This invention generally relates to gas cook tops, and more particularly to burner flame flow control systems for gas cook tops.
Gas cook-tops are valued by homeowners for their superior ability to quickly and precisely control the level of heat. Unfortunately gas levels for cook-tops are typically controlled mechanically by the use of manual rotary valves. This mechanical solution limits the features available to consumers.
Capacitive Touch (Glass) interfaces are becoming very popular with consumers. Such a user interface is only available with electronic controls. By incorporating electronic controls, these interfaces can provide desirable safety features, such as a child safe burner lockout, which consumers have come to expect.
Unfortunately, such safety features are expensive and difficult to accomplish with mechanical controls, which current gas cook tops require to control the flame. Such puts the gas cook top at a competitive disadvantage compared with electric cook tops that can use the capacitive touch interfaces.
There exists, therefore, a need in the art for a gas cook top that incorporates the capacitive touch interface.
Embodiments of the present invention provide such a gas cook top. These and other advantages of the invention, as well as additional inventive features, will be apparent from the description of the invention provided herein.
In view of the above embodiments of the present invention provide a new and improved gas cook-top. More particularly, embodiments of the present invention provide a new and improved gas cook-top that utilizes a capacitive touch control user interface. Even more particularly, embodiments of the present invention provide a new and improved gas cook-top that utilizes electronic capacitive touch controls that provide enhanced electronically controlled features heretofore unavailable for gas cook-tops.
In one embodiment of the present invention, a new variable flow gas valve is incorporated into a gas cook-top to allow the use of electronic controls, such as a glass touch interface, to control the level of the burner flame. The control system also provides additional safety features, such as automatic burner re-ignition if the flame blows out, burner lockout if the burner fails to ignite and a child safety burner lockout feature. These additional safety features improve the safety of the gas cook top and reduces the chances of an accident. Glass-touch controls and flat cook-tops are easier to clean than traditional cook-tops and have superior aesthetic appeal than traditional mechanical interface gas cook-tops.
Other aspects, objectives and advantages of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
The accompanying drawings incorporated in and forming a part of the specification illustrate several aspects of the present invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention. In the drawings:
While the invention will be described in connection with certain preferred embodiments, there is no intent to limit it to those embodiments. On the contrary, the intent is to cover all alternatives, modifications and equivalents as included within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.
In one embodiment of the present invention illustrated in
One such capability is touch control. A consumer can ignite the burner and change heat settings, i.e. flame height, with the touch of a finger 16 as illustrated in
While those skilled in the art will recognize that the particular operating modes and layout of the capacitive touch glass interface 12 of the embodiment of the present invention illustrated in
In one embodiment, the user would then select a desired flame height from the flame adjust indicator 20 by touching an appropriate location therealong as illustrated in
In an alternate embodiment, upon selection of the burner select icon 18, the controller 26 will flash the appropriate flame adjust indicator 20A-D to provide a visual indication to the user that flame at a particular burner 14A, 14B, 14C or 14D will soon be forthcoming, and then will adjust the gas valve 22 to the previous setting for that burner 14, i.e. the last setting prior to that burner 14 being turned off.
To adjust the flame height, the user simply touches a different location along the flame adjust indicator 20 or simply slides their finger 16 along the length of the flame adjust indicator 20 to vary the flame height as desired (see
In one embodiment of the present invention, the controller 26 will continuously adjust the flame height at the burner 14 when the user continuously touches the burner select icon 18 as illustrated in
In an alternate embodiment, selection of the icon 18 when the burner 14 is already ignited will result in the controller 26 turning off the burner 14. In this embodiment during operation, if the user wishes to extinguish the flame at a particular burner 14, the user would simply touch the appropriate burner icon 18. Once the capacitive touch interface 12 has detected the user's touch at this icon 18, electronic controller 26 will operate the variable flow gas valve 22 to terminate flow of gas and extinguish the flame at that burner 14.
Programmed operation of the flame height is also available via the electronic controller 26. While not illustrated in
In one embodiment, the variable flow gas valves 22A, 22B, 22C or 22D may be the variable flow gas valves described in PCT International Application No. PCT/NZ2005/000135 entitled “Variable Flow Valve”, and in co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/507,107 entitled “Variable Flow Valve,” the teachings and disclosure of which are hereby incorporated by their entireties by reference thereto.
All references, including publications, patent applications, and patents cited herein are hereby incorporated by reference to the same extent as if each reference were individually and specifically indicated to be incorporated by reference and were set forth in its entirety herein.
The use of the terms “a” and “an” and “the” and similar referents in the context of describing the invention (especially in the context of the following claims) is to be construed to cover both the singular and the plural, unless otherwise indicated herein or clearly contradicted by context. The terms “comprising,” “having,” “including,” and “containing” are to be construed as open-ended terms (i.e., meaning “including, but not limited to,”) unless otherwise noted. Recitation of ranges of values herein are merely intended to serve as a shorthand method of referring individually to each separate value falling within the range, unless otherwise indicated herein, and each separate value is incorporated into the specification as if it were individually recited herein. All methods described herein can be performed in any suitable order unless otherwise indicated herein or otherwise clearly contradicted by context. The use of any and all examples, or exemplary language (e.g., “such as”) provided herein, is intended merely to better illuminate the invention and does not pose a limitation on the scope of the invention unless otherwise claimed. No language in the specification should be construed as indicating any non-claimed element as essential to the practice of the invention.
Preferred embodiments of this invention are described herein, including the best mode known to the inventors for carrying out the invention. Variations of those preferred embodiments may become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art upon reading the foregoing description. For example, such alternate embodiments may include other gas appliances such as clothes dryers where the variable gas flow burner control may better regulate the drying temperature than current burner on or off systems. The inventors expect skilled artisans to employ such variations as appropriate, and the inventors intend for the invention to be practiced otherwise than as specifically described herein. Accordingly, this invention includes all modifications and equivalents of the subject matter recited in the claims appended hereto as permitted by applicable law. Moreover, any combination of the above-described elements in all possible variations thereof is encompassed by the invention unless otherwise indicated herein or otherwise clearly contradicted by context.
This patent application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/741,993, filed Dec. 2, 2005, the teachings and disclosure of which are hereby incorporated in their entireties by reference thereto.
Number | Date | Country | |
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60741993 | Dec 2005 | US |