WO2005066546A1

WO2005066546A1 - Portable gas range

Info

Publication number: WO2005066546A1
Application number: PCT/KR2004/000977
Authority: WO
Inventors: Tak-Jin Go
Original assignee: Eco Co., Ltd.
Priority date: 2004-01-06
Filing date: 2004-04-28
Publication date: 2005-07-21

Abstract

A portable gas range can be assembled with a large capacity portable gas container having an enclosed nozzle to use gas contained in the container while the portable gas range has the same size as that of the conventional portable gas range. In the portable gas range, a governor and an adaptor are separately formed and disposed in a chamber for flame ports and a gas container chamber separated by a partition in the gas range housing, so as to ensure an increased available space for a portable gas container.

Description

Description PORTABLE GAS RANGE Technical Field

[1] The present invention relates to a portable gas range using a portable gas container, and more particularly to a portable gas range having an improved construction, which can be assembled with a large capacity portable gas container having an enclosed nozzle to use gas contained in the container while the portable gas range has the same size as that of the conventional portable gas range. Background Art

[2] In general, portable gas ranges are different from fixed-type gas ranges of a middle or large size, in that portable gas ranges are small and light so that they can be easily carried and used. Portable gas ranges not only enable an easy and convenient outdoor cooking, but also enable an individual wishing to eat food to directly cook the food on a table in such a place as a restaurant. That is, it can be said that portable gas ranges are widely used in the culinary aspect of modern people lives.

[3] A conventional portable gas range, as shown in perspective and plan views of FIGs. 1 and 2, has a gas range housing 100 made from metal, flame ports 160 formed at a central portion of the gas range housing 100 and facing upward, and a gas container chamber 170 formed at one side of the gas range housing 100 and partitioned by a partition 110.

[4] A governor 180 having an adapter (not shown) is disposed at a front portion of the gas container chamber 170, that is, inside of a front wall of the gas container chamber 170. Gas from a gas container seated in the gas container chamber 170 is supplied through the adapter to the flame ports 160 under the control of the governor 180.

[5] The gas container can be slid and assembled with the adapter of the governor 180 by a sliding means and a container-holding latch 120. The sliding means includes a sliding tray 130, a tray fence 140, and a spring (not shown). The container-holding latch 120 has a cam hole 121 connected to the sliding means.

[6] Hereinafter, a construction for assembling or disassembling the conventional portable gas container as described above will be described in more detail with reference to FIG. 3. The partition 110 has guide holes 111, 112, and 112a formed through the partition 110. The sliding tray 130 is assembled with the container-holding latch 120 by an assembling means 122 and the cam hole 121 engaged with each other. Further, the sliding tray 130 is fixed to the tray fence 140 for holding and carrying the tray fence 140.

[7] Protuberances 122, 123, and 123a of the sliding tray 130 are inserted in the guide holes 111, 112, and 112a, respectively. Also, in a state in which an assembling hole 131 is aligned with the cam hole 121 of the container-holding latch 120, the protuberance 122 is inserted through the cam hole 121 so that the protuberance 122 is engaged with the cam hole 121. A spring 114 is disposed between a spring bracket 132 of the sliding tray 130 and a spring bracket 113 of the partition 110. Further, a receiving space 150 (see FIG. 1) in which the tray fence 140 can slide is formed on a bottom of the gas container chamber 170 of the gas range housing 100 (see FIGs. 1 and 2). A user may move the container-holding latch 120, which protrudes out of the front wall of the gas range housing 100, up or down by the fingers, so as to slide the tray fence 140 in the gas container chamber 170, thereby assembling/disassembling the gas container with/from the adapter (not shown).

[8] When the gas container has been assembled with the adapter in the way described above, the gas in the gas container can be supplied to the flame ports 160 through the governor 180 by the operation of a governor knob 190 disposed outside of the gas range housing 100, so as to allow ignition.

[9] The portable gas container used for the conventional portable gas range as described above is usually made of tin-plated steel tube and has a typical protruding nozzle. However, the maximum amount of gas that can be contained in such a typical portable gas container is not sufficient to enable a user to use the portable gas container for long time, so that the user must frequently replace the gas container during cooking by such a gas range. Further, gas may leak and cause an accident when the nozzle is unexpectedly pressed while the gas container is carried or stored.

