US20170051921A1

US20170051921A1 - Burn Pot Extension

Info

Publication number: US20170051921A1
Application number: US15/239,334
Authority: US
Inventors: Steve R. Ford
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2015-08-19
Filing date: 2016-08-17
Publication date: 2017-02-23

Abstract

A first lateral wall and a tapered second lateral wall are joined together to create a burn pot extension. Mounting braces connected along a first lower edge of the first lateral wall allow for the burn pot extension to be secured to a burn pot. The first lateral wall is formed from a first panel, a second panel, and a third panel, while the second lateral wall is formed from a first inclined panel and a second inclined panel. The first lateral wall extends the effective volume of a burn pot, with a burn region being defined interior to the first lateral wall. The second lateral wall serves to funnel fuel, such as wood pellets, into the burn region. The area between the second lateral was is thus defined as a feed region. The burn pot extension ultimately allows for higher burn temperatures and several derived benefits.

Description

The current application claims a priority to the U.S. Provisional Patent application Ser. No. 62/207,062 filed on Aug. 19, 2015.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to an accessory for a burn pot of a pellet stove that improves combustion.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Central heating is utilized by an increasing number of buildings and installations in the modern age. While some individuals and institutions still utilize space heaters, many more turn to one of a variety of central heating systems. Pellets stoves are an example of such a heating system and are the focus of the present invention. A number of manufacturers produce and sell pellet stoves, though certain drawbacks are inherent to pellet stoves and thus present in the majority of the prior art. Most notable is the ash created by burning pellets, which requires regular cleaning of the pellet stove in order to ensure optimal operation. Additionally, the combustion of the pellets produces some air pollution, which can be a concern when attempting to meet strict government regulations.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an accessory which can added to preinstalled burn pots and improve the burn of a pellet stove. More specifically, it is an object of the present invention to produce a cleaner burn that reduces the frequency with which the pellet stove must be cleaned and helps to meet government pollution regulations.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a front view of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a rear view of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a left view of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a right view of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a bottom view of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a top view of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a bottom perspective view of the present invention.

