Patent Publication Number: US-11022303-B2

Title: Combustion device

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Technical Field 
     The present invention is related to a heating device, and more particularly to a combustion device which uses infrared rays and open fire to heat. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     Generally, gas combustion devices burn gas to generate flame for heating an object. When using gas combustion devices to heat an object, heat is conducted from the surface of the object to the inside of the object such that the surface is heated greater while the interior gets less heat, resulting in the object not being heated uniformly. 
     To resolve the above problem, there is a known infrared ray heating source device, as the combustion device shown in Taiwan Utility Model M563762, which is characterized by penetrating objects with infrared rays and heating the surface as well as the interior simultaneously. The a latter patent includes a burner  42  generating a flame for heating the infrared ray generation mesh  542  and the cover plate  84  to generate infrared rays whereby, the curved cover plate  84  scatters infrared rays such that the infrared rays generated by the mesh passes through the holes  484  of the cover plate  84  and scatters outwardly. However, the infrared rays generated by the mesh is partly blocked by the cover plate. Thus, when the infrared rays scattered by the infrared heating source applies to an object, the limited infrared per unit area reaching the objected is consequently limited. 
     Hence, there remains a persisting need to improve the design of such conventional infrared heating source devices so as to address the aforementioned drawbacks. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In view of the above drawbacks of the prior art, a purpose of the present invention is to provide a combustion device enhancing the amount of infrared rays reaching an object. 
     The present invention provides a combustion device including at least one burner, an infrared ray generation mesh and an infrared reflective plate. Wherein, the at least one burner has a flame outlet and is for burning gas to generate flame through the flame outlet; the infrared ray generation mesh is corresponding to the flame outlet and has a first surface and a second surface positioned back-to-back, wherein the first surface is exposed outside; the infrared ray generation mesh is flame heated by the at least one burner to generate infrared rays; the infrared reflective plate is disposed on outside the second surface of the infrared ray generation mesh, and the infrared reflective plate has a reflective surface facing the second surface. 
     The advantage of the present invention is to expose the infrared ray generation mesh outside directly so as to keep infrared intensity which an object receives per unit area unrestricted to the cover plate when the infrared rays scattered by the combustion device applies to the object. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The present invention will be best understood by referring to the following detailed description of some illustrative embodiments in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a combustion device of a first embodiment according to the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a cross-sectional view of the combustion device of the first embodiment; 
         FIG. 3  is an exploded view of the combustion device of the first embodiment; 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view of a combustion device of a second embodiment; 
         FIG. 5  is a cross-sectional view of the combustion device of the second embodiment; 
         FIG. 6  is an exploded view of the combustion device of the second embodiment; 
         FIG. 7  is a perspective view of an infrared ray generation mesh of the second embodiment; 
         FIG. 8  is a cross-sectional view of the infrared ray generation mesh of the second embodiment; 
         FIG. 9  is a top view showing a matrix arrangement of a reflective structure of an infrared reflective plate of the second embodiment; 
         FIG. 10  is a cross-sectional view of  FIG. 9  along lines A-A′; 
         FIG. 11  is a top view showing a staggered arrangement of the reflective structure of the infrared reflective plate of the second embodiment; 
         FIG. 12  is a perspective view of an infrared ray generation mesh of a third embodiment; 
         FIG. 13  is a perspective view of an infrared ray generation mesh of a fourth embodiment; 
         FIG. 14  is a schematic view of an infrared ray generation mesh of a fifth embodiment; 
         FIG. 15  is a schematic view of an infrared ray generation mesh of a sixth embodiment; 
         FIG. 16  is a cross-sectional view of an infrared ray generation mesh of a seventh embodiment; 
         FIG. 17  is a cross-sectional view of an infrared ray generation mesh of an eighth embodiment; 
         FIG. 18  is a perspective view of an infrared ray generation mesh of a ninth embodiment; 
         FIG. 19  is a cross-sectional view of a combustion device of the ninth embodiment; and 
         FIG. 20  is a perspective view of a combustion device of a tenth embodiment. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The following illustrative embodiments and drawings are provided to illustrate the disclosure of the present invention, these and other advantages and effects can be clearly understood by persons skilled in the art after reading the disclosure of this specification. 
