[0001] This invention relates to electronic ignition generators and more particularly to
battery powered electronic ignition generators which are adapted to be incorporated
in gas cooking appliances.
[0002] Electronic ignition generators, such as the TURNRIGHT GL 500 IGNITION GENERATOR,
are known, and are used to provide high voltage pulses which are applied, for ignition
purposes, to suitable spark gaps in, for example, gas cooking appliances, in which
the ignition generator is incorporated.
[0003] In, gas cooking appliances which do not have mains electricity, fed to them, it is
known to power the ignition generator from a battery. Usually the battery is contained
in a battery housing which is located at some convenient place on the appliance where
it is accessible for battery changing purposes. In such appliances, it is usual to
provide an ignition" button which is operated when the ignition generator is required
to operate, such as when a tap of the gas cooking appliance has been turned "ON".
[0004] The provision of the ignition generator, the battery housing and the ignition button
as separate items located at different parts of the gas cooking appliance is necessarily
expensive, and it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved form
of ignition generator in which the three items are combined.
[0005] In accordance with the present invention there is provided an electronic pulse generator
comprising pulse generating means adapted to be operated from a battery, battery housing
means, switch means for controlling the operation of said pulse generating means and
switch actuating means for actuating said switch means, it being arranged that at
least part of said switch actuating means is removable for battery changing purposes.
[0006] In a preferred form of generator, the removal of said part of said switch actuating
means affords access to said battery housing means.
[0007] Typically the switch operating means will take the form of an operating button which
is arranged to be located on a gas cooking appliance for "ignition" purposes, and
by making this removable to provide access to an integral battery housing for battery
fitting purposes, the separate provision of a battery housing and an ignition "button"
are avoided.
[0008] An exemplary embodiment of the invention will now be described, reference being made
to the accompanying single figure drawing which depicts a battery powered electronic
ignition generator in accordance with the present invention.
[0009] The battery powered electronic ignition generator depicted in the drawing is based
on an existing electronic ignition generator 1, such as the TURNRIGHT GL 500 IGNITION
GENERATOR, part of the housing of which is shown at 2 and part of the printed circuit
board which carries the required electronic components .(not shown) of which is shown
at 3. Because the pulse generating means of such a generator is widely known it will
not be described herein in detail except to state that it provides high voltage pulses
which are applied, for ignition purposes, to suitable spark gaps on gas cookers and
the like.
[0010] In order to provide required battery/switch functions, the housing 2 of the generator
1 is provided with a hole 4 into which is mounted a battery/switch assembly 5. The
assembly 5 consists of a generally. cylindrical battery housing 6 which is provided
near one end with a flange 7 which slides into grooves 8 provided in the housing 2
adjacent the hole 4. The battery housing 6 contains a battery 9 which contacts. at
its lower end as viewed in the drawing one end of a compression spring 10 the other
end of which is soldered to the printed circuit board 3. The spring 10 provides one
electrical connection to the battery 9.
[0011] At the other end of the battery housing 6 is provided a switch operating plunger
11 which extends through a battery retaining cover 12 which is attached to the housing
6 by means of diametrically opposed bayonet catches, one of which is shown at 13 in
the "balloon" sketch 14.
[0012] The plunger 11 is provided at its lower end (as viewed in the drawing) with a metallic
disc 15 which makes contact with the top-most electrical contact of the battery 8.
[0013] Due to the action of the spring 10, the plunger 11 in its un-operated state is forced
against the inner, top-most surface of the retaining cover 12. When the plunger 11
is operated against the action of the spring 10, it is arranged that the metallic
disc 15 contacts a metallic ring 16 which is electrically connected to the printed
circuit board 3 by means of two wires or rods (not shown) which extend down the outside
of the housing 6 in grooves 17 shown diagrammatically in the "balloon" sketch 18.
Thus, when the plunger 11 is operated, electrical connection is made between the top-most
terminal of the battery 9 and the printed circuit board 3, thereby enabling the pulse
generating means of the electronic generator 1 to be switched ON and OFF.
[0014] In operation, in order to fit or change a battery 9, the retaining cover 12 together
with the plunger 11 is removed, the battery 9 is fitted and the cover 12 is replaced.
To operate the electronic ignition generator the plunger 11 is pressed until the metallic
disc 15, which is in contact with the top-most terminal of the battery 9, contacts
the metallic ring 16, thereby completing an electrical circuit between both terminals
of the battery 9 and the printed circuit board 3.
[0015] The spring 10 performs three functions: It forms an electrical connector between
one terminal of the battery 9 and the printed circuit board 3; It ensures that the
metallic disc 15 is separated from the metallic ring 16, thereby breaking the electrical
circuit to the battery 9; and it ensures that the battery 9 is pushed clear of the
housing 6 when the retaining cover 12 is removed, thus allowing a user to grip the
end of the battery 9 for removal.
