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US 7,175,424 B2Granted
Indoor/outdoor patio heater fire sculpture
OwnerToby Frink, John A. MacPhersoninventors
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present invention is an indoor/outdoor patio heater which includes a base portion housing a gas source, a gas burner, gas valve, a fan under the burner to create twisting flame patterns and a liquid pump, a pair of concentric see-through tubular portions disposed vertically above said base portion and a top heat deflector portion, with the burner flame enclosed by the inner tubular portion and liquid flowing through the channel formed between the inner and outer tubular portions to create the appearance of a twisting flame enclosed within a waterfall. The invention can be utilized with its aesthetic flame features and its aesthetic water features together, or one or the other.
Claims18
An indoor/outdoor gas patio heater providing a view of a spiraling flame and a waterfall, comprising:
- a base portion having an opening at the top, which houses a gas supply source, a gas burner disposed near said top opening of said base portion, an electric fan disposed beneath said burner for creation of twisting flame patterns emanating from said burner when ignited, a gas supply valve connected via tubing to said gas supply source at one end and to said burner at the other end, and an electric pump for pumping liquid upwardly from said base portion;
- a hollow transparent tubular inner portion having an open top end and an open bottom end disposed vertically over said top opening of said base portion over said burner, which acts as a see-through burner heat conduit and an enclosed flame chamber;
- a hollow transparent tubular outer portion disposed concentrically around the exterior surface of said hollow inner tubular portion, forming an enclosed channel between said inner and outer tubular portions through which liquid is pumped upwardly by said electric pump and cascades downwardly along its outer surface for recirculation;
- a top portion resting over the top of said tubular inner portion, through which heat emanating from said gas burner is deflected outwardly;
- a tray disposed around the outer surface of the bottom end of said tubular outer portion and connected to said pump for collection of liquid cascading downwardly along the outer surface of said tubular outer portion;
- said flame chamber interior and coaxial with said tubular outer portion to separate said flame chamber from said liquid by said tubular outer portion;
- an electric power source for driving said electric pump and said electric fan;
- and liquid for circulation through said pump, channel and tray.
5 more elements
An indoor/outdoor gas patio heater providing aesthetic effects, comprising:
- a base portion having an opening at the top, which houses a gas supply source, a gas burner disposed near said top opening of said base portion, an electric fan disposed beneath said burner for creation of twisting flame patterns emanating from said burner when ignited, and a gas supply valve connected via tubing to said gas supply source at one end and to said burner at the other end;
- a hollow transparent tubular inner portion having an open top end and an open bottom end disposed vertically over said top opening of said base portion over said burner, which acts as a see-through burner heat conduit and flame chamber;
- a hollow transparent tubular outer portion disposed concentrically around the exterior surface of said hollow inner tubular portion, and said flame chamber forming an enclosed channel between said inner and outer tubular portions which is filled with air;
- a top portion resting over the top of said tubular inner portion, through which heat emanating from said gas burner is deflected outwardly;
- and
- an electric power source for driving said electric fan.
3 more elements
An indoor/outdoor gas patio heater providing aesthetic effects, comprising:
- a base portion having an opening at the top, which houses a gas supply source, a gas burner disposed near said top opening of said base portion, a gas supply valve connected via tubing to said gas supply source at one end and to said burner at the other end, and an electric pump for pumping liquid upwardly from said base portion;
- a hollow transparent tubular inner portion having an open top end and an open bottom end disposed vertically over said top opening of said base portion over said burner, which acts as a see-through burner heat conduit and flame chamber;
- a hollow transparent tubular outer portion disposed concentrically around the exterior surface of said hollow inner tubular portion, forming an enclosed channel between said inner and outer tubular portions through which liquid is pumped upwardly by said electric pump and cascades downwardly along its outer surface for recirculation;
- said flame chamber interior of both said tubular outer portion and said tubular inner portion;
- a top portion resting over the top of said tubular inner portion, through which heat emanating from said gas burner is deflected outwardly;
- a tray disposed around the outer surface of the bottom end of said tubular outer portion and connected to said pump for collection of liquid cascading downwardly along the outer surface of said tubular outer portion;
- an electric power source for driving said electric pump;
- and
- liquid for circulation through said pump, channel and tray.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.