Fireplace Enclosure

Description

The current application is a continuation-in-part (CIP) application of the U.S. design application Ser. No. 29/975,419 filed on Nov. 27, 2024.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to fireplaces and fireplace accessories. More specifically, the present invention discloses a fireplace enclosure that can be retrofitted into an existing fireplace.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Fireplaces are building fixtures that are present in many residential buildings and some commercial buildings. In general, fireplaces are constructed using non-flammable materials such as stone or bricks to retain a contained flame. Over time, soot and other combustion byproducts accumulate inside and around the fireplace, which requires continuous maintenance of the fireplace. Several products have been made available to help maintain fireplaces, especially since the accumulation of combustion byproducts can be dangerous. Many people decide to replace the fireplace if the fireplace cannot be restored or if a new fireplace is to be installed. Another option is encapsulation, which involves covering the surfaces of the fireplace with new material to restore the fireplace without fully restoring the entire fireplace. Fireplace encapsulation can still be expensive and time consuming since the new materials must be fitted to the old fireplace and installed. So, there is a need for more practical and inexpensive solutions that help restore old fireplaces.

Therefore, an objective of the present invention is to provide a fireplace enclosure that can be used to encapsulate an existing fireplace. The present invention is designed to provide a clean, dust-free area that can retain a set of gas logs to be installed within the existing fireplace. Another objective of the present invention is to provide a fireplace enclosure that can be quickly installed without modification of the existing fireplace. The present invention provides a pre-built, single-body enclosure that can be installed within the existing fireplace. Additional features and benefits of the present invention are further discussed in the sections below.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention discloses a fireplace enclosure that can be installed on existing fireplaces. The enclosure of the present invention is designed as a single-body structure that can be easily installed on an existing fireplace. The enclosure of the present invention is preferably made from stainless steel to provide a clean and dust-free area where a set of fire-logs can be installed. Wood-burning fireplaces accumulate fine dust, soot, and heavy creosote which prevent a set of gas logs from being installed. So, the present invention enables old wood-burning fireplaces to be used with gas logs without having to fully renovate the existing fireplace. In the preferred embodiment, the fireplace enclosure has an arched backing that facilitates the outflow of gases out of the enclosure when the present invention is used with gas logs. Several pleats are included throughout the arched backing for rigidity. A vent and a damper can further be included to help vent gases in a controlled manner out of the enclosure. Alternatively, the present invention can be provided without a vent nor a damper when the fireplace enclosure is used for ornamental purposes.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a top-front-left perspective view of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a bottom-front-left perspective view of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a top-rear-right perspective view of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a bottom-rear-right perspective view of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a left side view of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a front side view of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the present invention taken along line 7-7 shown in FIG. 6.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

All illustrations of the drawings are for the purpose of describing selected versions of the present invention and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention.

The present invention discloses a fireplace enclosure that enables the restoration of an existing wood-burning fireplace so that the existing fireplace can be used with gas logs. Wood-burning fireplaces accumulate fine dust, soot, and heavy creosote which prevent a set of gas logs from being installed. As can be seen in FIGS. 1 through 7, the present invention preferably comprises a first lateral panel 1, a second lateral panel 2, a bottom panel 6, and an arc-shaped panel 7. The first lateral panel 1 and the second lateral panel 2 correspond to the sections of the present invention that cover the lateral walls of the existing fireplace. The bottom panel 6 corresponds to the section of the present invention that covers the bottom wall of the existing fireplace. The arc-shaped panel 7 corresponds to the section of the present invention that covers the back and top walls of the existing fireplace. In addition, the arc-shaped panel 7 increases the structural strength of the present invention by providing rigidity to the overall structure.

