Gas cooking appliance and control system

Abstract

A gas cooking appliance for connection to a source of gas is provided, having a burner, a cooking surface, a frame adapted to support the burner and the cooking surface, and a first valve in communication with a second valve. The first valve selectively enables flow of gas from the source to the second valve, while the second valve is adapted to provide a variably controlled output to the burner.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the following drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is an isometric view of a cooking appliance incorporating a control system in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an isometric partial upper left view of a cook-box, display and side tables of the cooking appliance of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an isometric partial bottom right view of a cook-box, display and side tables of the cooking appliance of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is an isometric view of the exterior of a four-output control box for a cooking appliance of a control system.

FIG. 5 is an isometric view of the four-output control box of FIG. 4, with the top cover removed.

FIG. 6 is an isometric view of the interior of the four-output control box of FIG. 4.

FIG. 7 is an isometric view of the interior of the four-output control box of FIG. 4, with one gas valve and optical disk removed.

FIG. 8 is an isometric view of a gas manifold of the four-output control box of FIG. 4.

FIG. 9 is a front view of a gas manifold of the four-output control box of FIG. 4.

FIG. 10 is a sectioned view of a gas manifold of the four-output control box of FIG. 4.

FIG. 11 is a disjoined partial isometric view of a gas valve housed in the control box if FIG. 4.

FIG. 12 is a partial isometric view of a gas valve, one gear motor and gas valve assembly with a single notch optical disk mounted to a motor shaft.

FIG. 13 is a partial isometric view of the assembly from FIG. 12 that shows the internal design of the manifold.

FIG. 14 is a left lower isometric view of the grill head of FIG. 1, with the front of the firebox and covers removed.

FIG. 15 is a left lower front isometric view at a steep angle of the grill head of FIG. 1, with the front of the firebox and covers removed.

FIG. 16 is a left lower rear isometric view of the grill head of FIG. 1, with the front of the firebox and covers removed.

FIG. 17 is an upper right rear isometric view of the burners, thermal control tubes, control box and display of the cooking appliance of FIG. 1.

FIG. 18 is lower right front isometric view of the burners, thermal control tubes, control box and display of the cooking appliance of FIG. 1.

FIG. 19 is a front view of the display of the cooking appliance of FIG. 1.

FIG. 20 is a sectioned view of the display of the cooking appliance of FIG. 1.

FIG. 21 is a isometric view of the PC boards of the display of FIG. 19.

FIG. 22 is a bottom view of a thermal control tube used in the cooking appliance of FIG. 1.

FIG. 23 is a bottom view of a thermal control tube used in the cooking appliance of FIG. 1.

FIG. 24 is a sectional view of the thermal control tube of FIG. 23.

FIG. 25 is a system logic flow chart of a cooking appliance using thermal control.

FIG. 26 is a graph illustrating a thermal control system.

FIG. 27 is an electrical schematic of a cooking appliance using thermal control.

FIG. 28 is a front view of a display of a cooking appliance using thermal control.

FIG. 29 is a front view of a display of a cooking appliance using manual control.

FIG. 30 is a flow chart of a manually controlled system of a cooking appliance.

FIG. 31 is an isometric view of a burner adjustment module of a cooking appliance.

FIG. 32 is an isometric view of a burner adjustment module of a cooking appliance.

FIG. 33 is a schematic of a control system for a cooking appliance.

Claims

1. A gas cooking appliance for connection to a source of gas, comprising: a burner;a cooking surface disposed adjacent to the burner;a frame adapted to support the burner and the cooking surface; anda first valve in communication with a second valve, wherein the first valve selectively enables a flow of gas from the source to the second valve, and wherein the second valve is adapted to provide a variably controlled output to the burner.