DETAIL DESCRIPTIONS OF THE INVENTION

All illustrations of the drawings are for the purpose of describing selected versions of the present invention and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention.
The present invention is a burn pot extension that enhances operation of pellet stoves. The benefits derived from the present invention stem from its core configuration of components. Describing this in more detail, the present invention comprises a first lateral wall 1, a second lateral wall 2, and a plurality of mounting braces 3. The first lateral wall 1 itself comprises a first lower edge 11, a first upper edge 12, and a first interior surface 13. Similarly, the second lateral wall 2 comprises a second lower edge 21, a second upper edge 22, and a second interior surface 23. The lower edges and upper edges serve to define a bottom portion and top portion of the respective lateral walls. The present invention is illustrated in FIG. 1-FIG. 8.
The first lateral wall 1 forms a body that acts to extend the interior volume of a burn pot by raising the effective height of the burn pot. The second lateral wall 2 helps to funnel fuel (e.g. pellets) into the burn pot. The second lateral wall 2 also helps to retain fuel within the burn pot. Thus, the second lateral wall 2 is positioned next to the first lateral wall 1. To form a unitary body, the second lateral wall 2 is joined along the perimeter of the first lateral wall 1. In different embodiments, the second lateral wall 2 can be joined along a single segment of said perimeter, multiple segments of said perimeter, or the entirety of said perimeter, as later detailed. Elaborating upon the joining of the second lateral wall 2 and the first lateral wall 1, the second lower edge 21 (of the second lateral wall 2) is connected along the first upper edge 12 (of the first lateral wall 1). In order to help funnel fuel, the second lateral wall 2 tapers from the second upper edge 22 to the second lower edge 21. Thanks to this narrowing of the second lateral wall 2, the second lateral wall 2 directs fuel (pellets fed from a hopper, for example) towards the burn pot.
The plurality of mounting braces 3 enables installation of the present invention into a burn pot. As such, the plurality of mounting braces 3 is connected to the first lateral wall 1, allowing for the plurality of mounting braces 3 to couple with the burn pot. More specifically, the plurality of mounting braces 3 is mounted along the first lower edge 11, at a bottom portion of the first lateral wall 1. Thus, when the present invention is placed atop a burn pot, the mounting braces 3 are able to secure the present invention to said burn pot. Preferably, the plurality of mounting braces 3 is distributed around the first lower edge 11. Spreading the plurality of mounting braces 3 in this manner allows for better weight distribution of the first lateral wall 1 and the second lateral wall 2, as opposed to an embodiment where the plurality of mounting braces 3 is concentrated at one segment of the first lower edge 11.
When installed into a burn pot, the first lateral wall 1 and the second lateral wall 2 help to define specific regions related to operation of a pellet stove. More specifically, a burn region 4 is delineated by the first interior surface 13 of the first lateral wall 1. The burn region 4 effectively extends the volume of an existing burn pot. The increased volume enables higher burn temperatures, ultimately resulting in several advantages (in comparison to a burn pot that does not make use of the present invention).
The burn pot requires fuel for combustion, which must be introduced from a storage area to the burn pot itself. This is typically accomplished with a hopper, which directly deposits fuel into the burn pot. Thus, a feed region 5 is delineated by the second lateral wall 2 of the present invention. The feed region 5 is, in essence, an intermediate volume through which fuel passes when moving from a hopper to the burn region 4.
Expanding upon the present invention as described above, several additional components and configurations therefor are ideal for the present invention. For example, the plurality of mounting braces 3 is preferably positioned into the burn region 4, opposite the feed region 5. In other words, each of the plurality of mounting braces 3 is connected along the first interior surface 13 and partially protruded downwards from the first lateral wall 1, as shown in FIG. 1-FIG. 5 and FIG. 8. There is also an ideal distribution of the plurality of mounting braces 3 about the first lateral wall 1; this distribution is subsequently introduced after elaborating upon the first lateral wall 1 of the preferred embodiment.
The first lateral wall 1 preferably comprises a first panel 14, a second panel 15, and a third panel 16. The first panel 14 and second panel 15 are opposite sides of the first lateral wall 1, joined to each other by the third panel 16. The first panel 14 and the second panel 15 are parallel with each other while the third panel 16 is perpendicular to the first panel 14 and the second panel 15. This rectangular arrangement allows the present invention to smoothly interface with existing burn pots, which commonly have rectangular profiles. The third panel 16 is positioned adjacent to both the first panel 14 and the second panel 16, and is connected between them such that the three panels connect to form the first lateral wall 1.
Corresponding to the three panels, the plurality of mounting braces 3 comprises a first brace 31, a second brace 32, and a third brace 33. Preferably, an auxiliary brace 34 is also provided to help create a secure installation of the present invention into a burn pot. The first brace 31 is connected adjacent to the first panel 14. The second brace 32, mirroring the first brace 31, is connected adjacent to the second panel 15. The third brace 33, meanwhile, is connected adjacent to the third panel 16. The auxiliary brace 34 is similarly connected adjacent to the third panel 16. As the auxiliary brace 34 is paired with the third brace 33, the auxiliary brace 34 is positioned opposite the third brace 33 through the third panel 16. In more basic terms, the third brace 33 is connected along the first interior surface 13 at the third panel 16. The auxiliary brace 34 is connected along an exterior surface of the first lateral wall 1, positioned on the third panel 16. The third brace 33 and the auxiliary brace 34 act as a clip that minimizes shifting of the present invention relative to the burn pot and ultimately results in a more secure coupling between the present invention and the burn pot. Preferably, each brace is centered along the edge of its corresponding panel, as shown in the accompanying figures.
The second lateral wall 2, similar to the first lateral wall 1, preferably comprises multiple panels. More specifically, the second lateral wall 2 comprises a first inclined panel 24 and a second inclined panel 25. The first inclined panel 24 and the second inclined panel 25 are positioned at opposite sides of the first lateral wall 1, corresponding to the first panel 14 and the second panel 15. To accomplish this, both the first inclined panel 24 and the second inclined panel 25 are connected along the first upper edge 12 of the first lateral wall 1. The first inclined panel 24 and the second inclined panel 25 connect with the respective first panel 14 and second panel 15 (of the first lateral wall 1) in a manner that maintains the tapering properties of the second lateral wall 2. The tapering of the second lateral wall 2 is clearly shown in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3.
