Gas Grill Flame Sensing With Lid-Closed Status Indication
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Solution Overview
Problem
Users of gas grill systems face challenges in determining if a flame is present without opening the lid, which can lead to unsafe situations and inefficient cooking, especially in windy conditions where flames may be extinguished without immediate detection.
Innovation Solution
A flame sensing system with external indicators, including light pipes and LEDs, is integrated into the grill's control panel, allowing users to visually and electronically monitor the presence of a flame without opening the lid, using Kanthal rods and ceramic harnesses to position sensors effectively and isolate them from ignition components.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If users open the lid to check for flame presence, then they can visually confirm combustion status, but heat is lost and cooking efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a flame sensing system with external indicators that provide continuous feedback on flame status without requiring lid opening. The system uses flame sensors to detect combustion presence and displays this information through visual indicators on the control panel, enabling users to monitor flame status in real-time while maintaining the closed cooking environment and preserving heat.
2Reliability
If no flame detection system is used, then the device complexity is low, but safety risks increase due to undetected flame extinction
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces flame sensors as intermediary components that detect flame presence and translate it into electrical signals for processing. The system includes ceramic harnesses that position sensors effectively and isolate them from ignition components, creating a dedicated detection pathway that enhances safety without significantly complicating the overall system architecture.
3Measurement precision
If flame sensors are positioned close to the flame for accurate detection, then measurement precision improves, but the sensors are exposed to high heat and wind that may damage them
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the sensor system into distinct functional components: flame sensors positioned near the flame for accurate detection, ceramic harnesses that provide structural support and electrical isolation, and control electronics housed separately in the control panel. This segmentation allows the sensing elements to be optimally positioned for detection accuracy while protecting the electronic components from harsh thermal and environmental conditions.
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 solution enables users to reliably detect the presence of a flame, preventing unsafe fuel emission and ensuring consistent cooking conditions by providing real-time feedback on flame status, even in windy environments.
Implementation Method 1
A flame sensor may be positioned in an expected location of the flame and the flame sensor may be isolated from the spark electrode by a ceramic harness
Implementation Method 2
the flame sensor may be isolated from the spark electrode by a ceramic harness
Data Source
AI summary
Methods and apparatus to indicate presence of a flame are disclosed. An example gas grill includes a burner tube having apertures to emit a fuel for combustion, an ignition element to cause ignition of the fuel emitted from the apertures of the burner tube, a flame sensor to detect the presence of a flame associated with the combustion of the fuel emitted from the apertures of the burner tube, and flame sense circuitry including a flame signal accessor to access a flame sense signal from the flame sensor, and a terminal to output an indication of the presence of the flame, the indication of the presence of the flame output without respect to an open or closed state of a lid of the grill.