Appliance with electronically-controlled gas flow to burners

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9841191-B2
Application number	US-201514693043-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 22, 2015
Priority date	Apr 22, 2015
Publication date	Dec 12, 2017
Grant date	Dec 12, 2017

Abstract

An appliance includes a first gas-burning heating element, a first gas path extending from an inlet to the first heating element, and a first solenoid valve positioned within the first gas path. The appliance further includes a second gas path extending from upstream of the first solenoid valve to the first heating element and supplying a base gas flow to the first heating element. A controller is electronically coupled with the first solenoid valve for controlling a supplemental flow of gas through the first gas path to the first heating element such that the supplemental gas flow combines with the base gas flow to achieve a total gas flow. The controller controls the supplemental flow to adjust the total gas flow by pulsing the first solenoid valve at a first rate corresponding to a desired rate of the total gas flow to the first heating element.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An appliance, comprising:
a first gas-burning heating element;
a first gas path extending from an inlet to the first heating element;
a first solenoid valve positioned within the first gas path upstream of the first heating element by at least 10 cm;
a second gas path extending from upstream of the first solenoid valve to the first heating element and supplying a base gas flow to the first heating element; and
a controller electronically coupled with the first solenoid valve for controlling a supplemental flow of gas through the first gas path to the first heating element, the supplemental gas flow combining with the base gas flow to achieve a total gas flow, the controller controlling the supplemental flow to adjust the total gas flow by pulsing the first solenoid valve at a first rate corresponding to a desired rate of the total gas flow to the first heating element.

2. The appliance of claim 1 , wherein the first solenoid valve defines an open condition and a closed condition; and
the controller pulsing the valve includes executing a series of pulses at the first rate, each of said pulses including moving the first solenoid valve from closed condition to the open condition and back to the closed condition.

3. The appliance of claim 2 , wherein the first rate is between about one pulse per 10 seconds and about one pulse per 0.1 seconds.

4. The appliance of claim 1 , wherein the first solenoid valve is included in a first fuel injector at least partially positioned within the first gas path.

5. The appliance of claim 4 , further comprising:
a second gas-burning heating element and a second solenoid valve included in a second fuel injector, wherein:
the first gas path includes a supply portion extending from the inlet, a fuel rail extending from the supply portion, a first branch extending from the fuel rail to the first heating element, and a second branch extending from the fuel rail to the second heating element; and
the first and second fuel injectors are coupled with the fuel rail at intersections thereof with the first branch and the second branch, respectively.

6. The appliance of claim 1 , further comprising:
a second gas-burning heating element and a second solenoid valve positioned within the first gas path, wherein:
the first solenoid valve is positioned within a first branch of the first gas path connecting the inlet with the first heating element;
the second solenoid valve is positioned within a second branch of the first gas path connecting the inlet with the second heating element; and
the controller is further coupled with the second solenoid valve for controlling a second supplemental flow of gas through the second branch to the second heating element by pulsing the second solenoid valve at a second rate corresponding to a second desired total gas flow to the second heating element.

7. The appliance of claim 6 , further comprising:
a digital control pad, wherein the digital control pad is electrically coupled with the controller to allow a user to adjust the first rate and the second rate.

8. The appliance of claim 1 , further comprising:
a cooking hob, wherein the first heating element is a first cooking hob burner.

9. The appliance of claim 1 , wherein:
a second gas path extends from the inlet to the first heating element; and
the appliance further comprises a first mechanically-actuated valve coupled with the second gas path and positionable in a closed position and an open position, the closed position cutting off the base flow of gas through the second gas path to the first heating element, the open position permitting the base flow of gas through the second gas path to the first heating element.

10. The appliance of claim 1 , further comprising:
a first mechanically-actuated valve positioned in the first gas path between the inlet and the first heating element; and
a bottleneck positioned in the second gas path for restricting a flow of gas therethrough to the base gas flow;
wherein the second gas path is coupled with and extends away from the first gas path upstream of the first solenoid valve and downstream of the first mechanically actuated valve.

11. A cooking hob, comprising:
a first burner assembly;
a first gas path extending from an inlet to the first burner assembly;
a first fuel injector positioned within the first gas path and including a first solenoid valve that defines an open condition and a closed condition; and
a controller electronically coupled with the first fuel injector for controlling a flow of gas through the first gas path to the first heating element by executing a series of pulses of the first fuel injector at a first rate corresponding to a desired gas flow to the first heating element, each of said pulses including moving the first solenoid valve from the closed condition to the open condition and back to the closed condition.

12. The cooking hob of claim 11 , further comprising:
a second gas-burning heating element and a second fuel injector included in a second fuel injector, wherein the first gas path includes a supply portion extending from the inlet, a fuel rail extending from the supply portion, a first branch extending from the fuel rail to the first heating element, and a second branch extending from the fuel rail to the second heating element, and further wherein the first and second fuel injectors are coupled with the fuel rail at intersections thereof with the first branch and the second branch, respectively.

13. The cooking hob of claim 12 , wherein the fuel rail, the first fuel injector, and the second fuel injector are positioned adjacent to a rear wall of a housing of the cooking hob.

14. The cooking hob of claim 12 , further comprising:
a mechanically-actuated gas lockout valve coupled with the first gas path between the inlet and the first fuel injector.

15. A cooking hob, comprising:
a first gas-burning heating element;
a first gas path extending from an inlet to the first heating element;
a first solenoid valve positioned within the first gas path;
a second gas path extending from the inlet, upstream of the first solenoid valve, to the first heating element and supplying a base gas flow to the first heating element;
a first mechanically-actuated valve coupled with the second gas path and positionable in a closed position and an open position, wherein, when in the closed position, the first mechanical valve cuts off the base flow of gas through the second gas path to the first heating element and, when in the open position, the first mechinical valve permits the base flow of gas through the second gas path to the first heating element; and
a controller electronically coupled with the first solenoid valve for controlling a supplemental flow of gas through the first gas path to the first heating element, the supplemental gas flow combining with the base gas flow to achieve a total gas flow, the controller controlling the supplemental flow to adjust the total gas flow by pulsing the first solenoid valve at a first rate corresponding to a desired rate of the total gas flow to the first heating element.

16. The cooking hob of claim 15 , wherein the base flow corresponds with a minimum fuel flow to maintain the burner in an ignited state.

17. The cooking hob of claim 16 , further comprising:
a temperature monitor for communicating a temperature of an article associated with the first burner to the controller, wherein the controller adjusts the supplemental gas flow to maintain the article at a predetermined temperature.

18.

Assignees

• Whirlpool Co

Inventors

• Johncock James Charles
• Pastore Cristiano Vito

Classifications

• F23N2235/14

  electromagnetically operated · CPC title

• F24C3/12

  Arrangement or mounting of control or safety devices · CPC title

• F23K2900/05003

  Non-continuous fluid fuel supply · CPC title

• F23N1/005

  using electrical or electromechanical means (F23N1/04 - F23N1/10 take precedence) · CPC title

• F23N1/002

  using electronic means (F23N1/04 - F23N1/10 take precedence) · CPC title