Patent Grant
9897326
The present application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. 119 and 35 U.S.C. 365 to Korean Patent Application No. 10-2013-0163566, filed in Korea on Dec. 26, 2013, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.
A cooking appliance and a burner device are disclosed herein.
Cooking appliances are apparatus that heat food or other items to cook the food or other items. Cooktops of the cooking appliances heat food or other items using heat generated by gas combustion.
Such a cooking appliance may include a case, a top plate disposed on the case, and a burner device disposed in the case. The burner device may include a burner pot, a mixing tube unit or mixing tube, a combustion member, and a nozzle unit or nozzle. A mixed gas may be burned on the combustion member.
However, in the cooking appliance according to the related art, the mixed gas may not be completely burned in the combustion member, generating carbon monoxide due to the incomplete combustion of the mixed gas.
Embodiments will be described in detail with reference to the following drawings in which like reference numerals refer to like elements, and wherein:
Reference will now be made in detail to embodiments, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Where possible, like reference numerals have been used to indicate like elements, and repetitive disclosure has been omitted
In the following detailed description of embodiments, reference is made to the accompanying drawings that form a part hereof, and in which is shown by way of illustration specific embodiments in which may be practiced. These embodiments are described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice, and it is understood that other embodiments may be utilized and that logical structural, mechanical, electrical, and chemical changes may be made without departing from the spirit or scope. To avoid detail not necessary to enable those skilled in the art to practice, the description may omit certain information known to those skilled in the art. The following detailed description is, therefore, not to be taken in a limiting sense.
Referring to
Although three burner devices 20 are disposed in the case 10 in
The cooking appliance 1 may further include gas supply tubes 14 and 16, through which the gas to be supplied into the burner device 20 may flow, a gas valve 15 to adjust a flow rate of the gas supplied into the burner device 20, a nozzle device or nozzle 30 to inject the gas into the burner device 20, and a manipulation knob 13 to manipulate the gas valve 15. The manipulation knob 13 may be disposed on a front surface of the case 10. Each of the gas valve 15, the nozzle device 30, and the manipulation knob 13 may be provided in a same number as the burner device 20.
The gas supply tubes 14 and 16 may include a common supply tube 14 connected to one or a first side of the gas valve 15, and an individual supply tube 16 connected to the other or a second side of the gas valve 15 to supply the gas into the burner device 20.
Hereinafter, the burner device will be described in detail.
Referring to
An inner space of the second pot 212 may be partitioned from a space between an outer surface of the second pot 212 and an inner surface of the first pot 211. Thus, the mixed gas may be supplied into the first pot 211 or the second pot 212, or may be supplied into each of the first and second pots 211 and 212 according to manipulation of the manipulation knob 13.
A first mixing tube 217 may be connected to the first pot 211, and a second mixing tube 218 may be connected to the second pot 211. For example, the second pot 212 may have a cylindrical shape; however, embodiments are not limited thereto.
Air around the mixing tubs 217 and 218 may be introduced into the mixing tubes 217 and 218 while the gas is injected from the nozzle device 30 to each of the mixing tubes 217 and 218. The gas and air may be primarily mixed with each other in the mixing tubes 217 and 218, and then, may be secondarily mixed with each other in an inner space of each of the first and second pots 211 and 212.
The second mixing tube 218 may be connected to the second pot 212 by passing through the first pot 211. Alternatively, the first mixing tube 217 and the second mixing tube 218 may be integrated with the burner pot 210.
A first seating part or seat 214, on which the combustion member 230 may be seated, may be disposed above the burner pot 210, that is, the first pot 211. When the combustion member 230 is seated on the first seating part 214, the combustion member 230 may cover the inner space of the first pot 211 and the inner space of the second pot 212 at the same time. Thus, the mixed gas of the first pot 211 and the mixed gas of the second pot 212 may be burned on the combustion member 230.
Alternatively, the combustion member 230 may include a first combustion member that covers the first pot 211 and having a ring shape and a second combustion member that covers the second pot 212.
A second seating part or seat 215, on which the burner frame 220 may be seated, may be disposed above the burner pot 210, that is, the first pot 211.
The burner frame 220 may include a first frame 221 having a first height, and a second frame 222 having a second height greater than the first height. The second frame 222 may be disposed at a rear side of the first frame 221 with respect to a flow of the gas. That is, the combustion gas or carbon monoxide may flow into the first frame 221, and then, may flow into the second frame 222.
