Inner ring fire cap, burner and gas cooker
By designing an inner ring fire cover with independent airflow input channels, the problem of unstable combustion in the existing gas-communication burner under extremely small fire conditions is solved, and the gas pressure sharing and independent control are achieved, ensuring the stability of combustion and the uniformity of flame.
Patent Information
- Application Number
- CN202010638771.9
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Patents(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2020-07-03
- Publication Date
- 2025-06-27
- Estimated Expiration
- 2040-07-03
AI Technical Summary
The inner ring fire cover of the existing gas-communication burner is unstable in the combustion state under extremely small fire conditions, resulting in uneven gas pressure allocation and affecting the control of gas load.
An inner ring fire cover is designed, and the air pressure of the first inner ring fire hole and the second inner ring fire hole is controlled through an independent airflow input channel to achieve gas pressure sharing and independent control.
Under extremely small fire conditions, the air pressure of the inner ring fire cover remains stable, achieving fine control of the gas load, ensuring the stability of combustion and the uniformity of flame.
Smart Images

Figure CN111735046B_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] The present invention relates to the field of kitchen appliances, and particularly to an inner-ring burner head, a burner, and a gas stove. Background Art
[0002] In the existing structure, the outer-ring gas is connected to the fire holes of the outer burner head, and the inner-ring gas is connected to the fire holes of the inner burner head. In this structure, due to the difficulty in supplementing the secondary air for the fire holes at the top of the inner ring, the gas load distributed to the inner burner head by the outer ring is relatively small. In order to increase the gas pressure at the top of the inner burner head, it is necessary to increase the gas pressure of the inner ring. Since the gas load in the inner-ring channel is relatively large, when the maximum fire load of the inner ring is relatively large, it is difficult to make the load of the minimum fire very small. When burning in the extremely low-fire state, the combustion of the fire holes at the top of the inner burner head is unstable. Summary of the Invention
[0003] The main object of the present invention is to propose an inner-ring burner head, a burner, and a gas stove, aiming to improve the problem that the combustion of the inner-ring burner head of the existing burner is unstable in the extremely low-fire state.
[0004] To achieve the above object, an inner-ring burner head proposed by the present invention includes:
[0005] A top cover;
[0006] An inner-ring wall, connected to the top cover, a central cavity is formed inside the inner-ring wall, and a first inner-ring fire hole communicating with the central cavity is provided on the top cover; and
[0007] An outer-ring wall, connected to the top cover, there is a gap between the inner-ring wall and the outer-ring wall, an inner-ring gas cavity is formed by enclosing the inner-ring wall, the outer-ring wall, and the top cover, a second inner-ring fire hole communicating with the inner-ring gas cavity is provided on the outer-ring wall, and the second inner-ring fire holes are arranged at intervals along the circumferential direction of the outer-ring wall.
[0008] Optionally, a flame-stabilizing hole communicating with the central cavity is provided on the top cover.
[0009] Optionally, the top cover is movably installed on the outer-ring wall, and flame teeth are provided at intervals along the circumferential directions of the top cover and / or the outer-ring wall, and the flame-stabilizing holes are formed between adjacent flame teeth.
[0010] Optionally, a flow guiding wall is provided at one end of the inner-ring wall close to the top cover, and one end of the flow guiding wall away from the inner-ring wall is connected to the outer-ring wall;
[0011] The inner-ring gas cavity is formed by enclosing the flow guiding wall, the inner-ring wall, and the outer-ring wall, and a flow guiding surface for guiding the air flow in the central cavity to the flame-stabilizing hole is formed on the surface of the flow guiding wall facing away from the inner-ring gas cavity.
[0012] Optionally, through holes are provided on the diversion wall. One end of each through hole communicates with the inner ring gas chamber, and the other end faces the top cover. The through holes are for the thermocouple to pass through, so that the thermocouple protrudes from the inner ring gas chamber to the top cover.
[0013] Optionally, one of the outer ring wall and the top cover is provided with a groove, and the other is provided with the flame teeth. The flame teeth are embedded in the groove, and a flame stabilizing groove is formed between the end faces of the top cover and the outer ring wall facing each other, which communicates the flame stabilizing holes with the periphery of the outer ring wall.
[0014] Based on the above inner ring fire cap, the present invention provides a burner, which includes the inner ring fire cap and a gas distribution plate as described above. The gas distribution plate includes:
[0015] An outer disk body, which forms an outer ring gas chamber. An outer ring fire cap is provided on the outer disk body, and outer ring fire holes communicating with the outer ring gas chamber are provided on the outer ring fire cap; and
[0016] An inner disk body, on which the inner ring fire cap is provided. The outer disk body is arranged outside the inner disk body. The inner disk body forms a first air inlet and a second air inlet. The inner ring gas chamber of the inner ring fire cap is communicated with the first air inlet, the central chamber of the inner ring fire cap is communicated with the second air inlet, and the outer ring gas chamber is communicated with the first air inlet.
[0017] Optionally, the interior of the inner disk body is hollow. The inner disk body is provided with an annular partition. A first transitional gas chamber is formed between the annular partition and the inner wall of the inner disk body. A second transitional gas chamber communicating with the second air inlet is formed inside the annular partition;
[0018] The central chamber of the inner ring fire cap is communicated with the second transitional gas chamber. The inner disk body is provided with air flow holes communicating the first transitional gas chamber and the inner ring gas chamber of the inner ring fire cap;
[0019] The first air inlet is formed on the inner disk body and is communicated with the first transitional gas chamber.
[0020] Optionally, the gas distribution plate further includes a support portion, which is arranged between the inner disk body and the outer disk body. An air flow channel communicating the first transitional gas chamber and the outer ring gas chamber is formed inside the support portion.
[0021] Optionally, one end of the inner ring wall of the inner ring fire cap away from the top cover is embedded in the annular partition.
[0022] Optionally, one of the inner disk body and the outer ring wall of the inner ring fire cap is provided with a protruding portion, and the other is provided with a limiting groove. The protruding portion is embedded in the limiting groove.