[0016] It is envisaged that the battery powered electronic ignition generator depicted in
the drawing may be fitted to an appliance, such as a gas cooker, simply by providing
a hole in the appliance facia to accept the cylindrical housing 6. The unit may be
pressed into place from inside the appliance, and held in place by spring catches
19 moulded in the side of the housing 6. The gap "t" at 20 is arranged to be a tight
fit for the facia panel. Alternatively the outside of the housing 6 could be threaded
and the unit held in place by a nut. Another alternative would be to press a "spire"
nut over the outside of the housing 6.
[0017] The outer end of plunger 11 can either be styled to suit the appliance or it can
readily be adapted to carry a styled knob as specified by the appliance designer.
[0018] It is envisaged that battery housing 6, cover 12 and plunger 11 would normally be
made from a suitable thermoplastic material such as polypropylene. Alternatively plunger
11 could be made from a conducting material such as brass, thereby obviating the need
to provide the separate metallic disc 15.
[0019] In addition it is envisaged that the need to provide the separate plunger 11 movable
in the cover 12 may be obviated by arranging that the locking slot of the bayonet
catches e.g. 13 are extended to allow the cover 12 to be moved relative to the housing
6 whereby the metallic disc 15, which in this case would be fixed inside the cover
12, could be moved into and out-of contact with the metallic ring 16. In this way
cover 12 could form the switch knob itself and could be suitably styled.
[0020] It is also envisaged that the provision of the metallic ring 16 could be obviated
simply by arranging that the end of one or more of the wires or rods (not shown) that
extend down the outside of the housing 16 in grooves 17, are bent over the top lip
of moulding 6 such that it is arranged to contact the metallic disc 15 when the plunger
11 or the cover 12 is depressed.
1. An electronic ignition generator comprising pulse generating means (1) adapted
to be operated from a battery (9), battery housing means (6), switch means (15,16)
for controlling the operation of said pulse generating means (1), and switch actuating
means (11) for actuating said switch means (15,16), characterised in that at least
a part of said switch actuating means (11) is removable for battery changing purposes.
2. A generator as claimed in claim 1, in which removal of said part of said switch
actuating means (11) affords access to said battery housing means (6).
3. A generator as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, in which the switch means (15,16)
takes the form of a plunger-type switch.
4. A generator as claimed in claim 3, in which a battery (9) is adapted to form part
of a plunger assembly of said switch.
5. A generator as claimed in claim 3 or claim 4, in which said switch comprises a
generally cylindrical housing (6) adapted to contain a battery (9), an operating plunger
(11) adapted to engage one end of the battery (9), cover means (12) through which
the operating plunger (11) extends removably attached to one end of the cylindrical
housing (6), and spring means (10) adapted to engage the other end of the battery
(9) for urging the battery (9) against said plunger (11).
6. A generator as claimed in claim 4 or claim 5, in which the spring means (10) constitutes
one electrical connection to said battery (9).
7. A generator as claimed in claim 4, claim 5 or claim 6, in which said plunger (11)
includes contact means (15,16) for making electrical connection to said battery (9).
8. A generator as claimed in claim 7, in which the contact means (15,16) comprises
a metallic conductor (15) carried by said plunger (11) and a fixed metallic contact
(16) which is electrically connected to said pulse generating means (1), the metallic
conductor (15) of said plunger (11) normally being displaced from said metallic contact
(16) due to the action of said spring means (10), and the metallic conductor (15)
of said plunger (11) being caused to contact said metallic contact (16) when the operating
plunger (11) is operated against the action of said spring means (10). ,
9. A generator as claimed in claim 8, in which the fixed metallic contact (16) comprises
a metallic ring conductor which is located adjacent the said one end of said cylindrical
housing (6).
10. A generator as claimed in claim 8, in which the fixed metallic contact (16) comprises
a wire or rod extending along said cylindrical housing (6), the wire or rod being
bent over the said one end of said cylindrical housing (6).
11. A generator as claimed in any of claims 5 to 10, in which the pulse generating
means (1) is contained in a housing (2), and the generally cylindrical housing (6)
is adapted to engage a hole (4) in said housing (2).
12. A generator as claimed in claim 5, in which the cover means (12) is attached to
one end of the generally cylindrical housing (6) by means of a bayonet catch (13).
13. A generator as claimed in claim 5, in which the cover means (12) is attached to
one end of the generally cylindrical housing (6) by means of a screw thread.
14. A generator as claimed in claim 5, in which the cover means (12) is attached to
one end of the generally cylindrical housing (6) by means of an interference ring.
15. A generator as claimed in any of claims 5 to 14, in which the generally cylindrical
housing (6) is adapted to be received in a hole in a supporting facia plate.
16. A generator as claimed in claim 15, in which the generally cylindrical housing
(6) comprises spring catch means for retaining said housing in said hole.