The present invention relates to a gas valve arrangement for a gas stove and to a gas stove with such a gas valve arrangement.
A gas stove comprises one or more gas burners and a gas valve for regulating a flow of combustion gas to the gas burner. Each gas burner has a gas valve. The gas valve has an actuation stem that can be rotated to actuate the gas valve. A knob is mounted on the actuation stem. The gas valve further has a gas outlet for providing a flow of combustion gas to the gas burner. Gas stoves can either have their knobs on a top of the gas stove or on a front thereof. Gas stoves with the knobs on top need gas valves with the gas outlet being oriented toward the actuation stem in an angle of 90°. Gas stoves with the knobs on the front need gas valves with the gas outlet being oriented toward the actuation stem in an angle of 180°. This means that different types of gas valves are needed for different types of gas stoves. However, it is desirable to use one type of gas valve for different types of gas stoves.
It is one object of the present invention to provide an improved gas valve arrangement for a gas stove.
Accordingly, a gas valve arrangement for a gas stove is provided. The gas valve arrangement comprises a gas valve, which has a gas inlet and a gas outlet, and a manifold device for redirecting a flow of combustion gas from the gas outlet by 90°, wherein the manifold device is attached to the gas outlet solely by means of friction.
Since the manifold device redirects the flow of combustion gas by 90°, it is possible to use a certain type of gas valve for different types of gas stoves. Development times and costs can be reduced. One solution for the gas valve can be used for different product variants of the gas stove.
The gas valve preferably is a gas regulating valve which is configured to regulate the flow of combustion gas from a main gas pipe to a gas burner. In particular, the gas valve is a so-called step valve. “Redirecting” the flow of combustion gas means that the combustion gas is deflected or rerouted when coming from the gas outlet. The gas outlet is tube-shaped. The manifold device can be at least partly arranged within the gas outlet. “90°” in this context means “perpendicular”. “90°” or “perpendicular” in the present context also includes values of 90°±10°, preferably of 90°±5°, more preferably of 90°±3°, more preferably of 90°±1°, more preferably of exactly 90°.
That the manifold device is attached to the gas outlet “solely” or “exclusively” by means of friction means that no other type of connection, for example a screw connection or an adhesive connection, is provided. The connection between the manifold device and the gas outlet is just a frictionally engaged connection. For example, the manifold device is plugged into the gas outlet without any tools. Thus, the manifold device can be mounted to the gas outlet tool-free or tool-less.
According to an embodiment, the gas valve comprises an actuation stem for actuating the gas valve, wherein the actuation stem and the gas outlet are arranged perpendicular to each other.
The actuation stem can be rotated to actuate the gas valve. A knob can be mounted on the actuation stem.
According to a further embodiment, the gas valve arrangement further comprises a manifold which is configured to redirect the flow of combustion gas by 90°.
The manifold can be made from metal, for example from a steel or aluminum alloy. However, the manifold can also be made of a plastic material. The manifold can be formed integrally. The manifold can be named elbow.
According to a further embodiment, the manifold comprises a fastening section, to which a tube can be connected, and a connection section, which is at least partly received in the gas outlet, wherein the fastening section and the connection section are arranged perpendicular to each other.
The fastening section is cylinder-shaped. The connection section is tube shaped. The connection section can at least partly be received within the gas outlet.
According to a further embodiment, the fastening section has an outer thread.
A pipe or tube with a cap nut can thus be mounted to the fastening section. The tube guides the combustion gas to the gas burner. The tube can be an aluminum tubing.
According to a further embodiment, the connection section is smooth on an exterior surface thereof.
That means that the connection section has no thread or the like. The connection section is thus thread-free or thread-less. The exterior surface can be cylinder-shaped.
According to a further embodiment, the fastening section comprises a central bore, wherein the connection section comprises a central bore, and wherein the bores intersect each other.
Thus, the bores are fluidly connected to each other. The bores can have the same diameter. The bore of the fastening section can be a stepped bore.
