Flame appreciation apparatus

Abstract

To provide a compact flame appreciation apparatus capable of broadening a selection range of installation places, and generating a flame capable of enhancing relaxation effects.SOLUTION: A flame appreciation apparatus has a burner 40 that releases gas into an inner space of a housing having a transparent portion, wherein a flame generated by burning the gas is appreciated through the transparent portion. The gas is supplied from a detachable cassette gas cylinder. The burner 40 includes: a burner head 43 having a flame outlet portion 42 for releasing the gas into the inner space; and a burner body 45 having a blowout port 41 for blowing out the gas toward the burner head 43. The burner head 43 has an impacted portion 50 on which the gas blown out from the blowout port 41 collides by being disposed opposite to the blowout port 41, and further has a detour path RD that guides the gas to the flame outlet portion 42 so as to go around the impacted portion 50. The flame outlet portion 42 is formed of a porous member.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a flame viewing device that uses a cassette gas cylinder. [Background technology]

[0002] It has long been known that the flickering flames produced by burning firewood in a fireplace have psychological effects, such as a sense of relaxation, on viewers. However, fireplaces that use firewood are expensive and difficult to maintain. Therefore, there are flame-viewing devices that use fuels other than firewood, such as gas (see, for example, Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2).

[0003] The flame viewing device in Patent Document 1 has a burner that ejects gas, and the gas from the burner is burned in a sealed casing to generate a flame that can be viewed. The device in Patent Document 1 also exhausts the combustion gas outdoors through an exhaust duct to prevent heat damage to walls around the installation location. It also has an air intake duct that supplies outdoor air into the casing to prevent incomplete combustion of the flame.

[0004] However, the device in Patent Document 1 discharges exhaust gases outdoors through an exhaust duct, and also supplies outdoor air into the casing through an air intake duct to prevent incomplete combustion of the flame. This limits the installation location and necessitates a certain degree of size. Furthermore, Patent Document 1 does not mention the flame color, and no special measures are taken. Therefore, the flame is not reddish like that of a fireplace, but is blue when burning regular gas, making it difficult to achieve the same relaxing effect as a fireplace.

[0005] The device in Patent Document 2 is a fireplace-type heater that allows the viewing of flames produced by burning gas. In this heater, too, combustion exhaust is forcibly discharged outdoors via an exhaust duct by an exhaust fan. To produce a yellow flame from the gas combustion flame, Patent Document 2 uses only secondary air, without primary air. However, using only secondary air can cause soot to adhere around the flame nozzle, potentially causing the nozzle to become clogged with soot. Therefore, Patent Document 2 forcibly supplies secondary air using a fan, and an upward guide is provided to guide the secondary air above the flame nozzle rather than around it. This allows the secondary air to be blown slightly away from the flame nozzle, forming a flame at a distance from the nozzle.

[0006] However, Patent Document 2 uses various fans and exhausts combustion exhaust to the outside through an exhaust duct, which limits installation locations and necessitates a certain degree of size. Furthermore, in Patent Document 2, the secondary air forcefully blown by the fan is rectified by an upward guide, which suppresses the flame fluctuation, making it difficult to generate a soft, flickering flame like that of a fireplace, and thus fails to fully achieve the relaxing effect. Furthermore, because it is difficult to create a fireplace-like flame, artificial firewood is installed, but this still looks unnatural. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0007] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 5394880 [Patent Document 2] Patent No. 4554506 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0008] An object of the present invention is to provide a flame viewing device that is small, can be installed in a wide range of locations, and can generate a flame that enhances the relaxing effect. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] According to the present invention, the above problem is solved by a flame observation device which has a housing with a transparent part and a burner which emits gas into the internal space of the housing, and which allows the flame produced by burning the gas to be observed through the transparent part, wherein the gas is supplied from a detachable cassette gas cylinder, the burner comprises a burner head having a flame nozzle part which emits the gas into the internal space, and a burner body having an outlet on the burner head side which blows out the gas, the burner head being arranged opposite the outlet so as to have a collision part with which the gas blown out from the outlet collides, and also has a detour which leads the gas around the collision part to the flame nozzle part, and the flame nozzle part is made of a porous material.

[0010] With this configuration, the flames from the gas combustion inside can be viewed through the transparent part of the housing. Furthermore, since gas is supplied using a portable cassette gas cylinder, the device can be made compact and easily moved, allowing for a wider range of installation locations. The burner head is also arranged opposite the outlet and has a collision target on which the gas blown out from the outlet collides. This allows the gas flow rate to be reduced. Furthermore, the burner head has a detour that guides the gas around the collision target to the flame nozzle, thereby reducing the gas flow rate by the amount of detour. Then, by dividing this gas flow with a porous member, the gas can be diffused through the pores of the porous material, creating a fluctuating flame, i.e., a flame that enhances the relaxing effect.

[0011] Preferably, the detour path has a first detour path and a second detour path through which the mixture flows in opposite directions, and the gas in the first detour path and the gas in the second detour path collide directly below the flame mouth portion. As a result, the gas in the first detour and the gas in the second detour, which have flowed in opposite directions, approach each other and collide again, further slowing the gas flow rate just below the flame mouth and allowing the flame to flicker more effectively.

