FR2827946A1 - Device for controlling ignition and extinction of gas burner, e.g. Bunsen burner so it is turned off automatically between uses to increase safety and energy efficiency, comprises main lever - Google Patents

Abstract

A device for controlling a valve comprise a main lever (410) placed so the action of the user on the lever opens the valve and produces at least one spark at the level of the burner. Release of the user's action on the lever closes the valve. A device (D) for controlling the ignition and extinction of a gas burner (100) has a valve and a device controlling the valve fitted between the burner and a source of the gas. The main lever pivots at one end around a housing (420) so the user's action rotates the lever relative to the housing. The housing is preformed to receive a device (500) for starting a spark and a device for opening and closing the valve. The device starting the spark is via an auxiliary lever (510) in a piezoelectric mechanism. The main lever contacts the auxiliary lever at the end of its travel and the rotation of the auxiliary lever produces the necessary discharge using piezoelectric crystals to create a spark at the outlet of the burner. Alternatively, the main lever comes into contact with a contact (510) and an electrical circuit produces the necessary discharge to create a spark. The device for opening and closing the valve is via a slide. The movement causing the valve to open is provided by a linkage to one end of the main lever and the movement to close the valve is provided by a spring. The lever is arranged so the gas flow is started before the spark is discharged. The linkage between the lever and the slide is elastic. An electrode (520) has a device (521) for fixing to the end of the burner and to at least one electrical conductor (530) linked to the device for creating a spark. The device comprises a device for controlling the arrival of the gas and creating a spark; a device for branching a gas pipe; a gas pipe connecting the gas supply line to a burner, and an electrically conducting wire connecting the means of creating a spark to an electrode fixed to the burner.

Description

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DEVICE FOR CONTROLLING A GAS BURNER FIELD OF APPLICATION OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to the field of gas burners and in particular to adaptations making it possible to control a laboratory gas burner of the Bunsen burner type under the best conditions.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART
The applicant has observed that users of a Bunsen burner type gas burner rarely extinguish the latter between each use. Also, a gas burner can remain lit for a long time at high flow rate, which has the consequences not only of increasing the risks of accidents inherent in the use of a gas installation but also of unnecessarily burning the gas and therefore of burden the budget for such facilities.

 This situation is partly due to the fact that the users have both hands occupied when handling the products to be heated or which have just been heated, which prevents them from playing on the gas inlet controls. Also, in most cases, the laboratory gas burners remain on.

 In the prior art, there are devices of the pilot light type, which are supposed to save the gas consumed outside of the handling phases while keeping a burner lit but at a low flow rate. These devices have the disadvantage that the transition from a standby state to a state of use must be controlled and is therefore subject to the same hazards as those described above.

 There also exists in the prior art the device described and represented in the French document n 2 365 756 which proposes a detection by photoelectric cells of the shadow of the hand of the user for the purpose of controlling the ignition and the gas burner shutdown. This device has the advantage of freeing the practitioner's hands but has the disadvantage of requiring the installation of very technical components,

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 expensive and particularly sensitive are photoelectric cells. Similarly, the installation of the photoelectric cell capable of triggering the gas supply valve constitutes a particularly complex operation.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
On the basis of this fact, the applicant carried out research on the basis of a pre-established specification, which resulted in the design of a device ensuring the control of the gas burner while allowing the user to keep your hands free.

 The design is oriented towards a device that is easy to implement and inexpensive. Finally, another objective of the design of such a device lies in its adaptation to already existing gas burners.

 Thus, the invention is based on a device for controlling the ignition and extinction of a gas burner of the type comprising that of a valve as well as a means of controlling said valve which is inserted between the burner and a gas source.

 This device is remarkable in that the control means consists of a main lever arranged so that the action of the user on the lever triggers the opening of the valve and the creation of at least one spark. at the burner, the relaxation of the action of the user on the lever triggering the closing of the valve.

 This device is remarkable in that it ensures, by the setting in motion by the user of a single mechanical member, the stopping of the arrival of the gas as well as the control of its ignition. Thus, the implementation of such a control device does not require any adjustment, unlike what the devices of the prior art proposed.

 The obligation to maintain a physical action by the user on the device to authorize the

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 operation of the gas burner constitutes one of the bases of the concept of the invention which aims to save gas and to make the use of such equipment safer.

