Piezoelectric burner igniters and systems

Claim 2

An igniter comprising an open electrical circuit having a spark gap and piezoelectric means deformable upon impact to produce a spark in the gap, a housing having a piston chamber with opposite ends, a piston housed in the chamber and linearly movable between an armed position at one of said ends and another position in the chamber, hammer means fixed to and movable with the piston, means biasing the piston toward said one of said ends, and releasable detent means retaining said piston at said armed position; said piezoelectric means having an anvil aligned for impact with the hammer means at the other position for the piston, and said housing having a passageway communicating with the chamber at said one of said ends for admitting pressurized fluid thereto to thereby drive said piston from said armed position to said other position.

Claim 3

An igniter in accord with claim 1 where said detent means is mounted on and movable with said piston.

Claim 4

An igniter in accord with claim 2 where said housing has an internal wall that defines said chamber, and where said detent means is engageable with a recess in said wall at said armed position.

Claim 5

An igniter in accord with claim 3 where said piston has a bore extending transversely to the path of linear movement of the piston, and where said detent means comprises compression spring means housed in said bore, and an element biased by said compression spring into engagement with said recess at the armed position for the piston.

Claim 6

An igniter in accord with claim 2 where said housing has an internal wall that defines said chamber, and where said igniter further comprises seal means slidably engaging said wall and mounted on and movable with the piston.

Claim 7

An igniter in accord with claim 1 where said biasing means comprises a coiled compression spring housed in the chamber at said other of said opposite ends, and where said hammer means is elongated and extends through convolutions of said coiled compression spring.

Claim 8

An igniter in accord with claim 6 where said housing has an internal wall that defines said chamber, where said detent means is mounted on and movable with said piston, where said piston has a bore extending transversely to the path of linear movement of the piston, where said detent means comprises compression spring means housed in said bore, and an element biased by said compression spring into engagement with a recess in said wall at the armed position for the piston, and where said igniter further comprises seal means engaging said wall and mounted on and movable with the piston.

Claim 9

In combination an igniter in accord with claim 1, a gaseous fuel burner having a pressure regulating gas inlet orifice and a combustion chamber, a pressurized source of gaseous fuel, means forming a passageway communIcating with said inlet orifice for delivering pressurized gaseous fuel from said source to said inlet orifice, and gaseous conduit means communicating with the housing passageway and with the passageway forming means that communicates with said inlet orifice; said spark gap being located in said combustion chamber.

Claim 10

In combination an igniter in accord with claim 7, a gaseous fuel burner having a pressure regulating gas inlet orifice and a combustion chamber, a pressurized source of gaseous fuel, means forming a passageway communicating with said inlet orifice for delivering pressurized gaseous fuel from said source to said inlet orifice, and gaseous conduit means communicating with the housing passageway and with the passageway forming means that communicates with said inlet orifice; said spark gap being located in said combustion chamber.

Claim 11

An ignition system for igniting the main burner of a heating device that is supplied with fluid combustible fuel from a first pressurized fuel source comprising an igniter in accord with claim 1, an auxiliary gaseous fuel burner arranged upon ignition to ignite fuel supplied said main burner from said first pressuized fuel source, and a second pressurized source of gaseous fuel; said auxiliary gaseous fuel burner having a pressure regulating gas inlet orifice and a combustion chamber; said system further comprising means forming a passageway communicating with said inlet orifice for delivering pressurized gaseous fuel from said second pressurized source to said inlet orifice, gaseous conduit means communicating with the housing passageway and with the passageway forming means that communicates with said inlet orifice, a valve mechanism for connecting said second pressurized source with said passageway forming means, and fluid conduit means interconnecting said valve mechanism and the main burner for actuating said valve mechanism in response to pressure conditions of fuel supplied the main burner from said first source; said spark gap being located in said combustion chamber.

