Patent Publication Number: US-11041622-B2

Title: Gas cooktop with power management

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present subject matter relates generally to gas cooktop appliances. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Conventional gas cooking appliances have one or more burners. A mixture of gaseous fuel and air combusts at the burners to generate heat for cooking. To avoid overheating the cooktop appliance and/or adjacent cabinetry and walls, a maximum total power output of the one or more burners is generally limited. In gas cooking appliances with large numbers of gas burners, the limited maximum total power output can be inconvenient. 
     Generally, gas cooking appliances are tested in a worst case scenario, i.e., with all burners operating at maximum output, and the power output of one or more of the gas burners is limited to avoid exceeding the total power output limit at this worst case scenario. However, gas cooking appliances with large numbers of gas burners are rarely operated with all gas burners at their respective maximum output. Thus, the power output of the one or more of the gas burners may be needlessly limited to avoid rare circumstances. 
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Aspects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in part in the following description, or may be apparent from the description, or may be learned through practice of the invention. 
     In a first example embodiment, a gas cooktop includes a top panel and one or more control valves. One or more gas burners are positioned on the top panel. Each of the one or more control valves is coupled to a respective supply line of the one or more gas burners. Each of the one or more control valves is operable to adjust a flow rate of fuel through the respective supply line. A high output gas burner is positioned on the top panel. The high output gas burner is separate from each of the one or more gas burners. The high output gas burner has a maximum heat output greater than each of the one or more gas burners. An electronic control valve is coupled to a supply line of the high output gas burner. The electronic control valve is operable to adjust a flow rate of fuel through the supply line of the high output gas burner. A controller is in communication with the electronic control valve and the one or more control valves. The controller is configured for receiving a signal from each of the one or more control valves that is indicative of a respective operating state of the one or more gas burners. The controller is configured for throttling the maximum heat output of the high output gas burner with the electronic control valve when a number of active gas burners in the one or more gas burners exceeds a threshold value. 
     In a second example embodiment, a gas cooktop includes a top panel. One or more gas burners is positioned on the top panel. A high output gas burner is positioned on the top panel. The high output gas burner is separate from each of the one or more gas burners. The high output gas burner has a maximum heat output greater than each of the one or more gas burners. The gas cooktop also includes a plurality of electronic control valves. Each of the plurality of electronic control valves is coupled to a respective supply line of the one or more gas burners and the high output gas burner. Each of the plurality of electronic control valves is operable to adjust a flow rate of fuel through the respective supply line. A controller is in communication with the plurality of electronic control valves. The controller is configured for receiving a signal from each of the plurality of electronic control valves for the one or more gas burners that is indicative of a respective operating state of the one or more gas burners. The controller is also configured for throttling the maximum heat output of the high output gas burner with the electronic control valve when a number of active gas burners in the one or more gas burners exceeds a threshold value. 
     In a third example embodiment, a gas cooktop includes a top panel. One or more gas burners is positioned on the top panel. A high output gas burner is positioned on the top panel. The high output gas burner is separate from each of the one or more gas burners. The high output gas burner has a maximum heat output greater than each of the one or more gas burners. The gas cooktop also includes a plurality of electronic control valves. Each of the plurality of electronic control valves is coupled to a respective supply line of the one or more gas burners and the high output gas burner. Each of the plurality of electronic control valves is operable to adjust a flow rate of fuel through the respective supply line. A controller is in communication with the plurality of electronic control valves. The controller is configured for receiving a signal from each of the plurality of electronic control valves for the one or more gas burners that is indicative of a respective heat output of the one or more gas burners. The controller is also configured for throttling the maximum heat output of the high output gas burner with the electronic control valve to a heat output that is proportional a total sum of the heat outputs of the one or more gas burners. 
     These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following description and appended claims. The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       A full and enabling disclosure of the present invention, including the best mode thereof, directed to one of ordinary skill in the art, is set forth in the specification, which makes reference to the appended figures. 
         FIG. 1  is a front, perspective view of a range appliance according to an example embodiment of the present subject matter. 
         FIG. 2  is a top, plan view of the example range appliance of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is a schematic view of certain components of the example range appliance of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 4  is a schematic view of certain components of the example range appliance of  FIG. 1  according to another embodiment. 