An ignition part or ignition 228 for the combustion of the mixed gas may be disposed on the first frame 221. The ignition part 228 may be disposed above the combustion member 230. An end of the ignition part 228 may vertically overlap the second pot 212 so that the mixed gas within the second pot 212 may be ignited first.
Thus, the mixed gas passing through the combustion member 230 may be ignited by the ignition part 228, and thus, be burned to heat the combustion member 230. Thereafter, the mixed gas may be burned on the combustion member 230.
Also, in the combustion member 230, a central portion (a portion corresponding to the second pot 212) may be heated first, and then, a remaining portion (a portion corresponding to the first pot 211) may be heated. The mixed gas of the first pot 211 may be burned by heat of the remaining portion of the combustion member 230.
The first frame 221 may include a first bottom surface 221a, and the second frame 222 may include a second bottom surface 222b. The second bottom surface 222b may be lower than the first bottom surface 221a. The first bottom surface 221a and the second bottom surface 222a may be connected to each other by an inclined surface 222c. Thus, flow resistance when the gas of the first frame 221 flows into the second frame 222 may be minimized by the inclined surface 222c.
A hole 223, through which the combustion member 230 may pass, may be defined in the first frame 221. That is, when the burner frame 220 is seated on the second seating part 215 in a state in which the combustion member 230 is seated on the first seating part 214 of the burner pot 210, the combustion member 230 may pass through the hole 223.
Alternatively, the combustion member 230 may not pass through the hole 223, but rather, may contact a bottom surface of the first frame 221. In this case, the gas burned by the combustion member may pass through the hole 223.
The burner frame 220 may include a contact part or contact 227 to increase a contact area with a bottom surface of the top plate 11. The contact part 227 may extend horizontally from an upper end of the burner frame 220. As the contact part 227 may contact the bottom surface of the top plate 11, a flow of the combustion gas between the top plate 11 and the burner frame 220 may be prevented.
The catalyst device 240 may be disposed on the second frame 222 of the burner frame 220. The catalyst device 240 may include a catalyst body 250 having a plurality of holes 252, through which the combustion gas and the carbon monoxide may pass, and a fixing part or portion 242 to fix the catalyst body 250 to the burner frame 220.
To prevent the catalyst body 250 from being damaged by the heat of the combustion member 230, the catalyst device 240 may be disposed on or at a position of the burner frame 220, that is, adjacent to the discharge part 12. Thus, a distance between the catalyst body 250 and the discharge part 12 may be less than a distance between the catalyst body 250 and the combustion member 230.
Each of the plurality of holes 252 may have a circular shape, a polygonal shape, or a honeycomb shape; however, embodiments are not limited thereto. Further, the plurality of holes 252 may be horizontally or vertically defined in the catalyst body 250. Alternatively, the plurality of holes 252 may be horizontally and vertically defined in the catalyst body 250. Thus, as the catalyst body 250 has the plurality of holes 252, a contact area with the carbon monoxide may increase.
Also, to increase the contact area with the carbon monoxide, the catalyst body 250 may have a same horizontal width as the second frame 222. Further, the catalyst device 240 may have a same height as the second frame 222. Thus, the catalyst device 240 may contact the bottom surface of the top plate 11 in a state in which the catalyst device 240 is disposed on the second frame 222.
A carrier formed of a ceramic material may be coated with a catalyst to form the catalyst body 250. The carrier may be coated with the catalyst by being immersed into a container containing the catalyst or by spraying the catalyst onto the carrier, for example.
The carbon monoxide generated by the incomplete combustion of the mixed gas may react with the catalyst as the following reaction formula, and thus, be converted into carbon dioxide.
2CO+O2→2CO2
When the catalyst device 240 is disposed on the burner frame 220, the catalyst device 240 may act as flow resistance. When the catalyst device 240 acts as the flow resistance, an amount of air introduced into the burner device 20 may be reduced, deteriorating combustion performance.
However, according to this embodiment, as the second frame 222 on which the catalyst device 240 may be disposed has a height greater than a height of the first frame 221 as described above, a second passage of the second frame 222 may have a cross-sectional area greater than a cross-sectional area of a first passage of the first frame 221. Thus, the flow resistance due to the catalyst device 250 may be minimized to allow the air to be stably introduced into the burner device 20.
The longer a time period for which the carbon monoxide contacts the catalyst body 250, the more an amount of carbon monoxide discharged from the cooking appliance may decrease.