Claim 12

An ignition system for igniting the main burner of a heating device that is supplied with fluid combustible fuel from a first pressurized fuel source comprising an igniter in accord with claim 7, an auxiliary gaseous fuel burner arranged upon ignition to ignite fuel supplied said main burner from said first pressurized fuel source, and a second pressurized source of gaseous fuel; said auxiliary gaseous fuel burner having a pressure regulating gas inlet orifice and a combustion chamber; said system further comprising means forming a passageway communicating with said inlet orifice for delivering pressurized gaseous fuel from said second pressurized source to said inlet orifice, gaseous conduit means communicating with the housing passageway and with the passageway forming means that communicates with said inlet orifice, a valve mechanism for connecting said second pressurized source with said passageway forming means, and fluid conduit means interconnecting said valve mechanism and the main burner for actuating said valve mechanism in response to pressure conditions of fuel supplied the main burner from said first source; said spark gap being located in said combustion chamber.

Claim 13

An ignition system in accord with claim 10 where said valve mechanism includes a housing having a gas accumulating chamber that provides said second pressurized source of gaseous fuel and has opposite end walls, a gas outlet communicating with the accumulating chamber at one of said end walls and with said passageway forming means, and a gas inlet communicating with the accumulating chamber at the other of said end walls; where said system includes a third pressurized source of fuel that is connected with said gas inlet; and where said valve mechanism further includes a piston located in the accumulating chamber between said gas outlet and said gas inlet and being linearly movable between first and second positions therefor, a first valve component fixed to the piston of the Mechanism and arranged to close said gas outlet at said first position and to open said gas outlet at said second position, and a second valve component fixed to and movable with the piston of the mechanism and arranged to close said gas inlet at said second position and to open said gas inlet at said first position; said gas accumulating chamber having an internal wall and said piston of the mechanism being arranged in the gas accumulating chamber with respect to said internal wall to therein define a fluid tight compartment, and said mechanism housing having a fluid inlet communicating with said fluid tight compartment and said fluid conduit means whereby said mechanism piston is moved to said second position in response to pressure conditions of fuel supplied to the main burner from said first source.

Claim 14

An ignition system in accord with claim 12 where said first valve component is adapted and arranged to define a compartment at the gas outlet end of the accumulating chamber, where said second valve component is offset from the other of said end walls at said first position for the mechanism piston and defines a compartment at the gas inlet end of the accumulating chamber, and where said mechanism has passageway means interconnecting the respective compartments at the gas inlet and gas outlet ends of the accumulating chamber.

Claim 15

An igniter comprising an open electrical circuit having a spark gap and piezoelectric means that upon impact is deformable to generate a spark in said gap, a housing having a piston chamber with opposite ends, a piston linearly movable in the chamber between an armed position and another position and being offset from said opposite ends at its armed position to thereby define opposite end compartments in the chamber, a hammer extending through one of said compartments and being fixed to and movable with the piston, and biasing means located in said one compartment and biasing said piston toward the other of said compartments; said piezoelectric means having an anvil arranged for impact by the hammer at the other position of the piston, said housing having a fluid inlet passageway communicating with said other compartment, and a discharge orifice communicating with said other compartment and with the exterior of the housing, said igniter further comprising a valve component fixed to and movable with the piston and being arranged in said other compartment to close said fluid inlet passageway at the armed position of the piston, said piston having orifice means interconnecting said compartments for the passage of gas therebetween, said valve component being actuatable in response to a predetermined pressure differential between that in the inlet passageway and that in said one compartment to thereby admit pressurized fluid to said other compartment and forcefully move said piston toward said other position, said piston orifice being adapted to limit the passage of gas between said compartments during said forceful movement of the piston and to thereafter permit the pressure conditions in said compartments to equalize whereby said biasing means returns said piston to said armed position, and said discharge orifice being adapted to limit the passage of gas from the chamber to the exterior of the housing during said forceful movement and return of said piston and to thereafter permit said predetermined pressure differential to be established for again actuating said valve component.

