EP1347239B1

EP1347239B1 - Liquid feeder and liquid fuel combustion device with the liquid feeder

Info

Publication number: EP1347239B1
Application number: EP01271851A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Tsutomu Tsuda; Mamoru Morikawa
Original assignee: Sharp Corp
Current assignee: Sharp Corp
Priority date: 2000-12-25
Filing date: 2001-12-20
Publication date: 2006-11-22
Anticipated expiration: 2021-12-20
Also published as: EP1347239A4; EP1347239A1; ES2273777T3; CN1492981A; CN1250904C; WO2002052198A1

Description

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a liquid fuel combustion apparatus such as a kerosene fan heater or a kerosene heater. Further, the present invention relates to a liquid supply device, mounted within the apparatus, including a tank or the like for storing liquid.

Background Art

Conventionally, kerosene fan heaters are in wide use in individual homes as heating apparatuses that utilize liquid fuel. A conventional kerosene fan heater will be described below with reference to Fig. 8, which shows an overall view thereof. A combustion part and a liquid supply device are contained in a housing 1 in such kerosene fan heater. Here, the concept of a liquid supply device includes a so-called "fuel tank", which can be utilized as an independent apparatus.
Housing 1 is configured by mounting a box-type member, formed of a front panel 6 for covering the front of the heater, a side and rear panel 7 for covering the sides and rear of the heater and a top panel 8 for covering the top of the heater, on a base 5. An air outlet 2 through which heated air is blown into a room is formed in the lower portion of front panel 6. An operation part 3 including switches and the like for switching the operating condition is placed in the upper portion of front panel 6. An opening for insertion and removal of a kerosene supply tank is provided in top panel 8 and a lid 4 that covers the opening is connected to the body so as to freely be openable and closeable.
The inside of the first kerosene fan heater according to prior art will described below with reference to Fig. 9. A container part 12 for storing fuel, such as kerosene, a vaporizer 15 for heating and vaporizing fuel, a combustion part 16 for mixing the gas gained by vaporization of fuel with air and, then, carrying out combustion, and the like, are contained inside of the housing. Container part 12 has a supply opening 24, which is the only opening in container part 12, and is connected to a kerosene reception part 500 in a form this supply opening 24 faces downward. Fuel flows into kerosene reception part 500 from container part 12 and is temporarily stored therein. Furthermore, the fuel stored in kerosene reception part 500 is drawn upward by an electromagnetic pump 14 and is led to vaporizer 15.
In the case if such a structure, a handle attached to the top of container part 12 is grasped and raised, as shown in Fig. 10, at the time when container part 12 is removed from the housing in order to refill container part 12 with fuel. Then, it is necessary to place the container part 12 upside down so that fuel can be poured into the container part through supply opening 24. This operation of turning the container part upside down is inconvenient. In addition, a kerosene refill cap 19 for supply opening 24 is a screw-type cap. Therefore, a problem arises in the case that if the cap is not screwed on tightly enough the kerosene refill cap 19 may come off, or fuel may leak out when the supply opening is pointed downward. Such a problem is particularly significant if the device is used by older persons, as they may not have a sufficient strength to screw on the cap.
