Ignition and flame supervision system for open flame gas lights

Abstract

A gas light ignition and flame supervision system for a gas light that comprises a burner tip and a glow coil adapted to be positioned in a operational distance from the burner tip to ignite a flame when heated and to conduct a current through the flame to the tip. The tip having a metallurgy composition that allows the flame current to conduct to a ground line. The flame current on the ground line is sensed by a control unit. Thus, a flame sensor is not positioned in the interior of the gas light housing or in proximity to the flame. The system also includes a remote controller to turn on and off the system.

1 . A gas light ignition and flame supervision system for a gas light comprising: 
 a flame burner assembly having a current conducting construction and operable to emit a flammable gaseous medium;    an igniter assembly operable to ignite said flammable gaseous medium to light a flame and to conduct current though the flame, said current further operable to flow along the current conducting construction;    a ground line operable to ground a light fixture and conduct the current from the current conducting construction; and,    a controller unit operable to sense the flame via the current on the ground line and supervise the igniter assembly and emission of the flammable gaseous medium.    
   
   
       2 . The system in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the igniter assembly comprises a glow coil.  
   
   
       3 . The system in accordance with  claim 2 , wherein the burner assembly and the igniter assembly each comprise an elongated support, the elongated support of the igniter assembly is independently adjustable vertically to position the glow coil a relational distance from a burner tip of the burner assembly, wherein the relational distance effectuates flow of the current through the flame to the burner tip.  
   
   
       4 . The system in accordance with  claim 3 , wherein the burner tip has a top fan-shape section and a bottom cylindrical section, the bottom cylindrical section is coupled to the elongated support of the burner assembly.  
   
   
       5 . The system in accordance with  claim 4 , wherein the burner tip comprises: 
 a front side having side flanges; and,    a back side having essentially an identical contour of the front side and having side flanges welded to the side flanges of the front side.    
   
   
       6 . The system in accordance with  claim 3 , wherein the elongated support of the igniter assembly is attached to the elongated support of the flame burner assembly via an adjustable slide, wherein the elongates supports are parallel and the adjustable slide is adjustable vertically.  
   
   
       7 . The system in accordance with  claim 2 , wherein the glow coil of the igniter assembly should be placed in a non-flickering part of the flame in the range of 0.75 inches to 1.5 inches.  
   
   
       8 . The system in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the system has no flame sensors in proximity to the flame.  
   
   
       9 . The system in accordance with  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 a microprocessor-controlled valve to turn on and off the flow of the flammable gaseous medium, the microprocessor-controlled valve is controlled by the controller unit; and,    a manual safety shutoff valve.    
   
   
       10 . The system in accordance with  claim 1 , further comprising a switch to turn on and off the system.  
   
   
       11 . The system in accordance with  claim 9 , wherein said switch is radio frequency coupled to a remote control transmitter.  
   
   
       12 . The system in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the igniter assembly comprises a hot surface igniter and an integrated glow coil radially extending from the hot surface igniter, the hot surface igniter is adapted to be flush mounted to a wall or support surface, with a proper relational distance between the glow coil and a tip of the burner assembly being fixed.  
   
   
       13 . A gas light ignition and flame supervision system for a gas light comprising: 
 means for emitting and burning a flammable gaseous medium and conducting a current;    means for igniting said flammable gaseous medium to light a flame and conducting current though the flame, said current further operable to flow to the emitting, burning and conducting means;    means for grounding a light fixture and conducting the current from the emitting, burning and conducting means; and,    means for sensing the flame via the current flowing on the grounding means and controlling the igniting and conducting means and controlling the flow of the flammable gaseous medium.    
   
   
       14 . The system in accordance with  claim 13 , wherein the igniting and conducting means comprises means for heating up and conducting current.  
   
   
       15 . The system in accordance with  claim 14 , wherein: 
 the emitting, burning and conducting means comprises a burner tip and means for supporting the burner tip; and,    the igniting and conducting means comprises means for supporting the heating up and conducting current means;    the supporting means of the igniting and conducing means is adjustable vertically to position the heating up means a distance from the burner tip.    
   
   
       16 . The system in accordance with  claim 15 , wherein the burner tip has a top fan-shape section and a bottom cylindrical section, the bottom cylindrical section is coupled to the supporting means.  
   