[10] Therefore, the Applicant has proposed a new portable gas container having an enclosed nozzle as shown in FIGs. 4 and 5, which is disclosed in Korean Patent Registration N). 398,974 published on October 1, 2003. The proposed portable gas container is made from stainless steel and has a nozzle seated in a recess formed by depressing a portion of a top surface of the portable gas container. This construction allows a user to use the gas container by assembling an adapter with the nozzle, and prevents the nozzle from being unexpectedly pressed to cause accident while the gas container is being carried or stored.

[11] Hereinafter, such a large capacity gas container having an enclosed nozzle as described above will be described with reference to FIGs. 4 and 5, together with its adapter. [12] A gas container body 1 has an upper cover 2 and a lower cover 3 integrally joined with upper and lower ends of the gas container body 1, and a safety valve 5 is provided on a portion of the upper cover 2. The recess 6 is formed by depressing the upper cover 2, and a nozzle body 4 is seated in the recess 6 while being prevented from protruding upward beyond the top of the upper cover 2, so that the gas container can be assembled with or disassembled from an adapter 11 having an opening/closing actuator 14 elastically supported by a spring 12. The nozzle body 4 also contains another opening/ closing actuator 7, which is disposed at a position lower than the top of the nozzle body 4 and can be moved up or down by a set screw 8 when the gas container is assembled with or disassembled from the adapter 11.

[13] That is, the adapter 11 has a guide block 18 provided at one side of an adapter body 13, and the guide block 18 has a guide pin 19 elastically supported by a spring in the guide block 18. An adapter cover 15 connected with an exhaust tube 17 inserted through the adapter cover 15 is assembled with the top of the adapter body 13, and the opening/closing actuator 14 having a fluid channel formed through a central portion of the opening/closing actuator 14 is housed in the adapter body 13. The opening/closing actuator 14 is located and movable up and down in the recess 6 when the adapter 11 has been assembled with the gas container. Meanwhile, the recess 6 has a guide groove 26 formed at one side of the recess 6, in which the guide block 18 of the adapter 11 can be inserted when the adapter 11 is assembled with the gas container. The guide groove 26 and the guide block 18 enable the gas container body 1 and the adapter 11 to be assembled with each other in an easier and more exact manner.

[14] Further, a cylindrical surface of the recess 6 surrounding the nozzle body 4 may have a guide groove 27 formed on the cylindrical surface, so that the guide groove 27 can be screw-assembled with a female screw formed on, e.g., a portion of a gas torch. Herein, an Oring 21 for preventing leakage of gas may be installed at either an assembling portion 23 of the adaptor body 13 assembled with the nozzle body 4 or each of the connecting portions between the adaptor body 13 and the adaptor cover 15 and between the exhaust tube 17 and the adaptor cover 15.

[15] Reference numerals 9, 22, 10, 24, and 16, which are not described above, designate a spring elastically inserted in the set screw 8, a fluid channel, a gas introduction tube, a threshold, and an exhaust port, respectively.

[16] Such a large capacity gas container as described above can be used more safely and longer than the smaller container having a typical protruding nozzle. However, such a large capacity gas container has too large a size to be used for the conventional portable gas ranges as described above. Therefore, in order to use such a large capacity gas container, it is necessary to manufacture a portable gas range having dimensions and constructions proper for such a large capacity gas container.

[17] However, in order to develop such a portable gas range proper for the large capacity gas container, too much time loss and economic loss are necessary for design and production of such a large-sized portable gas range. Especially, if the portable gas range were designed to have an enlarged size corresponding to the large capacity gas container, a large-sized portable gas range would have such a large total area and weight that it would be inconvenient to carry or use the portable gas range and the portable gas range would occupy too large an area.

[18] Further, such a large-sized portable gas range proper for a large capacity gas container would require a complicated construction for assembling or disassembling a large capacity gas container, including increased number of elements of a holding latch and sliding means, which would increase the manufacturing cost of the range and decrease available space in the gas container chamber. Moreover, the holding latch formed on the front surface of the gas range housing, which is located too close to the governor knob, may be iris -operated by the operation of governor knob for regulating the quantity of supplied gas. Disclosure

[19] Therefore, the present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems, and it is an object of the present invention to provide a portable gas range, which can be assembled with a large capacity portable gas container having an enclosed nozzle to use gas contained in the container while the portable gas range has the same size as that of the conventional portable gas range.

