Hot wire igniter

Abstract

A hot wire igniter for igniting a gas appliance is disclosed. The coil of the hot wire igniter is formed from a thin high temperature, iron, chromium, aluminum alloy having a center section that is tightly wound. Alternatively, the coil can be formed from an alloy of platinum and iridium, or a similar high temperature metal alloy. The coil turns initially do not touch one another and each end of the coil is welded to a lead-in rod that is received within an insulator member. The lead-in rods are connected to a power source. The coil portion of the hot wire igniter is received within a gas collector box which is attached to the burner to be ignited. Application of the voltage source to the lead-in rods causes the coil of wire to reach a temperature in excess of the ignition temperature of the gas-air mixture which surrounds same causing the ignition of the mixture.

1 ) An igniter comprising an insulator member having at least two spaced-apart bores therethrough, at least two electrodes formed from solid metallic material, each of said electrodes being received within one of said bores in said insulator member and being positioned therein so that a portion thereof having a substantially circular cross-section protrudes from an end of said insulator member, and a single strand of substantially straight high temperature wire formed into a coil and attached to the exterior surface of the portions of said electrodes protruding from said end of said insulator member.  
   
   
       2 ) The igniter as defined in  claim 1  wherein said single strand of substantially straight wire is formed from an iron, chromium, aluminum alloy.  
   
   
       3 ) The igniter as defined in  claim 1  wherein said single strand of substantially straight wire is formed from an alloy of platinum and iridium.  
   
   
       4 ) The igniter as defined in  claim 1  wherein said coil of wire includes at least two coil turns.  
   
   
       5 ) The igniter as defined in  claim 4  wherein said coil turns are initially in a spaced-apart relationship with respect to one another.  
   
   
       6 ) The igniter as defined in  claim 4  wherein through usage said coil turns contact one another.  
   
   
       7 ) (Canceled).  
   
   
       8 ) The igniter as defined in  claim 1  wherein the outer diameter of said coil of wire approximates the diameter of each of said electrodes.  
   
   
       9 ) (Canceled).  
   
   
       10 ) The igniter as defined in  claim 1  wherein said portions of said electrodes protruding from said other end of said insulator member are swaged to accept in the attachment of a voltage source thereto.  
   
   
       11 ) The igniter as defined in  claim 1  further including a bracket member having an aperture therein, said insulator member being grippingly received within said aperture in said bracket member.  
   
   
       12 ) The igniter as defined in  claim 1  further including a gas collector box, said coil of wire and said portions of said electrodes protruding from said end of said insulator member with said coil of wire attached thereto being received within said gas collector box and being positioned therein so as to ignite the gas-air mixture within said gas collector box.  
   
   
       13 ) The igniter as defined in  claim 12  wherein said gas collector box has an aperture therein for the receipt of the portion of the said insulator member containing said portions of said electrodes protruding from said end of said insulator member with said coil of wire attached thereto.  
   
   
       14 ) The igniter as defined in  claim 12  wherein said gas collector box has an opening thereto permitting a gas-air mixture to be received therein.  
   
   
       15 ) The igniter as defined in  claim 12  wherein said gas collector box further includes a mounting bracket attached thereto.  
   
   
       16 ) The igniter as defined in  claim 15  wherein said mounting bracket attached to said gas collector box is attachable to the surface of a gas burner having outlet ports therein so as to position said gas collector box adjacent said outlet ports in said gas burner.  
   
   
       17 ) The igniter as defined in  claim 1  further including a voltage source to supply power to said igniter.  
   
   
       18 ) The igniter as defined in  claim 17  wherein said voltage source comprises at least one battery.  
   
   
       19 ) The igniter as defined in  claim 17  wherein said voltage source is a DC voltage source.  
   
   
       20 ) The igniter as defined in  claim 17  wherein said voltage source is an AC voltage source.