The general configuration of the aforementioned components enables the restoration of an existing wood-burning fireplace without having to completely renovate the existing fireplace. As can be seen in FIGS. 1 through 7, the first lateral panel 1, the second lateral panel 2, the bottom panel 6, and the arc-shaped panel 7 are arranged in such a way that the overall structure is shaped and sized to fit within the existing fireplace. In the preferred embodiment, both the first lateral panel 1 and the second lateral panel 2 are designed to accommodate the shape of the arc-shaped panel 7. To do so, the first lateral panel 1 and the second lateral panel 2 each comprises a first straight edge 3, a second straight edge 4, and an arc-shaped edge 5. Each first straight edge 3 and each second straight edge 4 correspond to the flat edges of the corresponding lateral panel. The first straight edge 3 preferably corresponds to the unconnected straight edge of the corresponding lateral panel that is positioned next to the opening of the fireplace enclosure. On the other hand, the second straight edge 4 corresponds to the straight edge connected to the bottom panel 6. Further, the arc-shaped edge 5 corresponds to the edge of each lateral panel that engages the arc-shaped edge 5.

As can be seen in FIGS. 1 through 7, unlike the first lateral panel 1 and the second lateral panel 2, the bottom panel 6 and the arc-shaped panel 7 have overall rectangular shapes with overall dimensions that match the internal space of the existing fireplace. So, the bottom panel 6 and the arc-shaped panel 7 each comprise a first lateral edge 8, a second lateral edge 9, a front panel edge 10, and a rear panel edge 11. The first lateral edge 8 and the second lateral edge 9 correspond to the lateral edges that are connected to the first lateral panel 1 and the second lateral panel 2, respectively. The front panel edge 10 corresponds to the panel edge that is positioned adjacent to the opening of the fireplace enclosure, while the rear panel edge 11 corresponds to the panel edge that is positioned adjacent to the backing of the fireplace enclosure. Further, the arc-shaped panel 7 further comprises a plurality of straight creases 12 implemented on the arc-shaped panel 7. The plurality of straight creases 12 increases the structural strength of the arc-shaped panel 7 and facilitates the overall heat diffusion inside the fireplace enclosure towards the opening.

In the preferred embodiment, the present invention is arranged as follows: the first lateral panel 1 and the second lateral panel 2 are positioned parallel and offset to each other to accommodate the bottom panel 6 and the arc-shaped panel 7, as can be seen in FIGS. 1 through 7. The parallel orientation of the first lateral panel 1 and the second lateral panel 2 match the overall rectangular shape of most fireplaces. However, different arrangements can be implemented for non-rectangular fireplaces. Further, the first lateral edge 8 of the bottom panel 6 is connected along the second straight edge 4 of the first lateral panel 1 to secure the bottom panel 6 to the first lateral panel 1. On the other side, the second lateral edge 9 of the bottom panel 6 is connected along the second straight edge 4 of the second lateral panel 2 to secure the bottom panel 6 to the second lateral panel 2. Similarly, the first lateral edge 8 of the arc-shaped panel 7 is connected along the arc-shaped edge 5 of the first lateral panel 1 to secure the arc-shaped panel 7 to the first lateral panel 1. On the other side, the second lateral edge 9 of the arc-shaped panel 7 is connected along the arc-shaped edge 5 of the second lateral panel 2 to secure the arc-shaped panel 7 to the second lateral panel 2.

As can be seen in FIGS. 1 through 7, the front panel edge 10 of the arc-shaped panel 7 and the front panel edge 10 of the bottom panel 6 are further positioned parallel and offset from each other due to the overall height of the fireplace enclosure. The overall height of the fireplace enclosure depends on the size of the existing fireplace so that the fireplace enclosure perfectly fits inside the existing fireplace. In addition, the rear panel edge 11 of the arc-shaped panel 7 is connected along the rear panel edge 11 of the bottom panel 6 to secure the arc-shaped panel 7 to the bottom panel 6. Further, the plurality of straight creases 12 is positioned parallel and offset amongst each other to form several to form a continuous set of straight creases throughout the arc-shaped panel 7. Furthermore, the plurality of straight creases 12 is distributed across the arc-shaped panel 7 from the front panel edge 10 to the rear panel edge 11. As a result, the plurality of straight creases 12 is evenly distributed throughout the arc-shaped panel 7 to increase the overall structural strength of the arc-shaped panel 7. In other embodiments, the present invention can include different arrangements to match different fireplace designs.

