U.S. patent application number 11/110207 was filed with the patent office on 2006-10-19 for time knob for gas and electric heater.
Invention is credited to Stephen Cheng, Shih-Szu Yu.
Application Number | 20060234177 11/110207 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 37108888 |
Filed Date | 2006-10-19 |
United States Patent
Application |
20060234177 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Yu; Shih-Szu ; et
al. |
October 19, 2006 |
Time knob for gas and electric heater
Abstract
A timer knob arrangement for a heater includes an ignition
button and a timer control. The ignition button is rotatably
switched between a switched off position and an operation position
with respect to an operation pin of the heater. The timer control
includes a power unit, a runner wheel driven by the power unit and
is rotatably supported by the ignition button at a position
tangentially with respect to the operation pin, and a time control
unit. When the time control unit is activated to actuate the power
unit, the runner wheel is driven to rotate and to run on the
operation surface, so as to drive the ignition button turning back
to the switched off position for ensuring a flow of gas being shut
off from the heater.
Inventors: |
Yu; Shih-Szu; (Bloomington,
CA) ; Cheng; Stephen; (Diamond Bar, CA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Raymond Y. Chan
108 N. Ynez Ave., #128
Monterey Park
CA
91754
US
|
Family ID: |
37108888 |
Appl. No.: |
11/110207 |
Filed: |
April 19, 2005 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
431/86 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F23N 5/22 20130101; F24C
3/124 20130101; F23N 2227/28 20200101 |
Class at
Publication: |
431/086 |
International
Class: |
F23N 5/00 20060101
F23N005/00 |
Claims
1. A timer knob arrangement for a heater which comprises an
operation pin rotatably extended from an operation surface,
comprising: an ignition button having an actuation side, an opposed
engaging side defining a receiving cavity therebetween, and a pin
holder provided at said engaging side for substantially engaging
with said operation pin that said engaging side is facing towards
said operation surface of said heater, wherein said ignition button
is rotatably switched between a switched off position and an
operation position with respect to said operation pin; and a timer
control, which comprises: a power unit received in said receiving
cavity of said ignition button; a runner wheel which is driven by
said power unit and is rotatably supported by said ignition button
at a position tangentially with respect to said operation pin,
wherein a portion of said runner wheel is protruded from said
engaging side of said ignition button for substantially running
with said operation surface of said heater; and a time control unit
which is received in said receiving cavity and is arranged to
actuate said power unit in a timely manner such that when said time
control unit is activated to actuate said power unit, said runner
wheel is driven to rotate and to run on said operation surface, so
as to drive said ignition button turning back to said switched off
position for ensuring said heater being shut off from a power
source.
2. The timer knob arrangement, as recited in claim 1, wherein said
runner wheel has an outer circumferential running surface which is
made of rubber adapted for substantially running on said operation
surface to drive said ignition button turning back to said switched
off position.
3. The timer knob arrangement, as recited in claim 1, wherein said
timer control further comprises a runner panel, having a runner
track, adapted for attaching on said operation surface of said
heater to guide said runner wheel running on said operation
surface, such that when said runner wheel is driven to rotate by
said power unit, said runner wheel substantially runs on said
runner track of said runner panel to drive said ignition button
turning back to said switched off position.
4. The timer knob arrangement, as recited in claim 2, wherein said
timer control further comprises a runner panel, having a runner
track, adapted for attaching on said operation surface of said
heater to guide said runner wheel running on said operation
surface, such that when said runner wheel is driven to rotate by
said power unit, said runner wheel substantially runs on said
runner track of said runner panel to drive said ignition button
turning back to said switched off position.
5. The timer knob arrangement, as recited in claim 3, wherein said
runner track of said runner panel has a predetermined roughness to
fictionally engage with said runner wheel and has a predetermined
curvature with respect to a running path of said runner wheel to
drive said ignition button traveling from said operation position
to said switched off position.
6. The timer knob arrangement, as recited in claim 4, wherein said
runner track of said runner panel has a predetermined roughness to
fictionally engage with said runner wheel and has a predetermined
curvature with respect to a running path of said runner wheel to
drive said ignition button traveling from said operation position
to said switched off position.
7. The timer knob arrangement, as recited in claim 1, wherein said
timer control further comprises a gear unit operatively
communicating said power unit with said runner wheel to regulate a
rotational speed thereof, such that when said power unit generates
a rotational power, said gear unit transfers said rotational power
to said runner wheel in accordance with a gear ratio of said gear
unit which enough to drive said ignition button traveling from said
operation position to said switched off position.