     As illustrated in  FIG. 1  to  FIG. 3 , a combustion device of the first embodiment according to the present invention includes a supporting assembly  10 , an infrared ray generation mesh  24 , an infrared reflective plate  40  and at least one burner  30 . 
     As illustrated in  FIG. 3 , the supporting assembly  10  includes a metallic rear cover  14  which is tilted and has a flat rectangular rear plate  141 . The rear cover  14  includes a surrounding wall  15  connected to a peripheral edge of the rear plate  14 . The surrounding wall  15  comprises an upper side wall  151  and a lower side wall  152 , wherein the upper side wall  151  is connected to a top edge of the rear plate  141  and has a plurality of holes  154  passing between an interior surface and an exterior surface of upper side wall  151 . The surrounding wall  15  of the rear cover  14  extends outwards to form a plurality of extension parts  155  wherein the extension parts  155  are located respectively on the upper side wall  151  and the lower side wall  152 . 
     As illustrated in  FIG. 3 , the infrared ray generation mesh  24  is metallic material and, in the current embodiment, is iron-chromium-aluminum alloy. The infrared ray generation mesh  24  includes a flat rectangular mesh body  26  which has a first surface  262  and a second surface  264  positioned back-to-back and a peripheral edge as well, wherein the first surface  262  is not shielded but exposed outside directly, the peripheral edge of mesh body  26  has four sides and two of opposite ones form a first part  26   a  and a second part  26   b . In practice, the peripheral edge of the mesh body  26  can be circular and be divided into two halves by a diameter thereof, wherein the first part  26   a  and the second part  26   b  are located respectively on the two halves. In addition, the infrared ray generation mesh  24  is joined to the extension parts  155  by bolt-nut combining or welding to fix the infrared ray generation mesh  26  to the rear cover  14 . 
     Furthermore, the mesh body  26  of the infrared ray generation mesh  24  has a cover rate ranging from 43% to 64% per unit area. In the current embodiment, each wire diameter of the mesh body  26  is 0.2 mm and the mesh body  26  has 1600 mesh pores (40×40=1600) per square inch. It is able to be deduced that each opening area of the mesh pores per square inch is 302.76 mm 2  with the formula of (25.4−(40×0.2)) 2 =302.76. Meanwhile, the mesh body  26  has a cover rate of 53.07% per unit area with the formula of (25.4 2 −302.76)/(25.4 2 )×100%=53.07%. Thus, more preferably, the cover rate per unit area of mesh body  26  is about 53% to 54%. 
     As illustrated in  FIG. 1 , the at least one burner  30  has a flame outlet  32  near the first part  26   a  of the infrared ray generation mesh  24 , and the first surface  262  corresponds to the flame outlet  32 . The at least one burner  30  is for burning gas to generate flame through the flame outlet  32 , whereby the flame applies to the infrared ray generation mesh  24  and flows along from the first part  26   a  toward the second part  26   b . In the current embodiment, the at least one burner  30  includes a plurality of burners  30 , each flame outlet  32  of which generates flame and heats the infrared ray generation mesh  24 . In practice, it works as long as the flame is applied to the infrared ray generation mesh  24 , that is, it is feasible as long as the flame outlets  32  of the burners  30  are disposed near the infrared ray generation mesh  24 . 
     As illustrated in  FIG. 2 , the infrared reflective plate  40  is disposed between the rear cover  14  of the supporting assembly  10  and the infrared ray generation mesh  24 . The infrared reflective plate  40  which is tilted includes a flat rectangular main board  401  (as shown in  FIG. 3 ) corresponding to the infrared ray generation mesh  24   d , and the infrared reflective plate  40  further comprises a surrounding wall  41  connected to a peripheral edge of the main board  401 . The surrounding wall  41  of the infrared reflective plate  40  has an upper side wall  411  connected to a top edge of the main board  401 , wherein a height of the surrounding wall  41  of the infrared reflective plate  40  is lower than that of the surrounding wall  15  of the rear cover  14 . The infrared reflective plate  40  includes a reflective surface  401   a  and an exterior surface  401   b  positioned back-to-back, wherein the reflective surface  401   a  facing the second surface  264  of the infrared ray generation mesh  24  reflects back infrared rays generated by the infrared ray generation mesh  24 , such that the reflected infrared rays apply to the infrared ray generation mesh  24  and emit outwardly. The infrared reflective plate  40  is metallic, such as stainless steel. 
