US2006057520A1PendingUtilityA1

Control valve assembly for controlling gas flow in gas combustion systems

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Individually held — no corporate assignee on recordPriority: Sep 16, 2004Filed: Sep 16, 2004Published: Mar 16, 2006
Est. expirySep 16, 2024(expired)· nominal 20-yr term from priority
Inventors:Richard Joseph SaiaDavid Joseph NajewiczCharles Erklin SeeleyGuanghua WuAaron Jay Knobloch
F23N 2235/18F23N 2237/02F23N 2241/08F23N 1/005F24C 3/12F23C 2900/03001
40
PatentIndex Score
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Cited by
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Claims

Abstract

A control valve assembly includes an inlet for receiving a gas flow and an outlet for providing the gas flow to a gas burner. The assembly also includes a positive-shutoff valve for interrupting the gas flow from the inlet. A micro electromechanical system (MEMS) valve is coupled in series to the positive-shutoff value between the inlet and the outlet for regulating the gas flow from the inlet to the outlet.

Claims

exact text as granted — not AI-modified
1 . A control valve assembly comprising: 
 an inlet for receiving a gas flow;    an outlet for providing the gas flow to a gas burner;    a positive-shutoff valve for interrupting the gas flow from the inlet; and    a micro electromechanical system (MEMS) valve coupled in series to the positive-shutoff valve between the inlet and the outlet for regulating the gas flow from the inlet to the outlet.    
   
   
       2 . The assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising a control circuit coupled to the positive-shutoff valve and to the MEMS valve for controlling the gas flow via the positive-shutoff valve and the MEMS valve.  
   
   
       3 . The assembly of  claim 2 , further comprising a user interface coupled to the control circuit for providing a user input to the control circuit.  
   
   
       4 . The assembly of  claim 3 , wherein the control circuit is adapted to regulate a heat output of the gas burner based upon the user input.  
   
   
       5 . The assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising a power supply adapted to actuate the MEMS valve by controlling one of a voltage, a current or a pulse width modulation.  
   
   
       6 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the MEMS valve comprises an orifice adapted to provide a desired gas flow for a burner simmer setting.  
   
   
       7 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein a plurality of MEMS valves is coupled in parallel to provide a desired gas flow to the gas burner.  
   
   
       8 . The assembly of  claim 7 , wherein at least one positive-shutoff valve is coupled in series to each of the MEMS valve.  
   
   
       9 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the positive-shutoff valve is placed upstream of the MEMS valve.  
   
   
       10 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the positive-shutoff valve is a solenoid valve.  
   
   
       11 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the MEMS valve is mounted on a heat sinking substrate.  
   
   
       12 . The assembly of  claim 11 , wherein the heat sinking substrate is aluminum.  
   
   
       13 . The assembly of  claim 11 , further comprising a sealing device disposed adjacent to the heat sinking substrate, wherein the sealing device is adapted to seal the gas flow from the heat sinking substrate.  
   
   
       14 . The assembly of  claim 13 , wherein the sealing device is a printed seal printed on the heat sinking substrate.  
   
   
       15 . The assembly of  claim 13 , wherein the sealing device is a thermally conductive gasket.  
   
   
       16 . A gas cooking system comprising: 
 a gas burner; and    a control valve assembly comprising: 
 an inlet for receiving a gas flow;  
 an outlet for providing the gas flow to the gas burner;  
 a positive-shutoff valve for interrupting gas flow from the inlet; and  
 a micro electromechanical system (MEMS) valve coupled in series to the positive-shutoff valve between the inlet and the outlet for metering the gas flow from the inlet to the outlet.  
   
   
   
       17 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein a regulator is disposed upstream of the control valve assembly, the regulator being adapted to regulate the gas flow from a supply.  
   
   
       18 . The system of  claim 16 , further comprising a control circuit coupled to the positive-shutoff valve and to the MEMS valve for controlling the gas flow via the positive-shutoff valve and the MEMS valve.  
   
   
       19 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the MEMS valve comprises an orifice adapted to provide a desired gas flow for a burner simmer setting.  
   
   
       20 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein a plurality of MEMS valves is coupled in parallel to provide a desired gas flow to the gas burner.  
   
   
       21 . The system of  claim 20 , wherein at least one positive-shutoff valve is coupled in series to each of the MEMS valve.  
   
   
       22 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the positive-shutoff valve is a solenoid valve.  
   
   
       23 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the MEMS valve is mounted on a heat sinking substrate.  
   
   
       24 . The system of  claim 16 , further comprising a lock-out valve disposed upstream of the MEMS valve and the positive-shutoff valve, wherein the lock-out valve is adapted to interrupt the gas flow from the supply to the gas burner.  
   
   
       25 . A micro electromechanical system (MEMS) valve assembly comprising: 
 a heat sinking substrate;    a plurality of MEMS valves disposed on the heat sinking substrate;    a first gas flow device for receiving a gas flow;    a second gas flow device disposed downstream of the first gas flow device; and    a sealing device adapted to seal the heat sinking substrate between the first gas flow device and the second gas flow device.    
   
   
       26 . The assembly of  claim 25 , further comprising a control circuit coupled to the plurality of MEMS valves for regulating the gas flow via MEMS valves.  
   
   
       27 . The assembly of  claim 26 , further comprising an edge connector adapted to couple traces from the plurality of MEMS valves to the control circuit.  
   
   
       28 . The assembly of  claim 25 , wherein the heat sinking substrate is aluminum.  
   
   
       29 . The assembly of  claim 25 , wherein the sealing device is an O-ring seal.  
   
   
       30 . The assembly of  claim 25 , wherein the sealing device is a thermally conductive gasket.  
   
   
       31 . A method of controlling a gas flow in a gas combustion system with a gas burner comprising: 
 receiving the gas flow via an inlet;    controlling the gas flow from the inlet by opening and closing a positive-shutoff valve; and    regulating the gas flow from the inlet to the gas burner via a MEMS valve when the positive shutoff valve is open.    
   
   
       32 . The method of  claim 31 , comprising providing the gas flow to the gas burner via an outlet.  
   
   
       33 . The method of  claim 31 , further comprising regulating the gas flow by electronically controlling the operation of the positive-shutoff valve and the MEMS valve based upon a user defined input.  
   
   
       34 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein regulating the gas flow comprises providing a desired gas flow to the gas burner via an orifice.  
   
   
       35 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein regulating the gas flow comprises providing a desired gas flow to the gas burner via a plurality of MEMS valves.  
   
   
       36 . The method of  claim 31 , further comprising dissipating heat generated from the MEMS valve through a heat sinking substrate.  
   
   
       37 . A method of manufacturing a control valve assembly for a gas combustion system comprising: 
 positioning a positive-shutoff valve adjacent to an inlet of the gas combustion system for controlling a gas flow through the assembly;    coupling a micro electromechanical system (MEMS) valve in series with the positive-shutoff valve for regulating flow through the assembly when the positive-shutoff valve is open; and    providing a sealing device adjacent to the MEMS valve, for sealing the gas flow through the MEMS valve.    
   
   
       38 . The method of  claim 37 , further comprising coupling a plurality of MEMS valves in parallel for providing a desired flow to the gas combustion system.  
   
   
       39 . The method of  claim 37 , further comprising coupling an orifice with the MEMS valve for providing a fixed gas flow to the gas cooking system.  
   
   
       40 . The method of  claim 37 , further comprising coupling a control circuit with the positive-shutoff valve and to the MEMS valve.  
   
   
       41 . The method of  claim 37 , comprising mounting the MEMS valve on a heat sinking substrate for dissipation of heat generated by the MEMS valve.

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