8. The timer knob arrangement, as recited in claim 2, wherein said
timer control further comprises a gear unit operatively
communicating said power unit with said runner wheel to regulate a
rotational speed thereof, such that when said power unit generates
a rotational power, said gear unit transfers said rotational power
to said runner wheel in accordance with a gear ratio of said gear
unit which enough to drive said ignition button traveling from said
operation position to said switched off position.
9. The timer knob arrangement, as recited in claim 6, wherein said
timer control further comprises a gear unit operatively
communicating said power unit with said runner wheel to regulate a
rotational speed thereof, such that when said power unit generates
a rotational power, said gear unit transfers said rotational power
to said runner wheel in accordance with a gear ratio of said gear
unit which enough to drive said ignition button traveling from said
operation position to said switched off position.
10. The timer knob arrangement, as recited in claim 1, wherein said
time control unit comprises a timer circuitry electrically
connected with said power unit and a time setting device provided
on said actuation side of said ignition button to set a time
interval for activating said timer circuitry in a timely manner so
as to actuate said power unit to drive said runner wheel to
rotate.
11. The timer knob arrangement, as recited in claim 2, wherein said
time control unit comprises a timer circuitry electrically
connected with said power unit and a time setting device provided
on said actuation side of said ignition button to set a time
interval for activating said timer circuitry in a timely manner so
as to actuate said power unit to drive said runner wheel to
rotate.
12. The timer knob arrangement, as recited in claim 4, wherein said
time control unit comprises a timer circuitry electrically
connected with said power unit and a time setting device provided
on said actuation side of said ignition button to set a time
interval for activating said timer circuitry in a timely manner so
as to actuate said power unit to drive said runner wheel to
rotate.
13. The timer knob arrangement, as recited in claim 9, wherein said
time control unit comprises a timer circuitry electrically
connected with said power unit and a time setting device provided
on said actuation side of said ignition button to set a time
interval for activating said timer circuitry in a timely manner so
as to actuate said power unit to drive said runner wheel to
rotate.
14. The timer knob arrangement, as recited in claim 10, wherein
said time setting device comprises a timer indicator provided on
said actuation side of said ignition button for indicating said
time interval of said timer circuitry and a time alert device
electrically connected to said timer circuitry for generating an
alert signal when said timer circuitry is activated to drive said
runner wheel to rotate.
15. The timer knob arrangement, as recited in claim 11, wherein
said time setting device comprises a timer indicator provided on
said actuation side of said ignition button for indicating said
time interval of said timer circuitry and a time alert device
electrically connected to said timer circuitry for generating an
alert signal when said timer circuitry is activated to drive said
runner wheel to rotate.
16. The timer knob arrangement, as recited in claim 12, wherein
said time setting device comprises a timer indicator provided on
said actuation side of said ignition button for indicating said
time interval of said timer circuitry and a time alert device
electrically connected to said timer circuitry for generating an
alert signal when said timer circuitry is activated to drive said
runner wheel to rotate.
17. The timer knob arrangement, as recited in claim 13, wherein
said time setting device comprises a timer indicator provided on
said actuation side of said ignition button for indicating said
time interval of said timer circuitry and a time alert device
electrically connected to said timer circuitry for generating an
alert signal when said timer circuitry is activated to drive said
runner wheel to rotate.
18. The timer knob arrangement, as recited in claim 1, wherein said
power unit comprises a motor supported within said receiving cavity
to drive said runner wheel to rotate and a power supply which is
embodied as a replaceable battery electrically connected with said
motor for providing electrical power thereto.
19. The timer knob arrangement, as recited in claim 13, wherein
said power unit comprises a motor supported within said receiving
cavity to drive said runner wheel to rotate and a power supply
which is embodied as a replaceable battery electrically connected
with said motor for providing electrical power thereto.
20. The timer knob arrangement, as recited in claim 17, wherein
said power unit comprises a motor supported within said receiving
cavity to drive said runner wheel to rotate and a power supply
which is embodied as a replaceable battery electrically connected
with said motor for providing electrical power thereto.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE PRESENT INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to a heater, and more
particularly to a time knob arrangement for a gas or an electric
heater which is capable of automatically shutting off an ignition
button after a predetermined period of time.