 Of course, maintaining physical contact should be judiciously located so that the user keeps his arms free to move. Advantageously, the setting in motion of a lever is simple enough to be carried out by means of the foot or the knee of the user.

 The implementation of the control on the one hand of the gas supply and on the other hand of the production of a spark is carried out by means whose technical characteristics will be detailed below.

 Indeed, the invention having just been described in the most elementary concepts and characteristics, other details and characteristics will appear on reading the description of the embodiments based on the appended drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic view of the situation of an embodiment of the device of the invention,
FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the operation of the device of the invention,
FIG. 3 is a detail view from below partially in section of a detail of the device of the invention,
FIG. 4 is an external perspective view of a detail of the device of the invention,
FIG. 5a is a detailed side view in section of a first embodiment of the device of the invention,
Figure 5b is a detail side view in section of a second embodiment of the device of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
As illustrated in the drawing in Figure 2, the

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 control device referenced D as a whole for the ignition and extinction of a gas burner referenced 100 is of the type comprising that of a valve 200 which is interposed between the burner 100 and a gas source 300 as well as a means 400 for controlling said valve 200.

According to the preferred embodiment of the invention, the control means 400 consists of a main lever 410 arranged so that the action of the user on the lever 410 triggers the opening of the valve 200 and the creation of at least one spark at the level of the burner 100, the relaxation of the action of the user on the lever 410 triggering the closing of the valve 200.

 According to the embodiment illustrated in the drawings of Figures 1, 3, 4, 5a and 5b, said main lever 410 pivots at one of its ends relative to a yoke 420 along an axis of rotation defined by point A , the rotation of the lever 410 relative to the yoke 420 under the action of the user triggering the opening of the valve 200 and the creation of at least one spark at the level of the burner 100 the release of the action of the user on lever 410 triggering the closing of valve 200.

 According to a preferred embodiment, said yoke 420 is preformed to receive a means for triggering a spark 500 and a means 210 for opening and closing the valve 200. This yoke 420 has the utility of allowing the device to be fixed D on the floor as illustrated in the drawing in Figure 1 or, as imagined by the applicant but not illustrated, fixed on the underside of a conventional worktop P.

This yoke 420 also has the utility of bringing together the two main sub-assemblies of the device of the invention, namely: the means for opening and closing the gas pipe and the means for producing a spark.

 According to the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1, the

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 gas burner 100 is installed on a worktop P conventionally equipped with a connection for gas. As illustrated, the device D of the invention is inserted between the gas burner 100 and the gas connection to propose a means of controlling the operation of said gas burner 100.

 According to a first preferred but nonlimiting embodiment illustrated in FIG. 5a, the triggering means 500 of a spark is constituted by a contactor 510 with which said main lever 420 comes into contact at the end of the stroke so that the pressing the contactor 510 causes by means of an electrical circuit linked to a supply provided for this purpose, the discharge necessary for creating a spark at the outlet of the gas burner 100. This switch can, depending on a preferred technological choice, make contact with a circuit powered by a nine-volt battery and equipped with an accumulator.

 According to another preferred but nonlimiting embodiment illustrated in more detail in the drawing of FIG. 5b, the means for triggering a spark 500 is constituted by an auxiliary lever 510 of piezoelectric mechanism with which said lever comes into contact. main 410 at the end of its travel so that the rotation of the auxiliary lever 510 causes by means of the piezoelectric crystals, the discharge necessary for the creation of a spark at the level of the outlet mouth 110 of the gas burner 100.

 According to a particularly judicious technological choice, the means of production of the spark is constituted by a piezoelectric device igniting gas of the type of those present in the trade. Thus, the realization of this means does not constitute a significant investment. In addition, this type of mechanism has other advantages which will appear more clearly when the operation of the device D is

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 described in more detail.

 As illustrated in FIGS. 5a and 5b, the opening and closing means is constituted by a valve 200 comprising a slide 220 whose movement causing the opening of the valve 200 is achieved by a link 210 with one end of the main lever 410 and the movement of which causing the valve to close is produced by a spring 230. This valve 200 comprises a connection receiving the gas supply 600 (see FIG. 3) and a connection receiving a pipe 700 supplying according to user action, gas to burner 100.

