Gas burner assembly including inner and outer burners and methods for implementing same

• US 8,302,593 B2
• Filed: 12/30/2005
• Issued: 11/06/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Haier US Appliance Solutions, Inc. DBA GE Appliances (Haier Group Company)
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Cadima, Paul Bryan
• Primary Examiner(s): Rinehart, Kenneth
• Assistant Examiner(s): Corboy, William
• Application Number:
  US11/323,244
• Publication Number:
  US 20070154858A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,503 Days
• Field of Search: 126/39.R, 126/39.E, 126/25.R
• US Class Current: 126/39.R
• CPC Class Codes: F23D 14/06 with radial outlets at the burner head
• CPC Class Codes: F23D 23/00 Assemblies of two or more burners gas burners with provision for a retention flame F23D14/26
• CPC Class Codes: F23D 2900/14062 for cooking ranges having multiple flame rings
• CPC Class Codes: F24C 3/085 on ranges

Abstract

A gas burner assembly for a cooking appliance that includes a cooktop surface includes a gas burner assembly having a first gas burner including a first burner body. The first burner configured to be mounted on, and contact, the cooktop surface, and provide a cooking flame. The gas burner assembly also includes a second gas burner including a second burner body. The second burner configured to be mounted on, and contact, the cooktop surface. The second burner also configured to be concentric with the first burner and separated from the first burner by a distance at all points along the burners. The second burner body including at least one air passage defined therethrough that is configured to allow air to flow through the second burner and to the cooking flame.

Claims

1. A gas burner assembly for a cooking appliance including a substantially planar cooktop surface, said gas burner assembly comprising:

a first burner assembly comprising a first burner body comprising a substantially flat bottom surface configured to be mounted directly on, and contact the substantially planar cooktop surface and form a substantially annulus seal therebetween, the first burner assembly being configured to provide an inner ring cooking flame, said first burner assembly comprising a central cap removably coupled to said first burner body, said first burner body and said central cap defining a burner chamber within said first burner assembly, said burner chamber being configured to receive primary-air from below the cooktop surface;

a second burner assembly configured to be mounted on, and contact the substantially planar cooktop surface, and provide an outer ring cooking flame, said second burner assembly being configured to be concentric with said first burner assembly and separated from said first burner assembly by a distance at all points along said first and second burner assemblies, the second burner assembly comprising a bottom surface and a plurality of passages circumferentially defined in the bottom surface, the plurality of passages being positioned above the substantially planar cooktop surface;

at least one of said first burner assembly and said second burner assembly being independently removable from the cooktop surface without using a tool, an interior of said second burner assembly being configured to receive secondary-air, the secondary-air flowing from below the outer ring cooking flame into the interior of the second burner assembly to facilitate combustion of the inner ring cooking flame; and

said first burner assembly being configured to operate, independent of said second burner assembly, at or below a first level, and said first burner assembly and said second burner assembly being configured to operate simultaneously at or above the first level.

2. A gas burner assembly in accordance with claim 1 wherein said second burner assembly is configured to be removed from the cooktop surface without removal of said first burner assembly.

3. A gas burner assembly in accordance with claim 1 wherein said first burner assembly is configured to be removed from the cooktop surface without removal of said second burner assembly.

4. A gas burner assembly in accordance with claim 1 wherein at least one air passage is positioned at least partially above the cooktop surface.

5. A gas burner assembly in accordance with claim 1 wherein said second burner assembly is substantially annulus in shape, the at least one air passage comprises a plurality of air passages circumferentially arranged on said second burner assembly.

6. A gas burner assembly in accordance with claim 1 wherein said first burner assembly is configured to restrict liquid on the cooktop surface from flowing into an interior of the cooking appliance.

7. A gas burner assembly in accordance with claim 1 wherein said first burner assembly comprises a gas inlet positioned below the cooktop surface, said gas inlet configured to receive a gas and air mixture into said first burner assembly.

8. A gas burner assembly in accordance with claim 1 wherein said second burner assembly does not contact said first burner assembly.

9. A cooking appliance comprising:

a cooktop comprising a substantially planar cooktop surface; and

a gas burner assembly mounted on said cooktop, said gas burner assembly comprising;

a first burner assembly mounted directly on said substantially planar cooktop surface, said first burner assembly being configured to provide an inner ring cooking flame, said first burner assembly comprising a first burner body comprising a substantially flat bottom and a central cap removably coupled to said first burner body, the substantially flat bottom and substantially planar cooktop surface forming a substantially annulus seal therebetween;

said first burner body and said central cap defining a burner chamber within said first burner assembly, said burner chamber being configured to receive primary-air from below the cooktop surface;

a second burner assembly contacting said substantially planar cooktop surface and surrounding said first burner assembly, said second burner assembly being configured to provide an outer ring cooking flame, the second burner assembly comprising a bottom surface and a plurality of passages circumferentially defined in the bottom surface, the plurality of passages being positioned above the cooktop surface;

wherein one of said first burner assembly and said second burner assembly is configured to be removed from the cooktop without removal of the other of said first burner assembly and said second burner assembly, at least one of said first burner assembly and said second burner assembly being independently removable from said cooktop surface by an operator'"'"'s hand without using a tool, an interior of said second burner assembly being configured to receive secondary-air, the secondary-air flowing from below the outer ring cooking flame into the interior of the second burner assembly to facilitate combustion of the inner ring cooking flame; and

wherein said first burner assembly is configured to operate, independent of said second burner assembly, at or below a first level, and said first burner assembly and said second burner assembly being configured to operate simultaneously at or above the first level.