Thus, the second kerosene fan heater according to a prior art has been proposed that has such a structure, as shown in Fig. 11, wherein fuel can be directly removed from the upper side of container part 12 via a pipe by means of electromagnetic pump 14 while eliminating supply opening 24, which faces downward. In this structure a supply opening 44 facing diagonally upward is provided on the upper side of the container part, as shown in Fig. 12. Accordingly, when container part 12 is refilled with fuel it is raised upwards and is carried, as shown in Fig. 12, and, then, a kerosene refill cap 39 is opened. Thus, it is not necessary to turn the container part upside down, unlike in the case of the first kerosene fan heater according to the prior art.
In the case of the second prior art kerosene fan heater it is necessary for a user to manually open lid 4 connected to the body in top panel 8 of housing 1, which is a lid that covers the opening as shown in Fig. 13, and to fmd the handle of container part 12 inside of the heater as well as to grasp the handle and lift up the container part in order to remove container part 12 from housing 1 for fuel refill. In addition, it is necessary to manually close lid 4 connected to the body after container part 12 has been set inside of housing 1 in order to complete the replacement of container part 12 after container part 12 has been refilled with fuel. These opening and closing operations of lid 4 connected to the body are inconvenient to the user.
A joint part 47 for connecting a pipe for fuel transfer to the container part and a cushioned cover 120 for protecting joint part 47 at the time that the heater falls down are attached to the upper portion of container part 12. Therefore, joint part 47 and cushioned cover 120 are exposed from the top of the heater at the time when container part 12 is removed and they can easily be seen by the user, giving a negative impression of the apparatus to the user.
Even when the above described problem is solved there is a risk that the temperature of container part 12 may rise when an abnormality occurs inside of housing 1 leading in the worst scenario to overheating. In such a case the heat is transferred to a member above the container part 12 and this causes a risk to the user. In particular, in the case that the member above the container part is made of resin, there is a risk that it may melt due to effects from heat from the inside of housing 1.
In addition, in the case that the member above the container part is made of resin, the member above the container part may melt and hang down onto container part 12 and prevent the normal operation of the liquid supply device itself from continuing when, for example, a large amount of heat is conveyed to lid 4 connected to the body due to a problem outside of housing 1 causing the member above the container part to become melted and deformed. In addition, there is a risk of fuel ignition within container part 12 when the member above the container part that has melted and hung down due to excessive heat drops onto container part 12.
It is therefore desirable to provide a liquid supply device and a liquid fuel combustion apparatus therein inconvenience to a user is reduced and which has a simple appearance.
It is also desirable to provide a liquid supply device and a liquid fuel combustion apparatus wherein overheating of the container part does not affect the lid connected to the body of the liquid fuel combustion apparatus. It is also desirable to provide a liquid supply device and a liquid fuel combustion apparatus wherein the container part is not negatively affected even in the case where the lid connected to the body becomes thermally deformed or melts.
JP 2000337621 discloses an oil combustor having a combustion section, a cartridge tank having a projecting part for supplying liquid fuel, e.g. kerosene, to a body cabinet, and a container for the tank. The container is formed integrally with the body cabinet and provided with openings in the lateral direction and upward direction so that the cartridge tank can be contained from horizontal direction without moving up and down. Furthermore, the cartridge tank is provided with a door type shield member covering the cartridge tank not to be exposed from the body cabinet and the container.
According to the present invention there is a liquid fuel combustion apparatus comprising:

