Heating systems – Automatic control – Heat source is a reverse cycle refrigerating system or heat...
Reexamination Certificate
2000-06-22
2001-10-30
Joyce, Harold (Department: 3749)
Heating systems
Automatic control
Heat source is a reverse cycle refrigerating system or heat...
C137S335000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06308895
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to the regulation of the fuel gas supply to a domestic heating appliance by means of a flow control valve which is operated by an electric motor, modulating the flow in response to the variations in temperature of the heated area, and the valve is the dual seat lift type.
FR-236742 discloses a gas flow control valve for a domestic gas boiler, wherein the flow of gas supplying the burner is regulated by means of the gradual opening of a valve hole in accordance with the temperature of the water supplied by the boiler, in three stages: minimum flow, gradual flow and maximum flow. The regulation valve has two series valve members coupled to a single valve stem, inside an internal gas chamber, which communicates the gas inlet pipe with the outlet pipe. The valve stem slides axially actuated by an electromagnet in accordance with the value of the electric current applied to the winding. The valve member for minimum flow is moved first of all to open a central through hole and it is mounted on the same stem as the high flow valve member. It is then lifted from its valve seat in a second gradual movement to let the high flow pass. For closure, each valve sealing member is forced in the opposite direction by its respective return spring.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,085,921 discloses a multi-mode gas control valve for a heating appliance, such as a water heater. The valve has a single seat and the sealing member takes the form of a flat disc, the flow opening being variable depending on the separating distance of the sealing member. In accordance with the variation in the value of the water temperature measured by a sensor, the valve control unit generates an analogue signal that supplies the actuating electromagnet to maintain the valve in different operating modes, with a minimum constant gas flow, a gradual intermediate flow, and a constant maximum flow.
EP-691495-A discloses a gas control valve for a heating appliance of the type with an axially sliding stem with a dual valve seat. The sealing members are in series in a single gas chamber between the inlet and outlet pipes and are provided with a respective spring mounted on the stem. The valve is operated by means of an auxiliary electromagnet with a sliding armature for opening and closing both valve passages, and a stepped motor for graduating valve opening according to an operating mode, which modulates the flow of gas supplied to the heating appliance, making use of an associated electronic control unit and various sensors.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The object of the invention is a gas flow control valve for a domestic room heating appliances, such as gas fireplaces, the body of the valve being the dual seat lift type, operated by a stepped motor controlled by an electronic unit. The valve stem moves both valve sealing members, taking up different positions relative to the two valve seats to alter the gas flow section and thereby control the delivery rate to the burner in response to the variations in room temperature. The different positions of valve stem forward movement are programmable, and they determine various programs for modulation of the flow supplied from an inlet conduct to an outlet conduct of the valve in accordance with the fuel gas family and the size of the heater appliance.
The operation of the stepped motor is governed by a control unit attached to the appliance by way of a remote control unit, which is provided with a room ambient temperature sensor. Low electricity consumption is a necessary condition of the electronic control unit and of the power-operated valve, as they are both supplied by a battery. Thus, the stepped motor is de-energized once the valve stem has been moved to a relative position programmed for the temporary supply of a constant flow. In the meantime transmission of rotation of the motor shaft to the valve stem is blocked and the corresponding gas flow opening at the two valve seats is kept fixed. A fresh deviation in the room temperature will cause the motor to be actuated by way of the control unit so that the valve stem moves to another position of greater or lesser gas flow to the burner.
The control unit is fixed to the motor and contains various valve actuating programs selected by the user from the remote control, each of these programs containing various motor supply instructions referring to an equal number of valve stem positions, each associated with a delivery flow value.
The valve body is of simplified construction, the metal body being of cylindrical shape, and the gas circulation conducts to the valve stem housing, the internal gas chambers and the valve seats machined by means of individual round holes drilled from the outside.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4236548 (1980-12-01), Howard
patent: 5261438 (1993-11-01), Katchka
patent: 5419356 (1995-05-01), Katchka
Antxia Uribetxebarria José J.
Atxa Maite Amozarrain
Boles Derek S.
Fagor S. Coop.
Joyce Harold
The Kline Law Firm
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