Abstract:
An ignition control device including a controller section and a remote control section for a gas appliance (e.g., a gas stove or a gas water heater) is disclosed. A signal communication between the controller mounted on a burner of the gas appliance and the remote control section held by the hand is done by transmitting and receiving RF waves therebetween. The invention can correctly ignite the gas appliance and audibly inform a user of any ignition failures or abnormal conditions.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of Invention 
         [0002]    The invention relates to ignition controlling device of a gas appliance (e.g., a gas stove or a gas water heater), and more particularly to a device for controlling ignition of such a gas appliance by transmitting and receiving RF (radio frequency) waves between a controller section mounted on a burner of the gas appliance and a remote control section held by the hand. 
         [0003]    2. Description of Related Art 
         [0004]    Devices for controlling ignition of a gas stove (or a gas water heater) are known in the art. A controller section, as one portion of the device, is mounted on, for example, a gas stove as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 . The controller section comprises a circuit board A, a gas valve B, and a high voltage ignition controller E. On the circuit board A, there are provided a MCU (micro control unit) A 1 , a receiving module A 2  having an antenna A 21 , a switch A 3 , a buzzer A 4 , a first connector A 5  connected to the gas valve B, a second connector A 6  connected to a temperature sensing resistor C, a first ignition connector A 7 , and a DC (direct current) jack A 8  connected to a DC plug D so that external DC power can be supplied from a DC power supply A 9  to the circuit board A in operation. 
         [0005]    The ignition controller E comprises a second ignition connector E 1  connected to the first ignition connector A 7 , a transformer E 2 , an ignition control module E 3 , and a separate ignition unit E 4  having a high voltage output terminal E 41 , a ground terminal E 42 , and an ignition detection terminal E 43  all connected to circuitry of the ignition controller E. 
         [0006]    A remote control section, as the other portion of the device, is shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4 . The remote control section is implemented a rectangular body F having on its front surface a display F 2  and a keypad F 1 , on its rear surface a transmission module F 4  including an antenna F 41 , a MCU F 42 , a transmitter F 43 , and a buzzer F 44 , and a battery unit F 5  for supplying operating power to the remote control section, and a CO detector F 3  extending from a top. 
         [0007]    In operation, the remote control section is activated to send radio waves to the controller section for turning on the switch A 3 . An initial ignition coil assembly B 1  in the gas valve B is enabled to ignite. And in turn, the transformer E 2  and the ignition control module E 3  are enabled to apply a high voltage to the high voltage output terminal E 41  for igniting the gas stove. The controller section will be disabled automatically if no flame has been detected by the ignition detection terminal E 43  after one minute has elapsed. To the contrary, a master ignition coil assembly B 2  in the gas valve B is enabled to ignite the gas stove if flame has been detected by the ignition detection terminal E 43  within one minute. Thereafter, the high voltage ignition process ends successfully with the initial flame being extinguished and pressurized gas being supplied to the gas stove continuously. 
         [0008]    However, no feedback mechanism is provided in the well known ignition control device, i.e., no signal is sent back from the controller section to the remote control section in operation. Thus, the need for improvement still exists. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0009]    It is therefore one object of the invention to provide an ignition control device including a controller section and a remote control section for a gas appliance (e.g., a gas stove or a gas water heater) in which a signal communication between the controller mounted on a burner of the gas appliance and the remote control section held by the hand is done by transmitting and receiving RF waves therebetween. 
         [0010]    The above and other objects, features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description taken with the accompanying drawings. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0011]      FIG. 1  schematically depicts a controller section of a conventional gas stove (or gas water heater) ignition device; 
           [0012]      FIG. 2  is a detailed circuitry of the controller section of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0013]      FIG. 3A  is a front view of a remote control section of the conventional gas stove ignition device; 
           [0014]      FIG. 3B  is a rear view of the remote control section of the conventional gas stove ignition device; 
           [0015]      FIG. 4  is a detailed circuitry of the remote control section shown in  FIGS. 3A and 3B ; 
           [0016]      FIG. 5  schematically depicts a controller section of a gas stove (or gas water heater) ignition device according to a preferred embodiment of the invention; 
           [0017]      FIG. 6  is a detailed circuitry of the controller section of  FIG. 5 ; 
           [0018]      FIG. 7A  is a front view of a remote control section of the gas stove ignition device of  FIG. 5 ; 
           [0019]      FIG. 7B  is a rear view of the remote control section of the gas stove ignition device of  FIG. 5 ; and  FIG. 8  is a detailed circuitry of the remote control section shown in  FIGS. 7A and 7B . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0020]    Referring to  FIGS. 5 and 6 , a controller section of a gas stove (or gas water heater in the other embodiment) ignition device according to a preferred embodiment of the invention is shown. The controller section comprises a circuit board  1 , a gas valve  2 , a high voltage ignition controller  19  on the circuit board  1 , and a separate ignition unit  5 . 