a body of an apparatus having a top surface; and
a liquid supply device, contained inside of said body of the apparatus, for supplying liquid to said body of the apparatus in accordance with the operation of said body of the apparatus, wherein

a fuel container part having a top surface, said fuel container part being removably attachable to a predetermined attachment position inside of said body of the apparatus and being able to store said liquid;
a fuel container top panel formed in connection with the top surface of said fuel container part; said fuel container top panel covering an opening provided in the top surface of said body; wherein
a shielding body is interposed between said fuel container part top surface and the fuel container top panel. Accordingly, thermal interaction between the fuel container part and the top panel of the fuel container part as well as ignition of fuel inside of the fuel container part due to external heat can be prevented, and heat transfer to the top panel of the fuel container part due to excessive heat from the fuel container part to melt and hang down or drop down through the selection of appropriate material for the shielding body according to this configuration.

Preferably the shielding body separates the fuel container part from the entire surface of the top panel of the fuel container part. Thus, the top panel of the fuel container part can more surely be prevented from hanging down onto, or dropping down onto, the fuel container part in the case where the top panel of the fuel container part melts due to heat.
Preferably the shielding body is made of heat insulating material. Accordingly, mutual transfer of heat between the fuel container part and the top panel of the fuel container part can be prevented, and the top panel of the fuel container part can be prevented from receiving negative effects from the fuel container part when the fuel container part is heated to a high temperature or the fuel container part can be prevented from receiving negative effects from the top panel of the fuel container part when the top panel of the fuel container part is heated to a high temperature.
Preferably the shielding body is made of metal. Thus, the shielding body remains unchanged, without melting, and the melted top panel of the fuel container part can be prevented from hanging down onto, or dropping down onto, the fuel container part even in the case where the top panel of the fuel container part is made of resin and where the top panel of the fuel container part melts due to heat.
Preferably the body of the apparatus includes a shielding wall on a side recess for containing the liquid supply device and the shielding body and the shielding wall contact each other so as to provide a structure that surrounds the fuel container part in a continuous manner when the liquid supply device is attached at the attachment position. Therefore, the fuel container part of the liquid supply device is surrounded by the shielding wall on the side in addition to the shielding body on the top, wherein the shielding body and the shielding wall make contact with each other so as to surround the fuel container part in a continuous manner according to the configuration and, therefore, negative thermal effects can be more surely be prevented and the top panel of the fuel container part can be prevented from hanging down onto, or dropping down onto, the fuel container part.
In order that the present invention be more readily understood, specific embodiments thereof will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Figs. 1 - 4 show an example for aiding understanding of the invention.
Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a liquid supply device according to an embodiment of the invention.
Fig. 6 is a cross sectional view of the liquid supply device according to the embodiment contained in a housing.
Fig. 7 is a second cross sectional view of the liquid supply device according to the embodiment contained in the housing.
Fig. 8 is a perspective view of a kerosene fan heater according to prior art.
Fig. 9 is a conceptual view of the internal structure of a first kerosene fan heater according to the prior art.
Fig. 10 is a view of the condition wherein a first liquid supply device according to the prior art is lifted by hand.
Fig. 11 is a conceptual view of the internal structure of a second kerosene fan heater according to the prior art.
Fig. 12 is a view of the condition wherein a second liquid supply device according to the prior art is lifted up by hand.
Fig. 13 is a view for describing the fuel refilling task in the second kerosene fan heater according to the prior art.

(Configuration)

An example of a kerosene fan heater, which is a liquid fuel combustion apparatus that uses a liquid supply device is described below with reference to Fig. 1. Here, the same symbols are attached in the present arrangement to the same parts of the configuration as in the kerosene fan heater described in the prior art.
A top panel 400 of the container part is secured to the top of container part 12 for integration with this liquid supply device. A handle 401 is provided to top panel 400 of the container part for the easy carrying of container part 12. Handle 401 folds into top panel 400 of the container part in the same plane at the time when not in utilization while handle 401 is lifted up from top panel 400 of the container part only at the time of utilization in this structure. In addition, top panel 400 of the container part is provided with a lid 402 above the kerosene refill opening that can be displaced so that top panel 400 of the container part is not a hindrance at the time of the refilling of fuel through supply opening 44. Lid 402 above the kerosene refill opening is also folded into top panel 400 of the container part in the same plane in the condition wherein the lid is closed in the structure.
In addition, a joint part 47 and a cushioned cover 120 are placed in the upper portion of container part 12 in the same manner as in the prior art. A portion of the top surface of container part 12 is inclined and this inclined surface is provided with supply opening 44, through which liquid enters, and supply opening 44 is covered with a kerosene refill cap 39, also in the same manner as in the prior art.
Fig. 2 shows a cross sectional view of the condition wherein this liquid supply device is contained inside of housing 1. Top panel 400 of the container part is located at approximately the same height of the plane of top panel 8 of housing 1 and they form a continuous surface. In addition, top panel 400 of the container part has a structure so as to cover the opening in top panel 8.
Fig. 3 shows a cross sectional view of the vicinity of supply opening 44 viewed from an angle different from that of Fig. 2. Supply opening 44 is provided with kerosene refill cap 39 in a structure wherein kerosene refill cap 39 cannot be opened when container part 12 is contained within housing 1 because supply opening 44 is provided in an inclined surface. Kerosene refill cap 39 can be opened only in the condition wherein container part 12 has been removed from housing 1.
The liquid fuel combustion apparatus according to this arrangement is a liquid fuel combustion apparatus provided with the above described liquid supply device and the appearance thereof is the same as that shown in Fig. 8.