         FIG. 5  is a table of power outputs of a high output burner with other burners in various operating states according to an example embodiment of the present subject matter. 
         FIG. 6  is a flowchart of power management of a cooktop appliance, according to an example embodiment of the present subject matter. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Reference now will be made in detail to embodiments of the invention, one or more examples of which are illustrated in the drawings. Each example is provided by way of explanation of the invention, not limitation of the invention. In fact, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made in the present invention without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention. For instance, features illustrated or described as part of one embodiment can be used with another embodiment to yield a still further embodiment. Thus, it is intended that the present invention covers such modifications and variations as come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents. 
       FIG. 1  provides a front, perspective view of a range appliance  100  as may be employed with the present subject matter.  FIG. 2  provides a top, plan view of range appliance  100 . Range appliance  100  includes an insulated cabinet  110 . Cabinet  110  defines an upper cooking chamber  120  and a lower cooking chamber  122 . Thus, range appliance  100  is generally referred to as a double oven range appliance. As will be understood by those skilled in the art, range appliance  100  is provided by way of example only, and the present subject matter may be used in any suitable appliance, e.g., a single oven range appliance or a standalone cooktop appliance. Thus, the example embodiment shown in  FIG. 1  is not intended to limit the present subject matter to any particular cooking chamber configuration or gas burner arrangement. 
     Upper and lower cooking chambers  120  and  122  are configured for the receipt of one or more food items to be cooked. Range appliance  100  includes an upper door  124  and a lower door  126  rotatably attached to cabinet  110  in order to permit selective access to upper cooking chamber  120  and lower cooking chamber  122 , respectively. Handles  128  are mounted to upper and lower doors  124 ,  126  to assist a user with opening and closing doors  124 ,  126  in order to access cooking chambers  120 ,  122 . As an example, a user can pull on handle  128  mounted to upper door  124  to open or close upper door  124  and access upper cooking chamber  120 . Glass window panes  130  provide for viewing the contents of upper and lower cooking chambers  120  and  122  when doors  124 ,  126  are closed and also assist with insulating upper and lower cooking chambers  120 ,  122 . Heating elements (not shown), such as electric resistance heating elements, gas burners, microwave heating elements, halogen heating elements, or suitable combinations thereof, are positioned within upper cooking chamber  120  and lower cooking chamber  122  for heating upper cooking chamber  120  and lower cooking chamber  122 . 
     Range appliance  100  also includes a cooktop  140 . Cooktop  140  is positioned at or adjacent a top portion of cabinet  110 . Thus, cooktop  140  is positioned above upper and lower cooking chambers  120  and  122 . Cooktop  140  includes a top panel  142 . By way of example, top panel  142  may be constructed of glass, ceramics, enameled steel, and combinations thereof. 
     For range appliance  100 , a utensil holding food and/or cooking liquids (e.g., oil, water, etc.) may be placed onto grates  152  at a location of any of burners  144 ,  146 ,  148 ,  150 . Burners  144 ,  146 ,  148 ,  150  provide thermal energy to cooking utensils on grates  152 . Range appliance  100  may include any suitable number of burners  144 ,  146 ,  148 ,  150 . For example, as shown in  FIG. 2 , range appliance  100  may have no less than four burners  144 ,  146 ,  148 ,  150 . Burners  144 ,  146 ,  148 ,  150  can be configured in various sizes so as to provide e.g., for the receipt of cooking utensils (i.e., pots, pans, etc.) of various sizes and configurations and to provide different heat inputs for such cooking utensils. Grates  152  are supported on a top surface  158  of top panel  142 . 
     Range appliance  100  also includes a high output burner  160  positioned at a middle portion of top panel  142 , as may be seen in  FIG. 2 . High output burner  160  is separate from burners  144 ,  146 ,  148 ,  150  on top panel  142 . High output burner  160  may have a maximum heat output greater than each of burners  144 ,  146 ,  148 ,  150 , Thus, e.g., high output burner  160  may include air handlers, such as fans, pumps, etc., for forcing air to flame ports of high output burner  160  to thereby increase a heat output of high output burner  160  relative to burners  144 ,  146 ,  148 ,  150  that may be naturally aspirated. As another example, high output burner  160  may be a griddle burner. 