         [0021]    On the circuit board  1 , there are provided a first MCU  11 , an RF (radio frequency) transceiver module  12  having an antenna  121 , a switch  13 , a buzzer  14 , a first connector  15  connected to the gas valve  2  including an initial ignition coil assembly  21  and a master ignition coil assembly  22 , two second connectors  16  connected to a low temperature sensing resistor  3  and a high temperature sensing resistor  3 A respectively, and a DC jack  18  connected to a DC plug  4  so that external DC power can be supplied from a DC power supply  110  to the circuit board  1  in operation. 
         [0022]    The ignition unit  5  comprises a high voltage output terminal  51 , a ground terminal  52 , and an ignition detection terminal  53  all connected to circuitry of the circuit board  1 . A first detector  6  for detecting concentrations of CO and CO 2  in the air, a water flow measurement module  112  (for gas water heater only), a fire controller  7 , and a fan  8  are further provided and are connected to circuitry of the circuit board  1 . The first detector  6  can send data about detected concentrations of CO and CO 2  to the controller section and the remote control section as detailed later. 
         [0023]    The initial ignition coil assembly  21  comprises an ADC (analog to digital converter), an OP AMP (operational amplifier), and a comparator and is adapted to detect an open circuit, a short circuit, and a voltage variation on a load (e.g., coil). The high voltage ignition controller  19  is adapted to convert a feedback signal sent from the ground terminal  52  into a digital form. For saving power and prolonging a useful life of the device, it is contemplated by the invention that an intermittent high voltage discharge for ignition is adopted. That is, the invention begins to detect flame at a stop time after a predetermined times of ignition. Thereafter, the invention again detects flame at another stop time after a subsequent predetermined times of ignition if no flame has been detected. Likewise, the ignition detection terminal  53  comprises an ADC, an OP AMP, and a comparator and is adapted to detect an open circuit, a short circuit, and a voltage variation on the load. 
         [0024]    Referring to  FIGS. 7A ,  7 B and  8 , a remote control section of the gas stove ignition device is shown. The remote control section is implemented a rectangular body  9  having on its front surface a display  92  and a keypad  91 , on its rear surface an RF transceiver module  94  having an antenna  941 , and a battery unit  95  for supplying operating power to the remote control section, and on a top a resistor member  93  and a second detector  96  for detecting concentrations of CO and CO 2  in the air. There is further provided a second MCU  90  connected to the display  92 , the resistor member  93 , the second detector  96 , the battery unit  95 , a buzzer  97 , the RF transceiver module  94 , and the keypad  91  respectively. 
         [0025]    In operation, the remote control section is activated to send RF waves to the controller section for turning on the switch  13 . Thereafter, the switch  13  attempts to ignite the initial ignition coil assembly  21 . An alarm is issued by the buzzer  14  and the ignition unit  5  is disabled if the initial ignition coil assembly  21  fails to ignite. 
         [0026]    The high voltage ignition controller  19  is enabled to apply a high voltage for ignition if the initial ignition coil assembly  21  successfully ignites. A feedback signal from the high voltage ignition controller  19  is detected. An alarm is issued by the buzzer  14  and the ignition unit  5  is disabled if the high voltage ignition controller  19  fails to ignite as informed by the feedback signal. 
         [0027]    Thereafter, in response to the successful operation of the high voltage ignition controller  19 , the ignition detection terminal  53  detects flame at a stop time after a predetermined times of ignition. The provision of the low temperature sensing resistor  3  and the high temperature sensing resistor  3 A aims at preventing an erroneous action of the ignition detection terminal  53  from occurring. 
         [0028]    Thereafter, the ignition detection terminal  53  again detects flame at another stop time after a subsequent predetermined times of ignition if no flame has been detected. The ignition detection terminal  53  is allowed to detect for duration of, for example, one minute. An alarm is issued by the buzzer  14  and the ignition unit  5  is disabled if the ignition detection terminal  53  still fails to detect flame after one minute. The ignition process then returns to the beginning of the ignition operation (i.e., causing the switch  13  to attempt to ignite the initial ignition coil assembly  21  again.) 
         [0029]    To the contrary, attempts to enable the master ignition coil assembly  22  are made if flame has been detected. An alarm is issued by the buzzer  14  if fails to enable the master ignition coil assembly  22 . Otherwise, the ignition process ends with the initial flame being extinguished and pressurized gas being supplied to the gas stove continuously. 
         [0030]    Both the first and second detectors  6  and  96  can issue an alarm and the gas valve  2  is forced to close if either detector has detected that concentration of CO or CO 2  in the air has exceeded a predetermined, allowable level. Note that, the provision of the water flow measurement module  112 , the fire controller  7 , and the fan  8  can effect a complete combustion. 
         [0031]    Also, the temperature sensing resistors can precisely measure room temperature Thus, an alarm is issued and the gas valve  2  is closed if the measured room temperature is abnormal. Further, data about temperature, ignition, concentration of CO or CO 2 , or the like can be shown on the display  92  for visually informing a user of any abnormal conditions since data is transferred between the controller section and the remote control section in the form of RF waves sending and receiving between the sections. 
         [0032]    While the invention herein disclosed has been described by means of specific embodiments, numerous modifications and variations could be made thereto by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention set forth in the claims.