RELATED APPLICATION

Benefit is claimed to India Provisional Application No. 558/CHE/2010, entitled "A SAFE GAS BURNER" by, S. P. Sumanth filed on March 3, 2010, which is herein incorporated in its entirety by reference for all purposes.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to the field of safety devices, and more particularly relates to a safety device for gas stoves.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Gas stove is the most popular cooking appliance used by ordinary families, and it brings a greater convenience for housewives in cooking. However, most gas stoves are not equipped with proper, attached safety devices. The casual negligence in use, such as going out without shutting off the gas stove, flame getting extinguished by wind without any notice, or the flame is extinguished by water or food liquid boiling over and so on, may often cause gas poisoning and sometimes even an explosion. This mishap brings not only expensive property losses, but also endangers lives.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a safety device for a gas stove. In one aspect, a gas stove includes at least one gas burner for providing a flame by burning gas supplied through a gas line, a burner knob for activating a supply of gas from the gas line to the at least one gas burner, and a safety device for shutting off the supply of the gas from the gas line to the at least one gas burner when absence of the flame is detected. The safety device includes a flame detection sensor mounted on the at least one gas burner for detecting absence of the flame, and a programmable logic circuit operatively coupled to the flame detection sensor for cutting off an electro-magnetic field when the absence of the flame is detected for a preset threshold time.

Furthermore, the safety device includes a solenoid valve mounted at the gas line and operatively coupled to the programmable logic circuit for closing the gas line when the electro-magnetic field provided to the solenoid is cut off, resulting in automatically shutting off the supply of the gas to the at least one gas burner. Moreover, the safety device may include an automatic lighter for lighting the flame when the supply of gas to the at least one gas burner is activated by the burner knob.

In another aspect, a flame failure device for a gas stove includes a flame detection sensor mounted on a gas burner of the gas stove for detecting absence of a flame when gas is being supplied to the gas burner through a gas line. The flame failure device also includes a programmable logic circuit operatively coupled to the flame detection sensor for cutting off an electromagnetic field when the absence of the flame is detected for a preset threshold time, and a solenoid valve mounted at the gas line and operatively coupled to the programmable logic circuit for closing the gas line upon cutting off the electro-magnetic field, resulting in automatically shutting off the supply of the gas to the gas burner. The flame failure device further includes a timer for triggering a signal to the programmable logic circuit when the absence of flame is detected for the preset threshold time.

Furthermore, the flame failure device includes at least one battery cell for providing power to the programmable logic circuit for generating electromagnetic field. Also, the flame failure device includes a pulse generator for providing a signal to the flame detection sensor indicative of activation of supply of gas to the gas burner, where the flame detection sensor acts as an automatic lighter for lighting the flame when the supply of gas to the gas burner is activated, and where the pulse generator generates the signal when a burner knob is turned on. Additionally, the flame failure device includes an input device for setting a time period for switching off the supply of the gas to the at least one gas burner, and a display for displaying the time period of lighting the flame by burning the gas.

Other features of the embodiments will be apparent from the accompanying drawings and from the detailed description that follows.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE ACCOMPANYING DRAWINGS

Figure 1 is a schematic diagram 100 of a gas stove with a flame failure device, according to one embodiment.

Figure 2 is a block diagram illustrating components of the flame failure device, according to one embodiment.

Figure 3 illustrates an assembly view of the gas stove with the flame failure device, according to one embodiment.

The drawings described herein are for illustration purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure in any way.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a safety device for a gas stove. The following description is merely exemplary in nature and is not intended to limit the present disclosure, applications, or uses. It should be understood that throughout the drawings, corresponding reference numerals indicate like or corresponding parts and features.

Figure 1 is a schematic diagram 100 of a gas stove 102 with a flame failure device 104, according to one embodiment. In Figure 1, the gas stove 102 includes a gas burner 106, a burner knob 108, a gas line 110 and the flame failure device 104. The gas line 110 supplies gas to the gas burner 106 for providing flame for cooking food. The amount of gas supplied to the gas burner 106 is controlled by the burner knob 108. Also, when the burner knob 108 is turned on, the flame is ignited automatically or using a manually lighter by burning the gas supplied by the gas line 110. The flame failure device 104 is a safety device fitted along the gas line 110 for automatically shutting off supply of the gas when the flame is not ignited or extinguished (e.g., due to wind, overflowing of cooking liquid, and so on), thereby preventing accidental hazards.

