Patent Application
20250164107
The present subject matter relates generally to cooktop appliances with gas burner assemblies, such as gas range appliances or gas stove appliances.
Certain cooktop appliances include gas burners for heating cooking utensils on the cooktop appliances. Gas burners that fire inwards, typically with a swirling flame pattern, offer better efficiency than traditional outward firing gas burners. However, known inward firing gas burners have various drawbacks.
One problem is that a center of the inward firing gas burners generate heat at the center of the gas burner that requires structures for cooling. The generated heat may cause damage, such as to surface finish at the cooktop, or require relatively large amounts of material to provide structures for cooling the center of the gas burner.
Fuel manifolds for inward-fired gas burners may generally include various components fastened and sealed together, which may generate complex sealing surfaces, require relatively large amounts of material, or require tight tolerances that may cause inward firing gas burners to be expensive and prone to leakage if the tolerances are not maintained sufficiently tight.
Accordingly, a cooktop appliance and gas burner addressing one or more of these issues would be advantageous and beneficial.
Aspects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in part in the following description, or may be obvious from the description, or may be learned through practice of the invention.
An aspect of the present disclosure is directed to a method for fabricating a fuel manifold for a burner assembly. The method includes forming, via a casting or additive manufacturing process, a unitary body; forming, at the unitary body, a fuel passage extending from an inlet opening to an outlet opening; forming, at the unitary body, a post extending along an axial direction corresponding toward a heat sink plate, the post configured to statically position the heat sink plate adjacent along the axial direction to the unitary body; and forming, as a separable component, the heat sink plate including a through-opening corresponding along a circumferential direction to the outlet opening at the fuel passage, wherein forming the heat sink plate includes forming a post opening corresponding along the circumferential direction to the post at the unitary body.
Another aspect of the present disclosure is directed to a method for fabricating a burner assembly. The method includes forming, via a casting or additive manufacturing process, a unitary body; forming, at the unitary body, a fuel passage extending from an inlet opening to an outlet opening; forming, at the unitary body, a post extending along an axial direction corresponding toward a heat sink plate, the post configured to statically position the heat sink plate adjacent along the axial direction to the unitary body; forming, as a separable component, the heat sink plate includes a through-opening corresponding along a circumferential direction to the outlet opening at the fuel passage, wherein forming the heat sink plate includes forming a post opening corresponding along the circumferential direction to the post at the unitary body; and fluidly coupling a mixing tube of an annular burner body to the outlet opening at the unitary body, wherein fluidly coupling the mixing tube includes extending the mixing tube into the through-opening of the heat sink plate.
These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following description and appended claims. The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention.
A full and enabling disclosure of the present invention, including the best mode thereof, directed to one of ordinary skill in the art, is set forth in the specification, which makes reference to the appended figures.
Reference now will be made in detail to embodiments of the invention, one or more examples of which are illustrated in the drawings. Each example is provided by way of explanation of the invention, not limitation of the invention. In fact, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made in the present invention without departing from the scope of the invention. For instance, features illustrated or described as part of one embodiment can be used with another embodiment to yield a still further embodiment. Thus, it is intended that the present invention covers such modifications and variations as come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.
As used herein, the term “or” is generally intended to be inclusive (i.e., “A or B” is intended to mean “A or B or both”). The terms “first,” “second,” and “third” may be used interchangeably to distinguish one component from another and are not intended to signify location or importance of the individual components. The terms “upstream” and “downstream” refer to the relative flow direction with respect to fluid flow in a fluid pathway. For example, “upstream” refers to the flow direction from which the fluid flows, and “downstream” refers to the flow direction to which the fluid flows.
