Wood burner with improved emissions

#This invention relates to wood burning heating units and fireplaces. More particularly, the present invention relates to a wood burning assembly that is designed to minimize the exhaust of unburned gases and reduce particulate emission.

#Wood burners are desirable features in the home. However, for many years, in response of an increased population density in certain areas and increased environmental concerns, wood burners, such as wood-burning fireplaces and heaters have been increasingly regulated with respect to particulate and other emissions.

#In recent years the quality of the air has received major consideration. Clean air has become more than a phrase. Significant efforts have been expended to minimize pollutants in the air we breathe. Some examples of these efforts include imposing emission standards on automobile exhausts, shutting down the use of incinerators in apartment houses, and designing or modifying large garbage burning incinerators to meet established standards.

#FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of a casing assembly of a wood burner made in accordance with the present invention;

#FIG. 2 is a front view of the casing assembly of FIG. 1;

#FIG. 3 is a side view of FIG. 1;

#Wood burners generally comprise a framework, which may be referred to as a casing assembly. The wood burner 10 of the present invention includes such a casing assembly 12, shown in FIGS. 1-6.

#As best seen in FIGS. 1-4, the wood burner 10 of the present invention includes a casing assembly 12, which is a housing comprised of a number of panels or the like, which will be described more fully below. The panels may be made of a suitable material, such as sheet metal as is known in the art, to create the housing or fireplace casing assembly 12. Cutting, bending and joining a sufficient number of the sheet metal panels or the like can form the structure of the casing assembly 12. The edges of the individual panels are typically bent to provide a small overlap at the juncture of adjoining panels. The metal panels may then be joined together by any suitable fastening method, such as, for example, fasteners, sheet metal screws, or by crimping or welding.

#The casing assembly 12 has a top panel 14, bottom panel 16, back panel 18 and side heat shield panels 20, 22. The right side heat shield panel 20 and left side heat shield panel 22 can be joined to angle inwardly toward the back panel 18 to define a generally trapezoidal shape as viewed from above. A support structure 24 is connected to the bottom panel 16 and/or the back panel 18. The support structure 24 may take the form of a leg, or pair of legs to support the underneath and/or rear of the casing assembly.