The present invention can be utilized for ornamental purposes due to the metallic structure of the present invention if no gas logs are installed within. However, when gas logs are installed within the present invention, ventilation means may be necessary to facilitate the outflow of combustion byproducts from the operation of the gas logs. As can be seen in FIGS. 1 through 7, the present invention may further comprise an exhaust vent 13 that facilitates the outflow of combustion byproducts from the fireplace enclosure into a ventilation system of the building, such as the fireplace's chimney. The exhaust vent 13 is integrated through the arc-shaped panel 7, adjacent to the front panel edge 10 of the arc-shaped panel 7, to enable the vertical outflow of the combustion byproducts from the fireplace enclosure.

As can be seen in FIGS. 1 through 7, the exhaust vent 13 can be designed in different manners to accommodate the existing ventilation system of the building. In general, the exhaust vent 13 may comprise a tubular body 14, a vent inlet 15, and a vent outlet 16. The tubular body 14 corresponds to the main structure of the exhaust vent 13, with the vent inlet 15 and the vent outlet 16 corresponding to the open terminal ends of the tubular body 14. In the preferred embodiment, the exhaust vent 13 can be implemented as follows: the tubular body 14 is positioned normal to the bottom panel 6 to orient the exhaust vent 13 in an upright position in a similar orientation as chimneys. Further, the tubular body 14 is centrally positioned in between the first lateral panel 1 and the second lateral panel 2 according to the general designs of fireplaces and chimneys. Moreover, the vent inlet 15 is integrated into the arc-shaped panel 7 to secure the tubular body 14 to the arc-shaped panel 7. On the other hand, the vent outlet 16 is positioned offset from the arc-shaped panel 7. The overall length of the tubular body 14 can change according to the existing ventilation system of the building.

As can be seen in FIGS. 1 through 7, in some embodiments, the present invention may further comprise a vent damper 17 that enables the user to regulate the airflow through the exhaust vent 13 to control the heat loss from the fireplace enclosure. To do so, the vent damper 17 is mounted within the tubular body 14 according to the type of vent damper 17 that is used. For example, the vent damper 17 can be a manual mechanism that user must directly adjust. The vent damper 17 can also be an electric mechanism that can be remotely controlled. Further, the vent inlet 15 and the vent outlet 16 is in fluid communication with each other through the vent damper 17 so that the airflow through the tubular body 14 can be adjusted using the vent damper 17. In other embodiments, different ventilation mechanisms can be implemented to meet the requirements of different fireplaces and/or the building's ventilation system.

To ensure the fitting of the present invention in the existing fireplace, the present invention may further comprise a front flange 18. As can be seen in FIGS. 1 through 7, the front flange 18 ensures that the fireplace enclosure perfectly sits on the opening of the existing fireplace. So, the front flange 18 comprises a first straight horizontal section 19, a second straight horizontal section 20, a first straight vertical section 21, and a second straight vertical section 22. The straight horizontal sections and the straight vertical sections of the front flange 18 are preferably designed to form a rectangular flange on the front of the present invention to match the rectangular design of the existing fireplace. To do so, the front flange 18 is positioned orthogonal to the first lateral panel 1, the second lateral panel 2, and the bottom panel 6 so that each horizontal section and each vertical section is oriented perpendicular to the lateral panels and the bottom panel 6. Further, the first straight horizontal section 19 is connected along the front panel edge 10 of the arc-shaped panel 7 to secure the first straight horizontal section 19 to the arc-shaped panel 7. On the other hand, the second straight horizontal section 20 is connected along the front panel edge 10 of the bottom panel 6 to secure the second straight horizontal section 20 to the bottom panel 6. Moreover, the first straight vertical section 21 is connected along the first straight edge 3 of the first lateral panel 1 to secure the first straight vertical section 21 to the first lateral panel 1. Finally, on opposite side, the second straight vertical section 22 is connected along the first straight edge 3 of the second lateral panel 2 to secure the second straight vertical section 22 to the second lateral panel 2.

