Patent ID: 8123517

Claim:
Automatic device for the ignition and control of a gas apparatus comprising: at least one burner for regulating the flow of gas from a main pipe towards a nozzle associated with said at least one burners; a spark circuit suitable for generating a pilot flame upon receipt an electric start signal; electrically controlled valve means associated to said at least one burner; at least one supply voltage provided by the electricity main and/or by battery means to supply said automatic device; an electrical microprocessor unit in said automatic device to drive and to control said valve means and said spark circuit; at least one actuator circuit supplied by the supply voltage and activated by said electrical microprocessor unit through an activation signal at an output node having a pulse train to dynamically bias said valve means and to regulate said valve means charge state according to the duty cycle of the pulse train; said actuator circuit having the potential at the output node below a reference voltage during an ON-time period of the activation signal in order to receive a charge current from the valve means; wherein said activation signal generates a potential at the output node of the actuator circuit that is kept below the potentials of the other nodes of said actuator circuit; wherein the at least one actuator circuit has a detection terminal for measuring a current value proportional to the current value present at one output terminal of the actuator circuit in order to regulate by a feedback the duty cycle of the pulse train of the activation signal; and wherein said at least one actuator circuit comprises: an inductance arranged between a supply terminal receiving a fourth supply voltage and an inner node; a capacitance arranged between said inner node and the output node, said output node being connected through an output terminal to said valve means; a first diode arranged between said output node and a ground terminal; and a switch arranged between said inner node and said ground terminal activated by said activation signal suitable for dynamically charging and discharging said inductance and said capacitance generating a potential at the output node that is lower than a reference voltage of said ground terminal.