Patent ID: 8020547
Filing Date: 2011-09-20
Classification: F24B

Abstract:
1. A pellet stove comprising: a stove body comprising an elongated first stove body section with a first end portion and a second end portion, the first stove body section comprising an upper surface, a lower surface and first and second side surfaces; a portion of the first end portion of the first stove body section comprising a combustion chamber a pellet material inlet extending through the upper surface and positioned at an upper portion of the combustion chamber such that pellets to be burned travel downwardly under the influence of gravity through the pellet material inlet and into the combustion chamber; an apertured pellet supporting grate positioned in the combustion chamber to receive pellets delivered through the pellet material inlet, plural apertures of the pellet supporting grate being positioned such that a combustion air passageway extends upwardly through plural of said apertures to the combustion chamber; a combustion air inlet communicating with the combustion air passageway to deliver combustion air to the combustion air passageway and through the plural apertures of the pellet supporting grate to the combustion chamber upon opening the combustion air inlet, at least a portion of the combustion air being delivered so as to flow upwardly through plural apertures of the pellet supporting grate and into the combustion chamber; an air flow path comprising a first section comprising a first end portion communicating with the combustion chamber and a second end portion spaced from the combustion chamber and within the second end portion of the first stove body section, the second end portion comprising a first outlet portion and a second end adjacent to the second end portion, the first section extending in a first direction away from the combustion chamber toward the second end portion, a second upright section having a second inlet portion communicating with the first outlet portion, the second section also comprising a second outlet portion, the second section extending in a second upwardly extending direction away from the first section, a third section having a third inlet portion communicating with the second outlet portion, the third section comprising a third outlet portion, the third section extending in a third direction so as to be spaced from the first section and so as to at least partially overlie the first section, the first and third sections defining an at least partially open zone therebetween, and a fourth vent coupling section comprising a fourth vent inlet portion coupled to the third outlet portion, the fourth vent coupling section comprising a fourth vent outlet portion, wherein when the pellet stove is operated to burn pellets in the combustion chamber, heated air travels through the air flow path in succession from the combustion chamber, through the first section, the first outlet portion, the second inlet portion, the second section, the second outlet portion, a third inlet portion, the third section, the third outlet portion, the fourth vent inlet portion, the fourth vent coupling section, and the fourth outlet portion; a pellet guiding tube extending into the combustion chamber, the pellet guiding tube having a pellet guiding tube inlet communicating with the pellet material inlet and a pellet guiding tube outlet, the pellet guiding tube comprising an end portion that extends downwardly and inwardly into the combustion chamber from the pellet material inlet such that the end of the pellet guiding tube outlet is positioned in the combustion chamber at a location that is downwardly and inwardly in the first direction relative to the pellet material inlet and defining a pellet flow path from the pellet guiding tube inlet to the pellet guiding tube outlet that directs the travel of the pellets generally both downwardly and in the first direction toward the second end portion of the first section as the pellets travel from the pellet guiding tube inlet to the pellet guiding tube outlet; the pellet supporting grate comprising an apertured portion positioned below the pellet guiding tube and extending in the first direction beyond the pellet guiding tube outlet and toward the second end portion of the first section such that at least a plurality of apertures of the grate are positioned at locations spaced in the first direction from the pellet guiding tube outlet and nearer to the second end of the first section than the pellet guiding tube outlet to provide a path for the flow of at least some of the combustion air through plural apertures of the grate at locations nearer to the second end of the first section than the end of the pellet guiding tube outlet: and wherein the combustion air passageway is defined at least in part by an ash drawer receiving housing positioned below the pellet supporting grate with the combustion air inlet being at one end portion of the ash drawer receiving housing, and comprising an ash receiving drawer positioned beneath the pellet supporting grate when the ash receiving drawer is either inserted into the ash drawer receiving housing to a closed position or partially removed from the ash drawer receiving housing to partially open positions, the ash receiving drawer comprising an end portion sized to cover the combustion air inlet when the ash receiving drawer is in the closed position and to uncover the combustion air inlet to increase the access of combustion air through the combustion air inlet opening and upwardly into the combustion chamber as the ash receiving drawer is moved from the closed position to partially open positions or from one partially open position to a further open partially open position.