Patent Abstract:
This invention relates generally to fireplaces, and more specifically, to systems and methods for providing a fireplace seal. In one embodiment, the invention includes a sheet, the sheet being constructed from fire-resistant material, the sheet defining a surface area configurable to cover a fireplace opening; a first rod, the first rod being resistantly compressible, the first rod being fastened to the sheet, wherein the first rod is configurable to provide opposing force against walls of the fireplace opening to removably secure the sheet in a position that obstructs air flow through the fireplace opening; and a second rod, the second rod being resistantly compressible, the second rod being fastened to the sheet, wherein the second rod is configurable to provide opposing force against walls of the fireplace opening to removable secure the sheet in a position that obstructs air flow through the fireplace opening.

Full Description:
PRIORITY CLAIM 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of the filing date of pending U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/826,434 filed Sep. 21, 2006 (Our Ref: FIRE-1-1001). The foregoing application is incorporated by reference in its entirety as if fully set forth herein. 
     
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    This invention relates generally to fireplaces, and more specifically, to systems and methods for providing a fireplace seal. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    The use of fires domestically can be traced back nearly one million years. Initially fires were built in the middle of hut-like structures to provide maximum heat distribution, and smoke escaped through incidental holes in the roof of the structure. About half a million years ago, holes and chimneys began to be built into houses so that smoke could escape more easily. When houses became two stories, however, chimneys were moved to the outside of the building to protect wooden walls and floors that were used to build multi-story buildings. This was the birth of the modern fireplace. 
         [0004]    Today there exists a wide variety of fireplaces that take on a myriad of embodiments and that can occupy various places within the home. What all these fireplaces have in common, however, is first an opening that allows a user to put combustible material in the fireplace and enjoy the heat, light and smell that accompanies a burning fire. Second, there is a chimney that conveys smoke and other combusted gasses out of the house. Additionally, fireplaces can have multiple chimneys or vents that facilitate more efficient airflow to and from a fire. Although the chimney is necessary to make the fireplace safe, it does also have negative impacts on a home environment, especially when the fireplace is not being used. 
         [0005]    When a fireplace is not being used, any channel that conveys smoke and other gases out of the house is typically open. Accordingly, air, gasses and other matter from outside of the house can travel into the house. For example, when it is cold outside, persons who reside in a house typically want the house to be warm and the fireplace allows cold air from outside to cool the house. Conversely, when it is hot outside, persons who reside in a house typically want the house to be cool, and the fireplace allows hot air from outside the house to heat the house. Although modern air-conditioning can typically keep a home at a constant temperature despite the influence of hot or cold air passing into the house through the fireplace, this comes at a substantial and undesirable energy cost. The cost of energy to heat or cool a home is becoming increasingly expensive and there has become an emphasis is decreasing this cost by making homes more energy-efficient. 
         [0006]    One way to make a home more energy-efficient is to stop or reduce the air-flow through the fireplace when the fireplace is not being used. Many systems and methods of sealing a fireplace are known in the art, however these systems and methods suffer from being difficult to use, being bulky and difficult to store, and being unable to fit multiple sizes of fireplaces. First, many systems for sealing a fireplace are made of solid materials, which facilitate a good seal, but are bulky, unable to fit into a wide variety of fireplace sizes, and difficult to store when not in use. Second, of those systems of sealing a fireplace that are configurable to be sized to various sizes of fireplaces, these systems are nonetheless limited to very few fireplace sizes and are difficult and cumbersome to use. Furthermore, many of these systems require that permanent fixtures be attached to the fireplace, which can result in undesirable damage or unsightly appearance. 
         [0007]    What is needed, is a fireplace seal that is lightweight, easy to use, configurable to fit in a wide variety of fireplaces, and compactable for easy and discrete storage. Therefore, what are needed are systems and methods for providing a fireplace seal. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0008]    This invention relates generally to fireplaces, and more specifically, to systems and methods for providing a fireplace seal. In one embodiment, the invention includes a sheet, the sheet being constructed from fire-resistant material, the sheet defining a surface area configurable to cover a fireplace opening; a first rod, the first rod being resistantly compressible, the first rod being fastened to the sheet, wherein the first rod is configurable to provide opposing force against walls of the fireplace opening to removably secure the sheet in a position that obstructs air flow through the fireplace opening; and a second rod, the second rod being resistantly compressible, the second rod being fastened to the sheet, wherein the second rod is configurable to provide opposing force against walls of the fireplace opening to removable secure the sheet in a position that obstructs air flow through the fireplace opening. 
