Gas flow control system for gas barbeque and the like

Abstract

A gas control system having: a valve body having a preliminary chamber, an inlet orifice in communication with said preliminary chamber, an outlet orifice on said valve body in communication with a gas burning device, a main chamber within said valve body, said main chamber and said preliminary chamber communicating through a valve opening, a stopper in said preliminary chamber and normally urged by a compression spring located in said preliminary chamber to engage with said valve opening to close communication between said preliminary chamber and said main chamber, an elongated slidable rod slidably mounted in said valve body and having an inner end portion juxtaposed with said stopper washer, and a pressing arm juxtaposed with another end of said slidable rod and operative for pressing said slidable arm inwards to disengage said stopper washer from said valve opening for releasing the gas in said preliminary chamber into said outlet orifice.

1 . A gas control system comprising: 
 a valve body having a preliminary chamber,    an inlet orifice in communication with said preliminary chamber,    an outlet orifice on said valve body in communication with a gas burning device,    a main chamber within said valve body, said main chamber and said preliminary chamber communicating through a valve opening,    a stopper in said preliminary chamber and normally urged by a compression spring located in said preliminary chamber to engage with said valve opening to close communication between said preliminary chamber and said main chamber,    an elongated slidable rod slidably mounted in said valve body and having an inner end portion juxtaposed with said stopper washer, and    a pressing arm juxtaposed with another end of said slidable rod and operative for pressing said slidable arm inwards to disengage said stopper washer from said valve opening for releasing the gas in said preliminary chamber into said outlet orifice.    
   
   
       2 . A gas control system according to  claim 1  including a stepping motor mounted to said valve body, said pressing arm being mounted to a rotary shaft of said stepping motor whereby rotation of said motor pivots said pressing arm to press said slidable arm inwards of said valve body.  
   
   
       3 . A gas control system according to  claim 2  wherein said outlet orifice is connected to gas burners and pilot flame units.  
   
   
       4 . A gas barbeque control system comprising: 
 a valve body having a preliminary chamber for receiving the gas for operating said barbeque,    an inlet orifice provided on said valve body operative by an electromagnetic control member for admitting gas into said preliminary chamber;    an outlet orifice provided on said valve body operative for directing the gas to gas burners in said barbeque from a main chamber in said valve;    a pilot orifice provide on said valve body operative for directing the gas to flow to a pilot flame gas tube of said barbeque;    a first valve opening located between said preliminary chamber and said pilot orifice; a first stopper washer located in said preliminary chamber and normally biased by a first compression spring to engage with said first valve opening; said electromagnetic control member being operative for disengaging said first stopper washer from said first opening whereby the gas in said preliminary chamber flows to said pilot flame gas tube through said pilot orifice.    
   
   
       5 . A gas barbeque control system according to  claim 3  including a second valve opening located between said preliminary chamber and said main chamber, an elongated slidable rod mounted in said valve body, a bushing mounted on said slidable rod and operative by said slidable rod to engage and disengage with said second valve opening selectively.  
   
   
       6 . A gas barbeque control system according to  claim 5  including a compression spring located in said main chamber and normally applying a spring force for urging said bushing towards said second valve opening.  
   
   
       7 . A gas barbeque control system according to  claim 6  including a pressing arm juxtaposed to an outer end of said slidable rod and operative for pressing said rod inwards to engage said bushing with said second valve opening.  
   
   
       8 . A gas barbeque control system according to  claim 7  including a ring washer fixedly mounted on a middle portion of said elongated slidable rod located within an inner chamber of said valve body, a second compression spring located in said inner chamber and cooperative with said ring washer and an end wall of said inner chamber for normally urging said slidable rod to extend outward of said valve body whereby disengaging said bushing from said second valve opening when said pressing arm is not pressing said rod inwards whereby gas in said preliminary chamber flows into said main chamber to exit said outlet orifice.  
   