2. The gas cooking appliance according to claim 1, wherein the cooking surface is a cooking grid.

3. The gas cooking appliance according to claim 1, wherein the first valve is a two-way valve.

4. The gas cooking appliance according to claim 3, wherein the two-way valve is a normally closed valve.

5. The gas cooking appliance according to claim 3, wherein the two-way valve is a solenoid valve.

6. The gas cooking appliance according to claim 1, wherein the first valve selectively enables a flow of gas by way of at least one switch disposed on a front panel of the appliance, wherein the switch is electrically connected to the first valve.

7. The gas cooking appliance according to claim 1, wherein the second valve includes a core that is received by a body, wherein the relative position between the core and body determines flow of gas through the second valve.

8. The gas cooking appliance according to claim 7, further comprising an actuator in communication with the core of the second valve and adapted to displace the core, whereby movement of the core alters gas flow through the second valve.

9. The gas cooking appliance according to claim 1, further comprising an actuator in communication with the second valve and adapted to variably control gas flow to the burner.

10. The gas cooking appliance according to claim 9, further comprising at least one switch disposed on a front panel of the appliance, the switch electrically connected to the actuator.

11. The gas cooking appliance according to claim 9, wherein the actuator includes an electric motor.

12. The gas cooking appliance according to claim 1, wherein the output to the burner includes a stem with a burner tip mounted to a distal end of the stem.

13. The gas cooking appliance according to claim 1, wherein the output to the burner includes a tube connecting the second valve to a burner tip adjacent to the burner.

14. The gas cooking appliance according to claim 1, further comprising an ignition system adapted to ignite the gas adjacent to the burner.

15. The gas cooking appliance according to claim 1, further comprising a position feedback system including a disk in mechanical communication with the second valve and a sensor adapted to provide feedback from incremental movement of the disk.

16. The gas cooking appliance according to claim 15, wherein the disk is non-concentric.

17. The gas cooking appliance according to claim 15, wherein the sensor is a device selected from the group consisting of a optical sensor, a Hall effect sensor, an inductive proximity sensor, capacitive proximity sensor, and a magnetic proximity sensor.

18. The gas cooking appliance according to claim 1, further including, a thermal control comprising: a thermal sensor mounted adjacent to the cooking surface;a switch adapted to input a set temperature value;an actuator in communication with the second valve; anda control system adapted to drive the actuator relative to output from the thermal sensor and the set temperature value.

19. The gas cooking appliance according to claim 18, wherein the thermal sensor is a sensor selected from the group consisting of a bare wire bead thermocouple, a thermocouple probe and an infrared temperature sensor.

20. The gas cooking appliance according to claim 18, wherein the thermal sensor includes a Nickel-Chromium/Nickel-Aluminum (Type K) bare wire bead thermocouple housed in a tube.

21. The gas cooking appliance according to claim 20, further including a support plug housed within the tube and supporting a free end of the wire bead thermocouple.

22. The gas cooking appliance according to claim 21, wherein the support plug includes a block with a center bore to receive the wire bead thermocouple.

23. The gas cooking appliance according to claim 22, wherein the tube is a stainless steel tube with a plurality of holes in one wall of the tube.

24. The gas cooking appliance according to claim 23, wherein the holes are positioned substantially in a middle portion of a length of the tube.

25. The gas cooking appliance according to claim 18, wherein the thermal sensor includes a thermocouple probe.

26. The gas cooking appliance according to claim 25, wherein the thermocouple probe is housed in a cover mounted to the frame.

27. The gas cooking appliance according to claim 18, wherein the thermal sensor includes a resistance temperature detector (RTD).

28. The gas cooking appliance according to claim 18, wherein the control system includes a processor adapted to monitor Current Temperature (TC) data from the thermal sensor and compare to the Set Temperature (TS), the control system providing a control output to the actuator based on temperature history and Current Temperature (TC).

29. The gas cooking appliance according to claim 28, wherein the control output is Maximum Flame (FMAX) when the Current Temperature (TC) is less than a Bottom Range Limit (BRL) and the output is Minimum Flame (FMIN) when the Current Temperature (TC) is greater than a Top Range Limit (TRL).