According to a further embodiment, the manifold comprises a box-shaped base section with outer faces, wherein the fastening section protrudes from one of the outer faces, and wherein the connection section protrudes from another of the outer faces.
Preferably, there are provided six outer surfaces. The base section can be cube-shaped. Preferably, the face the fastening section protrudes from is adjacent the face the connection section protrudes from.
According to a further embodiment, the base section comprises an annular groove which runs around the connection section.
The annular groove has a bottom face that is set back behind the outer face from which the connection section protrudes. The tube-shaped gas outlet can be partly received in the annular groove.
According to a further embodiment, the valve arrangement further comprises a gasket which receives the connection section.
The gasket is plugged on the connection section. The gasket is connected to the connection section solely by means of friction. When plugging the gasket on the connection section, the gasket can be stretched radially.
According to a further embodiment, the gasket attaches the manifold device to the gas outlet solely by means of friction.
The gasket can be radially compressed between the connection section and the gas outlet.
According to a further embodiment, the gasket is made of a flexible material, in particular rubber.
The gasket can also be made of a thermoplastic elastomer (TPE), for example a thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU). Preferably, the gasket is formed integrally.
According to a further embodiment, the gasket comprises at least one ring section which runs around the gasket for sealing the gasket against the gas outlet.
The ring section preferably has a semicircular shape. There can be provided two ring sections which are spaced apart from each other when seen along an axis of symmetry of the gasket.
According to a further embodiment, the gasket comprises a flange section which runs around the gasket and which is at least partly received within the manifold.
The flange section is received in the annular groove of the base section of the manifold. The flange preferably lies against the bottom face of the annular groove.
Furthermore, a gas stove comprising such a gas valve arrangement is provided.
The gas stove is a household appliance. Thus, the gas stove can be named household gas stove. The gas stove can have a plurality of gas valve arrangements. There are provided four gas valve arrangements, for example.
Further possible implementations or alternative solutions of the invention also encompass combinations—that are not explicitly mentioned herein—of features described above or below with regard to the embodiments. The person skilled in the art may also add individual or isolated aspects and features to the most basic form of the invention.
Further embodiments, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the subsequent description and dependent claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:
In the Figures, like reference numerals designate like or functionally equivalent elements, unless otherwise indicated.
The gas stove 1A has a plurality of knobs 7 to 10. Each knob 7 to 10 belongs to a gas valve (not shown). The number of knobs 7 to 10 is the same as the number of gas burners 2 to 5. Each knob 7 to 10 is assigned to one gas burner 2 to 5. By means of the knobs 7 to 10, a stream of combustion gas from a main gas pipe to the assigned gas burner 2 to 5 can be controlled continuously or stepwise.
The gas valve 13 has a gas inlet 14 that is connected to the main gas pipe. The gas valve 13 further has a tube-shaped gas outlet 15. The gas outlet 15 can be connected to one of the gas burners 2 to 5. The gas outlet 15 has an outer thread. Besides the gas outlet 15, the gas valve 13 has a tube-shaped thermoelement connector 16. A thermoelement (not shown) can be connected to the gas valve 13 by means of the thermoelement connector 16. Each gas burner 2 to 5 has a thermoelement. The thermoelements are used for supervising a flame of the respective gas burner 2 to 5. If the flame expires, the thermoelement cools down sending a signal to the gas valve 13 to shut down the gas flow to the gas burner 2 to 5.
An actuation stem 17 of the gas valve 13 can be rotated to adjust the gas flow from the gas valve 13 to the gas burner 2 to 5. One of the knobs 7 to 10 is mounted to the actuation stem 17. The actuation stem 17 is arranged perpendicular to the gas outlet 15. This means that the gas outlet 15 is arranged in an angle of 90° relative toward the actuation stem 17.