[0023] Based on the above inner-ring burner cap, the present invention provides another burner, which includes a gas distribution plate, an outer-ring burner cap, and the inner-ring burner cap as described above. The inner-ring burner cap and the outer-ring burner cap are installed on the gas distribution plate. The gas distribution plate includes:
[0024] An outer disk body, an outer-ring gas chamber is formed inside the outer disk body, the outer-ring burner cap is arranged on the outer disk body, and outer-ring burner holes communicating with the outer-ring gas chamber are provided on the outer-ring burner cap;
[0025] An inner disk body, the inner-ring burner cap is arranged on the inner disk body, the outer disk body is arranged around the outside of the inner disk body. The inner disk body has a first air inlet and a second air inlet. The central chamber of the inner-ring burner cap is communicated with the first air inlet, the inner-ring gas chamber of the inner-ring burner cap is communicated with the second air inlet, and the outer-ring gas chamber is communicated with the first air inlet.
[0026] Optionally, the inside of the inner disk body is hollow, the inner disk body is provided with an annular partition, a first transitional gas chamber is formed between the annular partition and the inner wall of the inner disk body, and a second transitional gas chamber communicating with the second air inlet is formed inside the annular partition;
[0027] The inner-ring gas chamber of the inner-ring burner cap is communicated with the second transitional gas chamber, and the central chamber of the inner-ring burner cap is communicated with the first transitional gas chamber;
[0028] The first air inlet is formed on the inner disk body and is communicated with the first transitional gas chamber.
[0029] Optionally, the gas distribution plate further includes a support portion, the support portion is arranged between the inner disk body and the outer disk body, and an air flow channel communicating the first transitional gas chamber and the outer-ring gas chamber is formed inside the support portion.
[0030] Optionally, a gas guide pipe communicating with the first transitional gas chamber is provided on the inner disk body, and the gas guide pipe is connected to the inner ring wall.
[0031] Based on the above burner, the present invention provides a gas stove, which includes the burner as described above.
[0032] The technical solution of the present invention divides the inner ring burner head to form a central cavity and an inner ring gas cavity, conveys gas to the first inner ring fire holes through the central cavity, and conveys gas to the second inner ring fire holes through the inner ring gas cavity, so that the first inner ring fire holes and the second inner ring fire holes can respectively input gas; when the inner ring burner head is in use, the air pressure of the first inner ring fire holes and the second inner ring fire holes of the inner ring burner head can be shared, and the air pressure of the first inner ring fire holes and the second inner ring fire holes of the inner ring burner head can be independently controlled, thereby facilitating the control of the gas load, keeping the air pressure stable during the gas injection combustion of the inner ring burner head, maintaining the air pressure of the first inner ring fire holes of the inner ring burner head stable in the extremely low fire combustion state of the burner, and thus realizing stable combustion in the extremely low fire combustion state; in the extremely low fire state, without changing the second inner ring fire holes, the gas load of the first inner ring fire holes can be reduced, making the flame of the inner ring burner head smaller in the extremely low fire state. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0033] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention or the prior art, the following will briefly introduce the drawings required for use in the description of the embodiments or the prior art. Obviously, the drawings in the following description are only some embodiments of the present invention, and those of ordinary skill in the art can obtain other drawings based on the structures shown in these drawings without creative efforts.
[0034] Figure 1 Structural schematic diagram of an embodiment of the inner ring burner head of the present invention;
[0035] Figure 2 Structural schematic diagram of an embodiment of the internal structure of the inner ring burner head of the present invention;
[0036] Figure 3 Structural schematic diagram of an embodiment of a burner of the present invention;
[0037] Figure 4 For Figure 3 Top view;
[0038] Figure 5 For Figure 3 Structural schematic diagram of an embodiment of the internal structure of the burner in
[0039] Figure 6 For Figure 3 Structural schematic diagram of an embodiment of the internal structure of the gas distribution plate in
[0040] Figure 7 For Figure 3 Partial sectional view of the gas distribution plate;
[0041] Figure 8 Structural schematic diagram of an embodiment of the internal structure of another burner of the present invention;
[0042] Figure 9 is Figure 8 a schematic structural diagram of an embodiment of the internal structure of the middle air distribution plate;
[0043] Figure 10 is Figure 8 a partial sectional view of the middle air distribution plate.
[0044] Explanation of the reference numerals in the drawings:
[0045]
[0046]
[0047] The realization, functional features and advantages of the object of the present invention will be further described with reference to the embodiments and the accompanying drawings. Specific embodiments
[0048] Next, the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described with reference to the accompanying drawings in the embodiments of the present invention. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of the present invention, rather than all the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without creative efforts shall fall within the protection scope of the present invention.
[0049] It should be noted that if there are directional indications (such as up, down, left, right, front, back...) involved in the embodiments of the present invention, the directional indications are only used to explain the relative positional relationship and movement conditions between components in a specific posture (as shown in the drawings). If the specific posture changes, the directional indications will also change accordingly.
[0050] In addition, if there are descriptions such as "first" and "second" involved in the embodiments of the present invention, the descriptions of "first" and "second" are only for descriptive purposes and cannot be understood as indicating or implying their relative importance or implicitly indicating the quantity of the indicated technical features. Thus, the features defined with "first" and "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of the features. In addition, the technical solutions between the various embodiments can be combined with each other, but it must be based on the fact that those of ordinary skill in the art can implement it. When the combination of the technical solutions is contradictory or cannot be implemented, it should be considered that such a combination of the technical solutions does not exist and is not within the protection scope required by the present invention.
[0051] Please refer to Figure 1 and Figure 2, the present invention provides an inner ring burner head, comprising: a top cover 33; an inner ring wall 31 connected to the top cover 33, a central cavity 36 being formed inside the inner ring wall 31, and a first inner ring fire hole 331 communicating with the central cavity 36 being provided on the top cover 33; and an outer ring wall 32 connected to the top cover 33, an inner ring gas cavity 35 being formed by enclosing the inner ring wall 31, the outer ring wall 32 and the top cover 33, a second inner ring fire hole 321 communicating with the inner ring gas cavity 35 being provided on the outer ring wall 32, and the second inner ring fire holes 321 being arranged at intervals along the circumferential direction of the outer ring wall 32.
[0052] The top cover 33 serves as the upper end of the inner ring burner head 30, the outer ring wall 32 is arranged outside the inner ring wall 31, and the inner diameter of the outer ring wall 32 is greater than the outer diameter of the inner ring wall 31, so that there is a gap between the inner ring wall 31 and the outer ring wall 32. The inside of the inner ring wall 31 is hollow to form the central cavity 36, the top cover 33 is arranged at one end of the inner ring wall 31, and the first inner ring fire hole 331 on the top cover 33 is a through hole, and air flow is transported to the first inner ring fire hole 331 through the central cavity 36.
