Gas Burner LED Feedback for Flame-Loss and Re-Ignition States
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Solution Overview
Problem
Users of gas cooking appliances are often unaware of flame loss or re-ignition issues, as existing systems lack clear indications, potentially leading to unsafe operation and unnoticed gas valve malfunctions.
Innovation Solution
A control circuit in a gas cooking appliance generates audible and visual indications to users for different gas burner states, including ignition, normal operation, and failure conditions, using a visual indicator device to distinguish between various states and provide feedback on ignition types.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If automatic ignition systems are used to re-ignite gas burners after flame loss, then the safety and reliability of the gas cooking appliance is improved, but users remain unaware of flame loss events or re-ignition attempts, preventing timely maintenance
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback mechanism by providing visual indicators (LED lights) that communicate burner state information to users. The system monitors ignition events, flame loss, and re-ignition attempts, then provides corresponding visual feedback through different LED patterns and colors, enabling users to understand system status and take appropriate action.
2Loss of information
If visual indicators are added to communicate gas burner states to users, then user awareness and safety are improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs color changes in LED indicators to convey different burner states. Different colors (e.g., green, yellow, red) represent different operational conditions such as normal operation, flame loss, or ignition failure, providing intuitive visual communication without requiring complex display interfaces or additional components.
3Measurement precision
If multiple visual indicator patterns are used to distinguish between different ignition types and burner states, then the precision of state information is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses periodic action through different LED blinking patterns to indicate various burner states. For example, steady illumination may indicate normal operation, while blinking patterns at different frequencies or durations may indicate different types of ignition events, flame loss, or system errors, enabling precise state communication through simple temporal variations.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution provides users with clear, real-time feedback on gas burner states, enhancing safety by alerting them to potential issues such as flame loss or re-ignition attempts, and allowing for timely maintenance or adjustment of gas flow levels.
Implementation Method 1
a flame detector positioned to sense a flame emitted by the gas burner
Data Source
AI summary
A cooking appliance and method may generate one or more audible and/or visual indications to a user of various gas burner states during the operation of a gas burner, including, for example, states that are associated with different types of ignition operations, such as initial ignition operations, programmed re-ignition operations and/or flame loss re-ignition operations and/or states that are associated with ignition operations, normal operating conditions, and/or failure conditions.