10. A cooking appliance in accordance with claim 9 wherein said second burner assembly does not contact said first burner assembly when each are positioned on said cooktop surface.

11. A cooking appliance in accordance with claim 9 wherein the at least one passage is positioned at least partially above said cooktop surface.

12. A cooking appliance in accordance with claim 11 wherein said second burner assembly is substantially ring-shaped and the at least one passage comprises a plurality of passages circumferentially arranged on said second burner assembly.

13. A cooking appliance in accordance with claim 9 wherein said first burner assembly is configured to contact said cooktop surface to form a substantially annulus seal restricting liquid flow therethrough.

14. A cooking appliance in accordance with claim 9 wherein said first burner assembly comprises a gas inlet positioned below said cooktop surface, said gas inlet configured to allow a gas and air mixture into said first burner assembly.

15. A cooking appliance in accordance with claim 9 wherein said second burner assembly is separated from said first burner assembly by a distance at all points along said first and second burner assemblies.

16. A method for assembling a cooking appliance, said method comprising:

providing a cooktop comprising a substantially planar cooktop surface;

mounting a substantially flat bottom surface of a first burner assembly on, and in direct contact with the substantially planar cooktop surface to form a substantially annulus seal therebetween, the first burner assembly being configured to provide an inner ring cooking flame, the first burner assembly comprising a first burner body and a central cap removably coupled to the first burner body, the first burner body and the central cap defining a burner chamber within the first burner assembly, wherein the burner chamber is configured to receive primary-air from below the cooktop surface;

mourning a second burner assembly on, and in contact with the substantially planar cooktop surface such that the second burner assembly surrounds the first burner assembly and is separated from the first burner assembly by a distance at all points along the first and second burner assemblies, the second burner assembly comprising a bottom surface and a plurality of passages circumferentially defined in the bottom surface, the plurality of passages being positioned above the substantially planar cooktop surface;

the second burner assembly being configured to provide an outer cooking flame, at least one of the first burner assembly and the second burner assembly being independently removable from the cooktop surface without using a tool, an interior of the second burner assembly being configured to receive secondary-air, the secondary-air flowing from below the outer ring cooking flame into the interior of the second burner assembly to facilitate combustion of the inner ring cooking flame;

configuring the first burner assembly to operate independent of the second burner assembly, at or below a first level; and

configuring the second burner assembly to operate simultaneously with the first burner assembly at or above the first level.

17. A cooking appliance in accordance with claim 16 further comprising mounting the first burner assembly such that the first burner assembly restricts liquid from flowing into an interior of the cooking appliance.

18. A cooking appliance in accordance with claim 16 further comprising mounting the first burner assembly such that the first burner assembly includes a gas inlet positioned below the cooktop surface, the gas inlet configured to allow a gas and air mixture into the first burner assembly.

19. A cooking apparatus comprising:

a substantially planar cooktop surface; and

a gas burner assembly mounted on said cooktop surface, said gas burner assembly comprising;

a simmer burner assembly comprising a substantially flat bottom mounted on, and in direct contact with said cooktop surface to form a substantially annulus seal therebetween, said simmer burner assembly being configured to provide an inner ring cooking flame, said simmer burner assembly comprising a simmer burner body and a central cap removably coupled to said simmer burner body, said simmer burner body and said central cap defining a simmer burner chamber within said simmer burner assembly, said simmer burner chamber being configured to receive primary-air from below the cooktop surface;

a second burner assembly mounted on, and in contact with said substantially planar cooktop surface and concentric with said simmer burner assembly, the second burner assembly comprising a bottom surface and a plurality of passages circumferentially defined in the bottom surface, the plurality of passages being positioned above the substantially planar cooktop surface;

said second burner assembly being configured to and provide an outer ring cooking flame, at least one of said simmer burner assembly and said second burner assembly being configured to be independently removed from said cooktop surface without using a tool, an interior of said second burner assembly being configured to receive secondary-air, the secondary-air flowing from below the outer ring cooking flame into the interior of the second burner assembly to facilitate combustion of the inner ring cooking flame; and

said simmer burner assembly being configured to operate, independent of said second burner assembly, at or below a first level, and said simmer burner assembly and said second burner assembly being configured to operate simultaneously at or above the first level.

20. A cooking apparatus in accordance with claim 19 wherein said second burner assembly is substantially annulus in shape, the at least one passage comprises a plurality of passages arranged along said second burner assembly.

21. A cooking apparatus in accordance with claim 19 wherein said simmer burner assembly comprises a gas inlet positioned below said cooktop surface, said gas inlet configured to receive a gas and air mixture into said simmer burner assembly.