Patent Grant
9285120
The present invention is related to a shield for positioning proximate an igniter.
It is to be understood that the present invention includes a variety of different versions or embodiments, and this Summary is not meant to be limiting or all-inclusive. This Summary provides some general descriptions of some of the embodiments, but may also include some more specific descriptions of other embodiments.
An igniter shield is provided that is used with an igniter, such as an igniter beat in a furnace, oven or water heater. Accordingly, in at least one embodiment, an igniter shield for use in combination with an igniter is provided, the igniter shield comprising:
a substantially cylindrical-shaped body that includes:
In addition to the foregoing, in at least one embodiment, the radius of curvature of the longitudinally oriented baffle is between about 0.3 to 0.7 of the radius of curvature of the proximal portion. In at least one embodiment, the radius of curvature of the longitudinally oriented baffle is between about 0.45 to 0.55 of the radius of curvature of the proximal portion. In at least one embodiment, the radius of curvature of the longitudinally oriented baffle is about 50% of the radius of curvature of the proximal portion. In at least one embodiment, the baffle does not include any perforations. In at least one embodiment, each of the first and second longitudinally oriented supports includes a longitudinally extending rib. In at least one embodiment, the longitudinally extending ribs include a radially outward facing concave surface. In at least one embodiment, the radially outward facing concave surface of the longitudinally extending ribs has a smaller radius of curvature than the longitudinally oriented baffle. In at least one embodiment, the longitudinally extending ribs include a radially inward facing convex surface. In at least one embodiment, the first and second longitudinally oriented supports are circumferentially spaced apart at about 120 degrees from each other. In at least one embodiment, the longitudinally oriented baffle is circumferentially spaced apart at about 120 degrees from each of the first and second longitudinally oriented supports. In at least one embodiment, the substantially cylindrical shaped body is not circumferentially closed. In at least one embodiment, the substantially cylindrical shaped body comprises an open seam situated diametrically opposite a centerline of the longitudinally oriented baffle. In at least one embodiment, the igniter shield further comprises a mounting base connected to the proximal portion of the substantially cylindrical shaped body. In at least one embodiment, openings between the first and second longitudinally oriented supports and between the first and second longitudinally oriented supports and the longitudinally oriented baffle occupy a greater circumferential area than a circumferential area of the first and second longitudinally oriented supports and the longitudinally oriented baffle.
A method of positioning an igniter shield in an apparatus having an igniter is also provided, the method comprising:
forming an igniter shield using a “blank” suitable for manipulation into the igniter shield;
causing one or more portions of the blank to become shaped as the igniter shield for enclosing the igniter;
inserting the igniter within the igniter shield; and
mounting the igniter and igniter shield within the apparatus;
wherein the igniter shield includes a baffle, and wherein the baffle has a radius of curvature that is smaller than a radius of curvature of the proximal or distal portions of the igniter shield.
Various components are referred to herein as “operably associated.” As used herein, “operably associated” refers to components that are linked together in operable fashion, and encompasses embodiments in which components are linked directly, as well as embodiments in which additional components are placed between the two linked components.
As used herein, “at least one,” “one or more,” and “and/or” are open-ended expressions that are both conjunctive and disjunctive in operation. For example, each of the expressions “at least one of A, B and C,” “at least one of A, B, or C,” “one or more of A, B, and C,” “one or more of A, B, or C” and “A, B, and/or C” means A alone, B alone, C alone, A and B together, A and C together, B and C together, or A, B and C together.
Various embodiments of the present inventions are set forth in the attached figures and in the Detailed Description as provided herein and as embodied by the claims. It should be understood, however, that this Summary does not contain all of the aspects and embodiments of the one or more present inventions, is not meant to be limiting or restrictive in any manner, and that the invention(s) as disclosed herein is/are understood by those of ordinary skill in the art to encompass obvious improvements and modifications thereto.
Additional advantages of the present invention will become readily apparent from the following discussion, particularly when taken together with the accompanying drawings.
To further clarify the above and other advantages and features of the one or more present inventions, a more particular description of the one or more present inventions is rendered by reference to specific embodiments thereof which are illustrated in the appended drawings. It should be appreciated that these drawings depict only typical embodiments of the one or more present inventions and are therefore not to be considered limiting of its scope. The one or more present inventions are described and explained with additional specificity and detail through the use of the accompanying drawings in which:
All dimensions shown on the drawings and/or referred to herein are for purposes of enablement and/or written description, and are provided by way of example and are not to be interpreted as limiting one or more embodiments of the one or more present inventions unless expressly claimed.
The drawings are not necessarily to scale.
One or more embodiments of the one or more inventions described herein are directed to an igniter shield for use in combination with an igniter, wherein the igniter could be associated with a variety of different types of devices, such as a furnace or oven.
Accordingly, and with reference now to
As best seen in
When in use, a gas stream from the gas source G is directed toward the igniter I, however, the gas stream encounters the convex surface 124 of the baffle 112, thereby causing the gas stream to flow around the baffle 112 and improving the gas stream's ignition characteristics. That is, the baffle 112 slows and causes turbulence of the gas stream allowing it to mix with air, thereby improving the ignition characteristics of the fuel/air mixture. In addition, the open spaces 132 between the baffle 112 and supports 116 result in less shield mass surrounding the igniter I, thus providing an igniter shield 100 that does not get excessively hot for its intended purpose.
