Patent ID: 9080769
Filing Date: 2015-07-14
Classification: F23N,F24H

Abstract:
1. An apparatus for indicating the presence of flame in a gas appliance, comprising: a voltage measuring circuit having first and second connectors configured to be coupled to a thermocouple that generates a voltage from a gas pilot flame that receives gas from a gas valve, the voltage measuring circuit being configured to provide an output indicative of a magnitude of the voltage generated by the thermocouple; a light emitting device; a controller coupled to the voltage measuring circuit and the light emitting device, the controller being configured to controllably switch the light emitting device on and off in a flashing manner at a frequency based on the output indicative of the magnitude of the voltage generated by the thermocouple, to thereby generate a flash rate corresponding to the magnitude of the voltage generated by the thermocouple; wherein the flash rate increases as the magnitude of the voltage increases, to thereby provide an indication of when the voltage magnitude is sufficient to cause a valve operator to hold the gas valve open; and a battery; wherein the controller and light emitting device are operably powered by the battery only; the apparatus being operable in connection with the thermocouple without the apparatus controlling operation of a circuit in which the thermocouple generates the voltage for operation of the valve operator such that the voltage from the thermocouple will provide for operation of the valve operator to hold the pilot valve open even if the battery has a voltage output that is too low to operate the apparatus.