Burner control system

Claim 2

A burner control system for use with a gas stove having at least one burner and a gas supply conduit for supplying gas to the burner, said burner control system comprising: a solenoid valve in said conduit for controlling the main flow of gas to the burner, said solenoid valve having an open position in which it permits gas flow therethrough to the burner and a second position in which it reduces gas flow therethrough the burner; sensing means for providing a first signal when a utensil is on the burner and a second signal when no utensil is on the burner; said sensing means including a switch having first and second states for providing said first and second signals, respectively, and an actuator rod extending between the burner and the switch, said switch being normally in said second state and said actuator rod being engageable and movable by a utensil on the burner to move said switch to said first state to provide said first signal; circuit means responsive to the first signal to move the solenoid valve to the open position whereby gas can be supplied to the burner and responsive to said second signal to move the solenoid valve to the second position whereby gas flow through the solenoid valve to the burner is reduced; said switch being below said burner; a shield mounted on the actuator rod for movement therewith and interposed between the switch and the burner; and mounting means located entirely beneath said shield and slidably cooperating with the actuator rod for mounting the actuator rod for movement.

Claim 3

A burner control system as defined in claim 1 including means for adjusting the effective length of the actuator rod.

Claim 4

A burner control system as defined in claim 1 including means for resiliently biasing the shield and actuator rod toward a position in which the switch is in said second state.

Claim 5

A burner control system as defined in claim 1 wherein said mounting means includes another shield for protecting the switch.

Claim 6

A burner control system as defined in claim 1 wherein said mounting means includes a centrally located bearing beneath said shield which receives the actuator rod.

Claim 7

A burner control system as defined in claim 1 wherein said circuit means includes time delay means responsive to said second signal for moving the solenoid valve to said closed position a predetermined time after the utensil is removed from the burner.

Claim 8

A burner control system as defined in claim 1 including a bypass conduit for bypassing said solenoid valve and a manually operable normally closed valve in said bypass conduit.

Claim 9

A burner control system as defined in claim 1 including means responsive to the first signal to ignite the gas at the burner.

Claim 10

A burner control system for use with a gas stove having at least one burner and a gas supply conduit for supplying gas to the burner, said burner control system comprising: a solenoid valve in said conduit for controlling the main flow of gas to the burner, said solenoid valve having an open position in which it permits gas flow therethrough to the burner and a second position in which it reduces gas flow therethrough the burner; sensing means for providing a first signal when a utensil is on the burner and a second signal when no utensil is on the burner; said sensing means including a switch having first and second states for providing said first and second signals, respectively, and an actuator rod extending between the burner and the switch, said switch being normally in said second state and said actuator rod being engageable and movable by a utensil on the burner to move said switch to said first state to provide said first signal; circuit means responsive to the first signal to move the solenoid valve to the open position whereby gas can be supplied to the burner and responsive to said second signal to move the solenoid valve to the second position whereby gas flow through the solenoid valve to the burner is reduced; said switch being below said burner; a shield assembly including a first shield interposed between the burner and the switch for shielding the switch from the burner; said actuator rod extending through said first shield and being movable with respect to the first shield to move said switch; and said shield assembly including a second shield interposed between the burner and the first shield for shielding regions of the actuator rod and the first shield.

Claim 11

A burner control system for use with a gas stove having at least one burner and a gas supply conduit for supplying gas to the burner, said burner control system comprising: a solenoid valve in said conduit for controlling the main flow of gas to the burner, said solenoid valve having an open position in which it permits gas flow therethrough to the burner and a second position in which it reduces gas flow therethrough the burner; sensing means for providing a first signal when a utensil is on the burner and a second signal when no utensil is on the burner; said sensing means including a switch having first and second states for providing said first and second signals, respectively, and an actuator rod extending between the burner and the switch, said switch being normally in said second state and said actuator rod being engageable and movable by a utensil on the burner to move said switch to said first state to provide said first signal; circuit means responsive to the first signal to move the solenoid valve to the open position whereby gas can be supplied to the burner and responsive to said second signal to move the solenoid valve to the second position whereby gas flow through the solenoid valve to the burner is reduced; said switch being below said burner; a shield assembly including a first shield interposed between the burner and the switch for shielding the switch from the burner; said actuator rod extending through said first shield and being movable with respect to the first shield to move said switch; and said shield assembly including a second shield interposed between the burner and the first shield for shielding regions of the actuator rod and the first shield.

Claim 12

A burner control system as defined in claim 9 wherein at least one of said shields is generally dome shaped.

Claim 13

A burner control system as defined in claim 9 wherein said regions of the actuator rod and the first shield include confronting sliding surfaces of the actuator rod and the first shield.

