Gas hob
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing gas hobs face challenges in maintaining stable flame formation due to horizontal air currents, which can disrupt the flow conditions and secondary air supply, affecting combustion efficiency.
Innovation Solution
The design incorporates an alignment device with lugs and depressions to secure the pan support relative to the hotplate, creating a form-fitting connection that ensures uniform flame formation, along with a secondary air duct and hot gas duct to separate and guide air and gas efficiently, and a burner shell that is fluid-tight to prevent liquid penetration.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If secondary air is supplied from below the hob plate, then combustion is enabled, but horizontal air currents disrupt flame formation and combustion stability
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the air supply system into separate channels: a first air channel supplies primary air to the burner, while a second air channel supplies secondary air to the mixing chamber. This segmentation allows independent control of air flows, enabling the secondary air channel to be positioned and designed to minimize interference from horizontal air currents while maintaining reliable combustion.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from a two-dimensional planar air supply (below the hob plate) to a three-dimensional configuration with vertical and horizontal components. The second air channel extends horizontally from the mixing chamber to the front edge of the hob plate, positioning the secondary air inlet away from the burner area. This spatial repositioning in multiple dimensions reduces the impact of horizontal air currents on flame formation while maintaining effective secondary air supply for combustion.
2Ease of operation
If the pan support is loosely positioned on the hotplate, then installation is simple, but alignment and flame uniformity are compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces alignment lugs as intermediary elements that mediate between the pan support and the hotplate. These lugs engage with corresponding recesses or features on the hotplate surface, providing automatic mechanical alignment when the pan support is placed. This intermediary mechanism ensures precise positioning and uniform flame distribution while maintaining simple installation - the pan support is simply placed on the hotplate, and the alignment lugs automatically guide it to the correct position.
3Ease of repair
If the burner shell is open for access, then maintenance is easy, but liquid penetration into the burner area occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a flexible sealing element (such as a gasket or membrane) that creates a fluid-tight barrier between the burner shell and the hotplate or surrounding structures. This flexible seal allows the burner shell to remain accessible for maintenance while preventing liquid penetration. The sealing element can be removed or displaced when burner access is needed, then reinstalled to restore the fluid-tight barrier, thus combining ease of repair with protection against liquid ingress.
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
This configuration stabilizes flame formation even under strong horizontal air currents and allows for easy cleaning, ensuring efficient combustion and preventing liquid ingress into the burner area.
Implementation Method 1
The gas burner (15) has fuel gas outlet openings (25) for flowing out fuel gas and a burner connection (22) for supplying a fuel gas/primary air mixture. The secondary air required for the combustion of the combustible gas is supplied from a space below the hob
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
The invention relates to a gas cooktop (3) for a hob (2). The gas cooktop (3) comprises a hob plate (12), a burner bowl (13) arranged below the hob plate (12), a pan support (14), and a gas burner (15). The pan support (14) has a support shell (26) which at least partially surrounds a burner recess (33), at least one support element (27) attached to the support shell (26) and defining a support surface (29) for holding cookware (30), and a fastening device (28) for attaching the pan support (14) to the hob plate (12). The gas burner (15) is arranged in the area of the burner recess (33) in a top view. The support shell (26) separates the secondary air (35) necessary for combustion, at least in sections, between the hob plate (12) and the gas burner (15) from the hot gas (26) produced during combustion.