Gas Inlet Fixture Tabs for Centered Grill Burner Ignition

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Solution Overview

Problem

The existing burner assemblies for gas grills suffer from inefficient fuel usage and poor flame quality due to a loose fit between the valve neck and air shutter, resulting in a single point of contact and misalignment of the gas nozzle, which can lead to ignition issues and decreased combustion efficiency.

Innovation Solution

The burner assembly incorporates a gas inlet fixture with a face having a central opening and multiple rearwardly projecting tabs that engage the valve neck, providing multiple points of contact and centering the gas nozzle within the burner tube, allowing for adjustable air-gas mixture and accommodating expansion and contraction of the burner tube.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If a loose fit between valve neck and air shutter is used, then the burner tube can accommodate expansion and contraction, but the gas nozzle becomes misaligned and ignition reliability decreases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveaccommodation of thermal expansionVSAvoidignition system reliability
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The gas inlet fixture is segmented into multiple tabs that independently engage with the valve neck, creating multiple contact points that maintain alignment while allowing for thermal movement. This segmentation enables the structure to accommodate expansion/contraction without compromising the centered position of the gas nozzle.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The gas inlet fixture employs a dynamic attachment mechanism where the burner tube can move relative to the valve neck through the slotted configuration. This dynamic design allows the system to adapt to thermal expansion and contraction while maintaining proper gas nozzle alignment through the centering feature.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

2Adaptability or versatility

If a loose fit between valve neck and air shutter is used, then thermal expansion can be accommodated, but fuel usage efficiency decreases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveaccommodation of thermal expansionVSAvoidfuel usage efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The gas inlet fixture is segmented into multiple tabs that independently engage with the valve neck, creating multiple contact points that maintain alignment while allowing for thermal movement. This segmentation enables the structure to accommodate expansion/contraction without compromising the centered position of the gas nozzle.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The gas inlet fixture employs a dynamic attachment mechanism where the burner tube can move relative to the valve neck through the slotted configuration. This dynamic design allows the system to adapt to thermal expansion and contraction while maintaining proper gas nozzle alignment through the centering feature.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

3Adaptability or versatility

If a loose fit between valve neck and air shutter is used, then thermal expansion can be accommodated, but flame quality deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveaccommodation of thermal expansionVSAvoidgas nozzle alignment
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The gas inlet fixture is segmented into multiple tabs that independently engage with the valve neck, creating multiple contact points that maintain alignment while allowing for thermal movement. This segmentation enables the structure to accommodate expansion/contraction without compromising the centered position of the gas nozzle.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The gas inlet fixture employs a dynamic attachment mechanism where the burner tube can move relative to the valve neck through the slotted configuration. This dynamic design allows the system to adapt to thermal expansion and contraction while maintaining proper gas nozzle alignment through the centering feature.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

4Adaptability or versatility

If a loose fit between valve neck and air shutter is used, then thermal expansion can be accommodated, but combustion efficiency decreases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveaccommodation of thermal expansionVSAvoidcombustion efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The gas inlet fixture is segmented into multiple tabs that independently engage with the valve neck, creating multiple contact points that maintain alignment while allowing for thermal movement. This segmentation enables the structure to accommodate expansion/contraction without compromising the centered position of the gas nozzle.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The gas inlet fixture employs a dynamic attachment mechanism where the burner tube can move relative to the valve neck through the slotted configuration. This dynamic design allows the system to adapt to thermal expansion and contraction while maintaining proper gas nozzle alignment through the centering feature.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

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 design enhances the reliability of the ignition system, improves flame quality, and ensures efficient fuel usage by maintaining a centered gas flow and accommodating thermal expansion, thereby improving the overall performance of the burner assembly.

Implementation Method 1

the burner tube expands and contracts during heating and cooling, air shutter 10 is not rigidly secured to valve neck 9

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectThermal expansion: Thermal Expansion

Data Source

PatentEP3156723B1Burner assembly for a gas grill having a gas inlet fixture
Publication Date: 2019.03.13 WEBER-STEPHEN PRODUCTS
  • EP3156723B1 patent drawingFigure 1A
  • EP3156723B1 patent drawingFigure 1B~1C
  • EP3156723B1 patent drawingFigure 2A~2B

AI summary

A burner assembly including a gas inlet fixture (20) for use with a burner tube (1), the gas inlet fixture (20) including a plurality of tabs (30) to engage a valve neck (9) of a gas control valve (8) to improve ignition and center the gas flow down the center of the burner tube (1).