Plug-in pulse ignition device and fully premixed burner assembly comprising the same

Abstract

This disclosure provides a plug-in pulse ignition device and a fully premixed burner assembly including the device. The plug-in pulse ignition device includes an igniter and a pulse generator. The igniter includes a mounting bracket, a first electrode and a second electrode extending downward from the mounting bracket, and a first conductive terminal extending upward from the mounting bracket. The pulse generator includes a housing, a pulse generating assembly disposed within the housing, and a second conductive terminal electrically connected to the pulse generating assembly. A receiving cavity is formed on one of the first and second conductive terminals, and the head of the other terminal is detachably inserted into and in contact with the receiving cavity. By arranging the conductive terminals of the igniter and the pulse generator in a plug-in configuration, they can be plugged together for assembly, thereby avoiding the need for a high-voltage wire between them, reducing safety hazards, and facilitating the internal component layout of the equipment.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to ignition devices, and more specifically to pulse ignition devices used in gas appliances.

[0002] This disclosure also relates to a fully premixed burner assembly employing the above-described ignition device. Background Technology

[0003] Gas-fired appliances typically obtain heat by burning a mixture of gas and air. The ignition device, used to ignite the gas, is a crucial component of these appliances. Taking a gas-fired boiler as an example, the ignition device usually includes an igniter and a pulse generator. As shown in European Patent Publication EP 2 388 523 A2, the igniter includes a pair of ignition electrodes. The spark generated by the discharge from the tips of these electrodes ignites the gas in the burner, thus achieving combustion. Typically, the igniter and pulse generator are connected by a high-voltage wire, which transmits the high voltage generated by the pulse generator to the igniter. The igniter is usually welded to the high-voltage wire, and the weld joint is wrapped with an insulating sleeve for waterproofing and moisture protection, while the pulse generator is fixedly installed elsewhere. However, this high-voltage wire connection method poses safety hazards and is detrimental to the internal component layout of the equipment. Utility Model Content

[0004] To overcome the problems existing in the related technologies, this disclosure provides a plug-in pulse ignition device and a fully premixed burner assembly including the device.

[0005] A first aspect of this disclosure provides a plug-in pulse ignition device, comprising an igniter and a pulse generator. The igniter includes a mounting bracket, a first electrode and a second electrode extending downward from the mounting bracket, and a first conductive terminal extending upward from the mounting bracket. The pulse generator includes a housing, a pulse generating assembly disposed within the housing, and a second conductive terminal electrically connected to the pulse generating assembly. A receiving cavity is formed on one of the first and second conductive terminals, and the head of the other terminal is detachably inserted into and in contact with the receiving cavity.

[0006] In some embodiments, one of the receiving cavity and the head is provided with a resilient buckle, and the other of the two is provided with a slot.

[0007] In some embodiments, a notch is provided on the sidewall of the receiving cavity, and the resilient latch includes a resilient arm extending into the notch; the aforementioned slot is formed on the sidewall of the head.

[0008] In some embodiments, the end of the head and the area adjacent to the slot are both formed with bevels.

[0009] In some embodiments, the mounting bracket is provided with a limiting post that extends vertically upward and engages with the housing of the pulse generator.

[0010] In some embodiments, the housing of the pulse generator includes a vertically extending docking portion and a limiting portion extending laterally from the docking portion and extending vertically; the docking portion has a recessed notch formed vertically to accommodate a second conductive terminal, and the limiting portion has a groove for insertion of a limiting post.

[0011] In some embodiments, a receiving cavity is formed within a second conductive terminal, and a first conductive terminal has the aforementioned head.

[0012] In some embodiments, an insulator is provided outside the first conductive terminal, and the head protrudes outside the insulator.

[0013] In some embodiments, the insulator portion extends into the housing of the pulse generator and abuts against the end of the second conductive terminal; the ignition device also includes a seal fitted over the junction of the insulator and the housing of the pulse generator.

