Abstract:
A portable fire place having an inner housing defined by an innerhousing wall and forming a flame pit, an outer housing having an outer housing wall, the outer housing and the inner housing being interconnected to one another, the outer housing being in surrounding relationship to the inner housing, at least the majority of the walls of the inner and outer housings being spaced from one another to provide an insulation space and a support disposed in the flame pit for supporting a flame presentation substance.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    1. Field of the Invention  
           [0002]    The present invention relates to portable fireplaces and, more particularly, to portable, outdoor fireplaces.  
           [0003]    2. Description of the Prior Art  
           [0004]    The entertaining of friends, guests, and families in the home is becoming more and more informal. Thus, formal dinners, cocktail parties, and the like are being eschewed in favor of casual entertaining on decks, patios, and the like. This tendency toward more casual entertaining is reflected in the rapid increase in the number of what might be called “outdoor kitchens,” some of which are quite elaborate and can include grills, ovens, rotisseries, and, in certain cases, fireplaces.  
           [0005]    For the most part, indoor fireplaces serve more of an aesthetic than a functional purpose and, because of the ambience they create, often serve as a focal point of any indoor gathering of family and/or guests. Likewise, an outdoor fireplace erected on a patio, deck, or the like serves as a focal point for outdoor gatherings.  
           [0006]    It is known to erect a permanent outdoor fireplace using firebrick or a steel housing to form a firebox, which generally opens the top. Generally, the top edge of the firebox and its outer, peripheral surface are veneered with more decorative materials, such as natural or artificial stone. However, such permanently constructed fireplaces must be custom built and, accordingly, are expensive. Moreover, they cannot be moved, which severely limits one&#39;s ability to rearrange the outdoor setting to suit one&#39;s changing tastes. Accordingly, a portable fireplace that could be readily shipped and moved from location to location with a minimum amount of difficulty is clearly desirable.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0007]    It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a portable fireplace.  
           [0008]    Another object of the present invention is to provide a portable fireplace that can utilize wood or is gas-fired.  
           [0009]    Still a further object of the present invention is to provide a portable fireplace that is both functional and aesthetically pleasing.  
           [0010]    Yet a further object of the present invention is to provide a portable fireplace that can be made from a variety of decorative materials.  
           [0011]    Another object of the present invention is to provide a portable Fireplace in which the external appearance of at least a portion of the fireplace can be easily varied.  
           [0012]    The above and other objects of the present invention will become apparent from the drawings, the description given herein, and the appended claims.  
           [0013]    The portable fireplace of the present invention comprises an inner housing having an upper end, a lower end, and an inner housing wall having an inner wall surface and an outer wall surface, the inner housing defining a flame pit. There is an outer housing having an upper end, a lower end, and an outer housing wall having an inner wall surface and an outer wall surface, the outer housing preferably being interconnected and in surrounding relationship to the inner housing, the majority of the outer wall surface of the inner housing wall being spaced from the inner wall surface of the outer housing wall. A support is disposed in the flame pit for supporting a flame presentation substance. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0014]    [0014]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the portable fireplace of the present invention.  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 2 is a top, plan view, partially in section, of the portable fireplace shown in FIG. 1.  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 3 is an elevational view, partially in section, of the portable fireplace shown in FIG. 1.  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 4 is a bottom plan view of the portable fireplace shown in FIG. I showing in greater detail the connection of a gas source.  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 5 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the portable fireplace of the present invention.  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 6 is a top plan view, partially in section, of the portable fireplace shown in FIG. 5.  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 7 is an elevated view, partially in section, of the portable fireplace shown in FIG. 5.  