 Also, when the user actuates the lever 410 in the direction of the arrow F, the link 210 pulls the drawer 220, which in its translation releases the passage to gas as illustrated in the drawing of FIG. 3. When the user releases completely its action on the lever 410 the drawer 220 under the action of the spring 230 returns to position and closes the valve 200.

 According to a particularly judicious technological choice, the main lever, the axis A and the length of the main lever 410, the length of the link 210 connecting one end of said main lever 410 to said drawer 220 of the valve 200 are arranged relative to the means of triggering of the spark 500 so that the passage of gas is controlled before the main lever 410 comes into contact and actuates the means 500 for purposes of triggering the spark.

 In fact, as illustrated in the drawing in FIG. 5, the main lever 410 is not in direct contact with the auxiliary lever 510. Consequently, the drawer 200 is pulled enough to let the gas pass before the production means 500 of a spark is not actuated at the end of the lever 410 travel. This characteristic is particularly advantageous in that it makes it possible to have gas at the outlet of the gas burner 100 when the spark is produced. The offset created

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 between the opening of the gas and the triggering of the spark avoids the production of unnecessary sparks while the gas reaches the mouth of the gas burner, circumstances which may occur in the event that the spark and the arrival of gases are produced are controlled simultaneously.

 Thus, according to the preferred embodiment illustrated, this offset is produced by the free angular space present on the first part of the rotational travel of the main lever 410 during which the drawer 220 is pulled and that said lever 410 is not yet in contact with the spark trigger.

 The use of a piezoelectric device also has the advantage that once the auxiliary lever 510 set in motion, the latter produces a certain number of sparks during its travel but does not produce any more once it reaches the end of race. This last characteristic is linked to the crystals which produce sparks only when they are subjected to physical stress linked to movement.

 Thus, once the sparks necessary for lighting the burner 100 have been produced, the auxiliary lever 510 can be maintained in the end-of-travel position without creating unnecessary sparks and without wearing out the crystals.

 This characteristic comes in line with the concept of the invention in that it allows the maintenance of the action of the user on the control device D while the burner is lit which constitutes a sine qua none condition in the safety and / or gas saving device.

 Always to respect this concept, the relaxation of the action of the user causes a return to the position of the drawer 220 under the action of the spring 230. This movement in translation of the drawer 220 causes the return of the lever 410 by a movement in translation

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 in the opposite direction to that indicated by the arrow F. Also, when the user no longer operates the device D, the latter cuts off the gas supply thus meeting the economy and safety criteria that the applicant has set for himself for the design of this device D.

 So that the return to position of the lever 410 is not completely implemented by the sole spring of the valve 200, the lever is advantageously equipped at its axis A of rotation with a torsion spring 430 ensuring its return to the position initial. This spring 430 also has the function of creating a reaction to the action of the user on the lever 410, a reaction which constitutes a benchmark in the triggering of the device D for the user.

 In order to leave a certain angular freedom in maintaining the action of the user on the main lever 410, the link 210 connecting one end of the main lever 410 to the drawer 220 controlling the valve 200 is elastic. It is here, according to a preferred embodiment, produced by means of a spring 210. Also, when the action of the user slightly relaxes this relaxation is not directly transmitted to the drawer 220 which always lets the gas pass .

 The embodiment incorporating a contactor has the advantage of not requiring the consequent effort required for the actuation of the piezoelectric device, the stopping of the production of sparks being achieved by a slight relaxation of the main lever.

 According to the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1, the device D further comprises an electrode 520 equipped with a fixing means 521 at the end of the burner 100 and at least one electrical conductor 530 binding it to the triggering means spark 500.

 The applicant has in fact imagined a ready-to-mount device capable of adapting to already existing gas burner installations. This device D is

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- un moyen de branchement d'une conduite de gaz 600, une conduite de gaz 700 liant la conduite de gaz d'alimentation et le brûleur 100, un fil conducteur électrique 530 liant le moyen de commande 500 de déclenchement de l'étincelle à une électrode munie 520 d'un moyen de fixation au brûleur 100. remarkable in that it comprises the following elements: a means 200 for controlling the arrival of gas and triggering 500 of a spark,

a means of connection of a gas line 600, a gas line 700 connecting the supply gas line and the burner 100, an electric conductive wire 530 linking the control means 500 for triggering the spark to a electrode provided 520 with a means of attachment to the burner 100.