[0012] Preferably, the first detour has a first approach flow path which is a flow path through which the gas approaches the second detour after going around one end of the impacted portion, and the second detour has a second approach flow path which is a flow path through which the gas approaches the first detour after going around the other end of the impacted portion, the first approach flow path and the second approach flow path being on the same straight line, and the flame mouth portion extending along the first approach flow path and the second approach flow path. In this case, the first approach passage leading to the second detour of the first detour and the second approach passage leading to the first detour of the second detour are aligned in the same line, so the gases collide head-on directly below the flame nozzle, effectively slowing their flow. Furthermore, the gases traveling through the first and second detours do not necessarily have the same velocity. Therefore, depending on the difference in velocity, the gases colliding head-on may be pushed toward the first detour or toward the second detour. In this situation, the flame nozzle extends along the first and second approach passages, allowing the gas to be released from the elongated flame nozzle while flickering in the direction of its extension. This creates a soft, flickering flame, similar to that of a fireplace, providing a highly relaxing effect.

[0013] Preferably, the burner is set so that the flame is incomplete combustion, and the CO% of carbon monoxide generated by the incomplete combustion does not remain above 0.02% for three hours. This allows for incomplete combustion, resulting in a reddish flame that is more similar to that of a fireplace. While incomplete combustion generates carbon monoxide, the carbon monoxide concentration (CO%) is set to not exceed 0.02% for more than three hours, preventing adverse effects on the human body, such as headaches. In other words, devices capable of supplying gas for long periods of time pose the problem of carbon monoxide, requiring the installation of an exhaust duct to release the exhaust gas outdoors. However, by using a cassette gas cylinder with a limited capacity and a maximum burning time of approximately three hours, as in the present invention, it is possible to create a reddish flame without the problem of carbon monoxide, even without the installation of an exhaust duct.

[0014] Preferably, the porous member has a mesh structure and is made up of a plurality of layers, and the mesh positions of a first layer and a second layer among the plurality of layers are offset from each other in a plan view. In this way, when the porous member is mesh-like (i.e., has a mesh-like structure), a soft flame can be created due to the resistance of the mesh, and since the mesh of the first layer and the mesh of the second layer are misaligned, the resistance to the gas can be increased or divided, allowing the gas to be diffused and released from the flame mouth. [Effects of the Invention]

[0015] As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to provide a flame viewing device that is small, allows for a wide range of installation locations, and can generate flames that enhance the relaxing effect. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0016] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view of the front side of a flame viewing device according to an embodiment of the present invention (flames are shown by dashed lines). [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the rear side of the flame observation device of FIG. 1. [Figure 3] A rear view of the gas supply section and burner area of the flame observation device in Figure 1. [Figure 4] A front view of the burner and its surroundings in the flame observation device in Figure 1. [Figure 5]FIG. 2 is a central longitudinal cross-sectional view of the flame observation device of FIG. 1 taken along the longitudinal direction of the burner. [Figure 6] 2 is a perspective view of the burner of the flame observation device of FIG. 1, with the upper half of the burner head omitted. FIG. [Figure 7] FIG. 2 is a central longitudinal cross-sectional view of the flame observation device of FIG. 1 taken along the width direction. [Figure 8] A modified example of the incense burner and shielding wall of the flame viewing device of Figure 1. [Figure 9] 1. FIG. 4 is a front and top perspective view of a modified example of the flame viewing device of FIG. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a rear perspective view of the flame viewing device of FIG. 9. [Figure 11] FIG. 10 is a front view of the flame viewing device of FIG. [Figure 12] FIG. 10 is a rear view of the flame viewing device of FIG. [Figure 13] FIG. 10 is a plan view of the flame viewing device of FIG. [Figure 14] FIG. 10 is a bottom view of the flame viewing device of FIG. [Figure 15] FIG. 10 is a right side view of the flame viewing device of FIG. [Figure 16] FIG. 10 is a left side view of the flame viewing device of FIG. [Figure 17] Cross section AA of Figure 11. [Figure 18] Enlarged view of parts BB and CC in Figure 9. [Figure 19] 10 is a front and bottom perspective view of the flame viewing device of FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0017] Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. The embodiments described below are preferred examples of the present invention, and therefore various technically preferable limitations are applied. However, the scope of the present invention is not limited to these embodiments unless otherwise specified in the following description to the effect that the present invention is specifically limited. Furthermore, parts with the same reference numerals in the various drawings have the same configuration unless otherwise specified.

[0018] [Purpose of Flame Viewing Device 1] The flame viewing device 1 (hereinafter referred to as "this device 1") according to an embodiment of the present invention is small and light enough to be carried by one person, and its primary purpose is to allow viewers to enjoy the flickering of a fireplace-like flame in a variety of settings, regardless of the installation location, such as in the home, the entrance or guest room of a hotel or restaurant, or outdoors while camping. This fireplace-like flickering of the flame has a relaxing effect on the viewer and can also create a resort-like atmosphere in hotels and other locations. Furthermore, as described below, this device 1 is equipped with an incense burner that utilizes the heat generated by the flame, and the fragrance enhances the relaxing effect. Furthermore, since this device 1 generates considerable heat from the flame, it also has a limited heating effect in the vicinity of this device 1.