Embodiments of a burner assembly, such as embodiments configured as an inward fired burner assembly, and a fuel manifold, and methods for fabrication, are provided herein that address one or more of the aforementioned issues. Embodiments provided herein may include an annular burner body forming a hollow center at which a central combustion zone is formed. The burner body may include offset mixing tubes. A fuel manifold forming an injet assembly carries gaseous fuel, at least a portion of which is of a monolithic, unitary construction, e.g., such that no two components require mating to provide an internal fluid tight passage. One or more posts extend vertically upward toward the burner body from the fuel manifold to support a heat sink thermally conductively fastened to the post. The heat sink is urged against a cooktop surface to reduce heating of the cooktop surface within the central combustion zone when the fuel manifold is fastened to the cooktop. The heat sink may be fastened by any appropriate method, such as, but not limited to, bolted or screwed-in (or other threaded fastener(s)), bonded or welded, riveted, etc. The heat sink may provide support for one or more electrodes, such as one or more igniters, for igniting the fuel mixture egressing the flame port at the burner body. The heat sink may alleviate a need for an electrode support to span a vertical distance from a lower fuel manifold body forming an injet, such as may further reduce material, reduce complexity, or reduce weight and mass.
Embodiments of the fuel manifold, and methods for fabrication, and burner assembly provided herein may reduce material by up to 50% or more relative to various burner assemblies, such as inward firing burner assemblies. Methods for fabrication may include cast-in, machining (e.g., single-piece machining), or additive manufacturing, such as to obviate a requirement for a plurality of components having mating surfaces that require fluid sealing.
Turning now to the figures,
Upper and lower cooking chambers 120 and 122 are configured for the receipt of one or more food items to be cooked. Range appliance 100 includes an upper door 124 and a lower door 126 rotatably attached to cabinet 110 in order to permit selective access to upper cooking chamber 120 and lower cooking chamber 122, respectively. Handles 128 are mounted to upper and lower doors 124 and 126 to assist a user with opening and closing doors 124 and 126 in order to access cooking chambers 120 and 122. As an example, a user can pull on handle 128 mounted to upper door 124 to open or close upper door 124 and access upper cooking chamber 120. Glass windowpanes 130 provide for viewing the contents of upper and lower cooking chambers 120 and 122 when doors 124 and 126 are closed and also assist with insulating upper and lower cooking chambers 120 and 122. Heating elements (not shown), such as electric resistance heating elements, gas burners, microwave heating elements, halogen heating elements, or suitable combinations thereof, are positioned within upper cooking chamber 120 and lower cooking chamber 122 for heating upper cooking chamber 120 and lower cooking chamber 122.
Range appliance 100 also includes a cooktop 140. Cooktop 140 is positioned at or adjacent a top portion of cabinet 110. Thus, cooktop 140 is positioned above upper and lower cooking chambers 120 and 122. Cooktop 140 may include a top panel 142. By way of example, top panel 142 may be constructed of glass, ceramics, enameled steel, and combinations thereof. Moreover, top panel 142 may be formed as a unitary, single piece or, alternatively, as multiple discrete pieces joined together.
For range appliance 100, a utensil holding food or cooking liquids (e.g., oil, water, etc.) may be placed onto grates 152 at a location of any of burner assemblies 144, 146, 148, 150. Burner assemblies 144, 146, 148, 150 provide thermal energy to cooking utensils on grates 152. As shown in
A user interface panel 154 is located within convenient reach of a user of the range appliance 100. For this exemplary embodiment, user interface panel 154 includes knobs 156 that are each associated with one of burner assemblies 144, 146, 148, 150 and griddle burner 160. Knobs 156 allow the user to activate each burner assembly and determine the amount of heat input provided by each burner assembly 144, 146, 148, 150 and griddle burner 160 to a cooking utensil located thereon. User interface panel 154 may also be provided with one or more graphical display devices that deliver certain information to the user such as, for example, whether a particular burner assembly is activated or the rate at which the burner assembly is set.
Although shown with knobs 156, it should be understood that knobs 156 and the configuration of range appliance 100 shown in
Turning now to
Generally, burner assembly 200 includes an inner burner ring 202. Inner burner ring 202 is inward firing, such as with a swirling flame pattern. As discussed in greater detail below, burner assembly 200 includes features for managing or mitigating heat at top panel 142 (e.g., to prevent damage thereto). Burner assembly 200 defines an axial direction A, a radial direction R, and a circumferential direction C.