[0014] In some embodiments, the first electrode is electrically connected to the first conductive terminal, and the first electrode is provided with an insulating sleeve that electrically isolates it from the mounting bracket; the second electrode is directly connected to the mounting bracket, and the mounting bracket is provided with a grounding terminal; the ends of the first electrode and the second electrode are arranged in parallel.

[0015] In some embodiments, the pulse generating assembly includes a circuit board and a transformer coil.

[0016] A second aspect of this disclosure provides a fully premixed burner assembly, comprising a burner, a condensing heat exchanger, a gas proportional valve, a fan, and a plug-in pulse ignition device. The burner includes a burner door, a gas-air mixing channel disposed on the outer wall of the burner door, and a combustion chamber disposed on the inner wall of the burner door and communicating with the gas-air mixing channel. The condensing heat exchanger includes a plurality of spiral coils stacked together, through which water flows, the spiral coils surrounding the combustion chamber to absorb heat generated by combustion and transfer the heat to the water flowing through the coils. The gas proportional valve and the fan are disposed at the inlet of the gas-air mixing channel to supply the gas and air required for combustion, respectively. The mounting bracket of the plug-in pulse ignition device is mounted on the outer wall of the burner door, and its first and second electrodes pass through the inner wall of the burner door and are disposed close to the combustion chamber.

[0017] The technical solutions provided by one or more embodiments of this disclosure may include the following beneficial effects: by setting the conductive terminals of the igniter and the pulse generator in a plug-in configuration, the two can be plugged together, thereby avoiding the need to install high-voltage lines between them, thus reducing safety hazards and facilitating the arrangement of internal components of the equipment. Attached Figure Description

[0018] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this disclosure or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of this disclosure. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0019] Figure 1 This is a perspective view of a fully premixed burner assembly in one embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0020] Figure 2 yes Figure 1 The diagram shows a partial cross-sectional view of the fully premixed burner assembly, in which the igniter and pulse generator are separately configured;

[0021] Figure 3 yes Figure 1 A three-dimensional schematic diagram of the pulse ignition device shown;

[0022] Figure 4 yes Figure 3 An exploded three-dimensional schematic diagram of the pulse ignition device shown.

[0023] Figure 5 yes Figure 4 An exploded three-dimensional view of the pulse ignition device shown from another perspective.

[0024] Figure 6 yes Figure 3 A three-dimensional schematic diagram of the internal connections of the pulse ignition device shown.

[0025] Figure 7 This is another embodiment of the pulse ignition device in this disclosure;

[0026] Figure 8 yes Figure 7 A cross-sectional schematic diagram of the pulse ignition device shown;

[0027] Figure 9 yes Figure 7 A three-dimensional schematic diagram of the igniter in the pulse ignition device shown;

[0028] Figure 10 yes Figure 7 A three-dimensional cross-sectional view of the pulse generator in the pulse ignition device shown. Detailed Implementation

[0029] The embodiments shown will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, these embodiments do not represent all embodiments consistent with this disclosure, and any structural, methodological, or functional modifications made by those skilled in the art based on these embodiments are included within the scope of protection claimed in the appended claims.

[0030] Reference Figure 1 and Figure 2 The illustration shows a specific embodiment of the fully premixed burner assembly of this disclosure. The fully premixed burner assembly is typically used in gas-fired boilers to heat water by burning combustible gases (such as natural gas, town gas, liquefied petroleum gas, biogas, etc.) to meet the needs of users for central heating and / or domestic hot water. The fully premixed burner assembly includes a burner 60, a condensing heat exchanger 70, a gas proportional valve 80, a fan 90, and a pulse ignition device 100. The burner 60 includes a generally circular burner door 62, on which a radially extending pipe 63 protrudes from its outer wall. A gas-air mixing passage 631 is defined within the pipe 63. The burner door 62 and the pipe 63 are made of a metallic material, such as copper or stainless steel. During burner operation, to prevent the outer surface temperature of the burner door and pipe from becoming excessively high or hot, a heat insulation pad 621 is typically provided on the inner wall of the burner door 62. The heat insulation pad can be made of ceramic or ceramic-based materials to minimize heat transfer between the combustion chamber and the burner door 62. On the inner wall of the burner door 62, at its center, a combustion cylinder 61 protrudes and communicates with the gas-air mixing passage 631. The combustion cylinder 61 is cylindrical, through which the gas-air mixture passes, and the cylinder wall is provided with several through holes to form a combustion surface.