Figure 2 is a block diagram 200 illustrating components of the flame failure device 104, according to one embodiment The flame failure device 104 includes a flame detection sensor 202 mounted substantially around the gas burner 106. The flame failure device 104 also includes a programmable logic circuit 204 operatively coupled to the flame detection sensor 202, and a solenoid valve 206 mounted at the gas line 110 operatively coupled to the programmable logic circuit 204. Furthermore, the flame failure device 104 also includes a timer 208 coupled to the programmable logic circuit 204. Moreover, the flame failure device 104 includes a battery cell 210 and a pulse generator 212 coupled to an automatic lighter 214.

Consider that, a user of a gas stove turns the burner knob 108 to light a flame for cooking purpose. In an exemplary operation, turning of the burner knob 108 generates a signal to the pulse generator 212. Substantially simultaneously, when the burner knob 108 is turned on, the programmable logic circuit 204 provides electro-magnetic field to the solenoid valve 206 via a switch to activate the solenoid valve 206. The EMF causes the solenoid valve 206 to open the gas line 110, thus supplying gas to the gas burner 206. Accordingly, the pulse generator 212 sends a signal to the automatic lighter 214 indicating activation of the supply of gas to the gas burner 106 such that the automatic lighter 214 lights the flame by burning the gas supplied from the gas line 110.

Suppose, in case the flame is not lighted or extinguished, the flame detection sensor 202 senses absence of the flame while the gas is being supplied to the gas burner 106 via the gas line 110. In one embodiment, the flame detection sensor 202 sends a signal to the programmable logic circuit 204. Then, the programmable logic circuit 204 starts the timer 208 which counts time interval for which the flame is absent. The timer 208 triggers a signal to the programmable logic circuit 204 when the time interval becomes greater than a preset threshold time. As a result, the programmable logic circuit 204 opens a switch 216, resulting in cutting off the EMF provided to the solenoid valve 206 from an EMF source. Consequently, the solenoid valve 206 closes the opening in the gas line 110 to shut off supply of the gas to the gas burner 106. This helps avoid any accidents due to leakage of gas through the gas burner 106. The components described above are battery operated and hence the flame failure device 104 is provide with the battery cell 210 to provide power to the programmable logic circuit 204, the timer 208, the pulse generator 212 and so on.

Additionally, the flame failure device 104 includes an input device 218 such as keypad or touch screen for inputting time for which the flame should be lighted. Also, the flame failure device 104 also includes a display 220 for displaying time period set using the input device 218 and time left for automatically shutting off supply of the gas to the gas burner 106 for extinguishing the flame. When the user sets a time interval for shutting off the gas supply, the timer 208 counts the time and indicates to the programmable logic circuit 204 when the time reaches the set time interval. Accordingly, the programmable logic circuit 204 cut offs the EMF to the solenoid valve 206 and hence the supply of gas to the gas burner 106 is shut off. This feature enables the user to preset time interval for cooking food. One can envision that, the flame detection sensor 202 may be a part of the automatic lighter 214 which performs both detection of absence of flame and lighting of the flame.

Figure 3 illustrates an assembly view 300 of the gas stove 102 having the flame failure device 104, according to one embodiment. The gas burners 106 are made up of brass and include slots designed in such a way that it provides rotating flame which increases thermal efficiency. A vessel rest frame 302 is made up of mild steel and is powder coated to withstand rust and is convenient to use with combination of vessels and type of food preparation. A vessel rest tray 304 made of stainless steel is used as a protection for overspill on the gas burners 106 and thus helps in uniform burning of the gas burners 106.

A stove top glass 306 is made of toughened glass to give outer finishing to the gas stove 102. A top glass clamp 308 is made up of Gl sheet and is used to firmly hold the stove top glass 306 and the vessel rest tray 304. A rubber gasket 310 made of nitrile rubber helps in holding the stove top glass firmly. A fuel and air mixing tube 312 is made up of cast iron. The fuel air mixing tube 312 is designed to have appropriate ratio of air and fuel, thereby increasing economic efficiency of the gas burners 106. A fuel and air mixing tube clamp 314 is made of Gl sheets and is used to hold the fuel and air mixing tube 312.

A center beam 316 is made of Gl sheet and is very sturdy to hold all accessories of the gas burner 106. The automatic lighter 214 is made of ceramic to withstand high temperature. By means of operating the burner knob 108, the flame is lighted by the automatic lighter 214 as described above. The automatic lighter 214 may also act as a flame detection device for sending signal to the programmable logic circuit 204 when the flame is not ignited or extinguished. The solenoid valve 206 is made of combination of materials like copper, brass, stainless steel, and plastic. It is mounted at the gas line 110 to provide or stop supply of gas to the gas burner 106. A solenoid base 317 is made up of Aluminum and used for holding the solenoid valve 206.