[0053] The inner ring wall 31, the top cover 33 and the outer ring wall 32 form the inner ring gas cavity 35, the second inner ring fire hole 321 is a through hole penetrating the outer ring wall 32, and air flow is transported to the second inner ring fire hole 321 through the inner ring gas cavity 35.
[0054] Since the central cavity 36 and the inner ring gas cavity 35 are two independent chambers, the inner ring gas cavity 35 and the central cavity 36 can adopt independent gas input channels. Since gas can be transported to the first inner ring fire hole 331 through the central cavity 36, and at the same time gas can be transported to the second inner ring fire hole 321 through the inner ring gas cavity 35, the air pressures of the first inner ring fire hole 331 and the second inner ring fire hole 321 are kept stable. When the inner ring burner head 30 is used in an extremely small fire state, the gas pressure of the central cavity 36 can be controlled to keep the gas pressure output by the first inner ring fire hole 331 stable, so that the inner ring burner head 30 presents a stable extremely small fire burning state.
[0055] Since the gas inputs of the first inner ring fire hole 331 and the second inner ring fire hole 321 do not affect each other, while reducing the gas pressure of the central cavity 36, the gas input of the inner ring gas cavity 35 is not affected, so that the air pressure of the inner ring burner head 30 is divided into two parts, which is convenient for controlling the flame sizes formed by the jets of the first inner ring fire hole 331 and the second inner ring fire hole 321.
[0056] Since the inner ring gas chamber 35 and the central chamber 36 are independent of each other, by separately reducing or closing the gas input of the inner ring gas chamber 35, when the inner ring burner cap 30 burns with a very small flame, when the gas in the second inner ring flame holes 321 decreases, it will not affect the first inner ring flame holes 331 at all. When adjusting the gas load of the inner ring gas chamber 35, the gas load of the first inner ring flame holes 331 is not affected at all, thereby realizing the independent control of the flame jet from the first inner ring flame holes 331 in the very small flame state.
[0057] When the inner ring burner cap 30 is installed on the burner, by controlling the gas volume input into the inner ring gas chamber 35 and the central chamber 36, the gas pressure control of the second inner ring flame holes 321 and the first inner ring flame holes 331 can be realized, making the gas pressure of the first inner ring flame holes 331 and the second inner ring flame holes 321 more controllable, realizing the steady pressure control of the first inner ring flame holes 331 and the second inner ring flame holes 321 of the inner ring burner cap 30, and avoiding the problem of flame lift-off.
[0058] Since the inner ring burner cap 30 is an integral structure, the first inner ring flame holes 331 can be arranged in the middle of the top cover 33, so that after the gas is ejected from the first inner ring flame holes 331, a combustion area near the middle of the inner ring burner cap 30 is formed. The second inner ring flame holes 321 are spaced along the outer periphery of the outer ring wall 32, and the gas is ejected from the second inner ring flame holes 321 to form a combustion area on the outer periphery of the inner ring burner cap 30. Since the gas loads of the first inner ring flame holes 331 and the second inner ring flame holes 321 can be independently controlled, the inner ring burner cap 30 can be controlled to form a uniform heating state, avoiding the problem of uneven temperature in the middle of the inner ring burner cap 30 caused by uneven gas load in the middle flame holes of the existing inner ring burner cap 30. During the cooking process, the food usually concentrates in the middle of the cookware. By making the gas load of the first inner ring flame holes 331 more controllable, when the inner ring burner cap 30 heats the cookware, it can concentrate on heating the center of the bottom of the cookware, which helps to improve the cooking efficiency. Since the gas loads of the first inner ring flame holes 331 and the second inner ring flame holes 321 are independently controlled, the temperatures of the flames ejected from the first inner ring flame holes 331 and the second inner ring flame holes 321 can be independently controlled, and then the temperature region distribution formed during the gas combustion of the inner ring burner cap 30 can be made more uniform. Especially when heating the food in the middle of the cookware, the heating efficiency is better, preventing the problem of local sticking of the cookware caused by uneven temperature at the bottom of the cookware.
[0059] Since the gas mixture of the first inner ring flame holes 331 and the second inner ring flame holes 321 can be controlled separately, the first inner ring flame holes 331 can be made smaller, and thus, in the state of extremely small flame combustion, the formed flame is smaller, having better use effects.
[0060] When the inner ring flame cover 30 is in the state of small flame combustion, the size of the flame formed by the first inner ring flame holes 331 and the second inner ring flame holes 321 of the inner ring flame cover 30 is more controllable, and thus, in the state of small flame combustion, the heating temperature is more controllable.
[0061] Please refer to Figure 1 and Figure 2 In an embodiment of the present invention, a flame stabilizing hole 341 communicating with the central cavity 36 is provided on the top cover 33. The flame stabilizing hole 341 is used to reduce the air pressure at the first inner ring flame holes 331 to prevent the first inner ring flame holes 331 from lifting off due to excessive air pressure. Since the first inner ring flame holes 331 communicate with the central cavity 36, and the central cavity 36 and the inner ring gas cavity 35 have independent gas input channels, the flame stabilizing hole 341 can be used to reduce the air pressure in the central cavity 36, making the flame generated by the injection of the first inner ring flame holes 331 more stable.
[0062] The flame stabilizing holes 341 can be arranged at intervals along the outer periphery of the top cover 33 so that the first inner ring flame holes 331 are in a uniform combustion state. Or the flame stabilizing holes 341 can be annularly distributed on the outer periphery of the first inner ring flame holes 331 to form a pressure dividing state.
[0063] Optionally, in this embodiment, the top cover 33 is movably installed on the outer ring wall 32, and flame teeth 34 are provided at intervals along the circumferences of the top cover 33 and / or the outer ring wall 32. The flame stabilizing holes 341 are formed between adjacent flame teeth 34. The flame teeth 34 are arranged at intervals, and there are gaps for the airflow to flow between adjacent flame teeth 34.
[0064] Taking the example that the flame teeth 34 are arranged on the end face of the top cover 33 facing the outer ring wall 32, the flame teeth 34 are circumferentially arranged at intervals on the end face of the top cover 33 facing the outer ring wall 32. One end of the flame teeth 34 away from the top cover 33 is connected to the outer ring wall 32 to keep the top cover 33 in a stable state. The airflow flows from the central cavity 36 to the flame stabilizing holes 341 formed between adjacent flame teeth 34.
