WO2009040115A2

WO2009040115A2 - Gas cooking appliance

Info

Publication number: WO2009040115A2
Application number: PCT/EP2008/008121
Authority: WO
Inventors: Pedro MarÍa ECHEVERRÍA REMÓN
Original assignee: Coprecitec, S.L.
Priority date: 2007-09-28
Filing date: 2008-09-25
Publication date: 2009-04-02
Also published as: WO2009040115A3; ES2325197B1; ES2325197A1

Abstract

Gas cooking appliance comprising at least one burner (1), opening means (3) to allow or prevent the flow of gas towards the burner (1), regulation means (6) to regulate the gas flow towards the burner (1), and at least one actuator (4) associated to the burner (1). The user may open the gas flow towards a burner (1) by means of the actuator (4), which enables the opening means (3) to open said flow, and may also regulate said gas flow by means of the actuator (4), enabling the regulation means (6) to regulate it. The appliance (100) is designed to operate in a first operating mode in which a constant flame is provided to the burner (1), and a second operating mode in which an intermittent flame is provided to said burner (1).

Description

DESCRIPTION

"Gas cooking appliance"

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to gas cooking appliances which comprise at least one burner, and more specifically to gas cooking appliances in which the flame intensity of said burner can be regulated with the aim of providing an intermittent flame.

PRIOR ART

In conventional gas cooking appliances, the intensity of the flame of a burner is controlled by an actuator or a rotating knob controlled by the user. Depending on the position of the actuator the gas flow to the burner is opened or closed, allowing the flame to ignite and maintain or not . Furthermore, when the flow is open, depending on the position of the actuator (on the angle of rotation of the rotating knob) the intensity of the flame is regulated to allow a greater or smaller volume of gas to flow to said burner. When cooking some types of foods, it is convenient to maintain lower flame intensity. To obtain a constant flame of a lower intensity in conventional cooking appliances, the user adjusts the position (the angle of rotation) of the actuator, but because of the low intensity of the flame, said kind of appliance has the drawback of that said flame can be lit accidentally causing a dangerous and/or a non-desired situation.

To avoid said drawback_., other known applidnces on the market are adapted to support a second operating mode in which the burner flame is intermittent, thus providing less flame intensity than a constant flame in the burner. For example, US 5575638 discloses an appliance with at least one burner that may comprise a constant flame in a first operating mode or an intermittent flame in a second operating mode, depending on the requirements of the user, the appliance also providing different levels of intermittency in the second operating mode. The appliance comprises an actuator to open the gas flow towards the burner, or otherwise, to select the first operating mode or the second operating mode, said actuator being designed to be operated in both modes of operation, namely in said first mode and in said second mode.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

It is the object of the invention to provide a gas cooking appliance as described in the claims .

The gas cooking appliance of the invention comprises at least one gas burner, opening means connected to the burner to allow or prevent the gas flow to said burner, regulation means connected to the burner to regulate the gas flow to said burner, and at least one actuator connected to the burner. A user may open and regulate the gas flow towards said burner acting on the actuator, said actuation enabling the opening means to open said gas flow and enabling the regulation means to regulate said gas flow (the volume of gas towards said burner) , in order to regulate the flame intensity of said burner.

The appliance is designed to operate in a first operating mode in which the opening means allow a continuous gas flow towards the burner, thereby a constant flame being provided in said burner, and in a second operating mode in which said opening means activate a cyclical opening and closing of the gas flow towards the burner, an intermittent flame being provided in said burner. The appliance also comprises an intermittency actuator associated to the burner, thus enabling a user to select the second operating mode for said burner using the intermittency actuator, the opening means activating the cyclical opening and closing of the gas flow to the burner when the second mode is selected.

As a result, the actuator used to open and regulate the gas flow towards a burner may be a conventional actuator, not being necessary to design and/or use a specific actuator adapted to operate in the first and second operating modes, in order to the appliance being possible to operate in said first and second operating modes.

These and other advantages and characteristics of the invention will be made evident in the drawings and the detailed description thereof.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Figure 1 is a schematic view of a first embodiment of the gas cooking appliance of the invention.

