Stacked burner with channel for improved ignition

Abstract

A burner for a cooktop includes a base defining a first side wall having an annular main portion and an ignition portion extending inwardly with respect to the annular main portion, the first side wall including at least one ignition channel extending from an interior thereof to an exterior within the ignition portion, an upper surface of the base extending inwardly from the side wall. The burner further includes a spreader removably disposed over the base. The spreader defines a lower portion enclosing a first distribution chamber. The lower portion defines a first set of flame ports from the first distribution chamber to an exterior of the burner and a continuous planar portion extending over the ignition portion of the first side wall to at least partially enclose at least one respective ignition port from the first distribution chamber to the exterior within the ignition portion.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A burner for a cooktop, comprising:
 a base defining a first side wall having an annular main portion and an ignition portion extending inwardly with respect to the annular main portion, the first side wall including at least one ignition channel extending from an interior thereof to an exterior within the ignition portion, an upper surface of the base extending inwardly from the side wall; and   a spreader removably disposed over the base, the spreader defining a lower portion with a lower surface resting on the upper surface of the base to enclose a first distribution chamber within respective portions of the base and the spreader, the lower surface being interrupted a first plurality of port channels defined in the lower portion of the spreader and being partially enclosed by the upper surface of the base to define a first set of flame ports from the first distribution chamber to an exterior of the burner, the lower surface further defining a continuous planar portion extending within the ignition portion of the first side wall, including over at least a portion of the at least one ignition channel in the side wall of the base to at least partially enclose at least one respective ignition port from the first distribution chamber to the exterior within the ignition portion.   
     
     
         2 . The burner of  claim 1 , wherein the spreader further defines:
 an interior wall enclosing the first distribution chamber within the lower portion of the spreader; and   a second side wall extending from the interior wall opposite the lower portion to partially enclose a second distribution chamber, a second set of flame ports extending through the second side wall from the second distribution chamber to the exterior of the burner.   
     
     
         3 . The burner of  claim 2 , further including a cap removably disposed on an upper surface of the second side wall and enclosing the second distribution chamber with the interior wall and the second side wall. 
     
     
         4 . The burner of  claim 3 , wherein:
 the second set of flame ports is defined by a second plurality of port channels open to the upper surface of the second side wall; and   the cap encloses the second plurality of channels to define the second plurality of flame ports.   
     
     
         5 . The burner of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one ignition channel is defined as a rectangular section in the upper surface of the base. 
     
     
         6 . The burner of  claim 5 , wherein the rectangular section intersects an exterior surface of the first side wall within the ignition portion along an entire first side of the rectangular section defined between a second side and a third side. 
     
     
         7 . The burner of  claim 5 , wherein the rectangular section intersects an interior surface of the side wall at adjacent ends of adjacent first and second sides of the rectangular section. 
     
     
         8 . The burner of  claim 5 , wherein the rectangular section defines a width in a direction away from the ignition portion and axially into the first side wall, the width being between 4 mm and 5 mm. 
     
     
         9 . The burner of  claim 5 , wherein the rectangular section defines a length along the first side wall within the ignition portion and radially into the first side wall, the length being between 4.5 mm and 5.5 mm. 
     
     
         10 . The burner of  claim 5 , wherein an intersection between the rectangular section and the first side wall defines an inlet between the at least one ignition channel and an interior surface of the first side wall having, the inlet having a width of about 2 mm. 
     
     
         11 . The burner of  claim 5 , wherein an intersection between the rectangular section and the first side wall defines an outlet between the at least one ignition channel and an exterior surface of the first side wall within the ignition portion, the outlet having a width of about 5 mm. 
     
     
         12 . The burner of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one ignition channel has a depth in a direction away from the upper surface of between 0.8 mm and 1.3 mm. 
     
     
         13 . The burner of  claim 1 , wherein the base defines a lower wall at least partially extending within the ignition portion and defining an aperture configured to receive at least one ignitor electrode therethrough for generating an electronic arc between the ignitor electrode and a portion of the first side wall within the ignition portion. 
     
     
         14 . The burner of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one ignition channel included in the first side wall includes two ignition channels symmetrically disposed about a centerline radially bisecting the ignition portion. 
     
     
         15 . A burner for a cooktop, comprising:
 a base defining a first side wall having an annular main portion and an ignition portion extending inwardly with respect to the annular main portion, an upper surface of the base extending inwardly from the side wall; and   a spreader removably disposed over the base, the spreader defining a lower portion with a lower surface resting on the upper surface of the base to enclose a first distribution chamber within respective portions of the base and the spreader, a plurality of flame ports extending between the first distribution chamber and an exterior of the burner and being defined by a first plurality of channels extending through the lower portion of the spreader and at least one adjacent first continuously planar portion of the upper surface of the base within the annular main portion, and at least one ignition port extending between the first distribution chamber and the exterior of the burner within the ignition portion and being defined by at least one second channel extending through the first side wall of the base and at least one adjacent second continuously planar portion of the spreader.   
     
     
         16 . The burner of  claim 15 , wherein the spreader further defines:
 an interior wall enclosing the first distribution chamber within the lower portion of the spreader; and   a second side wall extending from the interior wall opposite the lower portion to partially enclose a second distribution chamber, a second set of flame ports extending through the second side wall from the second distribution chamber to the exterior of the burner.   
     
     
         17 . The burner of  claim 16 , further including a cap removably disposed on an upper surface of the second side wall and enclosing the second distribution chamber with the interior wall and the second side wall. 
     
     
         18 . The burner of  claim 15 , wherein:
 the at least one ignition channel is defined as a rectangular section in the upper surface of the base;   the rectangular section intersects an exterior surface of the first side wall within the ignition portion along an entire first side of the rectangular section defined between a second side and a third side; and   the rectangular section intersects an interior surface of the first side wall at adjacent ends of adjacent first and second sides of the rectangular section.   
     
     
         19 . The burner of  claim 15 , wherein:
 the base defines a lower wall at least partially extending within the ignition portion and defining an aperture configured to receive at least one ignitor electrode therethrough for generating an electronic arc between the ignitor electrode and a portion of the first side wall within the ignition portion; and   the at least one ignition channel included in the first side wall includes two ignition channels symmetrically disposed about a centerline radially bisecting the ignition portion.   
     
     
         20 . A cooktop comprising:
 a cooktop surface; and   a burner including:
 a base supported over a portion of the cooktop surface and defining a first side wall having an annular main portion and an ignition portion extending inwardly with respect to the annular main portion, the first side wall including at least one ignition channel extending from an interior thereof to an exterior within the ignition portion, an upper surface of the base extending inwardly from the side wall; and 
 a spreader removably disposed over the base, the spreader defining a lower portion with a lower surface resting on the upper surface of the base to enclose a first distribution chamber within respective portions of the base and the spreader, the lower surface being interrupted a first plurality of port channels defined in the lower portion of the spreader and being partially enclosed by the upper surface of the base to define a first set of flame ports from the first distribution chamber to an exterior of the burner, the lower surface further defining a continuous planar portion extending over the ignition portion of the first side wall, including at least partially over the at least one channel in the first side wall of the base to at least partially enclose at least one respective ignition port from the first distribution chamber to the exterior within the ignition portion.