[0003] 2. Description of Related Arts
[0004] A conventional heater, such as a domestic gas heater for use
in kitchen, usually comprises a housing, a heater unit provided on
the housing for controllably generating fire, and an actuation unit
operatively provided on the housing to communicate with the heater
unit for selectively turning the heater unit on and off. The heater
unit usually comprises an operation pin rotatably extended from the
housing, wherein the actuation unit, which is usually embodied as
an actuation button, is rotatably engaged with the operation pin
for rotating the operation pin to turn on or turn off the heater
unit.
[0005] One inherent problem for this kind of conventional gas
heater is that once it has been turned on, it will still be on
until the user manually turns it off by rotating the actuation
button in a predetermined direction. As a result, where the gas
heater is needed for an extended period of time, the user has no
choice but to stay in the vicinity of the heater and wait until,
say, the cooking is finished. Then, the user can turn off the
heater manually and free to do anything else.
[0006] There are two possible solutions to this problem. First,
over the years, electric heaters have been developed in which heat
is generated not by fire, but by converting electrical energy to
heat energy. As a result, these electric heaters usually comprise
sophisticated electric circuits for controlling a conversion
process between electrical energy and heat energy. The implication
of this solution is of course, to phrase out the traditional gas
heaters, which may not be suitable for all kinds of cooking.
[0007] Second, people may simply buy other equipments which provide
automatic on-off control for extended cooking. For example, some
rice cookers have been incorporated with fuzzy logic for
controlling temperature and on-off status in response to a pre-set
time schedule or the temperature condition inside the rice cooker.
As a result, when the user want to cook, say soup or Chinese
porridge, he/she may put the appropriate ingredients into the rice
cooker and set the corresponding time schedule. Obviously, the user
has to spend extra money in purchasing additional equipments for
specific cooking purposes.
[0008] One may appreciate that none of the above solutions are
really satisfactory. In both of these solutions, the user has to
purchase additional equipment which has timer control so as to
allow him/her to pre-set a time schedule for the cooking in
question. Moreover, as a matter of fact, some of these equipments
are expensive.
SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION
[0009] A main object of the present invention is to provide a time
knob arrangement for a gas or an electric heater which is capable
of automatically shutting off after a predetermined period of time.
In other words, the user is able to pre-set a time schedule for a
gas or electric heater.
[0010] Another object of the present invention is to provide a time
knob arrangement for a gas or an electric heater comprising a timer
control which is arranged to controllably turn off an ignition
button of the gas heater or the electric heater so as to shut off
the gas heater or the electric heater.
[0011] Another object of the present invention is to provide a time
knob arrangement which does not involve complicated or expensive
mechanical or electronic components so as to minimize the
manufacturing cost as well as the ultimate selling price of the
present invention. In other words, the present invention should be
affordable for a majority of household's users.
[0012] Another object of the present invention is to provide a
heater comprising a time knob arrangement which is capable of
automatically shutting off after a predetermined period of time,
wherein the timer knob arrangement comprises a timer control which
is arranged to controllably turn off an ignition button of the
heater for shutting off thereof.
[0013] Accordingly, in order to accomplish the above objects, the
present invention provides a timer knob arrangement for a heater
which comprises an operation pin rotatably extended from an
operation surface, comprising:
[0014] an ignition button having an actuation side, an opposed
engaging side defining a receiving cavity therebetween, and a pin
holder provided at the engaging side for substantially engaging
with the operation pin that the engaging side is facing towards the
operation surface of the heater, wherein the ignition button is
rotatably switched between a switched off position and an operation
position with respect to the operation pin; and
[0015] a timer control, which comprises:
[0016] a power unit received in the receiving cavity of the
ignition button;
[0017] a runner wheel which is driven by the power unit and is
rotatably supported by the ignition button at a position
tangentially with respect to the operation pin, wherein a portion
of the runner wheel is protruded from the engaging side of the
ignition button for substantially running with the operation
surface of the heater; and
[0018] a time control unit which is received in the receiving
cavity and is arranged to actuate the power unit in a timely manner
such that when the time control unit is activated to actuate the
power unit, the runner wheel is driven to rotate and to run on the
operation surface, so as to drive the ignition button turning back
to the switched off position for ensuring the heater being shut off
from a power source.
[0019] These and other objectives, features, and advantages of the
present invention will become apparent from the following detailed
description, the accompanying drawings, and the appended
claims.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0020] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a timer knob arrangement
according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.