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the appliance of the invention, according to the embodiment Fig. 1.

Figure 3 shows an actuator of the appliance of the invention, according to the embodiment Fig. 1.

Figure 4 is a schematic view of a second embodiment of the gas cooking appliance of the invention.

Figure 5 is a view in perspective of the appliance of the invention, according to the embodiment Fig. 4. DETAILED DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

Figure 1 shows, schematically, an embodiment of the gas cooking appliance 100 of the invention, which is used to cook and/or heat foods. The appliance 100 comprises four gas burners 1 in this embodiment, opening means 3 connected to each burner 1 to allow or prevent a gas flow towards the corresponding burner 1 from a gas intake 9 through a gas duct 17, regulation means 6 connected to each burner 1 to regulate the gas flow (the volume of gas) towards the corresponding burner 1, and at least one actuator 4 associated to each burner 1. The opening means 3 may be conventional electrical valves for example .

A user may open or close the gas flow towards a burner 1 by acting on the corresponding actuator 4, the corresponding opening means 3 allowing the flow when the actuator 4 is acted. When said actuator 4 is acted, the corresponding regulation means 6 regulate the gas flow towards the burner 1 accordingly, allowing the flow of a higher or lower volume of gas in accordance with the action upon said actuator 4. When a gas flow is allowed to a burner 1, sparks are generated close to said burner 1 by a spark generator 15 for a limited time interval in order to ignite a flame in said burner 1. Similarly, a thermocouple 16 is associated to each burner 1 to determine if the flame has been lit or not, with the result that if it is found that the flame has not been lit after the generation of sparks a further attempt may be made, for example, more sparks being generated, or, alternatively, an error can be detected and indicated, the gas flow towards said burner 1 being closed for safety reasons.

The appliance 100 of the invention is designed to operate in a first operating mode in which the opening means 3 allow a continuous gas flow towards a burner 1 when the actuator 4 has been acted, thereby a constant flame being provide in the burner 1 with the intensity required by the user by means of said actuator 4, the regulation means 6 thus allowing a larger or smaller volume of gas to flow in accordance with said required intensity. Said appliance 100 is also designed to operate in a second operating mode in which an intermittent flame is provided in said burner 1. To achieve this, the opening means 3 can activate a cyclical opening and closing of a gas flow towards the corresponding burner 1, opening and closing said flow once in each period.

The appliance 100 of the invention also comprises an intermittency actuator 5 associated to at least one burner 1, although it preferably comprises an intermittency actuator 5 connected to each burner 1, and a user may select the second operating mode in the corresponding burner 1 acting on said intermittency actuator 5. The intermittency actuator 5 preferably comprises a push button which is pressed by a user to select the second operating mode, although it may also comprise a rotary actuator for example, a user turning said rotary actuator to select the second operating mode. When a user acts on said intermittency actuator 5 to select said second operating mode, if the actuator 4 has been used to request the opening of the gas flow, the opening means 3 activate the cyclical opening and closing of the gas flow towards the corresponding burner 1. If the opening of the gas flow has not been requested by means of the actuator 4, the opening means 3 will not activate the second operating mode, the appliance 100 thereby failing to respond to the activation of the intermittency actuator 5.

The opening means 3 are adapted to provide different levels of intermittency in the flame of the burner 1 in the second operating mode. A user may select the required intermittency level using the intermittency actuator 5, or by means of at least one additional actuator not shown in Figures, said opening means 3 keeping the gas flow open for more or less time in each period depending on said level selected by the user by means of said intermittency actuator 5. Where a push button is used as an intermittency actuator 5, if said button is pushed once, for example, a first preset level of intermittency is selected and the opening means 3 keep the gas flow open for a first preset time interval and closed for the rest of the cooking period. If said button is pushed twice, a second preset level of intermittency is selected, with the opening means 3 keeping the gas flow open for a second preset time interval different to the first, and closed for the rest of the period. The number of levels and time intervals may be preset by the manufacturer of the appliance 100 or even by a distributor, for example, the end user not setting them. It is also possible to configure different ways of acting on said push button to activate different levels of intermittency, for example to keep it pressed down for preset time intervals . In the case of a rotary intermittency actuator 5, for example, one or more intermittency levels may be selected according to the position of the actuator (angle of rotation) , the opening means 3 keeping the gas flow open for different preset time intervals in a single period in each case. The opening and closing of both the push button and the rotary actuator is generated cyclically, with a

(preset) period of 60 seconds for example. Thus, at a particular level of intermittency the gas flow may remain open for 10 seconds and closed for 50 seconds in each period, or open for 20 seconds and closed for 40 seconds in another preset level of intermittency.