According to this embodiment, as the second frame 222 on which the catalyst device 240 may be disposed has a height greater than a height of the first frame 222, a flow rate of the gas within the first frame 221 may be less than a flow rate of the gas within the second frame 222. Thus, as the flow rate of the carbon monoxide in the second frame 222 is reduced, a flow rate of the carbon monoxide passing through the plurality of holes 252 of the catalyst body 250 may be reduced to increase a contact time between the catalyst and the carbon monoxide. Thus, an amount of carbon monoxide discharged outside of the cooking appliance 1 may be minimized.
To allow the carbon monoxide to react with oxygen using the catalyst, oxygen within the burner frame 220 may be sufficiently secured.
Thus, in this embodiment, at least one first inflow hole 224, through which air containing oxygen may be introduced, may be defined in the second bottom surface 222b of the second frame 222 to supply the oxygen into the burner frame 220. Alternatively, the at least one first inflow hole 224 may be defined in a side surface of the second frame 222.
As the oxygen together with the carbon monoxide has to pass through the catalyst body 250, the at least one first inflow hole 224 may be disposed at a front side of the catalyst device 240 with respect to the flow direction of the gas. That is, the at least one first inflow hole 224 may be defined upstream of the catalyst device 240 with respect to a flow direction of the gas within the second frame 222. Thus, the carbon monoxide together with the oxygen passing through the at least one first inflow hole 224 may pass through the plurality of holes 252 of the catalyst body 250, and the carbon monoxide may react with the oxygen in this process, and thus, be converted into carbon dioxide.
A plurality of the first inflow holes 224 may be defined in the second bottom surface 222b of the second frame 222 and be arranged to horizontally cross the flow direction of the gas. Thus, the oxygen may be uniformly introduced into the second frame 222.
The fixing part 242 may include an upper body 243 seated on a top surface of the catalyst body 250, and first and second extension parts or extensions 244 and 245 that, respectively, extend downward from both ends of the upper body 243. Each of the first and second extension parts 244 and 245 may be vertically bent from the upper body 243. The upper body 243 may contact a bottom surface of the top plate 11.
The fixing part 242 may further include first and second lower bodies 246 and 247 that, respectively, extend horizontally from the first and second extension parts 244 and 245. Each of the lower bodies 246 and 247 may be seated on the second bottom surface 222b of the second frame 220. Alternatively, the lower body may extend from one of the first and second extension parts 244 and 245.
At least one coupling hole 248, to which a coupling member (not shown) may be coupled, may be defined in each of the lower bodies 246 and 247. At least one coupling hole 226, to which the coupling member may be coupled, may be defined in the second bottom surface 222b of the second frame 222.
The catalyst body 250 may be inserted between the first and second extension parts 244 and 245. Thus, when the lower bodies 246 and 247 are coupled to the second frame 222 by the coupling member, vertical movement of the catalyst body 250 may be prevented by the upper body 243. Also, forward/backward or front/rear movement of the catalyst body 250 may be prevented by the first and second extension parts 244 and 245.
A front/rear direction may represent a direction parallel to the flow direction of the gas within the burner frame 220, and a left/right or lateral direction may represent a direction that horizontally crosses the flow direction of the gas.
The fixing part 242 may further include a contact part or contact 249 vertically bent from at least one of the first and second extension parts 244 and 245 to contact a side surface of the second frame 222. The contact part 249 may be bent from the at least one of the first and second extension parts 244 and 245 to improve a strength of the fixing part 242. The contact part 249 may contact the second frame 222 to prevent the carbon monoxide from flowing between the second frame 222 and the fixing part 242.
Alternatively, the lower bodies 246 and 247 may be omitted, and a coupling hole, to which a coupling member to be coupled to the burner frame 220, may be defined in the contact part 249.
Flow guides 104 and 105 to guide air introduced through the air inflow hole 102 to the burner frame 220 may be disposed within the case 10. The flow guides 104 and 105 may include a first flow guide 104 that defines a first passage P, and a second flow guide 105 that communicates with the first flow guide 104 to define a second passage P2.
At least one second inflow hole 225, through which the air may be introduced into the first passage P1, may be defined in the second bottom surface 222b of the second frame 222. Thus, the air of the first passage P1 may be introduced into the burner frame 220 through the at least one second inflow hole 225, and the air of the second passage P2 may be introduced into the burner frame 220 through the at least one first inflow hole 224.
The at least one second inflow hole 225 may be defined at a rear side of the catalyst device 240 with respect to the flow of the gas within the burner frame 220. Thus, the catalyst device 240 may be disposed on the second frame 222 between the first and second inflow holes 224 and 225.