When assembled, burner assembly 200 is positioned at top panel 142. As noted above, top panel 142 may include multiple discrete elements or, alternatively, a single integral unitary piece (e.g., formed from sheet metal). Thus, burner assembly 200 may be positioned at a specific separable portion of top panel 142 (e.g., a mounting pan mounted to or supported on a support plate of top panel 142). Burner assembly 200 includes an annular burner body 210. Annular burner body 210 may be positioned on top panel 142 at a top surface 170 of top panel 142. For example, annular burner body 210 may rest on top panel 142 at top surface 170 of top panel 142 such that annular burner body 210 is not fastened or otherwise mechanically fixed to top panel 142. Thus, a user may simply lift annular burner body 210 upwardly away from top panel 142 to remove annular burner body 210 from top panel 142.
Annular burner body 210 defines a central combustion zone 212. Annular burner body 210 also defines a plurality of flame ports 214 (e.g., at or facing central combustion zone 212). Flame ports 214 may be distributed, for example, along the circumferential direction C, about central combustion zone 212. Gaseous fuel is thus flowable from mixing chamber 216 within annular burner body 210 into central combustion zone 212 through flame ports 214. Flame ports 214 may also be oriented such that the gaseous fuel flows in a swirling pattern from flame ports 214 into central combustion zone 212. In certain embodiments, annular burner body 210 includes an inner side wall 218 and an outer side wall 219. Inner side wall 218 may extend around central combustion zone 212 (e.g., along the circumferential direction C). Flame ports 214 may be formed on or extend through inner side wall 218 (e.g., along the radial direction R, between mixing chamber 216 and central combustion zone 212). Outer side wall 219 may extend around inner side wall 218 (e.g., along the circumferential direction C). Outer side wall 219 may also be spaced from inner side wall 218 (e.g., along the radial direction R). Mixing chamber 216 may be defined and positioned between inner and outer side walls 218, 219 (e.g., along the radial direction R, within annular burner body 210). Annular burner body 210 is open at central combustion zone 212. For example, no portion or component of annular burner body 210 may extend (e.g., inward or otherwise along the radial direction R) into central combustion zone 212. In some embodiments, no fuel-providing structure extends into the central combustion zone 212. Top panel 142 may be exposed through annular burner body 210 at central combustion zone 212. Specifically, a circumferentially bounded portion of top panel 142 (e.g., bounded by annular burner body 210) may be exposed along the axial direction. In such a manner, spills from utensils above burner assembly 200 may flow through central combustion zone 212 to top panel 142, and such spills may pass through burner assembly 200 without contacting burner assembly 200 at central combustion zone 212. Staining of annular burner body 210 may be reduced or limited by allowing spills to pass through annular burner body 210 at central combustion zone 212.
Annular burner body 210 may include an annular burner base 240 and an annular burner head 242. Annular burner base 240 includes inlet passages 230 configured to receive a flow of gaseous fuel from a mixing tube 224, such as a vertical Venturi mixing tube. Annular burner head 242 may be positioned on annular burner base 240 to form mixing chamber 216 of annular burner body 210. Thus, annular burner base 240 may form a bottom wall of mixing chamber 216, and annular burner head 242 may form a top wall of mixing chamber 216. Annular burner base 240 or annular burner head 242 may be formed of a cast metal, such as cast iron or cast aluminum alloy.
Top panel 142 may also be continuous or imperforate directly below central combustion zone 212. Thus, spills passing through central combustion zone 212 may collect on top panel 142 and not flow through top panel 142. A user may easily access and clean such spills on top panel 142 by removing annular burner body 210 from top panel 142. In such a manner, burner assembly 200 may facilitate cleaning of spills from utensils positioned over burner assembly 200.
Burner assembly 200 also includes a fuel manifold 220. When assembled to the cooktop appliance, fuel manifold 220 is positioned beneath top panel 142 (e.g., along axial direction A). Thus, fuel manifold 220 may be positioned at or proximate to a bottom surface 172 of the top panel 142 and burner body 210 may be positioned at or proximate to a top surface 170 of the top panel 142. Annular burner body 210 is fluidly coupled to fuel manifold 220 such that the gaseous fuel is flowable from fuel manifold 220 into mixing chamber 216 of annular burner body 210. For example, fuel manifold 220 has an outlet passage 222. The gaseous fuel is flowable from fuel manifold 220 through outlet passage 222 into mixing chamber 216 of annular burner body 210.