[0019] [Overall configuration of the device 1] 1 and 2 includes a housing 10 having transparent portions 17 and 18, a burner 40 that releases gas into the internal space S1 of the housing 10, and a gas supply unit 60 that supplies gas to the burner 40. This allows a flame FR that is generated when the gas released from the burner 40 is ignited within the housing 10 to be viewed through the transparent portions 17 and 18. Note that, in this embodiment, the gas supply unit 60 is disposed inside the housing 10 in consideration of portability and ease of handling, but the present invention is not limited to this and the gas supply unit 60 may be disposed outside the housing 10.

[0020] [Configuration overview of the housing 10] Housing 10 surrounds the entire periphery of flame FR and has a front panel 11, a back panel 12, left and right side panels 13 and 14, a top panel 15, and a bottom panel 16. In the present embodiment, both front panel 11 and back panel 12 have transparent portions 17 and 18, so the front and back are not clearly distinguished, and the side with reference numeral 12 in the figure may be considered the front panel, and the side with reference numeral 11 may be considered the back panel. The housing 10 in the figure is generally rectangular, with a width W of approximately 30 cm, a depth D of approximately 10 cm, and a height H of approximately 30 cm. As such, the housing 10 is smaller than a typical fireplace, and is quite thin, with the depth D being approximately one-third of the width W.

[0021] The front panel 11 shown in FIG. 1 has a lower opaque portion 11A and an upper transparent portion 17. The opaque portion 11A is a hollow double-wall structure formed, for example, by applying a heat-resistant coating to steel. The transparent portion 17 is made of glass, and can be, for example, a known heat-resistant glass for wood stoves with a thickness of about 4 mm that can withstand temperatures of 500°C, but the present invention is not limited to this. This glass may be colorless, but may also have a slight tint, for example, a light gray or warm color, so that the warmth of the flame can be visually conveyed. In other words, the transparent portion 17 referred to in the present invention may be both colored and colorless, as long as it allows the flame inside the housing 10 to be visible from the outside. In addition, the front panel 11 has an edge portion (hereinafter referred to as the "upper front edge portion") 11B above the transparent portion 17, and this upper front edge portion 11B has a heat dissipation port 75 formed therein for dissipating heat from within the housing 10 to the outside.

[0022] 2 also has a lower opaque portion 12A and an upper transparent portion 18. The transparent portion 18 is made of glass with the same configuration as the transparent portion 17 of the front panel 11. The opaque portion 12A is a door that can be opened and closed freely to insert and remove the cassette gas cylinder CB, and when this door is opened, the gas supply unit 60 is exposed. In addition, the back panel 12 has an edge portion (hereinafter referred to as the "upper back edge portion") 12B above the transparent portion 18, and this upper back edge portion 12B also has a heat dissipation port 75 formed therein for dissipating heat from within the housing 10 to the outside.

[0023] 1 and 2 are hollow double-wall structures formed, for example, by applying a heat-resistant coating to steel. There are no transparent portions on the left and right side panels 13, 14. As a result, even if the flame port 42 of the burner 40 is long and slender and the flame FR has no thickness, as will be described later, it is possible to create a voluminous flame by making it visible only from the front and / or back. The left and right side panels 13, 14 also have heat dissipation ports 75 formed at the same height as the upper front edge 11A and the upper back edge 12B (near the boundary with the top panel 15) to dissipate heat from within the housing 10 to the outside. An operating knob (also called an "appliance valve knob") 19 is disposed on the right side panel 13. The operating knob 19 is connected to a known heat source controller 27 used in portable stoves and the like. The heat source controller 27 comprises a flow control valve (not shown) that adjusts the opening and closing of the gas flow path, a governor 62 that is a pressure adjusting device, and the like. As a result, by rotating the operating knob 19, the gas flow rate (including zero) supplied to the burner 40 can be controlled.

[0024] The top plate 15 shown in Fig. 1 is made of, for example, steel with a heat-resistant coating. A through-hole is formed in a part of the top plate 15 (the center in the figure), and an incense burner 83 is removably inserted into the through-hole. The incense burner 83 will be described later. The bottom plate 16 shown in Fig. 2 is also made of, for example, steel with a heat-resistant coating. The bottom plate 16 has a plurality of through holes 21. The through holes 21 are air intakes for taking in primary air needed to generate an air-fuel mixture in the burner 40 and secondary air needed for the flame, and also serve to prevent heat from building up in the gas supply unit 60. Legs 23 are provided at the four corners of the bottom plate 16, making it easier to take in air through the through holes 21.

[0025] [Outline of the configuration of the gas supply unit 60] The gas supply unit 60 shown in FIG. 3 is a part that supplies gas to the burner 40 from an attached cassette gas cylinder (also called a cartridge-type gas cylinder, hereinafter referred to as a "cylinder") CB, and has the heat source controller 27 and the cylinder storage unit 68 described above. A cylinder CB is removably attached to the cylinder housing 68. A known cylinder CB containing compressed liquefied gas can be used as the cylinder CB; for example, a commercially available Iwatani Cassette Gas (trademark) containing approximately 250 g of liquefied butane compressed at a filling pressure of 0.2 MPa can be used. The attached cylinder CB can be connected to the cylinder connector 25. When connected and the operating knob 19 (see FIG. 1) is turned, the compressed gas inside is ejected and supplied to the burner 40 via the heat source controller 27 and gas conduit 67. The cylinder connector 25 is attached and detached from the cylinder CB by a magnet, so that if the cylinder CB is heated and its internal pressure rises abnormally, a safety mechanism will activate and the cylinder will be detached.