30. The gas cooking appliance according to claim 28, wherein the control output is unchanged when the Current Temperature (TC) is between a Lower Range Limit (LRL) and an Upper Range Limit (URL).

31. The gas cooking appliance according to claim 28, wherein the control output is derived from a control algorithm when the Current Temperature (TS) is between a Bottom Range Limit (BRL) and a Lower Range Limit (LRL) or between a Top Range Limit (TRL) and an Upper Range Limit (URL).

32. The gas cooking appliance according to claim 31, wherein the control algorithm includes the first derivative of the function of previous Current Temperature (TC) values, the Current Temperature (TC) value and the difference between the Current Temperature (TC) value and the Set Temperature (TS) value.

33. The gas cooking appliance according to claim 1, further comprising a light that is adapted to illuminate a front panel of the appliance.

34. A cooking system for connection to a source of gas, comprising: a frame supporting a cooking surface and at least one burner;a first valve in fluid communication with the at least one burner by way of a variably controlled second valve; anda switch in communication with the first valve, whereby actuation of the switch enables gas flow from the source to the at least one burner.

35. The gas cooking appliance according to claim 34, wherein the first valve is a two-way valve.

36. The gas cooking appliance according to claim 35, wherein the two-way valve is a normally closed valve.

37. The gas cooking appliance according to claim 35, wherein the two-way valve is a solenoid valve.

38. The gas cooking appliance according to claim 34, wherein the variably controlled second valve includes a core that is received by a body, the relative position between same determines flow.

39. The gas cooking appliance according to claim 38, further comprising an actuator in communication with the core of the variably controlled second valve and adapted to displace the core, whereby movement of the core alters gas flow.

40. The gas cooking appliance according to claim 34, further comprising an actuator in communication with the variably controlled second valve, whereby the actuator alters the second valve to vary gas flow to the at least one burner.

41. The gas cooking appliance according to claim 40, further comprising at least one switch disposed on a front panel of the appliance, the switch electrically connected to the actuator.

42. The gas cooking appliance according to claim 40, wherein the actuator includes an electric motor.

43. The gas cooking appliance according to claim 34, further comprising an ignition system adapted to ignite the gas adjacent to the burner.

44. The gas cooking appliance according to claim 34, further comprising a position feedback system including a disk in mechanical communication with the variably controlled second valve and a sensor adapted to provide feedback from incremental movement of the disk.

45. The gas cooking appliance according to claim 44, wherein the disk is non-concentric.

46. The gas cooking appliance according to claim 44, wherein the sensor is a device selected from the group consisting of a optical sensor, a Hall effect sensor, an inductive proximity sensor, capacitive proximity sensor, and a magnetic proximity sensor.

47. The gas cooking appliance according to claim 34, further comprising, a thermal control including: a thermal sensor mounted adjacent to the cooking surface;an input device adapted to input a set temperature value;an actuator in communication with the variably controlled second valve; anda control system adapted to drive the actuator relative to output from the thermal sensor and the set temperature value.

48. The gas cooking appliance according to claim 47, wherein the thermal sensor is a sensor selected from the group consisting of a bare wire bead thermocouple, a thermocouple probe and an infrared temperature sensor.

49. The gas cooking appliance according to claim 47, wherein the thermal sensor includes a Nickel-Chromium/Nickel-Aluminum (Type K) bare wire bead thermocouple housed in a tube.

50. The gas cooking appliance according to claim 49, further comprising a support plug housed within the tube and supporting a free end of the wire bead thermocouple.

51. The gas cooking appliance according to claim 50, wherein the support plug includes a block with a center bore to receive the wire bead thermocouple.

52. The gas cooking appliance according to claim 49, wherein the tube is a stainless steel tube with a plurality of holes in one wall of the tube.

53. The gas cooking appliance according to claim 52, wherein the holes are positioned substantially in a middle portion of a length of the tube.

