Burner igniter
An igniter for a burner in a cooking system. The igniter comprises a spark unit including two electrodes that define a spark gap, a spark module electrically connected to the electrodes to apply a high-voltage pulse across the electrodes to generate a spark in the spark gap, and a remote sending unit that sends an ignite signal to the spark module to generate a spark in the spark gap to light the burner. A local ignite signal can be initiated from the spark module. The spark module and the remote sending unit can be clamped to a gas hose supplying gas to the burner. The spark unit can be attached to a variety of burners by attachments to position the spark gap in the burner's gas flow. A single-electrode igniter is also described.
1 . An igniter comprising:
a spark module including a receiver and a battery serving as the sole electric power source for the spark module;
a spark unit including at least one electrode having a distal end, wherein the at least one electrode is electrically connected to the spark module;
a sending unit remote from the spark module and having a transmitter and an actuator that, when actuated, causes the transmitter to send an ignite signal to the receiver for the spark module to send a high-voltage pulse to the at least one electrode to generate a spark at the distal end;
wherein the spark module includes an enclosure housing the battery and the receiver;
wherein the enclosure has a first enclosure portion forming a first channel portion along its length and a second enclosure portion including a clamp and forming a second channel portion along its length and wherein the second enclosure portion is separable from the first enclosure portion to admit a gas hose into the first channel portion and wherein the second enclosure portion is joined to the first enclosure portion with the gas hose received in the second enclosure portion and clamped by the clamp against the first enclosure portion.
2 . The igniter of claim 1 wherein the actuator is a pushbutton on the sending unit.
3 . The igniter of claim 1 wherein the spark module includes a receiver on/off pushbutton that, when depressed for a predetermined time period, enables the receiver if disabled and disables the receiver if enabled.
4 . The igniter of claim 1 wherein the spark unit includes a pair of electrodes spaced apart at their distal ends across a spark gap and wherein the spark module includes an ignite pushbutton that, when actuated, causes the spark module to produce a high-voltage pulse across the electrodes to generate a spark in the spark gap.
5 . The igniter of claim 1 wherein the spark unit has a single electrode electrically connected to the spark module.
6 . The igniter of claim 1 comprising a regulator and wherein the sending unit is unitarily formed with the regulator.
7 . The igniter of claim 1 wherein the spark unit includes a first connector and wherein the spark module includes a second connector that mates with the first connector to electrically connect the at least one electrode to the spark module and wherein the spark module includes a safety switch in the second connector that disables the spark module from generating the high-voltage pulse when the first connector is not mated with the second connector.
8 . An igniter comprising:
a spark unit including at least one electrode having a distal end;
a spark module including:
a high-voltage pulse generator connected to the at least one electrode;
a sending unit including an actuator that, when actuated, causes the sending unit to send an ignite signal to the high-voltage pulse generator to send a high-voltage pulse to the at least one electrode to generate a spark at the distal end;
a battery providing all the electrical power to the spark module over a power line;
an enclosure housing the high-voltage pulse generator, the sending unit, and the battery;
wherein the enclosure has a first enclosure portion forming a first channel portion along its length and a second enclosure portion forming a second channel portion along its length and wherein the first and second channel portions form a channel through the enclosure and wherein the second enclosure portion is separable from the first enclosure portion to admit a gas line into the channel and wherein the second enclosure portion is joined to the first enclosure portion to retain the gas line in the channel.
9 . The igniter of claim 8 wherein the actuator is a pushbutton on the spark module.
10 . The igniter of claim 8 wherein the spark unit includes a first connector and wherein the spark module includes a second connector that mates with the first connector to electrically connect the at least one electrode to the high-voltage pulse generator and wherein the spark module includes a safety switch in the second connector that disables the high-voltage generator when the first connector is not mated with the second connector.
11 . The igniter of claim 8 wherein the spark unit includes a first connector and wherein the spark module includes:
a second connector that mates with the first connector to electrically connect the at least one electrode to the spark module;
a safety switch in the second connector in line with the power line that opens the power line to unpower the spark module when the first connector is not mated with the second connector.
12 . The igniter of claim 8 wherein the spark module comprises:
electronic circuitry within the enclosure and powered by the battery to control the high-voltage pulse generator;
wherein the electronic circuitry and the high-voltage pulse generator are potted within the enclosure.
