EP3055619B1

EP3055619B1 - Ignition mechanism for furnace units

Info

Publication number: EP3055619B1
Application number: EP15782097.8A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Okay ENGIN
Original assignee: Ferel Elektronik Sanayi ve Ticaret AS
Current assignee: Ferel Elektronik Sanayi ve Ticaret AS
Priority date: 2014-09-11
Filing date: 2015-09-02
Publication date: 2024-04-03
Anticipated expiration: 2035-09-02
Also published as: EP3055619A1; EP3055619C0; WO2016039703A1

Description

Technical Field

The invention relates to switches, which operate depending on the motion of gas taps and apply electric power to the ignition system by means of being mounted on gas taps of all types of electronic or manually controlled heaters and cookers (household and industrial type furnaces, ovens, combi boilers etc.) running on LPG and NG.

Background of the Invention

Today, switches that provide electric power to ignition units to ignite gas in electronic or manually controlled heaters and cookers (household and industrial type furnaces, ovens, combi boiler etc.) running on LPG or NG are utilized.
In existing applications, loose contact problem is encountered on the ignition of the switch.
Conducted research shows that contacts that transmit electric current are not provided enough pressure or touching contact surfaces are exposed to oxidation in time, whereas some show that the moving parts of the metal material develop cracks and therefore the switch cannot function and these problems are frequently encountered.
In existing applications, switches vary, since there are various gas taps. This increases the production costs. As switch size decreases, switch diversity and therefore production costs are reduced. Moreover, unit switch cost is reduced due to the use of fewer materials.
The summary of TR 201204292 patent application revealed as a result of conducted technical research is as follows; "The invention is characterized in that, it contains a contact terminal and a fixed terminal with at least one key body equipped with housings thereof; at least one switch pin - acting as ignition trigger - placed on the spring to perform the ignition function; ignition switch, which is made up of a switch cover whose terminals are placed on the body equipped with clamps and provides ease of mounting; an ignition switch whose pin is pointing upwards when the oven is not working and that triggers ignition upon pushing and turning the button to downwards position in gas ovens. However, it does not mention any embodiments that can provide a solution for the abovementioned disadvantages.
Another application revealed as a result of conducted technical research, TR 200002917 utility model, states "Present invention relates to a lighter switch for ovens. The present invention, acting as a switch for lighters in ovens, is based on an "M" shaped ignition switch contacting the ground contacts by sweeping motion". However, this structure does not include a novelty that aims to solve the abovementioned problems.
The document numbered WO2011084729 is related with a control switch harness for the lighting of burners of a cooking range, couplable in use to the gas taps feeding the burners and provided with an optical light indication when the gas tap is open. The optical light indication is aimed with enclosed structure and does not include a novelty that aims to solve the abovementioned problems.
The document numbered WO2010134040 discloses a gas supply control device for an apparatus, includes timing means and a first command means for manually setting an opening time interval of a safety valve of a gas tap, equipped with a second command means. This structure does not include a novelty that aims to solve the abovementioned problems.
The document numbered EP2151836A2 is related with an ignition switch assembly connectable to a rotary shaft of a gas tap, comprising fixed contact means, mobile contact means, and a cam coupled to the coupling element which is configured to move the mobile contact means relative to the fixed contact means. This structure does not include a novelty that aims to solve the problems such as loose contact problems, ease of mounting, breaking at the inflection point cracks on moving material, enough pressure to contact that transmit electric current, much touching contact surfaces.
In conclusion, the existence of the abovementioned problems and insufficiency of the existing solutions has necessitated making an improvement on the related technical field.