Claim 16

An igniter comprising an open electrical circuit having a spark gap and piezoelectric means that upon impact is deformable to generate a spark in said gap, a housing having a piston chamber with opposite ends, a piston linearly movable in the chamber between an armed position and another position and being offset from said opposite ends at its armed position to thereby define opposite end compartments in the chamber, a hammer extending through one of said compartments and being fixed to and movable with the piston, and biasing means located in said one compartment and biasing said piston toward the other of said compartments; said piezoelectric means having an anvil arranged for impact by the hammer at the other position of the piston, said housing having a fluid inlet passageway communicating with said other compartment, and a discharge orifice communicating with said other compartment and with the exterior of the housing, said igniter further comprising a valve component fixed to and movable with the piston and being arranged in said other compartment to close said fluid inlet passageway at the armed position of the piston, said piston having orifice means interconnecting said compartments for the passage of gas therebetween, said valve component being actuatable in response to a predetermined pressure differential between that in the inlet passageway and that in said one compartment to thereby admit pressurized fluid to said other compartment and forcefully move said piston toward said other position, said piston orifice being adapted to limit the passage of gas between said compartments during said forceful movement of the piston and to thereafter permit the pressure conditions in said compartments to equalize whereby said biasing means returns said piston to said armed position, and said discharge orifice being adapted to limit the passage of gas from the chamber to the exterior of the housing during said forceful movement and return of said piston and to thereafter permit said predetermined pressure differential to be established for again actuating said valve component.

Claim 17

An igniter in accord with claim 14 where said housing has an internal wall that defines said chamber, and where said igniter further comprises seal means engaging said wall and mounted on and movable with said piston.

Claim 18

An igniter in accord with claim 14 where said biasing means comprises a coiled compression spring, and where said hammer is elongated and extends through convolutions of said coiled compression spring.

Claim 19

An igniter in accord with claim 15 where said biasing means comprises a coiled compression spring, and where said hammer is elongateD and extends through convolutions of said coiled compression spring.

Claim 20

In combination an igniter in accord with claim 14, a gaseous fuel burner having a pressure regulating gas inlet orifice and a combustion chamber, a pressurized source of gaseous fuel, means forming a passageway communicating with said gas inlet orifice for delivering pressurized gaseous fuel from said source to said inlet orifice, and gaseous conduit means communicating with said fluid inlet passageway and with the passageway forming means that communicates with said gas inlet orifice; said spark gap being located in said combustion chamber.

Claim 21

In combination an igniter in accord with claim 17, a gaseous fuel burner having a pressure regulating gas inlet orifice and a combustion chamber, a pressurized source of gaseous fuel, means forming a passageway communicating with said gas inlet orifice for delivering pressurized gaseous fuel from said source to said inlet orifice, and gaseous conduit means communicating with said fluid inlet passageway and with the passageway forming means that communicates with said gas inlet orifice; said spark gap being located in said combustion chamber.

Claim 22

An ignition system for igniting the main burner of a heating device that is supplied with fluid combustible fuel from a first pressurized fuel source comprising, an igniter in accord with claim 14, an auxiliary gas fuel burner arranged upon ignition to ignite fuel supplied said main burner from said first source, and a second pressurized source of gaseous fuel; said auxiliary burner hacing a pressure regulating gas inlet orifice and a combustion chamber; said system further comprising means forming a passageway communicating with said gas inlet orifice for delivering pressurized gaseous fuel from said second source to said gas inlet orifice, gaseous conduit means communicating with said fluid inlet passageway and with the passageway forming means that communicates with said gas inlet orifice, a valve mechanism for connecting said second pressurized source with said passageway forming means, and fluid conduit means interconnecting said valve mechanism and the main burner for actuating said valve mechanism in response to pressurized conditions of fuel supplied the main burner from said first source; said spark gap being located in said combustion chamber.

Claim 23

An ignition system for igniting the main burner of a heating device that is supplied with fluid combustible fuel from a first pressurized fuel source comprising, an igniter in accord with claim 17, an auxiliary gas fuel burner arranged upon ignition to ignite fuel supplied said main burner from said first source, and a second pressurized source of gaseous fuel; said auxiliary burner having a pressure regulating gas inlet orifice and a combustion chamber; said system further comprising means forming a passageway communicating with said gas inlet orifice for delivering pressurized gaseous fuel from said second source to said gas inlet orifice, gaseous conduit means communicating with said fluid inlet passageway and with the passageway forming means that communicates with said gas inlet orifice, a valve mechanism for connecting said second pressurized source with said passageway forming means, and fluid conduit means interconnecting said valve mechanism and the main burner for actuating said valve mechanism in response to pressurized conditions of fuel supplied the main burner from said first source; said spark gap being located in said combustion chamber.

