Method for Controlling a Gas Burner and a Hob with Several Gas Burners

Abstract

With a method for controlling a gas burner, the latter is supplied with gas by an electronically controllable gas valve, wherein it is supplied with gas by the gas valve in a low power range and in a high power range. Only one of the power ranges is available at any point in time, wherein in each of the power ranges a power from a minimum power to a maximum power can be preset at the gas burner using an operating element. The low power range and the high power range differ here by more than 50%.

1 . A method for controlling a gas burner, wherein said gas burner is supplied with gas by an electronically continuously controllable gas valve, wherein said gas burner has at least a low power range and a high power range and in each power range gas is supplied by said gas valve, wherein only one of said power ranges is available for use at any point in time, wherein said gas burner has a lowest operating power and a highest operating power, wherein in each power range a power from a minimum power to a maximum power can be set at said gas burner using an operating element corresponding to a setting of said operating element such that:
 in said low power range, said lowest operating power of said gas burner is set as the minimum power by a minimum power setting of said operating element and said maximum power is considerably below said highest operating power of said gas burner and is set by a maximum power setting of said operating element, and   in said high power range, a power considerably above said lowest operating power of the gas burner is set as said minimum power by a minimum power setting of said operating element and said maximum power close to said highest operating power of said gas burner is set by a maximum power setting of said operating element,   
       wherein a medium power setting of said low power range is considerably below a medium power setting of said high power range. 
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein said low power range and said high power range differ in their minimum respective power by at least 50% and in their respective maximum power by at least 30%. 
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein a first power output of the operating element at a medium level of the low power range is different by at least 30% from a second power output of the operating element at a medium level of the high power range. 
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein said low power range, said high power range, and said power setting are adjustable exclusively via a single one of said gas valves per one of said gas burners. 
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 4 , wherein said low power range, said high power range, and said power setting are provided with said gas not via a bypass mechanism and not via a throttle. 
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein at one point of time, only one of said power ranges is available, wherein said gas burner with its gas valve is exclusively in one of said two power settings. 
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein switching between said low power range and said high power range is performed by a further operating element of an operating device for said gas burner or said gas hob. 
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein said low power range extends from 200 W to 2000 W. 
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 8 , wherein 200 W is approximately said lowest operating power of said gas burner for its continuous operation. 
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein said high power range extends from 500 W to 3500 W. 
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 10 , wherein 3500 W is approximately said highest operating power of said gas burner for its continuous operation. 
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein a size of a pot placed on said gas burner is automatically recognized and compared with a predetermined limit size of said pot, and automatic switchover between said power ranges takes place such that with a smaller pot having a size below said limit size, said low power range is selected, and wherein in case of a larger pot having a size above said limit size, said high power range is selected. 
     
     
         13 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein with two adjacently arranged gas burners of a gas hob, at least one of said two gas burners is adjusted by changing its power range to said predetermined power range of said other gas burner such that said two gas burners then operate within same power ranges, wherein said respective gas valve supplying said respective gas burner is operated by a control unit in the same way or with same power setting such that said gas burners generate identical power. 
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 13 , wherein each said respective gas valve supplying each said respective gas burner has an identical power setting. 
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 13 , wherein each said gas burner or each said gas valve is operated in joint operation by a single operating element. 
     
     
         16 . The method according to  claim 15 , wherein said single operating element is an operating element of one of said two gas burners. 
     
     
         17 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein a quality of said supplied gas is recognized by a gas sensor, and an adjustment of said power range of said gas burner or said gas valve is made such that a power range closer to said high power range is set after recognizing a lower-quality gas. 
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 17 , wherein a power range closer to said low power range is set after recognizing a higher-quality gas. 
     
     
         19 . A gas hob comprising:
 at least one gas burner having power ranges comprising a low power range and a high power range;   an electronically continuously controllable gas valve supplying gas to said at least one gas burner; and   at least one operating element,
 wherein only one of said lower power range or said high power range is available at any point in time, 
 wherein said gas burner has a lowest operating power and a highest operating power, 
 wherein in each of said power ranges a power from a minimum power to a maximum power can be set at said gas burner using said operating element corresponding to a setting of said operating element, and 
 wherein said at least one gas burner has an electronic gas valve and said at least one gas burner together with said associated gas valve is adjustable in its power range such that 
 in said low power range, said lowest operating power of said gas burner is set as the minimum power by a minimum power setting of said operating element and said maximum power is considerably below said highest operating power of said gas burner and is set by a maximum power setting of said operating element, and 
 in said high power range, a power considerably above said lowest operating power of the gas burner is set as said minimum power by a minimum power setting of said operating element and said maximum power close to said highest operating power of said gas burner is set by a maximum power setting of said operating element, 
 wherein a medium power setting of said low power range is considerably below a medium power setting of said high power range. 
   
     
     
         20 . The gas hob according to  claim 19 , wherein said electronic gas valve is controllable or continuously adjustable. 
     
     
         21 . The gas hob according to  claim 19 , wherein said electronic gas valve is the only gas valve for said gas burner. 
     
     
         22 . The gas hob according to  claim 21 , wherein said electronic gas valve is the only continuously controllable gas valve.