[20] It is another object of the present invention to provide a portable gas range, which can be continuously used for a much longer time without replacement of the gas container and eliminates the necessity of a cumbersome job of replacing the gas container.

[21] It is still another object of the present invention to provide a portable gas range, which can be used with a highly improved safety, can be carried and used in an easier and more convenient manner, and occupies the same area as the conventional portable gas range occupies.

[22] In a portable gas range according to the present invention, a governor and an adaptor are separately formed and disposed in a chamber for flame ports and a gas container chamber separated by a partition in the gas range housing, so as to ensure an increased available space for a portable gas container.

[23] According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a portable gas range comprising: a gas range housing; a partition formed in the gas range housing to divide the gas range housing into a chamber for flame ports and a gas container chamber; an adaptor disposed on an inner surface defining the gas container chamber, the adaptor containing an opening/closing actuator and a spring elastically supporting the opening/closing actuator; and a governor for receiving gas supplied through the adaptor from a gas container assembled in the gas container chamber and supplying the gas to the flame ports, wherein the governor and the adaptor are separately formed and connected through a separate gas tube.

[24] The governor is disposed at one surface of a portion of the partition defining the chamber for the flame ports.

[25] Further, the gas container chamber may comprise: a chamber cover which can be pivoted to open and close the gas container chamber, the chamber cover having a cutout portion; a sliding tray disposed in the gas container chamber, the sliding tray having a tray fence for carrying the gas container placed on the sliding tray, the sliding tray having a latch-holding bracket and a first spring bracket formed at one side of the sliding tray; a second spring bracket and a latch-holding tube formed at one side of a bottom of the gas container chamber; a spring disposed between the first spring bracket of the sliding tray and the second spring bracket of the gas container chamber, the spring having both ends connected to the first spring bracket and the second spring bracket, respectively; a container-holding latch having a latch body and a latch grip formed integrally with each other, the latch body being inserted through the latch- holding tube held by a latch-holding pin rotatably inserted through the latch-holding bracket; and a threshold formed at one side of the gas container chamber and having a latch grip groove, the latch grip groove together with the cut-out portion of the chamber cover forming a latch grip hole through which the latch grip of the container- holding latch protrudes out of the gas container chamber.

[26] Preferably, the latch grip can be moved in and along the cut-out portion of the chamber cover and engaged with the latch grip groove. More preferably, the gas container may be a high capacity pressure-resistant gas container having an enclosed nozzle.

[27] According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a portable gas range comprising: a gas range housing; a partition formed in the gas range housing to divide the gas range housing into a chamber for flame ports and a gas container chamber, the gas container chamber having a chamber cover for opening and closing the gas container chamber; a governor for receiving gas supplied from a high capacity pressure-resistant gas container and supplying the gas to the flame ports, the high capacity pressure-resistant gas container having an enclosed nozzle, the enclosed nozzle having male screw formed on an outer cylindrical surface of the nozzle; an adapter assembled with one side of the governor, the adapter containing an opening/ closing actuator and a spring elastically supporting the opening/closing actuator; and a cam nut closely fitted around the adapter and formed integrally with a rotary knob surrounding a portion of a cylindrical surface of the cam nut, the cam nut having a female screw formed inside of the cam nut, wherein the female screw is engaged with the male screw of the nozzle when the rotary knob is rotated.

