US20080078376A1

US20080078376A1 - Gas stove

Info

Publication number: US20080078376A1
Application number: US11/640,261
Authority: US
Inventors: Sen-Yu Wu; Ru-Sian Lai
Original assignee: Ming Feng Electronic Ind Co Ltd; Seven Universe Industrial Co Ltd
Current assignee: MING-FENG ELECTRONIC INDUSTRY Co Ltd; Ming Feng Electronic Ind Co Ltd; Seven Universe Industrial Co Ltd
Priority date: 2006-09-18
Filing date: 2006-12-18
Publication date: 2008-04-03
Also published as: TW200815711A

Abstract

A gas stove includes a stove body, a burner, a valve seat, a flow controller, a lighting device, and a temperature sensor. The character of the present invention is further provided with a control unit, which includes an operation device and a control device. The operation device includes a power switch and setting keys for set and adjustment of temperature and time, and the control device is electrically connected to the operation device, the flow controller, the lighting device and the temperature sensor to close the flow controller to stop the burner when the temperature sensor senses a temperature identical to a setting temperature and to open the flow controller and start the lighting device to make the burner burning when the temperature senses a temperature lower than the setting temperature.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a stove, and more particularly to a gas stove, which senses a change of temperature to adjust the heating condition.
2. Description of the Related Art
There are many types of gas stoves. A conventional gas stove for frying includes a stove body and a burner. The burner is connected to a pressure control valve, which is connected to a gas supply. In operation, open the gas supply, and adjust the pressure control valve to have a suitable gas output, and then light the burner by a match or a lighting device. The conventional way of light the burner is inconvenient. In addition, the conventional gas stove doesn't have a temperature sensor and an auto-stop device. It will cause danger when the temperature of the burner is too higher and there is no way to stop burning or reduce temperature automatically.
To overcome the drawback, there was a gas stove for frying, which has an easier way of lighting and an auto-stop device. The gas stove includes a stove body, a burner in the stove body, a valve seat, an electromagnetic valve, an electronic lighting device and a temperature sensor. The valve seat is mounted in the stove body, on which a chamber and an outlet are provided. The outlet is communicated with the chamber and an inlet of the burner. The electromagnetic valve is received in the chamber of the valve seat and connected to a gas supply to control a flow rate of gas. The electronic lighting device is electrically connected to the electromagnetic valve to start the electromagnetic valve up for lighting. The temperature sensor is mounted beside the burner and electrically connected to the electromagnetic valve and the electronic lighting device. The electromagnetic valve is shut down to close the gas supply when the temperature sensor senses a high temperature of the burner. This gas stove has an easier way of lighting and an auto-stop function.
Aforesaid gas stove had improved somehow. But, however, it is no necessary to keep gas supply when oil is heated by the gas stove and has a high temperature (close to a boiling temperature). In addition, it has to light the burner again when the gas is run out or other facts to cause the burner out.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The primary objective of the present invention is to provide a gas stove, which can set a temperature of heating, and stop burning and gas supply when the temperature reaches the set temperature, and auto-restart burning when the temperature is lower than the set temperature.
The present invention also provides a method of making the focusing-free microlens assembly, which has a simple process and lower cost.
According to the objectives of the present invention, a gas stove includes a stove body to support a pot thereon, a burner, which is provided in the stove body under the pot, having an inlet, a valve seat, which is provided in the stove body, having an outlet associated with the inlet of the burner, a flow controller, which is provided on the valve seat, connecting the outlet of the valve seat and a gas supply, a lighting device beside the burner, a temperature sensor having an end intruding into the pot, and a control unit, which includes an operation device and a control device. The operation device includes a power switch and setting keys for set and adjustment of temperature and time, and the control device is electrically connected to the operation device, the flow controller, the lighting device and the temperature sensor to close the flow controller to stop the burner when the temperature sensor senses a temperature identical to a setting temperature and to open the flow controller and start the lighting device to make the burner burning when the temperature senses a temperature lower than the setting temperature.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a top view of the panel on the box of the operation device of the preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a circuit diagram of the microprocessor; and

FIG. 4 is a circuit diagram of the circuit board.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

