Patent Description:
Generally speaking, gas combustion devices bum 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 thereof 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 heat source device shown in <CIT>, which is characterized by penetrating objects with infrared rays and heating the surface as well as the interior simultaneously. At the patent, the flame generator <NUM> outputs flames for heating an arc-shaped mesh structure <NUM> to generate infrared rays which are scattered outwardly from a second surface <NUM> of the arc-shaped mesh structure <NUM>. However, the arc-shaped mesh structure <NUM> causes the scattered infrared rays to be less concentrated in the scattering directions, resulting in infrared intensity received by an object per unit area being less uniform when the infrared rays scattered by the infrared ray heat source device are applied to the object.

<CIT>, which covers the features specified in the preamble of claim <NUM>, discloses a surface radiator with a radiant body that is heated on the back to emit infrared radiation on the front surface.

<CIT> discloses a combustion system with a perforated reaction holder that produces very low oxides of nitrogen.

<CIT> discloses a cooking apparatus with a smooth, glass ceramic cooktop and having a fast thermal response.

Hence, it is still a need to provide an improvement on the design of the conventional infrared ray heat source devices so as to overcome the aforementioned drawbacks.

In view of the above, a purpose of the present invention is to provide a combustion device which scatters infrared rays uniformly in the same direction.

The present invention and its preferred embodiments are apparent from the appendant set of claims.

The advantage of the present invention is to help infrared rays scatter uniformly in the same direction through the flat cover plate disposed on the front cover so as to effectively prevent a reduction of infrared intensity received by an object per unit area owing to excessive infrared scattering range.

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.

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>, a combustion device <NUM> of the first embodiment according to the present invention includes a supporting assembly <NUM>, an infrared ray generation mesh <NUM>, an infrared reflective plate <NUM> and at least one burner <NUM>.

As illustrated in <FIG>, the supporting assembly <NUM> comprises a tilted metallic front cover <NUM> and a rear cover <NUM>. Wherein, the front cover <NUM> has a flat rectangular cover plate <NUM> including a plurality holes <NUM> passing between an exterior surface 121a and an interior surface 121b thereof. In the current embodiment, the front cover <NUM> further comprises a surrounding wall <NUM> which has an upper side wall <NUM> connected to a top edge of the cover plate <NUM>, a lower side wall <NUM> connected to a bottom edge of the cover plate <NUM>, and two side walls <NUM> connected to corresponding two side edges of the cover plate <NUM>. All the upper side wall <NUM>, the lower side wall <NUM> and two side walls <NUM> have a plurality of holes <NUM> passing between an interior surface and an exterior surface of the surrounding wall. The surrounding wall <NUM> of the front cover <NUM> extends outwardly to form a plurality of first extension parts <NUM>, each of which is located respectively on the upper side wall <NUM> and the lower side wall <NUM> in the current embodiment. The cover plate <NUM> has an opening <NUM> which is located in the vicinity of the bottom edge of the cover plate <NUM> and passes through the interior surface and the exterior surface thereof.

The rear cover <NUM> which is tilted and metallic has a flat rectangular rear plate <NUM> and further includes a surrounding wall <NUM> connected to a peripheral edge of the rear plate <NUM>. The surrounding wall <NUM> has an upper side wall <NUM> and a lower side wall <NUM>, wherein the upper side wall <NUM> is connected to a top edge of the rear plate <NUM> and has a plurality holes <NUM> passing between an interior surface and an exterior surface of the surrounding wall <NUM> of the rear cover <NUM>. The surrounding wall <NUM> of the rear cover <NUM> extends outwardly to form a plurality of second extension parts <NUM>, each of which is located respectively on the upper side wall <NUM> and the lower side wall <NUM> in the current embodiment.

As illustrated in <FIG>, the infrared ray generation mesh <NUM> which is disposed between the front cover <NUM> and the rear cover <NUM> of the supporting assembly <NUM> faces the interior surface 121b of the cover plate <NUM>. A peripheral edge of the infrared ray generation mesh <NUM> extends outwardly to form a plurality of fixation parts <NUM> (as shown in <FIG>), each of which corresponds to each of the first extension parts <NUM> and each of the second extension parts <NUM>. And, each of the fixation parts <NUM> is disposed between each of the first extension parts <NUM> and corresponding one of the second extension parts <NUM> by bolt-nut combining or welding, such that the front cover <NUM> and the infrared ray generation mesh <NUM> are fixed to the rear cover <NUM>. The infrared ray generation mesh <NUM> is flame heated to generate infrared rays emitted outwardly out of the holes <NUM> of the front cover <NUM>. The infrared ray generation mesh <NUM> could be a ceramic, metal or alloy material and, in the current embodiment, is iron-chromium-aluminum alloy.