     In the current embodiment, the combustion device further comprises a bracket  50 . As illustrated in  FIG. 3 , the bracket  50  includes an upper supporting plate  52 , a middle supporting plate  54 , a lower supporting plate  56  and an engaged member  58 . The bracket  50  is for fixing the rear cover  14  and the burners  30  so as to be at the relative position. The middle supporting plate  54  is connected between the upper supporting plate  52  and the lower supporting plate  56 . A fixed hole  59  is near the center of the upper supporting plate  52 , wherein the engaged member  58  penetrates the fixed hole  59  of the upper supporting plate  52  to fix the rear cover  14  to the upper supporting plate  52 , while the burners  30  are fixed to the lower supporting plate  56  by another engaged member (not shown). 
     As illustrated in  FIG. 2 , when flames generated by the flame outlets from the burners  30  heats the infrared ray generation mesh  24 , the infrared ray generation mesh  24  is heated by open fire to generate infrared rays. Part of the infrared rays are emitted outwardly from the first surface  262 , while another part of the infrared rays are emitted from the second surface  264  toward the reflective surface  401   a  of the infrared reflective plate  40 . The reflective surface  401   a  reflects the another part of the infrared rays toward the infrared ray generation mesh  24  so as to accumulate more thermal energy generated by the infrared rays on the infrared ray generation mesh  24 , increase heating the infrared ray generation mesh  24 , and rise in temperature to generate more infrared rays. The infrared rays would be emitted outwardly from the infrared ray generation mesh  24  again to reinforce the infrared intensity applied to an object by the combustion device. 
     As illustrated in  FIGS. 4, 5 and 6 , a combustion device of the second embodiment according to the present invention includes a structure which is similar to that of the first embodiment. The combustion device of the current embodiment is different from that of the first embodiment in that the mesh body of the infrared ray generation mesh  20  of the second embodiment is bent or folded integrally to form a plurality of corrugations  226  which extend parallel from the first part  22   a  to the second part  22   b . As shown in  FIG. 8 , a cross section of the corrugations  226  is waved. Wherein, the corrugations  226  have a plurality of first crests  222   a  on the first surface  222  and the first crests  222   a  are located on a defined first reference surface  222   c ; the corrugations  226  have a plurality of second crests  224   b  on the second surface  224  and the second crests  224   b  are located on a defined second reference surface  224   c . In the second embodiment, the first reference surface  222   c  and the second reference surface  224   c  are both flat; in other words, the first crests  222   a  are on the same plane and the second crests  224   b  are on another same plane, but it is not limited thereto. The first crests  222   a  need not be on the same plane and the second crests  224   b  need not be on another same plane either. 
     In addition, since the infrared ray generation mesh  20  is waved, the corrugations  226  extending from the first part  22   a  to the second part  22   b  help to guide the flame generated by the flame outlet  32  to flow more smoothly along the corrugations  226  from first part  22   a  toward the second part  22   b  such that the infrared ray generation mesh  20  is heated by the flame more uniformly and the infrared intensity emitted by the combustion device increases. In this way, it is able to enlarge the heating area applied by the infrared rays which are emitted by the combustion device and increase the infrared intensity per unit area. Thus, to adopt the combustion device with a corrugated infrared ray generation mesh  20  not only helps resolve the restriction of heating range but further improves the infrared intensity generated by the combustion device to achieve better fire control. 