(Operation and Effects)

Top panel 400 of the container part is secured to container part 12 so as to be integrated with the above liquid supply device wherein top panel 400 of the container part has approximately the same height as the top surface of top panel 8 of housing 1 at the time when the liquid supply device is contained within housing 1 and, therefore, the top of this liquid supply device appears unified with the top of the fuel combustion apparatus and has a simple appearance. In addition, top panel 400 of the container part has a structure that covers the opening in top panel 8, wherein lid 4 connected to the body of the apparatus for the opening in top panel 8 becomes unnecessary, unlike in the prior art, and, therefore, it becomes unnecessary for the user to open and close lid 4 connected to the body of the apparatus.
Handle 401, which becomes necessary at the time that the liquid supply device is removed from and reinserted into the apparatus, is provided so as to be folded, in the same plane, into top panel 400 of the container part and so as to be raised up from top panel 400 of the container part only at the time of utilization and, therefore, handle 401 is not a hindrance at the time when the handle is not being utilized and it can easily be raised up and grasped for the convenience of the user.
Supply opening 44 is provided in the inclined surface of container part 12 in this structure wherein kerosene refill cap 39 cannot be opened when container part 12 is contained inside of housing 1 and, therefore, the situation wherein the refilling task is carried out while container part 12 is left inside of housing 1 due laziness or ignorance of the user can be avoided in order to ensure safety.
In addition, joint part 47 and cushioned part 120 are hidden behind top panel 400 of the container part and, therefore, a negative impression in regard to the appearance can be avoided.
The same effects as described above can also be gained in a liquid fuel combustion apparatus provided with such a liquid supply device.

(Assembly)

Assembly of such a liquid supply device is schematically described below. Fig. 4 shows the condition of the structure before top panel 400 of the container part has been attached for ease of understanding. as shown in Fig. 4 container part 12 is formed in approximately an approximately rectangular parallelepiped form wherein left member 12a, in approximately a plate form, of the kerosene supply tank and right member 12b, which is formed, by means of a press, into a container form having U-shaped cross section with the open end of the U shape facing to the left, of the kerosene supply tank are joined by means of an Adrian process. Container part 12 has an approximately rectangular form as viewed from above (in Fig. 4 above) and the right front corner, wherein joint part 47 is attached, is rounded. The shape of container part 12 does not match the shape of the opening in top panel 8 due to the above described corner rounding and container part 12 cannot be inserted into housing 1 in the case where the user attempts to insert container part 12 into the housing while holding container part 12 in the wrong direction. As a result of this, incorrect insertion can be prevented. On the other hand, the upper right rear portion of container part 12, in which supply opening 44 is provided, has a form wherein the corner is cut off. The respective sides thereof are in R-shaped forms. Top panel 400 of the container part is secured with screws, or the like, to an attachment plate 403 for the top panel of the container part.

(Application to Other Apparatuses)

Though the liquid supply device according to the arrangement of Fig.1 is described herein with reference to an example wherein liquid fuel is supplied to a heating apparatus, the liquid supply device according to this arrangement is not limited to this application. The present arrangement is applicable in other apparatuses that hold some type of liquid, for example, to a humidifier, which is an apparatus that utilizes water as the liquid.

(Embodiment of the invention)

(Configuration)

A liquid supply device according to an embodiment of the present invention is described below with reference to Fig. 5. Though the appearance of the liquid supply device is similar to that shown in Fig. 1, the bottom and the lower portions of the sides of top panel 400 of the container part are covered with a shielding plate 405a. On the other hand, the bottom and the lower portions of the sides of lid 402 above the kerosene refill opening are covered with a shielding plate 405b. Top panel 400 of the container part, handle 401 and lid 402 above the kerosene refill opening are all made of resin and shielding plates 405a and 405b are made of heat insulating material.
The structure of this liquid supply device in the vicinity of top panel 400 of the container part at the time when this liquid supply device is within housing 1 is described with reference to Figs. 6 and 7. The inner sidewalls of the apparatus body that surrounding the space in which is placed the above described liquid supply device are covered with shielding walls 406 made of heat insulating material, as shown in Figs. 6 and 7, and shielding plates 405a and 405b and shielding walls 406 make contact with each other so as to surround container part 12 of the liquid supply device, which is contained in the apparatus body, in the condition wherein the liquid supply device is set within housing 1. Glass fiber, and the like, can be utilized as the heat insulating material that is formed into shielding plates 405a and 405b and shielding walls 406.