Elaborating upon this relation, both the first inclined panel 24 and the second inclined panel 25 are angularly offset from the first interior surface 13 of the first lateral wall 1. The resulting slope allows for gravity to pull fuel along the surfaces of the inclined panels towards the burn region 4. As the second lateral wall 2 tapers towards the first lateral wall 1, the two inclined panels are specifically offset at an obtuse angle 26. Ultimately, fuel that enters the feed region 5 (as defined within the bounds of the second interior surface 23) is funneled into the burn region 4 (as defined within the bounds of the first interior surface 13) by the first inclined panel 24 and the second inclined panel 25. The angular offset between the inclined panels and the first interior surface 13 is depicted via FIG. 2.
As the present invention is provided for use with pellet stoves in proximity to fires, the material used to manufacture the first lateral wall 1, the second lateral wall 2, and the plurality of mounting braces 3 is preferably heat-resistant. In the preferred embodiment, stainless steel is selected to serve as said heat-resistant material. The stainless steel construction allows the present invention to serve as a durable and cost-effective addition to a burn pot of a pellet stove.
While dimensions of the present invention may be altered in different embodiments, a specific set of dimensions is provided for the preferred embodiment. More specifically, the width of the present invention, measured between the first panel 14 and the second panel 15 of the first lateral wall 1, is 3 9/16 inches. A depth of the present invention, measured from a front edge of the first panel 14 and second panel 15 towards the third panel 16, is 3⅞ inches. A height of the present invention, measured from the first lower edge 11 to the second upper edge 22, is 3¼ inches. The height of the first lateral wall 1 by itself, measured from the first lower edge 11 to the first upper edge 12 is 2½ inches. The height of the second lateral wall 2 by itself, measured from the second lower edge 21 to the second upper edge 22, is ¾ inches.
Though the present invention is described in a preferred embodiment above, it is not limited to the components and configurations detailed heretofore; indeed, further embodiments remain within the scope of the present invention. Many variations are possible for components of the present invention, a few potential examples of which are described below.
The plurality of mounting braces 3, while described as being positioned into the burn region 4, could instead be positioned exterior to the burn region 4. That is, they would be positioned outside the first lateral wall 1, rather than into the burn region 4 as described in the preferred embodiment. Further, the specific number of the mounting braces 3 could be increased or decreased, though it is ideal to provide at least one mounting brace for each panel of the first lateral wall 1.
Yet another option is the provision of additional braces to be paired with the first brace 31 and the second brace 32, similar to the relation between the auxiliary brace 33 and the third brace 34. In this embodiment, each of the plurality of mounting braces 3 has a paired brace on an opposite surface of the first lateral wall 1. It is also possible to provide different numbers of braces around the interior and exterior of the first lateral wall 1. The preferred embodiment is an example of such, with three braces around the first interior surface 11 and a single brace on the exterior surface. An example of paired braces (specifically the third brace 33 and auxiliary brace 34) is best shown in FIG. 8.
Beyond altering the arrangement and number of the mounting braces 1, one possible embodiment could omit the mounting braces 3 and substitute them with an entirely different mounting system, such as brackets that fasten the present invention to a burn pot. While such embodiments are possible, it's noted that an advantage of the preferred embodiment is its low cost, ease of installation (as it can be simply inserted atop the burn pot), and durability (in part aided by a lack of moving parts). Ideally, any substituted mounting system will not detract from these properties.
Another possible alteration regarding the present invention is the number of panels that form the first lateral wall 1. For example, different shapes and positions of burn pots within a pellet stove may require a greater or lesser number of corresponding panels. As the present invention is intended to be installed into an existing burn pot, the bottom perimeter of the first lateral wall 1 preferably matches the perimeter of a burn pot of a given pellet stove model. The exact number of panels and the shape that they form is variable; the main object of the first lateral wall 1 is to serve as a body that can be installed into an existing burn pot and as create an expanded burn region 4 for said burn pot.
Just as different numbers and configurations of walls for the first lateral wall 1 are possible, different embodiments can vary the number of inclined panels that form the second lateral wall 2. For example, variations in burn pots and pellet stove models may necessitate a different number and arrangement of inclined panels than the two of the preferred embodiment. In some embodiments, the number of inclined panels is unequal to the number of panels of the first lateral wall 1, as with the illustrated embodiment. In other embodiments, each panel of the first lateral wall 1 is provided with a corresponding inclined panel.
Other variations remain possible. For example, while a preferred material and set of dimensions were previously described, in other embodiments different materials and dimensions can be substituted for those of the preferred embodiment. Such alterations can help improve general compatibility of the present invention, allowing for different versions to be produced for specific models of pellet stoves. A non-comprehensive list of pellet stoves that are compatible with the present invention, as describes in the preferred embodiment, includes ones from American Harvest (model numbers 5500m, 5500 XL, 5500 XLT, 5510, and 6041), USSC (model King|Ashley 5500), and Vogelzang (models VG-5770 and VG-5790).
The components and configuration of the present invention allow for several benefits to be obtained when the present invention is installed into an existing burn pot. One of the most notable advantages is an improved burn of fuel, derived from the increased effective volume of the burn pot; the burn region 4 defined by the first lateral wall 1 allows for higher temperatures. Resultantly, an increased percentage of the fuel is cleanly burned, minimizing occurrence of “clinkers”. Clinkers are small unburnt pieces of fuel which eventually clog up the burn pot, create smoke and soot, and ultimately require more frequent cleaning. The cleaner burn resulting from the present invention leads into another benefit; the generation of a cleaner white ash compared to the sootish ash that results from incomplete burning of fuel. Other benefits that result from installation of the present invention into a pellet stove include improved compliance with government emission laws, compatibility with all brands of pellets, elimination of embers and smoke when cleaning a burn pot, and the ability to operate the stove for longer durations before requiring cleaning. The present invention has been found to allow a pellet stove to operate for up to 8 days before requiring cleaning. Without the present invention, pellet stoves typically require cleaning after only a few days of operation. A further benefit of note is better retention of fuel within the burn pot; thanks to the first lateral wall 1 and second lateral wall 2, it is less likely for fuel to bounce out of the burn pot; any fuel pellets that bounce above the first lateral wall 1 will be funneled back into the burn pot thanks to the tapered second lateral wall 2.
Although the invention has been explained in relation to its preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that many other possible modifications and variations can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A burn pot extension comprises:

