JP2002213744A - Piezoelectric ignition equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide piezoelectric ignition equipment, in which an ignition operation of a gas burner can be safely performed. SOLUTION: The piezoelectric ignition equipment is provided with a piezoelectric element 16 for gas burner ignition, a hammer 18 for giving impact on the piezoelectric element 16, and a spring 20 for pressing the hammer 18 to the piezoelectric element 16. An ignition operation member 26 is provided to a knob shaft 24 for ignition operation to a gas burner 46. The member 26 separates the hammer 18 against the urging force of the spring 20 from the piezoelectric element 16. The hammer 18 is provided with a guide 32, which inhibits release from locking of a pawl 30 provided at the tip end of the ignition operation member 26, at the time when the shaft 24 is press-turned.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a piezoelectric igniter used for gas appliances and the like, and more particularly to a piezoelectric igniter for igniting a gas burner by hitting a piezoelectric element with a hammer.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in gas appliances such as water heaters, table stoves, and heaters, this type of piezoelectric ignition device is generally used for igniting a gas burner. In this piezoelectric ignition device, a hammer is used to strike a piezoelectric element to generate a spark discharge between an ignition plug provided near a burner and a burner to perform ignition.

[0003] A schematic configuration of a conventional and generally known piezoelectric ignition device will be described with reference to FIGS. The illustrated piezoelectric igniter 60 is of a so-called push-in type, and includes a frame plate 62.
A piezoelectric element 66, a hammer 68 for hitting the piezoelectric element, and a hammer urging spring 70 for urging the hammer toward the piezoelectric element are coaxially arranged in the same plane.

[0004] A shaft (knob shaft) 74 of a gas ignition operating knob 72 is inserted into a bracket 64 attached to the frame plate 62 so as to be able to move forward and backward in the direction of arrow A and to be rotatable in the direction of arrow B. An ignition actuating member 76 is attached to the tip of the knob shaft 74 to separate the hammer 68 from the piezoelectric element 66 against the urging force of the hammer urging spring 70. An ignition operating member biasing spring 78 that presses the ignition operating member 76 against the frame plate 62 in an abutting state is provided on the knob shaft 74.

In using the piezoelectric ignition device 60, the ignition operation knob 72 is pushed in the direction of arrow A in the figure to open a gas plug (not shown), and then the ignition operation knob 72 is moved in the direction of arrow B. By turning the hammer 6 by the ignition operating member 76 provided on the ignition operation knob shaft 74.
8 is pushed down and the ignition operating member 76 is pushed by a predetermined rotation angle, the engagement relationship with the hammer 68 is released, and the hammer 68 collides with the piezoelectric element 66 by the urging force of the hammer urging spring 70, and the gas burner Is performed.

[0006]

However, in the conventional piezoelectric igniter constructed as described above, the pressing force of the user is weakened before the ignition operating member is sufficiently pushed to the predetermined rotation angle during the ignition operation. If it turns, the ignition operating member moves toward the front side in FIG. 4 (b) and comes off the hammer, and the hammer hits the piezoelectric element without reaching the predetermined stroke.

The problem to be solved by the present invention is that the ignition operating member does not accidentally come off the hammer even if the pressing force when the user pushes and turns the ignition operation knob during the ignition operation of the gas burner is loosened. An object of the present invention is to provide a piezoelectric ignition device that prevents an ignition operation of a gas burner from being performed in an incomplete state.

[0008]

In order to solve this problem, a piezoelectric igniter according to the present invention comprises a piezoelectric element for igniting a gas burner, a hammer for applying an impact force to the piezoelectric element, and a hammer directed toward the piezoelectric element. A hammer biasing member for pressing and biasing, and an ignition operating member for separating the hammer from the piezoelectric element against a biasing force of the hammer biasing member is provided on an ignition operation knob shaft of the gas burner; The gist of the present invention is that a guide mechanism for preventing engagement and disengagement of the ignition operating member when the ignition operation knob shaft is pushed is provided.

According to the piezoelectric ignition device having the above configuration,
When the gas burner is ignited, the ignition operation knob shaft is pushed around, the hammer is separated from the piezoelectric element by the ignition operating member, and when the hammer is rotated by a predetermined rotation angle, the engagement relationship between the ignition operating member and the hammer is released, and the hammer is released. The hammer collides against the piezoelectric element by the urging force of the urging member, and the burner is ignited. At this time, the ignition operating member is provided on the hammer even if the pushing force of the ignition operation knob shaft by the user is loosened. The engagement relationship with the hammer is maintained by the guide mechanism, and the engagement relationship with the hammer is prevented from being inadvertently released and disengaged from the hammer before the predetermined rotation angle is rotated. Therefore, since the user does not hear the hammer sound, it is not mistaken that the ignition operation has ended, and the ignition operation of the burner is reliably performed.

[0010]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings. 1 (a) (b) (c)
FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing the main parts of a piezoelectric ignition device according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is an external perspective view showing the overall configuration of the piezoelectric ignition device. FIG. 3 is a piezoelectric ignition device including its gas safety valve mechanism. FIG. 2 shows a sectional view of the device.

As shown in these figures, a piezoelectric ignition device 10 according to the present embodiment includes a bracket 14 mounted on a frame plate 12 and a piezoelectric element 16 for generating a high voltage by a mechanical impact force. A solid rod-shaped hammer 18 for applying an impact force to the piezoelectric element 16 is coaxially arranged in the same plane, and a hammer urging spring 20 for urging the piezoelectric element 16 is engaged with the hammer 18. ing.

