Fireplace Ventilator System and Device

The present disclosure is directed to a fireplace ventilator system and device. A method for operating the fireplace ventilator system is also provided.

A traditional fireplace chimney includes different chimney parts. These parts include, but are not limited to a firebox, a damper, a smoke chamber, and a flue system. The firebox is the section of the chimney that contains or holds the fire being burned. Fireboxes may be designed in a variety of sizes; however, despite differences in size, the basic function remains the same. Above the firebox is the damper, which is a door or hinged apparatus that prevents cold air from coming into the house when the firebox is not being used. Dependent on the type of damper, the ability to open or close the damper helps control the fire and fumes. Above the damper is the smoke chamber, which allows an accumulation of toxic fumes from the burning fire into a compressed area, allowing the fumes to rise upwards into the chimney flue system. The chimney flue system is the vertical shoot from the smoke chamber to a chimney crown, where the fumes exit the chimney.

When burning a fire in the smoke box, the heat from the burning fire forms hot gas or hot air, which is less dense than cold air. Because the hot air is lighter than the cold air, the hot air travels upward through the damper, the smoke chamber, up the chimney flue and out of the desired heating area (e.g., living room, den, outdoor sitting area). While the hot air is moving upwards, cold air (because of its heavier density), moves lower to the heat source, i.e., the fire.

When the cold air travels to the heat source, it creates a draft. This draft draws more hot air from inside of the house or heating area, which results in the desired heating area being colder than before. This draft is the driving force of the air circulation throughout the house and helps pull the smoke up into the chimney and out of the house. The circulation allows the fire to maintain the fuel and oxygen needed to continue to burn effectively. However, small gaps that exist in homes now allow for warm air to escape and for cool air to enter. For example, in some cases, fans placed in certain areas of the house (e.g., living room, dining room, kitchen, bathrooms, etc.) continuously push the hot air out, allowing even more cold air to replace the hot air resulting in the house or heating area being colder than desired by the occupant.

Despite some aspects of inefficiency, traditional fireplaces remain highly demanded in homes and can substantially increase the value of a property. However, home buyers and occupants remain well aware that improvements are needed in order to heat a home adequately and efficiently, while ensuring safety standards are appropriately met. For example, such improvements would include the ability for the fireplace to prevent excess smoke coming into the home and allow for more heat to remain in the home than cold air to enter the home, all while also maintaining the desired esthetic of a traditional fireplace.

A fireplace ventilator system may be summarized as including: a fireplace grate; a rib-like structure of the fireplace grate having a front portion and a rear portion opposite to the front portion, the front portion having a plurality of openings; an elongated support member coupled to the front portion of the fireplace grate, the elongated supporting member having at least one air inlet on a first end of the elongated support member; a damper stack coupled to the rear portion of the fireplace grate; and a blower removably coupled to the at least one air inlet on the first end of the elongated support member.

The fireplace grate may be formed of a hollow cylinder. The elongated support member may include a second air inlet on a second end, wherein the second end is opposite to the first end. The first and second air inlets may be configured to introduce a flow of air into the fireplace grate. The blower may be a variable speed blower. The damper stack may include an arm having a first end and a second end opposite to the first end, the first end closer to the fireplace grate than the second end, the arm vertically extended from the rear portion of the fireplace grate in a first direction. The arm of the damper stack may include an opening at the second end. The plurality of holes on the front portion of the fireplace grate may include at least one covering.

A device may be summarized as including: a fireplace grate having a plurality of opening; an arm coupled to the fireplace grate having a first inlet and a second inlet; and a vertical damper stack having an outlet, the vertical damper stack positioned opposite to the arm. The fireplace grate may have a front portion and a rear portion opposite to the front portion. The fireplace grate may be formed as a rib-like structure, and the plurality of openings may be in the front portion of the fireplace grate. The plurality of openings may be configured to blow air in a passive manner. The outlet of the vertical damper stack may have an opening diameter of 0.75 to 1.0 inches. The fireplace grate may be composed of metal. The plurality of openings in the front portion of the fireplace grate may be coupled to a plurality of adjustable coverings. An adjustable damper covering may be coupled to the outlet of the vertical damper stack. The device may further include a blower motor coupled to at least one arm of the fireplace grate. The blower motor may be a variable speed blower motor, the blower motor may be configured to blow air from the first inlet or second inlet, into the at least one arm of the fireplace grate, and out of the vertical damper stack.