[0065] By forming the flame stabilizing holes 341 with adjacent ones of the flame teeth 34, it is possible to form a strip-shaped air flow outlet with adjacent ones of the flame teeth 34. When the air flow outputs from the flame stabilizing holes 341, it can reduce the air pressure in the central cavity 36 without affecting the first inner ring flame holes 331. Furthermore, it can make the flame formed by the jet combustion of the first inner ring flame holes 331 more stable and not prone to flame lift-off. In the state where the inner ring flame cover 30 is in a very small flame combustion state, the stability of the flame jetted from the first inner ring flame holes 331 is higher.
[0066] Optionally in this embodiment, a flow guiding wall 37 is provided at one end of the inner ring wall 31 close to the top cover 33, and one end of the flow guiding wall 37 away from the inner ring wall 31 is connected to the outer ring wall 32; the flow guiding wall 37, the inner ring wall 31, and the outer ring wall 32 enclose to form the inner ring gas cavity 35, and a flow guiding surface 371 for guiding the air flow in the central cavity 36 to the flame stabilizing holes 341 is formed on one surface of the flow guiding wall 37 facing away from the inner ring gas cavity 35.
[0067] When manufacturing the inner ring flame cover 30, the flow guiding wall 37, the inner ring wall 31, and the outer ring wall 32 can be integrally formed. The flow guiding wall 37 is used to close one end of the inner ring gas cavity 35 close to the top cover 33. The flow guiding wall 37 is inclined. When the air flow flows along the inner ring wall 31, under the action of the flow guiding surface 371, it can flow towards the flame stabilizing holes 341, so that the flame formed by the jet combustion of the first inner ring flame holes 331 is more stable. When the air flow flows along the central cavity 36, the air flow close to the inner wall of the inner ring wall 31 gradually flows towards the flame stabilizing holes 341 along the surface of the inner ring wall 31 and the flow guiding surface 371, while the air flow close to the middle of the central cavity 36 concentrates and flows towards the direction of the first inner ring flame holes 331. The air flow is not prone to turbulent flow near the inner ring flame cover 30. Furthermore, it can make the air flow output in a stable state. When the air flow outputs from the first inner ring flame holes 331, problems such as unstable air pressure or uneven air flow are not likely to occur. Furthermore, the stability of the flame can be improved.
[0068] Due to the reduction of the airflow turbulence, the airflow can be in a stable state when output, and then the gas can be better mixed with air after being output from the first inner ring flame holes 331, which helps to improve the combustion efficiency of the gas. By outputting the gas in a stable state, the flame distribution of the jet combustion of the first inner ring flame holes 331 can be made more uniform, and then the combustion can be more uniform, avoiding the problem of local sticking of the cookware due to uneven combustion. The flame stabilizing holes 341 can reduce the gas pressure in the central cavity 36 to a certain extent, and the gas pressure of the first inner ring flame holes 331 can also be kept stable, avoiding flame lift-off, so that the inner ring burner cover 30 can have a uniform combustion state under the state of extremely low-fire combustion, which helps to improve the cooking efficiency and cooking quality.
[0069] Taking the state shown in Figure 2 as an example, the distance between one end of the flow guiding wall 37 close to the inner ring wall 31 and the top cover 33 is greater than the distance between one end of the flow guiding wall 37 close to the outer ring wall 32 and the top cover 33, and the flow guiding wall 37 has an inclined upward structure.
[0070] Under the action of the flow guiding wall 37, the airflow entering the inner ring gas cavity 35 can flow along the flow guiding wall 37 towards the direction of the second inner ring flame holes 321, realizing the diversion of the airflow, and then avoiding the occurrence of turbulence due to the violent turning of the airflow in the inner ring gas cavity 35. The uniformity and stability of the flame formed by the jet combustion of the airflow from the second inner ring flame holes 321 can be higher, which helps to improve the cooking quality.
[0071] In order to facilitate the installation of the thermocouple on the inner ring burner cover 30, optionally in this embodiment, a through hole 372 is provided on the flow guiding wall 37. One end of the through hole 372 communicates with the inner ring gas cavity 35, and the other end faces the top cover 33. The through hole 372 is used for the thermocouple to pass through, so that the thermocouple protrudes from the inner ring gas cavity 35 to the top cover 33. The thermocouple penetrates through the inner ring gas cavity 35 and the through hole 372 and extends to the top cover 33. Since the flow guiding wall 37 is an inclined surface, the thermocouple penetrates through the flow guiding wall 37 through the through hole 372.
[0072] For the convenience of the installation of the top cover 33, optionally in this embodiment, one of the outer ring wall 32 and the top cover 33 is provided with a groove 322, and the other of them is provided with the flame teeth 34. The flame teeth 34 are embedded in the groove 322, and a flame stabilizing groove communicating the flame stabilizing holes 341 with the circumferential side of the outer ring wall 32 is formed between the end faces of the top cover 33 and the outer ring wall 32 facing each other.
[0073] When the fire teeth 34 are inserted into the groove 322, the top cover 33 cannot move radially relative to the outer ring wall 32. Taking the fire teeth 34 being arranged on one end face of the top cover 33 facing the outer ring wall 32 and the groove 322 being arranged on the outer ring wall 32 as an example, when the fire teeth 34 are inserted into the groove 322, there is a gap between the top cover 33 and the outer ring wall 32. The stable flame holes 341 are formed between adjacent fire teeth 34, and the gap between the top cover 33 and the outer ring wall 32 forms the stable flame groove. The air flow is transported from the central cavity 36 to the stable flame groove through the stable flame holes 341. The stable flame groove communicates with the stable flame holes 341 and the periphery of the outer ring wall 32, so that the air flow output from the stable flame groove does not interfere with the first inner ring fire holes 331, which helps to improve the stability of the jet combustion flame of the first inner ring fire holes 331.
[0074] By arranging the groove 322 to cooperate with the fire teeth 34, when the top cover 33 is installed on the outer ring wall 32, the top cover 33 remains stable relative to the outer ring wall 32. When it is necessary to clean the inner ring fire cover 30, the top cover 33 can be removed for cleaning. Since the stable flame groove is arranged on the periphery of the outer ring wall 32, the soup overflowing during the cooking process is not likely to cause blockage of the stable flame holes 341.
