Flame screen for an open area fireplace

Abstract

A fireplace is disclosed having a flame screen that is fitted over a gas burner. The gas burner may be an elongated tube having orifices that are configured to produce a row of flames. The row of flames passes through openings in the flame screen to increase the height of the row of flames, change the color of the row of flames, and/or alter a shape or distribution of the row of flames. The flame screen may also facilitate ignition of a gas emitted from the gas burner after the flame screen has been heated by the row of flames.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A fireplace comprising:
 a base defining an opening; and   a burner assembly positioned within the opening and comprising:
 a pan; 
 a tube within the pan and defining an array of orifices; and 
 a flame screen formed from a bent metal mesh positioned at least partially over the array of orifices of the tube, wherein 
   the tube is configured to form a flame that passes through the bent metal mesh.   
     
     
         2 . The fireplace of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a gas-control system comprising:
 a processing unit configured to receive an audio signal; and 
 a valve control system configured to modulate a flow of gas to the tube, wherein 
 the processing unit is operatively coupled to the gas-control system and configured to cause the valve control system to modulate the flow of gas in accordance with the audio signal. 
   
     
     
         3 . The fireplace of  claim 1 , wherein the bent metal mesh is spaced apart from the tube by a height that ranges between 10 mm and 60 mm. 
     
     
         4 . The fireplace of  claim 1 , wherein the bent metal mesh is formed from a mesh of woven metal wires. 
     
     
         5 . The fireplace of  claim 1 , wherein the bent metal mesh is formed from a perforated sheet of metal defining a two-dimensional array of openings. 
     
     
         6 . The fireplace of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the tube is an elongated tube;   the flame screen extends along a length of the elongated tube; and   the flame screen overlaps an entire array of orifices of the tube.   
     
     
         7 . The fireplace of  claim 6 , wherein:
 the flame screen is attached to one or both of the pan or the tube by one or more fastening features; and   the fastening features are configured to allow the flame screen to expand along the length of the elongated tube as the flame screen is heated by the flame.   
     
     
         8 . The fireplace of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the pan defines an elongated channel;   the pan is configured to receive an aggregate material within the elongated channel; and   the flame screen separates the tube from the aggregate material and defines an exposed surface of the fireplace.   
     
     
         9 . A burner assembly for a fireplace, comprising:
 a tube having an array of orifices configured to emit gas and produce a series of flames; and   a flame screen positioned over the tube and covering the array of orifices, the flame screen having a top surface through which the series of flames passes through and that is fully exposed to an external environment, wherein,   after being heated by the series of flames, the flame screen is configured to ignite the gas emitted from the array of orifices.   
     
     
         10 . The burner assembly of  claim 9 , wherein the flame screen is positioned above the tube by a gap that ranges between 10 mm and 60 mm. 
     
     
         11 . The burner assembly of  claim 10 , wherein the flame screen is configured to increase a height of the series of flames as compared to a flame that does not pass through the flame screen. 
     
     
         12 . The burner assembly of  claim 9 , wherein the flame screen is formed from a perforated metal sheet having an array of rectangular openings. 
     
     
         13 . The burner assembly of  claim 9 , wherein the flame screen is formed from a woven metal mesh. 
     
     
         14 . The burner assembly of  claim 13 , wherein the woven metal mesh is configured to alter a color of the series of flames. 
     
     
         15 . The burner assembly of  claim 9 , wherein the flame screen is coupled to the tube and allowed to expand along a length of the tube as the flame screen is being heated by the series of flames. 
     
     
         16 . A flame screen for an open-area fireplace, the flame screen comprising:
 a top surface defining an array of openings that are configured to increase a height of a flame that passes through the top surface;   a pair of side surfaces that extends from the top surface to define a channel that is configured to receive a burner tube that emits a gas to produce the flame; and   a fastening feature that is configured to attach the flame screen to the open-area fireplace and allow the flame screen to expand as the flame screen is heated by the flame.   
     
     
         17 . The flame screen of  claim 16 , wherein:
 the flame is a first flame; and   when heated by the first flame, the flame screen is configured to reignite the gas to produce a second flame.   
     
     
         18 . The flame screen of  claim 16 , wherein the flame screen is formed from a continuous metal mesh that is bent to form the top surface and the pair of side surfaces. 
     
     
         19 . The flame screen of  claim 18 , wherein the continuous metal mesh is a woven metal mesh. 
     
     
         20 . The flame screen of  claim 16 , wherein the flame screen is formed from a perforated metal sheet that is bent to form the top surface and the pair of side surfaces.