A method of operating a fireplace ventilator system may be summarized as including: coupling a variable speed blower motor to an inlet of the fireplace ventilator system; adjusting a plurality of coverings on a front portion of the fireplace ventilator system; and manipulating an adjustable damper cover of a vertical damper stack in order to blow air generated from the variable speed blower motor out through the vertical damper stack. The plurality of coverings on the front portion of the fireplace ventilator system may remain fully covered a plurality of maneuverable coverings.

While burning firewood in a fireplace, excess smoke that accumulates within the home instead of blowing out through the chimney is an indication of a weak draft within the home, resulting in increased energy costs during the cold winter months and prevents the fire from adequately burning in a way that sufficiently warms the house. Excess smoke in the home may cause other hazardous issues or inhalation of harmful vapors, such as carbon monoxide. However, traditional log racks and fireplace grates are traditionally manufactured and placed in the fireplace to simply hold fire logs. A fireplace grate that could introduce air into the fire at an accelerated rate in order to blow the smoke into the smoke chamber, pass the damper, and up the chimney flue would significantly help air ventilation. Increased air ventilation would result in the ability to burn a cleaner fire and keep the unwanted burnt smell from unnecessarily accumulating in the home, as well as increasing the heat from the fire because more air is present.

show a fireplace ventilator systemaccording to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Specifically,shows a perspective view of the fireplace ventilator systemthat includes a fireplace ventilator deviceand an air intake blowercoupled to the fireplace ventilator device. The fireplace ventilator deviceis configured to be placed and fitted in a traditional fireplace, whether the fireplace is potentially located inside or outside of a traditional dwelling. For example, the inside of a dwelling would be considered the inside of a house, condo, townhome, etc., while the outside of a dwelling would be considered as an outdoor fireplace, such as a front side only fireplace that may be located against a wall, along a fence, or in the yard (front or back) of a home. However, it should be appreciated that the fireplace ventilator devicemay be available in a variety of sizes to accommodate a range of depths, dimensions, and sizes of fireplaces.

The fireplace ventilatoris composed of a plurality of pipeswelded together to form the fireplace ventilator deviceand firewood grate. The pipesare manufactured having a hollow inside diameter ranging from 0.75 inch-1 inch. The pipesare composed of metal, but may be composed of cast-iron, steel, or other suitable materials capable of withstanding the high temperatures of burning firewood. The hollow construction of the pipesallow air to be pushed into the chimney from the air intake blowerthrough the fireplace ventilator device.

The fireplace ventilatoris configured having a fireplace grateto help retain the functions and aesthetic of a traditional fireplace grate or rack. The fireplace gratecomprises a rib-like structure having a plurality ribs,,that can support and securely hold wooden logs for burning in a fireplace, maintaining the typical function of a traditional fireplace grate, as briefly mentioned above. The fireplace grateprovides the benefit, among other things, of elevating the fire off the ground by a plurality of legs, which increases or improves the fire's position and draft, simultaneously enhancing wood combustion and efficiency. The slight elevation of the fireplace gratecan increasingly allow air to flow freely, resulting in a more efficient fire. In some embodiments, the height of legsmay vary dependent on certain factors, such as customization based on the preference of the intended user or manufacturer.

The fireplace gratehas a front section and a rear section, the rear section being opposite to the front section. The front section comprises a plurality of holes or openingsthat are built integrally into the fireplace grate. When the fire is burning, the openingsallow for hot air to blow into the home through the pipesof the fireplace grateand through the openings. While the hot air flows through the openings, cooler air from the bottom of the chimney and from other areas of the house are blown through the fireplace ventilator deviceand into the chimney. The air circulating through the fireplace ventilator devicemay be generated from either the air intake blowerin an active state, or from cool air drawn in from around the chimney base in a passive state.

As briefly mentioned above, the air intake bloweris removably coupled to the fireplace ventilator deviceby a hose. In other words, the fireplace ventilator device possesses the capability of operating in an active state with the air intake blower or can operate in a passive state without the air intake blower. The hosemay be metal flex hose or other types of heat safe extendible piping that adequately couples the air intake blowerto the fireplace ventilator device. The hoseis coupled to the fireplace ventilator deviceby coupling the hoseto either a first armA with a first inletA, or a second armB with a second inletB. Both the first and second armsA,B extend in an opposite direction from each other on the front portion of the fireplace grate.

