Method and system for starting an intermittent flame-powered pilot combustion system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11268695-B2
Application number	US-201916586171-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 27, 2019
Priority date	Jan 11, 2013
Publication date	Mar 8, 2022
Grant date	Mar 8, 2022

Abstract

A flame powered intermittent pilot combustion controller may include a first power source and a second power source separate from the first power source, a thermal electric and/or photoelectric device, an igniter and a controller. The thermal electric and/or photoelectric device may charge the first power source when exposed to a flame. The controller and the igniter may receive power from the first power source when the first power source has sufficient available power, and may receive power from the second power source when the first power source does not have sufficient available power.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A flame powered intermittent pilot ignition system, comprising:
a pre-charged power source;
a rechargeable power source;
a thermal electric and/or photoelectric device configured to charge the rechargeable power source in response to the thermal electric and/or photoelectric device being exposed to a flame;
an ignitor configured to receive power from the rechargeable power source; and
a controller configured to:
receive power from the pre-charged power source; and
control the ignitor to ignite a pilot flame of a gas-powered appliance.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the ignitor is configured to receive power from the pre-charged power source for igniting the pilot flame of the gas-powered appliance in a first ignition following installation of the gas-powered appliance and/or after an extended duration of non-use.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the ignitor is configured to receive power from the rechargeable power source for igniting the pilot flame of the gas-powered appliance during subsequent operation of the gas-powered appliance.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the pre-charged power source comprises a battery.

5. The system of claim 1 ,
wherein the flame powered intermittent pilot ignition system is installed in the gas-powered appliance, and
wherein the pre-charged power source is pre-charged prior to installation of the gas-powered appliance at a customer site.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the pre-charged power source is removably coupled to the flame powered intermittent pilot combustion controller.

7. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a momentary switch coupled to the pre-charged power source and configured to cause, in response to activation of the momentary switch by a user, the controller to receive power from the pre-charged power source and initiate a pilot flame by:
commanding a gas valve to provide gas to a burner assembly; and
activating the ignitor to ignite the pilot flame in the burner assembly.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the rechargeable power source comprises at least one of a capacitor or a rechargeable battery.

9. A gas-powered appliance having a flame powered intermittent pilot ignition system, comprising:
a pre-charged power source;
a rechargeable power source;
a burner assembly comprising an ignitor, wherein the ignitor is configured to:
receive power from the rechargeable power source; and
ignite the burner assembly to produce a pilot flame;

a thermal electric and/or photoelectric device configured to charge the rechargeable power source in response to the thermal electric and/or photoelectric device being exposed to the pilot flame; and
a controller configured to:
receive power from the pre-charged power source; and
control the ignitor to ignite the burner assembly to produce the pilot flame.

10. The gas-powered appliance of claim 9 , wherein the ignitor is configured to receive power from the pre-charged power source for igniting the pilot flame of the gas-powered appliance in a first ignition following installation of the gas-powered appliance and/or after an extended duration of non-use.

11. The gas-powered appliance of claim 10 , wherein the ignitor is configured to receive power from the rechargeable power source for igniting the pilot flame of the gas-powered appliance during subsequent operation of the gas-powered appliance.

12. The gas-powered appliance of claim 9 , wherein the pre-charged power source comprises a battery.

13. The gas-powered appliance of claim 9 ,
wherein the intermittent pilot ignition system is installed in the gas-powered appliance, and
wherein the pre-charged power source is pre-charged prior to installation of the gas-powered appliance at a customer site.

14. The gas-powered appliance of claim 9 , wherein the pre-charged power source is removably coupled to the intermittent pilot ignition system.

15. The gas-powered appliance of claim 9 , further comprising a momentary switch coupled to the pre-charged power source and configured to cause, in response to activation of the momentary switch by a user, the controller to receive power from the pre-charged power source and initiate the pilot flame by:
commanding a gas valve to provide gas to the burner assembly; and
activating the ignitor to ignite the pilot flame in the burner assembly.

16. The gas-powered appliance of claim 9 , wherein the rechargeable power source comprises at least one of a capacitor or a rechargeable battery.

17. A method of igniting a pilot flame of a gas-powered appliance having a flame powered intermittent pilot ignition system, the method comprising:
receiving, by a controller, power from a pre-charged power source;
causing, by the controller, an ignitor to use power from the pre-charged power source to ignite the pilot flame of the gas-powered appliance in a first ignition following installation of the gas-powered appliance; and
causing, by the controller, the ignitor to use power from a rechargeable power source to ignite the pilot flame of the gas-powered appliance after the first ignition.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the pre-charged power source comprises a battery.

19. The method of claim 17 , wherein the pre-charged power source is pre-charged prior to installation of the gas-powered appliance at a customer site.

20. The method of claim 17 , further comprising initiating, by the controller and in response to activation of a momentary switch by a user, the pilot flame by:
commanding a gas valve to provide gas to a burner assembly of the gas-powered appliance; and
activating the ignitor to ignite the pilot flame in the burner assembly.

Assignees

• Ademco Inc

Inventors

• Chian Brent
• Bird Douglas D
• Anderson Peter M
• Nordberg Timothy J
• Johnson Thomas
• Strand Rolf L

Classifications

• F24D2101/60

  Thermoelectric generators, e.g. Peltier or Seebeck elements · CPC title

• F24D18/00

  Small-scale combined heat and power [CHP] generation systems specially adapted for domestic heating, space heating or domestic hot-water supply · CPC title

• F24C3/12

  Arrangement or mounting of control or safety devices · CPC title

• F24H1/186

  using fluid fuel · CPC title

• F23Q7/26

  Provision for re-ignition · CPC title