Gas Burner Switch Assembly for Flame-Failure Gas Shutoff
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing gas burner arrangements face challenges in ensuring reliable and safe operation, particularly in preventing unintended fuel gas leaks when flames are extinguished, due to mechanical coupling of switches which can lead to accidental closure.
Innovation Solution
A gas burner arrangement with mechanically operable switches using noble metal contact elements, actuated by a spring-loaded mechanism, allowing for controlled coupling and decoupling of thermocouples and gas valves, ensuring safe and reliable fuel gas flow management.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If mechanically coupled switches are used to control multiple gas burners, then simultaneous actuation of all burners is achieved, but accidental closure and unintended fuel gas leaks occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the mechanically coupled switch system into independent electrically operated switches, one for each gas burner. This segmentation allows each burner to be controlled independently through the control unit, eliminating the risk of simultaneous accidental closure while maintaining the ability to actuate multiple burners through electronic control signals.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical coupling system with an electrical control system. Instead of using a common mechanical actuator that physically connects all switches, the invention uses individual electrical switches controlled by a control unit that can selectively activate each burner based on operational requirements, thereby preventing unintended simultaneous closure.
2Ease of manufacture
If conventional contact elements are used in switches, then assembly costs are reduced, but wear and operational reliability decrease
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs contact elements made of noble metals such as gold or silver in the switch components. These noble metal contact elements provide superior electrical conductivity and extreme wear resistance compared to conventional materials, ensuring long-term operational reliability while maintaining acceptable manufacturing costs through efficient design and material utilization.
3Device complexity
If thermocouples are directly connected to gas valves without mechanical switches, then system complexity is reduced, but flame monitoring reliability decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces electrically operated switches as intermediary components between the thermocouples and gas valves. These switches are controlled by a control unit that receives signals from thermocouples and accordingly activates or deactivates the gas valves. This intermediary layer ensures reliable flame monitoring and controlled gas flow without requiring complex mechanical switching mechanisms.
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 enhances operational reliability and safety by preventing unintended fuel gas leaks and reducing assembly costs through a compact and low-wear design, ensuring simultaneous disconnection of thermocouples from gas valves.
Implementation Method 1
the actuating element is prestressed by means of a spring device in the direction of a closed position of the mechanically actuatable switch
Implementation Method 2
As soon as the thermocouple is exposed to heat from the flame of the gas burner, this supplies a solenoid valve of the gas valve with electrical voltage
Implementation Method 3
The solenoid valve closes the gas valve to shut off the flow of fuel gas from the gas valve to the gas burner
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~3
Figure 4
AI summary
The invention relates to a gas burner arrangement (3) for a cooktop (2), comprising at least two gas burners (4-8), with each of which a gas valve (9-13) for controlling a combustion gas stream to the gas burner (4-8) as well as a thermoelement (20-23) for monitoring a flame (25) of the gas burner (4-8) are associated; each thermoelement (20-23) is coupled to the associated gas valve (9-13) by an electric circuit (26) in such a way that, when the flame (25) of the gas burner (4-8) is extinguished, the combustion gas stream to the gas burner (4-8) is interrupted by the gas valve (9-13), each electric circuit (26) being equipped with a mechanically operable switch (27), all of which (27) can be controlled by a common actuation element (28) in order to couple or interrupt the electric circuits (26) between the thermoelements (20-23) and the gas valves (9-13) and all of which (27) include contact elements (44, 54) containing a noble metal.