Combustion apparatus

• US 5,636,978 A
• Filed: 01/11/1996
• Issued: 06/10/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 01/11/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: ELCO Incorporated
• Original Assignee: ELCO Incorporated
• Inventors: Sasaki, Hiroshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Yeung, James C.
• Application Number:
  US08/584,609
• Time in Patent Office: 516 Days
• Field of Search: 431/73, 431/80, 431/69, 431/62, 431/63, 431/6, 431/18, 431/79, 431/255, 431/100
• US Class Current: 431/69
• CPC Class Codes: F23N 2227/32 Igniting for a predetermined number of cycles
• CPC Class Codes: F23N 2227/36 Spark ignition, e.g. by means of a high voltage
• CPC Class Codes: F23N 2235/14 electromagnetically operated
• CPC Class Codes: F23N 5/203 using electronic means

Abstract

A gas burning power supply section 10 for igniting gas includes a secondary battery and a solar battery for charging the secondary battery, and the operating voltage from the power supply section 10 is supplied to a gas ignition circuit 30, a flame detection circuit 50 for detecting the flame after the gas is ignited, and a solenoid valve-controlling timer circuit 60 for controlling the gas supply. A day/night discrimination circuit 100 is provided in association with the power supply section 10, and the ignition circuit 30, the flame detection circuit 50 and the timer circuit 60 are individually set in operation in accordance with a day/night discrimination output during the nighttime. In the event the flame of burning gas goes out halfway, the timer circuit 60 operates to perform a trial including reigniting operation, and if the reigniting fails during a trial period, the gas supply is automatically shut off.

Claims

1. A combustion apparatus for igniting gas delivered to a gas burner to form a gas flame, said combustion apparatus comprising:

a solenoid valve for controlling supply of gas to the gas burner, the solenoid valve having first and second attracting coils,

a gas ignition circuit for ignition gas at the gas burner,

a flame detection circuit for detecting the gas flame after the gas has been ignited, the flame detection circuit having a flame rod and an oscillation transformer,

a timer circuit for controlling the solenoid valve, the timer circuit being responsive to a command to ignite the gas by supplying current to the first and second attracting coils of the solenoid valve at a first level for a predetermined interval for opening the valve and thereafter supplying current to the second attracting coil of the solenoid valve at a second level, lower than said first level, for holding the valve open,

a battery, and

a power supply circuit for supplying operating current from the battery to the gas ignition circuit, the flame detection circuit and the timer circuit.

2. A combustion apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the battery is a secondary battery and the apparatus further comprises a solar battery connected in parallel with the secondary battery for charging the secondary battery.

3. A combustion apparatus according to claim 1, comprising an oscillation circuit and wherein the oscillation transformer has a primary winding that is part of the oscillation circuit and a secondary winding that is connected to the flame rod and to the timer circuit, whereby the flame detection circuit provides a signal to the timer circuit when it detects a flame at the burner, and wherein the timer circuit is responsive to the signal provided by the flame detection circuit to supply current to the second attracting coil at said second level.

4. A combustion apparatus for igniting gas delivered to a gas burner to form a gas flame, said combustion apparatus comprising:

a solenoid valve control circuit for controlling a solenoid valve for supplying gas to the burner, the solenoid valve having first and second attracting coils,

a gas ignition circuit for igniting gas at the gas burner,

a flame detection circuit for detecting the gas flame after the gas has been ignited, the flame detection circuit having a flame rod and an oscillation transformer,

a power supply circuit including a secondary battery and a solar battery connected in parallel with the secondary battery for charging the secondary battery, and

a day/night discrimination circuit associated with the power supply circuit for providing a day/night discrimination output during nighttime, and wherein the solenoid valve control circuit, the gas ignition circuit and the flame detection circuit are responsive to the day/night discrimination output.

5. The combustion apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the day/night discrimination circuit includes an inverter for inverting the polarity of a terminal voltage of the secondary battery through detection of a terminal voltage of the solar battery.

6. A combustion apparatus according to claim 4, further comprising a timer circuit for controlling the solenoid valve, the timer circuit being responsive to a command to ignite the gas by supplying current to the first and second attracting coils of the solenoid valve at a first level for a predetermined interval for opening the valve and thereafter supplying current to the second attracting coil of the solenoid valve at a second level, lower than said first level, for holding the valve open.

7. A combustion apparatus according to claim 6, comprising a battery and a power supply circuit for supplying operating current from the battery to the gas ignition circuit, the flame detection circuit and the timer circuit.

8. A combustion apparatus according to claim 6, comprising an oscillation circuit and wherein the oscillation transformer has a primary winding that is part of the oscillation circuit and a secondary winding that is connected to the flame rod and to the timer circuit, whereby the flame detection circuit provides a signal to the timer circuit when it detects a flame at the burner, and wherein the timer circuit is responsive to the signal provided by the flame detection circuit to supply current to the second attracting coil at said second level.