[28] The gas container chamber may have a chamber opening formed at a rear end of the gas container chamber. Also, the gas container chamber may have knob holes formed through an upper portion of the chamber cover and a bottom of the gas container chamber, and upper and lower portions of the rotary knob protrude out of the knob holes. Description of Drawings

[29] The foregoing and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

[30] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a conventional portable gas range;

[31] FIG. 2 is a plan view of a conventional portable gas range;

[32] FIG. 3 is a side sectional view of a conventional portable gas range;

[33] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a conventional large capacity portable gas container having an enclosed nozzle;

[34] FIG. 5 is an enlarged side sectional view of a portion of the gas container shown in FIG. 4 and an adaptor assembled with the gas container;

[35] FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view of a portable gas range according to the second embodiment of the present invention;

[36] FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a large capacity portable gas container used for a portable gas range according to the second embodiment of the present invention;

[37] FIG. 8 is a schematic plan view of a portable gas range according to the second embodiment of the present invention;

[38] FIG. 9 is a side sectional view of a portable gas range according to the second embodiment of the present invention, which has been assembled with a large capacity portable gas container; [39] FIG. 10 is an exploded perspective view of a portable gas range according to the third embodiment of the present invention, which shows a construction for assembling/ disassembling a gas container; [40] FIGs. 11 and 12 are side sectional views of a portable gas range according to the third embodiment of the present invention, which show sliding of the construction for assembling/disassembling a gas container; [41] FIG. 13 is an enlarged side sectional view of a portion of the portable gas range shown in FIGs. 11 and 12; [42] FIG. 14 is a perspective view of a portable gas range according to the third embodiment of the present invention, which has been assembled with a gas container; [43] FIG. 15 is an exploded perspective view of a portable gas range according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention; [44] FIG. 16 is a perspective view of a portable gas range according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention, with which a large capacity portable gas container has been assembled [45] FIG. 17 is a side sectional view of a portable gas range according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention, with which a large capacity portable gas container has been assembled; and [46] FIG. 18 is an enlarged side sectional view of a portion of the portable gas range according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention, which has been assembled with a large capacity portable gas container. Best Mode [47] Reference will now be made in greater detail to the preferred embodiments of the present invention, which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Wherever possible, the same reference numerals will be used throughout the drawings and the description to refer to the same or like parts. [48]

[49] Embodiment 1

[50] FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view of a portable gas range according to the present embodiment, FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a large capacity portable gas container used for a portable gas range according to the present embodiment, FIG. 8 is a schematic plan view of a portable gas range according to the present embodiment, and FIG. 9 is a side sectional view of a portable gas range according to the present embodiment, which has been assembled with a large capacity portable gas container. [51] As shown in FIGs. 6 to 9, a gas range housing 200 has a chamber for flame ports 260 and a gas container chamber 270, which are separated from each other by a partition 210. The gas range housing 200 has nearly the same construction as that of the conventional portable gas range, in that gas from a separate gas container 250 is supplied through a governor 280 to the flame ports 260.

[52] However, the gas range housing 200 is different from the conventional portable gas range, in that the governor 280 is disposed at the flame port side of the partition 210 in the gas range housing 200, that is, in the chamber containing the flame ports 260. An adapter 230 containing an opening/closing actuator 232 and a spring 231 elastically supporting the opening/closing actuator 232 (see FIG. 9) is disposed on an inner surface or rear surface of a front wall of the gas container chamber 270. The adapter 230 and the governor 280 are connected through a separate gas tube 240 (see FIG. 8).

[53] Reference numerals 251, 290, and 220, which are not described above, designate a nozzle of the portable gas container, a governor knob, and a container-holding latch, respectively.

[54] Hereinafter, an operation of the portable gas range as constructed above according to the present invention will be described.

[55] As shown, the portable gas range according to the present invention has a construction proper for use of a large capacity portable gas container having an enclosed nozzle. Therefore, the large capacity portable gas container can be assembled with and used for the portable gas range according to the present invention, which has the same size as that of the conventional portable gas range. Therefore, the present invention enables the portable gas range to be continuously used for a much longer time without replacement of the gas container and eliminates the necessity of a cumbersome job of replacing the gas container.

[56] The conventional portable gas range is not proper for the large capacity portable gas container since the governor is located in the gas container chamber. If the location of the recess 6 were changed in the conventional portable gas range, it would be impossible to use a large capacity portable gas container having a protruding nozzle.

[57] In the present embodiment, the governor 280 is disposed at and attached to one side of the partition 210 in the gas range housing 200, which corresponds to an inner surface forming the chamber in which the flame ports 260 is located. According to operation of the governor knob 290 disposed outside of the gas range housing 200, gas is supplied from the gas container 250 through the governor 280 to the flame ports 260. Herein, the large capacity portable gas container having an enclosed nozzle, which has been proposed by the Applicant, can be used as the gas container 250.