The openingson the front portion of the fireplace grateare partially covered by adjustable coverings. The adjustable coveringsare arranged on the piping and can slide over to the openingsto adjust the flow of the heated air. The front portion of the fireplace gratethat encompasses the openings may have grooves that allow the adjustable coveringsto slide in an efficient manner. Based upon user preference, the openingscan remain fully open or fully closed by manipulating the adjustable coverings.

When activated, the air intake blowerblows air into through the hoseinto the pipesof the firewood grateand can blow air through the openingsas discussed above and can also be blown to the rear portion of the firewood gratethrough a vertical damper stack. The vertical damper stackis piping coupled to and vertically extending from the firewood grate. The fireplace ventilator systemuses positive pressure in order to increase airflow into the vertical damper stackto help draft more air from the room and draw the smoke up and out of the house through the house. The fireplace ventilator systemis conveniently configured to fit in the fireplace where about the vertical damper stackis located in the rear of the chimney to blow smoke directly towards the damper. The vertical damper stackincludes an adjustable damper lidat the end of the vertical

The vertical damper stackhas a first end, and a second end opposite to the first end, the first end being coupling the vertical damper stackto the fireplace grate. The second end of the vertical damper stackincludes an adjustable damper capand a damper outlet(shown in). The damper outlethas an opening with a diameter range of ¼ inch to ¾ inch. This diameter range is specifically sized and shaped to create air flow that allows the necessary amount of positive pressure to effectively push the smoke out of the chamber box of the chimney and out of the house, without blowing an excessive amount and permitting more smoke to blow into the house instead of out of the house. This can also be determined by the air intake blower. The air intake bloweris a variable speed motor that allows for an appropriate amount of air to be blown by the blower. The damper capmay have a hook or other mechanical linkage that allows the user to manipulate and interact with the damper outletwhile the fire is burning. This may be accomplished by using a fire pit poker (not shown) or another similar tool that achieves the same objective.

As can be seen in, the fireplace ventilator deviceillustratively has four legsthat are perpendicular to the plurality of pipesthat increase the stabilization of the firewood grate. The legsare attached to the plurality of pipesat an angle that is distinct from the first and second arms,. As shown in, the first and seconds arms,are arranged at an angle α relative to a first directionof the fireplace ventilator devicesuch that the first and second arms,define a width perpendicular to the first direction of the device.

In, for example, the fireplace gratewith the rib-like structure defines a first dimension dof the fireplace ventilatorin a second direction. The first and second arms,extend in the second directionhaving a second dimension d, the second dimension dbeing greater than the first dimension d.

shows a front view of the fireplace ventilator system. As previously mentioned in relation to, the first and second arms,extend in the first directiontowards the front portion of the device. The extension of the first and second arms,have a third dimension dextending towards the front portion of the fireplace ventilator device. The fireplace gratefurther includes piping that extends in the first directiontowards from the rib-like structure to the rear portion of the fireplace ventilator device, similar to the manner in which the first and second arms,extend in the first directiontowards the front portion of the device. The piping extending from the rib-like structure to the rear portion has a fourth dimension d, in which the fourth dimension dis smaller than the third dimension d. The legsof the fireplace ventilator deviceare coupled perpendicular to the plurality of pipesand have a fifth dimension d, which smaller than the fourth dimension d.

is a fireplace ventilator systemaccording to another embodiment. For clarity and brevity, features of the systemthat are common toare not described again in detail for. The air intake blower or air pumphas a grate attached to a rectangular portion. The systemfurther includes a power plugconnected to a control switch or device. The power plugis configured for use and insertion into a standard electrical outlet to provide operational power to the system. The switchincludes a dial that controls settings or modes of the system. The switchis between and connected to the plugand the blower. A hoseconnected to the bloweris made of adjustable and expandable piping that can compress or expand to a length desired by the user. The fireplace grate has six legswith each legspaced from each other. A pair of legsextends from the same rib member portion. The pairs of legsalternates along the rib frame so that a rib member having no legs is between rib members having a pair legs. A central rib and outer most ribs each has a pair of legs. A damper lidincludes an extension or handle. In some embodiments, the handle is used to adjust the lidover a damper outlet. In some embodiments, the damper outlet has an opening that is substantially similar to or slightly smaller than an inner diameter of the vertical damper stack. The damper outletincludes a substantially flat disk coupled to an end of the damper stack. The opening extending through the disk. The lidhas a substantially flat disk portion. In some embodiments, the disks of the lidand the outletare substantially the same size, shape, or combination thereof. The liddisk has a bottom surface configured to cover the opening and contact the outlet. The liddisk has a front surface opposite the bottom surface. The handle or extension has a first end opposite a second end. A length of the handle is between the first and second ends. The handle extending along a substantially horizontal plane so that the length of the handle extends along a direction that is substantially parallel to the front surface.