   
       17 . The system in accordance with  claim 16 , wherein the burner tip comprises: 
 a front side having side flanges;    a back side having essentially an identical contour of the front side and having side flanges welded to the side flanges of the front side; and,    a gauze cup formed in the burner tip and positioned in proximity to the junction between the top end of the bottom cylindrical section and the top fan-shaped section.    
   
   
       18 . The system in accordance with  claim 14 , wherein the igniting and conducting means is attached to the emitting, burning and conducting means having a burner tip via means for sliding the igniting and conducting means vertically to position the means for heating up and conducting current a distance from the burner tip.  
   
   
       19 . The system in accordance with  claim 18 , wherein the heating up means should be placed in a non-flickering part of the flame in the range of 0.75 inches to 1.5 inches.  
   
   
       20 . The system in accordance with  claim 13 , wherein the system has no means of sensing the flame in proximity to the flame.  
   
   
       21 . The system in accordance with  claim 13 , further comprising: 
 means, controlled by the controlling means, for turning on or off the flow of the flammable gaseous medium; and    means for manually shutting off the flow of the flammable gaseous medium to the emitting, burning and conducting means.    
   
   
       22 . The system in accordance with  claim 13 , further comprising means for switching on and switching off operations the system.  
   
   
       23 . The system in accordance with  claim 22 , wherein said switching means is radio frequency coupled to means for remotely controlling the switching means.  
   
   
       24 . The system in accordance with  claim 13 , wherein the igniting and conducting means comprises a hot surface igniter and a integrated glow coil radially extending from the hot surface igniter, the hot surface igniter is adapted to be flush mounted to a wall or support surface, with the proper relational distance between the glow coil and a burner tip of the emitting, burning and conducting means being fixed.  
   
   
       25 . A gas light system comprising: 
 a gas light housing having transparent surfaces and a frame;    an ignition and flame supervision system comprising: 
 a flame burner assembly mounted in said gas light housing and having a current conducting construction, the flame burner assembly operable to emit a flammable gaseous medium;  
 an igniter assembly operable to ignite said flammable gaseous medium to light a flame and conduct current though the flame, said current further operable to flow along the current conducting construction;  
 a ground line operable to ground the gas light housing and conduct the current from the current conducting construction; and,  
 controller unit operable to sense the flame via the current on the ground line.  
   
   
   
       26 . The system in accordance with  claim 25 , wherein the igniter assembly comprises a glow coil.  
   
   
       27 . The system in accordance with  claim 26 , wherein the burner assembly and the igniter assembly each comprise an elongated support, the elongated support of the igniter assembly is independently adjustable vertically to position the glow coil a distance from a burner tip of the burner assembly, wherein the distance permits the flow of the current through the flame.  
   
   
       28 . The system in accordance with  claim 27 , wherein the burner tip has a top fan-shape section and a bottom cylindrical section, the bottom cylindrical section is coupled to the elongated support of the burner assembly.  
   
   
       29 . The system in accordance with  claim 28 , wherein the burner tip comprises: 
 a front side having side flanges; and,    a back side having essentially an identical contour of the front side and having side flanges welded to the side flanges of the front side.    
   
   
       30 . The system in accordance with  claim 27 , wherein the elongated support of the igniter assembly is attached to the elongated support of the flame burner assembly via an adjustable slide, wherein the elongates supports are parallel and the adjustable slide is adjustable vertically.  
   
   
       31 . The system in accordance with  claim 26 , wherein the glow coil of the igniter assembly should be placed in a non-flickering part of the flame in the range of 0.75 inches to 1.5 inches.  
   
   
       32 . The system in accordance with  claim 25 , wherein the system has no other flame sensors in proximity to the flame.  
   
   
       33 . The system in accordance with  claim 25 , further comprising: 
 a microprocessor-controlled valve to turn on and off the flow of the flammable gaseous medium, the microprocessor-controlled valve is controlled by the controller unit; and,    a manual safety shutoff valve.    
   
   
       34 . The system in accordance with  claim 25 , further comprising a switch to turn on and off the system.  
   
   
       35 . The system in accordance with  claim 34 , wherein said switch is radio frequency coupled to a remote control transmitter.  
   
   
       36 . The system in accordance with  claim 25 , wherein the igniter assembly comprises a hot surface igniter and a integrated glow coil radially extending from the hot surface igniter, the hot surface igniter is adapted to be flush mounted to a wall or support surface, with the proper relational distance between the glow coil and a tip of the burner assembly being fixed.  
   