   
       9 . A gas barbeque control system according to  claim 8  including a stepping motor mounted to said valve body, and said pressing arm is a pivotal arm having one end mounted to a rotary shaft of said stepping motor and a free end portion juxtaposed with said outer end of said slidable rod.  
   
   
       10 . A gas barbeque control system according to  claim 9  including a mechanical button mounted on said outer end of said slidable rod and operative manually for pressing said slidable rod inwards of said valve body.  
   
   
       11 . A gas barbeque control system according to  claim 9  wherein said pressing arm is a slidable plunger of an electromagnetic solenoid operative for pressing said slidable rod inwards of said valve body.  
   
   
       12 . A gas barbeque control system according to  claim 8  including a remote control system having a sensing and control unit mounted on said barbeque and a remote selection unit, said sensing and control unit and remote selection unit communicative with one another through a transmitter in each unit, said sensing and control unit having a temperature sensor mounted on said barbeque, a comparator means operative for comparing electrical signal from said temperature sensor and from said stepping motor for providing a status signal indicative of temperature condition of said barbeque, said status signal being transmitted to said remote selection unit.  
   
   
       13 . A gas barbeque control system according to  claim 12  wherein said remote selection unit having a temperature setting means operative for generating a selection signal indicative of a desirable temperature of said barbeque, a second comparator means in said remote selection unit operative for comparing said selection signal with said status signal transmitted to said remote selection unit to generate a control signal transmitted back to said sensing and control unit for operating said pressing arm to press on said slidable rod in a selected manner to vary amount of said gas flowing through said second valve opening to said outlet orifice and in turn setting the degree of flame of said burners of said barbeque.  
   
   
       14 . A gas barbeque control system according to  claim 8  including a motor control device connected to said stepping motor and being operative for rotating in a clockwise direction and counterclockwise direction selectively for varying amount of said slidable rod pressing into said valve body for varying the amount of gas flowing to said burners of said barbeque.  
   
   
       15 . A gas barbeque control system according to  claim 8  wherein said pilot flame gas tube having pilot flame openings located adjacent to said gas burners, and sparker devices located adjacent to said pilot flame openings and being operative for igniting the gas emitting from said pilot flame openings.  
   
   
       16 . A gas barbeque control system according to  claim 15  wherein said motor control device is operated by batteries, and a low battery inhibitor is included therein to render said motor control device operative only when said batteries have sufficient power to operate said control system through a complete cycle.  
   
   
       17 . A gas barbeque control system according to  claim 1  wherein said valve body includes a first body portion and a second body portion, said inlet orifice and outlet orifice being provided in said first body portion and a pilot orifice provided in said second body portion, said preliminary chamber and said main chamber being located in said first body portion, and an intermediate chamber and pilot gas outlet chamber located in said second body portion, a first valve opening located between said preliminary chamber and said main chamber, and a second valve opening located between said intermediate chamber and pilot outlet chamber, a first spring biased valve seat located in said preliminary chamber and operative to close said first valve opening normally, a second spring biased valve seat located in said intermediate chamber and operative to close said second valve opening normally, a first elongated rod slidably mounted in said first body portion, and a second elongated rod slidably mounted in said second body portion, 
 a seesaw bar operative for pressing selectively said first elongated rod and said second elongated rod inward of said first body portion and second body portion respectively for opening said first valve opening and second valve opening whereby gas flow from said inlet orifice to said outlet orifice and said pilot outlet orifice.    
   
   
       18 . A gas barbeque control system according to  claim 15  including thermoelectric transducers mounted on said barbeque and operative for converting heat of said barbeque for operating electrical components of said control system.  
   
   
       19 . A gas barbeque control system according to  claim 18  including a light operative for illuminating the interior of said barbeque, and an imaging device mounted on a side wall of said barbeque and operative for generating an electronic image of said interior of said barbeque and transmitting said image to a display device for monitoring cooking condition of food in said interior.