In the manufacture of the fireplace ventilator device, the plurality of pipes are welded together in the structure of the fireplace grate, which encompasses the rib-like structure with the front and rear portions. The legs are coupled under the rib-like structure to provide support for the fireplace grate. The plurality of openings are formed into the front portion of the grate to allow air to escape out the front and into the intended occupant space. The adjustable coverings are coupled to the front portion to provide optional coverage of the plurality of openings if desired. The arms,are coupled to opposite ends of the front portion to provide further stabilization of the fireplace ventilator device. The hose from the air intake blower is inserted into the inlet of either arm in order to couple the air intake blower to the fireplace ventilator device. Opposite to the front portion, the rear portion is coupled to the vertical damper stack and extends in a vertical direction. The vertical damper stack is piping that is perpendicularly coupled to the rear portion of the firewood grate. The damper cap and damper outlet are formed at the end of the vertical damper stack, opposite to the end coupled to the rear portion. The damper outlet is manufactured with an appropriately sized aperture for blowing air into the smoke chimney.

A system may be summarized as including: a fireplace grate including a rib-like structure having a plurality of ribs, a front portion, and a rear portion that is opposite to the front portion, the front portion having a plurality of openings; an elongated support member is coupled to the front portion, the elongated support member having at least one air inlet on a first end; a damper stack coupled to the rear portion; and a blower removably coupled to the at least air inlet on the first end of the elongated support member.

The fireplace grate may be formed of a hollow pipe. The elongated support member may include a second air inlet on a second end, the second end being opposite to the first end. The first and second air inlets may be configured to introduce a flow of air into the fireplace grate. The blower may be a variable speed blower. The damper stack may include an arm having a first end a second opposite to the first end, the first end closer to the fireplace grate than the second end, the arm vertically extended from the rear portion of the firewood grate in a first direction. The arm of the damper stack includes an opening at the second end. The plurality of holes on the front portion of the fireplace grate may include at least one covering.

A device may be summarized as including: a fireplace grate having a plurality of openings; an arm coupled to the fireplace grate having a first inlet and a second inlet; and a vertical damper stack having an outlet, the vertical damper stack positioned opposite to the arm. The fireplace grate may have a front portion and a rear portion opposite to the front portion. The fireplace grate may be formed as a rib-like structure, with the plurality of openings in the front portion of the fireplace grate. The plurality of openings may be configured to blow air in a passive manner. The outlet of the vertical damper stack may have an opening diameter of 0.75 inches to 1.0 inches. The fireplace grate may be metal.

The device may further include a plurality of adjustable coverings, the plurality of openings in the front portion of the fireplace grate may be configured to interact with the plurality of adjustable coverings. An adjustable damper covering may be coupled to the outlet of the vertical damper stack. The device may further include a blower motor coupled to at least one arm of the fireplace grate. The blower motor may be a variable speed blower motor, and the blower motor may be configured to blow air from the first inlet or the second inlet into the at least one arm of the fireplace grate, and out of the vertical damper stack.

A method may be summarized as including: coupling a variable speed blower motor to an inlet of a fireplace ventilator system that includes a rib-like structure with a plurality of openings in the rib-like structure at a front portion and a vertical damper stack; adjusting a plurality of coverings on the front portion of the fireplace ventilator system; and manipulating an adjustable damper cover of the vertical damper stack in order to blow air from the variable speed blower motor through the vertical damper stack. Adjusting the plurality of openings may include covering a first one of the plurality of openings and leaving a second one of the plurality of openings uncovered.

The various embodiments described above can be combined to provide further embodiments. Aspects of the embodiments can be modified, if necessary to employ concepts of the various patents, applications and publications to provide yet further embodiments.

These and other changes can be made to the embodiments in light of the above-detailed description. In general, in the following claims, the terms used should not be construed to limit the claims to the specific embodiments disclosed in the specification and the claims, but should be construed to include all possible embodiments along with the full scope of equivalents to which such claims are entitled. Accordingly, the claims are not limited by the disclosure.