     A user interface panel  154  is located within convenient reach of a user of the range appliance  100 . For this example embodiment, user interface panel  154  includes knobs  156  that are each associated with one of burners  144 ,  146 ,  148 ,  150  and high output burner  160 . Knobs  156  allow the user to activate each burner and determine the amount of heat input provided by each burner  144 ,  146 ,  148 ,  150  and high output burner  160  to a cooking utensil located thereon. User interface panel  154  may also be provided with one or more graphical display devices that deliver certain information to the user such as e.g., whether a particular burner is activated and/or the rate at which the burner is set. 
     Although shown with knobs  156 , it should be understood that knobs  156  and the configuration of range appliance  100  shown in  FIG. 1  is provided by way of example only. More specifically, user interface panel  154  may include various input components, such as one or more of a variety of touch-type controls, electrical, mechanical or electro-mechanical input devices including rotary dials, push buttons, and touch pads. The user interface panel  154  may include other display components, such as a digital or analog display device designed to provide operational feedback to a user. 
       FIG. 3  is a schematic view of certain components of range appliance  100 . In particular, as shown in  FIG. 3 , range appliance  100  includes a fuel supply system  200 . Fuel supply system  200  includes supply lines  210 , manual control valves  220  and an electronic control valve  230 . Supply line  210  may be metal tubes, such copper or aluminum tubing, that are connectable to a fuel supply. Thus, supply lines  210  may receive a flow of pressurized gaseous fuel, e.g., natural gas or propane, from the fuel supply. Supply lines  210  also extend to burners  144 ,  146 ,  160  within cabinet  110  below top panel  142 . Thus, the gaseous fuel may flow from the fuel supply to burners  144 ,  146 ,  160  through supply line  210 . 
     Manual control valves  220  are coupled to supply lines  210  and are configured for regulating the flow of gaseous fuel through supply line  210  to burner  144 . In particular, each of the manual control valves  220  may be coupled to one of knobs  156  such that manual control valves  220  are manually adjustable via knobs  156  to regulate the flow of gaseous fuel to burners  144 ,  146 ,  160 . For example, a user may rotate a knob  156  coupled to the manual control valve  220  of burner  144  to a “HI” setting in order to maximize the flow of gaseous fuel to burner  144 , and the user may rotate the knob  156  coupled to the manual control valve  220  of burner  144  to a “LO” setting in order to minimize the flow of gaseous fuel to burner  144 . In addition, the user may rotate the knob  156  to a setting between the “HI” and “LO” settings to adjust the flow of gaseous fuel to burner  144  between the maximum and minimum flows, or the user may rotate the knob  156  coupled to the manual control valve  220  of burner  144  to a “OFF” setting in order to terminate the flow of gaseous fuel to burner  144 . Thus, it will be understood that manual control valve  220  may be a standard manual surface burner valve, in certain example embodiments. Although not shown in  FIG. 3 , the other burners  148 ,  150  may be connected to supply lines  210  in a similar manner. In particular, each of burners  148 ,  150  may have a respective manual control valve  220 , in certain example embodiments. 
     Electronic control valve  230  is also coupled to the supply line  210  of high output burner  160 . In  FIG. 3 , electronic control valve  230  is connected in series between the manual control valve  220  on the supply line  210  of high output burner  160  and high output burner  160 . Thus, electronic control valve  230  may be positioned downstream of the manual control valve  220  on supply line  210  of high output burner  160  relative to the flow of fuel from the fuel source. In such a manner, electronic control valve  230  may further regulate the flow of gaseous fuel to high output burner  160  after the manual control valve  220  on supply line  210  of high output burner  160 . 
     Electronic control valve  230  may be an electronic pressure regulating valve, a motorized valve, a modulating valve, a solenoid valve, or some other variable type gas flow valve. Thus, electronic control valve  230  may be automatically adjusted to regulate the flow of gaseous fuel to high output burner  160 , e.g., rather than being manually actuated as with manual control valves  220 . In particular, range appliance  100  includes a controller  240  that regulates various components of range appliance  100 . Controller  240  is in operative communication with various components of range appliance  100 , such electronic control valve  230 . Thus, controller  240  may adjust electronic control valve  230  in order to regulate the flow of gaseous fuel to high output burner  160 . 