As illustrated in <FIG>, the at least one burner <NUM> includes a flame outlet <NUM> disposed below the opening <NUM> of the cover plate <NUM> and the infrared ray generation mesh <NUM> corresponds to the flame outlet <NUM>. The at least one burner <NUM> burns gas for generating flames out of the flame outlet <NUM> to apply the flames to the infrared ray generation mesh <NUM>. In the current embodiment, the at least one burner <NUM> includes a plurality of burners <NUM>, each flame outlet <NUM> of which generates flames passing through the opening <NUM> of the cover plate <NUM> so as to heat the infrared ray generation mesh <NUM>. In practice, it works as long as flames are applied to the infrared ray generation mesh <NUM>. Therefore, the burner <NUM> can extend into the opening <NUM> such that the location of the flame outlet <NUM> is located in a chamber formed by the front cover <NUM> and the rear cover <NUM> and is adjacent to the infrared ray generation mesh <NUM>.

As illustrated in <FIG>, the infrared reflective plate <NUM> is located between the rear cover <NUM> and the infrared ray generation mesh <NUM>. Wherein, the infrared reflective plate <NUM> which is tilted has a flat rectangular main board <NUM> corresponding the infrared ray generation mesh <NUM> (as shown in <FIG>). The infrared reflective plate <NUM> further comprises a surrounding wall <NUM> connected to a peripheral edge of the main board <NUM>, wherein the surrounding wall <NUM> of the infrared reflective plate <NUM> has an upper side wall <NUM> connected to a top edge of the main board <NUM>. The height of the surrounding wall <NUM> of the infrared reflective plate <NUM> is lower than that of the surrounding wall <NUM> of the rear cover <NUM>. The infrared reflective plate <NUM> has a reflective surface 401a and an exterior surface 401b, wherein the reflective surface 401a facing the infrared ray generation mesh <NUM> is adapted to reflect back infrared rays generated by the infrared ray generation mesh <NUM>, such that the reflected infrared rays apply to the infrared ray generation mesh <NUM> and are emitted outwardly from the holes <NUM> of the front cover <NUM>. The infrared reflective plate <NUM> is metallic, such as stainless steel.

The reflective surface 401a of the infrared reflective plate <NUM> includes a reflective structure <NUM> which comprises a plurality of convex parts <NUM> and a plurality of embossings <NUM>, each of the embossings <NUM> located between two adjacent convex parts <NUM>. The convex parts <NUM> and the embossings <NUM> are roll-embossed out of a metallic plate and then the metallic plate with the reflective structure <NUM> is folded to form the shape of the main board <NUM> and the surrounding wall <NUM> such that the infrared reflective plate <NUM> is full of the reflective structure <NUM>. In the current embodiment, the convex parts <NUM> are conical and form a matrix arrangement (as shown in <FIG> and <FIG>) or a staggered arrangement (as shown in <FIG>).

In the current embodiment, the combustion device further comprises a bracket <NUM>. As illustrated in <FIG>, the bracket <NUM> includes an upper supporting plate <NUM>, a middle supporting plate <NUM>, a lower supporting plate <NUM> and an engaged member <NUM>. The bracket <NUM> is for fixing the front cover <NUM>, the rear cover <NUM> and the burners <NUM> to be at the relative position. The middle supporting plate <NUM> is fixed between the upper supporting plate <NUM> and the lower supporting plate <NUM>. A fixed hole <NUM> is near the center of the upper supporting plate <NUM>, wherein the engaged member <NUM> penetrates the fixed hole <NUM> to fix the rear cover <NUM> to the upper supporting plate <NUM>, while the burners <NUM> are fixed to the lower supporting plate <NUM>.

