DEVICE FOR THE INFLOW CONTROL OF GAS, STEAM OR OTHER FLUIDS

Abstract: There is described a device, in various embodiments, for the control of fluid flow to various user points, for example for the conrol of gas-flow to a gas-stove or of the steam flow to an iron, said device comprising transmission means (28, 36; 50, 52) that are connected at one end to the shutter of a valve (22) controlling the fluid flow and at the other end to a motor (46), said motor (46) changing the position of valve (22) and consequently its opening amount.

Description: DEVICE FOR THE INFLOW CONTROL OF GAS, STEAM OR OTHER FLUIDS. The present invention relates to a device for the control of gas, steam or other fluids inflow to gas- stoves, irons and the like, respectively. It is known that at present the control of gas flow to the burners of a stove is obtained by means of suitable knobs, one per each burner, each acting onto the moving element, or shutter, of the valve controlling the amount of gas sent to the burner to which the knob is associated. The use of control knobs has many draw-backs that can absolutely not be considered to be negligible, as an improper use thereof can be cause of serious dangers for the user. A first out standing draw-back of the control knobs or taps stems from the fact that they are always arranged inside the kitchen, thereby being easily subject to becoming dirty and, consequently, unless they are frequently cleaned, to becoming difficult to operate. The adjustment of the flame of one or more burners can therefore become difficult and inaccurate. A further draw-back arising from the use of the control knobs resides in the difficulty of cleaning them, said draw-back being enhanced in that said operation, as is known, is to be carried out frequently. A further draw-back of conventional stoves is the non-negligible space taken by the knobs, that are usually arranged in the front part of the appliance. The object of the present invention, which has now been conceived, is a device for the control of gas flow to a burner of a stove which allows all the above- mentioned draw-backs to be overcome. A major object of the present invention is therefore to provide a device that allows the gas flow to a burner of a stove to be controlled while completely eliminating the use of the conventional knob. A further object of the present invention is to provide a device by means of which the member with which the setting of gas delivery to the burner is controlled can be arranged in whatever place, even removed from the stove, for example in the front part of the suction hood. A further, non-negligible object of the present invention is to provide a control device that, duly scaled-down, can be installed in a tightly closed room, thereby preventing it from becoming soiled like the conventional knobs. A further object of the present invention is to provide a device that can be advantageously applied also to irons, thereby completely eliminating the use of the conventional control knob for the steam flow-rate through the properly provided hu idification nozzle, thereby eliminating the draw-backs that stem therefrom. The features and advantages of the device according to the present invention will be evident from the following detailed description of various, non- limiting embodiments thereof, with reference to the enclosed drawing, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective, schematic view showing the device in a first embodiment thereof according to the present invention; Figures 2 to 5 are highly schematic views showing the essential elements of the device of figure 1, to better understand its operation; and Figures 6 to 8 are views of further embodiments of the subject device. With reference to various figures, 10 is a conduit for the gas supply to stove burner or the steam supply to an iron or similar user point. For the sake of simplicity, reference will be made hereinafter generally to fluids instead of particularly to gas or steam. Referring now to figure 1, said conduit 10 is sealingly connected to a nipple 12 of a supply conduit 14. Said conduit is supported through a bridge-shaped member IS by a part 18 of a support framework of the device. In the upper part of the bridge-shaped element 16 an electrically controlled valve 20 is applied, said valve being connected, in any known, net shown manner, to an electric supply source. By means of said electric- control valve a suitable cut-off member of known type provided in conduit 14 is driven, said cut-off member being suitable