a first lateral wall;

a second lateral wall;

a plurality of mounting braces;

the first lateral wall comprises a first lower edge, a first upper edge, and a first interior surface;

the second lateral wall comprises a second lower edge, a second upper edge, and a second interior surface;

the second lower edge being connected along the first upper edge of the first lateral wall;

the second lateral wall tapering from the second upper edge to the second lower edge;

the plurality of mounting braces being mounted along the first lower edge;

a burn region being delineated by the first interior surface; and

a feed region being delineated by the second interior surface.

2. The burn pot extension as claimed in claim 1 comprises:

the plurality of mounting braces being positioned into the burn region, opposite the feed region.

3. The burn pot extension as claimed in claim 1 comprises:

the first lateral wall comprises a first panel, a second panel, and a third panel;

the first panel and the second panel being parallel with each other;

the third panel being positioned adjacent to the first panel and the second panel;

the third panel being perpendicular to the first panel and the second panel; and

the third panel being connected between the first panel and the second panel.

4. The burn pot extension as claimed in claim 3 comprises:

the plurality of mounting braces comprises a first brace, a second brace, and a third brace;

an auxiliary brace;

the first brace being connected adjacent to the first panel;

the second brace being connected adjacent to the second panel;

the third brace being connected adjacent to the third panel; and

the auxiliary brace being connected adjacent to the third panel, opposite the third brace.

5. The burn pot extension as claimed in claim 1 comprises:

the second lateral wall comprises a first inclined panel and a second inclined panel;

the first inclined panel and the second inclined panel being positioned opposite each other about the first upper edge;

the first inclined panel being adjacently connected along the first upper edge; and

the second inclined panel being adjacently connected along the first upper edge.

6. The burn pot extension as claimed in claim 5 comprises:

the first inclined panel and the second inclined panel each being angularly offset from the first interior surface at an obtuse angle.

7. The burn pot extension as claimed in claim 1 comprises:

the first lateral wall being made from a heat-resistant material.

8. The burn pot extension as claimed in claim 7 wherein the heat-resistant material is stainless steel.

9. The burn pot extension as claimed in claim 1 comprises:

the second lateral wall being made from a heat-resistant material.

10. The burn pot extension as claimed in claim 9 wherein the heat-resistant material is stainless steel.

11. The burn pot extension as claimed in claim 1 comprises:

the plurality of mounting braces being made from a heat-resistant material.

12. The burn pot extension as claimed in claim 11 wherein the heat-resistant material is stainless steel.