Endless flame fireback (EFF)

Abstract

A fireplace box has one or more mirrored panel that covers substantially all of the wall to which the panel is attached to create mirrored images of a fire flame when a gas burner is in use. Each mirrored panel is mounted substantially flush to its wall and has a mirrored surface that can be flat, curved or have a complex shape and can also have a decorative design so as to give a visual appearance of emulating its wall. A mirrored surface can also be used with a fire pit, in which case it will also serve as a wall, and the gas burner of the fire pit can be raised to enhance the effect of using the mirrored surface.

1 : A fireplace box, comprising:
 a gas burner positioned within a left wall, a back wall and a right wall; and   a mirrored panel connected to the back wall positioned about the burner for creating a mirrored image of a fire flame when the burner is in use;   wherein substantially all of the back wall is covered with the mirrored panel and the mirrored image is the same substantial size as the fire flame.   
   
   
       2 : The fireplace box of  claim 1 , wherein the mirrored panel is mounted substantially flush to the back wall. 
   
   
       3 : The fireplace box of  claim 1 , wherein the mirrored panel has a decorative design on a mirrored surface so as to give a visual appearance for emulating the back wall. 
   
   
       4 : The fireplace box of  claim 1 , wherein the mirrored panel has a mirrored surface that is not a flat planar surface. 
   
   
       5 : The fireplace box of  claim 4 , wherein the mirrored surface has a complex shape. 
   
   
       6 : A fireplace box, comprising:
 a gas burner positioned within a left wall, a back wall and a right wall;   a left mirrored panel connected to the left wall; and   a right mirrored panel connected to the right wall;   wherein substantially all of the left wall is covered with the left mirrored panel and substantially all of the right wall is covered with the right mirrored panel.   
   
   
       7 : The fireplace box of  claim 6 , wherein the left and right mirrored panels are mounted substantially flush to the left and right walls, respectively. 
   
   
       8 : The fireplace box of  claim 6 , wherein the left and right mirrored surfaces have a decorative design on a left mirrored surface and a right mirrored surface so as to give a visual appearance for emulating the left and right walls. 
   
   
       9 : The fireplace box of  claim 6 , wherein the left and right panels have a left and right mirrored surface that are not flat. 
   
   
       10 : The fireplace box of  claim 9 , wherein the left and right mirrored surfaces have a complex shape. 
   
   
       11 : The fireplace box of  claim 6 , further comprising:
 a back mirrored panel connected on its left side to the left panel and on its right side to the right panel.   
   
   
       12 : The fireplace box of  claim 11 , wherein the mirrored surface of at least one of the back, left and right panels is not a flat planar surface. 
   
   
       13 : A method of enhancing an outdoor gas fire pit having a gas burner surrounded by a non-flammable floor with a front surface at a front of the fire pit, a left surface at a left side of the fire pit, a back surface at a back of the fire pit and a right surface at a right side of the fire pit, comprising the steps of:
 mounting a mirrored surface substantially flush to the back of the fire pit to create a back wall for creating a mirror image of a fire flame when the fire pit is in use.   
   
   
       14 : The method of  claim 13 , wherein the mirrored surface is sized and positioned so that the mirrored image of the fire flame is visible from any normal viewing angle of the fire pit when the fire pit is in use. 
   
   
       15 : The method of  claim 13 , wherein the mirrored surface is also mounted substantially flush to at least a portion of the left and right surfaces. 
   
   
       16 : The method of  claim 15 , wherein the mirrored surface is comprised of:
 a back panel;   a left panel; and   a right panel; and   wherein the back panel is connected on its left side to the left panel and on its right side to the right panel.   
   
   
       17 : The method of  claim 16 , wherein the mirrored surface of at least one of the back, left and right panels is not a flat planar surface. 
   
   
       18 : The method of  claim 13 , comprising the further step of:
 raising the gas burner higher in the fire pit relative to the non-flammable floor.