         [0021]    [0021]FIG. 8 is a bottom plan view of the portable fireplace shown in FIG. 5. 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0022]    With reference now to FIGS.  1 - 4 , the portable fireplace, shown generally as  10 , has an inner housing, shown generally as  12 , comprised of an inner housing wall  14  having an inner wall surface  16  and an outer wall surface  18 . Inner housing  12  also has an upper end  20 , a lower end  22 , and a laterally outwardly projecting, peripherally extending flange  24  depending from upper end  20 . Portable fireplace  10  further comprises an outer housing, shown generally as  26  and comprising an outer housing wall  28  having an inner wall surface  30  and an outer wall surface  32 . Outer housing  26  has an upper end  34  and a lower end  36 . A laterally inwardly projecting, peripherally extending flange  38  extends from top end  34 , while a laterally outwardly projecting, peripherally extending flange  40  depends from bottom end  36 . Secured to flange  39  are a series of legs  41  to raise fireplace  10  off the support surface. It will thus be seen that inner housing  12  and outer housing  26  form a space  42  therebetween, space  42  effectively serving as an insulating airspace such that outer housing  26  remains cool relative to inner housing  12 . While housings  12  and  26  are shown as being substantially cylindrical, it is to be understood that inner housing and outer housing can take a variety of shapes. Thus, it will be apparent that portable fireplace  10  can be made so as to be rectangular, hexagonal, kidney-shaped, or the like. In the embodiment of the portable fireplace shown in FIGS.  1 - 4 , inner housing  12  is interconnected to outer housing  26  by means of ribs  25  that are spaced around the periphery of inner housing  12  and that are welded, or otherwise attached, to inner housing  12  and outer housing  26 . It will be appreciated that instead of feet  41  attached to flange  40 , ribs  25  could be extended below, the lower end  18  of housing  12  to form a series of peripherally spaced lips. However, whatever the configuration, it is desired that, for at least the most part, the outer wall surface  18  of inner housing  12  be spaced from the inner wall surface  30  of outer housing  26 . Thus, while inner housing wall  14  and outer housing wall  26  can be at least partially in contact, it is preferable that they be spaced to eliminate heat conduction from inner housing wall  14  to outer housing wall  28 . While spacing between inner housing  12  and outer housing  26  serves to provide air insulation to prevent outer housing  26  from becoming excessively hot, it will be appreciated that the space between the inner and outer housings could be filled with a heat-resistant insulation, e.g., a heat-resistant foam insulation.  
         [0023]    Inner housing  12  defines a fire or flame pit  50  in which is disposed a grate  52 , grate  52  resting on dogs  54  secured to inner wall surface  16  of inner housing wall  14 , dogs  54  being spaced at intervals around the periphery of wall surface  16 . Resting on grate  52  is a fire ring  56 , which, as well known to those skilled in the art, comprises a series of interconnected tubes forming a manifold having perforations that allow gas being fed to fire ring  56  to exit and be ignited by a suitable ignition source. Fire ring  56  is connected to a flex conduit  60 , which in turn is connected by means of coupling  62  to an elbow  64 . Elbow  64  is in turn connected to a gas valve  66 . A second elbow  68  connects to a source of gas, such as a propane tank, a natural gas line, or the like (none of which are shown). Thus, valve  66  serves to control gas flow from elbow  68  into elbow  64 , flex conduit  60 , and fire ring  56 . To operate gas valve  66 , a suitable valve key is inserted into valve key receptacle  70 , as is well understood by those skilled in the art.  
         [0024]    As best seen in FIG. 1, the portable fireplace of the present invention carries a decorative motif in the form of a veneer or overlay  80  that, in the embodiment shown in FIGS.  1 - 4 , comprises sections  81  of a stonelike material, which can be either natural or synthetic and which cover the outer housing  26  and flanges  24  and  38 . To securely adhere the section  81  to portable fireplace  10 , a metallic mesh  82  is secured to outer wall surface  32  of outer housing wall  28  and is lipped over the top end so as to overlie the top surfaces of flanges  38  and  24 , which basically form support surfaces for veneer  80 . As is well known to those skilled in the art, the veneer sections  81  can be securely held to the outer wall surface  32  of outer housing wall  28  and to flanges  24  and  38  by means of adhesives commonly used to secure stone, tile, or various other ceramics and plastics to a surface to be decorated. The wire mesh  82  serves to aid in bonding the sections  81  to the respective surfaces. Once the sections  81  have been applied, grout  84  can be used to fill the spaces between the sections  81 . As best seen in FIG. 1, a top ledge  86  is formed by the sections  81 . It can thus be seen that flange  40  serves a dual purpose of forming a peripheral support ledge on which sections  81  can rest and also functions, in conjunction with flanges  24  and  38 , to impart rigidity to the portable fireplace  10 , effectively preventing any significant movement of the outer housing  26 , which in turn prevents sections  81  from cracking or detaching from outer housing  26 .  