[0075] Based on the above inner ring fire cover 30, the present invention proposes an embodiment of a burner.
[0076] Please refer to Figure 3 、 Figure 4 and Figure 5 As shown in, the burner includes the inner ring fire cover 30 and the gas distribution plate 10 as described in any of the above embodiments. The inner ring fire cover 30 is installed on the gas distribution plate 10. The gas distribution plate 10 is provided with a first air inlet 13 and a second air inlet 14. The inner ring gas cavity 35 of the inner ring fire cover 30 is communicated with the first air inlet 13, and the central cavity 36 of the inner ring fire cover 30 is communicated with the second air inlet 14.
[0077] The inner ring fire cover 30 is installed on the gas distribution plate 10. The gas distribution plate 10 has two air flow input channels. One air flow input channel is communicated with the first air inlet 13, and the other air flow input channel is communicated with the second air inlet 14. Among them, the air flow entering the first air inlet 13 enters the inner ring gas cavity 35 and is transported to the second inner ring fire holes 321; the air flow entering the second air inlet 14 enters the central cavity 36 and is transported to the first inner ring fire holes 331.
[0078] The gas distribution plate 10 includes: an outer plate body 11, an outer ring gas chamber 111 is formed on the outer plate body 11, an outer ring burner cap 20 is provided on the outer plate body 11, and outer ring fire holes communicating with the outer ring gas chamber 111 are provided on the outer ring burner cap 20; and an inner plate body 12, an inner ring burner cap 30 is arranged on the inner plate body 12, the outer plate body 11 is annularly arranged outside the inner plate body 12, the inner plate body 12 forms a first air inlet 13 and a second air inlet 14, an inner ring gas chamber 35 of the inner ring burner cap 30 is communicated with the first air inlet 13, a central chamber 36 of the inner ring burner cap 30 is communicated with the second air inlet 14, and the outer ring gas chamber 111 is communicated with the first air inlet 13.
[0079] The outer plate body 11 is annular, the inner plate body 12 is arranged at the annular center of the outer plate body 11, and the inner plate body 12 and the outer plate body 11 are connected to each other through the support part 15 to form an integral structure.
[0080] The outer plate body 11 is used for installing the outer ring burner cap 20, and the outer ring gas chamber is formed inside the outer plate body 11. The air flow channel 16 is provided inside the support part 15 so that the support part 15 is of a hollow structure. The annular partition 121 is of a hollow cylindrical structure. One end of the annular partition 121 is connected to the inner wall of the inner plate body 12, and the other end is communicated with the second air inlet 14. A second transition gas chamber 123 communicating with the central chamber 36 is formed in the hollow part inside the annular partition 121, and a first transition gas chamber 122 is formed between the outer wall of the annular partition 121 and the inner wall of the inner plate body 12.
[0081] The gas entering the inner plate body 12 from the first air inlet 13 enters the first transition gas chamber 122. Part of the gas inside the first transition gas chamber 122 enters the outer ring gas chamber through the air flow channel 16 to provide gas for the outer ring fire holes 21; part of the air flow enters the inner ring gas chamber 35 through the through holes on the inner plate body 12 to provide gas for the second inner ring fire holes 321. The gas entering the inner plate body 12 from the second air inlet 14 enters the central chamber 36 through the second transition gas chamber 123 to provide gas for the first inner ring fire holes 331 and the flame stabilizing holes 341.
[0082] Since the inner ring burner cap 30 of the burner has two independent air flow input channels, and the first inner ring burner holes 331 are provided on the top cover 33, the flame formed by the injection of the first inner ring burner holes 331 can maintain a stable state, and the flame formed by the injection of the second inner ring burner holes 321 does not affect the flame of the first inner ring burner holes 331. When the burner is in the extremely low fire burning state, it is convenient to control the air pressure of the first inner ring burner holes 331 so that the first inner ring burner holes 331 can maintain a stable state, thereby realizing the flame stability during extremely low fire burning.
[0083] Please refer to Figure 3 and Figure 5 , the outer ring burner cap 20 is annular, and the inner ring burner cap 30 is arranged in the middle of the air distribution plate 10 so that the inner ring burner cap 30 and the outer ring burner cap 20 are coaxially arranged. The outer ring burner holes 21 are through holes provided on the outer ring burner cap 20, and the air distribution plate 10 has an air flow transmission channel communicating with the outer ring burner holes 21. Part of the air flow input from the first air inlet 13 is transported to the inner ring gas chamber 35, and part is transported to the outer ring burner holes 21 through the outer ring gas chamber 111.
[0084] Air flows into the air distribution plate 10 through the first air inlet 13 and the second air inlet 14 respectively. Among them, the air flow entering the second air inlet 14 enters the central chamber 36 for supplying air to the first inner ring burner holes 331 and the flame stabilizing holes 341. The air flow entering the first air inlet 13 is respectively transported to the inner ring gas chamber 35 and the outer ring burner cap 20.
[0085] When using the burner, the flames formed by the injection and combustion of the first inner ring burner holes 331 and the second inner ring burner holes 321 of the inner ring burner cap 30 act on the bottom of the cookware, and the flames formed by the injection and combustion of the outer ring burner holes 21 can act on the parts near the outer periphery of the cookware. When it is necessary to reduce the flame intensity of the burner, the air flow rate of the first air inlet 13 can be reduced. At this time, it does not affect the second air inlet 14.
[0086] Since the air flow of the first inner ring burner holes 331 is input from the second air inlet 14, when it is necessary to make the burner in the extremely low fire burning state, adjusting the outer ring burner holes 21 and the second inner ring burner holes 321 does not affect the first inner ring burner holes 331, and the air pressure of the gas injected by the first inner ring burner holes 331 can be kept stable, so that the burner can have an appropriate gas supply in the extremely low fire burning state and can also maintain a stable burning state in the extremely low fire state. By controlling the gas input pressure of the second air inlet 14, the air pressure of the first inner ring burner holes 331 can be made as small as possible, so that the flame of the burner in the extremely low fire burning state is smaller.