[58] Since the governor 280 is located in the chamber containing the flame ports 260 instead of the gas container chamber 270, the gas container chamber 270 has an additional room due to absence of the governor 280, which enables the gas container chamber 270 to have a sufficient space for housing the large capacity gas container 250. Further, since the gas container 250 has an enclosed nozzle, the gas container chamber 270 has a sufficient length for the gas container chamber 270.

[59] The gas container 250 seated in the gas container chamber 270 is connected with the governor 280 through a separate adaptor 230 and a separate gas tube 240.

[60] Referring to FIG. 9, the adaptor 230, which also has been invented by the Applicant, has the opening/closing actuator 232 and the spring 231 elastically supporting the opening/closing actuator 232, so that the adaptor 230 is proper for the large capacity gas container 250 having the enclosed type nozzle 251. The adaptor 230 is disposed on an inner surface or rear surface of a front wall of the gas container chamber 270, so that the adaptor 230 and the nozzle 251 of the gas container 250 can be assembled with each other while securing sealing between them.

[61] Herein, the gas container 250 is more firmly and tightly assembled with the adaptor 230 by a sliding means and the container-holding latch 220, wherein the sliding means includes the sliding tray 130 (see FIG. 2), the tray fence 140 (see FIG. 2), and a spring (not shown), and the container-holding latch 220 has a cam hole 121 connected to the sliding means.

[62] When the nozzle 251 of the gas container 250 has been tightly assembled with the adaptor 230, the opening/closing actuator 232 of the adaptor 230 pushes and opens the nozzle 251 of the gas container 250 to allow compressed gas to be exhausted out of the gas container 250. The exhausted gas is supplied to the governor 280 sequentially through the adaptor 230 and the gas tube 240 interconnecting the adaptor 230 and the governor 280, and is then supplied to the flame ports 260 and ignited by the control of the governor knob 290 of the governor 280.

[63] Therefore, the portable gas range according to the present invention can ensure a wider space in the gas container chamber 270 while having the same size as that of the conventional portable gas range. Further, the portable gas range according to the present invention can be assembled with the large capacity gas container having an enclosed nozzle 251 by means of the adaptor 230, so that the portable gas range according to the present invention can be used more conveniently.

[64] [65] Embodiment 2

[66] FIG. 10 is an exploded perspective view of a portable gas range according to the present embodiment, which shows a construction for assembling/disassembling a gas container, and FIGs. 11 and 12 are side sectional views of a portable gas range according to the present embodiment, which show sliding of the construction for assembling/disassembling a gas container.

[67] The present embodiment is nearly the same as the previous embodiment, excepting that the container-holding latch is disposed at a portion of a bottom of a gas container chamber, and the difference will be mainly discussed hereinafter.

[68] Referring to FIGs. 10 to 12, a gas range housing 300 has a chamber for flame ports 360 and a gas container chamber 370, which are separated from each other by a partition 310. The gas container chamber 370 has a chamber cover 301 which can be pivoted to open or close the gas container chamber 370, and contains a sliding tray 340 having a tray fence 341 for carrying a gas container. Also, as in the first embodiment, a governor 380 and an adapter 330 are separately disposed in the chamber for the flame ports 360 and in the gas container chamber 370, respectively, and are connected with each other through a separate gas tube 331.

[69] The sliding tray 340 has a latch-holding bracket 321 and a first spring bracket 322 formed at one side of the sliding tray 340, and the gas container chamber 370 has a second spring bracket 323 and a latch-holding tube 324 formed at one side of a bottom of the gas container chamber 370.

[70] The first spring bracket 322 of the sliding tray 340 and the second spring bracket 323 of the gas container chamber 370 are elastically connected with each other by a spring 325 disposed between them and connected to each of them.

[71] A container-holding latch 320 has a latch body 320a and a latch grip 326 formed integrally with each other. The latch body 320a is inserted through the latch-holding tube 324 up to the latch-holding bracket 321 and is rotatably held by a latch-holding pin 327 inserted through the latch-holding bracket 321 into a distal end of the latch body 320a. That is, the latch body 320a is inserted in the latch-holding tube 324 and held by the latch-holding pin 327 rotatably inserted through the latch-holding bracket 321 so that the latch body 320a can rotate in the latch-holding tube 324.