[0021] FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of a timer knob
arrangement according to a preferred embodiment of the present
invention
[0022] FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of the timer knob arrangement
according to the above preferred embodiment of the present
invention.
[0023] FIG. 4 is a sectional side view of the timer knob
arrangement according to the above preferred embodiment of the
present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0024] Referring to FIG. 1, FIG. 2 and FIG. 4 of the drawings, a
timer knob arrangement for a heater 70, such as a gas-operated
heater, is illustrated. The heater 70 comprises a main casing
having an operation surface 72, and a stove unit supported by the
main casing, wherein the stove unit comprises an operation pin 71
rotatably extended from the operation surface 72, and adapted to
generate controlled fire by gas. According to a preferred
embodiment of the present invention, the timer knob arrangement
comprises an ignition button 10, and a timer control 20.
[0025] The ignition button 10 has an actuation side 11, an opposed
engaging side 12 defining a receiving cavity 13 therebetween, and a
pin holder provided at the engaging side 12 for substantially
engaging with the operation pin 71 that the engaging side 12 is
facing towards the operation surface 72 of the heater 70, wherein
the ignition button 10 is rotatably switched between a switched off
position and an operation position with respect to the operation
pin 71.
[0026] On the other hand, the timer control 20 comprises a power
unit 21, a runner wheel 22, and a time control unit 23. The power
unit 21 is received in the receiving cavity 13 of the ignition
button 10.
[0027] The runner wheel 22 is driven by the power unit 21, and is
rotatably supported by the ignition button 10 at a tangential
position with respect to the operation pin 71, wherein a portion of
the runner wheel 22 is protruded from the engaging side 12 of the
ignition button 10 for substantially running on the operation
surface 72 of the heater 70 in a circular locus.
[0028] On the other hand, a time control unit 23 is received in the
receiving cavity 13, and is arranged to actuate the power unit 21
in a timely manner such that when the time control unit 23 is
activated to actuate the power unit 21, the runner wheel 22 is
driven to rotate and to run on the operation surface 72, so as to
drive the ignition button 10 turning back to the switched off
position for ensuring a flow of gas being shut off from the heater
70.
[0029] As shown in FIG. 4 of the drawings, the runner wheel 22 is
rotatably supported within the receiving cavity 13 of the ignition
button 10 having the portion protruded from the engaging side 12 of
the ignition button 10 to contact with the operation surface 72 of
the heater 70. In order for the runner wheel 22 to substantially
run on the operation surface 72, the runner wheel 22 is preferably
embodied as having an outer circumferential running surface 221
which has a high coefficient of fiction so that when it is driven
to rotate by the power unit 21, the outer circumferential running
surface 221 of the runner wheel 22 is adapted to fictionally
engaged with the operation surface 72, in such a manner that an
opposite reaction force of the rotation of the runner wheel 22 when
it is driven to run on the operation surface 72 drives the ignition
button 10 to rotate with respect to the operation pin 71 so as to
shut off the heater 70. According to the preferred embodiment, the
outer circumferential running surface 221 is made of rubber and
adapted for substantially running on the operation surface 72 to
drive the ignition button 10 turning back to the switched off
position.
[0030] In order to optimally control a rotational movement of the
runner wheel 22, the timer control 20 further comprises a gear unit
24 operatively communicating between the power unit 21 and the
runner wheel 22 for regulating a rotational speed thereof. The
consequence is that when the power unit 21 generates a rotational
power at a certain rotational speed, the gear unit 24 will transfer
this rotational power to the runner wheel 22 according to an
overall gear ratio and produce a corresponding rotational speed of
the runner wheel 22.
[0031] According to the preferred embodiment of the present
invention, the power unit 21 comprises a motor 211 supported within
the receiving cavity 13 for generating the rotational force, and a
power supply 212 electrically connected with the motor 211 for
providing it with the necessary electrical power. Therefore, the
power supply 212 is preferably embodied as a rechargeable or
replaceable battery supported in the receiving cavity 13 of the
ignition button 10 and is adapted to be periodically recharged via
a power inlet provided on the ignition button 10.
[0032] The time control unit 23 comprises a timer circuitry 231
supported in the receiving cavity 13 and electrically connected
with the power unit 21, and a time setting device 232 provided on
an actuation side 11 of the ignition button 10 and electrically
connected with the timer circuitry 231 for illustrating timer
information of the heater 70. The time setting device 232 is
provided on the actuation side of the ignition button 10 to set a
time interval for activating the timer circuitry 231 in a timely
manner so as to actuate the power unit 21 to drive the runner wheel
22 to rotate.