to close said conduit and prevent the fluid from flowing through, or to be brought to a second position in which conduit 14 is opened and the fluid ear- freely flow to user point. With 22 there is indicated the outer body assembly of a fluid inflow control valve. Said valve, of known type, is suited to allow the fluid to flow to a fluid inflow conduit 24, one end of which goes to the user point. The other end of conduit 24 is sealingly secured to one piece fitting 26, or is integrally formed with the valve body 22. Said valve, known per se and therefore not shown in detail, comprises a rotary shutter member by means of which there can be set the flow of fluid from the supply source, not shown, in the direction of arrow F, said fluid being delivered to the user point, not shown, in the direction of arrow G. After the electric-control valve 20 has be activated, thereby opening the supply conduit 14, t fluid flow-rate to the user point is adjusted changing the position of said rotary shutter between first position in which the free cross-section, and t amount of fluid sent to the user point as well, lowest, to an essentially intermediate position in whi the free cross-section, as well as the amount of flu delivered to the user point, is largest, and, finally preset end position in which the free cress-section again smallest. According to the invention, said rotar shutter of valve 21 is rotated by means of transmissio means that, in the case of figure 1, consists of control rod and an end of which is integrally connecte to the end of ste 30 of the rotary shutter, whic projects outside of valve body 22. In greater detail the end of control red 28 consists of an essentiall ring-shaped body which is fittingly sicured, in an known way, to the end of said stem 30 of valve 22. Also in figure 1, it can be seen that th control rod 28 is provided with a plurality of holes 3 that allow it to be connected in different positions t the end of a spindle or handle 36. The end 38 of handl 36 is in fact bent in an L-shape so that it can b easily inserted in one of the holes 34 of control ro 28. This possibility of changing the connection o handle 36 to the control rod 28 will be explaine hereinafter. The other end of handle 36 is connecte through a hinge 40 in eccentric position to a plate 42 said plate 42 being fitted on shaft 44 of actuatio means consisting of an electric driver motor 46, th stator of which is secured to a further part 48 of th support framework of the device according to the invention. Referring now also to figures 2 to 5, the operation of the device will be briefly described. When the driving motor 46 is turned on. plate 42 is rotated as well, and hinge* 40 is rotated in turn around the longitudinal axis of shaft 44 of motor 46. Accordingly, due to the motion transmitted through handle 36 the control rod 28 steadily swings between two positions, each corresponding to the flow of a minimum amount of fluid to the user point. whilst an intermediate position between above-mentioned ones the fluid flow-rate is maximum. The s-ringing amplitude of control rod 28 can be set by connecting the end 38 of handle 36 in a hole 34 of control rod 28 rather than in another one. This is dene because, by changing the swinging amplitude of control rod 28 its swinging speed between the two above-mentioned end positions is changed as well. This is necessary to adapt the device to the various kinds of users and, especially, to the various kinds of fluids used, such as, for example, town gas, methane gas and the like, when the user point is a gas stove. In fact, the opening and closing mode of valve 22 must be suitably adapted according to said parameters. As can be seen in particular from figures 2 to 5, the most remarkable positions taken by hinge 40 of handle 36 are four that are shown in the order, at 40A, 40B, 40C and 40D. When hinge 40 passes from position 40A to position 40B, the amount of fluid that can flow through is changed from a minimum amount ( position 40A) to a medium amount (position 40B) . This is due to the fact that control rod 28 is moved, in a clock-wise rotation, from the position of figure 2 to the position of figure 3. With further rotation of plate 42, hinge 40 is moved from position 40B to position 40C in which the fluid delivery is maximum as control rod 28, with a further clockwise rotation, has been brought from the position of figure 3 to the position of figure 4. The control rod positions shown in figures 2 and 4 are therefore the terminal position between which said