     
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0009]    Embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below with reference to the following drawings: 
           [0010]      FIG. 1  is a front cross sectional view of a fireplace seal, in accordance with an embodiment of the invention; 
           [0011]      FIG. 2  is a side cross sectional view of a fireplace seal, in accordance with an embodiment of the invention; 
           [0012]      FIG. 3  is a further side cross sectional view of a fireplace seal, in accordance with an embodiment of the invention; 
           [0013]      FIG. 4  is a front view of a rod, in accordance with an embodiment of the invention; 
           [0014]      FIG. 5  is a further front view of a rod, in accordance with an embodiment of the invention; 
           [0015]      FIG. 6  is a front view of a fireplace seal being used in a fireplace, in accordance with an embodiment of the invention; 
           [0016]      FIG. 7  is a top cross sectional view of a fireplace seal being used in a fireplace, in accordance with an embodiment of the invention; 
           [0017]      FIG. 8  is a side cross sectional view of a fireplace seal being used in a fireplace, in accordance with an embodiment of the invention; 
           [0018]      FIG. 9  is a further side cross sectional view of a fireplace seal being used in a fireplace, in accordance with an embodiment of the invention; and 
           [0019]      FIG. 10  is a perspective view of a fireplace seal having a skirt, in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0020]    This invention relates generally to fireplaces, and more specifically, to systems and methods for providing a fireplace seal. Specific details of certain embodiments of the invention are set forth in the following description and in  FIGS. 1-10  to provide a thorough understanding of such embodiments. The present invention may have additional embodiments, may be practiced without one or more of the details described for any particular described embodiment, or may have any detail described for one particular embodiment practiced with any other detail described for another embodiment. 
         [0021]      FIG. 1  is a front cross sectional view of a fireplace seal  100 , in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. The fireplace seal  100  comprises a first and second rod  110 ,  115 , a sheet  120 , and a first and second sheet coupling  130 ,  135 . The sheet  120  is made of any flexible or semi flexible material, including, but not limited to, any textile, fabric, rubber, plastic or composite of two or more materials, either natural or synthetic and defines an area suitable for preventing airflow through a fireplace opening. The first rod  110  is enclosed in a pouch, which is defined by a length of the sheet  120  that has been folded onto itself and then coupled at the first sheet coupling  130 . The second rod  115  is enclosed in a pouch, which is defined by a length of the sheet  120  that has been folded onto itself and then coupled at the second sheet coupling  135 . 
         [0022]    In one particular embodiment, the sheet  120  is fireproof or heat resistant. In yet another embodiment, the first and second sheet coupling  130 ,  135  can be achieved by any method known in the art, including but not limited to, stitching, adhesives, or heat sealing. In further embodiments, the pouch that encloses the first rod  110  and the pouch that encloses the second rod  115  can be any size and shape, can be open along one or more length, surface or edge, can be closed on all sides, can be alternatively disposed relative to the sheet  120 , or can be tailored to snuggly fit the circumference of the first and second rod  110 ,  115 . The pouch that enclosed the first rod  110  and the pouch that encloses the second rod  115  can be omitted or augmented by additional pouches. In an alternative embodiment, pouches are alternatively coupled to the sheet  120  or the sheet  120  does not include pouches and the first and second rod  110 ,  115  are differently coupled to the sheet  120 . In a still further embodiment, the fireplace seal  100  can comprise one or more sheet  120  for extending to cover a plurality of openings including an under-flue or for doubling up. 
         [0023]      FIG. 2  is a side cross sectional view of a fireplace seal  100 , in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. The fireplace seal  100  comprises a first and second rod  110 ,  115 , a sheet  120 , and a first and second sheet coupling  130 ,  135  as described more fully in reference to  FIG. 1 . The first rod  110  is enclosed in a pouch, which is defined by a length of the sheet  120  that has been folded onto itself and then coupled at the first sheet coupling  130 . The second rod  115  is enclosed in a pouch, which is defined by a length of the sheet  120  that has been folded onto itself and then coupled at the second sheet coupling  135 . In certain embodiments, the first rod  110  and the second rod  115  are positioned vertically in relation to the sheet  120 , are complimented by additional rods that are positioned vertically in relation to the sheet  120 , or are differently disposed relative to the sheet  120  such as medially or across opposing corners. In an additional embodiment, the first rod  110  and the second rod  115  are increased or decreased in number or are complimented with or substituted by an alternative coupling mechanism such as clips, hooks, adhesives, magnets, bands, expansion rings, or some other similar system. 
