Fireplace heat shield and methods for passively cooling fireplace glass and heating ambient space

Abstract

The invention provides a shield for spaced placement away from and over a fireplace glass plate. During operation of the fireplace, the fireplace glass plate becomes dangerously hot. As the glass plate heats, a pressure gradient is gradually established. Through this mechanism, cooler ambient room air is passively drawn into, through and out of, the spacing between the fireplace glass plate and the shield. The shield remains at a safe temperature to the touch and the ambient temperature of the room is increased. The present invention thus reduces contact burn injuries as well as providing an additional passive heat circulation engine.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A substantially transparent shield attached to a fireplace having a firebox and a glass plate interface having a temperature, the fireplace installed within an ambient air space having a temperature, the shield comprising:
 a front side;   a back side opposite the front side and facing the glass plate interface;   a profile with a size and shape that provides full coverage of the glass plate interface, wherein the size is smaller than the size of the metal frame;   a width corresponding to the thickness of the shield;   at least two spacing attachment mechanisms attached to the shield and to the metal frame, each of the spacing attachment mechanisms comprising a spacing bracket having a length, whereby a spacing distance between the back side of the shield and the glass plate is created, wherein a passive air flow is generated within the spacing distance when the glass plate interface is at a higher temperature than the temperature of the ambient air space.   
     
     
         2 . The shield of  claim 1 , wherein the at least two spacing attachment mechanisms are attached to the front side of the shield. 
     
     
         3 . The shield of  claim 2 , wherein each of the at least two spacing attachment mechanisms further comprise a vertical spacing element and a horizontal spacing element, whereby the vertical spacing element spaces horizontal spacing element vertically away from the shield and wherein horizontal spacing element comprises a length that is greater than the width of the shield. 
     
     
         4 . The shield of  claim 3 , wherein the spacing distance between the back side of the shield and the glass plate corresponds with the difference between the length of the horizontal spacing element and the width of the shield. 
     
     
         5 . The shield of  claim 4 , wherein the spacing distance is within the range of 0.25 to 3.0 inches. 
     
     
         6 . The shield of  claim 4 , wherein the spacing distance is 1.5 inches. 
     
     
         7 . The shield of  claim 3 , further comprising each of the spaced attachment mechanisms being attached to the metal frame with a screw thereby securing the shield in position. 
     
     
         8 . The shield of  claim 3 , further comprising a magnet attached to the horizontal spacing element, whereby the magnet attaches to the metal frame thereby securing the shield in position. 
     
     
         9 . The shield of  claim 2 , wherein the at least two spaced attachment mechanisms are attached to the back side of the shield. 
     
     
         10 . The shield of  claim 1 , wherein the shield is substantially rectangular in profile, with four corners and further comprising four spaced attachment mechanisms wherein each spaced attachment mechanism is proximate the corner of the shield's rectangular profile. 
     
     
         11 . A method for shielding a heated glass plate of a fireplace that is installed within an ambient air space, comprising:
 providing a fireplace with a glass plate surrounded by a metal frame, wherein the glass plate is capable of heating;   providing a transparent shield with a front and a back side over the glass plate, the shield spaced a distance from the glass shield and attached to the metal frame;   generating, when the glass plate is heated, a passive air flow through the spacing between the shield and the glass plate, thereby removing heated air from the spacing, wherein the front side of the shield is cooler than the glass plate.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the shield is attached to the metal frame with screws. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the shield is attached to the metal frame with magnets. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the passive air flow is generated when the glass plate is warmer than the temperature of the ambient air within which the fireplace is installed, whether or not the fireplace is operating. 
     
     
         15 . A method for passively heating an ambient air space, comprising:
 providing a fireplace within the ambient air space, the fireplace having a glass plate surrounded by a metal frame, wherein the glass plate is capable of heating;   providing a transparent shield with a front and a back side over the glass plate, the shield spaced a distance from the glass shield and attached to the metal frame;   generating, when the glass plate is heated, a passive air flow through the spacing between the shield and the glass plate, thereby removing heated air from the spacing, wherein the front side of the shield is cooler than the glass plate;   circulating the heated air removed from the spacing into the ambient air space; and   passively heating the ambient air space with the removed heated air circulated therethrough.