[0026] [Outline of the burner 40 configuration] As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the burner 40 includes a burner head 43 having a flame nozzle 42 that discharges a mixture of gas and primary air into the internal space S1, and a burner body 45 having an outlet 41 that blows out the mixture on the burner head 43 side. As described above, gas is ejected from the cylinder CB through the gas conduit 67 into the burner body 45. The downstream end of the burner body 45 has a damper section 45A that takes in primary air into the burner body 45. The burner body 45 has a throat section 45B inside through which a mixture of primary air and gas passes, and an air-fuel mixture chamber 45C provided on the upstream end (tip) side. An outlet 41 that blows out the air-fuel mixture toward the burner head 43 is arranged at the tip of this air-fuel mixture chamber 45C.

[0027] The burner head 43 has a flame port portion 42 in which a large number of holes 32 are formed, and the air-fuel mixture blown out from the outlet 41 of the burner body 45 toward the burner head 43 is released into the internal space S1 through these large number of holes 32. A spark plug 29 and a flame rod 28 are arranged near the flame nozzle 42. A known type can be used for the spark plug 29, and turning the operating knob 19 presses an igniter (not shown), generating a pulse voltage, which causes an electrode to discharge, igniting the gas released from the flame nozzle 42 and generating a flame. A known type can also be used for the flame rod 28, which is a flame detector that flows current when a flame is present and recognizes that the flame has gone out when no current flows.

[0028] The burner 40 is the main burner, and the system also includes a pilot burner 46. The pilot burner 46 does not generate a pilot flame to ignite the main burner, but rather prevents incomplete combustion beyond acceptable limits. Specifically, a gas conduit 67, which conducts gas ejected from a gas cylinder CB, branches into two branches: one branch is supplied to the main burner 40 and the other is supplied to the pilot burner 46. A well-known spark plug 47 is located near the nozzle 46A of the pilot burner 46, igniting the gas ejected from the nozzle 46A to generate a flame. A flame rod 48 is also located opposite the nozzle 46A. When the CO% of carbon monoxide in the housing increases (e.g., CO% is 0.02% or higher) and the oxygen concentration decreases, the combustion speed of the flame output from the pilot burner 46 slows, causing the flame to move away from the nozzle 46A. The flame rod 48 is no longer able to detect the flame, and the solenoid valve (not shown) closes to shut off the gas. In this way, the pilot burner 46 of this embodiment can be said to be an incomplete combustion prevention device that prevents incomplete combustion that would cause the concentration of carbon monoxide to exceed an allowable range.

[0029] It is preferable that such burners 40 and the like are made as difficult to see as possible, and as shown in Figure 1, they have a burner cover 24. Burner cover 24 is ring-shaped and bulges out toward through-hole 24A in the central region. A space S2 is formed between burner cover 24 and burner 40. Space S2 is an intake port for secondary air, and is a hole for supplying air taken in from through-hole 21 (see Figure 2) in bottom plate 16 to flame FR generated above burner 40.

[0030] The device 1 is configured as described above and has the following additional features. Fig. 5 is a central vertical cross-sectional view of the burner 40, and Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the burner 40 with the upper half of the burner head 43 omitted (the dashed arrows indicate the flow of the air-fuel mixture MG). The burner 40 shown in these figures incorporates various features to generate a flickering reddish flame like that of a fireplace.

[0031] [Means for generating red flames] First, to produce a reddish flame (including reddish-yellow), the flame is made to undergo incomplete combustion. Incomplete combustion is achieved not by reducing the amount of secondary air, but by restricting the primary air used to generate the air-fuel mixture MG (including the case where the amount of primary air is zero). In this embodiment, incomplete combustion is achieved by reducing the opening area of the primary air intake 37, which takes in primary air, in the damper section 45A of the burner body 45. As a result, although the flame of a normal portable stove is bluish, a flame color that resembles a mixture of red and yellow can be achieved.

[0032] In this regard, it is appropriate to set the CO% of carbon monoxide generated by incomplete combustion to not exceed 0.02% for three hours. That is, for a commercially available cassette-type gas cylinder with limited capacity like the one used in this embodiment, the maximum operating time is expected to be approximately three hours, depending on usage. According to figures published by the Japan Gas Appliance Inspection Foundation, a CO% of less than 0.02% during this three-hour period is sufficient to prevent adverse effects such as headaches. Thus, because the gas cylinder has a limited operating time, intentional incomplete combustion can be prevented from adversely affecting the human body. It is preferable to keep this CO% as low as possible. In this embodiment, the opening area of the ginkgo-shaped, fan-shaped primary air intake 37 used in a typical portable gas stove (e.g., the Cassette Foo Tatsujin Slim (trademark) product code CB-SS-50 manufactured by Iwatani Corporation) is blocked by approximately 90%, resulting in a CO% of approximately 0.004%, further enhancing safety.

