Switch device for gas burner

Information

  • Patent Grant
  • 6470914
  • Patent Number
    6,470,914
  • Date Filed
    Wednesday, November 15, 2000
    24 years ago
  • Date Issued
    Tuesday, October 29, 2002
    22 years ago
  • Inventors
  • Examiners
    • Michalsky; Gerald A.
    Agents
    • Larson & Taylor, PLC
Abstract
A switch device for a gas burner includes a body engaged with a housing. The body defines an axial hole for rotatably receiving a driven shaft which has a first end secured in a rotation knob and a second end engaged with a barrel which can be rotated by the driven shaft. The barrel is screwed in the housing which is connected to a primary flame nozzle. When the rotation knob is pressed, the valve rod mounted in the barrel is forced by driven shaft to move linearly so as to open the valve hole directed toward the auxiliary flame. When the rotation knob is rotated, the passage directed toward the primary flame nozzle is opened.
Description




BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION




1. Field of the Invention




The present invention relates to a switch device for a gas burner.




2. Description of the Related Prior Art




The closest prior art of which the applicant is aware is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,799,698 to Lin, filed on Jun. 5, 1996, entitled “SWITCH FOR GAS BURNER”. However, the air-tight member is easily worn out due to friction during long term utilization so that it is necessary to detach the nozzle, the housing and the relating parts for replacing the air-tight member, thereby causing inconvenience in maintenance.




SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION




In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a switch device for a gas burner comprising:




a body defining an axial hole;




a driven shaft rotatably mounted in the axial hole of the body and having a first end secured in a rotation knob and a second end provided with a first engaging portion;




a barrel defining a valve hole therein and having a first end provided with a second engaging portion engaged with the first engaging portion of the driven shaft and a second end provided with a valve block, the barrel having an outer wall formed with a first outer thread, a first air inlet hole and an annular air guide groove, the first air inlet hole located adjacent to the first outer thread and extended through the inner wall and the outer wall of the barrel, the air guide groove having an air guide hole extended through the inner wall and the outer wall of the barrel;




a valve rod slidably mounted in the valve hole of the barrel and provided with a valve body detachably enclosing the valve hole of the barrel;




a housing defining a chamber for receiving the barrel therein and having a first end secured to the body and a second end provided with an inner thread engaged with the first outer thread of the barrel, the inner thread of the housing defining a second inlet hole communicating with an air hole of an external connector, the housing provided with a side conduit engaged with an auxiliary flame connector; and




a primary flame nozzle having a second outer thread engaged in the inner thread of the housing and defining a passage detachably rested by the valve block of the barrel.




Other objects, advantages, and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.











BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS





FIG. 1

is an exploded view of a switch device for a gas burner in accordance with the present invention.





FIG. 2

is a top plan cross-sectional assembly view of the switch device for a gas burner as shown in FIG.


1


.





FIG. 3

is a partially enlarged view of the switch device for a gas burner as shown in FIG.


2


.





FIG. 4

is an operational view of the switch device for a gas burner as shown in FIG.


2


.





FIG. 5

is a side plan cross-sectional view of the switch device for a gas burner along the line


5





5


as shown in FIG.


4


.





FIG. 6

is an operational view of the switch device for a gas burner as shown in FIG.


2


.





FIG. 7

is a side plan cross-sectional view of the switch device for a gas burner along the line


7





7


as shown in FIG.


6


.











DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION




Referring to the drawings and initially to

FIGS. 1-3

, a switch device for a gas burner in accordance with the present invention comprises a body


1


, a barrel


2


, a housing


3


, and a primary flame nozzle


4


.




The body


1


is engaged with the housing


3


by positioning members


11


such as bolts or the like. The body


1


defines an axial hole


12


. A driven shaft


13


is rotatably mounted in the axial hole


12


of the body


1


and has a first end secured in a rotation knob


14


and a second end provided with a first engaging portion


15


. An elastic member


16


has a first end secured on the driven shaft


13


and a second rested on the body


1


for providing a restoring action to the driven shaft


13


when a pressing force on the driven shaft


13


is removed so that the rotation knob


14


can be returned to its original position. On the other hand, when the rotation knob


14


is rotated, the driven shaft


13


can be rotated.




The barrel


2


defines a valve hole


22


therein and has a first end provided with a second engaging portion


21


engaged with the first engaging portion


15


of the driven shaft


13


and a second end provided with a valve block


25


. The valve block


25


is formed with an oblique conical wall which can be moved to enclose or detach from the passage


41


of the primary flame nozzle


4


, thereby controlling the closing or opening of the gas of the primary flame.




The first engaging portion


15


of the driven shaft


13


is formed with a U-shaped element, and the second engaging portion


21


of the barrel


2


is formed with a recess so that the barrel


2


is rotated by the driven shaft


13


while the barrel


2


is moved by an axial movement of the driven shaft


13


.




The barrel


2


has an outer wall formed with a first outer thread


26


, a first air inlet hole


28


and an annular air guide groove


27


. The first air inlet hole


28


is located adjacent to the first outer thread


26


and extending through the inner wall and the outer wall of the barrel


2


. The air guide groove


27


has an air guide hole


271


extended through the inner wall and the outer wall of the barrel


2


, thereby forming the passageway of the gas of the auxiliary flame. The gas is introduced into the driven shaft


2


through the air inlet hole


28


, then through the valve hole


22


of the barrel


2


, the air guide hole


271


, and the air guide groove


27


, and then into the side conduit


35


of the housing


3


. The air guide groove


27


has two sides each defining an annular groove


29


for receiving a rubber sealing ring


20


.