The gas valve 13 according to
To achieve this goal, the gas valve arrangement 12 has an elbow device or manifold device 18 which is configured to redirect or deflect the stream of combustion gas by 90°. The manifold device 18 comprises a manifold 19 and a gasket 20. The gasket 20 is made of a flexible material like rubber. The manifold device 18 is arranged between the gas outlet 15 and a tube 21. The tube 21 connects the manifold device 18 to the corresponding gas burner 2 to 5. The tube 21 can be an aluminum tube. The tube 21 comprises a cap nut 22 and a cutting ring 23. By means of the cap nut 22 and the cutting ring 23, the tube 21 can be directly connected to the gas outlet 15. However, to deflect the combustion gas by 90°, the tube 21 is connected to the manifold device 18 as will be explained in the following.
A central bore 33 protrudes throughout the fastening section 31 into the base section 24. The bore 33 is stepped and can receive the tube 21 and the cutting ring 23. The bore 33 is designed rotation symmetric toward an axis of symmetry 34.
A tube-shaped connection section 35 protrudes from the outer face 27. The connection section 35 is designed rotation symmetric toward an axis of symmetry 36. The axis of symmetry 34 and the axis of symmetry 36 are arranged perpendicular. The connection section 35 has a central bore 37 that intersects the bore 33. Thus, the bores 33, 37 are connected to each other in a fluidic way. That means that the combustion G gas can flow from the bore 37 into the bore 33 or vice versa. The outer face 27 has an annular groove 38 that runs around the connection section 35. The annular groove 38 has a bottom face 39 that is set back behind the outer face 27.
The base section 40 has a first face 45 and a second face 46 that faces away from the first face 45. The second face 46 lies against the bottom face 39 of the annular groove 38 of the manifold 19. The bore 42 breaks through both faces 45, 46. At the second face 46, a flange section 47 radially protrudes from the base section 40. The flange section 47 has a bigger diameter than the base section 40. The flange section 47 can be received in the annular grove 38 of the manifold 19.
The functionality of the manifold device 18 is described in the following. The gasket 20 is plugged on the tube-shaped connection section 35 of the manifold 19. Thereby the flange section 47 is received in the annular groove 38. The face 46 of the flange section 47 lies against the bottom face 39 of the annular groove 38.
The connection section 35 together with the gasket 20 is plugged into the gas outlet 15 of the gas valve 13. The tube-shaped gas outlet 15 can be partly received in the annular groove 38. The two ring sections 43, 44 seal against the gas outlet 15 in a fluid-tight manner. Two ring sections 43, 44 provide excellent sealing properties compared to a solution with less than two ring sections 43, 44.
The manifold 19 is held to the gas outlet 15 by friction between the connection section 35 and the gasket 20 as well as friction between the gasket 20 and the gas outlet 15. A screw connection between the manifold 19 and the gas outlet 15 is therefore needless. This enables an automated assembling of the gas valve arrangement 12. No additional space for a screw connection is needed.
The tube 21 is connected by means of the cap nut 22 and the cutting ring 23 to the fastening section 31 of the manifold 19. Alternatively, the tube 21 can be connected to the manifold 19 before the manifold 19 is attached to the gas outlet 15 of the gas valve 13.
By means of the manifold device 18 it is possible to use one type of gas valve 13 for different types of gas stoves 1A, 1B. Namely a gas stove 1A which has the knobs 7 to 10 on top of the gas stove 1A as well as a gas stove 1B which has the knobs 7 to 10 on a front of the gas stove 1B. Furthermore, it is possible to use more common references for different types of gas stoves 1A, 1B. Development times and costs can be reduced. One solution for the gas valve 13 can be used for different product variants of the gas stove 1A, 1B.
Although the present invention has been described in accordance with preferred embodiments, it is obvious for the person skilled in the art that modifications are possible in all embodiments.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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21382067.3 | Jan 2021 | EP | regional |
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
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PCT/EP2022/050627 | 1/13/2022 | WO |