[0087] Since the gas of the second inner ring fire hole 321 is input from the first air inlet 13, when adjusting the air pressure input from the first air inlet 13, the combustion state of the second inner ring fire hole 321 can be adjusted simultaneously. When it is necessary to make the burner in a small-fire combustion state, the air pressure of the first air inlet 13 can be adjusted separately, or the air pressure of the second air inlet 14 can be adjusted separately. When adjusting the air pressure of the second air inlet 14, on the premise that the first inner ring fire hole 331 maintains stable combustion, the flame combustion intensity of the burner can be reduced, so that the burner can be more stable in the small-fire state. When the second air inlet 14 maintains a stable input state, since the first inner ring fire hole 331 is arranged on the top cover 33, the first inner ring fire hole 331 can be directly opposite to the middle part of the bottom surface of the cookware, and thus the food in the middle of the cookware can be heated intensively.
[0088] In the state where there is less food in the cookware, the food usually concentrates at the center of the bottom of the cookware. Since the second inner ring fire hole 321 is arranged on the outer ring wall 32, when the air pressure of the first air inlet 13 is reduced, the air pressure of the second inner ring fire hole 321 is reduced, and the burner is in a state where the combustion temperature in the middle is the highest and the temperature gradually decreases from the inside to the outside, so that the center of the bottom surface of the cookware can be heated intensively. Since the heat gradually radiates to the outer periphery of the cookware, the bottom surface of the cookware is heated more evenly, and rapid heating in the small-fire state can be achieved, accelerating the cooking efficiency; since the heat can gradually radiate to the outer periphery of the cookware, the problems that the food at the bottom center position of the existing burner is not cooked and the heat in the annular area near the bottom center part is too high in the small-fire state can be reduced, and the problem of the bottom of the pot being burnt can be avoided.
[0089] Please refer to Figure 6 and Figure 7 In an embodiment of the present invention, the inside of the inner disk body 12 is hollow, the inner disk body 12 is provided with an annular partition 121, a first transition gas cavity 122 is formed between the annular partition 121 and the inner wall of the inner disk body 12, and a second transition gas cavity 123 communicating with the second air inlet 14 is formed inside the annular partition 121; the inner ring fire cover 30 is installed on the inner disk body 12, the central cavity 36 of the inner ring fire cover 30 communicates with the second transition gas cavity 123, and the inner disk body 12 is provided with an air flow hole communicating the first transition gas cavity 122 and the inner ring gas cavity 35 of the inner ring fire cover 30; the first air inlet 13 is formed on the inner disk body 12 and communicates with the first transition gas cavity 122.
[0090] Since the annular partition plate 121 partitions the interior of the inner disk body 12, the first transition gas chamber 122 and the second transition gas chamber 123 are formed inside the inner disk body 12, realizing the sub-region input of gas. After the gas enters the inner disk body 12, it can be divided into three streams for output, realizing the diversion of gas.
[0091] The annular partition plate 121 can be integrally formed with the inner disk body 12. When installing the inner ring burner cap 30, the inner ring wall 31 of the inner ring burner cap 30 can be inserted into the interior of the annular partition plate 121, so that the central chamber 36 is communicated with the second transition gas chamber 123, and the outer wall of the inner ring wall 31 is attached to the inner wall of the annular partition plate 121 to form a continuous gas flow path, preventing the inner ring burner cap 30 from unnecessary movement; one end of the annular partition plate 121 away from the inner ring wall 31 serves as the second air inlet 14 of the gas distribution plate 10 for inputting gas to the first inner ring burner holes 331.
[0092] Since the gas flows into the inner disk body 12 through the first air inlet 13 and the second air inlet 14 respectively, the two gas flows entering the inner disk body 12 are divided into three streams. The second air inlet 14 independently supplies gas to the second transition gas chamber 123, so that the gas supply pressure of the first inner ring burner holes 331 can be kept stable, enabling it to maintain a stable combustion state even in the extremely low fire state. When adjusting the gas flow rate of the first air inlet 13, the gas supply pressure of the second inner ring burner holes 321 can be adjusted simultaneously without affecting the gas supply pressure of the first inner ring burner holes 331. Thus, the burner can be quickly switched to the extremely low fire state for combustion, improving the controllability of the combustion state of the burner.
[0093] Optionally, in this embodiment, the gas distribution plate further includes a support portion 15. The support portion 15 is disposed between the inner disk body 12 and the outer disk body 11. An air flow channel 16 communicating the first transition gas chamber 122 and the outer ring gas chamber is formed inside the support portion 15; the outer disk body 11, the support portion 15 and the inner disk body 12 can form an integral structure. When the outer ring burner cap 20 is installed on the outer disk body 11, the flame formed by the outer ring burner cap 20 is independent of the flame formed by the inner ring burner cap 30, thereby making the burner in a uniform heating state. The support portions 15 are multiple and are spaced apart. A secondary air inlet for supplying secondary air into the burner can be formed between adjacent support portions 15.
[0094] In order to prevent the inner ring burner cap 30 from shifting, optionally in this embodiment, one of the inner disc body 12 and the outer ring wall 32 of the inner ring burner cap 30 is provided with a protruding portion 124, and the other is provided with a limiting groove 323, and the protruding portion 124 is embedded in the limiting groove 323. The limiting groove 323 and the protruding portion 124 cooperate to seal the gap between the outer ring wall 32 and the inner disc body 12. After the protruding portion 124 is embedded in the limiting groove 323, the inner ring burner cap 30 cannot move relative to the inner disc body 12, thereby preventing the inner ring burner cap 30 from being misaligned.
[0095] Based on the above inner ring burner cap 30, the present invention proposes another embodiment of a burner.
[0096] Please refer to Figure 8 , the burner includes an air distribution disc 10, an outer ring burner cap 20, and the inner ring burner cap 30 as described in any one of the above; the inner ring burner cap 30 and the outer ring burner cap 20 are installed on the air distribution disc 10, the air distribution disc 10 is provided with a first air inlet 13 and a second air inlet 14, the central cavity 36 of the inner ring burner cap 30 is communicated with the first air inlet 13, the inner ring gas cavity 35 of the inner ring burner cap 30 is communicated with the second air inlet 14, and the outer ring burner holes 21 communicating with the first air inlet 13 are provided on the outer ring burner cap 20.
