Abstract:
There is provided a solid fuel stove having a burn chamber including at least one side wall and a firebox. The firebox is located a distance from the side wall. The firebox generates ash while burning solid fuel. At least one baffle contacts the firebox and the side wall. An amount of ash which escapes from the firebox is directed back to the firebox and the heat generated by the firebox will be readily concentrated because of the baffle.

Description:
RELATIONSHIP TO PRIOR APPLICATION 
       [0001]    This is a U.S. non-provisional application relating to and claiming the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/906,665, filed Mar. 12, 2007. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    This invention relates to solid fuel stoves. More particularly it relates to solid fuel stoves having improved efficiency. Stoves have been provided which burn solid fuels, such as wood pellets and corn. Because of the high cost of conventional energy sources such as oil and natural gas, solid fuel stoves for space heating are gaining more and more acceptance. Because of solid fuel cost increases, it is desirable to make solid fuel stoves more efficient. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    In accordance with one form of this invention, there is provided a solid fuel stove having a burn chamber, including at least one side wall and a firebox. The firebox is located a distance from the side wall. The firebox generates ash while burning solid fuel. At least one baffle is provided. The baffle contacts the firebox and the side wall. Preferably, an amount of ash which escapes from the firebox will be directed back to the firebox and heat generated by the firebox will be more concentrated because of the baffle. Also preferably, a second baffle which is substantially symmetrical to the first baffle is also provided and is located in the burn chamber across from the first baffle. 
         [0004]    In accordance with another form of this invention, there is provided a baffle for use in a burn chamber of a solid fuel stove which has a firebox in the burn chamber. An element formed from sheet metal is provided. The element includes a major portion and a wall engaging portion. A first bend forms a transition between the major portion and the wall engaging portion. The wall engaging portion is adapted to contact a wall in the burn chamber. The element further includes a firebox engaging portion. The firebox engaging portion is adapted to contact the firebox. 
         [0005]    In accordance with yet another form of this invention, there is provided a baffle for use in a burn chamber of a solid fuel stove which has a firebox in the burn chamber. An element formed from sheet metal if provided having a major portion. One end of the major portion is adapted to be juxtaposed to a wall in the burn chamber. The element includes a firebox engaging portion adapted to contact the firebox. A bend is provided in the sheet metal and is located between the major portion and the firebox engaging portion. 
         [0006]    In accordance with still another form of this invention, there is provided a method for burning solid fuel in a stove comprising: providing a solid fuel stove having a burn chamber and a firebox with the firebox located a distance from one of the walls of the burn chamber; providing at least one baffle; locating the baffle between one wall of the burn chamber and the firebox; burning solid fuel in the firebox, thereby generating ash; directing an amount of the ash back to the firebox and concentrating heat generated by the firebox. Preferably, heat from the firebox is directed towards a heat exchanger located above the firebox. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0007]    The subject matter which is regarded as the invention is set forth in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, together with further objects and advantages thereof may be better understood in reference to the accompanying drawings in which: 
           [0008]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a stove; 
           [0009]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the burn chamber of the stove shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0010]      FIG. 3  is a fragmentary perspective view of the burn chamber shown in  FIG. 2  with a firebox, an airwash panel, and a baffle system according to an embodiment of the invention installed therein; 
           [0011]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the firebox shown in  FIG. 3 ; 
           [0012]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view of the front baffle of the baffle system shown in  FIG. 3 ; 
           [0013]      FIG. 6  is a perspective view of the left baffle of the baffle system shown in  FIG. 3 ; and 
           [0014]      FIG. 7  is another perspective view of the left baffle shown in  FIG. 6 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0015]    A stove is shown broadly in  FIG. 1  at reference numeral  10 . The stove  10  is a solid fuel stove with structure and function known to those of ordinary skill in the art; the illustrated stove  10  is particularly designed to burn solid fuel, such as corn or wood pellets. The stove  10  includes a cabinet  11  having, among other structures, a front panel  12  that defines a burn chamber opening  13  and a vent  17 . The burn chamber opening  13  provides access to a burn chamber  14  in the cabinet  11 . A door  15  is hinged to the front panel  12  in order to enable covering and uncovering of the burn chamber opening  13 , as desired for permitting or preventing access to the burn chamber  14 . A window  20  is mounted in the door  15  to enable a user of the stove  10  to look into the burn chamber  14  during use of the stove  10 . As shown in  FIG. 2 , the burn chamber  14  includes front, rear, left, and right walls  16 ,  21 ,  22 ,  23  and a floor  24 . The burn chamber  14  is configured to receive a firebox  25 , a baffle system  26 , and an airwash panel  30 , as shown in  FIG. 3 . Heat exchange apparatus, in the form of tubes that terminate at openings  27  defined by the rear wall  21  of the burn chamber  14 , facilitate flow of heated air from the burn chamber  14  to the vent  17 . Turning to  FIG. 4 , the firebox  25  includes a box portion  31  comprising front, rear, left, and right box panels  32 ,  33 ,  34 ,  35 . The panels  32 ,  33 ,  34 ,  35  each comprise an upper edge  40 ,  41 ,  42 ,  43 , respectively. A continuous lip  44  is unitary with the box portion  31  of the firebox  25  and extends from and along the upper edges  40 ,  42 ,  43  of the front, left, and right box panels  32 ,  34 ,  35 . The firebox is located a distance from the walls  16 ,  22  and  24 . The firebox generates heat and ash when the solid fuel is burned. 