         [0024]      FIG. 3  is a further cross sectional view of a fireplace seal  100 , in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. The fireplace seal  100  comprises a first and second rod  110 ,  115 , a sheet  120 , and a first and second sheet coupling  130 ,  135  as described more fully in reference to  FIGS. 1-2 . The first rod  110  is enclosed in a pouch, which is defined by a length of the sheet  120  that has been folded onto itself and then coupled at the first sheet coupling  130 . The second rod  115  is enclosed in a pouch, which is defined by a length of the sheet  120  that has been folded onto itself and then coupled at the second sheet coupling  135 . The sheet  120  and the first rod  110  are rollable to permit the fireplace seal  100  to be vertically adjusted to various fireplace sizes. In one particular embodiment there can be one or more clasp, hook, pin, hole, strap, string, magnet, or other means to secure a rolled sheet  120  at a desired height. 
         [0025]      FIGS. 4 and 5  are front views of a rod  110 , in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. The rod  110  is spring loaded such that when force is applied to the ends of the rod  110  it compresses to create tension and opposing force. The rod  110  can include stoppers on a first and second end of the rod  110  to provide improved contact with any surface. The rod  110  is configurable to being used in association with the sheet  120  ( FIG. 1 ) to press against opposing walls of a fireplace opening. In certain embodiments, the rod  110  is substituted or complimented by any system that provides tension such as a hydraulic or magnetic system. 
         [0026]      FIG. 6  is a front view of a fireplace seal  100  being used in a fireplace  650 , in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. The fireplace seal  100  comprises a first and second rod  110 ,  115 , a sheet  120 , and a first and second sheet coupling  130 ,  135  as described more fully in reference to  FIGS. 1-5 . The first rod  110  is enclosed in a pouch, which is defined by a length of the sheet  120  that has been folded onto itself and then coupled at the first sheet coupling  130 . The second rod  115  is enclosed in a pouch, which is defined by a length of the sheet  120  that has been folded onto itself and then coupled at the second sheet coupling  135 . 
         [0027]    To insert the fireplace seal  100  into the fireplace  650 , force is applied to the ends of the rods  110 ,  115  such that the rods collapse or retract to a length that is equal to or less than the width of the fireplace  650 . The first rod  110  is configured in a position that is roughly or approximately at the top of the opening of the fireplace  650  and the second rod  115  is configured in a position that is roughly or approximately at the bottom of the opening of the fireplace  650 . The force being applied to the rods  110 ,  115  is then removed and the fireplace seal  100  is held in the opening of the fireplace  650  by the tension that is created by the rods  110 ,  115  propensity to return to their extended resting state. The rods  110 ,  115  can be further manipulated or configured such that the rods  110 ,  115  allow the sheet  120  to create a seal around the opening of the fireplace  650 . If the fireplace seal  100  is of a greater height than the height of the opening of the fireplace  650 , the sheet  120  can be rolled with either the first or second rod  110 ,  115 , or both such that the fireplace seal  100  is approximately the height of the opening of the fireplace  650 . Additionally, if the fireplace seal  100  has a greater width than the width of the opening of the fireplace  650 , the vertical edges of the sheet  120  can be folded into or away from the opening of the fireplace  650 . In alternative embodiments, the fireplace seal  100  is usable to cover any opening including a window or door opening. 
         [0028]      FIG. 7  is a top cross sectional view of a fireplace seal  100  being used in a fireplace  650 , in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. The fireplace seal  100  comprises a first rod  110 , a second rod (not visible), and a sheet  120  as described more fully in reference to  FIGS. 1-6 .  FIG. 7  further depicts sheet flaps  740 . The first rod  110  is enclosed in a pouch, which is defined by a length of the sheet  120  that has been folded onto itself and then coupled at the first sheet coupling (not visible). 
         [0029]    The fireplace seal  100  is inserted and held in the opening of the fireplace  650  as described herein. If fireplace seal  100  has greater width than the width of the opening of the fireplace  650 , the width of the sheet  120  that is in excess can be folded into or away from the opening of the fireplace  650 , thus creating the sheet flaps  740 . In one embodiment, the sheet flaps  740  can be of equal or different length, the sheet flaps  740  may not be created, or a sheet flap  740  can exist on one side of the sheet  120 , but not on the other. Additionally, as described herein, the creation and existence of sheet flaps  740  applies equally to the second rod (not visible). Accordingly, sheet flaps  740  can run the entire height of one or both of the vertical edges of the sheet  120  and can be of consistent or varied length. In one particular embodiment, the sheet flaps  740  can form a seal along the vertical edges of a fireplace  650 . 
         [0030]      FIG. 8  is a side cross sectional view of a fireplace seal  100  being used in a fireplace  650 , in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. The fireplace seal  100  comprises a first and second rod  110 ,  115 , a sheet  120 , and a first and second sheet coupling  130 ,  135  as described more fully in reference to  FIGS. 1-7 . The first rod  110  is enclosed in a pouch, which is defined by a length of the sheet  120  that has been folded onto itself and then coupled at the first sheet coupling  130 . The second rod  115  is enclosed in a pouch, which is defined by a length of the sheet  120  that has been folded onto itself and then coupled at the second sheet coupling  135 . 
