Abstract:
In one embodiment, a fireplace assembly is provided that includes a firebox partially surrounded by an outer housing and a receptacle carried by the outer housing. The outer housing is spaced apart from the firebox to define an airflow passageway around the firebox. The fireplace assembly further includes an airflow passageway having an inlet and an outlet. The receptacle is positioned above the firebox in fluid communication with the airflow passageway. The receptacle is configured to hold a selected aromatic material that evaporates and mixes with airflow moving through the airflow passageway between the inlet and the outlet when the receptacle is heated by heat from the firebox. It is emphasized that this abstract is provided to comply with the rules requiring an abstract. It is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims (37 C.F.R. 1.72( b )).

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD  
       [0001]     The present invention is directed to fireplace assemblies and, more particularly, to fireplace assemblies, including fireplaces, fireplace inserts, and stoves and components therefore.  
       SUMMARY  
       [0002]     The present invention is directed to fireplace assemblies with integrated aromatherapy systems. A brief summary of some embodiments and aspects of the invention are presented. Thereafter, a detailed description of the illustrated embodiments is presented, which will permit one skilled in the relevant art to understand, make, and use aspects of the invention. One skilled in the art can obtain a full appreciation of aspects of the invention from the subsequent detailed description, read together with the figures, and from the claims, which follow the detailed description.  
         [0003]     Under one aspect of the invention, a fireplace assembly is provided that has a receptacle for holding an aromatic fluid. The fireplace assembly includes an outer housing surrounding a firebox. The outer housing is spaced apart from portions of the firebox to define an airflow passageway around the firebox. The receptacle is coupled to the outer housing and is positioned generally adjacent to the firebox and partially within the airflow passageway. The receptacle is configured to receive an aromatic fluid, such as aromatherapy oil. As the firebox heats the air in the airflow passageway and the receptacle, the aromatic fluid evaporates and mixes with the heated air. The evaporated aromatic fluid and heated air are subsequently dispersed into the room where the fireplace assembly is located.  
         [0004]     Under another aspect of the invention, a fireplace frame is provided that is attachable to a fireplace or fireplace insert. The fireplace frame includes support members connected to the outer housing of a fireplace or fireplace insert, and a receptacle is carried by the fireplace frame. The receptacle is configured to hold an aromatic fluid, such as aromatherapy oil. A fire in the fireplace or fireplace insert heats the receptacle, causing the aromatic fluid in the receptacle to evaporate. The evaporating aromatic fluid mixes with heated air that is dispersed into the room where the fireplace or fireplace insert is located. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0005]      FIG. 1  is an isometric view of a fireplace assembly in accordance with one embodiment of the invention.  
         [0006]      FIG. 2  is a partially-exploded front isometric view of the fireplace assembly of  FIG. 1  showing the receptacle spaced apart from the outer housing.  
         [0007]      FIG. 3  is a cross-sectional view taken substantially along line  3 - 3  of  FIG. 1  of one embodiment of the fireplace assembly of  FIG. 1 .  
         [0008]      FIG. 4  is a front elevation view of a fireplace insert in accordance with an alternate embodiment of the invention.  
         [0009]      FIG. 5  is a cross-sectional view taken substantially along line  5 - 5  of  FIG. 4  of one embodiment of the fireplace insert of  FIG. 4 . 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0010]     Fireplace assemblies with integrated aromatherapy systems are described in detail herein in accordance with embodiments of the present invention. In the following description, numerous specific details are discussed to provide a thorough and enabling description for embodiments of the invention. One skilled in the relevant art, however, will recognize that the invention can be practiced without one or more of the specific details. In other instances, well-known structures or operations are not shown, or are not described in detail to avoid obscuring aspects of the invention. In general, alternatives and alternate embodiments described herein are substantially similar to the previously described embodiments, and common elements are identified by the same reference numbers.  
         [0011]      FIG. 1  is an isometric view of a fireplace assembly  10  in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. The illustrated fireplace assembly  10  is a free-standing, direct-vent stove having a decorative outer housing  14  that at least partially surrounds a firebox  12 . In alternate embodiments, the fireplace assembly  10  can be a fireplace, fireplace insert, or other fireplace unit that generates heat. The outer housing  14  of the fireplace assembly  10  includes a front wall  22  with an air inlet  62  and an air outlet  64 . The fireplace assembly  10  further includes a receptacle  70  carried by the front wall of the outer housing  14  and positioned above the firebox  12 . The receptacle  70  provides an integral component that forms a decorative component on the front of the fireplace assembly  10 . The receptacle  70  is configured to hold a selected aromatic material, such as a fluid, that evaporates when heated by the fireplace assembly  10 . The evaporated aromatic material is then diffused throughout the room where the fireplace assembly  10  is located. Accordingly, the fireplace assembly  10  has an integrated aromatherapy system.  
