GB2429259A

GB2429259A - Control of heating apparatus

Info

Publication number: GB2429259A
Application number: GB0514565A
Authority: GB
Inventors: William Byrne
Original assignee: Valor Ltd
Current assignee: Valor Ltd
Priority date: 2005-07-15
Filing date: 2005-07-15
Publication date: 2007-02-21
Also published as: GB0514565D0

Abstract

A heater apparatus (10) such as a flueless gas fire is provided with a valve means (16) having an input connected to a supply of gas (14) and an outlet connected to burner means (12). The valve means (16) is under the control of valve control means (20, 22, 24) which are actuable by a user to open the valve means from a closed position to an open and which are adapted to return the valve means to the closed position after a predetermined period of time. The valve control means may comprise a clockwork arrangement (24) or may comprise electrical and/or electronic timer means (32, 34, 36, 38).

Description

1 2429259

DESCRIPTION

CONTROL OF HEATING APPARATUS

The present invention relates to the control of heating apparatus and in particular, but not exclusively, to the control of flueless gas fires.

Flueless gas fires, as the name suggests, are gas fires in which the combustion products are not exhausted through a flue or chimney to the exterior but instead are discharged into the room in which the fire is situated.

Some gas fires, particularly but not exclusively flueless gas fires, are not intended to be used as primary heaters. In some countries (for example the USA) advice is given to limit the time for which a product is in operation. Firstly this minimises the amount of fuel to be used, since there is evidence that a significant amount of fuel is used to heat spaces where no-one is present. Secondly, flueless heaters do emit products of combustion directly into the room and limiting the amount of products being discharged into the room is desirable, for example in case there is a fault with the heater, if the ventilation is restricted or if the indoor air quality is poor.

It is therefore an aim of the present invention to provide a means for controlling the length of time for which a gas fire can be operated.

In accordance with a first aspect of the present invention, a control system for a gas fire comprises valve means having an input connected to a supply of gas and an outlet connected to burner means and valve control means actuable by a user to open the valve means from a closed position to an open position and which are adapted to return the valve means to the closed position afler a predetermined period of time. _,, -

The present invention would allow a gas fire to be operated for a rnaxinmm predetermined period, after expiry of which period the flow of gas to the appliance would be cut off by closure of the valve means. Further operation of the heating appliance would then require the user to re-set the timer means.

This would have the advantage that if the room in which the appliance was situated were unoccupied, it would not be possible for the heating appliance to be operated after expiry of the predetermined period. Furthermore, even if the room were occupied, it would prevent continuous operation of the heating apparatus without regular intervention by an occupant, for example if the occupant were asleep in the room.

Preferably, the valve control means comprises timer means. The timer means may be a mechanical timer means, for example a clockwork arrangement.

Alternatively, the timer means may comprise electrical and/or electronic timer means whose operation is triggered by a user.

In accordance with a second aspect of the present invention, a heater apparatus comprises valve means having an input connected to a supply of gas and an outlet connected to burner means and valve control means actuable by a user to open the valve means from a closed position to an open position and which are adapted to return the valve means to the closed position after a predetermined period of time.

By way of example only, specific embodiments of the present invention will now be described, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:Fig. I is a schematic view of a first embodiment of control apparatus in accordance with the present invention; Fig. 2 is a schematic view of a second embodiment of control apparatus in accordance with the present invention; Fig. 3 is a schematic view of a first embodiment of gas fire in accordance with the present invention; and Fig. 4 is a schematic illustration of a second embodiment of gas fire in accordance with the present invention.

Referring firstly to Fig. 1, a gas-fuelled heating appliance illustrated schematically at 10 is supplied with gas to its burner 12 from a gas supply line 14.

A gas supply control means 16 is located in the gas supply line 14 in order to control the flow of gas to the heating appliance 10. The appliance 10 is provided with conventional controls for operation of the appliance, but these have been omitted from Fig. 1 for clarity.

As illustrated schematically in Fig. 1, the gas supply control means 16 comprise a two-port, two-position valve 18 which is biased towards the closed position by means of a spring 20 and which can be urged against the restoring force of spring 20 into an open position (illustrated in Fig. 1) by means of a cam 22. The cam 22 is mechanically connected, and rotatable by, a conventional clockwork assembly 24 which is actuable manually by a user to a maximum preset time period.

