Abstract: A cooking appliance includes a gas cooking element, an electromechanical valve fluidly coupled with the gas cooking element to regulate a flow of gas to the cooking element, a flame detector configured to detect an active state of a flame for the gas cooking element, a manually-actuated user control movable over a range of positions, and a controller coupled to the electromechanical valve, the flame detector, and the manually-actuated user control. The controller is configured to initiate a calibration process to determine an active range for the gas cooking element.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for a gas burner head with at least a first burner region and a second burner region, an ignitor located near the gas burner, and a burner drive that is configured to generate relative rotation between the first and second burner regions of the gas burner to transfer a flame between the first and second burner regions during the relative rotation.

Abstract: A digital cooktop system with six regular burners and a wok burner, allowing use of a reconfigurable control knob to control the cooktop burners for a wok mode, a griddle mode, and a six-burner mode.

Abstract: A system for an appliance having a plurality of burners operated by a plurality of gas valves includes a plurality of selector buttons to assign a single control selector to a specified burner and a plurality of dedicated off buttons, assigned to the burners.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for a manual gas valve. The manual gas valve may include at least one internal spring and a valve plug. The internal spring may be independent from an external spring and a valve stem. The internal spring may be positioned in a constant installed height. The internal spring includes a constant spring force applied to the valve plug. The one or more manual gas valves may be used in a variety of applications.

Abstract: A system for indicating the burner assignments of a plurality of burners operated by a plurality of digital gas valves to a plurality of control selectors that are configurably assigned to a specified burner or burners.

Abstract: A system for controlling an appliance having a plurality of burners operated by a plurality of digital gas valves includes a plurality of control selectors that are configurably assigned to a specified burner or burners.

Abstract: A system for controlling an appliance having a plurality of gas cooktop burners operated by a plurality of digital gas valves includes a plurality of control selectors that include illuminated displays on faces thereof for indicating to which gas cooktop burner each control selector is assigned.

Abstract: A cooking appliance includes, a gas cooking element; an electromechanical valve fluidly coupled with the gas cooking element to regulate a flow of gas to the cooking element; a manually-actuated user control movable over a range of positions; and a controller coupled to the user control and the electromechanical valve, the controller configured to determine a position of the manually-actuated user control within the range of positions and to control the electromechanical valve based at least in part upon the determined position to provide a controlled flow curve for the gas cooking element over the range of positions of the user control.

Abstract: A digital cooktop system with six regular burners and a wok burner, allowing use of a reconfigurable control knob to control the cooktop burners for a wok mode, a griddle mode, and a six-burner mode.

Abstract: A system for a two-step activation for a valve includes at least one valve control selector having an output representative of a valve position and a touch sensor having an output representative of a permission to operate said valve.

Abstract: A system for an appliance having a plurality of burners operated by a plurality of gas valves includes a plurality of selector buttons to assign a single control selector to a specified burner and a plurality of dedicated off buttons, assigned to the burners.

Abstract: A cooking appliance and system therefor utilize a burner group capable of operating in multiple modes such that gas cooktop burners disposed in the burner group may be collectively or individually controlled in different modes.

Abstract: A cooking appliance such as a range or stovetop incorporates cooking container sensing for controlling burner ignition and/or triggering events in programmed cooking sequences.

Abstract: A cooking appliance and system for a two-step activation for a gas cooktop burner includes at least one control selector having an output representative of a valve position and a touch sensor having an output representative of a permission to operate the valve, with a user-configurable two-step activation sequence used to control a digital gas valve and an ignitor for the gas cooktop burner to ignite and activate the gas cooktop burner.

Abstract: A heat diffuser for a grill may include a rigid plate having a first side and a second side and is designed to be positioned between the grilling surface and the burner of a grill, where each the first and second side includes a plurality of diffusing surfaces that when facing the grilling surface are oriented to diffuse heat generated by the burner. The heat diffuser may also include first and second supports located at opposite ends of the rigid plate and configured to support the rigid plate between the grilling surface and the burner in each of first and second orientations, where in the first orientation the first side of the rigid plate faces the grilling surface and in the second orientation the second side of the rigid plate faces the grilling surface.

Abstract: A system for inhibiting and providing access to appliance control knobs includes a support structure for mounting individual control knobs or groups thereof, and an actuator assembly for extending and retracting control knobs either individually or collectively.

Abstract: A system for controlling digital gas valves of an appliance utilizing a configurable duty cycle responsive to time, temperature and burner power level variables.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for a gas burner head with one or more rotating burners. The gas burner head may include an outer burner and an inner burner rotating about an axis. Multiple gas burner heads may be rotatably interconnected. Rotating one or more burners within one or more gas burner heads may allow a variety of burner characteristics and/or patterns. One or more gas burner heads may be used in a variety of applications.

Abstract: A system for inhibiting and providing access to appliance control knobs includes a support structure for mounting individual control knobs or groups thereof, and an actuator assembly for extending and retracting control knobs either individually or collectively.