As an exhaust gas flowing into the burner frame 220 has a high temperature, when the high-temperature gas is discharged outside of the cooking appliance through the discharge part 12, it may be dangerous for a user. However, according to this embodiment, as the gas passing through the catalyst device 240 may be mixed with the air introduced through the second inflow hole 225, and then, the mixed gas may be cooled and discharged outside of the cooking appliance through the discharge part 12, the danger to the user may be reduced. Also, the catalyst device 240 may be cooled by the air introduced through the second inflow hole 225.
Hereinafter, an operation of the cooking appliance according to an embodiment will be described hereinbelow.
When the manipulation knob 13 is manipulated to operate the gas valve 15, the mixed gas may be supplied into the burner pot 210. Then, the fan 50 may rotate. The mixed gas supplied into the burner pot 210 may be ignited by the ignition part 228, and thus, may be burned. Also, the combustion member 230 may be heated by heat generated by the combustion of the mixed gas.
Radiation energy of the combustion member 230 may include a frequency of at least visible light. Thus, operation of the cooling appliance may be recognized by the user through the visible light. Also, food may be heated by the combustion member 230. Alternatively, the food may be heated by conduction heat of the top plate 11.
The gas and carbon monoxide burned by the combustion member 230 may flow from the first frame 221 to the second frame 222 of the burner frame 220. The carbon monoxide flowing into the second frame 222 may be converted into carbon dioxide, while the carbon monoxide together with the oxygen passing through the first inflow hole 224 may pass through the plurality of holes 252 of the catalyst body 250.
The carbon dioxide and the combustion gas may be cooled by the air introduced through the at least one second inflow hole 225, and then, may be discharged outside through the plurality of discharge holes 122 of the discharge part 12.
Although the second frame has a height greater than a height of the first frame to reduce the flow rate of the gas within the second frame in this embodiment, the second frame may have a horizontal width (a passage width) of the second frame greater than a horizontal width (a passage width) of the first frame to reduce the flow rate of the gas within the second frame.
Embodiments disclosed herein provide a cooking appliance capable of minimizing discharge of carbon monoxide due to incomplete combustion and a burner device.
Embodiments disclosed herein further provide a cooking appliance that may include a case; a top plate seated on the case; and a burner device accommodated in the case. The burner device may include a burner pot to receive a gas and air a combustion member to burn a mixed gas of the gas and air within the burner pot; a burner frame seated on the burner pot to define an exhaust passage, through which the gas burned by the combustion member and carbon monoxide generated by incomplete combustion of the mixed gas may flow; and a catalyst device disposed in the exhaust passage, the catalyst device having a catalyst to allow the carbon monoxide to react with oxygen. The burner frame may include a first frame having a first passage cross-sectional area, and a second frame disposed at a rear side of the first frame with respect to a flow direction of the gas and having a second passage cross-sectional area greater than the first passage cross-sectional area, and the catalyst device may be disposed at the second frame.
Embodiments disclosed herein further provide a burner device that may include a burner pot to receive a gas and air; a combustion member to burn a mixed gas of the gas and air within the burner pot; a burner frame including a first frame seated on the burner pot, and a second frame that extends from the first frame; and a catalyst device disposed on the second frame. The catalyst device may have a catalyst to allow carbon monoxide generated while the mixed gas is burned to react with oxygen. The second frame may have at least one inflow hole to receive the oxygen in a front side of the catalyst device.
Although embodiments have been described with reference to a number of illustrative embodiments thereof, it should be understood that numerous other modifications and embodiments can be devised by those skilled in the art that will fall within the spirit and scope of the principles of this disclosure. More particularly, various variations and modifications are possible in the component parts and/or arrangements of the subject combination arrangement within the scope of the disclosure, the drawings and the appended claims. In addition to variations and modifications in the component parts and/or arrangements, alternative uses will also be apparent to those skilled in the art.
Any reference in this specification to “one embodiment,” “an embodiment,” “example embodiment,” etc., means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the invention. The appearances of such phrases in various places in the specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment. Further, when a particular feature, structure, or characteristic is described in connection with any embodiment, it is submitted that it is within the purview of one skilled in the art to effect such feature, structure, or characteristic in connection with other ones of the embodiments.
Although embodiments have been described with reference to a number of illustrative embodiments thereof, it should be understood that numerous other modifications and embodiments can be devised by those skilled in the art that will fall within the spirit and scope of the principles of this disclosure. More particularly, various variations and modifications are possible in the component parts and/or arrangements of the subject combination arrangement within the scope of the disclosure, the drawings and the appended claims. In addition to variations and modifications in the component parts and/or arrangements, alternative uses will also be apparent to those skilled in the art.
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