[0097] The air distribution disc 10 includes: an outer disc body 11, the outer disc body 11 forms an outer ring gas cavity 111, the outer ring burner cap 20 is provided on the outer disc body 11, and the outer ring burner holes 21 communicating with the outer ring gas cavity 111 are provided on the outer ring burner cap 10; and an inner disc body 12, the inner ring burner cap 30 is arranged on the inner disc body 12, the outer disc body 11 is arranged outside the inner disc body 12, the inner disc body 12 forms the first air inlet 13 and the second air inlet 14, the inner ring gas cavity 35 of the inner ring burner cap 30 is communicated with the first air inlet 13, the central cavity 36 of the inner ring burner cap 30 is communicated with the second air inlet 14, and the outer ring gas cavity 111 is communicated with the first air inlet 13.
[0098] Please refer to Figure 9 and Figure 10 , the air distribution disc 10 has two independent air flow input channels. Among them, the air flow entering the air distribution disc 10 from the first air inlet 13, part of it enters the central cavity 36 for supplying gas to the first inner ring burner holes 331, and part of it is transported to the outer ring burner cap 20 for supplying gas to the outer ring burner holes 21. The air flow entering the air distribution disc 10 from the second air inlet 14 directly enters the inner ring gas cavity 35 of the inner ring burner cap 30 for supplying gas to the second inner ring burner holes 321.
[0099] Since the first air inlet 13 supplies gas to both the first inner-ring flame holes 331 and the outer-ring flame holes 21, and the gas supply to the second inner-ring flame holes 321 is independent of that to the first inner-ring flame holes 331, the air pressure of the first inner-ring flame holes 331 can be kept stable and adjustable. Consequently, the flame ejected from the first inner-ring flame holes 331 can be maintained in a stable state. When the burner is in the extremely low-fire combustion state, the flame ejected from the first inner-ring flame holes 331 can also remain stable.
[0100] Since the second air inlet 14 supplies gas to the inner-ring gas chamber 35, when adjusting the flame of the second inner-ring flame holes 321, it has no impact on the combustion of the first inner-ring flame holes 331. When the burner is in the low-fire state, the first inner-ring flame holes 331 and the second inner-ring flame holes 321 can be adjusted independently. Since the first inner-ring flame holes 331 and the second inner-ring flame holes 321 are supplied with gas independently, the first inner-ring flame holes 331 and the second inner-ring flame holes 321 can maintain a stable combustion state. In the low-fire combustion state, the first inner-ring flame holes 331 and the second inner-ring flame holes 321 can form stable flames, enabling the burner to form a stable and uniform heating area at the center and near the center of the bottom of the cookware, avoiding the problem of the cookware being burned due to uneven temperature in the low-fire state of the existing burner.
[0101] For the convenience of supplying gas to the outer-ring flame holes 21, in this embodiment, the outer-ring gas chamber is used to form a chamber for accommodating gas. The air flow only enters the outer-ring gas chamber from the first air inlet 13 and is ejected from the outer-ring flame holes 21 to form an outer-ring flame. The outer-ring gas chamber can form a pressurizing space for the outer-ring gas, so that the gas can be ejected and output in a uniform state, thereby enhancing the stability of the outer-ring flame.
[0102] Please refer to Figure 9 and Figure 10 , optionally in this embodiment, the interior of the inner disk body 12 is hollow. The inner disk body 12 is provided with an annular partition 121. A first transitional gas chamber 122 is formed between the annular partition 121 and the inner wall of the inner disk body 12. A second transitional gas chamber 123 communicating with the second air inlet 14 is formed inside the annular partition 121; the inner-ring gas chamber 35 of the inner-ring flame cover 30 is communicated with the second transitional gas chamber 123, and the central chamber 36 of the inner-ring flame cover 30 is communicated with the first transitional gas chamber 122; the first air inlet 13 is formed on the inner disk body 12 and is communicated with the first transitional gas chamber 122.
[0103] The annular partition plate 121 is installed inside the inner disk body 12 and is hollow inside to form the second transitional gas chamber 123. The second transitional gas chamber 123 is used to connect the inner ring gas chamber 35 and the first air inlet 13. The gas entering the inner disk body 12 enters the second transitional gas chamber 123 from the first air inlet 13 and is transported to the inner ring gas chamber 35 to supply gas to the second inner ring flame holes 321. The annular partition plate 121 can be integrally formed with the inner disk body 12.
[0104] A first transitional gas chamber 122 is formed between the outer wall of the annular partition plate 121 and the inner wall of the inner disk body 12. The first transitional gas chamber 122 is simultaneously connected to the outer ring gas chamber 111 and the central chamber 36 and is used to supply gas to the first inner ring flame holes 331 and the outer ring flame holes 21.
[0105] Optionally in this embodiment, the gas distribution disk further includes a support portion 15. The support portion 15 is arranged between the inner disk body 12 and the outer disk body 11. An air flow channel 16 communicating the first transitional gas chamber 122 and the outer ring gas chamber is formed inside the support portion 15.
[0106] The outer disk body 11 is of an annular structure. The inner disk body 12 is arranged inside the outer disk body 11. The support portion 15 is used to connect the outer disk body 11 and the inner disk body 12 to form the overall structure of the gas distribution disk 10. The outer disk body 11, the support portion 15 and the inner disk body 12 can adopt an integrally formed structure. The first air inlet 13 and the second air inlet 14 are both integrated on the inner disk body 12 to facilitate the installation of the intake pipeline.
[0107] To facilitate the mutual connection between the first transitional gas chamber 122 and the central hole, optionally in this embodiment, a gas guide pipe 40 communicating the first transitional gas chamber 122 is provided on the inner disk body 12. The gas guide pipe 40 is connected to the inner ring wall 31. The gas guide pipe 40 can be integrally processed with the inner disk body 12. The gas guide pipe 40 is used to support the inner ring wall 31. The inner ring wall 31 can be inserted into the gas guide pipe 40 so that a communicating gas path is formed between the central chamber 36 and the inside of the gas guide pipe 40. By providing the gas guide pipe 40, the positioning of the inner ring fire cover 30 can be conveniently realized, and the inner ring fire cover 30 can be kept in a stable state with the inner disk body 12.
[0108] When manufacturing the gas distribution disk 10, a structure for sealing with the outer ring wall 32 can be provided on the inner disk body 12 so that the connection between the outer ring wall 32 and the inner disk body 12 remains in a sealed state.
[0109] Based on the above burner, the present invention provides an embodiment of a gas stove, and the gas stove includes the burner described in any one of the above.