         [0012]      FIG. 2  is a partially-exploded front isometric view of the fireplace assembly  10  of  FIG. 1  showing the receptacle  70  spaced apart from the outer housing  14 . The receptacle  70  includes a front wall  72 , a bottom wall  74 , opposing side walls  76  and  77 , and a back wall  78  that define a receiving area to contain an aromatic material  79 . The top portion  81  of the receptacle  70  is open to allow the aromatic material  79  to be loaded into the receiving area. The receptacle  70  of the illustrated embodiment is slidably mounted in an aperture  83  formed in the outer housing&#39;s front wall  22  generally above the firebox  12 . In alternate embodiments, the receptacle  70  may be positioned in various locations in the fireplace assembly  10  including, but not limited to, either side of the firebox  12 , below the firebox  12 , on either side of the outer housing  14 , or on the top wall of the outer housing  14 .  
         [0013]     The receptacle  70  is moveable relative to the front wall  22  of the fireplace assembly  10  to slide or otherwise move between an open position and a closed position. When the receptacle  70  is in the open position, the receptacle projects from the aperture  83  in the front wall  22  to provide access to the receptacle&#39;s receiving area through the open top portion  81 . In one embodiment, the receptacle  70  is a drawer that is slidably received by the aperture  83  of the fireplace assembly  10 . In other embodiments, the receptacle  70  can be hinged such that it pivotably opens and closes.  
         [0014]     Selected aromatic material  79  can be added to the receptacle  70  when in the open position. The receptacle  70  is then moved to the closed position so that the front wall  72  of the receptacle  70  is immediately adjacent to or flush against the front wall  22  of the fireplace assembly  10 . The remaining portions of the receptacle  70  extend into the aperture  83 , behind the front wall  22 , and adjacent to the firebox  12 . The front wall  72  of the receptacle  72  can include a handle or the like to facilitate opening and closing of the receptacle  70 . The receptacle  70  may be refilled at any time with more or different aromatic material  79 .  
         [0015]      FIG. 3  is a cross-sectional view taken substantially along line  3 - 3  of  FIG. 1 . As best seen in  FIG. 3 , the outer housing  14  includes a bottom wall  26 , a back wall  28 , and a top wall  34 . The fireplace assembly  10  in the illustrated embodiment is a gas-burning unit having a burner assembly  200  contained in the firebox  12 , such as the Ember Fyre® burner assembly manufactured by Travis Industries, Inc. of Kirkland, Wash. In alternate embodiments, the fireplace assembly  10  can be a wood-fueled, pellet-fueled, or electric fireplace, fireplace insert, or free-standing stove.  
         [0016]     The firebox  12  in the illustrated embodiment includes a bottom wall  36 , a back wall  38 , opposing side walls  40 , and a top wall  44 . The firebox  12  is spaced apart from the walls of the outer housing  14  to define a heat exchanger  50  between the firebox and the outer housing. The heat exchanger  50  can include an airflow passageway with bottom plenum  52  disposed between the outer housing bottom wall  26  and the firebox bottom wall  36 , a back plenum  54  disposed between the outer housing back wall  28  and the firebox back wall  38 , and a top plenum  56  disposed between the outer housing top wall  34  and the firebox top wall  44 .  
         [0017]     The heat exchanger  50  is in fluid communication with the air inlet  62  and the air outlet  64  in the front wall  22  of the outer housing  14 . The heat exchanger  50  is adapted to direct an airflow  66  from the air inlet  62 , around the firebox  12 , past the receptacle  70 , and out the air outlet  64 . Heat from the firebox  12  heats airflow  66  as it passes through the passageways of the heat exchanger  50  before the heated airflow  66  is exhausted through air outlet  64 . In some embodiments, the fireplace assembly  10  can include a blower that facilitates the flow of air through the fireplace assembly  10 .  
