GAS FIRE

Abstract: A gas fire assembly (10) comprising a burner assembly (12) and a substantially closed burning space thereabove defined between a translucent tinted front plate (16) and a contoured back panel (18). The plate (16) and back panel (18) converging gently upwardly.

Description: GAS FIRE This invention concerns improvements in or relating to gas fires. Gas fires are very commonly used. They tend however to be relatively bulky and therefore not provided in every room of a house or other building. Other disadvantages are often encountered with conventional gas fires such as a slow warm up, inefficiency, or low aesthetic appeal especially where the actual burning of gas takes place. Where "real flame" gas fires are used to provide an improved appearance, such fires tend not to be very efficient. According to the present invention there is provided a gas fire assembly, the assembly comprising a burner assembly and an at least substantially closed burning space thereabove, the burning space being defined between front and rear panels. The rear panel may be contoured to provide a relatively high surface area, and may include a plurality of substantially vertically extending ribs. The rear panel may be made of a material with a relatively low thermal mass. The material may comprise a ceramic fibre. The burner assembly preferably comprises aeration means, and which means preferably provide a relatively low aeration. The front panel may be at least translucent, may be colour tinted, and may be tinted red and desirably dark red. The gas fire assembly may be arranged such that when there is no flame the front panel appears dark, and desirably substantially black. The front panel is preferably of a material which transmits a high proportion of infrared heat, and may comprise ceramic glass and especially an infrared transmissive ceramic glass. The front and rear panels may taper gently towards each other away from the burner assembly thereby narrowing the burner space. The minimum space between the front and rear panels is preferably relatively narrow, and adjacent the burner assembly said space may be less than 50 mm, and desirably less than 25 mm and more desirably less than 12 mm. Furthest away from the burner assembly the minimum space between the front and rear panels is preferably less than 20 mm, desirably less than 15 mm and more desirably less than 10 mm. The gas fire assembly preferably includes a flue, which flue may be located behind the rear panel, and desirably towards the top end thereof. The flue may be balanced. The burner assembly and burning space are preferably provided in a sub-housing, and the gas fire assembly may be arranged such that air passes over the exterior of at least the rear of the sub-housing to provide heated convection air. The gas fire may comprise a housing which locates the sub-housing, and includes an air inlet at a lower part with a passage extending therefrom across the rear of the sub-housing, to reach an outlet for warmed convected air at an upper part of the gas fire assembly. The flue may be arranged to extend through said passage. An embodiment of the present invention will now be described by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:- Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic front view of a gas fire assembly according to the invention; Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional plan view along the line A-A of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic cross-sectional side view of the apparatus of Fig. 1; and Fig. 4 is a similar view to Fig. 3 but with the direction of movement of air and gas marked thereon. The drawings show a gas fire assembly 10 suitable for use for example in heating a domestic room. The assembly 10 comprises a burner assembly 12. As the assembly 12 is of essentially conventional configuration this is not be described in any detail. The assembly 12 permits aeration and is arranged to provide relatively low aeration. The assembly 12 is mounted on a sub-housing 14. The sub-housing 14 comprises a front plate 16 of infrared transmissive ceramic glass. The plate 16 is tinted dark red for a purpose hereinafter to be described. The sub-housing 14 also comprises a rear panel 18 spaced a short distance behind the plate 16 and tapering slightly upwardly theretowards. In this example the minimum space between the plate 16 and panel 18 is at the bottom around 30 mm and at the top around 13 mm. The assembly 12 is arranged such that flames therefrom extend into the space between the plate 16 and panel 18. The panel 18 is made of ceramic fibres, and comprises a plurality of upwardly extending ribs 20 to provide an increased surface area. The sub-housing 14 is closed at its upper end by a top plate 22 spaced a short distance above the top of the panel 18. A flue 24 extends from the rear of the sub-housing 14 behind the panel 18 a short distance below the plate 22. In Fig. 4 the location of a flame 26 and the direction of flue gases therefrom is shown by arrows 28. The sub-housing 14 is mounted in a main housing 30 which is arranged to provide an inlet 32 beneath the sub-housing 14 and an outlet 34 thereabove. This permits convected air to pass through the inlet 32 over the back of the sub-housing 14 and also across the outside of the flue 24 to be warmed before exiting through the outlet 34, as shown by arrows 36. In use, the assembly 10 operates in a conventional manner and the flame 26 can be seen through the plate 16 and provides a pleasing aesthetic effect. Heat is radiated through the plate 16. Heated convected air is also provided through the outlet 34. When the assembly 10 is not in use the plate 16 appears substantially black thereby providing an alternative aesthetically pleasing appearance. The assembly 10 therefore provides an improved aesthetic appearance whether or not in use. The assembly 10 is also relatively slim and is thus suitable for use in a wide range of applications, where presently only essentially heating radiators for instance may be considered. The assembly 10 is of relatively straightforward construction and can thus be inexpensively produced and used. The gas fire assembly provides a rapid warm up and also high efficiency. The relatively low aeration provides for a long aesthetically pleasing flame, and which flame heats up the ceramic rear panel to red heat to provide heat and also an aesthetically pleasing effect. The use of the closed sub-housing permits use with a balanced flue, an option which is not possible in conventional radiant gas fires. Various modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the invention. For example the shape of the rear panel 18 could be different, and this may not need to be contoured, though the contouring increases the radiant heat produced by the fire. Different spacings may be provided between the front plate and rear panel. Different materials could be used for this panel and/or the front plate 16, which plate could also be differently coloured. A different burner assembly could be used. Whilst endeavouring in the foregoing specification to draw attention to those features of the invention believed to be of particular importance it should be understood that the Applicant claims protection in respect of any patentable feature or combination of features hereinbefore referred to and/or shown in the drawings whether or not particular emphasis has been placed thereon.