Object of the Invention

Present invention relates to ignition switches that meet the abovementioned demands, eliminate all disadvantages and provide some additional advantages.
Object of the invention is to increase the pressure between contacts and strengthen the contact touch by means of reducing the unloaded spring angle of the moving contact.
The invention increases the contact pressure by means of reducing the touch surface on the fixed contact. Moreover, the invention stabilizes the contact touch distance of the switch by aligning the position of the moving contact at touch parallel to the base plastic. Problems due to loose contact are eliminated by means of all these provided novelties.
Another object of the invention is to prevent metal material from breaking by means of using a semi-circle form at the terminal end of the moving contact and extending the spring distance. Furthermore, the object is to increase the radius of the moving contact at the inflection point so as to prevent metal material from breaking at the inflection point. All these characteristics increase the durability of switches of the invention and enable them to be long lasting.
Another object of the invention is to decrease switch size so as to enable the switch to fit on more kinds of gas taps, so as to reduce switch diversity, to make production with one common switch and thus to reduce production costs. Furthermore the invention also enables reducing the unit production costs by means of decreasing switch size and using fewer materials.
In life tests related to this invention, it has been observed that drawbacks and defects of existing applications are eliminated.
In order to realize the abovementioned objects, invention is a switch that contains a heat-resistant main body, button, lifter spring, ignition mechanism and a top piece enabling to fix the mentioned main body to the gas tap, wherein the mentioned ignition mechanism contains a fixed contact having a narrow-surface structure so as to reduce the touch surface and increase contact pressure; and a moving contact, which is provided with a surface with a radius in a manner to prevent the metal part from breaking due to bending and which enables electricity conduction by touching the fixed contact.
According to the present invention there is a semi-circular terminal extension having moving contact terminal ends which provides increasing the spring distance of moving contact touching end of the mentioned moving contact. In another preferred embodiment of the invention, said button comprises an alignment protrusion that supports the moving contact terminal ends. Furthermore, mentioned switch contains a moving contact which stabilizes the contact touch distance and aligns itself parallel to the main body base at contact touch. The structural and characteristic features and all advantages of the invention will be more clearly understood by the figures given below and detailed written description addressed to the figures. Therefore, the evaluation should be done by taking into account these figures and detailed description.

Figures to help understand the invention

Figure 1 , shows electric circuit diagram of the switch of the invention.
Figure 2 , shows the exploded view of the switch of the invention.
Figure 3 , shows the steps related to the processes of pressure application on the moving contact and touch on the fixed contact.
Figure 4 , shows a perspective view of the inner surface of switch upper body of the invention.
Figure 5 , shows the perspective view of the switch of the invention together with the cable.
Figure 6 , shows a perspective view of the sequential application of the switch set of the invention.
Figure 7 , shows the switch of the invention mounted on the gas tap.

Figures do not necessarily need to be scaled and details, which are not crucial to understand the present invention could be omitted. Furthermore, at least substantially identical components or components with at least a significant number of identical functions are indicated by the same number.

Reference Numbers

10. Main body
- 11. Moving contact housing
- 12. Button shaft housing
- 13. Fixed contact housing
- 14. Cable channels
- 15. Lifter spring pin
- 16. Locking clamps
20. Top piece
- 21. Fixing protrusion
- 22. Locking housings
- 23. Gas tap saddle
- 24. Press pins
30. Button
- 31. Alignment protrusion
- 32. Button pressure surface
40. Ignition mechanism
- 41. Cable assembly channels
- 42. Fixed contact
- 43. Moving contact
- 44. Fixed contact touching end
- 45. Moving contact touching end
- 46. Surface with a radius
- 47. Narrow surface
- 48. Moving contact terminal ends
- 49. Semi-circular terminal extension
50. Lifter spring
60. Switch
70. Sequential switch group
80. Electric cables
90. Gas tap
- 91. Gas tap body
- 92. Gas tap button
- 93. Gas tap shaft