[0110] The above are only optional embodiments of the present invention, and do not limit the patent scope of the present invention. Any equivalent structural transformation made by using the content of the specification and drawings of the present invention under the inventive concept of the present invention, or any direct / indirect application in other related technical fields is included in the patent protection scope of the present invention.
Claims
1. An inner ring burner cap, characterized in that, Comprising: Top cover; Inner ring wall, connected to the top cover, a central cavity is formed inside the inner ring wall, and a first inner ring flame hole communicating with the central cavity is provided on the top cover; And Outer ring wall, connected to the top cover, there is a gap between the inner ring wall and the outer ring wall, an inner ring gas cavity is formed by enclosing the inner ring wall, the outer ring wall and the top cover, and a second inner ring flame hole communicating with the inner ring gas cavity is provided on the outer ring wall, and the second inner ring flame holes are arranged at intervals along the circumferential direction of the outer ring wall; A flame stabilizing hole communicating with the central cavity is provided on the top cover; A flow guiding wall is provided at one end of the inner ring wall close to the top cover, and one end of the flow guiding wall away from the inner ring wall is connected to the outer ring wall; The flow guiding wall, the inner ring wall and the outer ring wall enclose to form the inner ring gas cavity, and a flow guiding surface for guiding the air flow in the central cavity to the flame stabilizing hole is formed on one side surface of the flow guiding wall facing away from the inner ring gas cavity.
2. The inner ring burner cap according to claim 1, characterized in that, The top cover is movably installed on the outer ring wall, and flame teeth are arranged at intervals along their respective circumferences on the top cover and / or the outer ring wall, and the flame stabilizing holes are formed between adjacent flame teeth.
3. The inner ring burner cap according to claim 1, characterized in that, A through hole is provided on the flow guiding wall, one end of the through hole communicates with the inner ring gas cavity, and the other end faces the top cover. The through hole is used for a thermocouple to pass through, so that the thermocouple protrudes from the inner ring gas cavity to the top cover.
4. The inner ring burner cap according to claim 3, characterized in that, One of the outer ring wall and the top cover is provided with a groove, and the other is provided with flame teeth. The flame teeth are embedded in the groove, and a flame stabilizing groove communicating the flame stabilizing hole with the circumferential side of the outer ring wall is formed between the end faces of the top cover and the outer ring wall facing each other.
5. A burner, characterized in that, Comprising the inner ring fire cap and the gas distributing plate according to any one of claims 1 to 4, the gas distributing plate comprising: Outer disk body, an outer ring gas cavity is formed on the outer disk body, an outer ring fire cap is provided on the outer disk body, and an outer ring flame hole communicating with the outer ring gas cavity is provided on the outer ring fire cap; and Inner disk body, the inner ring fire cap is arranged on the inner disk body, the outer disk body is arranged outside the inner disk body, the inner disk body is formed with a first air inlet and a second air inlet, the inner ring gas cavity of the inner ring fire cap is communicated with the first air inlet, the central cavity of the inner ring fire cap is communicated with the second air inlet, and the outer ring gas cavity is communicated with the first air inlet.
6. The burner according to claim 5, characterized in that, The inside of the inner disk body is hollow, the inner disk body is provided with an annular partition, a first transition gas cavity is formed between the annular partition and the inner wall of the inner disk body, and a second transition gas cavity communicated with the second air inlet is formed inside the annular partition; The central cavity of the inner ring fire cap is communicated with the second transition gas cavity, and an air flow hole communicating the first transition gas cavity and the inner ring gas cavity of the inner ring fire cap is provided on the inner disk body; The first air inlet is formed on the inner disk body and communicated with the first transition gas cavity.
7. The burner according to claim 6, characterized in that, The gas distributing plate further comprises a support part, the support part is arranged between the inner disk body and the outer disk body, and an air flow channel communicating the first transition gas cavity and the outer ring gas cavity is formed inside the support part.
8. The burner according to claim 6, characterized in that, One end of the inner ring wall of the inner ring fire cap away from the top cover is embedded in the annular partition.
9. The burner according to claim 5, characterized in that, One of the inner disk body and the outer ring wall of the inner ring burner cap is provided with a protruding portion, and the other is provided with a limiting groove, and the protruding portion is embedded in the limiting groove.
10. A burner, characterized in that, It includes an air distribution disk, an outer ring burner cap, and an inner ring burner cap according to any one of claims 1 to 4. The inner ring burner cap and the outer ring burner cap are installed on the air distribution disk, and the air distribution disk includes: An outer disk body, an outer ring gas chamber is formed in the outer disk body, the outer ring burner cap is arranged on the outer disk body, and outer ring fire holes communicating with the outer ring gas chamber are arranged on the outer ring burner cap; An inner disk body, the inner ring burner cap is arranged on the inner disk body, the outer disk body is arranged around the outside of the inner disk body, the inner disk body has a first air inlet and a second air inlet, the central chamber of the inner ring burner cap is communicated with the first air inlet, the inner ring gas chamber of the inner ring burner cap is communicated with the second air inlet, and the outer ring gas chamber is communicated with the first air inlet.
11. The burner according to claim 10, characterized in that, The inside of the inner disk body is hollow, the inner disk body is provided with an annular partition, and a first transition gas chamber is formed between the annular partition and the inner wall of the inner disk body, and a second transition gas chamber communicating with the second air inlet is formed inside the annular partition; The inner ring gas chamber of the inner ring burner cap is communicated with the second transition gas chamber, and the central chamber of the inner ring burner cap is communicated with the first transition gas chamber; The first air inlet is formed on the inner disk body and communicated with the first transition gas chamber.
12. The burner according to claim 11, characterized in that, The air distribution disk further includes a support portion, the support portion is arranged between the inner disk body and the outer disk body, and an air flow channel communicating the first transition gas chamber and the outer ring gas chamber is formed in the support portion.
13. The burner according to claim 11, characterized in that, A gas guide pipe communicating with the first transition gas chamber is arranged on the inner disk body, and the gas guide pipe is connected to the inner ring wall.
14. A gas cooker, characterized in that, The gas cooker includes a burner according to any one of claims 5 to 13.
Citation Information
Patent Citations
Burner and gas stove with burner
CN109268831A
Burner fire cover for gas stove and burner with same
CN111121019A
Inner ring fire cover, combustor and gas stove
CN212511139U