As shown, burner body 210 has a vertical mixing tube 224. Mixing tube 224 may form a Venturi mixing tube. Embodiments of the mixing tube have an inlet 227 to a flow passage in fluid communication with the mixing chamber 216 through opening 230. Annular burner body 210 may include a plurality of mixing tubes 224 positioned at different locations along the circumferential direction C. For instance, the plurality of mixing tubes 224 may be substantially evenly spaced apart from one another. In various embodiments, the annular burner body includes two or more mixing tubes 224, such as three mixing tubes, or other appropriate quantity to provide a fuel-air mixture to mixing chamber 216.
Fuel manifold 220 includes a body 225 forming a fuel passage 229. The fuel passage 229 extends from an inlet opening 226 to an outlet opening 222. An outlet fuel nozzle 228 is positioned at the outlet opening 222. The outlet fuel nozzle 228 is configured to direct a flow of gaseous fuel toward the mixing tube 224 at the burner body 210. In various embodiments, the outlet fuel nozzle 228 is extended in vertical orientation from the outlet opening 222 toward the mixing tube inlet 227 at the mixing tube 224. Outlet opening 222 may be positioned at different locations along the circumferential direction C. For instance, a plurality of outlet openings 222 may be substantially evenly spaced apart from one another. In various embodiments, the fuel manifold 220 includes two or more outlet passages 222, such as three outlet passages, or a quantity and position corresponding to a quantity of vertical mixing tubes 224, such as to provide a gaseous fuel through the outlet opening 222 to a respective vertical mixing tube 224.
A fuel nozzle may be positioned at and oriented towards inlet 226 of body 225. In particular, the fuel nozzle may be mounted to the body 225 such that the fuel nozzle is spaced from fuel passage 229 (e.g., along the radial direction R). The fuel nozzle may be connected to a supply line for gaseous fuel, such as propane or natural gas, and the gaseous fuel may flow from the fuel nozzle through fuel passage 229 and outlet opening 222 of body 225.
One or more first posts 221 extends from body 225. Post 221 is configured to mount and support a heat sink plate 252. The heat sink plate 252 is a separate and separable structure from the body 225. In various embodiments, post 221 is configured to receive a fastener 231 extending into the post 221 to affix the heat sink plate 252 to the post 221. Post 221 may include an opening 232 into which the fastener 231 is extendable. The opening 232 may form a threaded interface configured to receive the fastener 231 including a threaded shank, such as, but not limited to, a screw, a bolt, a tie rod, etc. In various embodiments, first post 221 extends along a axial direction and forms a cavity or gap 261 between the heat sink plate 252 and the body 225.
One or more second posts 223 extends from body 225. Post 223 is configured to mount and support the top panel 142. The top panel 142 is a separate and separable structure from the body 225. In various embodiments, first post 221 extends along a axial direction and positions the top panel 142 above the heat sink plate 252. Cavity or gap 261 is further positioned between the top panel 142 and the body 225.
Embodiments of the fuel manifold 220 may advantageously and beneficially reduce a mass and weight of material in contrast to known fuel manifolds. Additionally, embodiments provided herein allow for simple construction, such as via die cast, additive manufacturing, machining, or combinations thereof. Various embodiments of the fuel manifold 220 include the body 225 and posts 221, 223 forming a unitary, monolithic structure. For instance, various embodiments of burner assembly 200 include the fuel manifold 220 forming a unitary, monolithic structure separate from the heat sink plate 252, top panel 142, and burner body 210.
In various embodiments, the fuel manifold 220 includes the body 225 forming a first fuel conduit 1230 intersecting a second fuel conduit 1231 at the fuel passage 229. In some embodiments, body 225 includes a first leg 1225 intersecting a second leg 2225. First fuel conduit 1230 may be formed at the first leg 1225 and the second fuel conduit 1231 may be formed at the second leg 2225, such as to intersect the fuel conduits 1230, 1231. In still various embodiments, posts 221, 223 each extend from the first leg 1225, the second leg 2225, or both.