In a non-actuated slate, the valve 18 is at its rest position in which the restoring spring 20 urges the valve into its closed position, in which the flow of gas through the supply pipe 14 is prevented, thereby preventing operating the heating appliance 10.

In order to operate the heating appliance 10, a user turns the clockwork mechanisi-n 24 to a maximum preset period (or any period up to the maximum preset period). Actuation of the clockwork mechanism 24 causes the cam 22 to displace the valve 18 against the restoring force of the spring 20 to displace the valve 18 into the open position illustrated in Fig. 1. This allows gas to flow through the valve 18 and the heating apparatus 10 may be operated in the normal manner. However, after the preset period of time has elapsed, clockwork mechanism rotates the cam to an orientation which allows the spring 20 to return the valve 18 to the closed position, thereby cutting off the supply of gas to the heating apparatus 10. The clockwork apparatus 24 must then be re-actuated if operation of the heating apparatus 10 is to continue.

In the second embodiment, illustrated in Fig. 2, the clockwork control means 16 of the first embodiment is replaced with an electronic control apparatus 16'. The electronic control apparatus 16' comprises a solenoid-actuated two-port, two-position valve 30 which is displaceable between a first, closed position in which the supply of gas through the supply pipe 14 is cut off and an open position (illustrated in Fig. 2) in which gas is allowed to flow through the supply pipe to the heating appliance 10.

The solenoid valve 30 is displaced by means of a driver 32 which is under the control of a timer 34. The timer 34 receives a start signal from an analogue to digital converter 36 when a spring-loaded push-to-close switch 38 is depressed.

The solenoid valve is also provided with a compression spring 40 to bias the valve towards the closed position, to urge the valve 30 towards the closed position in the event of a system failure.

As explained above, the "rest" position of the gas control means 16' is with the valve 30 closed. En order to operate the heating apparatus, a user depresses the switch 38. This completes a circuit and causes the analogue to digital converter 36 to send a "start" signal to the timer 34. The timer 34 in turn is arranged to send an "open" signal to the driver 32 upon receipt of the "start" signal. The timer 34 is then arranged to count a predetermined period of, say, 45 minutes. After the predetermined period has elapsed, the timer 34 is then arranged to send a "close" signal to the driver 32, which then closes the solenoid- actuated valve and cuts off the supply of gas to the heating appliance 10. It is then necessary for a user of the apparatus to depress the button 38 again to allow further use of the heating apparatus 10.

The embodiments of Figs. I and 2 illustrate arrangements in which the gas supply control means is separate from the heating apparatus 10. However, in the embodiments of Figs. 3 and 4, the gas control means 16, 16' of the first and second embodiments, have been incorporated into the heating apparatus 10. The construction and operation of the gas supply control means 16, 16' is otherwise identical to that of the first and second embodiments respectively.

The invention is not restricted to the details of the foregoing embodiments.

For example, although the invention is particularly suited for flueless fires, it is also suitable for use with fires which discharge their combustion products into a flue or chimney.

Claims

I. A control system for a gas fire, comprising valve means having an input connected to a supply of gas and an outlet connected to burner means and valve control means actuable by a user to open the valve means from a closed position to an open position and which are adapted to return the valve means to a closed position after a predetermined period of time.
2. A control system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the valve control means comprises timer means.
3. A control system as claimed in claim 2, wherein the timer means comprises mechanical timer means.
4. A control system as claimed in claim 3, wherein the mechanical timer means comprises a clockwork arrangement.
5. A control system as claimed in claim 2, wherein the timer means comprises electrical and/or electronic timer means whose operation is triggered by a user.
6. A heater apparatus comprising valve means having an input connected to a supply of gas and an outlet connected to burner means and valve control means actuable by a user to open the valve means from a closed position to an open position and which are adapted to return the valve means to the closed position after a predetermined period of time.
7. A heater apparatus as claimed in claim 6, wherein the valve control means comprises timer means.
8. A heater apparatus as claimed in claim 7, wherein the timer means comprises mechanical timer means.
9. A heater apparatus as claimed in claim 8, wherein the mechanical timer means comprises a clockwork arrangement.
10. A heater apparatus as claimed in claim 7, wherein the timer means comprises electrical and/or electronic timer means whose operation is triggered by a user.
ii. A control system for a gas fire, substantially as herein described with reference to, and as illustrated in, the accompanying drawings.
12. A heater apparatus substantially as herein described with reference to, and as illustrated in, the accompanying drawings.