Abstract:
A fireplace comprising having a firebox; at least one door coupled to the firebox; and at least one burner positioned inside the firebox; wherein the door is coupled to the firebox such that there is a gap between the firebox and the door sufficient to allow operation of the fireplace without other openings in the firebox.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention relates to fireplaces. 
         [0002]    Wood burning fireplaces are known. However, wood burning fireplaces suffer from several disadvantages. Unless equipped with a lighting mechanism, such as a natural gas jet, wood burning fireplaces can be difficult to light. A wood burning fireplace may be more difficult to light depending on the type and moisture content of the wood used. Once started, a wood burning fireplace is difficult to extinguish, and the fire is usually allowed to simply burn itself out unattended. 
         [0003]    Additionally, wood fireplaces require a chimney for venting the smoke created by the burning wood. In addition to removing the smoke from a wood burning fireplace, the chimney allows much of the heat generated by the fire to escape. Chimneys require periodic cleaning to remove soot deposited from smoke. Thus, wood burning fireplaces are relatively difficult to use, dirty and inefficient. 
         [0004]    Additionally, the use of wood in fireplaces often leads to deforestation and the smoke emitted from fireplaces may cause pollution. Moreover, improper wood fireplace venting can lead to illness and death. Additionally, due to the size of wood pieces burned and the need for a chimney, traditional wood burning fireplaces are typically not portable. 
         [0005]    Natural gas fireplaces are also known. However, natural gas fireplaces typically suffer from many of the shortcomings of wood fireplaces. Natural gas fireplaces are often vented through a chimney, and are often not portable because they are connected to a natural gas pipe. 
         [0006]    Thus, there is a need for an improved fireplace. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0007]    Accordingly, the present invention is directed to an improved fireplace. In an embodiment, the fireplace has a firebox; at least one door coupled to the firebox; and at least one burner positioned inside the firebox; wherein the door is coupled to the firebox such that there is a gap between the firebox and the door sufficient to allow operation of the fireplace without other openings in the firebox. The fireplace may have a plurality of doors coupled to the firebox. 
         [0008]    In an additional embodiment of the present invention, the firebox has a front portion and a rear portion. The front portion has at least one track. The door has a pin for moveably engaging in the at least one track and a handle for moving the door along the track. Additionally, the fireplace may have a moveable throttle coupled to the burner for extinguishing the burner, the moveable throttle having a throttle handle. In a preferred embodiment, the throttle handle extends beyond the at least one door and is configured to be operable by a user without opening the door. 
         [0009]    In an embodiment, the door has a top and a bottom and the gap between each of the top of the door and the firebox and the bottom of the door and the firebox is from about ¼ inches to about 4 inches, more preferably from about ½ inches to about 2 inches and more preferably from about ¾ inches to about 1¼ inches. 
         [0010]    Optionally, the fireplace has a fuel container in liquid communication with the burner. Additionally, the fuel container may contain bioethanol. The fuel container may have a fuel level indicator. 
         [0011]    In an additional embodiment, the fireplace has a means for moving the door relative to the firebox. Additionally, the fireplace may have at least one leveler coupled to the firebox for leveling the fireplace on a substantially horizontal surface. Optionally, the fireplace has a means for standing the fireplace on a substantially horizontal surface. Additionally, the fireplace may have a bracket coupled to the firebox for hanging the fireplace on a substantially vertical surface. Optionally, the fireplace has a means for hanging the fireplace on a substantially vertical surface. 