[0031] The condensing heat exchanger 70 can be a heat exchanger consisting of several stacked spiral flat coils, as disclosed in European Patent Publication EP 0 678 186 B1. The combustion chamber 61 is disposed within the space enclosed by the coils (not shown), and the gas proportional valve 80 and the fan 90 are disposed at the inlet of the aforementioned gas-air mixing passage. The gas proportional valve 80 controls the gas flow rate supplied to the burner; its working principle is to regulate the output pressure of the proportional valve by controlling the valve opening, thereby controlling the output gas flow rate. The fan 90 can be a centrifugal fan. In some embodiments, the casing of the fan 90 is connected to the pipe 63 via a flange, and the gas proportional valve 80 is fixedly mounted on and in gas communication with the casing of the fan 90. Thus, the gas proportional valve 80 and the fan 90 can supply the gas and air required for combustion in one continuous flow. The gas and air are thoroughly mixed within the pipe 63 and, driven by the fan, enter the combustion chamber 61 for ignition and combustion. The hot flue gas produced by combustion is further driven by the fan 90 through the gap between the coils, thereby heating the cold water flowing inside the spiral coil.

[0032] Reference Figures 3 to 6As shown, the pulse ignition device 100 is fixedly mounted on the burner door 62. The pulse ignition device 100 includes an igniter 10 and a pulse generator 20, which are assembled in a sliding manner to form the ignition device 100 in this embodiment. The igniter 10 includes a mounting bracket 13, a first electrode 11 and a second electrode 12 extending downward from the mounting bracket 13, and a first conductive terminal 15 extending upward from the mounting bracket 13. The mounting bracket 13 is made of metal and extends longitudinally. It is provided with a pair of longitudinally distributed fixing screws 133, which can fix the mounting bracket 13 on the outer wall of the burner door 62. The first electrode 11 and the second electrode 12 pass through the inner wall of the burner door 62 and are located close to the combustion chamber 61. The ends of the first electrode 11 and the second electrode 12 are close to each other, so that the gas can be ignited when an electric spark is generated to burn on the surface of the combustion chamber 61. An insulator 14 is provided outside the first conductive terminal 15, and an insulating sleeve is provided outside the first electrode 11. The insulator and insulating sleeve may be made of ceramic or ceramic-based materials, used to electrically isolate the first conductive terminal 15 and the first electrode 11 from the mounting bracket 13. In other embodiments, the insulator and insulating sleeve may also be integrally formed. The first conductive terminal 15 and the first electrode 11 are electrically connected, such as by pressing or welding them together. The second electrode 12 is directly connected to the mounting bracket 13, such as by welding them together. In addition, the mounting bracket is provided with a grounding terminal 134, which is connected to a grounding wire (not shown), thereby grounding the second electrode 12.

[0033] The pulse generator 20 includes a housing, a pulse generating assembly disposed within the housing, and a second conductive terminal 25 electrically connected to the pulse generating assembly. The housing includes a laterally extending main body portion 21, within which the pulse generating assembly is disposed, including a circuit board 26 and a transformer coil 27 connected to the circuit board 26. As is well known to those skilled in the art, the transformer coil may include a primary coil and a secondary coil for boosting the high-frequency low voltage provided by the circuit board 26 to a high-frequency high voltage, which is then transmitted to a first electrode 11 via the electrically connected second conductive terminal 25 and first conductive terminal 15. This high voltage breaks down the air gap between the ends of the first electrode 11 and the second electrode 12, thereby generating an electric spark to ignite the combustion gas.