(Operation and Effects)

The bottoms and lower portions of the sides of top panel 400 of the container part and lid 402 above the kerosene refill opening are covered with shielding plates 405a and 405b and, therefore, heat that may be generated according to various reasons in container part 12 will not be transferred to top panel 400 of the container part or to lid 402 above the kerosene refill opening so that top panel 400 of the container part and lid 402 above the kerosene refill opening can be prevented from receiving thermal effects and prevented from melting or becoming thermally deformed even in the case where top panel 400 of the container part and lid 402 above the kerosene refill opening made of a resin that is susceptible to heat. Furthermore, container part 12, which is in the state of containment, is surrounded by shielding plates 405a and 405b and shielding walls 406 in the condition wherein the liquid supply device is within housing 1 and, therefore, effects from heat transfer can more surely be prevented. In particular a structure wherein shielding plates 405a and 405b and shielding walls 406 make contact with each other so that container part 12 is surrounded in a continuous manner is preferable because this more surely prevents thermal effects.
Alternately, shielding plates 405a and 405b and shielding walls 406 are not limited to being made of heat insulating material but, rather, may be metal plates in the case where top panel 400 of the container part and lid 402 above the kerosene refill opening can be prevented from thermal deformation due to external heat and from hanging down onto, or dropping down onto, container part 12 as a result of becoming melted. Other fire retarding material may be used in place of metal plates.
Though it is not necessary for shielding plates 405a and 405b to completely separate container part 12 from top panel 400 of the container part of the container part, the above described complete separation is preferable.

(Application to Other Apparatuses)

Though the liquid supply device according to the present embodiment is described herein with reference to an example of a liquid supply device for supplying liquid fuel to a heating apparatus, the liquid supply device according to the present invention is not limited to this application. The present invention is applicable in other apparatuses that hold some type of liquid. The invention is applicable to an apparatus that utilizes water as the liquid. For example, a liquid supply device that stores water according to the invention is applicable to a humidifier.
Though such a liquid supply device may be provided as a part in any apparatus that holds a liquid, the application of the present invention to a liquid fuel combustion apparatus provided with an internal heat source wherein ignition of the internal fuel is not desired is advantageous because thermal interaction between the inside and the outside of the apparatus can be prevented.

(Effects of the Invention)

The embodiment provides a shielding body interposed between the container part and the top panel of the container part and, therefore, thermal interaction between the container part and the top panel of the container part can be prevented and the top panel of the container part can be prevented from melting and hanging down or dropping down through the selection of appropriate material for the shielding body. As a result the ignition of fuel in the container part due to melting of the top panel of the container part caused by external heat can be prevented and the top panel of the container part can be prevented from becoming damaged due to abnormal heat emission from inside the container part.
In addition, the above described embodiments disclosed herein are illustrative from all points of view and are not limitative. The scope of the present invention is not defined by the above description but, rather, is defined by the claims and is intended to include meanings equivalent to the claims and all modifications within the scope.

Industrial Applicability

The described embodiments are applicable to a liquid fuel combustion apparatus, such as a kerosene fan heater or a kerosene heater. Furthermore, the inventions are applicable to a liquid supply device, including a tank for storage of liquid, mounted in such an apparatus. In addition, the inventions are applicable to a liquid supply device provided in a humidifier, or the like.

Claims

A liquid fuel combustion apparatus comprising:
a body (1) of an apparatus having a top surface (8); and

a liquid supply device, contained inside of said body of the apparatus, for supplying liquid to said body of the apparatus in accordance with the operation of said body of the apparatus, wherein
said liquid supply device includes:
a fuel container part (12) having a top surface, said fuel container part being removably attachable to a predetermined attachment position inside of said body of the apparatus and being able to store said liquid;

a fuel container top panel (400) formed in connection with the top surface of said fuel container part; said fuel container top panel covering an opening provided in the top surface (8) of said body (1); characterized in that

a shielding body (405a,405b) is interposed between said fuel container part top surface and the fuel container top panel (400).
The liquid fuel combustion apparatus according to claim 1, wherein
said shielding body (405a,405b) separates said fuel container part from the entire surface of said top panel of the fuel container part.
The liquid fuel combustion apparatus according to claim 1, wherein
said shielding body (405a,405b) is made of heat insulating material.
The liquid fuel combustion apparatus according to claim 1, wherein
said shielding body (405a,405b) is made of metal
The liquid fuel combustion apparatus according to claim 1, wherein
said body of the apparatus includes a shielding wall (406) on a side of a recess for containing said liquid supply device, and said shielding body (405a,405b) and said shielding wall (406) contact each other so as to provide a structure that surrounds said fuel container part in a continuous manner when said liquid supply device is attached at said attachment position.