Enigma Panel

Abstract

The problem is to get good quantities of radiant ‘infrared’ energy to pass through the glass panes of modern day fireplace heat-tempered glass doors. The obvious answer is not to use glass of any sort because infrared heat waves cannot pass freely through glass. Yet all the popular fireplace insert makers use thick tempered glass commonly in all their fireplace brochures. Infrared heat is strong and powerful by itself, but when it tries to pass through glass it loses its infrared energy. Glass is a “killer” to radiant infrared heat waves. Quite by accident thin film was tried as a reasonable test door and for a fireplace it was an acceptable success except for plastic memory and flame damage. Trials using mil-thick transparent film and a metal support grid in close contact give suitable results until industry can devise a better heat-tolerant transparent plastic panel. Until then the best heat pass-through is the “film-grid” combination or “Enigma Panel”.

1 . I claim an Enigma Panel comprised of two rectangular mirror-imaged metal frames mounted back-to-back, these said identical metal frames have a special smooth recessed surface extending around the inner periphery of each of the said two metal frames, all designed as special components of a fireplace front door surround closure. 
     
     
         2 . One of the said two metal surround frames has a rectangular sheet of one or two mil clear temperature tolerant plastic film attached to it using two-faced, plastic sponge tape portions extending end to end around the special smooth flat recessed surface of the said rectangular surface, resulting in a perfect air seal. 
     
     
         3 . The other of the said two metal frames has a rectangular shaped woven wire panel fashioned and bonded to cover the rectangular recessed inner peripheral surface using epoxy bonding cement or equivalent for rectangular bracing. 
     
     
         4 . The item of  claim 3  wherein an alignment trough is bonded to the bottom exterior portion of the said frame. 
     
     
         5 . A modification to a fireplace surround closure area able to accept the said identical frame Enigma Panel pairs as in a “pocket” for storage or use behind the usual said glass doors when closed. 
     
     
         6 . A window blind type of modification as a part of the said surround by replacing the usual opaque blind material with said temperature tolerant film. 
     
     
         7 . Any combination of plastic film and support screen allowing and implementing the passage of infrared heat energy waves.