An apparatus, cooking appliance and method functionally verify a gas burner that is controlled by two or more electronically-controlled gas valves coupled in series with one another. Functional verification is performed during ignition and/or shut off of the gas burner at least in part by sequencing the activation and/or deactivation of the gas valves and testing the ignition state of the gas burner while one of the valves is activated and the other is deactivated.

Systems, methods, and devices include a griddle device with a heat management system and a digital control system. The griddle device includes a body defining an internal space and the heat management system is disposed within the internal space and below a griddle top. The heat management system includes one or more partitions and an underbracing panel to divide the internal space into a plurality of heat compartments, each with a primary burner, a secondary burner (e.g., a pilot burner), and/or a temperature sensor. The digital control system receives temperature data from the temperature sensors, compares the temperature data to a temperature threshold value, and actuates one or more gas valves to increase or decrease fuel supplied to the burners (e.g., the primary burner). Griddle leveling feet secure the griddle top to the body and are used to adjust the griddle top between a level position and a slanted position.

According to one aspect, a cooking apparatus having a main fuel manifold that provides fuel to at least one manual burner and at least one control valve, and at least one controlled fuel manifold in fluid communication with the at least one control valve, each controlled fuel manifold for providing fuel to at least one controlled burner. The cooking apparatus also includes at least one thermocouple, each thermocouple monitoring at least one measured temperature within the cooking apparatus. The cooking apparatus also includes an input device for receiving a desired temperature set-point. The cooking apparatus also includes a controller having a microprocessor operable to compare the at least one measured temperature and the temperature set-point. In response to the comparison, the controller will selectively adjust the at least one control valve to restrict an amount of fuel flowing to the at least one controlled fuel manifold.

A cooktop includes a knob assembly controls a heating part. The knob assembly includes: a knob body disposed at a front surface of a control panel and rotating around a rotation shaft extended in a front-rear direction, a light diffusing part disposed at a rear side of the knob body and diffusing light, and a light source part disposed at a rear side of the light diffusing part and including one or more light sources. The light diffusing part includes a light source corresponding part disposed at a position corresponding to one of the light sources, and a thickness of the light diffusing part along a first straight line that passes from a center of the light diffusing part through the light source corresponding part is greater than a thickness of the light diffusing part along a straight line that does not pass through the light source corresponding part.

Example methods and apparatus for controlling gas flow in grills based on position data detected via rotary encoders. An example grill includes a burner valve, a rotary encoder, and a controller. The burner valve is movable between an open position and a closed position. The rotary encoder includes a rotatable portion and a fixed portion. The control knob is mechanically coupled to the rotatable portion. The rotatable portion is rotatable relative to the fixed portion. The rotary encoder is to detect a rotational position of the control knob. The rotational position of the control knob corresponds to a rotational position of the rotatable portion relative to the fixed portion. The controller is in electrical communication with the rotary encoder. The controller is to determine a target position of the burner valve based on the rotational position of the control knob. The controller is to instruct the burner valve to move to the target position.

Example methods and apparatus for automating shutdown processes of gas grills are disclosed. An example grill includes a first burner, a second burner, a first burner valve operatively positioned between the first burner and a manifold of the grill, and a second burner valve operatively positioned between the second burner and the manifold. The example grill further includes a controller operatively coupled to the first burner valve and the second burner valve. In response to determining that a shutdown request has been received at the grill, the controller is to instruct the first burner valve and the second burner valve to close.

Example dual-burner assemblies for cookboxes of gas grills are disclosed. An example dual-burner assembly includes a first burner tube and a second burner tube. The first burner tube has a first maximum heat output. The second burner tube has a second maximum heat output. The second burner tube is spaced apart from the first burner tube by a distance of no more than 0.750 inches. The second maximum heat output is less than the first maximum heat output.

A cooking appliance includes a main body forming a machine room; a cooking chamber arranged below the machine room; an intermediate flow path including a first suction port and formed between the machine room and the cooking chamber; and a fan configured to suction air into the intermediate flow path, wherein the machine room includes a second suction port through which air is suctioned, and an opening portion connected to the intermediate flow path, the opening portion includes a first opening portion and a second opening portion arranged at a farther distance from the fan than the first opening portion, and the second opening portion has an area larger than an area of the first opening portion.

The invention relates to a control valve system for use with a gas grill, and more particularly to a fuel shut off device that is attached to the fuel supply to turn it off, if the integrated timing device is allowed to accrue time equal to the preset amount of time set. A multi-segment tactile dial enables a user to feel the dial and set the appropriate time increment without having to look at the dial.

A cooktop appliance defines a vertical direction, a lateral direction, and a transverse direction. The vertical direction, the lateral direction, and the transverse direction are mutually perpendicular. The cooktop appliance includes a top panel with a gas burner disposed on the top panel. A terminal block is positioned on the top panel adjacent to the burner. The cooktop appliance also includes a grate with a plurality of fingers removably positioned above the gas burner. The plurality of fingers include a sensor finger. A temperature sensor is rotatably mounted to the sensor finger of the plurality of fingers of the grate whereby the temperature sensor is movable along the vertical direction between an elevated position and a lowered position.