US Patent:
20020045142, Apr 18, 2002
Inventors:
Pierre Repper - Carteauguay, CA
Alan Shute - Stowe VT, US
Christa Shute - Stowe VT, US
Suzanne Shute - Stowe VT, US
Allen Olson - Craftsbury VT, US
Feng Zhou - Gloucester, CA
International Classification:
F23N005/00
Abstract:
An electronically activated gas cooktop control system, responsive to a touch-sensitive user interface, and capable of providing a predetermined range of cooking and simmer levels of BTU output, has two complementary heating modes of operation A first heating mode of operation is provided to produce a wide selection of simmer levels of BTU output, by electronically sequencing a solenoid-operated modulating gas valve “on” and “off”, at a predetermined level of flame. A second cooking mode of operation is provided by electronically modulating the level of flame, through use of a pulse-width-modulation (PWM) output signal to produce a wide selection of cooking levels of BTU output. An igniter system capable of insuring proper ignition of gas without generating harmful electromagnetic interference is also provided.