Wood-burning fire pit apparatus with air flow member

Abstract

A wood-burning fire pit apparatus includes a bowl and an air flow member. The bowl defines an air flow opening and a wood-receiving opening adapted to support wood received in the wood-receiving opening. The air flow member extends from a lower region of a top surface of the bowl and toward an upper region of the top surface of the bowl. The air flow member defines a central bore in fluid communication with the air flow opening of the bowl. The air flow member defines one or more apertures therethrough in fluid communication with the central bore to enable air to travel into the air flow opening of the bowl and out of the one or more apertures of the air flow member into the wood-receiving opening of the bowl to facilitate burning of the wood received in the wood-receiving opening.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A wood-burning fire pit apparatus comprising:
 a bowl having a top surface and a bottom surface, the top surface including an upper region and a lower region, the top surface including an inner portion that extends between the upper and lower regions of the top surface, the inner portion defining a wood-receiving opening and adapted to support wood received in the wood-receiving opening;   an air flow opening defined between the lower region of the top surface of the bowl and the bottom surface of the bowl; and   an air flow member extending from the lower region of the top surface of the bowl and toward the upper region of the top surface of the bowl, the air flow member defining a central bore in fluid communication with the air flow opening of the bowl, the air flow member defining at least one aperture therethrough, the at least one aperture in fluid communication with the central bore to enable air to travel into the air flow opening of the bowl and out of the at least one aperture of the air flow member into the wood-receiving opening of the bowl to facilitate burning of the wood received in the wood-receiving opening.   
     
     
         2 . The wood-burning fire pit apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the air flow member includes a top wall and at least one sidewall, the at least one sidewall including an upper portion and a lower portion, the top wall secured to the upper portion of the at least one sidewall and disposed transverse to the at least one sidewall so that the top member and the at least one sidewall define the central bore, the lower portion of the at least one sidewall secured to the lower region of the top surface of the bowl. 
     
     
         3 . The wood-burning fire pit apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the at least one aperture of the air flow member is defined through the top wall. 
     
     
         4 . The wood-burning fire pit apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the at least one aperture of the air flow member is defined through the at least one sidewall. 
     
     
         5 . The wood-burning fire pit apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the air flow member includes a plurality of apertures. 
     
     
         6 . The wood-burning fire pit apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein at least one of the plurality of apertures is defined through the top wall of the air flow member and at least one of the plurality of apertures is defined through the at least one sidewall of the air flow member. 
     
     
         7 . The wood-burning fire pit apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the lower portion of the at least one sidewall of the air flow member includes at least one flange extending outwardly from the at least one sidewall in a direction transverse to the at least one sidewall. 
     
     
         8 . The wood-burning fire pit apparatus of  claim 7 , further including at least one fastener, the at least one flange of the air flow member defining at least one first fastener opening therethrough, the bowl defining at least one second fastener opening, the at least one fastener being received in the at least one first fastener opening and the at least one second fastener opening to secure the air flow member to the bowl. 
     
     
         9 . The wood-burning fire pit apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the air flow member is welded to the bowl. 
     
     
         10 . The wood-burning fire pit apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the bowl defines a longitudinal axis that extends through the top and bottom surfaces of the bowl, the air flow opening being aligned with the longitudinal axis of the bowl. 
     
     
         11 . The wood-burning fire pit apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the air flow opening is centrally located on the bowl. 
     
     
         12 . The wood-burning fire pit apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the air flow member is integrally formed with the bowl, the at least one aperture extending through an upper terminal end of the air flow member. 
     
     
         13 . A wood-burning fire pit system comprising:
 a bowl having a top surface and a bottom surface, the top surface including an upper region and a lower region, the top surface including an inner portion that extends between the upper and lower regions of the top surface, the inner portion defining a wood-receiving opening and adapted to support wood received in the wood-receiving opening;   an air flow opening defined between the lower region of the top surface of the bowl and the bottom surface of the bowl; and   an air flow member adapted to secure to the lower region of the top surface of the bowl, the air flow member having at least one sidewall and a top wall secured to the at least one side wall, the at least one sidewall and the top wall defining a central bore, at least one of the top wall and the at least one sidewall defining at least one aperture therethrough, the at least one aperture in fluid communication with the central bore, wherein securement of the air flow member to the bowl enables air to travel into the air flow opening of the bowl and out of the at least one aperture of the air flow member into the wood-receiving opening of the bowl to facilitate burning of the wood received in the wood-receiving opening.   
     
     
         14 . The wood-burning fire pit system of  claim 13 , wherein the at least one sidewall of the air flow member includes an upper portion and a lower portion, the top wall of the air flow member secured to the upper portion of the at least one sidewall and disposed transverse to the at least one sidewall. 
     
     
         15 . The wood-burning fire pit system of  claim 14 , wherein the lower portion of the at least one sidewall of the air flow member includes at least one flange extending outwardly from the at least one sidewall in a direction transverse to the at least one sidewall. 
     
     
         16 . The wood-burning fire pit system of  claim 15 , further including at least one fastener, the at least one flange of the air flow member defining at least one first fastener opening therethrough, the bowl defining at least one second fastener opening, the at least one first fastener opening and the at least one second fastener opening adapted to receive the at least one fastener to secure the air flow member to the bowl. 
     
     
         17 . The wood-burning fire pit system of  claim 13 , wherein the air flow member includes a plurality of apertures. 
     
     
         18 . The wood-burning fire pit system of  claim 17 , wherein at least one of the plurality of apertures is defined through the top wall of the air flow member and at least one of the plurality of apertures is defined through the at least one sidewall of the air flow member. 
     
     
         19 . The wood-burning fire pit system of  claim 13 , wherein the air flow member is adapted to be welded to the bowl. 
     
     
         20 . The wood-burning fire pit system of  claim 13 , wherein the bowl defines a longitudinal axis that extends through the top and bottom surfaces of the bowl, the air flow opening being aligned with the longitudinal axis of the bowl. 
     
     
         21 . The wood-burning fire pit system of  claim 20 , wherein the air flow opening is centrally located on the bowl. 
     
     
         22 . A method for burning wood in a fire pit apparatus comprising:
 positioning wood on a bowl of the fire pit apparatus about an air flow member extending from a top surface of the bowl into a wood-receiving opening of the bowl so that air can flow into the wood-receiving opening of the bowl through an upper terminal end of the air flow member and beneath the wood; and   igniting a fire in the wood-receiving opening of the bowl to burn the wood directly on the top surface of bowl.   
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein positioning the wood on the bowl includes arranging the wood to enable air to flow into the bowl through at least one sidewall of the air flow member.