The appliance 100 of the invention may also comprise a number of indication means 8 equal to the number of flame intermittency levels possible, each level of intermittency being connected to an indication means 8 such as a plurality of LEDs for example. An indication means 8, an LED, lights up when the user selects the corresponding level of intermittency by means of the intermittency actuator 5. It is possible that when selecting a certain level of intermittency the LEDs corresponding to the lower levels of intermittency remain lit or switched off, depending on the preset configuration. In place of LEDs other equivalent indication means 8 may be used to indicate to the user at all times whether the second operational mode is selected or not and, the level of intermittency selected if it is selected, as in a display for example. The actuator 4, the intermittency actuator 5 and the indication means 8 may be disposed, for example, on the front part 13 of the appliance 100 although they may be disposed on another part of said appliance 100 which is accessible to the user.

In a first embodiment of the appliance 100 of the invention shown in Figures 1 to 3 , the actuator 4 is a rotating knob, the gas flow to the burner 1 being prevented when the knob is in an inactive position Pi and said flow being enabled when the knob is in an active position Pa, the active position Pa corresponding with a range of angles of rotation of said knob in relation to the inactive position Pi, delimited between a minimum opening position Pmin and a maximum opening position Pmax. When the knob is in an active position Pa, the regulation means 6 regulate the gas flow towards said burner 1 and, therefore, the flame intensity, in accordance with the angle of rotation applied to said knob in relation to the inactive position Pi, therefore allowing a greater or smaller volume of said gas to flow towards the burner 1 in accordance with said angle of rotation. When the knob is positioned in the minimum opening position Pmin the minimum possible gas flow is allowed, more gas being allowed to flow as the knob is turned towards the maximum opening position Pmax, the maximum possible flow being allowed when the knob is positioned in the maximum opening position Pmax.

In the first embodiment, each knob of the appliance 100 is associated to a conventional switch 11, the switch 11 being opened when the knob is in the inactive position Pi or closed when it is in an active position Pa (or vice versa) . Selection means 7 disposed on said appliance 100 are associated to each switch 11 by means of a main line 10, and are associated to the corresponding opening means 3 by means of an auxiliary- line 12. From the knob, a main electrical signal (not shown in Figures) reaches the selection means 7 through the corresponding main line 10, said selection means 7 being able to determine if the switch 11 is opened or closed in accordance with said main electrical signal. If the second operating mode is not selected for a burner 1, the selection means 7 determine, thanks to the main electrical signal, that the corresponding switch 11 is opened and communicate it to the opening means 3 through the auxiliary line 12. If the second operating mode is selected for said burner 1, the selection means 7 determine, thanks to the main line 10, that the corresponding switch 11 has been closed and communicate it to the opening means 3 through the auxiliary line 12, indicating the cyclical opening and closing cycles of the gas flow towards the corresponding burner 1 by means of an auxiliary electrical signal (not shown in Figures) . From said selection means 7 the auxiliary electrical signal reaches the corresponding opening means 3 through the auxiliary line 12, opening means 3 allowing or preventing the gas flow in accordance with said auxiliary electrical signal. When it is determined that the switch 11 is opened, the main electrical signal and the auxiliary electrical signal are equal. When it is determined that the switch 11 is closed, the selection means 7 generates an auxiliary electrical signal different from the main electrical signal, depending the opening and closing actions of the opening means 3 on said auxiliary electrical signal.