54. The gas cooking appliance according to claim 47, wherein the thermal sensor includes a thermocouple probe.

55. The gas cooking appliance according to claim 47, wherein the thermal sensor includes a resistance temperature detector (RTD).

56. The gas cooking appliance according to claim 47, wherein the control system includes a processor adapted to monitor Current Temperature (TC) data from the thermal sensor and compare to the Set Temperature (TS), the control system providing a control output to the actuator based on temperature history and Current Temperature (TC).

57. The gas cooking appliance according to claim 56, wherein the control output is Maximum Flame (FMAX) when the Current Temperature (TC) is less than a Bottom Range Limit (BRL) and the output is Minimum Flame (FMIN) when the Current Temperature (TC) is greater than a Top Range Limit (TRL).

58. The gas cooking appliance according to claim 56, wherein the control output is unchanged when the Current Temperature (TC) is between a Lower Range Limit (LRL) and an Upper Range Limit (URL).

59. The gas cooking appliance according to claim 56, wherein the control output is derived from a control algorithm when the Current Temperature (TS) is between a Bottom Range Limit (BRL) and a Lower Range Limit (LRL) or between a Top Range Limit (TRL) and an Upper Range Limit (URL).

60. The gas cooking appliance according to claim 59, wherein the control algorithm includes the first derivative of the function of previous Current Temperature (TC) values, the Current Temperature (TC) value and the difference between the Current Temperature (TC) value and the Set Temperature (TS) value.

61. The gas cooking appliance according to claim 34, further comprising a light that is adapted to illuminate a front panel of the appliance.

62. A gas cooking appliance for connection to a source of gas including a frame supporting a cooking surface, at least one burner and an ignition system, the improvement including: a first valve in fluid communication with the at least one burner by way of a variably controlled second valve; anda switch in communication with the first valve, whereby actuation of the switch enables gas flow from the source to the at least one burner.

63. The gas cooking appliance according to claim 62, further comprising a thermal control comprising: a thermal sensor mounted adjacent to the cooking surface;an input device adapted to input a set temperature value;an actuator in communication with the variably controlled second valve; anda control system adapted to drive the actuator relative to output from the thermal sensor and the set temperature value.

64. A gas cooking appliance for connection to a source of gas including a frame supporting a cooking surface, at least one burner, a source of gas, and an ignition system, the improvement including: a first valve in communication with a second valve, wherein the first valve selectively enables flow of a gas from the source to the second valve, and wherein the second valve is adapted to provide a variably controlled output to the burner.

65. The gas cooking appliance according to claim 64, further comprising a thermal control comprising: a thermal sensor mounted adjacent to the cooking surface;an switch adapted to input a set temperature value;an actuator in communication with the second valve; anda control system adapted to drive the actuator relative to output from the thermal sensor and the set temperature value.

66. A method of cooking for use with a cooking appliance including a frame supporting a burner and a cooking surface disposed adjacent to the burner; a first valve and a second valve joined together such that the first valve selectively enables a flow of a gas from a source to the second valve, the second valve enabling a variably controlled gas output to the burner and an ignition system adapted to ignite the gas adjacent to the burner, the method of cooking including the steps of: opening the first valve;initiating the igniter, thereby generating a flame at the burner; andadjusting the second valve to alter the flow of gas to the burner.

67. A method of cooking for use with a cooking appliance including a frame supporting a burner and a cooking surface disposed adjacent to the burner; a first valve and a second valve joined together such that the first valve selectively enables a flow of a gas from a source to the second valve, the second valve enabling a variably controlled gas output to the burner, an ignition system adapted to ignite the gas adjacent to the burner, a thermal sensor mounted adjacent to the cooking surface, a button adapted to input set temperature data, an actuator in communication with the second valve and a control system adapted to drive the actuator, the method of cooking including the steps of: inputting a set temperature;monitoring data from the thermal sensor by the control system; andadjusting the gas flow by the actuator relative to data from the thermal sensor and the set temperature.