Referring still to
In at least one embodiment, the igniter shield includes a mounting base, proximal portion, a baffle, longitudinal supports, and a distal portion, wherein at least one of the proximal portion, baffle, and distal portion include one or more straight segments of material, and include portions having a polygonal transversely oriented cross-sectional shape.
One or more embodiments described herein have application to a variety of devices, including: residential gas furnaces; residential gas boilers; commercial gas boilers; residential gas water heaters; commercial gas water heaters; commercial gas furnaces; gas incinerators; residential cooking appliances; commercial cooking equipment; instantaneous water heaters; and, radiant heating units. The normal gases used in the applications include: natural gas (90-95% methane); and propane and liquefied petroleum gas (90-95% propane with the balance mainly butane). The burner sizes can range from 10,000 btu's (mini burners in residential furnaces) to over 1,000,000 btu's (radiant and blue flame metal mesh fabric burners in commercial heating units). The normal atmospheric residential gas burners in both heating and cooking appliances only get about 50% of the required combustion air (called “primary”) through the burner orifice and venture. The other 50% of the air (called “secondary”) is drawn into the gas stream at the burner face. Slowing down and causing turbulence in the gas stream can aid in the aeration of the gas for proper combustion. The foregoing usage applications and typical operating parameters are to be understood as exemplary (that is, examples only), and are not to be interpreted as limiting unless expressly claimed.
In at least one embodiment, the baffle 112 directs gas flow in a substantially circular motion toward the igniter I, thereby creating turbulence in the gas stream which reduces the flow rate of the gas stream. The baffle 112 also helps introduce secondary combustion air into the gas stream and promotes better combustion characteristics of principal gases. At the same time, the baffle 112 also decreases the impact of cooling that the gas stream has on the energized igniter I, and therefore, less voltage is needed to cause the gas stream to ignite. Accordingly, the size, shape and position of the baffle 112 contribute to the gas stream flow characteristics, and the addition of the longitudinal supports 116 reinforces that portion of the igniter shield 100 that is located distally of the proximal portion 108 of the igniter shield 100, thereby effectively reducing the material mass and the radiating surface area of the igniter shield 100, but also maintaining necessary shield strength to stiffen the igniter shield 100 and protect the igniter I. Thus, embodiments of the one or more present inventions have a limited amount of shield material that directly surrounds the igniter, and therefore it has a limited radiant surface. This limited radiant surface around the igniter decreases temperature adders over a range of operating voltages. This improves the longevity of the igniter.
A method of positioning an igniter shield in an apparatus having a burner is also provided. The method includes forming an igniter shield using a “blank” suitable for manipulation into the igniter shield, causing one or more portions of the blank to become shaped as an igniter shield for enclosing an igniter, inserting an igniter within the igniter shield, and mounting the igniter and igniter shield within the apparatus, wherein the igniter shield includes a baffle, and wherein the baffle has a smaller radius of curvature than a proximal or distal portion of the igniter shield.
The igniter shield may be made of a suitable material for its intended purpose, such as 601 inconel or a substantially equivalent material.
The one or more present inventions may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from its spirit or essential characteristics. The described embodiments are to be considered in all respects only as illustrative and not restrictive. The scope of the one or more present inventions is, therefore, indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description. All changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are to be embraced within their scope.
The one or more present inventions, in various embodiments, includes components, methods, processes, systems and apparatus substantially as depicted and described herein, including various embodiments, subcombinations, and subsets thereof. Those of skill in the art will understand how to make and use the one or more present inventions after understanding the present disclosure.
The one or more present inventions, in various embodiments, includes providing devices and processes in the absence of items not depicted and/or described herein or in various embodiments hereof, including in the absence of such items as may have been used in previous devices or processes (e.g., for improving performance, achieving ease and/or reducing cost of implementation).
The foregoing discussion of the one or more present inventions has been presented for purposes of illustration and description. The foregoing is not intended to limit the one or more present inventions to the form or forms disclosed herein. In the foregoing Detailed Description for example, various features of the one or more present inventions are grouped together in one or more embodiments for the purpose of streamlining the disclosure. This method of disclosure is not to be interpreted as reflecting an intention that the claimed one or more present inventions requires more features than are expressly recited in each claim. Rather, as the following claims reflect, inventive aspects lie in less than all features of a single foregoing disclosed embodiment. Thus, the following claims are hereby incorporated into this Detailed Description, with each claim standing on its own as a separate preferred embodiment of the one or more present inventions.
Moreover, though the description of the one or more present inventions has included description of one or more embodiments and certain variations and modifications, other variations and modifications are within the scope of the one or more present inventions (e.g., as may be within the skill and knowledge of those in the art, after understanding the present disclosure). It is intended to obtain rights which include alternative embodiments to the extent permitted, including alternate, interchangeable and/or equivalent structures, functions, ranges or steps to those claimed, whether or not such alternate, interchangeable and/or equivalent structures, functions, ranges or steps are disclosed herein, and without intending to publicly dedicate any patentable subject matter.