The burner knob 108 is used to switch on auto ignition and to control the gas flow. A knob cover 318 is made up of GA nylon and indicates direction of ON, OFF and SIM of the burner knob 108. A stove body 320 is made up of stainless steel material and accommodates all components of the gas stove 102. A T -pipe line 322 is made of brass and is used to supply gas to left hand and right burner knobs. A gas nipple 324 is made up of brass and is used as an intermediate in supplying of gas from hose (not shown) to the gas burner 106. The gas line 110 is made up of brass and is used as an intermediate in supply of gas from the gas nipple 324 to the T pipe line 322. The flame failure device 104 is an electronic device for shutting off the gas flow when the flame is suddenly extinguished. A battery box 326 is made of GA Nylon plastic and is used to hold 1.5 volt battery cell 210. A body leg 328 is made of Nitrile rubber to support the gas stove 102 at all four corners.

It will be recognized that the above described invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics of the disclosure. Thus, it is understood that, the invention is not to be limited by the foregoing illustrative details, but it is rather to be defined by the appended claims.

We claim:

1. A gas stove comprising:
at least one gas burner for providing a flame by burning gas supplied through a gas line;
a burner knob for activating a supply of gas from the gas line to the at least one gas burner; and
a safety device for shutting off the supply of the gas from the gas line to the at least one gas burner when absence of the flame is detected; wherein the safety device comprises:
a flame detection sensor mounted on the at least one gas burner for
detecting absence of the flame while the gas is being supplied to the at least
one gas burner via the gas line;
a programmable logic circuit operatively coupled to the flame detection
sensor for cutting off an electro-magnetic field when the absence of the flame
is detected for a preset threshold time; and
a solenoid valve mounted at the gas line and operatively coupled to the
programmable logic circuit for closing the gas line when the electro-magnetic
field provided to the solenoid is cut off, resulting in automatically shutting off
the supply of the gas to the at least one gas burner.

2. The gas stove of claim 1, further comprising:
an automatic lighter for lighting the flame when the supply of gas to the at least one gas burner is activated by the burner knob.

3. The gas stove of claim 1, wherein the safety device comprises:
a timer for triggering a signal to the programmable logic circuit when the absence of flame is detected for the preset threshold time.

4. The gas stove of claim 1, wherein the safety device comprises:
at least one battery cell for providing power to the programmable logic circuit for operating the solenoid valve.

5. The gas stove of claim 1, wherein the safety device comprises:
a pulse generator for providing a signal to the automatic lighter indicative of activation of supply of gas to the at least one gas burner, wherein the pulse generator provides the signal when the burner knob is turned on.

6. The gas stove of claim 1, wherein the programmable logic circuit activates the solenoid valve via an electro-magnetic field to supply the gas from the gas line to the at least one gas burner when the burner knob is turned on.

7. The gas stove of claim 1, wherein the at least one burner provides a rotating flame by burning the gas supplied through the gas line.

8. A flame failure device for a gas stove, comprising:
a flame detection sensor mounted on a gas burner of the gas stove for detecting absence of a flame when gas is being supplied to the gas burner through a gas line;
a programmable logic circuit operatively coupled to the flame detection sensor for cutting off an electro-magnetic field when the absence of the flame is detected for a preset threshold time; and
a solenoid valve mounted at the gas line and operatively coupled to the programmable logic circuit for closing the gas line upon cutting off the electromagnetic field, resulting in automatically shutting off the supply of the gas to the gas burner.

9. The device of claim 8, further comprising:
a timer for triggering a signal to the programmable logic circuit when the absence of flame is detected for the preset threshold time.

10. The device of claim 9, further comprising:
at least one battery cell for providing power to the programmable logic circuit for generating electro-magnetic field.

11. The device of claim 10, further comprising:
a pulse generator for providing a signal to the flame detection sensor indicative of activation of supply of gas to the gas burner, wherein the flame detection sensor acts as an automatic lighter for lighting the flame when the supply of gas to the gas burner is activated, and wherein the pulse generator generates the signal when a burner knob is turned on.

12. The device of claim 8, further comprising:
an input device for setting a time period for switching off the supply of the gas to the at least one gas burner; and
a display for displaying the time period of lighting the flame by burning the gas.

13. The device of claim 11, wherein the programmable logic circuit activates the solenoid valve via an electro-magnetic field to supply the gas from the gas line to the at least one gas burner when the burner knob is turned on.