   
       37 . The system in accordance with  claim 25 , wherein said gas light housing is mounted on a post.  
   
   
       38 . The system in accordance with  claim 25 , wherein the gas light housing is adapted to be mounted to a wall.  
   
   
       39 . The system in accordance with  claim 25 , wherein the gas light housing is adapted to be hung from a ceiling.  
   
   
       40 . The system in accordance with  claim 25 , wherein said controller unit is adapted to be coupled to said gas light housing.  
   
   
       41 . A gas light ignition and flame supervision system kit for a gas light comprising: 
 a burner assembly with a metal burner tip operable to burn a flame and having a metallurgy composition for current conduction; and,    a control unit operable to sense a flame current from the burner assembly when flowing on a ground line and supervise and control a flow of a flammable gaseous medium through the burner assembly and ignition of the flame.    
   
   
       42 . The kit in accordance with  claim 41 , further comprising: 
 an igniter assembly having a hot surface igniter with integral glow coil wherein the control unit is operable to selectively energize and heat up said glow coil.    
   
   
       43 . The kit in accordance with  claim 42 , wherein: 
 the igniter assembly includes an elongated support;    the burner assembly includes an elongated support; and,    further comprising an adjustable slide adapted to be slideable coupled to each if the elongated supports to adjust the distance of the glow coil in relation to the of the metal burner tip.    
   
   
       44 . The kit in accordance with  claim 41 , further comprising: 
 a solenoid valve operable to selectively open or close wherein when the solenoid valve is open allows the flammable gaseous medium flow to the burner assembly; and,    a manual shutoff valve operable to manually turn shut off the flow of the flammable gaseous medium to the burner tip.    
   
   
       45 . The kit in accordance with  claim 44 , wherein the control unit comprises: 
 a computer program loaded in said control unit wherein, upon execution, the computer program being operable to sequence said solenoid valve open after energizing a glow coil in order to achieve safe ignition of the flammable gaseous medium flowing through said burner tip.    
   
   
       46 . The kit in accordance with  claim 41 , wherein the burner tip has a top fan-shape section and a bottom cylindrical section, the bottom cylindrical section is coupled to the elongated support of the burner assembly.  
   
   
       47 . The kit in accordance with  claim 46 , wherein the burner tip comprises: 
 a front side having side flanges; and,    a back side having essentially an identical contour of the front side and having side flanges welded to the side flanges of the front side.    
   
   
       48 . The kit in accordance with  claim 47 , wherein the burner tip further comprises: 
 a gauze cup formed in the burner tip and positioned in proximity to the junction between the top end of the bottom cylindrical section and the top fan-shaped section.    
   
   
       49 . The kit in accordance with  claim 41 , further comprising a switch operable to be electrically connected to said control unit to signal the computer control unit to turn said flame on or off.  
   
   
       50 . The kit in accordance with  claim 49 , wherein said switch is a remote controlled switch.  
   
   
       51 . A gas light ignition and flame supervision system for a gas light comprising: 
 a. a burner assembly with a conducting metal burner tip;    b. a solenoid valve piped to said burner assembly;    c. a flame current operable hot surface igniter installed above said burner assembly at a distance that allows a flame current to leak from said hot surface igniter to said metal burner tip;    d. a computer control unit which is electrically coupled to said hot surface igniter to selectively energize said hot surface igniter, which is electrically coupled to said solenoid valve to selectively open or close said solenoid valve and which is electrically grounded to a case for said gas light to detect a flame current;    e. a computer program loaded in said computer control unit for sequencing said solenoid valve open and closed when energizing said hot surface igniter in order to achieve safe ignition of gas flowing through said burner tip and for sensing a flame from said burner tip via a flame current.    f. a switch electrically connected to said computer control unit to signal the computer control unit to turn said gas light on or off.    
   
   
       52 . The system of  claim 51 , wherein said switch is a remote controlled switch.  
   
   
       53 . The system of  claim 52 , wherein said remote controlled switch is radio frequency coupled to a remote controller.  
   
   
       54 . A gas light ignition and flame supervision system for a gas light that comprising: 
 a burner tip operable to burn a flammable gaseous medium to create a flame; and,    a glow coil adapted to be positioned at a operational distance from the burner tip to ignite the flame when heated and to conduct a current through the flame to the tip wherein the tip has a metallurgy composition that allows the current to conduct to a ground line.