Each leg 1225, 2225 forms a respective fuel passage 229. Each fuel passage 229 extends from an opening 226, 236. For instance, openings 226, 236 at legs 1225, 2225 may be formed from a machining process (e.g., drilling, milling, etc.), such as to form the fuel passage 229. Openings 226, 236 may extend opposite of one another along the respective leg 1225, 2225.
In various embodiments, opening 226 forms an inlet opening into which gaseous fuel is configured to be received into the fuel passage 229. For instance, a threaded interface 238 (
The gaseous fuel is received through inlet opening 226 into fuel passage 229 and pushed out through outlet opening 222. The gaseous fuel egressing the outlet opening 222 may entrain air from the space between the outlet opening 222 and mixing tube inlet 227 at the vertical mixing tube 224, and the gaseous fuel may mix with the entrained air within vertical mixing tube 224. The mixture of the gaseous fuel and air may mix at mixing chamber 216 and egress through flame ports 214.
Outlet openings 222 may be distributed or sized to facilitate uniform flow of the gaseous fuel into inlet openings 227. For example, outlet openings 222 may be, for example, uniformly distributed about central combustion zone 212.
In some embodiments, mixing tube 224 extends through top panel 142 (e.g., along the axial direction A) toward fuel manifold 220 from the annular burner body 210. In particular, top panel 142 defines a plurality of openings 174. Each mixing tube 224 is received within and extends through a respective one of openings 174 of top panel 142. Thus, each opening 174 of top panel 142 is aligned with a respective mixing tube 224. Each opening 174 of top panel 142 may also be sized complementary with the respective mixing tube 224. Such sizing of openings 174 and mixing tubes 224 may reduce leakage of spills through top panel 142.
In various embodiments, annular burner body 210 is suspended over fuel manifold 220 on top panel 142. In particular, vertical mixing tubes 224 may extend (e.g., along the axial direction A) from annular burner body 210 to heat sink plate 252 such that outer walls of the mixing tubes 224 rest or abut within openings 274 through heat sink plate 252 and suspend the annular burner body 210 over the outlet passages 222 or nozzles 228 at the fuel manifold 220 (e.g., along the axial direction A). With annular burner body 210 suspended over fuel manifold 220, gaseous fuel flowed from the outlet opening 222 at the fuel manifold 220 pulls air from an atmospheric pressure volume formed between the mixing tube inlet 227 and the fuel manifold outlet passage 222. Additionally, contact between the burner body 210 and the top panel 142 may form, or include, a seal that prevents or limits fluid communication from the top surface 170 through the opening 174. In some embodiments, a lip or raised wall 143 (e.g., along the axial direction A) may extend from a top surface 270 of the heat sink plate 252 toward the burner body 210, such as to form a raised barrier above a radial extension of the top surface 270. The lip or raised wall 143 may extend around each opening 274 and contact the burner body 210 around the mixing tube 224.
Top panel 142 may further form a notch, dimple, or opening 176 corresponding to a member 276 extending from post 223. Member 276 forms a mount surface or locating member receivable at opening 176 at top panel 142.
In some embodiments, annular burner body 210 may also include an annular burner cap 246. For instance, annular burner cap 246 may be positioned on annular burner head 242 such that annular burner cap 246 covers annular burner head 242. Annular burner cap 246 may reduce staining of annular burner base 240 or annular burner head 242.
The heat sink plate 252 is positioned and retained by posts 221 relative to a portion of top panel 142, such as radially inward from annular burner body 210, to advantageously prevent damage or otherwise manage heat generated within combustion zone 212. For instance, legs 221 may position the heat sink plate 252 along the circumferentially bounded portion of the top panel 142 below the plurality of flame ports 214. Thus, heat absorbed at the portion of the top panel 142 vertically or axially aligned with the central combustion zone 212 may be advantageously reduced by the heat sink plate 252.
In various embodiments, heat sink plate 252 is positioned between the annular burner body 210 and above fuel manifold body 225. Thus, relative to a axial direction (e.g., parallel to the axial direction A), legs 221 at body 225 allow the heat sink plate 252 to be disposed below the annular burner body 210 and above the fuel passage 229.