[72] Further, the gas range housing 300 has a threshold 302 formed at one side of the gas container chamber 370. The threshold 302 has a latch grip groove 303 and the chamber cover 301 has a cut-out portion 304. The latch grip groove 303 and the cutout portion 304 together form a latch grip hole through which the latch grip 326 of the container-holding latch 320 protrudes out of the gas container chamber 370. That is, the latch body 320a of the container-holding latch 320 is disposed inside of the gas container chamber 370, and the latch grip 326 of the container-holding latch 320 protrudes out of the gas container chamber 370 through the latch grip hole formed by the latch grip groove 303 and the cut-out portion 304.

[73] Reference numerals 360 and 390, which are not described above, designate flame ports and a governor knob, respectively.

[74] Hereinafter, an operation of the portable gas range as constructed above according to the present invention will be described in detail.

[75] In the portable gas range according to the present embodiment, a gas container 350 can be assembled with on or disassembled from the gas range housing 300 by moving the container-holding latch 320 forward or backward.

[76] When the portable gas range according to the present embodiment is not used, the sliding tray 340 together with the container-holding latch 320 connected to the sliding tray 340 is maintained at its rearmost position by the elastic force of the spring 325 as shown in FIG. 11. In order to use the portable gas range, the gas container 350 should first be placed on the sliding tray 340 as shown in FIG. 14.

[77] In the state in which the gas container 350 is seated in the sliding tray 340 as described above, a user may pull forward of the gas range housing 300 by the hand the latch grip 326 of the container-holding latch 320 protruding out of the gas container chamber 370 through the cut-out portion 304 of the chamber cover 301. Then, the container-holding latch 320 moves forward of the gas range housing 300 along the latch-holding tube 324, as shown in FIG. 12.

[78] Herein, since the container-holding latch 320 is assembled with the latch-holding bracket 321 of the sliding tray 340 by the latch-holding pin 327, the sliding tray 340 also moves forward simultaneously with the container-holding latch 320. In this instance, the tray fence 341 of the sliding tray 340 pushes the gas container 350 forward until the gas container 350 is assembled with the adaptor 330 so as to allow gas contained in the gas container 350 to be supplied through the governor 380.

[79] When the container-holding latch 320 is moved forward, the latch grip 326 can move along and in the cut-out portion 304 formed at one side of the chamber cover 301, as shown in FIG. 13. When the container-holding latch 320 is rotated downward after the gas container 350 is assembled with the adaptor 330, the latch grip 326 is engaged with the latch grip groove 303 formed at a portion of the threshold 302 as shown in FIG. 13, so as to prevent the sliding tray 340 and the container-holding latch 320 from being returned to their original rearmost positions by the elastic force of the spring 325.

[80] After the portable gas range is used in the state in which the gas container 350 is assembled with the adaptor 330, the container-holding latch 320 may be rotated upward from the latch grip groove 303. Then, the container-holding latch 320 is disengaged from the latch grip groove 303 and located in the cut-out portion 304. Then, the sliding tray 340 and the container-holding latch 320 are instantly returned to their original rearmost positions by the elastic force of the spring 325 disposed between the first spring bracket 322 of the sliding tray 340 and the second spring bracket 323 of the gas container chamber 370. At the same time, the gas container 350 placed on the sliding tray 340 is also moved backward so that the gas container 350 is disassembled from the adaptor 330.

[81] The construction of the portable gas range according to the present embodiment as described above not only is proper for the use of the large capacity gas container having an enclosed nozzle, but also can be applied to the use of the typical small capacity gas container having a protruding nozzle.

[82]

[83] Embodiment 3

[84] FIG. 15 is an exploded perspective view of a portable gas range according to the present embodiment, FIG. 16 is a perspective view of a portable gas range according to the present embodiment, with which a large capacity portable gas container has been assembled, FIG. 17 is a side sectional view of a portable gas range according to the present embodiment, with which a large capacity portable gas container has been assembled, and FIG. 18 is an enlarged side sectional view of a portion of the portable gas range according to the present embodiment, which has been assembled with a large capacity portable gas container.