         [0016]    Looking at  FIGS. 3 ,  5 , and  6 , the baffle system  26  includes a front baffle  45  and left and right opposing side baffles  50 ,  51 . The baffles  45 ,  50 ,  51  of the illustrated embodiment are fabricated of sheet metal. As shown in  FIG. 5 , the front baffle  45  is unitary and includes a major portion  52  and a lip portion  53 . A bend  54  in the front baffle  45  forms a transition between the major portion  52  and the lip portion  53 . The left and right side baffles  50 ,  51  are substantially symmetrical to one another when installed in the burn chamber  14 . Thus,  FIGS. 6 and 7  illustrate only one of the two side baffles  50 ,  51 , namely the left side baffle  50 , and the following details are accurate for both of the side baffles  50 ,  51 . Each of the side baffles  50 ,  51  comprises a wall-engaging portion  55 , a first bend  60 , a major portion  61 , a second bend  62 , a minor portion  63 , a third bend  64 , a firebox engaging portion including an upper firebox-engaging portion  65  and a lower firebox-engaging portion  71 , and a fourth bend  70 . The major portion  61  is sloped so that ash may fall back into the firebox  25  and heat is concentrated and directed toward the heat exchange apparatus above the firebox. The major portion  52  of each side baffle  50 ,  51  is juxtaposed respectively to side walls  22  and  24  of burn chamber  14 . The minor portion  63  of each of the side baffles  50 ,  51  is juxtaposed to firebox  25  and includes a proximal edge  72  and a distal edge  73 . The entire proximal edge  72  of the minor portion  63  cooperates with the major portion  61  to form the second bend  62  of each of the side baffles  50 ,  51 . However, the distal edge  73  of the minor portion  63  includes an exposed region  74  and a bend region  75 , and only the bend region  75  of the distal edge  73  of the minor portion  63  cooperates with the upper firebox-engaging portion  65  to form the third bend  64  of each of the side baffles  50 ,  51 . The exposed region  74  of the distal edge  73  of the minor portion  63  cooperates with a side edge  80  of each of the side baffles  50 ,  51  to define a notch  81  for accommodating the front baffle  45  when all the baffles  45 ,  50 ,  51  are installed in the burn chamber  14 . The side edge  80  extends continuously along (1) an extension  82  formed by the distance between the exposed region  74  and the bend region  75  of the distal edge  73  of the minor portion  63 , and (2) the upper firebox-engaging portion  65 . 
         [0017]    The airwash panel  30  (partially shown in  FIG. 3 ) includes an upper lip  83  and side lips  84 . The side lips  84  of the airwash panel  30  engage the front wall  16  of the burn chamber  14  when the airwash panel  30  is installed in the burn chamber  14 . 
         [0018]    The baffle system  26  is installed by providing the baffle system  26  described above, ensuring that the firebox  25  is in place within the burn chamber  14  of the stove  10 , inserting the baffles  45 ,  50 ,  51  of the baffle system  26  into the burn chamber  14 , positioning the front baffle  45  of the baffle system  26  such that the bend  54  in the front baffle  45  hooks over the upper lip  83  of the airwash panel  30  and the major portion  52  of the front baffle  44  engages the firebox  25 , positioning the left side baffle  50  of the baffle system  26  such that (1) the fourth bend  70  in the left side baffle  50  engages the lip  44  of the firebox  25  along the portion of the lip  44  that extends from the upper edge  42  of the left box panel  34  of the firebox  25  and (2) the wall-engaging portion  55  of the left side baffle  50  engages the left wall  22  of the burn chamber  14 , and positioning the right side baffle  51  of the baffle system  26  such that (1) the fourth bend  70  in the right side baffle  51  engages the lip  44  of the firebox  25  along the portion of the lip  44  that extends from the upper edge  43  of the right box panel  35  of the firebox  25  and (2) the wall-engaging portion  55  of the right side baffle  51  engages the right wall  23  of the burn chamber  14 . 
         [0019]    The baffle system  26  helps prevent fly ash from circulating or becoming trapped between the firebox  25  and the front, left, or right walls  16 ,  22 ,  23  of the burn chamber  14 , and helps to direct the ash back into firebox  25 , thereby enhancing the efficiency of the stove  10  by providing more oxygen and fuel to be burned in the firebox  25 . Furthermore, the baffle system  26  helps direct and concentrate the heated air upwardly toward the heat exchange tube openings  27  in the rear wall  21  of the burn chamber  14 , thereby further enhancing the efficiency of the stove  10  by ensuring that a greater portion of the heated air in the burn chamber  14  exits the stove  10  through the vent  17 . In addition, the baffle system  26  effectively decreases the volume of the burn space in the burn chamber adding to the stove&#39;s efficiency. Also, the baffle system  26  enables the stove to burn hotter so that air intake can be reduced, thereby increasing the efficiency of the stove. Still further, the baffles  45 ,  50 ,  51  of the baffle system  26  may typically be installed and removed by hand, without tools, and therefore may be easily removed, cleaned, and replaced along with the firebox  25 , as desired or needed. 
         [0020]    A baffle system for a burn chamber of a stove and a method of installing same are described above. Various details of the invention may be changed without departing from its scope. Furthermore, the foregoing description of the invention and the best mode for practicing the invention are provided for the purpose of illustration only and not for the purpose of limitation, the invention being defined by the claims.