Detailed description of the Invention

In this detailed description, preferred embodiments of the ignition switches (60) of the invention are explained only for better understanding of the matter in a manner not to have any limiting effects.
Figure 1, shows electric circuit diagram of parallel switches (60) of the invention whereas, Figure 2 shows exploded perspective view of the switches (60). Lifter spring (50) that applies push force to the button (30) is placed on the lifter spring pin (15) that is positioned on the main body (10) made of impact and heat resistant plastic material. Fixed contact (42) that is made of a special alloy phosphor bronze and that provides the electric current is placed in the fixed contact housing (13) on the main body (10); and the moving contact (43) is placed in the moving contact housing (11) on the main body (10). Button (30) that moves by means of the lifter spring (50) is placed in the button shaft housing (12) on the main body (10) in a manner to contain the lifter spring (50). Silicone coated electric wires (80) that carry electricity are placed inside the cable channels (14) on the main body (10) and they fit closely into the cable assembly channels (41) on the fixed contact (42) and moving contact (43) and provide conductivity. The top piece (20) that enables fixing the switch (60) to the gas tap (90) is assembled by pressing from the top in a manner to hold all components together. In the meantime, press pins (24) on the top piece (20) are pushed against the silicone coated electric cables (80) so as to enable the fixed contact (42) and moving contact (43) to firmly touch the conductor inside the electric cables (80). Figure 4 shows a view of the press pins (24) located on the inner surface of the top piece (20) made of plastic material. Thereby, assembly of the switch (60) is completed.
Figure 5 shows perspective view of the switch (60) of the invention. Figure 6 shows the sequential switch group (70) connected by electric cables (80). A gas tap (90) which is component of the oven unit, is adapted in the gap of the gas tap saddle (23). The mechanism is triggered by means of the button (30).
Mentioned switches (60) work as follows; one or more switches (60) are assembled in parallel and sequential switch groups (70) are formed as shown in Figure 6. Then, the switch (60) is mounted on the gas tap (90) by means of the fixing protrusion (21), which is produced in proper dimensions depending on different gas taps and which is easily mounted on the tap and that prevents the switch (60) from coming out; and the gas tap saddle (23), which is produced suitably for different gas taps and mounted on the top piece. Figure 7 shows the switch of the invention mounted on the gas tap (90). Gas tap shaft (93) corresponding to the burner that needs to be burned is pushed forward by means of gas tap button (92). While the gas tap button (92) is pushing the gas tap shaft (93) forward, it also pushes the button (30) of the switch (60) possessed by that gas tap (90) and compresses the lifter spring (50). Button (30) moves in the same direction and together with the gas tap shaft (93). According to the present invention the moving contact (43) is positioned such that it leans to the alignment protrusions (31) on the button (30) by means of moving contact terminal ends (48) of the semi-circular terminal extension (49). Upon compression, moving contact touching end (45) is drawn close to the fixed contact touching end (44) having a narrow surface (47) structure underneath thereof as shown in Figure 3. After the touch is ensured, moving contact (43) stops moving. Motion of the button (30) continues with the motion of the tap shaft. After fixed contact (42) and moving contact (43) touch, button (30) moves so as to compensate for the displacement gap of the tap shaft. Upon pushing the tap shaft, gas flows through the pipe to the burner; in the meantime switch (60) provides energy transmission to the lighter and the process is completed upon ignition of gas.

Claims

A switch (60) that contains:
- a heat-resistant main body (10),

- a button (30),

- a lifter spring (50),

- an ignition mechanism (40) comprising:
∘ a conductive fixed contact (42) having a narrow-surface (47) structure so as to reduce the touch surface and increase contact pressure,

∘ a conductive moving contact (43) which is provided with a surface with a radius (46) which prevents the metal part from breaking due to bending and which enables electricity conduction by touching the fixed contact (42),

- a top piece (20) enabling to fix the mentioned main body (10) to the gas tap (90), characterized in that:
◆ said moving contact (43) comprises a semi-circular terminal extension (49) having moving contact terminal ends (48) which provides increasing the springback distance of moving contact touching end (45) which is located between the surface with a radius (46) and the semi-circular terminal extension (49),

◆ said button (30) comprises an alignment protrusion (31) that supports the moving contact terminal ends (48),

◆ wherein the moving contact (43) is positioned such that it leans to the alignment protrusions (31)_on the button (30) by means of moving contact terminal ends (48) of the semi-circular terminal extension (49), wherein upon compression, moving contact touching end (45)_is drawn close to the fixed contact touching end (44) having a narrow surface (47) structure underneath thereof.
Switch (60) according to Claim 1, characterized in comprising a moving contact (43) which stabilizes the contact touch distance of the switch (60) and aligns itself parallel to the main body (10) base at contact touch.