         [0018]     As the heated airflow  66  passes through the top plenum  56  of the heat exchanger  50 , the heated air and the radiant heat from the firebox  12  heats the receptacle  70  and its contents. The heated aromatic material  79  in the receptacle  70  evaporates and mixes with the airflow  66  before the airflow exits the heat exchanger  50  through the air outlet  64  and into the room where the fireplace assembly  10  is located. In this way, the evaporated aromatic material  79  is diffused throughout the room when the fireplace assembly  10  is in operation to provide aromatherapy to the occupants in the room. In one embodiment, the top portion of the receptacle  70  is open, as described above with respect to  FIG. 2 . The open portion of the receptacle  70  allows the evaporated aromatic material  79  to mix with the heated airflow  66 . In alternate embodiments, a screen or panel with airflow slots can be provided over the top portion of the receptacle  70 . The screen or panel covering the top portion of the receptacle  70  is configured to allow the evaporated aromatic material  79  to leave the receptacle and mix with the heated airflow  66 .  
         [0019]     An alternative embodiment of the present invention is shown in  FIG. 4 , wherein the fireplace assembly  10  is a fireplace insert  100 . The illustrated fireplace insert  100  includes a decorative outer housing  114  that at least partially surrounds a firebox  112 . The outer housing  114  includes a front wall  122 . The front wall further includes an air inlet  162  and an air outlet  164 . In the embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 4 , the front wall  122  of the outer housing  114  is positioned flush against the hearth. In other embodiments, the front wall  122  of the outer housing  114  can protrude outward from the hearth. The fireplace insert  100  is sized to fit within the fireplace cavity in the hearth. Fireplace inserts of various sizes of may be utilized in different embodiments.  
         [0020]     The fireplace insert  100  further includes a receptacle  170  carried by the outer housing  114  and positioned above the firebox  112 . In one embodiment, the receptacle  170  is positioned above the firebox  112 . In alternative embodiments, the receptacle  170  may be positioned at various locations in the fireplace insert  100 . When the receptacle  170  is in the closed position, the front face  172  of the receptacle  170  is flush with the front face  122  of the fireplace insert  100 . The receptacle  170  in the fireplace insert  100  is substantially similar to the receptacle  70  in the embodiments described above with respect to  FIGS. 1, 2 , and  3 .  
         [0021]      FIG. 5  is a cross-sectional view taken substantially along line  5 - 5  of the fireplace insert  100  of  FIG. 4 . As best seen in  FIG. 5 , the outer housing  114  of the fireplace insert  110  includes a bottom wall  126 , a back wall  128 , and a top wall  134 . In the illustrated embodiment, the fireplace insert  100  is a gas-burning unit that includes a burner assembly  200 . The burner assembly  200  is substantially similar to the burner assembly described above with respect to  FIG. 3 . In other embodiments, the fireplace insert  100  can be configured as a wood-fueled, pellet-fueled, or electric fireplace insert.  
         [0022]     The firebox  112  in the illustrated embodiment further includes a bottom wall  136 , a back wall  138 , opposing side walls  140  and  141  (not shown in  FIG. 5 ), and a top wall  144 . The firebox  112  is spaced apart from the walls of the outer housing  114  to define a heat exchanger  150  between the firebox and the outer housing. The heat exchanger  150  can include an airflow passageway with bottom plenum  152  disposed between the outer housing bottom wall  126  and the firebox bottom wall  136 , a back plenum  154  disposed between the outer housing back wall  128  and the firebox back wall  138 , and a top plenum  156  disposed between the outer housing top wall  134  and the firebox top wall  144 . The operation of the heat exchanger  150  can be substantially similar to the heat exchanger  50  described above with respect to  FIG. 3 . The heated airflow  166  passing through the top plenum  156  of the heat exchanger  150  helps diffuse the evaporated aromatic material  179  from the receptacle  170  through the air outlet  164  and into the room where the fireplace insert  100  is located.  
         [0023]     The above description of illustrated embodiments of the invention is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed. While specific embodiments of, and examples for, the invention are described herein for illustrative purposes, various equivalent modifications are possible within the scope of the invention, as those skilled in the relevant art will recognize. The teachings of the invention provided herein can be applied to other direct vent fireplace installations, not necessarily the particular installations described above.  
         [0024]     While certain aspects of the invention are presented below in certain claim forms, the inventor contemplates the various aspects of the invention in any number of claim forms. In general, in the following claims, the terms used should not be construed to limit the invention to the specific embodiments disclosed in the specification and claims, but should be construed to include all components and methods of manufacturing the components in accordance with the claims. Accordingly, the invention is not limited by the disclosure, but instead the scope of the invention is to be determined entirely by the claims.  
         [0025]     From the foregoing, it will be appreciated that specific embodiments of the invention have been described herein for purposes of illustration, but that various modifications may be made without deviating from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the invention is not limited except as by the appended claims.