         [0012]    In an additional embodiment, the present invention is directed to a fireplace having a firebox, the firebox having a front portion with at least one track, and a rear portion. At least one door is coupled to the firebox, the door having at least one pin for moveably engaging in the at least one track. The door also has a handle for moving the at least one door along the track. At least one burner is positioned inside the firebox and a fuel container is in liquid communication with the burner. The fireplace also has a moveable throttle for extinguishing the burner, the moveable throttle having a throttle handle and being moveably coupled to at least one of the burner and the fuel container. The door is coupled to the firebox such that there is a gap between the firebox and the door sufficient to allow operation of the fireplace without other openings in the firebox. The gap between the top and the bottom of the door and the firebox is from about ¼ inches to about 4 inches, and more preferably from about ½ inches to about 2 inches, and more preferably from about ¾ inches to about 1¼ inches. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0013]    A better understanding of the present invention will be had with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: 
           [0014]      FIG. 1  is an exploded schematic diagram of a fireplace according to a first embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0015]      FIG. 2  is a front perspective view of a fireplace according to a second embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0016]      FIG. 3  is a top perspective view of the fireplace of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0017]      FIG. 4  is a front elevation perspective view of the fireplace of  FIG. 1 ; and 
           [0018]      FIG. 5  is a rear elevation perspective view of the fireplace of  FIG. 1 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0019]    The present invention, according to an embodiment, is directed to a fireplace  100 . With reference to  FIGS. 1 to 5 , the fireplace  100  has a firebox  102  with at least one door  104  coupled to the firebox  102 . A burner support  106  is positioned in the firebox  102 . A fuel container  108  is positioned in the burner support. The fuel container  108  is coupled to a burner  110 . A trap  112  for opening and closing the burner  110  is moveably coupled to the burner  110 . The trap  112  has a handle  114  that extends from the trap  112  and allows manipulation of the trap  112  from a location away from the burner  110 . The trap  112  functions to extinguish a fire in the burner  110  by cutting off the supply of oxygen to the fire. Preferably, the trap  112  is operable without opening the at least one door  104 . In an additional embodiment of the present invention, the fireplace has an automated trap coupled to an oxygen-depletion sensor. The automated trap turns off the fire if the oxygen depletion sensor senses a lack of oxygen in the area surrounding the fireplace. 
         [0020]    In embodiments of the present invention, the fuel is in either a liquid or solid state when placed in the fuel container  108 . Preferably, the fuel container  108  is filled with bioethanol. In an alternative embodiment the fuel is in a gaseous state when placed in the fuel container  108 . The fuel container is made from materials that can withstand the heat generated by the burner. For example, the fuel container  108  may be made from steel, stainless steel or aluminum. Preferably, the fuel container is fully contained within the firebox  102  during operation of the fireplace  100 . However, at least a portion of the fuel container  108  may reside outside of the firebox  102  as long as the fuel container  108  is in communication with the burner  110 . 
         [0021]    The amount of fuel held by the fuel container  108  may be selected based on one or more of, for example, the size of the burner, the amount of heat to be generated, the size of flames, and the desired weight of a fully fueled fireplace. Preferably, the fuel container  108  holds between 0.5 and 5 liters of fuel. More preferably, the fuel container  108  holds between 1 and 2 liters of fuel. Preferably, the fuel container has a level indicator so that the user can see how much fuel remains in the container from beyond the door  104  of the fireplace. 
         [0022]    In an embodiment of the present invention, the firebox  102  has a flat floor  116  upon which the fuel container  108  is placed. In an additional embodiment, the firebox floor  116  has a receptacle  118  for placement of the fuel container  108 . The receptacle  118  is advantageous, because the receptacle  118  helps a user place the fuel container  108  and burner  110  in an optimal location within the firebox for proper combustion and heat generation. 
         [0023]    In an embodiment of the present invention, the firebox  102  has a flat bottom surface that renders the fireplace  100  stable on a flat horizontal surface. In an additional embodiment of the present invention the fireplace has a bottom mounting bracket (not shown) that the firebox  102  rests in, the bottom mounting bracket rendering the fireplace stable on a flat horizontal surface. In an additional embodiment of the present invention, the fireplace has a plurality of adjustable casters  119  that mount on the bottom of the firebox, or the bottom mounting bracket if present, to allow for level adjustment of the fireplace on a horizontal surface that is not quite flat. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the casters are mounted in at least three locations on the bottom of the firebox  102 , and more preferably on at least four locations on the bottom of the firebox  102 . 
