Flexible, low profile hearth pad

• US 10,639,862 B2
• Filed: 12/21/2012
• Issued: 05/05/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 11/26/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bernd Krebes
• Original Assignee: Bernd Krebes
• Inventors: Krebes, Bernd
• Primary Examiner(s): Walshon, Scott R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Saberi, Jasper
• Application Number:
  US13/724,966
• Publication Number:
  US 20140178623A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,692 Days
• Field of Search: 52384, 522871, 521731, 525881, 521691, 52232, 523021, 523112, 52316, 5239601, 526492, 526551, 5274115, 527413, 5274521, 5274711, 52831, 52846, 126500, 428141, 428500, 4281951, 428212, 428328, 428446, 4284744, 428480, 428522, 428523, 428100, 428105, 428113, 428116, 428142, 428160, 428172, 428196, 428201, 428215, 428222, 4282934, 4283133, 4283191, 428 3271, 428338, 428354, 428 366, 428 369, 428 3691, 428402, 428 401, 4284111, 428412, 428413, 4284231, 4284233, 4284235, 4284237, 4284242, 4284244, 4284246, 4284248, 428425
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 15/20 comprising aluminium or copper B32B15/016 and B32B15/017 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/306 Resistant to heat
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/3065 Flame resistant or retardant, fire resistant or retardant
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2471/04 Mats
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 3/16 secured to a flexible backing
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 9/005 comprising one layer of ceramic material, e.g. porcelain, ceramic tile layered products with at least two ceramic layers composed mainly of ceramic B32B18/00
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 9/041 of metal
• CPC Class Codes: F24B 1/197 Hearths
• CPC Class Codes: F24B 13/002 Surrounds
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/166 Glass, ceramic, or metal sections [e.g., floor or wall tile, etc.]

Abstract

A hearth pad for live ember protecting a floor. The hearth pad comprises a backing for being placed onto the floor. The backing is made of a flexible sheet material. A plurality of tiles is disposed on the backing and adhered thereto using a flexible adhesive. The tiles are made of a rigid material. A flexible filler is disposed in gaps between adjacent tiles.

Claims

1. A hearth pad comprising:

a backing for being placed onto a floor, the backing being an aluminum sheet;

a plurality of tiles directly bonded to the backing using a flexible adhesive, the tiles being made of a rigid material and forming a top surface of the hearth pad; and

,

a flexible filler disposed in gaps between adjacent tiles,

wherein a thickness of the backing is substantially less than a thickness of the tiles and wherein the backing has sufficient rigidity to substantially prevent flexing of the hearth pad during transport and installation and wherein the backing has sufficient flexibility to substantially prevent cracking of the tiles when a woodstove or pellet stove is placed thereupon and,

wherein the hearth pad has an overall thickness of less than 13 mm.

2. The hearth pad according to claim 1 wherein the tiles are porcelain tiles or ceramic tiles.

3. The hearth pad according to claim 1 wherein the hearth pad is capable of flexing at least 10 mm over a distance of approximately 1000 mm.

4. The hearth pad according to claim 1 wherein the flexible filler comprises a sanded acrylic caulking.

5. The hearth pad according to claim 1 wherein the flexible adhesive comprises a polyurethane based adhesive.

6. The hearth pad according to claim 1 wherein the backing has a thickness of approximately 1.5 mm.

7. The hearth pad according to claim 1 wherein the tiles have a thickness between 8 mm and 10 mm.

8. The hearth pad according to claim 1 wherein the hearth pad has an overall thickness between 10 mm and 12 mm.

9. The hearth pad according to claim 1 wherein the gaps between adjacent tiles have a width between 2 mm and 3 mm.

10. The hearth pad according to claim 1 wherein the top surface of the hearth pad forms a rectangle.

11. The hearth pad according to claim 10 wherein at least two corners of the rectangle are rounded.

12. The hearth pad according to claim 1 wherein outside edges of the tiles form an outside edge of the hearth pad.

13. The hearth pad according to claim 12 wherein the backing is recessed from the outside edge of the hearth pad.

14. The hearth pad according to claim 12 wherein the outside edges of the tiles are rounded or beveled.

15. The hearth pad according to claim 14 wherein the outside edges of the tiles are cut and polished.

16. A woodstove or pellet stove assembly comprising:

a hearth pad placed onto a floor, the hearth pad comprising;

a backing placed onto the floor, the backing being an aluminum sheet;

a plurality of tiles directly bonded to the backing using a flexible adhesive, the tiles being made of a rigid material and forming a top surface of the hearth pad, wherein a thickness of the backing is substantially less than a thickness of the tiles, wherein the backing has sufficient rigidity to substantially prevent flexing of the hearth pad during transport and installation, and wherein the backing has sufficient flexibility to substantially prevent cracking of the tiles when a woodstove or pellet stove is placed thereupon; and

,

a flexible filler disposed in gaps between adjacent tiles, wherein the hearth pad has an overall thickness of less than 13 mm; and

,

the woodstove or pellet stove placed onto the top surface of the hearth pad.

17. The woodstove or pellet stove assembly according to claim 16 wherein the hearth pad extends at least 450 mm from a front of the stove and at least 200 mm beyond sides of the stove.

18. The woodstove or pellet stove assembly according to claim 16 wherein the tiles are porcelain tiles or ceramic tiles.

19. The woodstove or pellet stove assembly according to claim 16 wherein the flexible adhesive comprises a polyurethane based adhesive and wherein the flexible filler comprises a sanded acrylic caulking.

20. A method for providing a woodstove or pellet stove assembly comprising:

providing a hearth pad comprising;

a backing for being placed onto a floor, the backing being an aluminum sheet;

a plurality of tiles directly bonded to the backing using a flexible adhesive, the tiles being made of a rigid material and forming a top surface of the hearth pad; and

,

a flexible filler disposed in gaps between adjacent tiles, wherein a thickness of the backing is substantially less than a thickness of the tiles, wherein the backing has sufficient rigidity to substantially prevent flexing of the hearth pad during transport and installation, and wherein the backing has sufficient flexibility to substantially prevent cracking of the tiles when a woodstove or pellet stove is placed thereupon and,

wherein the hearth pad has an overall thickness of less than 13 mm;

moving the hearth pad to a predetermined location of the floor;

placing the hearth pad onto the floor at the predetermined location; and

,

placing the woodstove or pellet stove onto the top surface of the hearth pad.

21. The method for providing a woodstove or pellet stove assembly according to claim 20 wherein the stove is placed onto an existing combustible floor.