Gas valve and method for actuating a gas valve

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for controlling a gas valve having a valve inlet and a second valve outlet for supplying gas to a secondary flame, and having a first valve outlet for supplying gas to a main flame; and a second valve which is embodied as a solenoid valve and interacts with a thermal element which is arranged in the secondary flame, and closes/opens the valve inlet in the closed/open position, wherein the first and second valves are activated by a linear drive which is actuated by an electronic controller, wherein when the second valve is opened the linear drive controls the first valve via a drive axle, and when the first valve is closed said linear drive opens the second valve, and wherein the electronic controller detects at least one position of the drive axle of the linear drive by measuring current/voltage, and thus detects the position of the first and second valves. The invention also relates to a valve which is suitable for the method according to the invention. The invention finally relates to the use of the method and/or to the control of a gas burning flame, and in particular to the control of a cooker or gas stove.

1 . Method for controlling a gas valve ( 1 ) having: 
 a valve inlet ( 11 ) and a first valve outlet ( 12 ) and a first valve ( 14 ) which closes/opens the first valve outlet ( 12 ); and    a linear drive ( 2 ) which is actuated by an electronic controller (S), wherein the linear drive ( 2 ) activates the first valve ( 14 ) by means of a drive axle ( 21 ), wherein:    the first valve ( 14 ) and the linear drive ( 2 ) are embodied and arranged in such a way that the electronic controller (S) detects the open/closed position of the valve ( 14 ) by measuring current/voltage.    
   
   
       2 . Method according to  claim 1 , also having: a second valve ( 15 ) which closes/opens the valve inlet ( 11 ), wherein the linear drive ( 2 ) also opens the second valve ( 15 ) by means of the drive axle ( 21 ) when the first valve ( 14 ) is closed, and the electronic controller (S) detects the open/closed position of the second valve ( 15 ) by measuring current/voltage.  
   
   
       3 . Method according to  claim 2 , having: the valve inlet ( 11 ) and the first valve outlet ( 12 ) for supplying gas to a main flame, and having a second valve outlet ( 13 ) for supplying gas to a secondary flame.  
   
   
       4 . Method according to  claim 2 , wherein: the second valve ( 15 ) is embodied as a solenoid valve and is actuated by means of a flame monitoring device of the main flame and/or secondary flame.  
   
   
       5 . Method according to  claim 1 , wherein: the linear drive ( 2 ) controls, by means of its drive axle ( 21 ), (a) the first valve ( 14 ) when the second valve ( 15 ) is opened, and (b) when the second valve ( 15 ) is closed said linear drive ( 2 ) opens the second valve ( 15 ), in which case the first valve ( 14 ) is closed, and wherein the electronic controller detects at least one position of the drive axle ( 21 ) of the linear drive ( 2 ) by measuring current/voltage, and thus detects the position of the first valve ( 14 ) and second valve ( 15 ).  
   
   
       6 . Method according to  claim 2 , wherein: the first valve ( 14 ) and second valve ( 15 ) and the linear drive ( 2 ), are embodied and arranged in such a way that by measuring current/voltage the electronic controller detects the following positions of its drive axle ( 21 ): 
 abutment of the drive axle ( 21 ) against the second valve ( 15 ) when the second valve ( 15 ) is closed, and/or activation of the second valve ( 15 ) and/or abutment of the drive axle ( 21 ) against a stop of the completely opened second valve ( 15 );    and/or    abutment of the drive axle ( 21 ) against the closed first valve ( 14 ) and/or activation of the first valve ( 14 ) and/or abutment against a stop of the completely opened first valve ( 14 ).    
   
   
       7 . Method according to  claim 1 , wherein: the drive axle ( 21 ) activates the first valve ( 14 ) counter to the pressure force of a spring ( 23 ).  
   
   
       8 . Method according to  claim 2 , wherein: the first valve ( 14 ) and second valve ( 15 ) open/close in opposite directions to one another.  
   
   
       9 . Method according to  claim 2 , wherein: the end of the drive axle ( 21 ) activates the second valve ( 15 ) counter to the pressure force of a second spring which is arranged on the second valve ( 15 ), wherein the spring constant of the second spring and the force effect of the magnet of the second valve ( 15 ) are predetermined in such a way that the magnet can hold the second valve ( 15 ) in the opened state but cannot open it automatically, and the pressure force of the second spring closes the valve inlet ( 11 ) when the magnet is switched off and the drive axle ( 21 ) is arranged correspondingly.  
   
   
       10 . Method according to  claim 2 , wherein: the end of the drive axle, ( 21 ) activates the second valve ( 15 ), which is embodied as a self-priming solenoid valve, counter to the pressure force of a second spring which is arranged on the second valve ( 15 ), wherein the spring constant of the second spring and the force effect of the magnet of the second valve ( 15 ) are predetermined in such a way that the magnet can hold the second valve ( 15 ) in the opened state and can also open it automatically, and the pressure force of the second spring closes the valve inlet ( 11 ) when the magnet is switched off and the drive axle ( 21 ) is arranged correspondingly.  
   
   
       11 . Method according to  claim 1 , wherein the electronic controller (S) interacts with a remote controller.  
   
   
       12 . Gas valve ( 1 ) for the method according to  claim 1 , having: a valve inlet ( 11 ) and a first valve outlet ( 12 ) and a first valve ( 14 ) which is embodied in such a way that it closes/opens the first valve outlet ( 12 ); and a linear drive ( 2 ) which is actuated by an electronic controller (S), wherein the linear drive ( 2 ) activates the first valve ( 14 ) by means of a drive axle ( 21 ), and the first valve ( 14 ) and the linear drive ( 2 ) are embodied and arranged in such a way that the electronic controller (S) detects the open/closed position of the valve ( 14 ) by measuring current/voltage.  
   
   
       13 . Gas valve according to  claim 12 , having: a second valve ( 15 ) which is embodied in such a way that it closes/opens the valve inlet ( 11 ), wherein the linear drive ( 2 ) is embodied in such a way that when the first valve ( 14 ) is closed said linear drive ( 2 ) also opens the second valve ( 15 ) by means of the drive axle ( 21 ), and the electronic controller (S) detects the open/closed position of the second valve ( 15 ) by measuring current/voltage.  
   
   
       14 . Gas valve ( 1 ) according to  claim 12 , wherein: an actuator element of the first valve ( 14 ) is embodied as a cone ( 22 ) with a central, continuous bore, and is arranged together with a spring ( 23 ) in a series arrangement with the spring ( 23 ) on the drive axle ( 21 ), and the cone ( 22 ) and the spring ( 23 ) are held via a locking means ( 24 ) at the end of the drive axle ( 21 ); wherein the spring ( 23 ), the drive axle ( 21 ) and the cone ( 22 ) are embodied in such a way that the spring force of the spring ( 23 ) closes the first valve outlet ( 12 ) when the drive axle ( 21 ) is arranged correspondingly, and the drive axle ( 21 ) opens the first valve ( 14 ) by means of a locking means ( 24 ) as a stop against the cone ( 22 ) counter to the pressure force of the spring ( 23 ) when corresponding actuation occurs.  
   
   
       15 . Gas valve ( 1 ) according to  claim 12 , wherein: an actuator element ( 3 ) of the second valve ( 15 ) is embodied as a solenoid valve.  
   
   
       16 . Use of the method according to  claim 1  and of the gas valve ( 1 ) according to one of  claims 12  to  15  for controlling a gas burning flame and in particular for controlling a cooker or gas stove.