         [0025]    Grate  52 , which could be permanently secured to inner housing  12 , but which as shown is removable, acts in conjunction with dogs  54  as a support for a suitable flame presentation substance. As used herein, the term “flame presentation substance” is intended to include wood, lava rocks, artificial logs, and the like. In the case of natural wood, the burning wood itself presents the flame, whereas in the case of lava rocks, artificial logs, or the like, and when portable fireplace  10  is gas-fired, the lava rocks, logs, or the like serve to provide a flame presentation that appears as naturally burning wood, as opposed to that which would be achieved if the ignited gas were simply issuing from the fire ring  56  and there were no substance to disperse the flames. It will be understood, however, that it is within the scope of the present invention to construct a gas or fire ring that, in and of itself, functions as a flame presentation substance, e.g., provides an aesthetically pleasing flame pattern.  
         [0026]    In cases where it is desired to burn natural wood, the fire ring  56  and the attendant gas hookup plumbing could be eliminated, although it will be obvious that even if the portable fireplace  10  were connected to a flammable gas source, natural wood could still be employed as a flame presentation substance, the gas initially being used to light the natural wood and then being turned off to allow the wood to bum on its own.  
         [0027]    It should be noted that because the flame pit  50  is open from the top to the bottom of the portable fireplace  10 , and because the portable fireplace  10  is raised off of the surface upon which it is sitting by the legs  41 , ample air is drawn into the bottom of the flame pit  50  so as to readily sustain the burning of natural wood.  
         [0028]    With reference now to FIGS.  5 - 8 , there is shown another embodiment of the portable fireplace of the present invention. Fireplace  90  comprises an inner housing  92  having an inner housing wall  94 , inner housing wall  94  having an inner wall surface  96  and an outer wall surface  98 . Housing  92  also has an upper end  100  and a lower end  102 , a laterally outwardly projecting, peripherally extending flange  104  depending from upper end  100 . Portable fireplace  90  further includes an outer housing  106  having an outer housing wall  108 , wall  108  having an inner wall surface  110  and an outer wall surface  112 . Outer housing  106  also has an upper end  114  and a lower end  116 .  
         [0029]    A series of ribs  118  are secured to outer surface  98  of inner housing wall  94 , ribs  118  being spaced around the periphery of wall  94 , as best shown in FIG. 8. Ribs  118  have a lower end  120  and an upper end  122 , the lower ends  120  forming legs for portable fireplace  90 . Secured to the upper end  122  of ribs  118  is a peripherally extending L-angle iron  124 , L-angle iron  124  providing a laterally inwardly projecting, peripherally extending flange  126 . Secured to ribs  118  adjacent their lower ends  120  is a peripherally extending band  128 . It will be understood that flange  104 , L-angle iron  124 , and band  128  in conjunction with ribs  118  provide a rigid structural framework.  
         [0030]    As best seen with reference to FIGS. 5 and 6, outer housing  102  is not continuous, as is housing  26 , but rather is split to provide a first end  102   a  and a second end  102   b . When outer housing wall  108  is wrapped around the periphery of portable fireplace  90  to form outer housing  102 , ends  102   a  and  102   b  abut to form a seam  130 . To secure housing  102  to portable fireplace  90 , a series of sheet metal screws  132  or the like are received through wall  108  and threaded into registering holes (not shown) in a faceplate  118  secured to the outermost edge of one of the ribs  118 . Additional such screws can be received through wall  108  and threaded into holes in L-angle iron  124  and/or band  128 . It will thus be seen that outer housing  102  can be easily removed and replaced simply by removing screws  132 .  
         [0031]    As best seen with reference to FIG. 5, outerwall surface  112  of outer housing wall  108  provides a decorative motif of flying ducks. Indeed, one of the advantages of portable fireplace  90  is the fact that the decorative motif can be changed simply by removing outer housing  102  and replacing it with an outer housing having a different decorative motif. Thus, as will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, a virtually endless variety of decorative motifs could be provided, including, for example, a Christmas motif, university emblems, hunting or fishing scenes, etc.  
