Adjustable gas burner, gas burner system including an adjustable gas burner, and appliance including a gas burner system

Abstract

An example adjustable gas burner system described herein includes an adjustable burner assembly, a gas and air mixture assembly, a motion assembly, and a controller. The adjustable gas burner system allows a user to adjust a shape and size of the heat zone produced by the system. An example adjustable burner assembly can include an adjustable gas burner arm and a stationary central burner. The gas and air mixture assembly can include a gas and air mixing chamber. The motion assembly can include a gear system and a motor. An example controller may include a knob assembly.

1 . A gas burner system comprising:
 a burner assembly including:
 an ignition system; and 
 an adjustable burner arm; 
   a motion assembly including:
 a gear system coupled to the adjustable burner arm; and 
 a motor coupled to the gear system; and 
   a controller for controlling the burner assembly and the motion assembly.   
     
     
         2 . The gas burner system of  claim 1 , wherein the burner assembly includes a center burner. 
     
     
         3 . The gas burner system of  claim 2 , wherein a surface of the adjustable burner arm is shaped to match a profile of the center burner. 
     
     
         4 . The gas burner system of  claim 1 , wherein the controller includes a knob assembly. 
     
     
         5 . The gas burner system of  claim 1 , wherein the adjustable burner arm is moveable between a first position and a second position and the adjustable burner arm is adjustable to a location between the first position and the second position. 
     
     
         6 . The gas burner system of  claim 1 , wherein the adjustable burner arm comprises a stationary end and a free end, and the gear system rotates the adjustable burner arm about an axis adjacent the stationary end. 
     
     
         7 . The gas burner system of  claim 5 , wherein the adjustable burner arm rotates about a 90-degree range between the first position and the second position. 
     
     
         8 . The gas burner system of  claim 5 , wherein the first position is a retracted position and the second position is an expanded position, and the gas burner system is configured to ignite the adjustable burner arm in either the retracted position or the expanded position. 
     
     
         9 . The gas burner system of  claim 1 , wherein the adjustable burner arm is a first adjustable burner arm, and the burner assembly further includes a second, third, and fourth respective adjustable burner arm and the gear system is coupled to the second, third, and fourth respective adjustable burner arm. 
     
     
         10 . The gas burner system of  claim 9 , wherein the gear system is a planetary gear system having a first planetary gear coupled to the first adjustable burner arm, a second planetary gear coupled to the second adjustable burner arm, a third planetary gear coupled to the third adjustable burner arm, a fourth planetary gear coupled to the fourth adjustable burner arm, and a sun gear coupling the first, second, third, and fourth respective planetary gears. 
     
     
         11 . The gas burner system of  claim 10 , wherein the motor is coupled to the first planetary gear, and a rotation of the first planetary gear causes the sun gear rotate and a rotation of the sun gear causes respective second, third, and fourth planetary gears to rotate. 
     
     
         12 . The gas burner system of  claim 10 , wherein the gear system further includes a carrier having a guide pin, and the carrier is configured to limit rotation of the gear system between a first position and a second position. 
     
     
         13 . The gas burner system of  claim 12 , wherein the sun gear comprises a guide slot configured to receive the guide pin, and wherein rotation of the sun gear is at least limited by an interaction between the guide pin and the guide slot. 
     
     
         14 . The gas burner system of  claim 13 , wherein a movement of the guide pin between a first end of the guide slot to a second end of the guide slot causes the first, second, third, and fourth respective adjustable burner arms to move between the first position and the second position. 
     
     
         15 . The gas burner system of  claim 1 , wherein the motor is a DC motor or a synchronous motor. 
     
     
         16 . A cooking appliance having the gas burner system of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         17 . A gas burner system comprising:
 an ignition system;   a primary adjustable burner arm;   a secondary adjustable burner arm; and   a motor coupled to the primary adjustable burner arm, the motor configured to control the primary adjustable burner arm and the primary adjustable burner arm configured to control the secondary adjustable burner arm.   
     
     
         18 . The gas burner system of  claim 17 , wherein the primary adjustable burner arm and the secondary adjustable burner arm are adjustable within a range between a first position and a second position. 
     
     
         19 . The gas burner system of  claim 18 , wherein the first position is a retracted position and the second position is an expanded position, and the gas burner system produces a smaller heat zone in the retracted position and a larger heat zone in the expanded position. 
     
     
         20 . The gas burner system of  claim 17 , wherein the primary adjustable burner arm and the secondary adjustable burner arm include a respective free end and a respective stationary end, and the primary adjustable burner arm and the secondary adjustable burner arm are moveable about the respective stationary end. 
     
     
         21 . The gas burner system of  claim 17 , further including a gear system coupling the primary adjustable burner arm to the secondary adjustable burner arm. 
     
     
         22 . The gas burner system of  claim 21 , wherein the gear system is a planetary gear system comprising a sun gear, a first planetary gear and a second planetary gear, and wherein a first planetary gear is coupled to the primary adjustable burner arm and a second planetary gear is coupled to the secondary adjustable burner arm, and the sun gear is coupled to the first planetary gear and the second planetary gear. 
     
     
         23 . The gas burner system of  claim 17 , further including a stationary burner. 
     
     
         24 . The gas burner system of  claim 23 , wherein the primary and secondary adjustable burner arms are coplanar to one another, and the stationary burner is coplanar to the primary and secondary adjustable burner arms. 
     
     
         25 . The gas burner system of  claim 23 , wherein the primary and secondary adjustable burner arms are coplanar to one another in a first plane, and the stationary burner is provided in a second plane parallel to the first plane. 
     
     
         26 . The gas burner system of  claim 25 , wherein the gas burner system is moveable in the first plane and non-moveable in the second plane. 
     
     
         27 . The gas burner system of  claim 17 , further including a controller to operate the primary adjustable burner arm and the secondary adjustable burner arm. 
     
     
         28 . The gas burner system of  claim 27 , wherein the controller includes a knob assembly comprising:
 a knob configured to control the ignition system and a flow of gas and air mixture of the gas burner system; and   a knob bezel configured to control the motor.   
     
     
         29 . The gas burner system of  claim 28 , wherein a rotation of the knob bezel in a first direction causes the primary adjustable burner arm to rotate in the respective first direction, and wherein a rotation of the knob bezel in a second direction causes the primary adjustable burner arm to rotate in the respective second direction. 
     
     
         30 . A cooking appliance having the gas burner system of  claim 17 .