The selection means 7 are also designed to generate sparks by means of the spark generator 15, and to determine if the flame has been lit or not thanks to the thermocouple 16. In said first embodiment, in the second operating mode, the regulation means 6 regulate the gas flcv; towards the corresponding burner 1 according to the position of the actuator 4 (to the angle of rotation of said actuator 4) , said position being controlled by the user. In the first embodiment, the appliance 100 may preferably operate in the second operating mode regardless of the position of the knob, provided that it is in an active position Pa. However, it is possible to allow only the second operating mode when the knob is positioned in a preset position or a position next to said preset position. In such a case, the rotating knob may also be resistive and may thus have different ohm values 01, 02 or 03 associated to it depending on its position. Thus, when said knob is positioned in the inactive position Pi it may have a first ohm value 01 associated for example, a second ohm value 02 or a third value 03 when it is positioned in different positions of the active position Pa. The knob may have a second ohm value 02 associated when it is in the minimum opening position Pmin or close to it, for example with an angle of rotation of approximately 5 degrees, and a third ohm value 03 associated when it is in any other position corresponding to the active position Pa, as shown in Figure 3. The second operating mode may be allowed only when the knob has the second ohm value 02 associated, the selection means 7, for example, determining if it has said second ohm value 02 associated or not.

In a second embodiment shown in Figures 4 and 5, the actuator 4 comprises at least two push buttons 4a and 4b associated to the opening means 3 and to the regulation means 6, thus said opening means 3 are enabled to open the gas flow and said regulation means 6 are enabled to regulate the gas flow to a burner 1 by means of the corresponding push buttons 4a and 4b. One of the push buttons 4a and 4b may be pressed to increase the flame intensity, while another push button 4a or 4b may be pressed to decrease the flame intensity for example. In said second embodiment the appliance 100 comprises control means 14 connected to the push buttons 4a and 4b, to the opening means 3 and to the regulation means

6. As a result, said control means 14 determine the flame intensity required by the user by means of said push buttons 4a and 4b, indicating the opening of the gas flow towards the corresponding burner 1 to said opening means 3 if they determine that a user has switched said burner 1 on by pressing one of the buttons 4a or 4b, and indicating the volume of gas to flow to said regulation means 6 in accordance with the flame intensity selected by the user by means of said push buttons 4a and 4b. When the second operating mode is selected, said control means 14 determine the level of intermittency selected, this being indicated to the regulation means 6 and the indication means 8. The control means 14 are also designed to cause the generation of sparks by means of the spark generator 15 and to determine if the flame has been lit or not thanks to the thermocouple 16.

In the second embodiment, in the second operating mode, the regulation means 6 regulate the volume of gas to flow towards a burner 1, preferably regardless of the flame intensity selected for said burner 1 by means of the push buttons 4a and 4b, although it may also be regulated in accordance with said selected flame intensity or even in accordance with said selected flame intensity when it is equal to or greater than a preset value, said flow being regulated as if said preset value had been selected in the event of it being lower. Thus, when a minimum flame intensity is required (a preset value) the risk of the flame not being lit or going out when it is not supposed to during the second operating mode is reduced.

Claims

1. Gas cooking appliance comprising at least one gas burner (1), opening means (3) connected to the burner (1) to allow or prevent a gas flow towards said burner (1) , regulation means (6) connected to the burner (1) to regulate the gas flow towards said burner (1) , and at least one actuator (4) associated to the burner (1) , a user being able to open and regulate the gas flow to the burner (1) acting on the actuator (4) , said actuation enabling the opening means (3) to open the gas flow and enabling the regulation means (6) to regulate said gas flow in order to regulate the flame intensity of said burner (1) , the appliance (100) being adapted to operate in a first operating mode in which the opening means (3) allow a continuous gas flow towards the burner (1), a constant flame being provided in said burner (1) , and in a second operating mode in which said opening means (3) cause periodic openings and closings of the gas flow towards the burner (1) , an intermittent flame being provided in said burner (1) , characterised in that said appliance (100) comprises an intermittency actuator (5) associated to the burner (1) , the user being able to select the second operating mode for said burner (1) by means of the intermittency actuator (5) , and the opening means (3) causing the periodic openings and closings of the gas flow towards the burner (1) if, when the user acts on said intermittency actuator (5) , the gas flow towards the burner (1) has been opened by means of the actuator (4) .