In various embodiments, the heat sink plate 252 is formed from a thermally conductive metal material (e.g., aluminum or steel, including alloys thereof). In some embodiments, the conductive heat sink plate 252 extends (e.g., upward along the vertical or axial direction A) from the fuel passage 229 to bottom surface 172 of the top panel 142. Furthermore, posts 221 offset the heat sink plate 252 from the body 225. Thus, a base or bottom of conductive heat sink plate 252 is disposed from body 225, such as to form the cavity or gap 261 extending vertically therebetween.
Heat sink plate 252 may include an opening 253 to allow fastener 231 to extend therethrough into opening 233 at post 221, such as to retain the heat sink plate 252 to the fuel manifold 220.
Heat sink plate 252 may include an opening 255 configured to receive an igniter 260. The igniter 260 is positioned to provide energy to ignite the fuel-air mixture egressing from the burner body 210, such as from one or more flame ports 214. Top panel 142 may further form an opening 145 allowing the igniter 260 to extend therethrough to position in operable proximity to the burner body 210, such as described above. An arm 257 may selectively attach and extend from the heat sink plate 252, such as to selectively position the opening 255 and igniter 260 circumferentially relative to the burner body 210 or particular flame ports 214.
In some embodiments, burner assembly 200 includes an inner burner body 1210 positioned radially inward, at least in part, of the inner side wall 218 of the annular burner body 210 forming a primary burner body. For instance, inner burner body 1210 includes embodiments of an inner side wall 1218 at which one or more flame ports 1214 is formed; a mixing tube 1224 extending in fluid communication with the burner body 1210 and configured to receive a flow of gaseous fuel therethrough and provide the flow of fuel to a mixing chamber 1216; or an annular burner head 1242 positioned over the mixing chamber 1216.
In various embodiments, body 225 forms a bulkhead 1223 at one or both of the first leg 1225 or second leg 2225. Bulkhead 2223 may form a mass at which a secondary fuel system may be formed at the fuel manifold 220.
In still some embodiments, such as depicted in
In still some embodiments, heat sink plate 252 may include a second raised wall 1243 extending along the axial direction from the top surface 270, such as described in regard to raised wall 143. Second raised wall 1243 may form opening 1274 through which second mixing tube 1224 is extendable to position in fluid communication with nozzle 1228 or opening 1222 such as described above.
The second fuel passage 1229 may be formed at the first leg 1225 of the fuel manifold 220. For instance, in an embodiment, the second fuel passage 1229 is positioned vertically above the first fuel passage 229 at the first leg 1225. In various embodiments, the fuel passages 229, 1229 are fluidly separate from one another, such as to allow for separately controllable flow of gaseous fuel to a first burner body 210 (e.g., via outlet opening 222) and a second burner body 1210 (e.g., via outlet opening 1222).
In some embodiments, heat sink plate 252 includes an igniter opening 1252 through which an igniter 1260 is extended. The igniter opening 1252 may be positioned in a centrally positioned portion of the heat sink plate 252, such as to facilitate ignition of a fuel-air mixture egressing the flame port(s) 1214 at the inner burner body 1210.
Referring now to
Method 1000 includes at 1010 forming a unitary body (e.g., body 225) via a casting process, an additive manufacturing process, a forging process, or other appropriate process for generating a unitary, monolithic component. In some embodiments, forming the unitary body includes forming the unitary body from an aluminum, aluminum-based or aluminum alloy material. For instance, the aluminum or aluminum alloy material may include any appropriate casting alloy of aluminum, an aluminum powder for additive manufacturing, or other aluminum materials such as may be appropriate for burner assemblies or range appliances.
Method 1000 includes at 1020 forming, at the unitary body, a fuel passage (e.g., fuel passage 229) extending from an inlet opening (e.g., inlet opening 226) to an outlet opening (e.g., outlet opening 222). In some embodiments, method 1000 includes at 1022 forming, via a first machining process, the fuel passage. Method 1000 at 1022 may include forming, via the first machining process, the fuel passage extending from the inlet opening (e.g., opening 226), a tool opening (e.g., opening 236), or both. The machining process may include a drilling or tapping process, or other appropriate process for machining a passage into the unitary body. In various embodiments, forming the fuel passage includes extending, via the first machining process, a tool bit along a linear pathway to form one or more fuel conduits (e.g., conduit 1230, 1231) at the fuel passage. In still various embodiments, forming the fuel passage includes extending the tool bit along the linear pathway to intersect two or more fuel conduits with one another at the fuel passage, such as depicted at conduits 1230, 1231.