[85] As shown, a gas range housing 400 has a chamber for flame ports 460 and a gas container chamber 470, which are separated from each other by a partition 410. The gas container chamber 470 has a chamber cover 401 which can be rotated to open or close the gas container chamber 470. The gas range housing 400 is also assembled with a separate gas container 450, from which gas is supplied through a governor 480 to the flame ports 460.

[86] Further, the gas container chamber 470 has a chamber opening 471 formed at a rear end of the gas container chamber 470, and the governor 480 is disposed on a rear surface of a front wall of the gas container chamber 470. An adaptor 430 is assembled with one side of the governor 480 and contains an opening/closing actuator 432 and a spring 431 elastically supporting the opening/closing actuator 432. A cam nut 433 is formed integrally with a rotary knob 434 surrounding a portion of a cylindrical surface of the cam nut 433 and is closely fitted around the adaptor 430. The cam nut 433 has a female screw 435 formed inside of the cam nut 433, which is engaged with a male screw 452 formed on an outer cylindrical surface of a nozzle 451 of the large capacity gas container 450.

[87] Further, knob holes 402 and 402' are formed through an upper portion of the chamber cover 401 and a bottom of the gas container chamber 470, and the rotary knob 434 is partially exposed through the knob holes 402 and 402'. That is, upper and lower portions of the rotary knob 434 protrude out of the knob holes 402 and 402', so that the large capacity gas container 450 can be assembled with the adaptor 430 through a screw engagement between the nozzle 451 and the cam nut 433.

[88] Reference numeral 490 not described above designates a governor knob.

[89] Hereinafter, an operation of the portable gas range as constructed above according to the present invention will be described in detail.

[90] The portable gas range according to the present embodiment also has a construction proper for use of a large capacity portable gas container having an enclosed nozzle. Therefore, the large capacity portable gas container can be assembled with and used for the portable gas range according to the present embodiment, which has the same size as that of the conventional portable gas range. As a result, the present invention enables the portable gas range to be continuously used for a much longer time without replacement of the gas container and provides a highly improved safety for the use of the portable gas range.

[91] In contrast to the gas container chamber of the conventional portable gas range, which has closed front and rear surfaces, the gas container chamber 470 according to the present embodiment has the chamber opening 471 formed at a rear end of the gas container chamber 470, so that the large capacity gas container 450 can be inserted into or put out of the gas container chamber 470 through the chamber opening 471 even without pivoting the chamber cover 401 open. When the large capacity gas container 450 has been completely inserted in the gas container chamber 470, a rear portion of the large capacity gas container 450 protrudes out of the gas container chamber 470 as shown in FIGs. 16 and 17.

[92] When the large capacity gas container 450 has been completely inserted in the gas container chamber 470, the nozzle 451 of the large capacity gas container 450 is located in contact with the cam nut 433 fitted around the adapter 430. Then, the rotary knob 434 of the cam nut 433 fitted around the adapter 430 can be rotated by touching the portions of the rotary knob 434 protruding through the knob holes 402 and 402' as shown in FIG. 18. This rotation causes the male screw 452 formed on the nozzle 451 of the large capacity gas container 450 to be engaged with the female screw 435 of the cam nut 433 so that the nozzle 451 of the large capacity gas container 450 can be tightly assembled with the adapter 430. Then, the opening/closing actuator 432 elastically supported by the spring 431 in the adapter 430 pushes and opens the nozzle 451 of the large capacity gas container 450, so as to enable supply of gas to be exhausted out of the large capacity gas container 450. The exhausted gas is supplied sequentially through the adapter 430 and the governor 480 to the flame ports 460 and is then ignited by the control of the governor knob 490 of the governor 480.

[93] In the present embodiment, the chamber opening 471 formed at the rear end of the gas container chamber 470 enables the large capacity gas container 450 to be placed in the gas container chamber 470 of a portable gas range having the same size as that of the conventional portable gas range, without limitation by the space of the gas container chamber 470 or any problem.