13 . The igniter of claim 8 wherein the spark unit includes an electrically non-conductive housing through which the at least one electrode extends from a base end within the housing to a distal end outside the housing.
14 . The igniter of claim 8 wherein the spark unit comprises:
a first ceramic insulator and a second ceramic insulator, each having a first end and a second end;
a first electrode extending from the second end of the first ceramic insulator to a distal end;
a second electrode extending from the second end of the second ceramic insulator to a distal end;
an electrically non-conductive housing extending from a first housing end to a second housing end and molded over the first and second ceramic insulators;
wherein the first and second electrodes extend through the housing from the first housing end and through the second housing end to the distal ends;
wherein the housing includes insulating spacers at the second housing end molded over the first and second electrodes along a length of the first and second electrodes extending from the second housing end to prevent liquid from entering the housing at the second end.
15 . A cooking system comprising:
a burner having a gas outlet;
a gas hose carrying gas to the burner;
an igniter including:
a spark unit attached to the burner and including at least one electrode having a distal end at the gas outlet of the burner;
a spark module including:
a high-voltage pulse generator electrically connected to the at least one electrode and sending a high-voltage pulse to the at least one electrode to generate a spark that ignites the gas flowing through the outlet;
a battery providing all the electrical power to the spark module;
an enclosure housing the high-voltage generator and the battery;
a bracket fastened to the spark unit and having a hook at one end that hooks over the burner at the gas outlet;
a set screw through the bracket that tightens the hook against the burner to set the position of the distal end at the gas outlet of the burner.
16 . The cooking system of claim 15 wherein the enclosure has a first enclosure portion forming a first channel portion along its length and a second enclosure portion including a clamp and forming a second channel portion along its length and wherein the second enclosure portion is separable from the first enclosure portion to admit the gas hose into the first channel portion and wherein the second enclosure portion is joined to the first enclosure portion with the gas hose received in the second enclosure portion and clamped by the clamp against the first enclosure portion.
17 . The cooking system of claim 15 wherein the battery supplies power to the spark module over a power line and wherein the spark unit includes a first connector and wherein the spark module includes:
a second connector that mates with the first connector to electrically connect the electrodes to the spark module;
a safety switch in the second connector in line with the power line that opens the power line to unpower the spark module when the first connector is not mated with the second connector.
18 . The cooking system of claim 15 wherein the bracket includes a lower segment fastened to the spark unit, an upper segment that terminates in the hook and through which the set screw is threaded, and an intermediate segment obliquely joined to the upper and lower segments to offset the upper segment from the lower segment.
19 . The cooking system of claim 15 comprising a sending unit remote from the spark module and having an actuator that, when actuated, causes the sending unit to send an ignite signal to the spark module for the high-voltage pulse generator to send a high-voltage pulse to the at least one electrode to generate a spark at the gas outlet of the burner.
20 . The cooking system of claim 15 wherein the spark unit includes:
a pair of electrodes;
a pair of ceramic insulators, each extending from a first end to a second end and associated with one of the electrodes;
wherein the electrodes extend through the second ends of the ceramic insulators to distal ends.
21 . The cooking system of claim 15 wherein the spark module includes a fastener that is an elastic-band fastener or a hook-and-loop strap fastener that wraps around the gas hose.
22 . A cooking system comprising:
a burner having a gas outlet;
a gas hose carrying gas to the burner;
an igniter including:
a spark unit attached to the burner and including:
a single electrode having a distal end at the gas outlet of the burner;
a first connector;
a first wire electrically connected at one end to the single electrode;
a second wire electrically connected at one end to the burner;
wherein the other ends of the first and second wires are connected to the first connector;
a spark module including:
a high-voltage pulse generator electrically connected to the single electrode;
a battery providing all the electrical power to the spark module;
an enclosure housing the high-voltage generator and the battery;
wherein the spark module has a second connector that mates with the first connector; and
wherein the high-voltage pulse generator applies a high-voltage pulse across the first and second wires through the first and second connectors to generate a spark between the distal end of the single electrode and the burner at the gas outlet to ignite the burner.
23 . The cooking system of claim 22 comprising a bracket attaching the spark unit to the burner and wherein the second wire is electrically connected to the burner through a physical connection to the bracket.
24 . The cooking system of claim 22 wherein the spark module includes a fastener that is an elastic-band fastener or a hook-and-loop strap fastener that wraps around the gas hose.