Torch and torch attachment

{
  "publication_number": "US9453642B2",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "B2",
  "title": "Torch and torch attachment",
  "abstract": "An attachment for a torch includes a combustion cone mounted on a fuel delivery tube. The combustion cone bounds a combustion chamber and has an inlet through which fuel from the tube enters the chamber to create a flame when the torch ignites the fuel. The cone diverges away from the inlet and to an outlet to enable the flame to diverge and spread within the chamber. The chamber substantially contains the flame therein. At least one apertured radiator, and preferably, a pair of apertured radiators, is mounted in the chamber in direct contact with the flame, and heated by the flame to a temperature sufficient to cause each radiator to radiate infrared radiation through and past the outlet. A tipping-resistant holder holds a fuel canister of the torch upright when placed on a support surface.",
  "claims": [
    "1. An attachment for a torch for igniting fuel and air to produce a flame in a burn tube, the attachment comprising: a combustion cone mounted on the burn tube and bounding an internal chamber, the combustion cone having an inlet through which the flame enters the chamber, and an outlet spaced away from the inlet along a longitudinal direction, the outlet being larger in opening size than the inlet, the combustion cone diverging along the longitudinal direction away from the inlet and to the larger outlet to enable the flame entering the chamber to diverge and spread within the chamber along the longitudinal direction; and at least one apertured radiator mounted in the chamber and extending transversely of the longitudinal direction across the outlet, the radiator being positioned in direct contact with, and heated by, the spread flame to a temperature sufficient to cause the radiator to radiate thermal radiation through and past the outlet.",
    "2. The attachment of claim 1, wherein the chamber has an inner circumferential surface, and further comprising a liner of thermal insulation inside the combustion cone and lining the inner circumferential surface of the chamber.",
    "3. The attachment of claim 1, and further comprising a heat shield mounted exteriorly on, and circumferentially surrounding, the combustion cone.",
    "4. The attachment of claim 1, wherein the combustion cone has mounting arms for spacing the inlet away from an end of the burn tube to form an air gap.",
    "5. The attachment of claim 1, wherein the combustion cone has an adjustable collar for adjustably fitting the combustion cone on the burn tube.",
    "6. The attachment of claim 1, and an additional apertured radiator mounted in the chamber and extending transversely of the longitudinal direction across the outlet, the additional apertured radiator being spaced at a predetermined distance away from the at least one apertured radiator along the longitudinal direction, and also being positioned in direct contact with, and heated by, the spread flame to a temperature sufficient to cause the additional apertured radiator to also radiate thermal radiation through and past the outlet.",
    "7. The attachment of claim 6, wherein each apertured radiator is an openwork element constituted of a high temperature-resistant material that emits infrared radiation when heated by the spread flame, and wherein each apertured radiator has a total area and an open area that is about 35% to 55% of the total area.",
    "8. The attachment of claim 6, wherein the combustion cone and each apertured radiator is constituted of a lightweight metal having a low thermal mass.",
    "9. A torch comprising: a fuel canister containing fuel; a burn tube in communication with the fuel canister; an igniter for igniting the fuel and air to produce a flame in the burn tube; and an attachment for the torch, the attachment including a combustion cone mounted on the burn tube and hounding an internal chamber, the combustion cone having an inlet through which the flame enters the chamber, and an outlet spaced away from the inlet along a longitudinal direction, the outlet being larger in opening size than the inlet, the combustion cone diverging along the longitudinal direction away from the inlet and to the larger outlet to enable the flame entering the chamber to diverge and spread within the chamber along the longitudinal direction, and at least one apertured radiator mounted in the chamber and extending transversely of the longitudinal direction across the outlet, the radiator being positioned in direct contact with, and heated by, the spread flame to a temperature sufficient to cause the radiator to radiate thermal radiation through and past the outlet.",
    "10. The torch of claim 9, wherein the chamber has an inner circumferential surface, and further comprising a liner of thermal insulation inside the combustion cone and lining the inner circumferential surface of the chamber.",
    "11. The torch of claim 9, and further comprising a heat shield mounted exteriorly on, and circumferentially surrounding, the combustion cone.",
    "12. The torch of claim 9, wherein the combustion cone has mounting arms for spacing the inlet away from an end of the burn tube to form an air gap.",
    "13. The torch of claim 9, wherein the combustion cone has an adjustable collar for adjustably fitting the combustion cone on the burn tube.",
    "14. The torch of claim 9, and an additional apertured radiator mounted in the chamber and extending transversely of the longitudinal direction across the outlet, the additional apertured radiator being spaced at a predetermined distance away from the at least one apertured radiator along the longitudinal direction, and also being positioned in direct contact with, and heated by, the spread flame to a temperature sufficient to cause the additional apertured radiator to also radiate thermal radiation through and past the outlet.",
    "15. The torch of claim 14, wherein each apertured radiator is an openwork element constituted of a high temperature-resistant material that emits infrared radiation when heated by the spread flame, and wherein each apertured radiator has a total area and an open area that is about 35% to 55% of the total area.",
    "16. The torch of claim 14, wherein the combustion cone and each apertured radiator is constituted of a lightweight metal having a low thermal mass.",
    "17. The torch of claim 9, and a tipping-resistant holder mounted on the canister to prevent the canister from tipping over when placed on a support surface.",
    "18. The torch of claim 17, wherein the holder has an adjustable grip for adjustably fitting the holder on canisters of different sizes."
  ],
  "description_excerpt": "The present disclosure relates generally to a burner or fuel torch, especially a handheld torch for use in a kitchen, and to a burner or torch attachment that uniformly spreads and diffuses a flame produced by the torch over a broad, uniform area to expedite cooking, and that slows and confines the flame substantially within the torch attachment to enhance complete fuel combustion and to minimize risk of kitchen fire, and that substantially converts the fuel combustion to thermal radiation, especially infrared radiation, to heat and cook foods by irradiation, as well as to a tipping-resistant holder to prevent a vessel, such as a fuel canister of the torch, from tipping over when the torch is placed upright on a support surface when not handheld.\n\nHandheld, gas-fueled torches, which ignite a source of fuel, such as butane or propane, by a spark generated by a piezoelectric igniter, create an intensely hot flame and are frequently employed as kitchen torches to caramelize sugar in cooking, such as when making creme brûlée. The kitchen torches may be marketed as food torches, cooking torches, or culinary torches. Use of such torches in the kitchen is not limited to caramelizing sugar. They can be used, for example, to melt or brown toppings on casseroles or soups, to melt cheese, to fire-roast or char vegetables, such as peppers, to toast bread or marshmallows, and to broil meats, such as steaks, as well as many other uses, both in and out of the kitchen.\n\nYet, as generally satisfactory as such kitchen torches have been, their usage has not been widespread for several reasons.",
  "cpc": [
    "F23D 14/56",
    "A23B 2/05",
    "A23L 1/01",
    "A23L 1/0128",
    "A23L 3/005",
    "A23L 5/10",
    "A23L 5/15",
    "B25J 15/0028",
    "F23D 14/125",
    "F23D 14/28",
    "F23D 2203/10"
  ],
  "ipc": [
    "A23L 3/005",
    "F23D 14/12",
    "F23D 14/28",
    "F23D 14/56"
  ],
  "assignees": [
    "BOOKER & DAX LLC"
  ],
  "inventors": [
    "David E. Arnold, III"
  ],
  "filing_date": "2013-02-28",
  "publication_date": "2016-09-27",
  "grant_date": "2016-09-27",
  "priority_date": "2013-02-28",
  "application_number": "US-201313779807-A",
  "family_id": "51388488",
  "cited_by_count": 7,
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}