Therefore, as illustrated in <FIG>, when the flames out of the flame outlets <NUM> of the burners <NUM> are applied to the infrared ray generation mesh <NUM>, the infrared ray generation mesh <NUM> is heated to generate infrared rays, part of which passes the holes <NUM> of the front cover <NUM> to be emitted outwardly and another part of which is emitted toward the reflective surface 401a of the infrared reflective plate <NUM>. With the reflective structure <NUM>, the reflective surface 401a reflects the another part of the infrared rays to the direction of the front cover <NUM> and helps the reflected infrared rays to be scattered uniformly to the infrared ray generation mesh <NUM>. Whereby, the infrared ray generation mesh <NUM> could be heated again by the reflected infrared rays so as to enhance the effect of reflection. In practice, the reflective surface 401a need not include the reflective structure <NUM> but a flat surface; however, the reflective surface 401a is preferably provided with the reflective structure <NUM> to achieve the effect of reflecting infrared rays uniformly. Additionally, the front cover <NUM> is heated by flames out of the flame outlets <NUM> to generate infrared rays as well, and the flames pass through the holes <NUM> to form open fire.

It is noted that since the front cover <NUM> is flat, the scattering direction of infrared rays generated by the front cover <NUM> is essentially perpendicular to the flat cover plate <NUM>, such that the infrared rays emitted by the combustion device <NUM> scatter along the same direction to apply uniformly to an object. The object receives more uniform infrared intensity per unit area so as to resolve the aforementioned problem that owing to the arc-shaped mesh structure of conventional combustion devices, the scattered infrared intensity is less uniform.

In addition, the convex parts on the reflective surface 401a of the infrared reflective plate <NUM> have different densities, wherein a density of the convex parts on the surrounding wall <NUM> is greater than a density of the convex parts on the main board <NUM>. In this way, the combustion device <NUM> further enhances the accumulation of the infrared rays in the vicinity of the surrounding wall <NUM> thanks to the greater density of the convex parts on the surrounding wall <NUM>, thereby the infrared intensity generated by the infrared ray generation mesh <NUM> tends to be more uniform.

Furthermore, a density of the convex parts on the middle area of the main board <NUM> can be smaller than a density of the convex parts on the peripheral area of the main board <NUM>, such that the infrared ray reflecting efficiency of the main board <NUM> is increased gradually from the middle area of the main board <NUM> to the peripheral area; that is, the peripheral area expresses greater infrared ray reflecting efficiency. Whereby, the area of the infrared ray generation mesh <NUM> corresponding to the peripheral area is heated more so the infrared intensity generated by the infrared ray generation mesh <NUM> tends to be more uniform.

An infrared reflective plate <NUM> of a combustion device of the second embodiment according to the present invention is shown in <FIG>. The infrared reflective plate <NUM> includes a basic structure similar to the infrared reflective plate <NUM> of the first embodiment; the difference between these two is in that, an upper side wall <NUM> of the infrared reflective plate <NUM> has a plurality of holes <NUM>, while the vicinity of a top edge of the main board <NUM> has a plurality of holes <NUM> as well. When the flames generated by the flame outlet <NUM> flow along a reflective surface 601a of the infrared reflective plate <NUM> toward the top edge of the infrared reflective plate <NUM>, the holes <NUM> help the flames that have flowed to the vicinity of the top edge of the infrared reflective plate <NUM> to pass through the holes <NUM> to form open fire, such that the gas flows more smoothly. With the holes <NUM>, flames help the infrared ray generation mesh <NUM> and the front cover <NUM> to be heated more uniformly, resulting in more uniform infrared intensity emitted by the combustion device <NUM>. It is noted that both the upper side wall <NUM> of the infrared reflective plate <NUM> and the vicinity of the top edge of the main board <NUM> may have a plurality of holes <NUM>.

An infrared reflective plate <NUM> of the combustion device <NUM> of the third embodiment according to the present invention is shown in <FIG>. Wherein, the infrared reflective plate <NUM> includes a reflective surface 701a and an exterior surface 701b; a main board <NUM> of the infrared reflective plate <NUM> has a curved arc shape and the infrared reflective plate <NUM> is tilted; the vicinity of the top edge thereof has a plurality of holes <NUM> passing through the reflective surface 701a and the exterior surface 701b. With the arc-shaped main board <NUM>, the flames generated by the flame outlet <NUM> flows smoothly along the reflective surface 701a of the arc-shaped main board <NUM> toward the vicinity of the top edge of the main board <NUM>. Meanwhile, the flames help the infrared ray generation mesh <NUM> and the front cover <NUM> to be heated more uniformly, resulting in uniform infrared intensity emitted by the combustion device <NUM>.