Claim 14

A burner control system as defined in claim 9 wherein the first shield includes a bearing and said actuator rod is slidably received in said bearing, said regions of the actuator rod and the first shield include cooperating sliding surfaces of the bearing and the actuator rod, and said second shield is mounted on the actuator rod for movement therewith.

Claim 15

A gas stove comprising: at least one burner; a gas supply conduit for supplying gas to the burner; a manually operable gas valve for controlling the flow of gas through the supply conduit to the burner; a solenoid valve for controlling the flow of gas to the burner, said solenoid valve having an open position in which it permits gas flow therethrough to the burner and a closed position in which it substantially prevents gas flow therethrough to the burner; sensing means for providing a first signal when a utensil is on the burner and a second signal when no utensil is on the burner; circuit means responsive to said first signal to move the solenoid valve to the open position whereby gas can be supplied to the burner and responsive to said second signal to move the solenoid valve to the closed position whereby gas flow through the solenoid valve to the burner is substantially prevented; and time delay means responsive to said second signal for moving the solenoid valve to said closed position a predetermined time after the utensil is removed from the burner.

Claim 16

A gas stove comprising: at least one burner; a gas supply conduit for supplying gas to the burner; a manually operable gas valve for controlling the flow of gas through the supply conduit to the burner; a solenoid valve for controlling the flow of gas to the burner, said solenoid valve having an open position in which it permits gas flow therethrough to the burner and a closed position in which it substantially prevents gas flow therethrough to the burner; sensing means for providing a first signal when a utensil is on the burner and a second signal when no utensil is on the burner; circuit means responsive to said first signal to move the solenoid valve to the open position whereby gas can be supplied to the burner and responsive to said second signal to move the solenoid valve to the closed position whereby gas flow through the solenoid valve to the burner is substantially prevented; and time delay means responsive to said second signal for moving the solenoid valve to said closed position a predetermined time after the utensil is removed from the burner.

Claim 17

A gas stove as defined in claim 13 including a bypass conduit for bypassing said solenoid valve and a manually operable valve in said bypass conduit.

Claim 18

A gas stove as defined in claim 13 including means responsive to the first signal to ignite the gas at the burner.

Claim 19

A gas stove as defined in claim 13 wherein said sensing means includes a switch having first and second states for providing said first and second signals, respectively, and an actuator rod extending between the burner and the switch, said switch normally is in said second state and said actuator rod is engageable and movable by a utensil on the burner to move said switch to said first state to provide said first signal.

Claim 20

A gas stove as defined in claim 13 wherein said gas supply conduit includes a pilot gas conduit coupled to receive gas from said solenoid valve and said stove includes an electric igniter coupled to said pilot gas conduit and means responsive to said first signal for operating said electric igniter.

Claim 21

A burner control system for use with a gas stove having at least one burner and a gas supply conduit for supplying gas to the burner, said burner control system comprising: a solenoid valve in said conduit for controlling the main flow of gas to the burner, said solenoid valve having an open position in which it permits gas flow therethrough to the burner and a second position in which it reduces gas flow therethrough the burner; sensing means for providing a first signal when a utensil is on the burner and a second signal when no utensil is on the burner; said sensing means including a switch having first and second states for providing said first and second signals, respectively, and an actuator rod extending between the burner and the switch, said switch being normally in said second state and said actuator rod being engageable and movable by a utensil on the burner to move said switch to said first state to provide said first signal; circuit means responsive to the first signal to move the solenoid valve to the open position whereby gas can be supplied to the burner and responsive to said second signal to move the solenoid valve to the second position whereby gas flow through the solenoid valve to the burner is reduced; and said circuit means including time delay means responsive to said second signal for moving the solenoid valve to said second position a predetermined time after the utensil is removed from the burner.

Claim 22

A burner control system for use with a gas stove having at least one burner and a gas supply conduit for supplying gas to the burner, said burner control system comprising: a solenoid valve in said conduit for controlling the main flow of gas to the burner, said solenoid valve having an open position in which it permits gas flow therethrough to the burner and a second position in which it reduces gas flow therethrough the burner; sensing means for providing a first signal when a utensil is on the burner and a second signal when no utensil is on the burner; said sensing means including a switch having first and second states for providing said first and second signals, respectively, and an actuator rod extending between the burner and the switch, said switch being normally in said second state and said actuator rod being engageable and movable by a utensil on the burner to move said switch to said first state to provide said first signal; circuit means responsive to the first signal to move the solenoid valve to the open position whereby gas can be supplied to the burner and responsive to said second signal to move the solenoid valve to the second position whereby gas flow through the solenoid valve to the burner is reduced; and said circuit means including time delay means responsive to said second signal for moving the solenoid valve to said second position a predetermined time after the utensil is removed from the burner.