[0034] In some embodiments, one of the igniter mounting bracket and the pulse generator housing is provided with a guide rail, and the other of the two is provided with a guide groove for the guide rail to slide in; when the guide rail slides in the guide groove, the first conductive terminal and the second conductive terminal come into contact to form an electrical connection. In this embodiment, the mounting bracket 13 has a longitudinally extending plate-shaped body 131, and the guide rail 132 is provided on both lateral sides of the body 131, protruding vertically and extending laterally after being bent, while the guide rail 132 extends longitudinally as a whole; the pulse generator housing includes a pair of laterally distributed support arms 22 extending from the bottom of its main body 21, and the guide groove 221 is provided on the opposite side of the pair of support arms 22 and extends longitudinally. The housing also includes a resilient cantilever 23 extending longitudinally downward from the bottom of its main body 21; when the guide rail 132 slides within the guide groove 221, the cantilever 23 passes over and abuts against the head of one of the screws 133 to limit and maintain the relative position of the housing on the mounting bracket 13, thereby ensuring reliable fixation of the igniter 10 and the pulse generator 20. When it is necessary to separate the two, the resilient cantilever 23 can be pressed so that it also passes over the head of the screw 133, and the guide rail 132 slides within the guide groove 221 in the opposite direction of the sliding direction, thereby disengaging the igniter 10 from the pulse generator 20.

[0035] Reference Figure 5 and Figure 6 As shown, the insulator 14 surrounding the first conductive terminal 15 is L-shaped, having an upright portion and a bent portion 141 perpendicular to the upright portion. The first conductive terminal 15 has a head protruding from the bent portion 141. In this embodiment, the second conductive terminal 25 is in the shape of a helical spring; when the guide rail 132 slides within the guide groove 221, the head of the first conductive terminal 15 contacts the second conductive terminal 25 and further compresses the second conductive terminal 25 to ensure reliable electrical contact between the first and second conductive terminals. The housing of the pulse generator also includes a protective cover 24 extending longitudinally from its main body 21 and surrounding the first and second conductive terminals. Figure 5 As shown, the protective cover 24 has a top wall and a pair of side walls connected to the top wall, and the top wall and the pair of side walls are provided with longitudinally extending guide strips 241 and 242 to guide the bent portion 141 of the insulator while the guide rail 132 slides in the guide groove 221, thereby facilitating the electrical connection of the first conductive terminal 15 and the second conductive terminal 25.

[0036] By setting a guiding mechanism between the igniter and the pulse generator, the two can be slidably connected together, thereby avoiding the need to install a high-voltage line between them, thus reducing safety hazards and facilitating the arrangement of internal components.

[0037] Figures 7 to 10The illustration shows another embodiment of the pulse ignition device of this disclosure. In this embodiment, the pulse ignition device 300 is composed of an igniter 30 and a pulse generator 40 connected together. Since the main components and working principles of the igniter and pulse generator have been described in detail in the above embodiments, the following focuses on describing the differences between this embodiment and the above embodiments.

[0038] The igniter 30 also includes a mounting bracket 33, a first electrode 31 and a second electrode 32 extending downward from the mounting bracket 33, and a first conductive terminal 35 extending upward from the mounting bracket 33. The pulse generator 40 includes a housing 41, a pulse generating assembly disposed within the housing, and a second conductive terminal 45 electrically connected to the pulse generating assembly. The pulse generating assembly includes a circuit board 46 and a transformer coil 47. The first electrode 31 is electrically connected to the first conductive terminal 35. An insulator 34 is provided outside the first conductive terminal 35, and an insulating sleeve is provided outside the first electrode 31. The insulator and insulating sleeve are used to electrically isolate the first conductive terminal 35 and the first electrode 31 from the mounting bracket 33. The second electrode 32 is directly connected to the mounting bracket 33 and grounded through a grounding terminal 332 disposed on the mounting bracket 33 and connected to a grounding wire. In this embodiment, the ends 311 and 321 of the first electrode 31 and the second electrode 32 are arranged in parallel, which helps maintain a constant air gap, so that even if the electrodes age and corrode, the spark position will not be affected.