[0033] [Means for generating fluctuating flames] Next, even if the flame color is reddish, if the flame does not fluctuate, it will not have the same relaxing effect as a fireplace. Therefore, we have created a configuration that generates flames with a soft flickering motion. [Regarding the impacted part, etc.] First, inside the burner head 43, there is provided a collision target 50 which is disposed opposite the outlet 41 that blows out the air-fuel mixture MG on the burner head 43 side, and against which the air-fuel mixture MG blown out from the outlet 41 collides. The collision target 50 in the figure is generally plate-shaped, is formed to be larger than the opening area of the outlet 41, and faces the outlet 41. This makes it possible to weaken the momentum of the air-fuel mixture MG even if it is forcefully ejected by the compressed gas. Moreover, a recess 36A recessed toward the burner body 45 is formed around the outlet 41 of the exterior body 36 of the burner head 43, making the space around the outlet 41 larger than the space of the gas flow path inside the other exterior body 36. This recess 36A receives some or all of the mixture MG after it collides with the collision target part 50.

[0034] [About detours] Secondly, the burner head 43 has a detour route RD that guides the air-fuel mixture MG around the collision target portion 50 to the flame port portion 42 in order to reduce the flow velocity of the air-fuel mixture. In this embodiment, the detour path RD branches off from the outlet 41 and includes a first detour path 53 and a second detour path 54 along which the mixture gas MG flows in opposite directions. The distance of the first detour path 53 and the distance of the second detour path 54 are the same. The first and second detour paths 53, 54 each include, from downstream to downstream, a separation path RD1 that guides the mixture gas MG away from the outlet 41 after impacting the collision target portion 50, and a U-turn path RD2 that skirts around the ends 51, 52 of the collision target portion 50 that are farthest from the outlet 41. Furthermore, downstream of the U-turn path RD2, the first detour path 53 includes a first approach path RD3 that guides the mixture gas MG around one end 51 of the collision target portion 50 and then approaches the second detour path 54 located directly below the flame nozzle portion 42. The second detour 54 also has a second approach flow path RD4 through which the air-fuel mixture MG approaches the first detour 53 located directly below the flame nozzle 42 after going around the other end 52 of the collision target portion 50. The first and second approach flow paths RD3, RD4 are arranged directly below the flame nozzle 42, and the air-fuel mixture MG1 flowing through the first detour 53 and the air-fuel mixture MG2 flowing through the second detour 54 collide directly below the flame nozzle 42.

[0035] In this way, the burner head 43 can weaken the momentum of the air-fuel mixture MG by the amount of branching, and furthermore, the collision of the air-fuel mixture MG1 in the first detour 53 and the air-fuel mixture MG2 in the second detour 54 can reduce the momentum. Furthermore, because the first approach flow path RD3 and the second approach flow path RD4 in the figure are on the same straight line, the air-fuel mixtures MG flowing through these flow paths collide head-on just below the flame nozzle 42, more effectively reducing the flow velocity. Also, because the air-fuel mixture MG1 via the first detour 53 and the air-fuel mixture MG2 via the second detour 54 do not necessarily have the same momentum, the air-fuel mixture MG that collides head-on is sometimes pushed toward the first detour 53 and sometimes pushed toward the second detour 54 depending on the difference in momentum, which leads to flame fluctuations.

[0036] In this way, in this embodiment, the air-fuel mixtures MG coming from different directions collide head-on, but the present invention is not limited to this as long as it is possible to weaken the momentum of the air-fuel mixture heading toward the nozzle 42. For example, the flow velocity heading toward the nozzle 42 can be reduced by forming multiple detours and blowing the air-fuel mixture from one detour from the nozzle 42 side (from above in FIG. 5) onto the air-fuel mixture from the other detour, causing them to collide. Also, in the figure, two detours are formed by branching out from the outlet 41, but three or more detours may be formed.

[0037] The collision target portion 50 serves as a partition plate for forming the above-described detour paths, and will now be described. The collision target portion 50 extends in the X direction, which is perpendicular to the Z direction in which the air-fuel mixture MG is blown out from the outlet 41. It exists between the separation flow path RD1 and the first and second approach flow paths RD3 and RD4, separating these flow paths. Furthermore, with respect to one end 51 and the other end 52 of the collision target portion 50 in the X direction (the direction of extension), the central portions in the Y direction (thickness direction of the housing), which is perpendicular to both the X direction of extension and the Z direction of blowing, are bent downward, and the bent portion 56 is connected to the lower inner surface 36B of the exterior body 36 of the burner head 43 so as to form spaces above and below the collision target portion 50. As a result, the space below the collision target portion 50 becomes the separation flow path RD1, and the space above becomes the first and second approach flow paths RD3 and RD4. Furthermore, a U-turn flow path RD2 is formed through which the air-fuel mixture MG passes around from both sides of the central bent portion 56 at the ends 51 and 52 of the collision target portion 50. The air-fuel mixture MG passing around from both sides also collides with each other (see FIG. 6), and the flow velocity is also reduced in the U-turn flow path RD2.

[0038] Because this embodiment has the above-described flow paths, it is assumed that the air-fuel mixture MG forcefully blown out from the outlet 41 goes through a complex process before being released from the nozzle 42. That is, the air-fuel mixture MG slows down and becomes turbulent in the collision section 50, is rectified while slowing down slightly in the separation flow path RD1, is turbulent and slows down in the U-turn flow path RD2, is rectified while slowing down slightly in the first and second approach flow paths RD3, RD4, and finally, the air-fuel mixture MG that has sufficiently slowed down is released from the nozzle 42, while the air-fuel mixture that has not slowed down completely collides with each other, further slows down, and is then released from the nozzle 42.

[0039] [About the flame mouth] Third, the flame nozzle 42 is formed from a porous material with many holes. The porous material may be a punched metal with many through-holes, but it is preferable to use a mesh-like material (i.e., a mesh material), as shown in the enlarged partial view of the flame nozzle 42 surrounded by the dashed line in Figure 5. A mesh material produced a soft flame. The mesh material in this embodiment is a plain woven wire mesh with a wire diameter of 0.29 mm. Note that the mesh material is not limited to a plain woven wire mesh, and may be, for example, a crimped wire mesh in which wires are crimped into a wavy shape.

[0040] Such a porous member is composed of multiple layers spaced apart from one another, and the mesh positions of the first layer 42A and the second layer 42B are offset in plan view. For example, as shown in the enlarged partial view enclosed by the dashed line in Figure 5, the second layer 42B does not have mesh at the same horizontal position as the mesh 39A of the first layer 42A, and even if it does exist, its shape is different. This increases the resistance of the mesh and creates a softer flame. Note that the mesh positions of the first layer 42A and the second layer 42B need only be offset generally, and some meshes may be in the same position. Furthermore, although the flame opening 42 shown in the figure is composed of two layers of mesh, it may also have one layer or three or more layers.

[0041] The nozzle 42 extends along the first approach passage RD3 and the second approach passage RD4 and is formed so that its width W dimension is greater than its thickness D dimension of the housing 10, as shown in FIG. 1 . Therefore, the extended, elongated nozzle 42 effectively fluctuates the air-fuel mixture in the extension direction, generating a fluctuating flame FR. That is, as shown in FIG. 5 , when the airflows of the first approach passage RD3 and the second approach passage RD4 collide, the air-fuel mixture MG does not necessarily collide midway between the first approach passage RD3 and the second approach passage RD4. Even after the collision, the air-fuel mixture MG may be released from the nozzle 42 biased to one side or the other. Some air-fuel mixture MG may also be released from the nozzle 42 before the collision. The nozzle 42 is positioned directly above the first and second approach passages RD3 and RD4 to accommodate such flows.

[0042] [Measures to prevent overheating of the housing] Next, the means for preventing overheating of the housing 10 will be described with reference to Figure 7. Figure 7 is a central vertical cross-sectional view of the device 1. Note that the cross section of the burner 40 has been omitted to avoid cluttering the drawing. The dashed arrows indicate the flow of convective heat HE. In this device 1, since the housing 10 completely surrounds the flame FR, heat will build up in the internal space S1 unless some ingenuity is taken, and the top plate 15 in particular will overheat, so it is necessary to prevent the risk of something falling from above and burning, etc. Therefore, this embodiment has the following various configurations.

[0043] [About heat shield walls] First, a heat shielding wall 73 is disposed above the burner 40 (specifically, the burner head 43) in the internal space S1 of the housing 10 to prevent the convection heat HE of the flame FR from being transmitted to the top plate 15 of the housing 10. The heat shielding wall 73 is formed of steel with a heat-resistant coating. The heat shielding wall 73 in this embodiment is composed of a first heat shielding plate 71 and a second heat shielding plate 72, with the first heat shielding plate 71 being disposed on the burner head 43 side and the second heat shielding plate 72 being disposed on the top plate 15 side.

[0044] The second heat shield 72 is located between the flame FR and the top plate 15, and its edges are joined to the inner surfaces of the four side surfaces of the housing 10 (in this embodiment, the front plate 11, the back plate 12, the right side plate 13, and the left side plate 14), completely separating the flame FR side space from the top plate 15 side space, except for the heat shield wall holes 80 described below. In contrast, the first heat shield 71 has an end 71A bent obliquely upward, and the edge of the bent end (inclined end) 71A or the edge beyond that is joined to the underside of the second heat shield 72. In this way, an air layer S3 is formed between the first heat shield 71 and the second heat shield 72, making it difficult for heat from the first heat shield 71 on the flame FR side to be transferred to the second heat shield 72. Although the first and second heat shielding walls 71 and 72 in this embodiment are each formed from a single plate, the present invention is not limited to this, and for example, the second heat shielding wall 72 may be formed from two or more plates. Also, the heat shielding wall 73 may be made from a single plate by changing the material or coating thickness of the wall.

[0045] [About the heat vent] Second, a heat dissipation port 75 for dissipating heat inside the housing 10 to the external space is formed on at least one of the four side surfaces of the housing 10 (in this embodiment, all of the four side surfaces shown in Figures 1 and 2). The heat dissipation port 75 is a horizontally elongated through-hole, and is located closer to the burner head 43 than the second heat shield plate 72 (at the same height as the inclined end portion 71A, which will be described later). The heat dissipation ports 75 in the figure are located in the above-mentioned front upper edge 11B, rear upper edge 12B, right side upper edge 13B, which is the upper edge of the right side panel 13, and left side upper edge 14B, which is the upper edge of the left side panel 14. As shown in FIG. 7, the diagonally bent end (inclined end) 71A of the first heat shield wall 71 is inclined toward the heat dissipation port 75. Therefore, the convection heat HE is guided along the inclined end 71A of the heat shield wall 73 to the heat dissipation port 75. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 7, the inclined end 71A is located on the front and rear sides and on the left and right sides of the first heat shield wall 71, and guides the heat HE to all of the heat dissipation ports 75. Furthermore, because the heat dissipation ports 75 are at the same height as the inclined end 71A, they can also effectively dissipate heat from the first heat shield wall 71, which is easily heated. Note that the heat dissipation ports 75 do not need to be provided on all four side surfaces of the housing 10 depending on their opening area, and the opening area may vary depending on the location. For example, the heat dissipation ports 75 (see Figures 1 and 2) on the front panel 11 and / or back panel 12 with the transparent portions 17, 18 may be made larger than the heat dissipation ports 75 on the left and right side panels 13, 14, so as to supply warmth to a user viewing the flames FR through the transparent portions 17, 18.

[0046] [About heated objects] Third, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 7 , the device 1 includes a heated object 83 that concentrates heat within the housing 10 as much as possible at a specific location, thereby effectively suppressing heating of the top plate 15 and the four side surfaces. The heated object 83 utilizes the heat of the flame FR. For example, this could be a water container for humidifying a room. In the present invention, this could also be a humidifying water container. However, since water does not reach temperatures above 100°C, it does not significantly suppress heating of the top plate 15 and the four side surfaces, and there is also a risk of spilling water during transport. Therefore, the heated object 83 is preferably an object that is heated using heat at a temperature at least higher than the heat radiation temperature from the heat radiation vent 75. In this embodiment, an incense burner is used. The heated object, the incense burner 83, requires a temperature of approximately 150°C to 200°C, depending on the type of incense placed inside, a temperature that allows sufficient concentration of heat within the housing 10 without causing any problems. As a result, in this embodiment, the temperature of the top plate 15 can be kept below 100 degrees, and the heat radiation temperature of the heat radiation port 75 can be kept at approximately 100 degrees.

[0047] The incense burner 83 is detachable from the housing 10. The incense burner 83 has a separable incense burner body 85 and lid 86. In this embodiment, the entire incense burner is made of steel. However, the incense burner body 85 may be made of a metal with good thermal conductivity, such as iron plate, and the lid 86 may be made of ceramic, which has a lower thermal conductivity. The incense burner body 85 can also be called an incense burner tray, and its inner space S4 is a storage container for non-flammable incense, such as fragrant wood, powdered incense, fragrant herbs, incense seals, and incense paste, or aromatic oils. These incense products also have a relaxing aroma, further enhancing the relaxing effect of viewing the flame. While the incense burner body 85 shown in the figure has a cylindrical outer surface, it may be elongated to match the shape of the flame nozzle 42. The lid 86 covers the upper opening of the incense burner body 85, and has multiple through-holes 86A to allow the aroma to be released effectively when heated. A finger can be inserted into the largest through-hole 86A, making it easy to remove the lid.

[0048] This incense burner 83 has the following configuration to achieve a maximum temperature of the incense burner body 85 of approximately 200°C. First, a top plate hole 15A, which is a through-hole that penetrates the top plate 15 in the thickness direction, is formed, and the incense burner body 85 can be inserted into this top plate hole 15A. Specifically, as shown in the enlarged partial view of the incense burner 83 surrounded by the dashed line in Figure 7, the peripheral portion 15B of the top plate hole 15A is recessed from the remaining surface of the top plate 15. The upper flange portion 85A of the incense burner body 85 is placed and engaged on the upper surface of this peripheral portion 15B. As a result, most of the incense burner body 85 is positioned below the top plate 15, allowing the heat to be utilized before it is transferred to the top plate 15 (conversely, the temperature of the top plate 15 can be reduced accordingly).

[0049] The heat shield wall 73 also has a heat shield wall hole 80, which is a through-hole that penetrates through the thickness direction. The heat shield wall hole 80 in the figure is a through-hole 82 in the first heat shield plate 71 and a through-hole 81 in the second heat shield plate 72, which are formed continuously in the thickness direction. In this way, at least the bottom surface 85B of the incense burner 83 is exposed to the internal space S1 on the flame FR side, and the bottom surface 85B is directly exposed to the convection heat HE of the flame FR and is also heated by radiant heat, thereby sufficiently heating the incense burner 83. Furthermore, since the bottom surface 85B of the incense burner 83 is exposed to the internal space S1, it is easily affected directly by the heat of the flame FR. Therefore, by operating the operating knob 19, the flame FR can be made larger (FR2) or smaller (FR1) as shown in the figure, making it easy to change the temperature of the incense burner 83 depending on the type of incense.

[0050] As described above, the air-fuel mixture MG in the first detour 53 and the air-fuel mixture MG in the second detour 54 shown in Fig. 5 collide directly below the flame nozzle 42, and the incense burner 83 is placed above this collision area AR as shown in Fig. 7. This allows the incense burner 83 to be heated more effectively. It is preferable to fit the incense burner 83 into the heat shield wall hole 80 to prevent the convection heat HE of the flame FR from being directed toward the top plate 15. Preferably, the incense burner 83 is fitted into both the through-hole 82 of the first heat shield plate 71 and the through-hole 81 of the second heat shield plate 72 to prevent the convection heat HE from being transmitted to the top plate 15.

[0051] The present invention is not limited to a configuration in which the bottom surface 85B of the incense burner 83 is exposed to the internal space S1. For example, a configuration as shown in FIG. 8 may be used. FIG. 8 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of a modified incense burner 83 and its surroundings. This figure differs from the above-described embodiment in terms of the incense burner 83 and the heat shield wall 73. In this modified example, of the first and second heat shield plates 71 and 72 constituting the heat shield wall 73, the first heat shield plate 71 exposed on the flame side (the area of the heat shield wall 73 exposed to the internal space S1 on the flame side) does not have a through-hole. The heat shield wall 73 completely separates the flame-side space from the top plate 15-side space with the first and second heat shield plates 71 and 72 (except for small gaps), essentially dissipating almost all of the convective heat HE shown in FIG. 7 to the outside through the heat dissipation opening 75. As shown in FIG. 8, the bottom surface 85B of the incense burner 83 contacts the upper surface 71B of the first heat shield plate 71. This makes it easier to transfer heat from the first heat shielding plate 71 to the incense burner 83, facilitating the collection of heat to the incense burner 83. In other words, since almost all convection heat is released from the heat radiating holes, heat is mainly transferred to the top plate 15 by thermal conduction from the heat shielding wall 73 and the four side surfaces, but since the incense burner 83 is in contact with the heat shielding wall 73, heat tends to concentrate on the incense burner 83. When incense is burned in the incense burner 83, the concentrated heat is consumed, effectively preventing the top plate 15 in contact with the incense burner 83 from overheating.

[0052] As described above, according to this embodiment, a portable and easy-to-manage portable gas bottle was used to create a flame viewing device. However, commercially available portable gas bottles emit a strong gas force, typically producing a bluish flame. Therefore, to generate a reddish flame, an incomplete combustion state was set. To achieve a soft, flickering flame like that of a fireplace, a collision target 50 and a detour RD were provided. The detour RD was further divided into first and second detours 53 and 54, allowing the air-fuel mixture to collide directly below the flame nozzle 42. Furthermore, the flame nozzle 40 was made meshed. Furthermore, because the combustion time of a portable gas bottle is limited, the carbon monoxide concentration problem was also resolved even with incomplete combustion.

[0053] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the claims. The configurations of the above-described embodiment can be partially omitted or arbitrarily combined in a different manner from the above. For example, while the burner in the above embodiment discharges a mixture of gas and primary air into the internal space of the housing, the present invention is not limited to this configuration. In the present invention, if the significant adverse effects of carbon monoxide concentration on the human body can be avoided by adjusting various specifications, such as the size of the housing, the size and number of through-holes in the bottom plate, or the gas combustion time, the primary air intake of the burner body may be completely blocked (i.e., the primary air intake 37 shown in FIGS. 4 to 6 is not formed), and the fluid from the burner body 45 shown in FIG. 5 via the bypass RD to the flame nozzle 42 may be almost entirely gas (a gas that is not a mixture that does not take in primary air). This reduces the flow rate of the fluid in the burner 40 in FIG. 5 compared to the above embodiment, and the gas flow velocity can be reduced if the cross-sectional area of the flow path of the burner 40 is the same, making it easier to generate a more fluctuating flame.

[0054] Also, as in the flame viewing device 90 shown in Figures 9 to 18, it is not necessary to provide a transparent portion on the back panel 12, and the area between the door 12A for inserting and removing the cassette gas cylinder CB and the upper edge portion 12B of the back can be made of steel with a heat-resistant paint. In addition, in the flame viewing device 90, the flame port portion 42 is made of punched metal with small dimensions between the holes, as shown in FIG. [Explanation of symbols]

[0055] 1,90...flame viewing device, 10...housing, 17,18...transparent part, 37...primary air intake, 40...burner, 41...air outlet, 42...flame mouth part, 42A...first layer, 42B...second layer, 43...burner head, 45...burner body, 50...impacted part, 53...first bypass path, 54...second bypass path, CB...cassette gas cylinder, RD...bypass path, RD3...first approach path, RD4...second approach path, S1...internal space, MG...air-fuel mixture

Claims

1. A flame observation device having a housing having a transparent part and a burner that emits gas into an internal space of the housing, wherein a flame generated by burning the gas is observed through the transparent part, The gas is supplied from a removable cassette gas cylinder, the burner comprises a burner head having a flame nozzle for discharging the gas into the internal space, and a burner body having an outlet for discharging the gas on the burner head side, The burner head has a collision target portion that is disposed opposite the outlet and against which the gas blown out from the outlet collides, and also has a detour that guides the gas to the flame port portion so as to go around the collision target portion, The flame mouth portion is formed of a porous material. A flame viewing device characterized by:

2. the bypass includes a first bypass and a second bypass along which the gas flows in opposite directions; The gas in the first bypass path and the gas in the second bypass path collide directly below the flame nozzle.

2. The flame viewing device according to claim 1.

3. the first detour path has a first approach flow path that is a flow path through which the gas approaches the second detour path after going around one end of the collision target portion, the second detour path has a second approach flow path that is a flow path through which the gas approaches the first detour path after going around the other end of the collision target portion, the first access channel and the second access channel are collinear; The flame mouth extends along the first access flow path and the second access flow path.

3. The flame viewing apparatus according to claim 2.

4. the burner is set to provide incomplete combustion of the flame; The CO% of carbon monoxide generated by the incomplete combustion is set to not exceed 0.02% for three hours.

4. A flame viewing apparatus according to claim 1.

5. A flame observation device as described in any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the porous member is mesh-like and consists of multiple layers, and the mesh positions of the first and second layers of the multiple layers are offset when viewed in a plane.

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