Outdoor Heating Devices and Methods of Use

Abstract

Devices and methods for outdoor heating. A stove device includes a fuel system attached to a combustion chamber to deliver fuel from a hopper of the fuel system to the combustion chamber for combustion in a firepot assembly positioned inside the combustion chamber. A distance between a chute of the fuel system and the firepot assembly is adjustable to change an amount of fuel for combustion and thereby control temperature of combustion. The distance may be decreased to decrease the temperature and may be increased to increase the temperature

I claim: 
     
         1 . A stove device for heating, comprising:
 a housing comprising a combustion chamber;   a firepot assembly positioned inside the combustion chamber, and comprising a proximal and distal end defining a length, an open-faced top section, and a plurality of bars having proximal and distal ends defining their length, with lateral gaps defining a distance between two laterally adjacent bars, wherein the distance of the lateral gaps is sufficiently narrow to allow the laterally adjacent bars to hold a solid fuel thereon, but sufficiently wide enough to allow a solid combustion byproduct from the solid fuel to pass downward through the lateral gaps; and a   sweep, positioned below the plurality of bars, and comprising a plurality of vertical brushes positioned within the lateral gaps, wherein the plurality of brushes are individually configured to simultaneously contact said laterally adjacent bars on both sides of said lateral gap; such that they can brush off combustion byproduct burnt onto said bars.   
     
     
         2 . The stove device of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of bars are parallel with respect to each other and the plurality of brushes are parallel with respect to each other. 
     
     
         3 . The stove device of  claim 2 , wherein the brushes are configured to traverse proximally and distally along the length of said bars while remaining in simultaneous contact with said laterally adjacent bars on both sides of said lateral gap. 
     
     
         4 . The stove device of  claim 3 , wherein the plurality of bars lack lateral connections between the gaps, such that the plurality of brushes can individually traverse unimpeded between the proximal and distal ends of the plurality of bars. 
     
     
         5 . The stove device of  claim 1 , wherein the sweep comprises a handle that extends proximally from the proximal end of the firepot assembly and out of the housing, and configured such when the handle is pulled proximally and pushed distally, the sweep moves proximally and distally, respectively, such that the attached vertical brushes traverse proximally and distally, respectively, in the lateral gaps between adjacent bars. 
     
     
         6 . The stove device of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of bars are individually straight, such that they are unangled from their proximal to distal ends. 
     
     
         7 . The stove device of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of bars are individually angled downward, away from the open-faced top section, to form proximal bar portions and distal bar portions connected at a bar angle, wherein the bar angle configures the proximal bar portions to allow the fuel to slide thereon and configures the distal bar portions to engage the solid fuel to form a fuel pile for combustion. 
     
     
         8 . The stove device of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of bars have curvature. 
     
     
         9 . The stove device of  claim 1 , wherein the solid fuel is wood. 
     
     
         10 . The stove device of  claim 9 , wherein the solid fuel is wood pellets. 
     
     
         11 . A method of cleaning a stove device comprising:
 (a) providing a stove device comprising:
 (i) a housing comprising a combustion chamber; 
 (ii) a firepot assembly positioned inside the combustion chamber, and comprising a proximal and distal end defining a length, an open-faced top section, and a plurality of bars having proximal and distal ends defining their length, with lateral gaps defining a distance between two laterally adjacent bars, wherein the distance of the lateral gaps is sufficiently narrow to allow the laterally adjacent bars to hold a solid fuel thereon, but sufficiently wide enough to allow a solid combustion byproduct from the solid fuel to pass downward through the lateral gaps; and a 
 (iii) sweep, positioned below the plurality of bars, and comprising a plurality of vertical brushes positioned within the lateral gaps, wherein the plurality of brushes are individually configured to simultaneously contact said laterally adjacent bars on both sides of said lateral gap; 
 and 
 (b) combusting solid fuel on top of said plurality of bars such that combustion byproduct is burnt onto said bars; and 
 (c) moving the sweep proximally and distally, such that the brushes traverse along the length of said bars while individually remaining in simultaneous contact with said laterally adjacent bars on both sides of said lateral gap such that they clean off combustion byproduct burnt onto said bars. 
   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the plurality of bars are parallel with respect to each other and the plurality of brushes are parallel with respect to each other. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the plurality of bars lack lateral connections between the gaps, such that the plurality of brushes can individually traverse unimpeded between the proximal and distal ends of the plurality of bars. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the sweep comprises a handle that extends proximally from the proximal end of the firepot assembly and out of the housing, and configured such when the handle is pulled proximally and pushed distally, the sweep moves proximally and distally, respectively, such that the attached vertical brushes traverse proximally and distally, respectively, in the lateral gaps between adjacent bars. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the plurality of bars are individually straight, such that they are unangled from their proximal to distal ends. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the plurality of bars are individually angled downward, away from the open-faced top section, to form proximal bar portions and distal bar portions connected at a bar angle, wherein the bar angle configures the proximal bar portions to allow the fuel to slide thereon and configures the distal bar portions to engage the solid fuel to form a fuel pile for combustion. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the plurality of bars have curvature. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the solid fuel is wood. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the solid fuel is wood pellets.