AU2010100098A4

AU2010100098A4 - Fireplace

Info

Publication number: AU2010100098A4
Application number: AU2010100098A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Jacques Houle
Original assignee: Quality Craft Home Decor Ltd
Current assignee: Quality Craft Home Decor Ltd
Priority date: 2009-09-01
Filing date: 2010-01-29
Publication date: 2010-03-11
Anticipated expiration: 2018-01-29
Also published as: GB201014188D0; US20110048402A1; GB2473125A; DE202010011346U1; CN201819268U; HK1132619A2; CA2693725A1

Description

Regulation 3.2 AUSTRALIA Patents Act 1990 INNOVATION PATENT SPECIFICATION (ORIGINAL) Name of Applicant: Quality Craft Home Ddcor Limited Actual Inventor: Jacques Houle Address for Service: DAVIES COLLISON CAVE, Patent Attorneys, 1 Nicholson Street, Melbourne 3000, Victoria, Australia Innovation Patent specification for the invention entitled: "Fireplace" The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to us: FIREPLACE FIELD OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a fireplace. More particularly, this invention relates to a 5 fireplace using liquid fuel BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Fireplace serves heating and decorative purposes. Most people nowadays live in apartments and houses where installation of chimney is not possible, which in 10 turn makes installation of conventional fireplace with chimney infeasible. As a result, fireplace using liquid or gas fuel has become popular. Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide improvement to fireplace units using liquid fuel. The present invention further provides an easy and safe access to the liquid fuel for refilling and igniting. 15 DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, the invention provides a fireplace unit comprising a) a housing in which a liquid fuel is to be combusted, having at least one aperture for air flow; 20 b) a front plate; and c) a burner for holding the liquid fuel having an adjusting means for adjusting intensity of flame. Preferably, the fireplace unit further comprises a drawer adapted to hold the burner.

A closing means may be provided to cover the burner such that the flame is extinguished when the closing means is closed. Preferably, the adjusting means is configured to close when the drawer is pulled out. 5 It is an option that a security means is provided to refrain the drawer from being pulled out when the closing means is open. Preferably, the drawer further includes a reservoir for holding over-filled or leaked liquid fuel. It is preferred that the front plate is transparent or translucent. 10 Optionally, an aperture is further provided on the housing or the front plate for igniting the liquid fuel. The fireplace may further comprise a convection chamber, in which air is drawn from an inlet into the convection chamber to be heated by heat exchange from the burner and exits from an outlet. 15 Preferably, the liquid fuel is methanol liquid alcohol, ethanol liquid alcohol or alcohol gel. It will be appreciated that the fireplace unit may be installed almost anywhere, for example, being mounted on a wall, or placed on a floor. 20 BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Preferred features of the present invention will now be described with particular. reference to the accompanying drawings. However, it is to be understood that the features illustrated in and described with reference to the drawings are not to be construed as limiting on the scope of the invention. In the drawings: 25 Figure 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a fireplace unit according to the invention. Figure 2 is an enlarged view of the drawer of the fireplace unit of claim 1. 2 Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of a second embodiment of the fireplace of the invention DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring to Figures 1 and 2, there is presented a preferred embodiment of 5 fireplace 10 having housing 20, front plate 30 and drawer 40. Housing 20 includes apertures 60, 70 for air flow. Drawer 40 is configured to contain burner 80 for easy access to the burner for refill of the liquid fuel. Burner 80 is in a form of a container for containing liquid fuel. Burner 80 has adjusting means 90 and handle 100 adapted to control adjusting means 90 which in turn adjusts the 10 intensity of flame. Adjusting means 90 is slideable and controlled by handle 100. When adjusting means 90 is closed, the flame will be extinguished. Adjusting means 90 may be configured to automatically cover burner 80 when drawer 40 is pulled out. A latch (not shown) may be used to cause adjusting means 90 to slide and cover burner 80 when drawer 40 is pulled out. A person 1s skilled in the art shall have the knowledge in applying a suitable mechanism to achieve the purpose. Alternatively, regardless of whether adjusting means 90 is open or closed, a closing means (not shown) may further be provided to cover burner 80 and extinguish the flame when the closing means is closed. The closing means may 20 be in the form of a block, controlled by a handle (not shown) outside housing 20. A security means (not shown) may further be provided to refrain drawer 40 from being pulled out when the closing means is open. The security means may be in the form of a latch configured to lock drawer 40 when closing means is open and unlocks drawer 40 when the closing means is closed, in a usual fashion. A 25 person skilled in the art shall have the knowledge in applying a suitable mechanism to achieve the purpose. Front plate 30 has aperture 50 through which a fire-lighter is used to ignite the liquid fuel. Alternatively, aperture 50 may be located on housing 20. Reservoir 120 is provided within drawer 40 for holding over-filled or leaked 30 liquid fuel. 3 Turning to Figure 3, another embodiment of fireplace unit 10 is shown having convection chamber 150 at the back defining pathway 160 for air drawn from inlet 140 into convection chamber 150 to be heated by heat exchange from the flame of burner 80 (as described above) and exits from outlet 130. Inlet 140 may 5 be located at the front, bottom, or sides of the housing. This embodiment of fireplace unit 10 may further include the features of drawer 40 and the locking and latching mechanism as described above (not shown). The embodiments described above relate to preferred embodiments of the present invention only and are given by way of illustration. It will be appreciated 10 by those skilled in the art that changes, modifications and variations may be made to the invention described herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Throughout this specification and claims which follow, unless the context requires otherwise, the word "comprise", and variations such as "comprises" or 15 "comprising", will be understood to imply the inclusion of a stated integer or group of integers or steps but not the exclusion of any other integer or group of integers. The reference in this specification to any prior publication (or information derived from it), or to any matter which is known, is not, and should not be taken as an 20 acknowledgment or admission or any form of suggestion that that prior publication (or information derived from it) or known matter forms part of the common general knowledge in the field of endeavour to which this specification relates. 4

Claims

1. A fireplace unit comprising a) a housing in which a liquid fuel is to be combusted, having at least one aperture for air flow; 5 b) a front plate; and c) a burner for holding the liquid fuel having an adjusting means for adjusting intensity of flame.

2. The fireplace unit of claim 1, which further comprises a drawer adapted to hold the burner. 10

3. The fireplace unit of claim 2, wherein the adjusting means is configured to close when the drawer is pulled out.

4. The fireplace unit of any one of claims I to 3, wherein a closing means is provided to cover the burner such that the flame is extinguished when the closing means is closed. is

5. The fireplace unit of claim 4, wherein a security means is provided to refrain the drawer from being pulled out when the closing means is open.

6. The fireplace unit of claims 1 to 5, wherein the drawer further includes a reservoir for holding over-filled or leaked liquid fuel.

7. The fireplace unit of claims I to 6, wherein the front plate is transparent or 20 translucent.

8. The fireplace unit of claims 1 to 7, wherein an aperture is further provided on the housing or the front plate for igniting the liquid fuel.

9. The fireplace unit of claims I to 8, which further comprises a convection chamber, in which air is drawn from an inlet into the convection chamber to be 25 heated by heat exchange from the burner and exits from an outlet.

10. The fireplace unit of claims 1 to 9, wherein the liquid fuel is methanol liquid alcohol, ethanol liquid alcohol or alcohol gel. 5