     In certain example embodiments, the supply line  210  of high output burner  160  does not include a manual control valve  220 . Thus, e.g., the flow of gaseous fuel to high output burner  160  may be solely regulated by electronic control valve  230  on the supply line  210  to high output burner  160 . A user may input a heat setting for high output burner  160  on user interface panel  154 , and electronic control valve  230  may adjust the flow of gaseous fuel to high output burner  160  through the supply line  210  of high output burner  160  in response. 
     Controller  240  includes memory and one or more processing devices such as microprocessors, CPUs or the like, such as general or special purpose microprocessors operable to execute programming instructions or micro-control code associated with operation of range appliance  100 . The memory can be non-transitory and represent random access memory such as DRAM, or read only memory such as ROM or FLASH. The processor executes programming instructions stored in the memory. The memory can be a separate component from the processor or can be included onboard within the processor. Alternatively, controller  240  may be constructed without using a microprocessor, e.g., using a combination of discrete analog and/or digital logic circuitry (such as switches, amplifiers, integrators, comparators, flip-flops, AND gates, and the like) to perform control functionality instead of relying upon software. 
     Each of manual control valves  220  on the supply lines  210  of burners  144 ,  146  may include an encoder that is operable to detect a position of the knob  156  coupled to manual control valves  220  on the supply lines  210  of burners  144 ,  146 . Thus, e.g., for burner  144 , encoder in the manual control valve  220  on the supply line  210  of burner  144  is operative to generate a signal that is indicative of an operating state of burner  144 . In certain example embodiments, the encoder in the manual control valve  220  on the supply line  210  of burner  144  may be operable to output an open signal when the manual control valve  220  on the supply line  210  of burner  144  is open and/or a closed signal when the manual control valve  220  on the supply line  210  of burner  144  is closed. Thus, e.g., the encoder in the manual control valve  220  on the supply line  210  of burner  144  may be a binary switch. In other example embodiments, the encoder in the manual control valve  220  on the supply line  210  of burner  144  may be more complex to increase a resolution of the encoder. In particular, in addition to the off state, the encoder in the manual control valve  220  on the supply line  210  of burner  144  may be operable to output a maximum signal when the manual control valve  220  on the supply line  210  of burner  144  is fully open and/or an intermediate signal when the manual control valve  220  on the supply line  210  of burner  144  is between fully open and closed. The encoder may be operable to detect various intermediate settings of the manual control valve  220  on the supply line  210  of burner  144 . The encoders in manual control valves  220  for burners  146 ,  148 ,  150  may be configured in the same or similar manner to that described above for the manual control valve  220  of burner  144 . 
       FIG. 6  is an example flowchart  600  of power management for controller  240 . Controller  240  may be in communication with the encoders of the manual control valves  220  for burners  144 ,  146 ,  148 ,  150 . Thus, as shown in  FIG. 6 , controller  240  may receive a signal from each of the manual control valves  220  for burners  144 ,  146 ,  148 ,  150  that is indicative of a respective operating state of burners  144 ,  146 ,  148 ,  150 , including whether each of the burners  144 ,  146 ,  148 ,  150  is active. Controller  240  is also configured for throttling the maximum heat output of high output burner  160  with electronic control valve  230  when a number of active burners  144 ,  146 ,  148 ,  150  exceeds a threshold value. For example, controller  240  may adjust electronic control valve  230  to decrease the maximum flow rate of gaseous fuel through the supply line  210  of high output burner  160 . Thus, a maximum volume of gaseous fuel supplied to high output burner  160  through supply line  210  of high output burner  160  is decreased with electronic control valve  230  when the number of active burners  144 ,  146 ,  148 ,  150  exceeds a threshold value. 
     The threshold value may be any suitable number of gas burners. For example, the threshold value may be three (3), four (4) or more active burners. As another example, the threshold value may be one less than the total number of burners on range appliance  100 , e.g., other than high output burner  160 . 