On the other hand, a shaft (knob shaft) 24 of a gas ignition operating knob 22 is freely inserted into the frame plate 12 so as to be able to advance and retreat in the direction of arrow A and to be rotatable in the direction of arrow B. The tip of the knob shaft 24 is attached to the bracket 14
Is rotatably inserted into the shaft.

An ignition actuating member 26 for loosening the hammer 18 away from the piezoelectric element 16 against the urging force of the hammer urging spring 20 is attached to the front side of the bracket of the knob shaft 24 in a loose fit manner. Between the member and the frame plate 12, the ignition operating member 26 is attached to the bracket 14.
An ignition operating member biasing spring 28 that presses toward the surface is interposed.

An engaging claw 30 is formed at the tip of the ignition operating member 26 so as to be in contact with the end face of the hammer 18 facing the piezoelectric element 16, and the end of the hammer 18 has an ignition operating member. 26, the engaging claw 30
A guide 32 is formed, which is anchored so that it cannot be disengaged.

An electromagnetic safety valve 36 and a pilot valve 38 are provided in a valve body 34 attached to the back of the bracket 14, and gas flowing into the valve body 34 from a gas inlet 42 is The gas is introduced from the main nozzle 50 to the burner head 48 of the gas burner 46 via the electromagnetic safety valve 36 and the main burner gas conduit 44, and a part of the gas is supplied to the gas burner 4 via the pilot valve 38 and the pilot burner gas conduit 52.
6 is introduced to an ignition pilot burner 54 disposed at the same position. Note that an ignition plug 55 is arranged near the ignition pilot burner 54.

According to the piezoelectric ignition device 10 configured as described above, when the user pushes the ignition operation knob 22, the electromagnetic safety valve 36 and the pilot valve 38 are opened, and the electromagnetic safety valve 36 and the pilot valve 38 are opened through the main burner gas conduit 44. Gas burner 46
The gas is supplied to the burner head 48 and the gas is supplied to the ignition pilot burner 54 via the pilot burner gas conduit 52. Then, the engaging claw 30 of the ignition operating member 26 is moved into the guide 32 of the hammer 18 in the guide 32 of the hammer 18. And starts pushing down the hammer 18 against the urging force of the hammer urging spring 20.

The knob shaft 2 of the ignition operation knob 22
Since the engaging claw 30 of the ignition operating member 26 is disengaged from the hammer 18 when the 4 is rotated by a predetermined angle, the hammer 18 collides against the piezoelectric element 16 by the hammer biasing spring 20, and
A spark is generated between the ignition plug 55 and the pilot burner 54, and the gas burner 46 is ignited.

During this operation, the ignition operating member 2
6 is fitted in the guide 32 of the hammer 18, so that the pressing force when the user pushes and turns the ignition operation knob 22 is inadvertently reduced even if the pressing force is reduced.
8 does not come off the guide 32. Therefore, since the user does not hear the hammer sound, it is not mistaken that the ignition operation has been completed, and the ignition operation of the burner is surely performed.

When the ignition operation is completed and the user turns the ignition operation knob 22 in the reverse direction (in the direction opposite to the direction indicated by the arrow B), the ignition operation member 22 is reduced by the urging force of the ignition operation member urging spring 28. The hammer 18 is returned to the original position along the outer peripheral surface of the hammer 18 while slightly rising from the bracket 14.

The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention. For example, in the above-described embodiment, a coil spring is used as the hammer urging spring or the ignition operating member urging spring. However, a plate spring or other resilient mechanism may be used. And a return spring mechanism may be used in which the knob shaft automatically returns to the original rotation together with the ignition operating member.

[0021]

According to the piezoelectric igniter of the present invention, when the user pushes the ignition operating knob shaft at the time of igniting the gas burner, the pushing force is loosened, so that the impact force is applied to the burner ignition piezoelectric element. The hammer that gives the burner does not lose the engagement relationship with the ignition operating member during its pushing and collides with the piezoelectric element with a weak impact force and fails to ignite the burner, and the burner is reliably ignited It is.
Therefore, the inconvenience of the user having to restart the ignition operation is eliminated, and the usability in using the gas appliance is further improved.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIGS. 1 (a), 1 (b) and 1 (c) are cross-sectional views showing main parts of a piezoelectric ignition device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an external perspective view showing the entire configuration of the piezoelectric ignition device shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of a gas cock portion to which the piezoelectric ignition device is applied.

FIGS. 4 (a) and 4 (b) are cross-sectional views showing the principal parts of a conventionally known piezoelectric ignition device. DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Piezoelectric igniter 16 Piezoelectric element 18 Hammer 20 Hammer urging spring 22 Ignition operation knob 24 Knob shaft 26 Ignition actuating member 28 Ignition actuating member urging spring 30 Engagement claw 32 Guide groove 46 Gas burner 54 Ignition pilot burner 56 Ignition plug

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A gas burner ignition operation knob comprising: a gas burner ignition piezoelectric element; a hammer for applying an impact force to the piezoelectric element; and a hammer urging member for urging the hammer toward the piezoelectric element. A shaft is provided with an ignition operating member for separating the hammer from the piezoelectric element against the urging force of the hammer urging member, and the hammer engages with the ignition operating member when the ignition operating knob shaft is pushed and turned. A piezoelectric ignition device comprising a guide mechanism for preventing detachment.