     Incidentally, in the current embodiment, the reflective surface  401   a  of the infrared reflective plate  40  includes a reflective structure  42  which comprises a plurality of convex parts  421  and a plurality of embossings  422 , each of the embossings located between two adjacent convex parts. The convex parts  421  and the embossings  422  are roll-embossed out of a metallic plate, and then the metallic plate with the reflective structure  42  is folded to form the shape of the main board  401  and the surrounding wall  41  such that the infrared reflective plate  40  is full of the reflective structure  42 . In the current embodiment, the convex parts  421  are conical and form a matrix arrangement (as shown in  FIGS. 9 and 10 ) or a staggered arrangement (as shown in  FIG. 11 ). Wherein, the reflective structure  42  is for reflecting incident infrared rays of the reflective surface  401   a  to scatter the incident infrared rays of the reflective surface  401   a  back on the infrared ray generation mesh  20  again. The infrared ray generation mesh  20  receives the reflected infrared rays, resulting in the infrared ray generation mesh  20  rising in temperature and accumulating more thermal energy for increasing efficiency of generating infrared rays out of the infrared ray generation mesh  20 . 
     As illustrated in  FIG. 12 , an infrared ray generation mesh  60  of the third embodiment according to the present invention includes a structure which is similar to that of the second embodiment. The infrared ray generation mesh  60  of the current embodiment is different from that of the second embodiment in that the mesh body  62  is penetrated by at least one fixation bar  628 . In the current embodiment, the at least one fixation bar  628  includes a plurality of fixation bars  628 . The fixation bars  628  are joined to the infrared ray generation mesh  60  by penetrating the first surface  622  and the second surface  624 , each of the fixation bars being located between the first crests  622   a  and the second crests  624   b  of the corrugations  626 . Additionally, the fixation bars  628  need not penetrate the first surface  622  and the second surface  624 , but are joined directly to the infrared ray generation mesh  60  by welding to the first crests  622   a  on the first reference surface or the second crests  624   b  on the second reference surface. Whereby, the mesh body  62  is fixed by the at least one fixation bar  628  to prevent deformation of the infrared ray generation mesh  60 . 
     As illustrated in  FIG. 13 , an infrared ray generation mesh  63  of the fourth embodiment according to the present invention includes a structure which is similar to that of the second embodiment. The infrared ray generation mesh  63  of the current embodiment is different from that of the second embodiment in that a cross section of the corrugations  656  of the infrared ray generation mesh  63  is serrated. 
     As illustrated in  FIG. 14 , an infrared ray generation mesh  66  of the fifth embodiment according to the present invention includes a structure which is similar to that of the second embodiment. The infrared ray generation mesh  66  of the current embodiment is different from that of the second embodiment in that a spacing between two adjacent first crests  682   a  and a spacing between two second crests  684   b  of the mesh body  68  are getting larger from the first part  68   a  toward the second part  68   b , resulting in the fan-shaped mesh body  68  that helps the flame generated by the flame outlets  32  flow along the corrugations  686  from first part  68   a  to the second part  68   b  and expands the flame range so as to enlarge the infrared rays scattering range of the combustion device. In the current embodiment, the first crests  682   a  are located on a first reference surface and the second crests  684   b  are on a second reference surface. The first reference surface and the second reference surface can be a flat or curved surface. In practice, the first crests  682   a  need not on the same reference surface, and the second crests  684   b  need not on another same reference surface. In practice, the second part  68   b  can be located near the flame outlets  32  such that the flame generated by the flame outlets  32  flows along the corrugations  686  from the second part  68   b  to the first part  68   a.    
     As illustrated in  FIG. 15 , an infrared ray generation mesh  70  of a sixth embodiment according to the present invention includes a structure which is similar to that of the fourth embodiment. The infrared ray generation mesh  70  of the current embodiment is different from that of the fourth embodiment in that a cross section of the corrugations  726  of the infrared ray generation mesh  70  is serrated. 
       FIG. 16  illustrates an infrared ray generation mesh  73  of the seventh embodiment according to the present invention. The mesh body  75  includes a middle part  755   a  and two side parts  755   b , wherein the two side parts  755   b  are located respectively on opposite sides of the middle part  755   a . A distance from each of the first crests  752   a  to corresponding one of the second crests  754   b  on the middle part  755   a  is larger than a distance from each of the first crests  752   a  to corresponding one of the second crests  754   b  on each of the side parts  755   b , such that the infrared rays scattering angle which are emitted by the facing-outward first surface  752  of the infrared ray generation mesh  73  is greater, resulting in a wider heating range of the combustion device. In practice, the first crests  752   a  can be located on a first reference surface  752   c  and the second crests  754   b  can be on a second reference surface  754   c . The first reference surface  752   c  can be a curved surface while the second reference surface  684   c  can be a flat or curved surface. 