         [0032]    The decorative motif provided by the outer housing  102  can be formed in a variety of ways, such as embossing, silk-screening, etc. A particularly desirable decorative motif is obtained by forming a series of openings through outer housing wall  108 , the openings, e.g., small holes or cuts, forming a desired pattern. Thus, for example, the flying duck motif shown in FIG. 5 could be formed by a series of computer-generated, tiny holes or cuts through outer housing wall  108 . In particular, by forming the decorative motif in such a manner, a particularly pleasing effect can be obtained due to the fact that an illumination source, such as a string of lights  134 , can be disposed in the space  136  between outer housing  102  and inner housing  92 . It will thus be appreciated that at night, with the lights  134  illuminated, the decorative motif formed by the tiny holes or perforations in wall  108  will be visible.  
         [0033]    It will be appreciated that outer housing  102  can simply be formed of certain metals that, in and of themselves or because of surface treatment, provide a decorative motif. Thus, housing  102  could be made of copper, brushed aluminum, stainless steel, brushed stainless steel, etc. Accordingly, the term “decorative motif,” in addition to a veneer as described above, is intended to include any type of surface finish—e.g., embossing or engraving—surface appliques, stamping, cutting, perforating, or any other treatment on or in the outer housing that provides an aesthetic appearance, it being understood that aesthetics, as beauty, is in the eye of the be holder.  
         [0034]    While portable fireplace  10  shown in FIGS.  1 - 4  has a grate that is attached, albeit removably, to the inner housing  12 , portable fireplace  90  differs in that the support for the flame presentation material is not attached to inner housing, but rather is freestanding relative to portable fireplace  90 . The fire presentation material support of the embodiment of FIGS.  5 - 8  is shown generally as  150  and comprises a grid  154  comprised of lower support members  156 , to which are secured upper cross members  158 . Attached to support members  156  are a series of pedestals  160  that effectively raise support  150  to a desired level in the flame pit  162  formed by inner housing  92 . Disposed on cross members  158  is an expanded metal grate  164 . Grate  164  has an upper surface to which are attached, by a suitable heat-resistant adhesive, blocks  166  of a refractory material, such as firebrick. It will be observed that the bricks  166  are not mortared, thereby providing channels  168  therebetween. Accordingly, since the grate  164  is likewise of open construction, the support  150  is effectively provided with air passages therethrough.  
         [0035]    It will readily be seen that portable fireplace  90  can easily be moved from location to location with a minimum amount of effort. To this end, handles  170  are secured at diametrically opposed positions to the inner wall surface  96 . Thus, handles  170  can be grasped and portable fireplace  90  raised upwardly, leaving support  150  exposed. Support  150  can then be moved to a desired location and portable fireplace  90  repositioned over support  150  such that support  150  is again received in flame pit  162 .  
         [0036]    As in the case of the portable fireplace shown in FIGS.  1 - 4 , portable fireplace  90  can also be provided with a decorative top surface or ledge  86  secured to portable fireplace  90  in the same manner as described above with respect to portable fireplace  10 .  
         [0037]    It is within the purview of the present invention that the flame presentation substance support can simply be blocks of firebrick or other refractory material that serves to provide a raised locus in the flame pit upon which a flame presentation substance can be positioned.  
         [0038]    While portable fireplace  90 , as shown, has a split out wall forming the outer housing, it will be understood that the outer housing could be a continuous piece, e.g.. cylindrical. In this case, the outer housing could be positioned on a support surface, e.g., a patio, and the remainder of portable fireplace  90  positioned inside of the outer housing, which, if desired, could be attached as by screws or the like to the framework s described above.  
         [0039]    It will be understood that the portable fireplace shown in FIGS.  5 - 8  could be gas-fired if desired, e.g., by resting a fire ring on the refractory blocks  166 .  
         [0040]    The foregoing description and examples illustrate selected embodiments of the present invention. In light thereof, variations and modifications will be suggested to one skilled in the art, all of which are in the spirit and purview of this invention.