As shown in FIG. 1 to FIG. 4, a gas stove 10 of the preferred embodiment of the present invention has a stove body 12, a burner 13, a valve seat 14, a flow controller 15, a lighting device, 16 and a temperature sensor 17. The stove body may support a frying pot 18 over the burner 13. The valve seat 14 is provided between an inlet of the burner 13 and a gas supply (not shown). The flow controller 15 is provided on the valve seat 14, which is a conventional normally closed electromagnetic valve. The flow controller 15 has an out let communicated with the inlet of the burner 14 to control a flow rate of gas supply to the burner 13. The lighting device 16 is a conventional electronic lighting device mounted beside the burner 13. The temperature sensor 17 is a conventional temperature sensing thermistor electrically connected to the pot 18 to sense a temperature of the pot 18. Above elements are as same as the conventional gas stove.
The gas stove 10 of the present invention further includes a control unit 19. The control unit 19 includes an operation device 22 and a control device. The operation device 22 includes a box 26 with a panel thereon, on which a power switch 30, two temperature/time setting keys 32, 34 and several indicators 35, 36, 37, 38 for indication of temperature, time, system start and low battery. The control device includes a circuit board, a battery (not shown), a buzzer 40, and a microprocessor 42. The circuit board is received in the box 26 and electrically connected to the flow controller 15, the lighting device 16, and the temperature sensor 17. The circuit board includes a power sensing circuit 44, a switch control circuit 46, a temperature sensing circuit 48, a flow controller control circuit 50, a lighting device control circuit 52, temperature setting keys 54 and temperature, time, system start and low battery indicators control circuits 56, 58, 60, 62. The microprocessor 42 is an 8-bit microprocessor mounted on the circuit board. The microprocessor 42 has programs to memory, compare and set control values and output control values and to receive a signal from the temperature sensor 17 and to provides control signals to the flow controller 15 and the lighting device 16. The microprocessor 42 will provide a control signal to shut the flow controller 15 down when the temperature sensor 17 senses the temperature of the oil in the pot 18 reaching the setting temperature to stop burning. The microprocessor 42 will provide a control signal to start flow controller 15 up when the temperature of the oil in the pot 18 is 10° C. lower than the setting temperature to provides gas to the burner 13 again. In the meantime, the lighting device 16 will light the burner 13. The battery and the buzzer 40 are electrically connected to the circuit board 26 respectively.
In addition, the gas stove 10 further includes a flame detection device 20, which is a conventional ceramic probe, provided beside the burner 13 and electrically connected to the circuit to detect whether the lighting device 16 lights the burner 13. If the burner 13 weren't lit, the flame detection device 20 provides a signal to the microprocessor 42, and the microprocessor 42 will stop the flow controller 15 and the lighting device 16 immediately.
The temperature sensor 17 senses a temperature of oil in the pot 18 and transfers a corresponding signal to the microprocessor 42. The floe controller 15 is controlled by the microprocessor 40 to change a flow rate of gas. The lighting device 16 is controlled by the microprocessor 42 too to light the burner 13.
In operation of the gas stove 10 of the present invention, user has to turn the power switch 30 on first, and then the microprocessor 42 will control the flow controller 15 and the lighting device 16 to light the burner 13. Next, user may set the heating condition by the following procedure:
Temperature setting: An initial setting of temperature is 180° C. (the indicator 35 of 180° C. is flashing). User may press the temperature setting key 32 to a desire temperature (the indicator of the temperature will flash, and user may keep pressing the key 32 for a time, and then the gas stove will make a long beep that the temperature setting is completed.
Time setting: User presses the time setting key 34 to change a heating time (the indicator 36 of corresponding temperature is flashing), and then keeps pressing the key 34, and then the gas stove will make a long beep that the time setting is completed.
After the time and temperature settings are completed, the gas stove 10 is heating the pot according to the settings. The microprocessor 42 will shut the flow controller 15 to make the burner 13 not burned when a temperature of oil in the pot 18 reaches a setting temperature. User may put foods in the pot 18 for fry. The temperature of the oil will be lowered when the foods are put in the pot 18, and when the temperature sensor 17 senses the temperature of the oil is 10° C. lower than the setting temperature, the microprocessor 42 commands the flow controller 18 open again and the lighting device 16 lighting the burner 13 to heat the pot 18 again. The burner 13 will be stopped when the temperature of the oil in the pot 18 reaches the setting temperature and the burner 13 will burn when the temperature thereof is 10° C. lower than the setting temperature. When a setting time is up, the buzzer 40 makes a long beep to alarm user to close the power.
The gas stove 10 of the present invention provides a function for user to set time and temperature, and the gas stove will keep the setting automatically without manipulation.
The system will close the power automatically when the burner 13 is still not burned after a thirty-second's try. It will happen also when the gas stove is in fry and the burner 13 is not burned for thirty seconds.
The gas stove of the present invention is provided with a conventional security device, which may command the microprocessor stopping the flow controller and the lighting device when the stove is leaning.
When microprocessor 42 detects the temperature sensor 17 disconnected to the control unit 19 and the burner 13 is burning for a predetermined period (such as 30 seconds), the microprocessor 42 will close the power and system for safety.
The description above is a few preferred embodiments of the present invention and the equivalence of the present invention is still in the scope of the claim of the present invention.

Claims

1. A gas stove, comprising:

a stove body to support a pot thereon;

a burner, which is provided in the stove body under the pot, having an inlet;

a valve seat, which is provided in the stove body, having an outlet associated with the inlet of the burner;

a flow controller, which is provided on the valve seat, connecting the outlet of the valve seat and a gas supply;

a lighting device beside the burner;

a temperature sensor having an end intruding into the pot; and

a control unit including an operation device in the stove body and a control device, wherein the operation device includes a power switch and setting keys for set and adjustment of temperature and time, and the control device is electrically connected to the operation device, the flow controller, the lighting device and the temperature sensor to close the flow controller to stop the burner when the temperature sensor senses a temperature identical to a setting temperature and to open the flow controller and start the lighting device to make the burner burning when the temperature senses a temperature lower than the setting temperature.

2. The gas stove as defined in claim 1, wherein the gas stove is a normally closed electromagnetic valve.

3. The gas stove as defined in claim 1, wherein the control device includes a circuit board and a microprocessor, in which the circuit board is electrically connected to the operation device, the flow controller, the lighting device and the temperature sensor, and the microprocessor is provided on the circuit board with functions of memorizing, comparing and setting control values and outputting control signals and receiving signals of the temperature sensor and outputting control signals to lighting device and flow controller.

4. The gas stove as defined in claim 1, wherein the operation device includes a panel with the power switch, the setting keys, a plurality of indicators thereon.

5. The gas stove as defined in claim 1, further comprising a flame detection device beside the burner and electrically connected to the controller to make the control device stopping the flow controller and the lighting device when the burner is not lit by the lighting device.

6. The gas stove as defined in claim 5, wherein the flame detection device is a ceramic probe device.

7. The gas stove as defined in claim 3, wherein the circuit board includes a power sensing circuit, a switch control circuit, a temperature sensing circuit, a flow controller control circuit, a lighting device control circuit, temperature setting keys and control circuits of temperature, time, system start and low battery indicators.