     By throttling high output burner  160 , the heat output of the high output burner  160  is decreased from the maximum heat output of high output burner  160 . As an example, the maximum heat output of the high output burner  160  may be no less than fifteen thousand British thermal units per hour (15000 BTU/hr) when high output burner  160  in not throttled by electronic control valve  230 , and throttling high output burner  160  may decrease the heat output of the high output burner  160  to any suitable amount from the maximum heat output. For example, the heat output of the high output burner  160  may throttled from the maximum heat output of the high output burner  160  by five percent (5%), ten percent (10%), twenty percent (20%) or more in response to the number of active burners  144 ,  146 ,  148 ,  150  exceeding the threshold value. In the example, shown in  FIG. 5 , high output burner  160  is throttled to eighty percent (80%) of the maximum heat output of high output burner  160  when all of burners  144 ,  146 ,  148 ,  150  are active. Conversely, high output burner  160  is operable at one hundred percent (100%) of the maximum heat output of high output burner  160  when three or less of the burners  144 ,  146 ,  148 ,  150  are active 
     Throttling high output burner  160  when the number of active burners  144 ,  146 ,  148 ,  150  exceeds the threshold value advantageously avoids overheating range appliance  100  and/or adjacent cabinetry or walls when a large number of burners are active on range appliance  100 . Conversely, high output burner  160  may be unthrottled and operable at the maximum heat output of high output burner  160  when a smaller number of burners are active on range appliance  100 . In such a manner, operation of high output burner  160  may be adjusted to modify the heat output of high output burner  160  based upon the operation of burners  144 ,  146 ,  148 ,  150 . 
       FIG. 4  is a schematic view of certain components of range appliance  100  according to another example embodiment. In  FIG. 4 , fuel supply system  200  does not include manual control valves  220 . Rather, each of the supply lines  210  includes an electronic control valve  230 . Thus, operation of burners  144 ,  146 ,  148 ,  150  is regulated by electronic control valves  230  in the example embodiment shown in  FIG. 4 . A user may input a heat setting for each of burners  144 ,  146 ,  148 ,  150  on user interface panel  154 , and electronic control valves  230  may adjust the flow of gaseous fuel to burners  144 ,  146 ,  148 ,  150  through the supply lines  210  in response. 
     In  FIG. 4 , controller  240  is in communication with electronic control valves  230 . Controller  240  may be configured for receiving a signal from each of electronic control valves  230  for burners  144 ,  146 ,  148 ,  150  that is indicative of a respective operating state of burners  144 ,  146 ,  148 ,  150 , including whether each of the burners  144 ,  146 ,  148 ,  150  is active. Controller  240  may determine that burners  144 ,  146 ,  148 ,  150  are active when electronic control valves  230  are at least partially open such that gaseous fuel flows to burners  144 ,  146 ,  148 ,  150 . Controller  240  is also configured for throttling the maximum heat output of high output burner  160  with electronic control valve  230  on the supply line  210  of high output burner  160  when the number of active burners  144 ,  146 ,  148 ,  150  exceeds the threshold value, e.g., in the manner described above. 
     Alternatively, controller  240  may be configured for receiving a signal from each of the electronic control valves  230  for burners  144 ,  146 ,  148 ,  150  that is indicative of a respective heat output of burners  144 ,  146 ,  148 ,  150 . Controller  240  may determine the heat output of burners  144 ,  146 ,  148 ,  150  based upon the degree to which electronic control valves  230  are open and gaseous fuel flows to burners  144 ,  146 ,  148 ,  150 . Controller  240  is also configured for throttling the maximum heat output of high output burner  160  with electronic control valve  230  on the supply line  210  of high output burner  160  to a heat output that is proportional a total sum of the heat outputs of burners  144 ,  146 ,  148 ,  150 . Thus, the throttling high output burner  160  may be precise due to knowledge of the heat output of burners  144 ,  146 ,  148 ,  150 . In particular, the throttling may be variable to minimize impact on performance of range appliance  100 . 
     This written description uses examples to disclose the invention, including the best mode, and also to enable any person skilled in the art to practice the invention, including making and using any devices or systems and performing any incorporated methods. The patentable scope of the invention is defined by the claims, and may include other examples that occur to those skilled in the art. Such other examples are intended to be within the scope of the claims if they include structural elements that do not differ from the literal language of the claims, or if they include equivalent structural elements with insubstantial differences from the literal languages of the claims.