For instance, method 1000 at 1022 may be performed iteratively, such as in one or more iterations, such as corresponding to a quantity of conduits extending along the radial direction R, or a chord or other co-directional or perpendicular direction co-planar to a surface at which the unitary body may rest upon, at the fuel passage. Method 1000 at 1022 may form conduits extending between openings (e.g., openings 236), or between the inlet opening (e.g., opening 226) and a tool opening (e.g., opening 236) formed from method 1000 at 1022.
Method 1000 may include at 1024 plugging a tool opening (e.g., opening 236) at the fuel passage to form the fuel passage as having a single inlet opening (e.g., inlet opening 226). The single inlet opening may generally be relative to the fuel passage such that fuel (e.g., gaseous fuel) is configured to receive into the fuel passage (e.g., fuel passage 229) from a single inlet opening (e.g., inlet opening 226). Plugging the tool opening may include positioning a threaded insert or fastener, such as depicted at plug 237. Method 1000 may further include forming a threaded interface at one or more openings (e.g., opening 222, 226, 236), such as to receive a fuel nozzle, a fuel supply conduit, or a plug, such as depicted or described in regard to
Method 1000 may include at 1026 forming, via a second machining process, the outlet opening (e.g., outlet opening 222). The second machining process may include a drilling process, a tapping process, or other appropriate machining method such as described in regard to the first machining process. Method 1000 may include extending the tool bit along an axial or vertical direction (e.g., axial direction A) to form the outlet opening. For instance, extending the tool bit along the axial or vertical direction includes extending the tool bit perpendicular to an extension of the inlet opening and conduit of the fuel passage. Extending the tool bit to form the outlet opening may further include extending the tool bit from a position corresponding to a position along a circumferential direction (e.g., circumferential direction C) of a mixing tube opening formed at a heat sink plate (e.g., opening 274 at heat sink plate 252).
In some embodiments, method 1000 includes at 1030 forming a second fuel passage at the unitary body, such as depicted and described herein in regard to second fuel passage 1229. Method 1000 at 1030 may include the second fuel passage extending from a second inlet opening (e.g., opening 1226) to a second outlet opening (e.g., opening 1222). In various embodiments, the second fuel passage is fluidly separate from the fuel passage. For instance, first fuel passage (e.g., fuel passage 229) and second fuel passage (1229) may form fluidly segregated conduits within the body (e.g., body 225). Forming the second fuel passage may include extending the tool bit along a linear pathway co-directional to a fuel conduit at the fuel passage. For instance, the tool bit may extend co-directional to fuel conduit 1230 or fuel conduit 1231 to form fuel conduit 1227 at second fuel passage 1229.
In still some embodiments, extending the tool bit may further include forming the second fuel passage, or the second inlet opening (e.g., inlet opening 1226), above the inlet opening (e.g., inlet opening 226) or above the tool opening (e.g., opening 236) along the axial direction A. In some embodiments, Forming the unitary body includes forming a bulkhead (e.g., bulkhead 1223) or other mass which the second inlet opening and conduit (e.g., second inlet opening 1226 and fuel conduit 1227) are formed at the unitary body.
In still various embodiments, forming the second fuel passage may further include extending the tool bit along a linear pathway perpendicular (e.g., along axial direction A) to the fuel conduit (e.g., fuel conduit 1227) to form the outlet opening (e.g., opening 1222), such as described in regard to the outlet conduit at the first fuel passage (e.g., fuel passage 229).
In various embodiments, method 1000 may include at 1040 forming, at the unitary body, a post (e.g., post 221) extending along the axial direction (e.g., axial direction A) toward a heat sink plate (e.g., heat sink plate 252). As depicted and described herein, the post is configured to statically position the heat sink plate adjacent along the axial direction to the unitary body, such as to position the heat sink plate in a thermal conductive arrangement relative to a top panel, to form a space or gap along the axial direction between the body (e.g., body 225) and the heat sink plate (e.g., heat sink plate 252), or both.
