Fuel mixing apparatus and boiler including the same

Abstract

Disclosed is a fuel mixing apparatus including a case defining a passage, in which air and a fuel flow, an opening/closing device that opens and closes the passage as at least a portion thereof is rotated, and a rotation guide that supports the opening/closing device to prevent a rotation axis of the opening/closing device from being inclined while the opening/closing device is rotated.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A fuel mixing apparatus comprising:
 a case defining a passage, in which air and a fuel flow;   an opening/closing device configured to open and close the passage as at least a portion thereof is rotated; and   a rotation guide configured to support the opening/closing device to prevent a rotation axis of the opening/closing device from being inclined while the opening/closing device is rotated.   
     
     
         2 . The fuel mixing apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a motor configured to provide power to the opening/closing device,   wherein the opening/closing device includes:   a blade located on the passage, and configured to be rotated to be moved to an opening position, in which the passage is opened, and a closing position, in which the passage is closed; and   an adapter connecting the motor and the blade to transmit power generated by the motor to the blade, and   wherein the rotation guide is configured to support the adapter.   
     
     
         3 . The fuel mixing apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the adapter is coupled to the blade in a direction of a rotation axis of the blade, and is coupled to a rotary shaft of the motor, and
 wherein the rotation guide is configured to prevent a rotation axis of the adapter from being inclined.   
     
     
         4 . The fuel mixing apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the adapter includes:
 an adapter body; and   a pressing boss protruding from the adapter body in a radial direction to be supported by the rotation guide.   
     
     
         5 . The fuel mixing apparatus of  claim 4 , further comprising:
 a switch including a switch button located within a radius of rotation of the pressing boss, and configured such that current flowing to the motor is blocked by pressing the switch button with the pressing boss so that the blade is located in one of the opening position and the closing position.   
     
     
         6 . The fuel mixing apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the pressing boss includes a first pressing boss and a second pressing boss located on opposite sides with respect to a rotation axis of the adapter, and
 wherein the rotation guide is located on an opposite side of the switch button with respect to the rotation axis of the adapter.   
     
     
         7 . The fuel mixing apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the switch includes:
 a first switch including a first switch button; and   a second switch including a second switch button corresponding to the first switch button, and located such that an imaginary line extending from the rotation axis of the adapter toward the first switch button and an imaginary line extending from the rotation axis toward the second switch button are perpendicular to each other, and   wherein the rotation guide includes:   a first rotation guide corresponding to the first switch button; and   a second rotation guide corresponding to the second switch button.   
     
     
         8 . The fuel mixing apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the rotation guide further includes a third rotation guide located between the first switch and the second switch. 
     
     
         9 . The fuel mixing apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the rotation guide is symmetrical leftward and rightward. 
     
     
         10 . The fuel mixing apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the rotation guide includes:
 a guide part extending in a circumferential direction with respect to a rotation axis of the adapter; and   a support rib extending from the guide part in a radial direction with respect to the rotation axis of the adapter.   
     
     
         11 . The fuel mixing apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein a plurality of support ribs are configured to be spaced apart in a circumferential direction with respect to the rotation axis of the adapter. 
     
     
         12 . The fuel mixing apparatus of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 a switch including a switch button located within a radius of rotation of the adapter, and including a first switch and a second switch configured such that current flowing to the motor is blocked by pressing the switch button with the adapter so that the blade is located in one of the opening position or the closing position,   wherein the support rib includes:   a first support rib including a first rotation guide corresponding to the first switch; and   a second support rib including a second rotation guide corresponding to the second switch.   
     
     
         13 . The fuel mixing apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein a cross-sectional area of the case gradually decreases to a portion as it goes from an upstream side to a downstream side of the air, and gradually increases at the portion, and
 wherein the fuel mixing apparatus further includes:   a fuel supply pipe communicated with the portion of the case.   
     
     
         14 . The fuel mixing apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the case defines a first passage and a second passage separated from each other,
 wherein the fuel supply pipe includes:   a first fuel supply pipe communicated with the first passage; and   a second fuel supply pipe communicated with the second passage,   wherein the blade is located in the second passage, and is configured to open the second passage in the opening position and close the second passage in the closing position, and   wherein the second fuel supply pipe is opened when the blade is in the opening position, and is closed when the blade is in the closing position.   
     
     
         15 . The fuel mixing apparatus of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 a cam unit located to correspond to an opening of the second supply pipe, and being movable between a first cam position spaced apart from the opening and a second cam position contacting the opening; and   an elastic member configured to elastically bias the cam unit from the second cam position to the first cam position,   wherein the blade includes a cam part configured to press the cam such that the cam unit is in the first cam position when the blade is in the opening position and the cam unit is in the second cam position when the blade is in the closing position.   
     
     
         16 . A boiler comprising:
 a fuel mixing apparatus configured to mix and provide air and a fuel;   a blower connected to the fuel mixing apparatus; and   a burner configured to heat the air and the fuel delivered from the blower,   wherein the fuel mixing apparatus includes:   a case defining a passage, in which the air flows;   a blade configured to be rotated to be moved to an opening position, in which the passage is opened, and a closing position, in which the passage is closed;   an adapter coupled to the blade in a direction of a rotation axis of the blade, and including an adapter body, and a pressing boss protruding from the adapter body in a radial direction;   a motor configured to rotate the blade by rotating the adapter;   a switch including a switch button located within a radius of rotation of the pressing boss, and configured such that current flowing to the motor is blocked by pressing the switch button so that the blade is located in one of the opening position and the closing position; and   a rotation guide configured to support the pressing boss to prevent a rotation axis of the adapter from being inclined while the adapter is rotated.   
     
     
         17 . The boiler of  claim 16 , wherein the rotation guide includes a guide part extending in a radial direction with respect to the rotation axis of the adapter. 
     
     
         18 . The boiler of  claim 17 , wherein the guide part is spaced apart from the adapter body to correspond to a protrusion degree of the pressing boss. 
     
     
         19 . The boiler of  claim 16 , wherein the pressing boss includes a first pressing boss and a second pressing boss located on opposite sides with respect to the rotation axis of the adapter. 
     
     
         20 . A fuel mixing apparatus configured to mix and provide air and a fuel, the fuel mixing apparatus comprising:
 a case defining a passage, in which air and a fuel flow;   a blade configured to be rotated to be moved to an opening position, in which the passage is opened, and a closing position, in which the passage is closed;   an adapter coupled to the blade in a direction of a rotation axis of the blade, and including an adapter body, and a pressing boss protruding from the adapter body in a radial direction;   a motor configured to rotate the blade by rotating the adapter;   a switch including a switch button located within a radius of rotation of the pressing boss, and configured such that current flowing to the motor is blocked by pressing the switch button so that the blade is located in one of the opening position and the closing position; and   a rotation guide configured to support the pressing boss to prevent a rotation axis of the adapter from being inclined while the adapter is rotated.