System for gaseous fuel ignition for a cooking appliance

Abstract

An improved ignition system is provided for use with a gaseous fuel burner on a cooktop of an appliance. A flame sensor is used to detect the presence of a flame at the gaseous fuel burner. When the flame is detected as absent for at least a certain predetermined period of time, the ignition system attempts to reignite the flame. During the predetermined time period, the ignition system does not attempt to reignite the flame even though the flame is not detected. As such, the flame has an opportunity to restore itself fully around the burner during the predetermined time period before the ignition system is activated.

Description

[0001]The subject matter of the present disclosure relates generally to a system for igniting a gaseous fuel burner of an appliance.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0002]Cooking appliances are available that use a gaseous fuel in order to create heat for cooking food items. Such appliances include ovens, ranges, cook-tops, and others. Certain consumers may prefer the use of gaseous fuel over the use of e.g., electrically powered heating elements. Gaseous fuels that are commonly used include natural gas and propane.[0003]For cooktop appliances that use gaseous fuel, typically at least one burner is provided with means for supporting a cooking utensil over the burner. Gas flow is controlled by a valve and an igniter is used to provide a spark so as to initiate combustion of the gaseous fuel. Conventionally, the user turns a knob to a position that opens the valve for gas flow through the burner and, at the same time, causes the igniter to begin emitting sparks at a location adjacent to the...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The present invention is about an improved ignition system for a gas burner on a cooktop appliance. It uses a flame sensor to detect the presence of a flame and attempts to reignite it if it is not fully restored after a certain period of time. This allows the flame to have a chance to restore itself before the system is activated. This results in more efficient ignition and reduced energy consumption. The length of the predetermined time period is set to minimize re-ignition attempts when the flame is only partially extinguished. Overall, this invention provides a more efficient and reliable ignition system for gas burners on cooktop appliances.

Problems solved by technology

Certain problems can occur when the gas burner is placed at its lowest heat setting.

Typically, such low heat setting substantially reduces the flow of gaseous fuel and, therefore, the size of the flame at the burner.

The flame is particularly susceptible to wafting and disturbances from local air currents while at the lower heat settings.

Even without such disturbances, at low gas flow the flame can be prone to wafting at one or more locations around the burner.

Sometimes one or more of these disruptive events may cause the flame to be extinguished at all locations around the burner.

However, sometimes the flame may not be completely extinguished at all locations around the burner.

Instead, particularly when the burner is at a low heat setting, only a portion of the desired flame around the burner may be absent due to wafting or other disturbances previously mentioned.

Nevertheless, with certain conventional systems, even the temporary absence of only a portion of the flame may cause the igniter to begin sparking until the flame is fully restored.

Because the flame is more susceptible to disruption at low gas flow as previously mentioned, such unnecessary sparking can become particularly bothersome or annoying to a user attempting to use the low heat settings.

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