         [0031]    The sheet  120  is rollable with the first rod  110 , such that the height of the fireplace seal  100  is approximately, roughly or equal to the height of the opening of the fireplace  650 . In one embodiment, the sheet  120  can be rolled with one, both, or neither of the first and second rod  110 ,  115  to achieve a height of the fireplace seal  100  that is approximately, roughly or equal to the height of the opening of the fireplace  650 . By configuring the fireplace seal  100  to be of approximately, roughly or equal to the height of the opening of the fireplace  650 , a seal can be achieved between the horizontal top and bottom edges of the fireplace seal  100  and the horizontal top and bottom of the opening of the fireplace  650 . 
         [0032]      FIG. 9  is a side cross sectional view of a fireplace seal  100  being used in a fireplace  650 , the fireplace comprising a floor vent  960  and a chimney  970 , in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. The fireplace seal  100  comprises a first and second rod  110 ,  115 , a sheet  120 , and a first and second sheet coupling  130 ,  135  as described in reference to  FIGS. 1-8 . The first rod  110  is enclosed in a pouch, which is defined by a length of the sheet  120  that has been folded onto itself and then coupled at the first sheet coupling  130 . The second rod  115  is enclosed in a pouch, which is defined by a length of the sheet  120  that has been folded onto itself and then coupled at the second sheet coupling  135 . 
         [0033]    The floor vent  960  is a conduit in the floor or base of the fireplace  650  that allows air, smoke or other matter to flow in or out of the floor vent  960 . Additionally, the chimney  970  also allows air, smoke or other matter to flow in and out of the chimney  970 . Typically, both the floor vent  960  and chimney  970  are conduits to the exterior of the house and therefore the external environment. Thus, the fireplace seal  100  provides a complete or partial seal for the fireplace  650 . 
         [0034]    In further embodiments, the fireplace seal  100  can facilitate a partial or complete seal about the opening of a fireplace that is approximately, roughly or exactly any polygon or other shape, either regular or irregular. In one embodiment the fireplace seal can be used in any part of a fireplace, window, door, vent, or other opening. In a still further embodiment, the fireplace seal  100  can comprise additional systems or members that facilitate a seal, including, but not limited to, rubber, plastic, magnets, or ceramic. In yet a further embodiment, the fireplace seal  100  can be rolled up into a relatively small and compact form and stored for later use. In an alternate embodiment, the fireplace seal  100  can be folded one or more times into a relatively small and compact form and stored for later use. In a similar embodiment, the fireplace seal  100  can be reduced in size by compressing the first and second rods  110 ,  115 . 
         [0035]      FIG. 10  is a perspective view of a fireplace seal having a skirt, in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. In one embodiment, the fireplace seal  100  includes the sheet  120  as described in reference to  FIGS. 1-9 . The sheet  120  further includes a skirt  1002  disposed about the sheet  120  perimeter. The skirt  1002  provides a flexible extension to the sheet  120  and is configurable to being disposed against a wall of the fireplace  650  to assist in preventing air flow from slipping through any gaps between the sheet  120  and the fireplace  650 . In one particular embodiment, the skirt  1002  further includes skirt magnets  1004  for removably coupling the skirt  1002  to a metallic mount  1006  on the fireplace  650 . In certain embodiments, the skirt  1002  extends only partially about the sheet  120  perimeter. In a further embodiment, the skirt  1002  further includes one or more horizontal skirt segments (not illustrated) for being disposed against a wall of the fireplace  650  when the sheet  120  is height adjusted. In a similar embodiment, the skirt  1002  further includes one or more vertical skirt segments (not illustrated) for being disposed against a wall of the fireplace  650  when the sheet  120  is width adjusted. The vertical skirt segment and the horizontal skirt segment can include magnets. In another embodiment, the skirt magnets  1004  are substituted or complimented with another fastening mechanism. In yet a further embodiment, a plurality of layered skirts  1002  are employable to further assist in preventing air flow from slipping through any gaps between the sheet  120  and the fireplace  650 . 
         [0036]    In an additional embodiment, a decorative covering can be removably coupled to the sheet  120  to match a room décor where the fireplace  650  is located. The decorative covering can be coupled to the sheet  120  using magnets or some other fastener and can partially or fully cover the sheet  120 . In yet another embodiment, paints are employable to decoratively color the sheet  120 . 
         [0037]    While preferred and alternate embodiments of the invention have been illustrated and described, as noted above, many changes can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the scope of the invention is not limited by the disclosure of these preferred and alternate embodiments. Instead, the invention should be determined by reference to the claims that follow.

Technology Classification (CPC): 5