Cooktop with an interchangeable gas burner assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10151491-B2
Application number	US-201615076698-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 22, 2016
Priority date	Mar 22, 2016
Publication date	Dec 11, 2018
Grant date	Dec 11, 2018

Abstract

A cooktop and appliance is provided that may include a first hob zone having a fixed gas receptacle, a first interchangeable burner, a second interchangeable burner, and a first gas flow switch. The first interchangeable burner may be selectively positionable at the first hob zone and define a fuel output area. The second interchangeable burner may also be selectively positionable at the first hob and may define a fuel output area smaller than the fuel output area of the first interchangeable burner. The first gas flow switch may be disposed at the first hob zone to selectively engage one of burners. The first gas flow switch may include a valve upstream of the fixed gas receptacle to selectively restrict gas flow upon engagement of the first gas flow switch with one of the first interchangeable burner or the second interchangeable burner.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A cooktop comprising:
a first hob zone including a fixed gas receptacle;
a first interchangeable burner being selectively positionable at the first hob zone to operably communicate with the fixed gas receptacle, the first interchangeable burner defining a fuel output area;
a second interchangeable burner being selectively positionable at the first hob zone to operably communicate with the fixed gas receptacle, the second interchangeable burner defining a fuel output area smaller than the fuel output area of the first interchangeable burner; and
a first gas flow switch disposed at the first hob zone to selectively engage one of the first interchangeable burner or the second interchangeable burner, the first gas flow switch including a valve upstream of the fixed gas receptacle to selectively restrict gas flow upon engagement of the first gas flow switch with one of the first interchangeable burner or the second interchangeable burner,
wherein the fixed gas receptacle includes a primary gas aperture and a discrete alternate gas aperture, and wherein the first gas flow switch is configured to
restrict fuel to the alternate gas aperture upon engagement with one of the first interchangeable burner or the second interchangeable burner, or
permit fuel to the primary aperture upon engagement with one of the first interchangeable burner or the second interchangeable burner.

2. The cooktop of claim 1 , wherein the first interchangeable burner includes a grate defining an upper support area, and wherein the second interchangeable burner includes a grate having an upper support area substantially equal to the upper support area of the first interchangeable burner.

3. The cooktop of claim 1 , further comprising:
a second hob zone including a second fixed gas receptacle, wherein the first interchangeable burner and the second interchangeable burner are separately and selectively positionable at the second hob zone; and
a second gas flow switch disposed at the second hob zone to selectively engage one of the first interchangeable burner or the second interchangeable burner, the second gas flow switch including a valve upstream of the second fixed gas receptacle to selectively restrict gas flow upon engagement of the second gas flow switch with one of the first interchangeable burner or the second interchangeable burner.

4. The cooktop of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first interchangeable burner or the second interchangeable burner includes a plug to extend through a portion of the fixed gas receptacle.

5. The cooktop of claim 1 , wherein the first hob zone includes a static igniter to ignite gas from the first interchangeable burner and the second interchangeable burner, wherein the fuel output area of the second interchangeable burner includes a burner ring, and wherein the igniter of the first hob zone is positioned radially inward from the burner ring upon positioning of the second interchangeable burner at the first hob zone.

6. The cooktop of claim 1 , wherein the first hob zone includes a static igniter to ignite gas from the first interchangeable burner and the second interchangeable burner, wherein the fuel output area of the first interchangeable burner includes an inner burner ring and an outer burner ring, and wherein the igniter of the first hob zone is positioned radially inward from the inner burner ring and the outer burner ring upon positioning of the first interchangeable burner at the first hob zone.

7. The cooktop of claim 1 , wherein one of the first interchangeable burner or the second interchangeable burner includes a keyed male segment to actuate the first gas switch upon positioning of the one of the first interchangeable burner or the second interchangeable burner at the first hob zone, and wherein the other of the first interchangeable burner or the second interchangeable burner defines a keyed female segment to receive the first gas switch upon positioning of the other of the first interchangeable burner or the second interchangeable burner at the first hob zone.

8. A cooktop comprising:
a first hob zone including a fixed gas receptacle;
a first interchangeable burner being selectively positionable at the first hob zone to operably communicate with the fixed gas receptacle, the first interchangeable burner defining a fuel output area;
a second interchangeable burner being selectively positionable at the first hob zone to operably communicate with the fixed gas receptacle, the second interchangeable burner defining a fuel output area smaller than the fuel output area of the first interchangeable burner; and
a first gas flow switch disposed at the first hob zone to selectively engage one of the first interchangeable burner or the second interchangeable burner, the first gas flow switch including a valve upstream of the fixed gas receptacle to selectively restrict gas flow upon engagement of the first gas flow switch with one of the first interchangeable burner or the second interchangeable burner,
wherein the first hob zone includes a static igniter to ignite gas from the first interchangeable burner and the second interchangeable burner, wherein the fuel output area of the first interchangeable burner includes an inner burner ring and an outer burner ring, and wherein the igniter of the first hob zone is positioned radially inward from the inner burner ring and the outer burner ring upon positioning of the first interchangeable burner at the first hob zone.

9. The cooktop of claim 8 , wherein the fuel output area of the second interchangeable burner includes a burner ring, and wherein the igniter of the first hob zone is positioned radially inward from the burner ring upon positioning of the second interchangeable burner at the first hob zone.

10. The cooktop of claim 8 , wherein the first interchangeable burner includes a grate defining an upper support area, and wherein the second interchangeable burner includes a grate having an upper support area substantially equal to the upper support area of the first interchangeable burner.

11. The cooktop of claim 8 , further comprising:
a second hob zone including a second fixed gas receptacle, wherein the first interchangeable burner and the second interchangeable burner are separately and selectively positionable at the second hob zone; and
a second gas flow switch disposed at the second hob zone to selectively engage one of the first interchangeable burner or the second interchangeable burner, the second gas flow switch including a valve upstream of the second fixed gas receptacle to selectively restrict gas flow upon engagement of the second gas flow switch with one of the first interchangeable burner or the second interchangeable burner.

12. The cooktop of claim 8 , wherein the fixed gas receptacle includes a primary gas aperture and a discrete alternate gas aperture, and wherein the second interchangeable burner includes a plug to extend through a portion of the fixed gas receptacle.

13. The cooktop of claim 8 , wherein the fixed gas receptacle includes a primary gas aperture and a discrete alternate gas aperture, wherein the first gas flow switch is configured to restrict fuel to the alternate gas aperture upon engagement with the second interchangeable burner.

14. The cooktop of claim 8 , wherein the fixed gas receptacle includes a primary gas aperture and a discrete alternate gas aperture, wherein the first gas flow switch is configured to permit fuel to the primary aperture upon engagement with one of the first interchangeable burner.

15. The cooktop of claim 8 , wherein one of the first interchangeable burner or th

Assignees

• Gen Electric
• Haier Us Appliance Solutions Inc

Inventors

• Cadima Paul Bryan

Classifications

• F24C3/10

  Arrangement or mounting of ignition devices · CPC title

• F24C3/08 Primary

  Arrangement or mounting of burners · CPC title

• F23C5/00 Primary

  Disposition of burners with respect to the combustion chamber or to one another; Mounting of burners in combustion apparatus (F23C1/00, F23C15/00 take precedence) · CPC title

• F23C5/02

  Structural details of mounting · CPC title

• F24C3/085

  on ranges · CPC title