 As illustrated in the drawing of FIG. 4, the device of the invention D is in the form of a pedal constituted by the main lever 410 which pivots relative to a housing constituted by the yoke 420. This housing has zones connection for gas inlet and outlet lines. This housing 420 also has orifices at the level of lateral pastes allowing it to be fixed to any support.

 It is understood that the control device of a gas burner, which has just been described and shown above, has been for the purpose of disclosure rather than limitation. Of course, various arrangements, modifications and improvements could be made to the above example, without going beyond the ambit of the invention as defined in the claims.

 Thus, for example, and as illustrated in the drawing in FIG. 2, the means for producing the sparks could be produced by an electrical device, the triggering of which will also be offset with respect to the opening of the gas in accordance with the invention.

 Similarly, according to the burner model on which the device D will be installed, the electrode 520 will be equipped with a means enabling it to produce the mass and to facilitate the creation of the spark.

Claims (10)

1. Control device (D) for lighting and extinguishing a gas burner (100), of the type comprising that comprising a valve (200) and a control means (400) for said valve (200) which is inserted between the burner (100) and a gas source (300), CHARACTERIZED BY THE FACT THAT the control means (400) consists of a main lever (410) arranged so that the action of the user on the lever (410) triggers the opening of the valve (200) and the creation of at least one spark at the burner (100), the relaxation of the action of the user on the lever (410) triggering the closing of the valve (200).  2. Device (D) according to claim 1, CHARACTERIZED BY THE FACT THAT said main lever (410) pivots at one of its ends relative to a yoke (420), the rotation of the lever (410) relative to the yoke (420) under the action of the user triggering the opening of the valve (200) and the creation of at least one spark at the burner (100) releasing the action of the user on the lever triggering the closing of the valve (200).  3. Device (D) according to claim 2, CHARACTERIZED BY THE FACT THAT said yoke (420) is preformed to receive a means for triggering (500) a spark and a means for opening and closing the valve (200 ).  4. Device (D) according to claim 1, CHARACTERIZED BY THE FACT THAT the triggering means (500) of a spark is constituted by an auxiliary lever (510) of piezoelectric mechanism with which comes into contact said main lever ( 420) at the end of the stroke so that the rotation of the auxiliary lever (510) causes by means of the piezoelectric crystals the discharge necessary for the creation of a spark at the level of the outlet mouth of the burner at <Desc / Clms Page number 11>  gas (100).  5. Device (D) according to claim 1, CHARACTERIZED BY THE FACT THAT the triggering means (500) of a spark is constituted by a contactor (510) with which comes into contact said main lever (420) at the end of travel so that pressing on the contactor (510) causes by means of an electric circuit linked to a supply provided for this purpose, the discharge necessary for the creation of a spark at the burner outlet gas (100).  6. Device (D) according to claim 1, CHARACTERIZED BY THE FACT THAT the opening and closing means is constituted by a valve (200) comprising a drawer (220) whose movement causing the opening of the valve (200 ) is produced by a link (210) with one end of the main lever (410) and the movement of which causing the valve (200) to close is produced by a spring (230).  7. Device (D) according to claims 1, 4 and 5, CHARACTERIZED BY THE FACT THAT the main lever (410) is disposed relative to the triggering means of a spark (500) so that the passage of the gas is controlled before the main lever (410) comes into contact and actuates said means (500) for purposes of triggering the spark.  8. Device (D) according to claims 5 and 6, CHARACTERIZED BY THE FACT THAT the link connecting one end of the main lever (410) to the slide (220) controlling the valve (200) is elastic.  9. Device (D) according to claim 1, CHARACTERIZED BY THE FACT THAT it comprises an electrode (520) equipped with a fixing means (521) at the end of the burner (100) and at least one conductor electric (530) binding it by means of triggering the spark (500).  10. Device (D) according to claim 1, CHARACTERIZED BY THE FACT THAT it comprises the elements <Desc / Clms Page number 12>  following: - a means (200) for controlling the gas supply and triggering a spark, - a means for connecting a gas pipe (600), - a gas pipe (700) connecting the pipe supply gas (600) and the burner (100), - an electric conductor wire (530) connecting the spark trigger control means (500) to an electrode (520) fixed to the burner (100).