US 6,145,502 A · Dual mode of operation fireplaces for operation in vented or unvented mode

Abstract

A novel dual mode of operation gas fireplace of the type having a combustion chamber box and a heat exchanger is provided with a burner in the bottom of the combustion chamber box which creates exhaust gasses to be passed out of the combustion chamber box and into or through the heat exchanger portion of the fireplace mounted on top of or back of the combustion chamber box. The hot exhaust gasses leaving the combustion chamber box may be directed into an exhaust stack or diverted directly into the room to be heated by a blower motor which diverts hot exhaust gas products from the heat exchanger directly into a room area to be heated in a ventless mode of operation. When the blower motor which diverts the exhaust gasses into the room is deactivated, the novel fireplace may be operated in a vented mode of operation. The feature of the present invention is that the novel fireplace may be operated in both the dual modes of operation simultaneously to achieve greater efficiencies than could be achieved by operating the fireplace in a vented mode of operation alone.

Claims22

Dependent claims

A dual operation vented/unvented gas fireplace, comprising:

a fireplace comprising heat exchanger means and a combustion chamber box,
said combustion chamber box having five sides and a front side for receiving a glass door,
a raised floor in said combustion chamber box forming a combustion air plenum below said raised floor and a chamber for gas combustion above said floor,
inlet air means coupled to said combustion air plenum for introducing a source of outside air,
gas burner means mounted in the floor of the gas combustion chamber at said floor,
gas valve means coupled to said gas burner means for mixing a source of gaseous fuel with air in said combustion air plenum,
exhaust opening means in the top of said combustion chamber box forming a passageway for burned hot exhaust gasses into said heat exchanger means,
blower means mounted on said heat exchanger means for directing room air to be heated in one of said dual modes of operation,
said blower means when activated being active to divert hot exhaust gasses directly into a room area to be heated,
said blower means when not activated being passive to permit said hot exhaust gasses to pass through said heat exchanger means to an area outside of said room area, and
means for activating and deactivating said blower means and for selecting said dual modes of operation.

8 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Dual mode of operation fireplaces for operation in vented or unvented mode

Life of this patent

Dual mode of operation fireplaces for operation in vented or unvented mode

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims22