Heating and conditioning appliances

Abstract

The objective is to provide a cooking appliance that offers excellent usability and can be easily folded into a compact size. [Solution] The present invention solves the above problem and provides a foldable heating and cooking appliance X comprising a rectangular base plate 1 and a plurality of side plates 2, wherein the side plates 2 are rotatably connected to the base plate 1 in a direction that allows them to be folded down or raised up, and the side plates 2 are connected to each other by hinges H, and can be folded down or raised up in conjunction with each other. Furthermore, in a preferred embodiment of the present invention, all of the plurality of side plates 2 are connected to each other by two or more hinges H.

Description

Technical Field

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[0001] The present invention relates to a cooking heating appliance suitable for outdoor use and portability.

Background Art

[0002] A heating cooking appliance, particularly a stove, assumed for outdoor cooking is required to have a configuration that is easy to install and easy to carry. For this reason, configurations such as reducing the number of parts and making it foldable have been adopted, and many stoves that can be handled in a compact state have been developed.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0007] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, each of the multiple side plates is connected to one another by two or more axial joints. This configuration eliminates the need to remove or position side and bottom plates, making it easier to fold or unfold the cooking appliance.

[0008] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the axial joint includes a pair of folding hinges on at least one pair of opposing side plates, each of which is capable of folding its surface in conjunction with the other side plate, and in the use state with the side plates extended, the pair of folding hinges are positioned closer to each other as they move away from the bottom plate side edge of the side plate. This configuration allows the side panels to be folded with fewer steps.

[0009] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, when the side panels are all folded, there is a raised portion that separates the top surface of the side panels and the top surface of the bottom panel by a predetermined distance. This configuration allows components such as a mesh to be stored inside the folded cooking appliance.

[0010] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the side plate has a net-holding portion capable of holding the net at a predetermined height. This configuration allows the solid fuel to be supported while maintaining the shape of the cooking appliance so that the side plates do not collapse during use. [Effects of the Invention]

[0011] The present invention, which solves the above problems, provides a heating and cooking appliance that is easy to use and can be compactly folded with simple operation. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0012] [Figure 1] This is a perspective view showing the state of use of a heating and cooking appliance according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] This is a perspective view showing the usage state of a heating and cooking appliance body according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] A perspective view and a side view showing the usage state of a heating appliance body according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] This is a perspective view showing the various components included in a heating and cooking appliance according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5] This is an explanatory diagram showing how the components of a heating and cooking appliance are stored according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] This is a perspective view showing the folded state of the heating appliance body and the stored state of the legs according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 7] This is an explanatory diagram showing a method for folding the body of a heating cooking appliance and the folded state according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0013] The following description will explain a heating and cooking appliance X according to an embodiment of the present invention, using the drawings. The description will detail the configuration of the embodiment, the method of implementation, and other embodiments in that order. The embodiments described below are merely examples of the present invention and are not limited to these embodiments.

[0014] <<Embodiment>> As shown in FIG. 1, the cooking appliance X according to the present embodiment is a so-called stove including a bottom plate 1, a plurality of side plates 2, a lower grid 3, an upper grid 4, a locking tool 5, and legs 6, and can be folded and unfolded, or assembled and disassembled. Further, each of the bottom plate 1 and the plurality of side plates 2 is connected to each other by a hinge H, and these together constitute the cooking appliance main body Y. However, in the following description, the cooking appliance main body Y shall include the lower grid 3, the upper grid 4, and the locking tool 5 as necessary. Further, in the following description, as shown in FIGS. 1, 2, 3, and 5, the state in which the side plates 2 are unfolded is referred to as the use state, and the state in which all the side plates 2 are folded as shown in FIGS. 6(a) and 7(b) is referred to as the folded state.

[0015] As shown in FIGS. 2(a), 2(b), 3(a), and 3(b), the bottom plate 1 is a member on which other members or fuel can be placed or supported at the lower part of the cooking appliance main body Y, and has a rectangular or substantially rectangular shape in plan view (including cases where there are rounded corners, slight cutouts, distortions, etc. The same applies to other members hereinafter). In the present embodiment, the bottom plate 1 has a bottom plate main body 11, a raised portion 12, and a leg connection portion 13.

[0016] The bottom plate main body 11 is a flat member that determines the lower shape of the cooking appliance main body Y and enables other members or fuel to be placed or supported. In the present embodiment, the bottom plate main body 11 preferably has a substantially rectangular shape in plan view and has an edge at its peripheral portion. With such a configuration, the cooking appliance X is easy to handle and easy to fold, and in addition, the bottom plate main body 11 is reinforced at the edge portion, and more articles can be placed.

[0017] The upper flange 12 is a plate-shaped or frame-shaped member provided to stand up in the vertical direction (a direction perpendicular to the top surface of the bottom plate body 11) around two opposite sides and the corners at both ends of the bottom plate body 11 (in plan view), securing a space above and below the bottom plate body 11. With such a configuration, it becomes easier for the user to put their hand under the bottom plate body 11 and lift the cooking appliance body Y. Moreover, on the upper side of the bottom plate body 11, an opening through which gas (especially oxygen) can be introduced can be easily formed, helping to promote the combustion of the solid fuel housed inside the cooking appliance body Y.

[0018] The leg connection part 13 is a cylindrical or box-shaped member provided along the four corners on the lower side of the bottom plate body 11, enabling the connection of the legs 6. In this embodiment, it is preferable that the lower end of the upper flange 12 and the lower end of the leg connection part 13 are on the same plane. With such a configuration, the leg connection part 13 can be used as a leg when using only the cooking appliance body Y.

[0019] The side plate 2 is a member formed by combining flat plates that are connected to the bottom plate 1 and form a wind guard, giving height to the cooking appliance body Y. Also, the side plate 2 has a long side plate 21 and a short side plate 22 according to the length of the sides of the rectangular bottom plate 1, and each member constituting the side plate 2 is connected to each other by a hinge H.

[0020] The hinge H is a pivot joint (or hinge joint) that connects each member of the bottom plate 1 or the side plate 2 so that they can rotate relative to each other. In this embodiment, depending on its position and form, it has a collapsible hinge H1, a folding hinge H2, and a folding-back hinge H3. Also, each member of the bottom plate 1 and the side plate 2 is connected to each other by these hinges H. As a result, the removal of members is not required, and the cooking appliance body Y can be folded simply and safely.

[0021] The longitudinal side plates 21 are flat plate-shaped members that are rotatably connected to a pair of opposing longitudinal sides (or near the upper end of the raised portion 12) of the base plate 1 via a folding hinge H1, and are provided so as to be able to fold down or stand up relative to the top surface of the base plate 1 (particularly the base plate body 11). Furthermore, the height of the longitudinal side plates 21 is preferably about half the length of the longitudinal side of the base plate body 11, or slightly shorter. With this configuration, in the folded state shown in Figure 6(a), the two longitudinal side plates 21 do not overlap each other, and the heating cooking appliance body Y can be folded more compactly.

[0022] The longitudinal side plate 21 is provided with an edging portion 211, an air guide hole 212, a lower net holding portion 213, an upper net holding portion 214, and a covering edge portion 215. The edging portion 211 is a pleated or rib-shaped member provided along the edge of the longitudinal side plate 21 opposite the folding hinge H1, and a configuration in which the flat longitudinal side plate 21 is folded outward and integrally provided is particularly preferred. With this configuration, the user can easily raise the longitudinal side plate 21 to the folded heating cooking appliance body Y by grasping the edging portion 211 and unfolding it to a ready-to-use state. In addition, when in use, the edges of the flat plates forming the longitudinal side plate 21 are less likely to come into contact with the user's hands, thus preventing injury during use.

[0023] The air guide holes 212 are through-holes that penetrate the longitudinal side plate 21 in the thickness direction, allowing gas to be introduced into the heating appliance body Y. As shown in Figures 2(a), 2(b), and 3(a), multiple air guide holes 212 are provided for each longitudinal side plate 21, and a configuration in which the holes are elongated in the height direction (up and down direction) is particularly preferred. With this configuration, a sufficient amount of gas can be introduced while ensuring the overall strength of the longitudinal side plate 21.

[0024] The lower net holding portion 213 is a projection provided at a predetermined height in the height direction of the longitudinal side plate 21, determined between the tilting hinge H1 and the central portion. By providing multiple portions at the same height, the lower net 3 can be held or supported at the predetermined height. Furthermore, it is preferable that the tip of the lower net holding portion 213, which protrudes from the surface of the longitudinal side plate 21, has an upward-curving hook shape. This configuration allows for more stable holding or support of the lower net 3.

[0025] The upper net holder portion 214 is a flat (folded) member that extends inward from the edge portion 211, i.e., on the side of the heating appliance body Y when in use, near the top of the longitudinal side plate 21 in the height direction, and allows the upper net 4 to be placed and supported. Furthermore, it is preferable that the upper net holder portion 214 is provided over substantially the entire length of the longitudinal side plate 21. This configuration allows for the use of nets of different sizes and increases the degree of freedom when using the heating appliance X.

[0026] The covering portion 215 is the part that forms the corners at both ends of the longitudinal direction (horizontal direction in the state of use) of the longitudinal side plate 21, and it is particularly preferable that the flat longitudinal side plate 21 is folded outward and provided integrally. With this configuration, the folding hinge H2 connecting the longitudinal side plate 21 and the short side plate 22 is covered from the outside, making it possible to safely fold or unfold the heating appliance body Y, and also to maintain the shape of the heating appliance body Y in the state of use more stably.

[0027] The short side plates 22 are provided on a pair of opposing short sides of the base plate 1, and both ends in the longitudinal direction (horizontal direction in the usage state) are connected to the long side plates 21 via folding hinges H2. The short side plates 22 also include a first short side plate 221 and a second short side plate 222, and each member is rotatably connected via a folding hinge H3. With this configuration, all of the long side plates 21 and short side plates 22 are interconnected by multiple hinges H, and the heating and cooking appliance body Y can be folded or unfolded more easily without needing to remove or position each member, including the base plate 1.

[0028] The first short side plate 221 is a flat plate-shaped member connected to the long side plate 21 at both ends of the short side plate 22 via folding hinges H2, and further connected to the second short side plate 222 via folding hinges H3, and has a roughly triangular (or trapezoidal) shape with the bottom plate 1 side narrowed. The second short side plate 222 is a flat plate-shaped member connected to the first short side plate 221 at the center of the short side plate 22 via two folding hinges H3, and has a roughly trapezoidal shape (particularly an isosceles trapezoid) with the bottom plate 1 side wider.

[0029] As shown in Figures 2(a), 2(b), and 3(a), a pair of folding hinges H3 are provided for one short side plate 22. Furthermore, the folding hinges H3 correspond to the shapes of the second first short side plate 221 and the second short side plate 222 sandwiched between them, and in the operating state, they are positioned closer to each other as they move away from the side of the second short side plate 222 that faces the bottom plate 1. With this configuration, each side plate 2 is interlocked with each other, allowing the side plates 2 to be easily folded with fewer operations.

[0030] Figure 7(a) shows the mechanism by which the side plates 2 fold in conjunction with each other. First, the second short side plate 222 folds down toward the bottom plate 1 (white arrow in the figure), and the first short side plate 221 folds back toward the bottom plate 1 at the folding hinge H3 (black arrow in the figure). Then, the long side plate 21 folds toward the bottom plate 1 at the folding hinge H2, folding in the first short side plate 221 (black arrow in the figure). The folded cooking appliance body Y in this state has the configuration shown in Figures 6(a) and 7(b), with each side plate 2 folded above the bottom plate 1, with their surfaces approximately parallel.

[0031] As shown in Figure 4(a), the lower net 3 is a frame-like member made of metal wires arranged perpendicularly to each other in a roughly rectangular planar shape, allowing solid fuel to be placed and supported inside the heating appliance body Y. Also, as shown in Figure 2(b), the lower net 3 is approximately the same size as the top surface of the bottom plate body 11 and has a length that spans the lower net holding parts 213 provided on the two opposing longitudinal side plates 21 in one direction. With this configuration, the side plates 2, in particular the longitudinal side plates 21 and the second short side plate 222, are held in place so as not to collapse inward into the heating appliance body Y, and the heating appliance body Y is prevented from being unintentionally folded during use.

[0032] In this embodiment, the lower mesh 3 preferably has fewer metal wires in one direction than metal wires in multiple directions, and the spacing between the metal wires is slightly wider. This configuration makes it possible to lighten the lower mesh 3, and it is less likely to obstruct the supply of gas (especially oxygen) to the solid fuel placed on top, allowing for more stable combustion of the solid fuel.

[0033] As shown in Figure 4(b), the upper mesh 4 is a frame-shaped member made of metal wires arranged orthogonally in a roughly rectangular planar shape, and it is capable of supporting food and cooking utensils (including pots, etc.) on the top of the heating appliance body Y. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 2(a), the upper mesh 4 has a length that spans the upper mesh holding parts 214 provided on two opposing longitudinal side plates 21 in at least one direction. Moreover, in this embodiment, it is preferable that the upper mesh 4 is configured in which a plurality of meshes having a length that spans the upper mesh holding parts 214 are connected in parallel by hinge joints. With such a configuration, the size of the upper mesh 4 can be adjusted according to the usage conditions of the heating appliance X, and when the heating appliance body Y is folded, the upper mesh 4 can be folded into thirds for compact storage.

[0034] As shown in Figure 6(a), the locking device 5 is a component that connects two opposing longitudinal side plates 21 of the heating appliance body Y in its folded state to prevent it from opening unintentionally, and includes a hook 51 and a loop 52. In this embodiment, as shown in Figures 2(a), 2(b), and 3(a), the locking device 5 is attached to the covering edge portion 215, and the hook 51 is rotatably provided in a plane substantially parallel to the surface of the covering edge portion 215, and in the folded state, the protrusion near the tip of the hook 51 is inserted into the ring structure of the loop 52 to lock it in place. In addition, two pairs of hooks 51 and loops 52 are provided in a plan view of the heating appliance body Y, with identical components arranged diagonally to each other. With this configuration, the locking device 5 can be locked and secured at both ends of the longitudinal side plates 21, allowing the folded state to be maintained more stably.

[0035] As shown in Figure 1, the leg section 6 is an assembly-type leg whose height can be changed by combining its various components to support the main body Y of the cooking appliance. It includes an upper leg 61, a lower leg 62, and an intermediate leg 63. Furthermore, each component of the leg section 6 is preferably detachable when not in use and small enough to fit inside the main body Y of the cooking appliance. With this configuration, all components of the cooking appliance X can be easily carried together.

[0036] The upper leg 61 is connectable to the leg connection portion 13, and in this embodiment, it is a member further comprising a handle portion 611 and a bent portion 612.

[0037] The handle portion 611 is a beam-shaped or linear member that connects the sides of the two upper legs 61, and in this embodiment, the distance between the two upper legs 61 is set to a length corresponding to the distance between the two leg connection portions 13 that are spaced apart in the shorter direction. With this configuration, even when the cooking appliance X is assembled, the user can easily lift and move the cooking appliance X, and it can also be used to hang cooking utensils (skewers, tongs, etc.) or cloths (towels, etc.). Furthermore, even if the upper legs 61 are short in the vertical direction, the two are connected by the handle portion 611, making it easy to prevent them from being lost.

[0038] In this embodiment, it is preferable that the handle portion 611 protrudes outward from the short side plate 22 in a plan view of the cooking appliance X. With this configuration, the user can easily determine the orientation when attaching the upper leg 61 to the leg connection portion 13, and the user's hand is less likely to touch the main body Y of the cooking appliance when holding the handle portion 611 or picking up an item suspended from the handle portion 611 while using the cooking appliance X, thus enabling safer operation.

[0039] The bent portion 612 is the part that bends the upper leg 61 in one direction, particularly away from the center in a plan view of the cooking appliance X, thereby expanding the support (landing) range of the cooking appliance X. This configuration allows for more stable support of the cooking appliance body Y, and also gives the upper leg 61 an up / down or inward / outward direction, making it easier for the user to correctly recognize the orientation of the upper leg 61.

[0040] The lower legs 62 and intermediate legs 63 are columnar or tubular members that can be connected in series along their length, and are connected to the upper legs 61 as appropriate to form a leg portion 6 of a predetermined height. Connections between the members can be made by fitting, screwing, pinning, etc., but are not particularly limited as long as they can be easily fixed and disassembled.

[0041] In this embodiment, the height of the cooking appliance body Y can be changed by the presence or absence of the intermediate legs 63. For example, if one intermediate leg 63 is connected between the upper legs 61 and the lower legs 62, the cooking appliance body Y will be at waist height when the user is standing upright. If only the upper legs 61 and the lower legs 62 are used, the cooking appliance body Y will be at waist height when the user is sitting on a chair or the like. With this configuration, the legs 6 can be easily rearranged to suit the usage conditions, and the cooking appliance body Y can be used at an appropriate height.

[0042] As shown in Figure 4(c), the leg portion 6 can be easily disassembled and, as shown in Figure 5, can be stored inside the main body Y of the cooking appliance together with the lower net 3 and the upper net 4. At this time, the raised portion 12 is configured to separate the top surface of the base plate body 11 from the height of the inclined hinge H1 by the sum of the thickness of each component of the leg portion 6 and the thickness of the lower net 3 and the upper net 4. This configuration makes it easy to combine the various components that make up the cooking appliance X into one unit, making it easy to carry and manage. An example of how to arrange the components of the leg portion 6 when storing them inside the main body Y of the cooking appliance is shown in Figure 6(b). In this example, the components of the leg portion 6 are arranged so that they do not overlap in the vertical direction and are placed on the top surface of the base plate body 11. However, Figure 6(b) omits the side plate 2 for illustrative purposes, and in reality, the base plate 1 and side plate 2 are not detachable or are not intended to be detached.

[0043] The following describes in detail the method of carrying out the present invention with reference to the drawings. Furthermore, the method of carrying out the invention described below is merely an example, and is not limited to this method; the order of the steps may also be changed.

[0044] ≪Implementation Method≫ When assembling the cooking appliance X, the user first removes the hook 51 from the loop 52 of the locking device 5 on the folded cooking appliance body Y, as shown in Figure 6(a), and then grasps the two protruding edges 211 to raise the long side plates 21. At this time, the short side plates 22, which are connected via the folding hinge H2 and the folding hinge H3, rise in conjunction, and the cooking appliance body Y becomes a receiving box shape as shown in Figure 3(a).

[0045] In addition, the user attaches the legs 6 to the base plate 1 as needed. At this time, the upper legs 61 are attached by fitting them into the leg connection parts 13, and then the intermediate legs 63 and lower legs 62 are connected in sequence. The placement of each component of the legs 6 is determined by the height at which the heating cooking appliance body Y is used. If the appliance is placed directly on the ground, the legs 6 are not attached. If the user is expected to cook while sitting, the upper legs 61 and lower legs 62 are attached. If the user is expected to cook while standing, the upper legs 61, lower legs 62, and intermediate legs 63 are attached.

[0046] Next, the user attaches the lower net 3 inside the main body Y of the cooking appliance, as shown in Figure 2(b). At this time, one pair of opposite sides of the lower net 3 is placed on or locked to the lower net holding part 213. As a result, the lower net 3 prevents the side plate 2 from collapsing, and the main body Y of the cooking appliance is held in the ready-to-use state without being folded.

[0047] The user then places solid fuel on the lower grate 3 and ignites it, and then attaches the upper grate 4 to the top of the heating appliance body Y as shown in Figure 2(a). At this time, one pair of opposite sides of the upper grate 4 is placed on the upper grate holder 214.

[0048] When folding the main body Y of the cooking appliance, the user first removes the lower net 3 and upper net 4 from the main body Y of the cooking appliance (removing any burnt residue or dirt as needed), as shown in Figure 3(a), and folds the main body Y of the cooking appliance into a box shape. Then, as shown in Figure 5, the user disassembles the leg section 6 into its individual components and places them inside the main body Y of the cooking appliance along with the lower net 3 and the upper net 4 folded into thirds, and stores it by placing it on the top surface of the base plate 11.

[0049] Next, the user folds the second short side plate 222 toward the bottom plate 1, as shown in Figure 7(a) (white arrow in the figure). At this time, the first short side plate 221 and the long side plate 21 fold toward the bottom plate 1 in conjunction with the second short side plate 222 (black arrow in the figure). This operation folds the heating appliance body Y into a folded state, and then the user inserts the tip of the hook 51 into the loop 52 to lock it in place, preventing the second long side plate 21 from opening. [Explanation of symbols]

[0050] X Heating cooking utensils Y Cooking appliance body 1 Bottom plate 11 Base plate 12 Bulk part 13 Leg connection part 2 Side panels 21 Long side panels 211 Edge portion 212 Air guide hole 213 Lower net holding part 214 Upper net holding part 215 Covered area 22 Short side panels 221 First short side plate 222 Second short side plate 3 Lower net 4 Upper net 5. Locking device 51 Hooks 52 loops 6 legs 61 Upper leg 611 Handle section 612 Bending section 62 Lower leg 63 Intermediate Leg H hinge H1 Inverted Hinge H2 folding hinge H3 Fold-over Hinge

Claims

1. A foldable heating and cooking appliance comprising a rectangular base plate and a plurality of side plates, The side plate is provided so as to be rotatable relative to the bottom plate in a direction that allows it to be tilted or raised. A heating and cooking appliance in which multiple side plates are interconnected by axial joints, and can be moved in conjunction with each other to tilt or stand up.

2. The multiple side plates are each connected to one another by two or more axial joints. A heating appliance according to claim 1.

3. The aforementioned axial joint includes a pair of folding hinges on each of at least one pair of opposing side plates, which are capable of folding their surfaces in conjunction with the other side plate. In the state in which the side panels are unfolded, the pair of folding hinges are positioned so that they move closer to each other as they move away from the side of the side panel that faces the bottom panel. A heating appliance according to either claim 1 or 2.

4. In the folded state in which all the side panels are folded, there is a raised portion that separates the side panels and the top surface of the bottom panel by a predetermined distance. A heating appliance according to claim 1.

5. The side plate has a net-holding portion capable of holding the net at a predetermined height. A heating appliance according to claim 1.

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