A valve rod


23


is slidably mounted in the valve hole


22


of the barrel


2


and is provided with a valve body


24


detachably enclosing the valve hole


22


of the barrel


2


. The valve rod


23


is urged by an elastic member


17


so that the valve body


24


is moved to enclose the valve hole


22


of the barrel


2


, thereby closing the valve hole


22


of the barrel


2


. On the other hand, the valve rod


23


is pushed by the driven shaft


13


so that the valve body


24


is moved to detach from the valve hole


22


of the barrel


2


, thereby opening the valve hole


22


of the barrel


2


so that the gas can pass through the valve hole


22


of the barrel


2


.




The housing


3


defines a chamber


31


for receiving the barrel


2


therein and has a first end secured to the body I and a second end provided with an inner thread


32


engaged with the first outer thread


26


of the barrel


2


. The inner thread


32


of the housing


3


defines a second inlet hole


34


communicating with an air hole


331


of an external connector


33


. The housing


3


is provided with a side conduit


35


engaged with an auxiliary flame connector


36


for conveying the gas to an auxiliary nozzle. An igniter


38


is secured to the housing


3


by a positioning member


37


.




The primary flame nozzle


4


has a second outer thread


42


engaged in the inner thread


32


of the housing


3


and defines a passage


41


detachably rested by the valve block


25


of the barrel


2


for controlling the gas of the primary flame. A nut


43


is screwed on the second outer thread


42


of the primary flame nozzle


4


and is urged on an end face of the housing


3


for fixing the primary flame nozzle


4


.




In operation, referring to

FIGS. 2-7

with reference to

FIG. 1

, the primary flame nozzle


4


can be rotated from the position as shown in

FIG. 3

to the position as shown in

FIG. 2

so as to tightly fit the valve block


25


. The screw


43


can then be rotated to tighten the primary flame nozzle


4


, thereby achieving the purpose of adjustment.




As shown in

FIGS. 4 and 5

, the rotation knob


14


is pressed to move the driven shaft


13


which pushes the valve rod


23


to detach the valve body


24


from the valve hole


22


of the barrel


2


so that the gas enters the housing


3


through the air hole


331


of the external connector


33


, then through the air inlet hole


28


into the barrel


2


, then through the valve hole


22


, the air guide hole


271


, the air guide groove


27


, and the side conduit


35


to be ignited by the auxiliary flame nozzle, thereby forming the auxiliary flame.




As shown in

FIGS. 6 and 7

, when the pressure on the rotation knob


14


is removed, the rotation knob


14


is returned to its original position by the elastic member


16


while the valve rod


23


is returned to its original position by the elastic member


17


, thereby closing the valve hole


22


by the valve body


24


so that the gas cannot enter the side conduit


3




5


, thereby closing the auxiliary flame. Then, the rotation knob


14


is rotated to rotate the driven shaft


13


which rotates the barrel


2


which is moved linearly in the housing


3


to detach the valve block


25


from the passage


41


of the primary flame nozzle


4


, thereby opening the passage


41


so that the gas is introduced through the connector


33


, the air hole


331


, and the passage


41


into the primary flame nozzle


4


to be burned by the auxiliary flame in the gas burner so that the primary flame can be ignited continuously.




Accordingly, the primary flame nozzle can be unscrewed easily, thereby facilitating the operator adjusting the primary flame nozzle.




Although the invention has been explained in relation to its preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that many other possible modifications and variations can be made without departing from the scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed.



Claims
  • 1. A switch device for a gas burner comprising:a body defining an axial hole; a driven shaft rotatably mounted in the axial hole of the body and having a first end secured in a rotation knob and a second end provided with a first engaging portion; a barrel defining a valve hole therein and having a first end provided with a second engaging portion engaged with the first engaging portion of the driven shaft and a second end provided with a valve block, the barrel having an outer wall formed with a first outer thread, a first air inlet hole and an annular air guide groove, the first air inlet hole located adjacent to the first outer thread and extended through the inner wall and the outer wall of the barrel, the air guide groove having an air guide hole extended through the inner wall and the outer wall of the barrel; a valve rod slidably mounted in the valve hole of the barrel and provided with a valve body detachably enclosing the valve hole of the barrel; a housing defining a chamber for receiving the barrel therein and having a first end secured to the body and a second end provided with an inner thread engaged with the first outer thread of the barrel, the inner thread of the housing defining a second inlet hole communicating with an air hole of an external connector, the housing provided with a side conduit engaged with an auxiliary flame connector; and a primary flame nozzle having a second outer thread engaged in the inner thread of the housing and defining a passage detachably rested by the valve block of the barrel.
  • 2. The switch device for a gas burner in accordance with claim 1, further comprising an elastic member having a first end secured on the driven shaft and a second rested on the body for providing a restoring action to the driven shaft when a pressing force on the driven shaft is removed.
  • 3. The switch device for a gas burner in accordance with claim 1, wherein the first engaging portion of the driven shaft is formed with a U-shaped element, and the second engaging portion of the barrel is formed with a recess so that the barrel is rotated by the driven shaft while the barrel is moved by an axial movement of the driven shaft.
  • 4. The switch device for a gas burner in accordance with claim 1, wherein the air guide groove has two sides each defining an annular groove for receiving a rubber sealing ring.
  • 5. The switch device for a gas burner in accordance with claim 1, further comprising a nut screwed on the second outer thread of the primary flame nozzle and urged on an end face of the housing for fixing the primary flame nozzle.
US Referenced Citations (1)
Number Name Date Kind
5799698 Lin Sep 1998 A