Fireplace having multi-zone heating control
First Claim
1. A fireplace comprising:
- a cabinet, a combustion chamber within said cabinet, said combustion chamber defined in part by a plurality of walls, a burner and decorative logs disposed in said combustion chamber, said cabinet having a transparent panel through which said decorative logs are viewed, a first plenum connected to an interior air inlet and a second plenum connected to interior air outlet means, said first and second plenums located within said cabinet and defined in part by said combustion chamber walls, a heat exchanger element in thermal connection with hot gases generated in said combustion chamber and connected serially between said first and second plenums, and a plurality of distribution ducts connected to said outlet means and leading to a plurality of respective individual zones.
6 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A fireplace adapted to heat multiple heating zones of a building, controlled by a control circuit which adjusts the heat input to the fireplace, airflow through the fireplace and ducting of the airflow to the various zones individually in response to a call for heat by thermostats in the zones. The fireplace may also be adapted to provide cooled or circulated air to the zones and may also serve to provide heating to the zones in the event of an electrical power outage. The fireplace is provided with a cabinet having ducts through which air is conveyed by use of a fan to a tube-type heat exchanger, the heat exchanger also in communication with the hot flue gases exiting the combustion chamber of the fireplace. The air heated by the heat exchanger is conveyed to a multitude of fireplace outlets, each of which is provided with a damper which regulates the airflow through the outlet to one of the zones to be heated, depending on whether that zone calls for heat through its thermostat. The fireplace is also provided with an evaporator core in an evaporator case, the core being part of an air conditioning system. Air flowing through the fireplace may bypass the cabinet ducts and tube-type heat exchanger, instead being directed to flow through the evaporator core, where it may be cooled, and then to the fireplace outlets for distribution to the zones.
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Citations
36 Claims
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1. A fireplace comprising:
- a cabinet, a combustion chamber within said cabinet, said combustion chamber defined in part by a plurality of walls, a burner and decorative logs disposed in said combustion chamber, said cabinet having a transparent panel through which said decorative logs are viewed, a first plenum connected to an interior air inlet and a second plenum connected to interior air outlet means, said first and second plenums located within said cabinet and defined in part by said combustion chamber walls, a heat exchanger element in thermal connection with hot gases generated in said combustion chamber and connected serially between said first and second plenums, and a plurality of distribution ducts connected to said outlet means and leading to a plurality of respective individual zones.
- View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A fireplace comprising:
- a cabinet, a combustion chamber within said cabinet, said combustion chamber defined in part by a plurality of walls, a burner and decorative logs disposed in said combustion chamber, said cabinet having a transparent panel through which said decorative logs are viewed, a first plenum fluidly connected to an interior air inlet and a second plenum fluidly connected to interior air outlet means, said first and second plenums located within said cabinet and defined in part by said combustion chamber walls, a heat exchanger element in thermal communication with hot gases generated in said combustion chamber, said first and second plenums and said heat exchanger element connected in series and defining a generally W-shaped interior air flow path through said cabinet.
- View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A fireplace comprising:
- a cabinet, a combustion chamber within said cabinet, a burner and decorative logs disposed in said combustion chamber, said cabinet having a transparent panel through which said decorative logs are viewed, a first plenum in fluid communication with an interior air inlet and a second plenum, said first and second plenums in series connection with a heat exchanger in thermal connection with hot gases generated in said combustion chamber, a bypass plenum adjacent said cabinet and having a diverter mechanism disposed therein, said diverter mechanism selectively connecting said interior air inlet with one of an evaporator core and said first cabinet plenum, said evaporator core in fluid communication with said bypass plenum and outlet means.
- View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. A system for heating a plurality of zones in a building, said system comprising:
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a fireplace comprising a cabinet, a combustion chamber located in said cabinet, a burner and decorative logs disposed in said combustion chamber, said cabinet having a transparent panel through which said logs are viewed, a first plenum in fluid communication with an interior air inlet, a second plenum in fluid communication with a plurality of interior air outlets, and a heat exchanger in series connection with said first and second plenums, said heat exchanger in thermal communication with hot gases generated in said combustion chamber; a system of distribution ducts in fluid communication with said interior air outlets and a plurality of individual zones, each said outlet connected to a respective, individual zone, whereby interior air exiting said fireplace through at least one of said interior air outlets is conveyed to at least one of said zones; and an airflow modulation mechanism connected to a thermostat in at least one said zone and a said interior air outlet in fluid communication with said at least one zone, whereby airflow to said at least one zone is modulated in response to a demand sensed by said thermostat, said airflow modulation mechanism comprising a damper, whereby the amount of airflow to that said at least one zone is regulated. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30)
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- 31. A fireplace having a cabinet, a combustion chamber within said cabinet, said combustion chamber defined in part by a plurality of walls, decorative logs and a burner disposed in said combustion chamber, said cabinet including a transparent panel through which said logs are viewed, said cabinet having a first plenum and a second plenum, said first and second plenums located within said cabinet and defined in part by said combustion chamber walls, and a heat exchanger element in thermal communication with said combustion chamber and interposed between said first and second plenums, said heat exchanger element having an air inlet in fluid communication with an air outlet of said first plenum and an air outlet in fluid communication with an air inlet of said second plenum, said heat exchanger element comprising walls defining a generally U-shaped interior air flow path, said generally U-shaped interior air flow path extending between an air inlet and an air outlet of said heat exchanger element, and a plurality of conduits extending through said interior air flow path and through which conduits combustion gases flow.
Specification