2. Appliance according to claim 1, wherein the opening means (3) are adapted to keep the gas flow tov/ards α burnej. (I) opened for more or less time during a determined period in the second operation mode, flames with different intermittency levels being possible to be provided in the burner (1) depending on said time, the user being able to select a required intermittency level by means of said intermittency actuator (5).

3. Appliance according to any of claims 1 or 2 , comprising a number of indicator means (8) equal to the number of flame intermittency levels possible, each intermittency level being associated to an indicator means (8) and said indicator means (8) lighting up when the user selects the corresponding intermittency level.

4. Appliance according to any of claims 1 to 3, wherein the intermittency actuator (5) comprises a push button.

5. Appliance according to any of claims 1 to 4, comprising a plurality of gas burners (1), one opening means (3) associated to each burner (1) to allow or not a gas flow towards the corresponding burner (1) , one regulation means (6) associated to each burner (1) to regulate the gas flow towards the corresponding burner (1) , at least one actuator (4) associated to each burner (1), and an intermittency actuator (5) associated to one of the burners (1) .

6. Appliance according to any of claims 1 to 4, comprising a plurality of gas burners (1) , one opening means (3) associated to each burner (1) to allow or not a gas flow towards the corresponding burner (1) , one regulation means (6) associated to each burner (1) to regulate the gas flow towards the corresponding burner (1) , at least one actuator (4) associated to each burner (1) , and one intermittency actuator (5) associated to each burner (1) .

7. Appliance according to any of claims 1 to 6, wherein the actuator (4) comprises a rotating knob. thf> gas flcv,* towards a burner (1) being prevented when the knob is in an inactive position (Pi) and being allowed when said knob is in an active position (Pa) that corresponds to a range of angles of rotation of said knob in relation to the inactive position

(Pi) , delimited between a minimum opening position (Pmin) and a maximum opening position (Pmax) , such that when the knob is in the active position (Pa) , the regulation means (6) regulate the gas flow towards the burner (1) in accordance with said angle, thereby allowing the smallest flow when it is in the minimum opening positing (Pmin) and allowing the greatest flow when it is in the maximum opening position

(Pmax) .

8. Appliance according to claim 7, wherein the rotating knob is a resistive knob, said knob having a first ohm value (01) associated when said knob is in the inactive position (Pi) , a second ohm value (02) associated when said knob is in the minimum opening position (Pmin) or next to said minimum opening position (Pmin), and a third ohm value (03) associated when said knob is in any other position corresponding to the active position (Pa) , the appliance (100) being capable of being operated in the second operating mode only when the knob has a second ohm value (02) associated.

9. Appliance according to any of claims 7 or 8, wherein the knob is associated to a switch (11) which is opened when the knob is in the inactive position (Pi) and closed when the knob is in the active position (Pa) , the appliance (100) also comprising selection means (7) associated to the switch (11) by means of a main line (10) and associated to the opening means (3) by means of an auxiliary line (12) , the selection means (7) being able to determine if the switch (11) is opened or closed thanks to the main line (10) , and, in accordance with said main line (10) and the intermittency actuator (5) , to communicate to the opening means (3) the opening and/or closing of the gas flow towards the burner (1) thanks to the auxiliary line (12) .

10. Appliance according to any of claims 1 to 6, wherein the actuator (4) comprises at least two push buttons (4a, 4b) associated to the opening means (3) and the regulation means (6) , thereby allowing the opening and/or regulation of the gas flow towards a burner (1) by means of the corresponding push buttons (4a, 4b) .

11. Appliance according to claim 10, wherein in the second operating mode the regulation means (6) regulate the gas flow in accordance with the actuator (4) .

12. Appliance according to claim 10, wherein in the second operating mode the regulation means (6) regulate the gas flow in accordance with the actuator (4) if, by means of said actuator (4), a flame intensity equal to or greater than a preset value is required.

13. Appliance according to claim 10, wherein in the second operating mode the regulation means (6) regulate the gas flow independently of the actuator (4) .