As can be seen in FIGS. 1 through 7, the front flange 18 is further arranged so that the straight horizontal sections and the straight vertical sections externally surround the opening of the fireplace enclosure. To do so, the first straight horizontal section 19 is oriented away from the front panel edge 10 of the bottom panel 6 while the second straight horizontal section 20 is oriented away from the front panel edge 10 of the arc-shaped panel 7. Similarly, the first straight vertical section 21 is oriented away from the first straight edge 3 of the first lateral panel 1 while the second straight vertical section 22 is oriented away from the first straight edge 3 of the second lateral panel 2. As a result, the front flange 18 surrounds the opening of the fireplace enclosure to engage the perimeter of the existing fireplace's opening. In other embodiments, different structural features can be implemented that enhance the ornamental look of the present invention once installed.

The present invention can include different mechanisms that facilitate the installation of the fireplace enclosure in the existing fireplace. As can be seen in FIGS. 1 through 7, in some embodiments, the present invention may further comprise an installation clip 23 that helps level and support the entire fireplace enclosure during installation. In addition, the installation clip 23 can help secure the present invention to the interior of the existing fireplace. To do so, the installation clip 23 is centrally connected along the rear panel edge 11 of the bottom panel 6 to secure the installation clip 23 to the bottom panel 6. Further, the installation clip 23 is positioned perpendicular to the bottom panel 6 so that the installation clip 23 can engage with the bottom surface of the existing fireplace. In other embodiments, different installation features and/or accessories can be provided to further facilitate the installation and/or operation of the present invention.

As previously discussed, actual dimensions of the present invention are customized to match the corresponding fireplace. For example, in one embodiment, the internal dimensions of the fireplace enclosure include a length of 37 inches (in.), a width of 24 in., and a height of 25.5 in. With the front flange 18 installed, the overall length is 43 in., and the height is 30 in. Further, the present invention is preferably manufactured using two sheets of stainless steel with overall dimensions of 70.5 in. in width and 37 in. in length. Each stainless steel can be 14-gauge or 16-gauge, depending on the application. In addition, the grain of the stainless steel is preferably horizontal. Further, the bottom panel 6 and the arc-shaped panel 7 are preferably made from the same metal sheet while the first lateral panel 1 and the second lateral panel 2 are made from the other metal sheet. The overall process of manufacturing the fireplace enclosure can include the following steps: place a mark at 25.5 in. and place another mark at 67.5 in. on the same metal sheet. Starting at the 67.5 in. mark, kink (approximately ⅛ in.) every two in. for strength and rigidity up to the 25.5 in. mark, across panel, with the grain, to form the arch-shaped panel, while the flat section corresponds to the bottom panel 6. Further, break the remaining three in. into a flange at the 67.5 in. mark corresponding to the front panel edge 10. On the opposite end of the metal sheet, break a 1.5 in. flange to form the front panel edge 10 of the bottom panel 6.

Afterwards, cut two pieces from the second metal sheet to form the first lateral panel 1 and the second lateral panel 2. Each piece has a length and width of 27 in. and a radius of 30 in. Further, a break of three in. is formed at the edge corresponding to the first straight edge 3 to create the corresponding straight vertical section. In addition, the arc-shaped edge 5 is formed to match the arc-shaped panel 7, specially the straight creases on the arc-shaped edge 5. Then, first lateral panel 1 and the second lateral panel 2 are connected to the bottom panel 6 and the arc-shaped panel 7 by welding the corresponding panel edges and filling the outside flange corners. In embodiments that include the exhaust vent 13 and/or the vent damper 17, the exhaust vent 13 is integrated into the arc-shaped panel 7. In other embodiments, different manufacturing methods can be implemented to make the present invention or to accommodate specific structural features.

Although the invention has been explained in relation to its preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that many other possible modifications and variations can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.