An infrared reflective plate <NUM> of the combustion device of the fourth embodiment according to the present invention is shown in <FIG>. The infrared reflective plate <NUM> includes a reflective surface 801a and an exterior surface 801b, wherein the infrared reflective plate <NUM> is concaved from the reflective surface 801a toward the exterior surface 801b to form an arc shape. In the current embodiment, the infrared reflective plate <NUM> is bent into a concave arc shape by a metallic plate, and at least one gap <NUM> is formed at a portion where the metallic plate overlaps to connect to the reflective surface 801a and the exterior surface 801b of the infrared reflective plate <NUM>. The infrared reflective plate <NUM> is disposed between the rear cover <NUM> and the infrared ray generation mesh <NUM>. With the arc-shaped reflective surface 801a, the flames generated by the flame outlet flows more smoothly along the reflective surface 801a of the infrared reflective plate <NUM> toward the vicinity of the top edge of the infrared reflective plate <NUM>, and with the design of allowing partial airflow through the gap, gas flows more smoothly. Meanwhile, the flames help the infrared ray generation mesh <NUM> and the front cover <NUM> to be heated more uniformly, resulting in more uniform and increasing infrared intensity emitted by the combustion device <NUM>.

In addition, an infrared reflective plate <NUM> of the combustion device of the fifth embodiment according to the present invention is shown in <FIG>. In practice, each of the convex parts <NUM> on the reflective structure <NUM> of the infrared reflective plate <NUM> is a strap in shape and forms a parallel arrangement with each other. A long axis of the convex parts <NUM> and a long axis of the embossings <NUM> extend along a predetermined direction from one end 90a of the infrared reflective plate <NUM> toward corresponding one end 90b.

As mentioned above, when infrared rays generated by the combustion device according to the present invention scatter from the holes of the front cover and from the front cover itself, the infrared rays are emitted outwardly along the same direction owing to the flat cover plate of the front cover, such that the intensity of heat per unit area an object heated by the infrared rays is more uniform.

In addition, with the reflective structural design of the infrared reflective plate, the flames are favorable to more uniformly heat the infrared ray generation mesh and the front cover, keep the high temperature of the infrared ray generation mesh, and help the combustion device generate stronger and more uniform infrared rays.

Claim 1:
A combustion device (<NUM>), comprising:
at least one burner (<NUM>) having a flame outlet (<NUM>), wherein the at least one burner (<NUM>) is for burning gas to generate flames through the flame outlet (<NUM>);
a supporting assembly (<NUM>) including a front cover (<NUM>), wherein the front cover (<NUM>) has a flat cover plate (<NUM>) which includes a plurality of holes (<NUM>) passing between an exterior surface (121a) and an interior surface (121b) thereof, wherein the flat cover plate (<NUM>) is rectangular; and
an infrared ray generation mesh (<NUM>) being disposed on the supporting assembly (<NUM>) and corresponding to the flame outlet (<NUM>), the infrared ray generation mesh (<NUM>) facing the interior surface (121b) of the cover plate (<NUM>), the infrared ray generation mesh (<NUM>) being flame heated by the at least one burner (<NUM>) to generate infrared rays passing through the holes (<NUM>);
characterized in that
the supporting assembly (<NUM>) includes a rear cover (<NUM>); the infrared ray generation mesh (<NUM>) is disposed between the front cover (<NUM>) and the rear cover (<NUM>) and faces the interior surface (121b) of the cover plate (<NUM>);
wherein the front cover (<NUM>) and the rear cover (<NUM>) are metallic;
wherein the front cover (<NUM>) includes an upper side wall (<NUM>) and two side walls (<NUM>); the upper side wall (<NUM>) of the front cover (<NUM>) is connected to a top edge of the cover plate (<NUM>) and has a plurality of holes (<NUM>); the two side walls (<NUM>) of the front cover (<NUM>) are connected to two side edges of the cover plate (<NUM>); each of the two side walls (<NUM>) of the front cover (<NUM>) has a plurality of holes (<NUM>);
wherein the cover plate (<NUM>) has an opening (<NUM>) located on an opposite side of the top edge and passing through the interior surface (121b) and the exterior surface (121a) of the cover plate (<NUM>); the flame outlet (<NUM>) of the at least one burner (<NUM>) is disposed below the opening (<NUM>); the flames generated through the flame outlet (<NUM>) pass through the opening (<NUM>) of the cover plate (<NUM>) to heat the infrared ray generation mesh (<NUM>) and pass through the plurality of holes (<NUM>) of the cover plate (<NUM>) to form open fire.