Gas control valve

Abstract

The present invention provides gas control valve including a valve body having a gas inlet, a gas outlet, and a gas passage between the inlet and outlet, and including a valve control element for controlling the flow of gas between the inlet and the outlet. The valve control element includes valve stem have a cam follower in the form of a pin projecting laterally there-from, and a bead 8 at one end of the stem bearing an O-ring that is able to seal against an inside wall surface of the body to seal the gas outlet. The cam follower pin on the stem engages with a cam surface of the valve body. Rotation of the valve control element causes the cam follower pin to co-operate with the cam surface and displace the valve control element to open or close the valve. The present invention also provides a gas appliance having one or more gas burners and a gas control including at least one control value according to the invention.

1 . A gas control valve including a valve body having a gas inlet, a gas outlet, and a gas passage between the inlet and outlet, and including a valve control element for controlling the flow of gas between the inlet and outlet, wherein the valve control element includes a cam follower that engages with a cam surface of the valve body, and wherein rotation of the valve control element causes the cam follower to co-operate with the cam surface to position the valve control element to open or close the valve.  
   
   
       2 . A valve according to  claim 1 , wherein the valve control element includes a closure portion having an O-ring sealing element.  
   
   
       3 . A valve according to  claim 1 , wherein the cam surface-includes a ramped portion, and wherein movement of the cam follower along the ramped portion displaces said valve control element, e.g. axially or longitudinally, so as to open said valve body gas passage for flow of gas there-through.  
   
   
       4 . A valve according to  claim 1 , wherein the cam surface includes an “off” recess, the recess preventing rotation of the cam follower until the cam follower has been moved out of the recess.  
   
   
       5 . A valve according to  claim 1 , wherein the cam surface includes a bypass portion, wherein location of the cam follower on the bypass portion positions the valve control element so that a bypass passage within the valve control element is able to provide communication between the valve inlet and valve outlet.  
   
   
       6 . A valve according to  claim 5 , the bypass passage providing simmer control.  
   
   
       7 . A valve according to  claim 1 , wherein the valve control element includes a bypass gas passage for providing a gas flow between the valve body inlet and outlet.  
   
   
       8 . A valve according to  claim 7 , wherein the bypass gas passage extends between openings in an end portion and a side portion of the valve control element.  
   
   
       9 . A valve according to  claim 7 , wherein a gas channel is provided within the gas passage of the valve body, the valve control element being movable so as to overlap a side opening of the bypass passage with the gas channel to allow gas flow therebetween.  
   
   
       10 . A valve according to  claim 9 , wherein the valve control element includes a sealing element that lies between the side opening of the valve control element and the gas channel when the valve control element is in the closed position, movement of the valve control element moving the sealing element over the gas channel so that the gas channel communicates with the side opening.  
   
   
       11 . A valve according to  claim 5 , wherein the valve control element includes an adjustment element for varying the amount of gas delivered through the bypass passage.  
   
   
       12 . A valve according to  claim 11 , wherein the adjustment element controls the size of a side opening of the bypass passage.  
   
   
       13 . A valve according to  claim 12 , wherein the adjustment element comprises a screw element that can be turned to partially block the bypass side opening.  
   
   
       14 . A valve according to  claim 5 , wherein the bypass passage includes a bypass valve, the bypass valve including an actuator portion that in at least one position engages with the inner surface of the gas passage of the valve body to open the bypass passage.  
   
   
       15 . A valve according to  claim 1 , wherein the valve control element includes a closure portion that seals against an inner surface portion of the valve body gas passage in the valve-closed position.  
   
   
       16 . A valve according to  claim 1 , wherein the valve control element includes a closure portion that seals against a valve seat of the valve body in the valve-closed position.  
   
   
       17 . A valve according to  claim 1 , wherein the valve control element is spring-biased to urge the cam follower against the cam surface.  
   
   
       18 . A valve according to  claim 1 , wherein the valve is a control valve for a gas burner.  
   
   
       19 . A valve according to  claim 1 , including an automatic actuator for moving the valve control element.  
   
   
       20 . A valve according to  claim 19 , wherein the actuator is an electric motor.  
   
   
       21 . An automatic gas valve, wherein the valve includes a valve body having a gas inlet, a gas outlet, a gas passage between the inlet and outlet, and includes a valve control element for controlling the flow of gas between the inlet and outlet, wherein the valve control element includes a cam follower that engages with a cam surface of the valve body, rotation of the valve control element causing the cam follower to co-operate with the cam surface to position the valve control element to open or close the valve, and wherein the valve control element is controlled by an automatic actuator.  
   
   
       22 . An electronic gas valve including a valve body having a gas inlet, a gas outlet, a gas passage between the inlet and outlet, and including a valve control element for controlling the flow of gas between the inlet and outlet, wherein the valve control element includes a cam follower that engages with a cam surface of the valve body, rotation of the valve control element causing the cam follower to co-operate with the cam surface to position the valve control element to open or close the valve, and wherein the valve control element is controlled by an electric motor.  
   
   
       23 . A gas valve including a cam follower and a cam surface over which the cam follower may be moved in use, movement of the cam follower over the cam surface causing the gas valve to open or close.  
   
   
       24 . A gas valve including a camming surface on a body of the valve and a follower on a valve element mounted within the body, rotation of the valve element causing movement of the follower over the camming surface and movement of the valve element in a direction perpendicular to the direction of rotation.  
   
   
       25 . A gas control valve including a valve body and key, wherein the key includes an O-ring thereon for sealing against the valve body, and wherein the key is moved by a camming mechanism to engage or disengage the O-ring with the valve body.  
   
   
       26 . A valve according to  claim 25 , wherein the key includes a bypass passage therein for providing a bypass flow about the O-ring seal.  
   
   
       27 . A gas control valve in which an O-ring seal is opened or closed by a camming action, and in which a bypass passage is provided in a valve key on which the O-ring is mounted.  
   
   
       28 . A valve according to  claim 1 , wherein the valve is or incorporates a thermostat.  
   
   
       29 . A gas appliance including a gas burner and a gas flow control, the gas flow control including a gas valve in accordance with  claim 1 .  
   
   
       30 . A gas cooker including at least one gas valve according to  claim 1 , the gas valve controlling the supply of gas to one or more gas burners of the cooker.  
   
   
       31 . A gas appliance including a gas control valve, wherein the valve includes a valve body having a gas inlet, a gas outlet, a gas passage between the inlet and outlet, and includes a valve control element for controlling the flow of gas between the inlet and outlet, wherein the valve control element includes a cam follower that engages with a cam surface of the valve body, and wherein rotation of the valve control element causes the cam follower to co-operate with the cam surface to position the valve control element to open or close the valve.  
   
   
       32 . An automatic gas appliance including a gas control valve, wherein the valve includes a valve body having a gas inlet, a gas outlet, a gas passage between the inlet and outlet, and includes a valve control element for controlling the flow of gas between the inlet and outlet, wherein the valve control element includes a cam follower that engages with a cam surface of the valve body, rotation of the valve control element causing the cam follower to co-operate with the cam surface to position the valve control element to open or close the valve, and wherein the valve control element is controlled by an automatically controlled actuator.  
   
   
       33 . An electronic gas appliance including a gas control valve, wherein the valve includes a valve body having a gas inlet, a gas outlet, a gas passage between the inlet and outlet, and includes a valve control element for controlling the flow of gas between the inlet and outlet, wherein the valve control element includes a cam follower that engages with a cam surface of the valve body, rotation of the valve control element causing the cam follower to co-operate with the cam surface to position the valve control element to open or close the valve, and wherein the valve control element is controlled by an electrical actuator.