Patents by Inventor Bruce C. Sprowl

Bruce C. Sprowl has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 11788728
    Abstract: Hot surface igniter assemblies used in cooktops are shown and described. The hot surface igniters include a silicon nitride ceramic body with an embedded, resistive, heat-generating circuit. The igniters are less than 0.04 inches thick, and when energized, they reach surface temperatures in excess of 2000° F. in under 4 seconds to ignite combustible gas such as propane, butane, or natural gas. Examples of cook top burner systems are also provided which allow the igniter to remain on after ignition at a power level that is lower than during ignition but high enough to ignite the cooking gas should a flame out occur. Examples are also provided of burners that ignite on a low flow setting (e.g., simmer) as opposed the high flow settings that are common in cook top industry.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2023
    Assignee: SCP R&D, LLC
    Inventors: Jack A. Shindle, Bruce C. Sprowl, Yin Liu
  • Publication number: 20230038340
    Abstract: Hot surface igniter assemblies used in cooktops are shown and described. The hot surface igniters include a silicon nitride ceramic body with an embedded, resistive, heat-generating circuit. The igniters are less than 0.04 inches thick, and when energized, they reach surface temperatures in excess of 2000° F. in under 4 seconds to ignite combustible gas such as propane, butane, or natural gas. Examples of cook top burner systems are also provided which allow the igniter to remain on after ignition at a power level that is lower than during ignition but high enough to ignite the cooking gas should a flame out occur. Examples are also provided of burners that ignite on a low flow setting (e.g., simmer) as opposed the high flow settings that are common in cook top industry.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 4, 2022
    Publication date: February 9, 2023
    Inventors: Jack A. Shindle, Bruce C. Sprowl, Yin Liu
  • Patent number: 11493208
    Abstract: Hot surface igniter assemblies used in cooktops are shown and described. The hot surface igniters include a silicon nitride ceramic body with an embedded, resistive, heat-generating circuit. The igniters are less than 0.04 inches thick, and when energized, they reach surface temperatures in excess of 2000° F. in under 4 seconds to ignite cooking gas such as propane, butane, or natural gas. Examples of cook top burner systems are also provided which allow the igniter to remain on after ignition at a power level that is lower than during ignition but high enough to ignite the cooking gas should a flame out occur. Examples are also provided of burners that ignite on a low flow setting (e.g., simmer) as opposed the high flow settings that are common in cook top industry.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2022
    Assignee: SCP Holdings, An Assumed Business Name Of Nitride Igniters, LLC
    Inventors: Jack A. Shindle, Bruce C. Sprowl, Yin Liu
  • Publication number: 20210381694
    Abstract: Hot surface igniter assemblies used in cooktops are shown and described. The hot surface igniters include a silicon nitride ceramic body with an embedded, resistive, heat-generating circuit. When energized, the circuit generates temperatures in excess of 2000° F. in under 4 seconds to ignite cooking gas such as natural gas. To prevent damage to the igniter during use or cleaning, an insulator assembly is provided which protects the distal end of the igniter ceramic body from damage while still exposing it to the cooking gas flow from the burner. In addition, a number of different terminal connection schemes for connecting the igniters to a power source are shown and described.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 23, 2021
    Publication date: December 9, 2021
    Inventors: Bruce C. Sprowl, Jack A. Shindle, Robert Davignon, Brian C. Dougherty, Sudhir Bhahmandam
  • Patent number: 11125439
    Abstract: Hot surface igniter assemblies used in cooktops are shown and described. The hot surface igniters include a silicon nitride ceramic body with an embedded, resistive, heat-generating circuit. When energized, the circuit generates temperatures in excess of 2000° F. in under 4 seconds to ignite cooking gas such as natural gas. To prevent damage to the igniter during use or cleaning, an insulator assembly is provided which protects the distal end of the igniter ceramic body from damage while still exposing it to the cooking gas flow from the burner. In addition, a number of different terminal connection schemes for connecting the igniters to a power source are shown and described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2021
    Assignee: SCP Holdings, an assumed business name of Nitride Igniters, LLC
    Inventors: Bruce C. Sprowl, Jack A. Shindle, Robert Davignon, Brian C. Dougherty, Sudhir Brahmandam
  • Publication number: 20190301742
    Abstract: Hot surface igniter assemblies used in cooktops are shown and described. The hot surface igniters include a silicon nitride ceramic body with an embedded, resistive, heat-generating circuit. When energized, the circuit generates temperatures in excess of 2000° F. in under 4 seconds to ignite cooking gas such as natural gas. To prevent damage to the igniter during use or cleaning, an insulator assembly is provided which protects the distal end of the igniter ceramic body from damage while still exposing it to the cooking gas flow from the burner. In addition, a number of different terminal connection schemes for connecting the igniters to a power source are shown and described.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 27, 2019
    Publication date: October 3, 2019
    Inventors: Bruce C. Sprowl, Jack A. Shindle, Robert Davignon, Brian C. Dougherty, Sudhir Brahmandam
  • Publication number: 20190301741
    Abstract: Hot surface igniter assemblies used in cooktops are shown and described. The hot surface igniters include a silicon nitride ceramic body with an embedded, resistive, heat-generating circuit. The igniters are less than 0.04 inches thick, and when energized, they reach surface temperatures in excess of 2000° F. in under 4 seconds to ignite cooking gas such as propane, butane, or natural gas. Examples of cook top burner systems are also provided which allow the igniter to remain on after ignition at a power level that is lower than during ignition but high enough to ignite the cooking gas should a flame out occur. Examples are also provided of burners that ignite on a low flow setting (e.g., simmer) as opposed the high flow settings that are common in cook top industry.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 27, 2019
    Publication date: October 3, 2019
    Inventors: Jack A. Shindle, Bruce C. Sprowl, Yin Liu