[0033] Referring to FIG. 1 to FIG. 4 of the drawings, the time
setting device 232 comprises a timer controller 2321 for setting
the time period after which the ignition button 10 will be turned
for shutting off the heater 70, and a timer indicator 2322 for
displaying the relevant working status of the timer control 20. For
instances, the timer controller 2321 may be embodied as a
conventional mechanical timer controller 2321 which activate the
power unit 21 when a pre-set time is up. In such a case, the timer
indicator 2322 may be embodied as a plurality of marks provided on
the timer controller 2321 wherein the user is able to pre-set the
period of time the timer controller 2321 is going to elapse.
Alternatively, the timer controller 2321 can be embodied as an
electronic time control which sends an electrical signal to the
power unit 21 when the pre-set period of time is up. In such a
case, the timer indicator 2322 is embodied as a mini screen
indicating the time which is to be elapsed.
[0034] Moreover, the time setting device 232 further comprises a
time alert device 2323 electrically connected to the timer
circuitry 231 for generating an alert signal when the timer
circuitry 231 is activated to drive the runner wheel 22 to
rotate.
[0035] In order to enhance the running performance of the runner
wheel 22, the timer control 20 further comprises a runner panel 25,
having a runner track 251, attached on the operation surface 72 of
the heater 70 for fictionally engaging with the outer circumstances
running surface 221 of the runner wheel 22 such that the runner
wheel 22 is capable of substantially engaging with the runner track
251 so as to substantially run thereon when the runner wheel 22 is
driven to rotate by the power unit 21. Accordingly, the runner
track 251 is arranged to have a high coefficient of fiction so as
to ensure sound engagement with the runner wheel 22.
[0036] In other words, the runner track 251 of the runner panel 25
has a predetermined roughness to fictionally engage with the runner
wheel 22 and has a predetermined curvature with respect to a
running path of the runner wheel 22 to drive the ignition button 10
traveling from the operation position to the switched off
position.
[0037] The operation of the present invention is follows: referring
to FIG. 3 of the drawings, when the heater 70 is turned on, the
user, by operating on the time control unit 23, may pre-set a
predetermined time after which the ignition button 10 is driven to
shut off the heater 70. After that predetermined time has elapsed,
the timer circuitry 231 is arranged to activate the power unit 21
which in turn drives the runner wheel 22 to rotate. Since the
runner wheel 22 is fictionally engaged with the runner track 251 of
the runner panel 25, when it is driven to rotate, the ignition
button 10 is driven to turn in a direction which shuts off the
heater 70. As a result, the ignition button 10 `automatically`
returns to its normal position where the heater 70 is shut off.
[0038] In order to stop rotation of the runner wheel 22 at the
appropriate time, the timer circuitry 231 is pre-programmed to stop
activating the power unit 21 after a predetermined period of time
is elapsed since the power unit 21 has been activated. This
predetermined period of time may be determined as the maximum
possible time for the ignition button 10 to travel from the
operation position to the switched off position. Alternatively, for
sophisticated programming of the timer circuitry 231, the
predetermined period of time may be set in such a manner that
predetermined discrete intensities of the heater's 70 fire can be
maintained. In other words, the user may choose discrete
intensities of the heater's 70 fire before finally shutting off
thereof.
[0039] It is worth mentioning that the heater 70 may be embodied as
either gas-operated or electrically-operated. In either case, the
user of the present invention does not need to purchase extra
equipment for cooking involving extended period of time. With the
time knob arrangement of the present invention, the user does not
need to stay in the vicinity of the heater 70 and it is capable of
being automatically shut after the predetermined period of time has
elapsed.
[0040] From the forgoing descriptions, it can be shown that the
above-mentioned objects have been substantially achieved. The
present invention provides a time knob arrangement for a gas or an
electric heater, such as a gas-operated stove, which is capable of
automatically shutting off after a predetermined period of
time.
[0041] One skilled in the art will understand that the embodiment
of the present invention as shown in the drawings and described
above is exemplary only and not intended to be limiting.
[0042] It will thus be seen that the objects of the present
invention have been fully and effectively accomplished. It
embodiments have been shown and described for the purposes of
illustrating the functional and structural principles of the
present invention and is subject to change without departure from
such principles. Therefore, this invention includes all
modifications encompassed within the spirit and scope of the
following claims.
* * * * *