Claim 24

An ignition system in accord with claim 20 where said valve mechanism includes a housing having a gas accumulating chamber that provides said second pressurized source of gaseous fuel and has opposite end walls, a gas outlet communicating with the accumulating chamber at one of said end walls and with said passageway forming means, and gas inlet communicating with the accumulating chamber at the other of said end walls; where said system includes a third pressurized source of fuel that is connected with thE gas inlet and the accumulating chamber, where said valve mechanism further includes a piston located in the accumulating chamber between the gas inlet and gas outlet thereof and being linearly movable between first and second positions therefor, a first valve component fixed to the piston of the valve mechanism and arranged to close the gas outlet of the accumulating chamber at said first position and to open such gas outlet at said second position and a second valve component fixed to and movable with the piston of the mechanism and arranged to close the gas outlet at said second position and to open the gas inlet at said first position; said piston of the mechanism and said first valve component being arranged in the gas accumulating chamber to therein define a fluid tight compartment between said piston and said gas outlet, and said mechanism housing having a fluid inlet communicating with said fluid tight chamber and the fluid conduit means whereby said mechanism piston is moved to said second position in response to pressure conditions of fuel supplied to the main burner from said first source.

Claim 25

An ignition system in accord with claim 22 where the first valve component is adapted and arranged to define a compartment at the gas outlet end of the accumulating chamber, where said second valve component is offset from the other of said end walls at said first position for the mechanism piston and defines a compartment at the gas inlet end of the accumulating chamber, and where said valve mechanism has passageway means interconnecting the respective compartments at the gas inlet and gas outlet end of the accumulating chamber.

Claim 26

In a piezoelectric igniter having a hammer which is movable between an armed position and a fired position, and an open circuit with a spark gap and piezoelectric means having an anvil arranged for impact with the hammer at said fired position, the improvement comprising a housing having a chamber with a fluid inlet opening, and piston means located in the chamber and actuatable in response to pressurized fluid admitted to the chamber through said inlet opening for driving the hammer from its armed position to its fired position.

Claim 27

In a piezoelectric igniter having a hammer which is movable between an armed position and a fired position, and an open circuit with a spark gap and piezoelectric means having an anvil arranged for impact with the hammer at said fired position, the improvement comprising a housing having a chamber with a fluid inlet opening, and piston means located in the chamber and actuatable in response to pressurized fluid admitted to the chamber through said inlet opening for driving the hammer from its armed position to its fired position.

Claim 28

The improvement in accord with claim 24 further comprising means biasing the hammer toward its armed position.

Claim 29

The improvement in accord with claim 25 further comprising releasable detent means retaining the piston means at a predetermined position in the chamber and being releasable at a predetermined fluid pressure in said inlet opening.

Claim 30

In a piezoelectric igniter having a hammer which is movable between an armed position and a fired position, and an open circuit with a spark gap and piezoelectric means having an anvil arranged for impact with the hammer at said fired position, the improvement comprising a housing having a chamber with a fluid inlet opening, piston means arranged for linear reciprocating movement in the chamber and actuatable to successively drive the hammer from its armed position to its fired position in response to pressurized fluid delivered to said inlet opening, valve means movable with the piston means and arranged to close the chamber inlet opening when the hammer is at said armed position, and means biasing the valve means into said closed position.

Claim 31

In a piezoelectric igniter having a hammer which is movable between an armed position and a fired position, and an open circuit with a spark gap and piezoelectric means having an anvil arranged for impact with the hammer at said fired position, the improvement comprising a housing having a chamber with a fluid inlet opening, piston means arranged for linear reciprocating movement in the chamber and actuatable to successively drive the hammer from its armed position to its fired position in response to pressurized fluid delivered to said inlet opening, valve means movable with the piston means and arranged to close the chamber inlet opening when the hammer is at said armed position, and means biasing the valve means into said closed position.

Claim 32

The improvement in accord with claim 27 where said piston means is arranged to define separate compartments in the chamber when said valve means is in said closed position and including a first compartment for receiving pressurized fluid admitted to the chamber through said inlet, where said piston means has orifice means interconnecting said separate compartments for therebetween restricting the flow of pressurized fluid admitted to the chamber, and said housing having orifice means interconnecting the exterior of the housing and said first compartment for restricting the passage of pressurized fluid from the first compartment to said exterior.