Safety device against combustible gas leaks for household appliances

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9897315-B2
Application number	US-201013383761-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 15, 2010
Priority date	Jul 17, 2009
Publication date	Feb 20, 2018
Grant date	Feb 20, 2018

Abstract

A safety device against gas leaks for an apparatus having at least one gas tap or the like ( 1 ) includes control means ( 11 ), safety means ( 22 ) and detection means ( 12, 53 ), for detecting possible presence of gas in a surrounding environment. The detection means ( 12, 53 ) are in signal communication with the control means ( 11 ), which are configured for controlling the safety means ( 22 ) in function of detections earned out by the detection means ( 12, 53 ), in order to prevent or interrupt the inflow of combustible gas to a burner. The control means ( 11 ) and the safety means ( 22 ) belong to a first functional unit (A) of the device (A, B), which is coupled or configured for the coupling with a portion of the body ( 2 ) of the tap ( 1 ). Preferably the safety means ( 22 ) are controllable by the control means ( 11 ) for interrupting electric power supply to a solenoid of the tap, following a command signal generated by the detection means ( 12, 53 ) and causing as a consequence the passage of the valve in the respective closed condition.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A safety device against gas leaks or emissions for a household cooking apparatus having (a) a housing structure, (b) at least one gas burner, and (c) at least one gas tap, wherein the gas tap includes:
a tap body, having an inlet configured for connection to a gas supply line, and an outlet configured for connection to a conduit for delivering gas to a corresponding gas burner of the household cooking apparatus,
an actuation shaft mounted on the tap body and projecting from an end thereof, the actuation shaft being operable for adjusting a gas flow from the inlet to the outlet of the tap body,
a manually operable control member coupled to an outer end of the actuation shaft, at least one portion of the tap body being configured to be installed within the housing structure of the household cooking apparatus with at least the outer end of the actuation shaft that projects outside said housing structure, to be operable via the manually operable control member,
a safety valve in the tap body, having a solenoid configured to be electrically supplied through a thermoelectric generator having a sensitive part in proximity of said gas burner, in such a way that the thermoelectric generator generates an electric current in response to heat generated by a flame at said gas burner to supply the solenoid, that maintains the safety valve in an open condition in which gas supply to said gas burner is allowed,
wherein the safety device comprises:
a control circuit,
an electrical safety arrangement,
a detection circuit, for detecting possible presence of gas in a surrounding environment,
wherein the detection circuit is in signal communication with the control circuit and the control circuit is configured for controlling the electrical safety arrangement in function of detections carried out by the detection circuit, in order to prevent or interrupt inflow of the gas from the tap body to said gas burner,
wherein the electrical safety arrangement is electrically controllable by the control circuit for interrupting or reducing supply of said electric current to the solenoid of the safety valve following upon a command signal generated by the detection circuit, and causing as a consequence changeover of the safety valve to a closed condition in which gas supply to said gas burner is interrupted,
wherein the control circuit and the electrical safety arrangement are integrated in a control module having a housing body configured for mechanical coupling or assembly directly on a portion of the tap body which is within the housing structure of the household cooking apparatus,
wherein the housing body of the control module has an electric connector, for electrical connection to a connection part of the thermoelectric generator which is opposite to said sensitive part, and electric connection elements, for electrical connection to the solenoid of the safety valve, the electrical safety arrangement being electrically connected between said electric connector and said electric connection elements,
wherein the safety device further comprises at least one of a visual signaling arrangement and an acoustic signaling arrangement, controlled by the control circuit for generating at least one of a visual signal and an acoustic signal for a user upon detection of presence of gas by the detection circuit.

2. The safety device according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of the detection circuit and the control circuit is configured for communicating in a wired manner.

3. The safety device according to claim 1 , wherein the control circuit comprises an activation switch operable by the user, the control circuit being rendered active by an activation command causes by a switching of the activation switch by the user.

4. The safety device according to claim 3 , wherein the activation switch is operatively associated to one of said actuation shaft and said manually operable control member, said switching being caused by a displacement of the manually operable control member by the user.

5. The safety device according to claim 1 , wherein the housing body comprises at least one coupling element for coupling or hooking to the tap body.

6. The safety device according to claim 5 , wherein the at least one coupling element comprises a seat defined in the housing body and configured for housing at least a part of the tap body.

7. The safety device according to claim 6 , wherein the seat has a profile matching a profile of said part of the tap body.

8. The safety device according to claim 1 , wherein the control module includes at least one connector for electrical connection of the control circuit to at least one of the solenoid of the safety valve or the thermoelectric generator or an electric supply source of the control module.

9. The safety device according to claim 1 , wherein said electric connector comprises a connector element at a distal end of the housing body, made of electrically conductive material and configured for electrical and mechanical coupling with an end connection element of said connection part of the thermoelectric generator.

10. The safety device according to claim 1 , wherein said electric connector is a quick-coupling connector.

11. The safety device according to claim 1 , wherein the electrical safety arrangement comprise a controllable switch, selected from among electromechanical switches and electronic switches.

12. The safety device according to claim 1 , further comprising at least one of
an autonomous supply source, or
a control system for a gas igniter operable to cause gas ignition at said gas burner.

13. The safety device according to claim 1 , wherein the detection circuit is integrated in a detection module having a housing body which is separate from the housing body of the control module.

14. The safety device according to claim 13 , comprising a plurality of said control modules, each of which is connected in signal communication with the detection circuit of one and the same detection module.

15. The safety device according to claim 1 , wherein the electrical safety arrangement comprise a controllable circuit arrangement configured for varying an electric circuit of the thermoelectric generator or of the solenoid, the circuit arrangement being controllable for reducing said electric current supplied by the thermoelectric generator to the solenoid of the safety valve.

16. The safety device according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of the detection circuit and the control circuit is configured for communicating in a wireless manner.

17. The safety device according to claim 1 , wherein the control module comprises a printed circuit board within the housing body, mounted on which are circuit components of the control circuit and of the electrical safety arrangement, the circuit components including a connection interface for connecting in signal communication the control circuit to the detection circuit.

18. The safety device according to claim 1 , wherein the housing body is made at least in part of an insulating material.

19. A method of using a safety device, wherein the method includes:
Providing and using a safety device against gas leaks or emissions for a household cooking apparatus having (a) a housing structure, (b) at least one gas burner, and (c) at least one gas tap, wherein the gas tap includes:
a tap body, having an inlet configured for connection to a gas supply line, and an outlet configured for connection to a conduit for delivering gas to a corresponding gas burner of the household cooking

Assignees

• Nebbia Fabio
• Gadini Costanzo
• Eltek Spa

Inventors

• Nebbia Fabio
• Gadini Costanzo

Classifications

• F23N2231/18

  Detecting fluid leaks · CPC title

• F23N2235/14

  electromagnetically operated · CPC title

• F23N2231/20

  Warning devices · CPC title

• F23N5/102 Primary

  using electronic means · CPC title

• F24C3/12

  Arrangement or mounting of control or safety devices · CPC title