Patent Publication Number: US-6901925-B2

Title: Fireplace with waterfall

Description:
RELATED PRIOR PATENT APPLICATION 
   This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/326,464, filed Oct. 1, 2001. 

   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Field of Invention 
   This invention relates to fireplaces, and more specifically to a fireplace having one or more waterfalls in front of or surrounding a fire. 
   2. Related Art 
   Nothing creates a warm and cozy atmosphere like a fireplace. The fireplace is often the focal point of a home, not only because of its capacity to generate heat, but also because it frequently is located in the most often used room in the home whether it be the family room, the living room, or the game room. Because the fireplace is often the focal point of the room in which it is situated, great measures are often taken to beautify the fireplace as much as possible. Fireplaces are often made of beautiful stone or brick, and modern gas fireplaces often contain attractive ceramic logs covering the gas burner. Despite the efforts to enhance the appearance of both indoor and outdoor fireplaces, there are limited means by which one can “upgrade” his or her fireplace. 
   An attempt to overcome this limitation is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,092,312 (“the &#39;312 patent”). The &#39;312 patent describes a generally U-shaped area in front of and around the fireplace in which tubing is contained for creating a water fountain. The platform on which the fire burns is situated above the piping that creates the fountain effect. As a result, water spouts upward out of the tubing from holes contained therein, only to fall back into the U-shaped region surrounding the fire burning platform. 
   While providing an alternative means for decorating a fireplace, the &#39;312 patent is still very limited. The water travels only a very short distance, i.e., from the tubing, upwards a short distance, and back into the U-shaped area. The water does not pass in fron of the flames, nor does it flow from the top of the fireplace to the bottom. As such, there remains a need in the art for yet an alternartive means for creating an aesthetically pleasing fireplace. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention provides another means by which conventional fireplaces may be made more beautiful. The present invention is a fireplace with a fire box containing a means for producing flames with a method and apparatus for making a waterfall that falls in front of or around the flames. 
   An aspect of the invention is a fireplace, including a fire box having a front opening and a means for producing flames, a trough positioned in front of the front opening of the fire box, and having a screen positioned horizontally therein, a hood having an opening, and being positioned above the fire box and extending forward a predefined distance in front of the front opening of the fire box such that water falls freely from the opening in the hood into the trough through the screen, and a plumbing assembly connecting the trough with the opening in the hood, wherein the plumbing assembly transports water from the trough to the opening in the hood. 
   A feature of the invention is a fireplace that allows one to view both a waterfall and a fire at the same time. 
   Another feature of the invention is a plumbing assembly that transports water from a trough in front of or around a fire box upward to a hood. 
   An advantage of the invention is that a hood extends out beyond a front opening of a fire box containing a means for producing flames such that water falls freely from the hood into a trough positioned in front of or around the fire box. 
   Another advantage of the invention is that a screen is positioned in the trough to disperse the water as it falls into the trough from the hood, thereby preventing water from splashing into the fire box. 
   A feature of the invention is one or more openings in the hood that allow a user to adjust the direction of flow from the hood to the trough. 
   Another feature of the invention is one or more nozzles connected to the plumbing system near the openings in the hood to adjust the trajectory of the water as it flows from the hood. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The present invention is described with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the drawing, like reference numbers indicate identical or functionally similar elements. Additionally, the left-most digit of a reference number identifies the drawing in which the reference number first appears. 
       FIG. 1  is a planar front view of one embodiment of the fireplace of the present invention; 
       FIG. 2  is a perspective front view of an alternative embodiment of the fireplace of the present invention; and 
       FIG. 3  is a planar side view of an embodiment of the fireplace of the present invention. 
   

   EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION 
     FIG. 1  shows an embodiment of a fireplace  100  of the present invention in which the fireplace  100  is freestanding. The fireplace  100  also may be an insert adapted for use with an existing conventional fireplace, or as shown more fully in  FIG. 2 , may be incorporated into or against a wall. The fireplace  100  preferably is a wood or coal burning fireplace, but alternatively may be a gas fireplace. 
   The fireplace  100  includes a fire box  112  having a front opening  116  and a means for producing flames, a trough  108  in front of or around the fire box  112 , and a hood  106  positioned above the fire box  112  and trough  108 . The means for producing flames preferably is wood  114 , coal, or wood pellets, but alternatively may be a gas burner. The fireplace  100  preferably has a chimney  118  for removing smoke and gases produced by flames in the fire box  112 , but alternatively may have a vent adapted for connecting the fire box  112  to an existing chimney or other means for removing smoke or gas. 
   The trough  108  preferably is positioned in front of the the front opening  116  of the fire box  112 , but alternatively may extend around all or a portion of the fire box  112 . The trough  108  collects water as it falls freely from an opening  120  in the hood  106 . The trough  108  thus has a sufficient depth to collect and store water, and also is sufficiently deep to accommodate a plumbing assembly  302  which transports water from the trough  108  to the hood  106 . A screen  304  preferably is positioned horizontally in the trough  108 , such that water falling from the opening  120  in the hood  106  is dispersed as it enters the trough  108 . In a preferred embodiment, the screen  304  is positioned in the trough  108  at a height at or near the water level in the trough  108  while the plumbing assembly  302  is in operation. However, the screen  304  may be used at any height, but in order to dissipate the splash the screen  304  must be positioned at or just slightly above the water level. 
   The plumbing assembly  302  preferably includes piping  306  connecting the trough  108  to the opening  212  in the hood  106 , and a pump  308  for forcing water from the trough  108  upward through the piping  306  and through the opening  120  in the hood  106 . As discussed above, the hood  106  has an opening  120 , and is positioned above the fire box  112 . Alternatively, the hood  106  may have two or more openings  120 . The hood  106  preferably extends out from the fire place  100  a predefined distance beyond the front opening  116  of the fire box  112 . As a result, water pumped up to the hood  106  from the trough  108  by the plumbing assembly  302  falls freely, or “free falls,” from the hood  106  back into the trough  108 . The distance by which the hood  106  extends out from the fire place  100  may be varied depending on how much distance one desires to keep between the falling water and the front opening  116  of the fire box  112 . In an alternative embodiment, the fire box  112  may be recessed and the hood  106  may be generally flush with the front of the fireplace  100 . In this embodiment, the water will not free fall, but instead will flow down the front face of the fire place  100  and into the trough  108 . The water remains in front of the flames, however, because the fire box  112  is recessed in the fire place  100 . The hood  106 , fire box  112 , and trough  108  may be of any shape including, but not limited to, square, rectangular, round, or octagonal. As shown in  FIG. 1 , the fireplace  100  may be ornamental having a front face made of stone, or as shown in  FIG. 2 , the fire place  100  may have a more utilitarian appearance. 
     FIG. 2  shows an alternative embodiment of the fireplace  100  of the present invention in which the fireplace  100  is adapted for use with a wall. The hood  106  and trough  108  are generally square shaped. The trough  108  is positioned in front of the front opening  116  of the fire box  112 , and the hood  106  extends out away from the fireplace  100  and over the trough  108 . As a result, the water free falls from the hood  106  into the trough  108 . The hood  106  has an elongated horizontal opening  120  through which water that has been transported from the trough  108  via the plumbing assembly  302  flows. This alternative embodiment of the fireplace  200  uses the same basic plumbing assembly discussed above and shown more clearly in FIG.  3 . 
     FIG. 3  shows an embodiment of the plumbing assembly  302  within the fireplace  100 . The plumbing assembly  302  includes piping  306  and one or more pumps  308 . The pump  308  operates to pump water from the trough  108  upwardly through the piping  302  and into and through the opening  120  in the hood  106 . One or more spouts or nozzles may be positioned on the upper end of the piping  306  near the opening  120  to provide the desired trajectory of the water as it exits the opening  120 . The horizontal placement of the screen  304  also is shown in FIG.  3 . As discussed above, the screen  304  causes the falling water to disperse on contact thereby preventing the water from splashing up and in to the flames in the fire box  112 . In order for the screen  304  to function properly, it must be positioned at or just slightly above the level at which the water is maintained in the trough  108 . 
   The fireplace  100  may include one or more lights mounted in various locations for decorative purposes. For example, colored lights  204  may be mounted under the water contained in the trough  108 , or alternatively, lights  202  may be mounted near the opening  120  of the hood  106 , or on a surface of the hood  106 . Multiple spouts having different angles and/or different heights also may be mounted in one or more openings  120  thereby changing the trajectory of the water as it flows over the hood  106 . 
   In operation, the fireplace  100  of the present invention may be either stand-alone or it may incorporated with or inserted into an existing fireplace. Water in the trough  108  is forced by the pump  308  of the plumbing system  302  upward through the piping  306 . The piping  306  ends at or near the opening  120  in the hood  106 . Depending on the desired configuration, the opening  120  may be in the hood  106  itself such that water flows out from the hood  106 , or the opening  120  may be above the hood  106  such that water flows from the opening  120  and onto and over the hood  106 . One or more spouts or nozzles also may be positioned at the end of the piping  306  to control the trajectory of the water flow as it exits the piping  306 . Likewise, the hood  106  may have two or more openings  120  for changing the path of water flow from the hood  106 . 
   Upon exiting the piping  306 , water flows from the opening  120 , and depending on the configuration, either out of or over the hood  106 . Because the hood  106  preferably extends out and away from the front of the fireplace  100  and beyond the front opening  116  of the fire box  112 , the water free flows down into the trough  108 . “Free flow” means that the water does not contact the front surface of the fireplace  100 , i.e., there is no surface tension between the water and fireplace  100 , instead gravity is the only force (other than internal surface tension) being applied to the water as it falls from the hood  106  to the trough  108 . The water contacts the screen  304  positioned horizontally in the trough  108  and is dispersed upon contact. As a result, the water does not splash up and into the fire box  112 . Once the water lands in the trough  108 , it is cycled through the process again by the plumbing system  302 . While the water is being cycled from trough  108  to hood  106  and back again, flames are produced in the fire box  112  by burning wood, coal, wood pellets, or other means for producing flames known to one of skill in the art. As a result, an aesthetically pleasing fireplace  100  having a waterfall is produced. 
   CONCLUSION 
   While various embodiments of the present invention have been described above, it should be understood that they have been presented by the way of example only, and not limitation. It will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined. Thus, the breadth and scope of the present invention should not be limited by any of the above-described exemplary embodiments.