[0039] A receiving cavity is formed on one of the first conductive terminal and the second conductive terminal, and the head of the other terminal is detachably inserted into and in contact with the receiving cavity. Furthermore, a resilient snap is protruding from one of the receiving cavity and the head, and a slot is formed on the other terminal. This arrangement ensures a secure mechanical connection and reliable electrical contact between the first and second conductive terminals. In this embodiment, the receiving cavity 451 is formed within the second conductive terminal 45, and the head 350 is formed on the first conductive terminal and protrudes from the insulator 34. In some embodiments, a notch is provided on the sidewall of the receiving cavity 451, and the resilient snap includes a resilient arm 452 extending into the notch; the slot 351 is formed on the circumferential sidewall of the head 350. In some embodiments, inclined surfaces 352 and 353 are formed at the end of the head 350 and at the junction adjacent to the slot 351; these inclined surfaces can be planar or curved. With this configuration, when the head 350 is inserted into the receiving cavity 451, the elastic arm 452 is squeezed and elastically deformed by the inclined surface 352, thus facilitating the insertion of the head 350; when the head 350 needs to leave the receiving cavity 451, the elastic arm 452 is squeezed and elastically deformed by the inclined surface 353, thus facilitating the detachment of the head 350.

[0040] In some embodiments, the mounting bracket 33 is provided with a limiting post 331 extending vertically upward and cooperating with the housing of the pulse generator. The housing 41 of the pulse generator includes a vertically extending docking portion 42 and a limiting portion 44 extending laterally from the docking portion 42 and extending vertically. The docking portion 42 has a recessed notch to receive the second conductive terminal 45, and the limiting portion 44 has a groove (not shown) for the insertion of the limiting post 331. During assembly, the insulator 34 portion of the igniter 30 extends into the docking portion 42 and abuts against the end of the second conductive terminal 45; simultaneously, the head 350 of the first conductive terminal 35 extends into the receiving cavity 451 of the second conductive terminal 45, and the elastic arm 452 engages in the slot 351 of the head to ensure a secure mechanical connection and reliable electrical contact between the first and second conductive terminals 35 and 45; at the same time, the limiting post 331 is inserted into the limiting portion 44 to prevent the igniter 30 from rotating relative to the pulse generator 40. In some embodiments, the ignition device 300 further includes a sealing element 43, such as a rubber sleeve, fitted over the junction of the insulator 34 of the igniter and the mating portion 42 of the pulse generator, to provide waterproofing and moisture protection.

[0041] By setting the conductive terminals of the igniter and pulse generator into a plug-in configuration, the two can be plugged together, thereby avoiding the need to install high-voltage lines between them, thus reducing safety hazards and facilitating the arrangement of internal components.

[0042] In the description of the above embodiments in this disclosure, the orientations or positional relationships indicated by terms such as "longitudinal", "lateral", "vertical", "radial", "circumferential", "horizontal", "length", "width", "thickness", "up", "down", "left", "right", "front", and "rear" are based on the orientations or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings and are only for the convenience of description and simplification. They are not intended to indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of this disclosure.

[0043] In the above disclosure, the terms "first," "second," etc., are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Therefore, the designation "first," "second," etc., may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of those features. In the above description, terms such as "several," "multiple," etc., mean at least two, such as two, three, etc., unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0044] In the foregoing disclosure, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "adjacent," "connected," "linked," and "fixed," etc., should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral part; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; they can refer to the internal communication of two components or the interaction between two components, unless otherwise expressly limited. For those skilled in the art, the specific meaning of the above terms in this disclosure can be understood according to the specific circumstances.

