge 12 is a flange 20. The flange 20 is configured to be seated on an upper surface of the intrinsic fire pit (not shown) so that the tubular body 10 is supported as it occupies the fire chamber of the intrinsic fire pit. Critically, while being seated, the lower edge 14 is at least 1 inch above the floor of the fire chamber, thereby affording a lower air passageway between the lower edge 14 and the floor of the fire chamber.

Equally critical, the tubular body 10 needs to be spaced apart from the inner surface of the intrinsic fire pit, during use, by approximately 1 inch. Therefore, the distance between the outer circumferential surface 18 and a distal edge of the flange 20 should be at least 1 inch so that to enable this “lateral” air passageway.

Downward of the upper edge 12 is a series or array of spaced apart the upper air holes 30. This downward distance is critically 1 inch. The spacing between adjacent upper air holes 30 may be approximately 2 inches. Each upper air hole 30 is generally circular in shape and has a diameter of 0.6 inches.

Upward of the lower edge 14 is a series or array of spaced apart lower air holes 40. This upward distance is critically 1.5 inches. The spacing between adjacent lower air holes 40 may be approximately 4 inches. Each lower air hole 40 is generally circular in shape and has a diameter of approximately 0.8 inches.

The difference in the diameters of the upper air holes 30 is lower air holes 40 is critical as it facilitates a specific airflow pattern that renders the fire circumscribed by the fire pit assembly 100 “smokeless” due to a lower airflow 45 through the lower air holes 40 that are greater by 0.2 inches than an upper airflow 35 through the upper air holes 30. This airflow also channels smoke and heat back into the fire chamber, thereby subjecting more of the vapor and gases combustion which in turn further lessens the quantity of gases in the smoke.

Air drawn through the upper air holes 30 will be less than the air drawn through the lower air holes 40 of the tubular body 10, because of the difference in cross-sectional air between the upper and lower air holes. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the cumulative area of the upper air holes 30 is less than the cumulative size of the openings in of the lower air holes 40, thereby the lower airflow controls airflow through the upper air holes 30.

As used in this application, the term “about” or “approximately” refers to a range of values within plus or minus 10% of the specified number. And the term “substantially” refers to up to 80% or more of an entirety. Recitation of ranges of values herein are not intended to be limiting, referring instead individually to any and all values falling within the range, unless otherwise indicated, and each separate value within such a range is incorporated into the specification as if it were individually recited herein.

For purposes of this disclosure, the term “aligned” means parallel, substantially parallel, or forming an angle of less than 35.0 degrees. For purposes of this disclosure, the term “transverse” means perpendicular, substantially perpendicular, or forming an angle between 55.0 and 125.0 degrees. Also, for purposes of this disclosure, the term “length” means the longest dimension of an object. Also, for purposes of this disclosure, the term “width” means the dimension of an object from side to side. For the purposes of this disclosure, the term “above” generally means superjacent, substantially superjacent, or higher than another object although not directly overlying the object. Further, for purposes of this disclosure, the term “mechanical communication” generally refers to components being in direct physical contact with each other or being in indirect physical contact with each other where movement of one component affect the position of the other.

The use of any and all examples, or exemplary language (“e.g.,” “such as,” or the like) provided herein, is intended merely to better illuminate the embodiments and does not pose a limitation on the scope of the embodiments or the claims. No language in the specification should be construed as indicating any unclaimed element as essential to the practice of the disclosed embodiments.

In the following description, it is understood that terms such as “first,” “second,” “top,” “bottom,” “up,” “down,” and the like, are words of convenience and are not to be construed as limiting terms unless specifically stated to the contrary.

It should be understood, of course, that the foregoing relates to exemplary embodiments of the subject disclosure and that modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the subject disclosure as set forth in the following claims.