rod swings because, with a further rotation of plate 42, hinge 40 will be brought from the position of figure 4, that is position 40C, to the position of figure 5, that is position 40D, thereby reducing the fluid delivery frcm the maximum flow-rate (position 40C) to the medium flow-rate (position 40D) . The control rod 28 in this case will carry out an anticlockwise rotation, thereby being finally brought again to position 40A of figure 2 in which the flow-rate of delivered fluid is at a minimum. From the above it is clear that the device according to the embodiment of figure 1 is simple both from the manufacturing and the operating point cf view. For example, by means cf a first on-off switch the excitation of the electrical control valve 20 can be controlled, thereby controlling the opening cf the supply conduit 14. After performing this operation, motor 46 can be actuated, for example by means of a switching knob to be pressed until the control rod 28 has been brought to the desired position, corresponding to the pre-εεt position of the rotary shutter of the control valve 22. Any further modification of the fluid flow- rate can be simply achieved by pushing again onto motor switching knob to further change the position of control rod 28. It is clear that, in the case of a gas-stove, the burner flame can be lit in any known way, for example by means of a piezoelectric lighter, whilst in the case of an iron steam is produced in a known way in a kettle in the iron casing. Referring now to figures 6, 7 and 8, like parts in the three embodiments will be indicated with the same reference numerals used in the embodiment of figure 1. The conduit 10 for fluid inflow, as indicated by arrow F, is connected to the electrical control valve 20 that controls the cut-off member, of a known type, that ±~ arranged in the supply conduit 14 and suited tc close said conduit, to prevent the fluid from flowing through, and tc be brought to a second position in which said conduit 14 is opened and fluid can freely flow tc the user point, said user point being a gas-stove or an iron, through inflow conduit 24, as indicated by arrow Within said conduit 24 operates the fluid- inflow control valve, the external body assembly cf which is indicated by numeral 22. The electric driving motor 46 is connected to the control valve through the transmission means that, in this case, consist of sprockets 50 and 52, that are coupled with one-anothεr so as to form a speed reducer. More precisely, sprocket 50 is keyed on the rotating shaft of electric motor 46 and sprocket 52, having a larger diameter, is connected to said control valve 22. In figure 6, sprocket 50 and 52 are in contact with onε-anothεr, like in figure 8, whilst in figure 7 they are coupled by a little chain or belt 54. The control valve 22 inside conduit 24, in the solutions of figures 6 and 7 , is of known design, and such that during its rotation by means of sprocket 52 in one sense, the fluid flow-rate passes from a minimum to a maximum, whilst in the reverse rotation of the same 8 sprocket 52 it passes from a maximum to a minimum of said flow-rate. To switch from the rotation in one direction to the reverse rotation, electric motor 46 is connected in 56 to a current inverter, not shown in the figures, that inverts the rotation cf sprocket 52 from one direction to the opposite one. Also in the embodiment of figure 8, the electric motor 46 is connected in 56 to a current inverter, not shown in the figure, that causes the sprocket 52 tc rotate in one direction or in the opposite one, said sprocket 52 being co'nnectεd to the control valve 22. This valve comprises a threaded ste 5S connected to a nut screw 50 that is secured inside the body cf valve 22. In this way, upon rotation of sprocket 50, 52 the threaded stem 58 is axially moved in cr.ε dirεction or in thε opposite one according to arrows A-A, depending on thε rotation direction of sprocket 52. Thε threaded ste 58 ends with a conical shuttεr 62 so that, by moving said conical part in one direction or in the opposite one thε fluid flow-rate through the inflow conduit 24 can be increased or decreased. Said axial movement of threaded stem 58 is caused by the rotation of sprocket 50 and 52 and by thε coupling of threaded stem 58 with nut screw 60, that causes the sprocket 52 to glide along sprocket 50. It ought finally to be noted that the current inversion period, and consequently the angle along which sprockets 50 and 52 more thereby causing valvε 22 to glide axially, are dimensioned so as to