Claims: riaims:- 1. A gas fire assembly, characterised in that the assembly (10) comprises a burner assembly (12) and an at least substantially closed burning space thereabove, the burning space being defined between front (16) and rear (18) panels. 2. An assembly according to claim 1, characterised in that the rear panel (18) is contoured to provide a relatively high surface area. 3. An assembly according to claims 1 or 2, characterised in that the rear panel (18) includes a plurality of substantially vertically extending ribs (20). 4. An assembly according to any of claims 1 to 3, characterised in that the rear panel (18) is made of a material with a relatively low thermal mass. 5. An assembly according to claim 4, characterised in that the material comprises a ceramic fibre. 6. An assembly according to any of the preceding claims, characterised in that the burner assembly (12) comprises aeration means. 7. An assembly according to claim 6, characterised in that the aeration means provide a relatively low aeration. 8. An assembly according to any of the preceding claims, characterised in that the front panel (16) is at least translucent. 9. An assembly according to claim 8, characterised in that the front panel (16) is colour tinted. 10. An assembly according to claim 9, characterised in that the front panel (16) is tinted red. 11. An assembly according to claims 9 or 10, characterised in that the front panel (16) is tinted dark red. 12. An assembly according to any of the preceding claims, characterised in that the gas fire assembly (10) is arranged such that when there is no flame the front panel (16) appears dark. 13. An assembly according to claim 12, characterised in that when there is no flame the front panel (16) appears substantially black. 14. An assembly according to any of the preceding claims, characterised in that the front panel (16) is of a material which transmits a high proportion of infrared heat. 15. An assembly according to claim 14, characterised in that the front panel (16) comprises ceramic glass. 16. An assembly according to claim 15, characterised in that the front panel (16) comprises an infrared transmissive ceramic glass. 17. An assembly according to any of the preceding claims, characterised in that the front (16) and rear (18) panels taper gently towards each other away from the burner assembly (12) thereby narrowing the burner space. 18. An assembly according to claim 17, characterised in that the minimum space between the front (16) and rear (18) panels is relatively narrow. 19. An assembly according to claim 18, characterised in that adjacent the burner assembly (12) said minimum space is less than 50 mm. 20. An assembly according to claim 19, characterised in that adjacent the burner assembly (12) said minimum space is less than 25 mm. 21. An assembly according to claim 20, characterised in that adjacent the burner assembly (12) said minimum space is less than 12 mm. 22. An assembly accordmg to any of claims 18 to 21, characterised in that furthest away from the burner assembly (12) the minimum space between the front (16) and rear (18) panels is less than 20 mm. 23. An assembly according to claim 22, characterised in that furthest away from the burner assembly (12) said minimum space is less than 15 mm. 24. An assembly according to claim 23, characterised in that furthest away from the burner assembly (12) said minimum space is less than 10 mm. 25. An assembly according to any of the preceding claims, characterised in that the assembly (10) includes a flue (24). 26. An assembly according to claim 25, characterised in that the flue (24) is located behind the rear panel (18). 27. An assembly according to claim 26, characterised in that the flue (24) is located towards the top end of the rear panel (18). 28. An assembly according to any of claims 25 to 27, characterised in that the flue (24) is balanced. 29. An assembly according to any of the preceding claims, characterised in that the burner assembly (12) and burning space are provided in a sub-housing (14). 30. An assembly according to claim 29, characterised in that the assembly (10) is arranged such that air passes over the exterior of at least the rear of the sub-housing (14) to provide heated convection air. 31. An assembly according to claim 30, characterised in that the assembly (10) comprises a housing (30) which locates the sub-housing (14), and includes an air inlet (32) at a lower part with a passage extending therefrom across the rear of the sub-housing (14), to reach an outlet (34) for warmed convected air at an upper part of the assembly (10). 32. An assembly according to claim 31, characterised in that the flue (24) is arranged to extend through said passage.

Inventors: GREEN MICHAEL JOHN, MITCHELL DAVID ALAN, GREEN, MICHAEL, JOHN, MITCHELL, DAVID, ALAN
Applicants: CFM KINDER LTD, GREEN MICHAEL JOHN, MITCHELL DAVID ALAN, CFM KINDER LIMITED, GREEN, MICHAEL, JOHN, MITCHELL, DAVID, ALAN
Application year: 2000
Main classification: F24C3
IPC codes: F24C1, F24C3