In still various embodiments, method 1000 includes at 1050 forming the heat sink plate as a separable component from the unitary body. Forming the heat sink plate includes forming a through-opening (e.g., opening 274) corresponding along the circumferential direction C to the outlet opening (e.g., outlet opening 222, 1222) at the fuel passage. Forming the heat sink plate includes forming a post opening (e.g., opening 253) corresponding along the circumferential direction C to the post (e.g., post 221) at the unitary body. In some embodiments, method 1000 includes at 1052 forming one or more igniter openings (e.g., opening 255) through the heat sink plate. Each igniter opening is configured to receive a corresponding igniter (e.g., igniter 260, 1260).
Embodiments of the method 1000 depicted and described herein may beneficially and advantageously provide a method for constructing a fuel manifold for a burner assembly that facilitates circumferential and/or radial positioning of one or more fuel outlet openings relative to a burner body. For instance, embodiments of the method 1000 may facilitate fabrication of a fuel manifold (e.g., fuel manifold 220) having a single-ring or multiple-ring (e.g., multiple concentric rings) arrangement of flame ports without requiring new tooling or re-design, such as may improve compatibility between fuel manifolds and burner bodies, or future embodiments of burner bodies.
Embodiments of the method 1000 may additionally, or alternatively, facilitate thermal conductivity and thermally conductive structures for burner assemblies.
Embodiments of the method 1000 may further form a method for fabricating a burner assembly. Method 1000 may include at 1060 fluidly coupling a mixing tube of an annular burner body (e.g., mixing tube 224) to the outlet opening at the unitary body (e.g., outlet opening 222). Fluidly coupling the mixing tube includes extending the mixing tube into the through-opening of the heat sink plate (e.g., extending mixing tube 224 through opening 274). Fluid coupling may further include positioning the mixing tube 224 mechanically separate or disconnected from direct coupling from the body 225, such as via direct coupling of the mixing tube to the heat sink plate at the opening 274 or wall 143.
Embodiments of the burner assembly 200 provided herein may advantageously provide improved burning efficiency and heat transfer properties (e.g., interior portion cooling) while further mitigating or eliminating staining and dirt associated with spillage, such as by removing exposed burner surfaces that may be adversely affected from spillage. Additionally, embodiments provided herein may provide a simple design and method for fabrication, such as to obviate a need for tight tolerance surfaces and fits. Embodiments of the burner assembly provided herein may be formed from casting, additive manufacturing, or machining processes, or combinations thereof.
For instance, embodiments of the burner assembly 200 provided herein include an inward fired burner providing a substantially annular burner body with a hollow center. Each mixing tube, such as forming a Venturi tube, receives a flow of gaseous fuel from an outlet opening at the fuel manifold, and a flow of air entrained by the flow of gaseous fuel entering the burner body. The fuel manifold may form a one or more outlet openings corresponding to each mixing tube that provide gas under pressure via an internal fuel passage at the unitary body. The fuel manifold may further form a post allowing for a separable heat sink plate to urge against the cooktop surface, such as to reduce heating of the cooktop surface from the central combustion zone.
Embodiments of the burner assembly 200 and method 1000 provided herein may allow substantially less material and fewer machining processes for construction, such as 50% or greater reduction in material. Additionally, or alternatively, separation of the burner body and the fuel manifold may allow gaseous fuel to inject directly into the mixing tube at the burner body without mating interfaces above atmospheric pressure between the fuel manifold and the burner body. Separately formed and positioned fuel manifold and burner body may substantially reduce or eliminate leaks. Additionally, or alternatively, such separately formed and positioned structures may obviate a need for tight tolerance or tight fit machined surfaces.
This written description uses examples to disclose the invention, including the best mode, and also to enable any person skilled in the art to practice the invention, including making and using any devices or systems and performing any incorporated methods. The patentable scope of the invention is defined by the claims, and may include other examples that occur to those skilled in the art. Such other examples are intended to be within the scope of the claims if they include structural elements that do not differ from the literal language of the claims, or if they include equivalent structural elements with insubstantial differences from the literal languages of the claims.