prevent the conical shuttεr 52 to completely close the fluid inflow from conduit 14, but only adjust it. A further embodiment, that is not shown in the drawings, might consist in keying the transmission shaft PCI7IT91/00019 of a slow speed electric motor 46 with motion invers directly onto the shuttεr of valve 22 of figures 6, and 8 without the insertion of sprockets. Frcm thε above, thε advantages arising f thε dεvicε according to thε present invention, as w as its vary high application versatility, are evident Thε advantages that can be achievεd enclo for example, thε possibility, in its application to* g stovε, of coupling thε various drivεr motors of single burners with a ti εr such as, for example, programming timer of known typε alrεady used in elect stoves, by means of which thε cooking period intensities cf a single burner can be programmed. A further remarkable advantage consists in possibility of actuating one or several gas-deliv electric-control valves with one or several dri motors by means of a remote control dεvicε of a kn typε, thereby eliminating thε need cf provid actuation switches and knobs. Especially advantageous is also the fact t the subject dεvicε εxhibits rεducεd dimensio especially in the embodiments of figures 6, 7 and 8 can therefore be adapted to small spaces, for exam within thε casing of an iron. It is finally evident that various chan and/or modifications "can be brought to thε dev according to thε present invention, whilε rεamin within thε protεction sccpε of the inventi

Claims: 10 C L A I M S 1. Devicε for thε control of gas, steam or other fluids in flow-conduit (10) to gas stoves, irons and thε likε, rispectively, charactεrizεd in that it comprises transmissions means that arε ccnnεcted at one end to thε shuttεr of a control valvε (22) , said control valve (22) being insεrtεd into the fluid inflow conduit (24) , and at thε other end to actuation means (46) , said actuation means (46) being suited to be activated and to cause said transmission means to carry cut movements of a prε-sεt amplitudε, thereby changing thε position cf said εhuttεr and, ccnsεquεntly, thε opening amount of said valvε (22) . 2. A dεvicε as claimed in claim 1, charactεrizεd in that said transmission means consists of a control rod (28) that is integrally connected at one εnd (32) to a portion (30) of said shuttεr, whilε being connected, through a handle (36) , tc a hinge (40) , said hinge (40) being eccεntric rεlativε to shaft (44) cf thε driving means, said driving means consisting of a drivεr motor (46) , said handlε (36) bεing suitεd to causε thε control rod (28) tc pεrfor oscillations cf a prε-sεt amplitudε. 3. A device as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that said handlε (36) can be connεctεd to thε control rod (28) in various positions on the latter, thereby changing the amplitude of the control red (28) oscillations. 4. A device as claimed in claim 1, charactεrizεd in that said driving means consists of a drivεr motor (46) that is coupled to a current invertεr to invert thε rotation direction of said motor, therεby changing thε position of said shutter and consequently 1 1 controlling the fluid flow from a minimum to a maximum ratε and reverse. 5. A dεvicε as claimed in claim 4, charactεrizεd in that said shutter of valvε (22) is 5 connεctεd to mεans that are suited to causε it to rotatε and, at thε same time, axially move in one direction or in the opposite one (A-A) , thεrεby controlling thε fluid flow from a minimum to a maximum rate and reverse. 6. A device as claimed in claim 5, 10 charactεrizεd in that said means suited to cause said shutter to rotatε and axially move consists cf a threaded ste (58) intεgrally connεcted to thε shuttεr and coupled tc a nut screw (60) which is secured inside thε body of valvε (22) . 15 7. A dεvicε as claimed in claim 4, ' characterized in that said transmission means consists cf sprockets (50, 52) coupled tc each other and forming a speed reducer. 8. A dεvicε as claimed in claim 4, 20 charactεrizεd in that thε motor (46) is a low-spεεd motor and its transmission shaft is dirεctly kεyεd on to thε shuttεr of valvε (22) . 9. A dεvice as claimed in the prεcεding claims, characterized in that to thε fluid inflow 25 conduit (10) in thε dεvicε an εlεctric-controllεd valve (20) for the opening and/or closing of said conduit is applied.

Inventors: GANDOLFI ARMANDO, GANDOLFI, ARMANDO
Applicants: GANDOLFI ARMANDO, GANDOLFI, ARMANDO
Application year: 1991
Main classification: F16K31
IPC codes: F16K31, F23N1, F23N3, F24C3