         [0024]    In an embodiment of the present invention, the fireplace is sufficiently light and moveable that the fireplace can be mounted on a substantially vertical surface, such as a wall in a residence. The firebox  102  has a rear portion  120 . The rear portion  120  may be provided with a plurality of holes  122  to facilitate mounting of the fireplace on a wall. A plurality of brackets  124  are mounted to the vertical surface using a plurality of fasteners  126 , such as screws, that are placed through holes  128  in the brackets. The brackets  124  contain tabs  130  that in turn mount in the firebox holes  122  to hold the fireplace to the vertical surface. 
         [0025]    The firebox may have windowed openings on more than one side and may be mounted to a substantially vertical surface using connectors positioned proximal to outside edges of the firebox. In an embodiment, the firebox  102  has openings on the front and back, at least one door is mounted to each of the front and back and the firebox  102  is positionable in a wall orifice so that the fire inside the firebox can be viewed from both sides of the wall. 
         [0026]    An important aspect of the fireplace according to the present invention is the provision of venting for oxygen to reach the burner, for heat to escape the fireplace and yet for the fireplace to remain safe during windy conditions. To facilitate proper venting for oxygen to reach the burner and for heat to escape the fireplace, the at least one door  104  is positioned at a set distance away from the firebox  102 . Preferably, the doors  104  are mounted to the firebox  102  so that there is a gap around the top and bottom of the doors of from about ¼ inches to about 4 inches, more preferably from about ½ inches to about 2 inches, and more preferably from about ¾ inches to about 1¼ inches. 
         [0027]    The at least one door  104  may be connected to the firebox by a hinge (not shown) and a lock (not shown) to hold the door in a closed position proximal to the firebox  102  and to allow the door to swing to an open position distal to the firebox  102 . Movement of the door to the open position allows a user to replace fuel in the fuel container  108  and clean the interior of the firebox  102 . The lock can be, for example, a magnetic or mechanical lock. Additionally, the lock may have a key to prevent children from accessing the contents of the firebox  102 . In an additional embodiment, the fireplace has two doors coupled to the firebox, each door being hingedly connected and lockable to the firebox  102 . In an embodiment, the firebox  102  has a plurality of flanges  132  that extend outward from the firebox to block cross-drafts from entering the firebox through the air space between the doors and the firebox. 
         [0028]    In an additional embodiment of the present invention, the fireplace has at least one door that is slideable along the front of the firebox between the open and closed positions. To facilitate movement of the doors in this manner, the front face of the firebox  102  is provided with a plurality of tracks  134 . The doors are mounted to the firebox using pins  136  extending from the doors  104  and locking in the tracks  134  such that the pins  136  are slideable within the tracks  134 . Each door  104  has a handle  138  to allow the user to slide the door between the open and closed positions. The tracks may be, for example, slots or grooves in the front face of the firebox. 
         [0029]    The firebox may have a variety of shapes depending on the size of the burner and decorative preferences. For example, the firebox may have a curved front or rear surface as shown in  FIGS. 1 to 3 . Alternatively, the firebox may be rectangular. The firebox  102  may be made from a variety of materials, the materials being selected based on factors including, for example, the heat generated by the burner and the intended display purposes of the fireplace. In an embodiment, the firebox is made from stainless steel. Alternatively, the firebox may be made from aluminum or steel and may be painted. The firebox may have holes  140  for venting or decoration. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the only openings for air to reach the firebox are gaps between the firebox  102  and the one or more doors  104 . 
         [0030]    Although the present invention has been described in considerable detail with reference to certain preferred versions thereof, other versions are possible. Therefore, the spirit and scope of the appended claims should not be limited to the description of the preferred versions described herein. 
         [0031]    All features disclosed in the specification, including the claims, abstract and drawings, and all the steps in any method or process disclosed, can be combined in any combination except combinations where at least some of such features and/or steps are mutually exclusive. Each feature disclosed in the specification, including the claims, abstract, and drawings can be replaced by alternative features serving the same, equivalent or similar purpose, unless expressly stated otherwise. Thus, unless expressly stated otherwise, each feature disclosed is a one example only of a generic series of equivalent or similar features. 
         [0032]    Any element in a claim that does not explicitly state “means” for performing a specified function or “step” for performing a specified function, should not be interpreted as a “means” or “step” clause as specified in 35 U.S.C. §112.