The present application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/710,699 filed on Oct. 6, 2012, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
| Number | Name | Date | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1082401 | Cade | Dec 1913 | A |
| 1253584 | Gerken | Jan 1918 | A |
| 2609808 | Bychinsky | Sep 1952 | A |
| 2760340 | Seglem | Aug 1956 | A |
| 2850084 | Kunzler | Sep 1958 | A |
| 3562590 | Mitts et al. | Feb 1971 | A |
| 3602206 | Kern et al. | Aug 1971 | A |
| 3680636 | Berry et al. | Aug 1972 | A |
| 3787169 | Gjerde | Jan 1974 | A |
| 3823345 | Mitts et al. | Jul 1974 | A |
| 3958144 | Franks | May 1976 | A |
| 4029936 | Schweitzer | Jun 1977 | A |
| 4608983 | Muller | Sep 1986 | A |
| 4892475 | Farrenkopf et al. | Jan 1990 | A |
| 4946384 | London | Aug 1990 | A |
| 4983877 | Kashiwara | Jan 1991 | A |
| 5007389 | Kashiwara et al. | Apr 1991 | A |
| 5014656 | Leptich et al. | May 1991 | A |
| 5280214 | Johnson | Jan 1994 | A |
| 5328355 | Kobayashi et al. | Jul 1994 | A |
| 5408961 | Smith | Apr 1995 | A |
| 5420473 | Thomas | May 1995 | A |
| 5430346 | Johnson | Jul 1995 | A |
| 5494642 | Sanada | Feb 1996 | A |
| 5496170 | Primdahl et al. | Mar 1996 | A |
| 5558515 | Althaus et al. | Sep 1996 | A |
| 5588379 | Witteveen | Dec 1996 | A |
| 5623179 | Buhl | Apr 1997 | A |
| 5791892 | Dobbeling et al. | Aug 1998 | A |
| 5828161 | Palyu | Oct 1998 | A |
| 5860804 | Nachaj | Jan 1999 | A |
| 5892319 | Rossi | Apr 1999 | A |
| 6060822 | Krupa | May 2000 | A |
| 6080029 | Johnson et al. | Jun 2000 | A |
| 6152095 | Ripma | Nov 2000 | A |
| 6186669 | Honda | Feb 2001 | B1 |
| 6186775 | Jansohn et al. | Feb 2001 | B1 |
| 6363898 | Ripma | Apr 2002 | B1 |
| 6608430 | Schaus | Aug 2003 | B1 |
| 6670740 | Landon, Jr. | Dec 2003 | B2 |
| 6748735 | Schmotolocha et al. | Jun 2004 | B2 |
| 6777650 | Hamel | Aug 2004 | B1 |
| 7786409 | Hamel et al. | Aug 2010 | B2 |
| 8125130 | Martin et al. | Feb 2012 | B2 |
| 20020030427 | Landon, Jr. | Mar 2002 | A1 |
| 20030085643 | Matsubara | May 2003 | A1 |
| 20040041505 | Fischer | Mar 2004 | A1 |
| 20050062386 | Francesconi et al. | Mar 2005 | A1 |
| 20060219691 | Hamel et al. | Oct 2006 | A1 |
| 20060228660 | Schmiedlin et al. | Oct 2006 | A1 |
| 20070252503 | Rossi | Nov 2007 | A1 |
| 20080000441 | Jun | Jan 2008 | A1 |
| 20080141651 | Eason et al. | Jun 2008 | A1 |
| 20080248435 | Clark et al. | Oct 2008 | A1 |
| 20090105806 | Benjamin | Apr 2009 | A1 |
| 20090277410 | Kameda | Nov 2009 | A1 |
| 20110264269 | Chodacki | Oct 2011 | A1 |
| 20120282560 | Cadima | Nov 2012 | A1 |
| 20130081611 | Cadima | Apr 2013 | A1 |
| 20130224671 | Carey et al. | Aug 2013 | A1 |
| 20130313960 | Francesconi | Nov 2013 | A1 |
| Number | Date | Country |
|---|---|---|
| 10-2006-040247 | Mar 2008 | DE |
| 0372553 | Jun 1990 | EP |
| 553-122267 | Sep 1978 | JP |
| 553-122271 | Sep 1978 | JP |
| H11-337065 | Dec 1999 | JP |
| 2008530487 | Aug 2008 | JP |
| 0157445 | Aug 2001 | WO |
| 2006086225 | Aug 2006 | WO |
| 2008127467 | Oct 2008 | WO |
| WO 2008127467 | Oct 2008 | WO |
| Entry |
|---|
| International Search Report and Written Opinion issued Jun. 2, 2014, in Application No. PCT/US2013/063391. |
| Office Action dated Dec. 21, 2015 in Chinese Patent Application No. 201380058570.X (English translation also attached). |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20140099585 A1 | Apr 2014 | US |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 61710699 | Oct 2012 | US |