[0045] In the above disclosure, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, "above" or "below" the second feature can mean that the first feature and the second feature are in direct contact, or that the first and second features are in indirect contact through an intermediate medium. Furthermore, "above," "on top of," or "over" the second feature can mean that the first feature is directly above or diagonally above the second feature, or simply indicates that the first feature is at a higher horizontal level than the second feature. "Below," "below," or "under" the second feature can mean that the first feature is directly below or diagonally below the second feature, or simply indicates that the first feature is at a lower horizontal level than the second feature.

[0046] It should be understood that although this specification describes embodiments, not every embodiment contains only one independent technical solution. This way of describing the specification is only for clarity. Those skilled in the art should regard the specification as a whole. The technical solutions in each embodiment can also be appropriately combined to form other embodiments that can be understood by those skilled in the art.

Claims

1. A plug-in pulse ignition device, characterized in that: The ignition device includes An igniter includes a mounting bracket, a first electrode and a second electrode extending downward from the mounting bracket, and a first conductive terminal extending upward from the mounting bracket. A pulse generator includes a housing, a pulse generating component disposed within the housing, and a second conductive terminal electrically connected to the pulse generating component; in A receiving cavity is formed on one of the first conductive terminal and the second conductive terminal, and the head of the other terminal is detachably inserted into and in contact with the receiving cavity.

2. The plug-in pulse ignition device according to claim 1, characterized in that: One of the receiving cavity and the head is provided with a resilient buckle, and the other of the two is provided with a slot.

3. The plug-in pulse ignition device according to claim 2, characterized in that: The receiving cavity has a notch on its side wall, and the elastic buckle includes an elastic arm extending into the notch; the slot is formed on the side wall of the head.

4. The plug-in pulse ignition device according to claim 3, characterized in that: The head end and the area adjacent to the slot are both formed with bevels.

5. The plug-in pulse ignition device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The mounting bracket is provided with a limiting post that extends vertically upward and cooperates with the housing of the pulse generator.

6. The plug-in pulse ignition device according to claim 5, characterized in that: The housing of the pulse generator includes a vertically extending docking portion and a limiting portion extending laterally from the docking portion and extending vertically; the docking portion has a recessed notch formed vertically to accommodate a second conductive terminal, and the limiting portion has a groove for inserting a limiting post.

7. The plug-in pulse ignition device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The receiving cavity is formed within the second conductive terminal, and the first conductive terminal has the head.

8. The plug-in pulse ignition device according to claim 7, characterized in that: The first conductive terminal is provided with an insulator, and the head protrudes from the insulator.

9. The plug-in pulse ignition device according to claim 8, characterized in that: The insulator portion extends into the housing of the pulse generator and abuts against the end of the second conductive terminal; the ignition device also includes a seal sleeved on the junction of the insulator and the housing of the pulse generator.

10. The plug-in pulse ignition device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The first electrode is electrically connected to the first conductive terminal, and an insulating sleeve is provided on the outside of the first electrode to electrically isolate it from the mounting bracket; the second electrode is directly connected to the mounting bracket, and a grounding terminal is provided on the mounting bracket; the ends of the first electrode and the second electrode are arranged in parallel.

11. The plug-in pulse ignition device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The pulse generating assembly includes a circuit board and a transformer coil.

12. A fully premixed burner assembly, characterized in that: The fully premixed burner assembly includes A burner includes a burner door, a gas-air mixing passage disposed on the outer wall of the burner door, and a combustion cylinder disposed on the inner wall of the burner door and communicating with the gas-air mixing passage; A condensing heat exchanger includes a plurality of spiral coils stacked together through which water flows, the spiral coils surrounding the combustion chamber to absorb heat generated by combustion and transfer the heat to the water flowing through the coils; A gas proportional valve and a blower are installed at the inlet of the gas and air mixing channel to supply the gas and air required for combustion, respectively. The plug-in pulse ignition device as described in any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the mounting bracket is installed on the outer wall of the burner door, and its first and second electrodes pass through the inner wall of the burner door and are disposed close to the combustion chamber.

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