       FIG. 17  illustrates an infrared ray generation mesh  76  of the eighth embodiment according to the present invention. Wherein, a first reference surface  782   c  and a second reference surface  784   c  are both curved surfaces, resulting in a greater scattering angle of the infrared rays emitted by the infrared ray generation mesh  76  and a wider heating range of the combustion device. 
       FIG. 18  and  FIG. 19  illustrate an infrared ray generation mesh  80  and a combustion device of the ninth embodiment according to the present invention. Besides the mesh body  82 , the infrared ray generation mesh  80  further includes a retaining mesh  827  disposed corresponding to the second part  82   b . An angle θ is formed between the surface  827   a  of the retaining mesh  827  and a long axis of each of the first crests  822   a , wherein the angle θ is equal to or greater than 90 degrees, and more preferably, between 90 and 135 degrees. The retaining mesh  827  can be joined to the second part  82   b  by welding, locking or binding. In addition, it is able to integrally bend an infrared ray generation mesh to form the retaining mesh  827  and the mesh body  82 . Incidentally, the retaining mesh  827  could be utilized in the mesh body in the first to the eighth embodiments while the means of integrally bending could be also utilized in the infrared ray generation mesh of the first to the eighth embodiments. 
     As illustrated in  FIG. 19 , through the way to dispose the retaining mesh  827 , infrared ray generation mesh  80  is heated by open fire out of the flame outlets  32 . Wherein, the open fire flows along the corrugations  826  from the first part  82   a  to the second part  82   b  and are partly blocked by the retaining mesh  827 , such that the thermal energy of open fire is accumulated on the infrared ray generation mesh  80 , increasing the infrared intensity generated by the combustion device. 
     As illustrated in  FIG. 20 , a combustion device of a tenth embodiment according to the present invention includes a structure which is similar to that of the first embodiment. The combustion device of the current embodiment is different from that of the first embodiment in that there are a plurality of holes  929  near the first part  92   a  on the infrared ray generation mesh  90 . Hence, the holes  929  are also located near the flame outlets  32 , whereby part of the flame generated by the flame outlets  32  enters the first surface  982  of the infrared ray generation mesh  90  to the second surface  984  through the holes  929  and flows along the backside of the infrared ray generation mesh  90  to the second part  92   b . Thus, the infrared intensity emitted by the infrared ray generation mesh  90  near the second part  92   b  is increased, and the infrared intensity emitted by the overall infrared ray generation mesh  90  is thereby enhanced. 
     In addition, an infrared ray generation mesh of the eleventh embodiment as the following according to the present invention includes a structure which is similar to that of the tenth embodiment. The infrared ray generation mesh of the current embodiment is different from that of the tenth embodiment in that the infrared ray generation mesh has a first area and a second area. In the current embodiment, the first area need not have holes like the holes  929  in the tenth embodiment. The first area and the second area have different cover rates per unit area, wherein the first area close to the flame outlets  32  has a smaller cover rate while the second area far away from the flame outlets  32  has a greater cover rate. Both cover rates range from 43% to 64% but are different from each other. Through different cover rates, as the infrared ray generation mesh  90  is heated by the open fire of the flame outlets  32 , part of the open fire passes more easily from the first area which has a smaller cover rate through the infrared ray generation mesh and flows along the backside of the infrared ray generation mesh  90  from the first part  92   a  to the second part  92   b . Since the second area has a greater cover rate, more thermal energy generated by the open fire could be accumulated on the second area of the infrared ray generation mesh  90  and generates higher infrared intensity so as to increase the infrared intensity emitted by the infrared ray generation mesh  90  near the second part  92   b  and thereby enhance the infrared intensity emitted by the overall infrared ray generation mesh  90 . 
     It must be pointed out that the embodiments described above are only some embodiments of the present invention. All equivalent structures which employ the concepts disclosed in this specification and the appended claims should fall within the scope of the present invention.