[94] Further, a portable gas range according to the present embodiment does not require any container-holding latch nor sliding tray. In the portable gas range according to the present embodiment, the large capacity gas container 450 can be assembled with the gas range housing 400 by simply handling the portions of the rotary knob 434 protruding out of the knob holes 402 and 402'. Therefore, not only the large capacity gas container 450 can be assembled with the gas range housing 400 in an easy and convenient manner, but also the portable gas range can have a more simplified construction and can be manufactured at a reduced cost. Industrial Applicability

[95] As can be seen from the foregoing, a large capacity portable gas container can be assembled with and used for a portable gas range according to the present invention, which has the same size as that of the conventional portable gas range. Therefore, the present invention enables the portable gas range to be continuously used for a much longer time without replacement of the gas container and eliminates the necessity of a cumbersome job of replacing the gas container. Moreover, the large capacity portable gas container having an enclosed nozzle according to the present invention provides a highly improved safety for the use of the portable gas range. In addition, the portable gas range according to the present invention can be carried and used in an easier and more convenient manner and occupies the same area as the conventional portable gas range occupies. [96] While this invention has been described in connection with what is presently considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiment and the drawings, but, on the contrary, it is intended to cover various modifications and variations within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

Claims

[1] 1. A portable gas range comprising: a gas range housing; a partition formed in the gas range housing to divide the gas range housing into a chamber for flame ports and a gas container chamber; an adaptor disposed on an inner surface defining the gas container chamber, the adaptor containing an opening/closing actuator and a spring elastically supporting the opening/closing actuator; and a governor for receiving gas supplied through the adaptor from a gas container assembled in the gas container chamber and supplying the gas to the flame ports, wherein the governor and the adaptor are separately formed and connected through a separate gas tube.

2. The portable gas range as claimed in claim 1, wherein the governor is disposed at one surface of a portion of the partition defining the chamber for the flame ports.

3. The portable gas range as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the gas container chamber comprises: a chamber cover which can be pivoted to open and close the gas container chamber, the chamber cover having a cut-out portion; a sliding tray disposed in the gas container chamber, the sliding tray having a tray fence for carrying the gas container placed on the sliding tray, the sliding tray having a latch-holding bracket and a first spring bracket formed at one side of the sliding tray; a second spring bracket and a latch-holding tube formed at one side of a bottom of the gas container chamber; a spring disposed between the first spring bracket of the sliding tray and the second spring bracket of the gas container chamber, the spring having both ends connected to the first spring bracket and the second spring bracket, respectively; a container-holding latch having a latch body and a latch grip formed integrally with each other, the latch body being inserted through the latch-holding tube held by a latch-holding pin rotatably inserted through the latch-holding bracket; a threshold formed at one side of the gas container chamber and having a latch grip groove, the latch grip groove together with the cut-out portion of the chamber cover forming a latch grip hole through which the latch grip of the container-holding latch protrudes out of the gas container chamber.

4. The portable gas range as claimed in claim 3, wherein the latch grip can be moved in and along the cut-out portion of the chamber cover and engaged with the latch grip groove.

5. The portable gas range as claimed in any of preceding claims, wherein the gas container is a high capacity pressure-resistant gas container having an enclosed nozzle.

6. A portable gas range comprising: a gas range housing; a partition formed in the gas range housing to divide the gas range housing into a chamber for flame ports and a gas container chamber, the gas container chamber having a chamber cover for opening and closing the gas container chamber; a governor for receiving gas supplied from a high capacity pressure-resistant gas container and supplying the gas to the flame ports, the high capacity pressure- resistant gas container having an enclosed nozzle, the enclosed nozzle having male screw formed on an outer cylindrical surface of the nozzle; an adapter assembled with one side of the governor, the adapter containing an opening/closing actuator and a spring elastically supporting the opening/closing actuator; and a cam nut closely fitted around the adapter and formed integrally with a rotary knob surrounding a portion of a cylindrical surface of the cam nut, the cam nut having a female screw formed inside of the cam nut, wherein the female screw is engaged with the male screw of the nozzle when the rotary knob is rotated.

7. The portable gas range as claimed in claim 6, wherein the gas container chamber has a chamber opening formed at a rear end of the gas container chamber.

8. The portable gas range as claimed in claim 6, wherein the gas container chamber has knob holes formed through an upper portion of the chamber cover and a bottom of the gas container chamber, and upper and lower portions of the rotary knob protrude out of the knob holes.