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A household gas appliance includes a gas supply valve which is operated using a magnetic key. The gas supply valve itself may be magnetically operable. In this instance, when a magnetic key is placed adjacent the magnetically operable gas supply valve, the gas supply valve would open. When the magne

A household gas appliance includes a gas supply valve which is operated using a magnetic key. The gas supply valve itself may be magnetically operable. In this instance, when a magnetic key is placed adjacent the magnetically operable gas supply valve, the gas supply valve would open. When the magnetic key is removed, the gas supply valve would close. In other embodiments, a magnetic sensor may sense the presence or absence of a magnetic key. If the magnetic key is present, the magnetic sensor would generate an opening signal which causes the gas supply valve to open. When the magnetic key is removed, the magnetic sensor would generate a closing signal which causes the gas supply valve to close.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A household gas appliance, comprising: a gas supply valve that is configured to be coupled to a gas supply line; anda magnetic key, wherein when the magnetic key is located in a first position, the gas supply valve opens so that gas can flow through the valve, and wherein when the magnetic key is

1. A household gas appliance, comprising: a gas supply valve that is configured to be coupled to a gas supply line; anda magnetic key, wherein when the magnetic key is located in a first position, the gas supply valve opens so that gas can flow through the valve, and wherein when the magnetic key is removed from the first position, the gas supply valve closes to prevent gas from flowing though the valve, wherein the first position is not normally visible to a user of the appliance such that a user cannot normally see the magnetic key when it is located at the first position, the first position being located inside an enclosure on the appliance; anda magnetic sensor that detects when the magnetic key is located in the first position, wherein when the magnetic sensor detects that the magnetic key is located in the first position, the magnetic sensor outputs an opening signal that causes the gas supply valve to open, and wherein when the magnetic sensor detects that the magnetic key is not located in the first position, the magnetic sensor outputs a closing signal that causes the gas supply valve to close. 2. The household gas appliance of claim 1, wherein the gas supply valve includes a biasing member that biases the gas supply valve closed. 3. The household gas appliance of claim 2, wherein when the magnetic key is located in the first position, a magnetic field generated by the magnetic key causes the gas supply valve to open against the force of the biasing member. 4. The household gas appliance of claim 3, wherein when the magnetic key is removed from the first position, thereby removing the magnetic field generated by the magnetic key, the biasing member causes the gas supply valve to close. 5. The household gas appliance of claim 1, further comprising a controller coupled to the magnetic sensor and the gas supply valve, wherein when the magnetic sensor outputs the opening signal to the controller, the controller causes the gas supply valve to open, and wherein when the magnetic sensor outputs the closing signal to the controller, the controller causes the gas supply valve to close. 6. The household gas appliance of claim 1, wherein the magnetic key generates a magnetic field having a predetermined pattern, wherein the magnetic sensor is located adjacent the first position, and wherein when the magnetic sensor detects a magnetic field having the predetermined pattern, the magnetic sensor causes the gas supply valve to open. 7. The household gas appliance of claim 6, wherein the magnetic key includes a plurality of magnets that generate North and South magnetic fields having the predetermined pattern. 8. The household gas appliance of claim 6, wherein if the magnetic sensor detects a magnetic field that does not match the predetermined pattern, the magnetic sensor will not cause the gas supply valve to open. 9. A household gas appliance, comprising: a gas supply manifold;at least one gas burner;at least one control valve, each control valve controlling a flow of gas from the gas supply manifold to a gas burner;a gas supply valve that controls a flow of gas into the gas supply manifold, wherein the gas supply valve can be switched between open and closed positions;a magnetic key, wherein when the magnetic key is located in a first position on the household gas appliance, the gas supply valve is switched to the open position, wherein when the magnetic key is removed from the first position, the gas supply valve is switched to the closed position, wherein the first position is not normally visible to a user of the appliance such that a user cannot normally see the magnetic key when it is located at the first position, the first position being located inside an enclosure on the appliance; anda magnetic sensor that detects when the magnetic key is located in the first position, wherein when the magnetic sensor detects that the magnetic key is located in the first position, the magnetic sensor outputs an opening signal that causes the gas supply valve to open, and wherein when the magnetic sensor detects that the magnetic key is not located in the first position, the magnetic sensor outputs a closing signal that causes the gas supply valve to close. 10. The household gas appliance of claim 9, further comprising a movable member that can move to open the enclosure so that the magnetic key can be placed at the first position or removed from the first position. 11. The household gas appliance of claim 9, wherein the magnetic key includes a plurality of magnets that generate a predetermined pattern of North and South magnetic fields, and wherein the magnetic sensor is configured to detect the predetermined magnetic field pattern. 12. The household gas appliance of claim 11, wherein if the magnetic sensor does not detect the predetermined magnetic field pattern, the magnetic sensor will not output an opening signal. 13. A household gas appliance, comprising: a gas supply manifold;at least one gas burner;at least one control valve, each control valve controlling a flow of gas from the gas supply manifold to a gas burner;a gas supply valve that controls a flow of gas into the gas supply manifold, wherein the gas supply valve can be switched between open and closed positions;a magnetic key, wherein when the magnetic key is located in a first position on the household gas appliance, the gas supply valve is switched to the open position, wherein when the magnetic key is removed from the first position, the gas supply valve is switched to the closed position, wherein a depression is formed on the appliance at the first position, the depression being configured to receive the magnetic key when it is located in the first position;a magnetic sensor that detects when the magnetic key is located in the first position, wherein when the magnetic sensor detects that the magnetic key is located in the first position, the magnetic sensor outputs an opening signal that causes the gas supply valve to open, and wherein when the magnetic sensor detects that the magnetic key is not located in the first position, the magnetic sensor outputs a closing signal that causes the gas supply valve to close; anda cover on the appliance that moves between an open position which exposes the depression and a closed position which closes the depression. 14. The household gas appliance of claim 13, wherein the gas supply valve is magnetically operable, wherein the gas supply valve is located adjacent the first position such that when the magnetic key is located in the first position, a magnetic field generated by the magnetic key causes the gas supply valve to open, and such that when the magnetic key is not located in the first position, the gas supply valve closes. 15. The household gas appliance of claim 13, wherein the first position is not normally visible to a user of the appliance such that a user cannot normally see the magnetic key when it is located at the first position. 16. The household gas appliance of claim 15, wherein the first position is located inside an enclosure on the appliance. 17. The household gas appliance of claim 16, wherein the cover comprises a movable member that can move to open the enclosure so that the magnetic key can be placed at the first position or removed from the first position. 18. The household gas appliance of claim 13, wherein the magnetic key includes a plurality of magnets that generate a predetermined pattern of North and South magnetic fields, and wherein the magnetic sensor is configured to detect the predetermined magnetic field pattern. 19. The household gas appliance of claim 18, wherein if the magnetic sensor does not detect the predetermined magnetic field pattern, the magnetic sensor will not output an opening signal. 20. The household gas appliance of claim 13, further comprising a controller coupled to the magnetic sensor and the gas supply valve, wherein when the controller receives the opening signal from the magnetic sensor, the controller causes the gas supply valve to open, and wherein when the controller receives the closing signal from the magnetic sensor, the controller causes the gas supply valve to close.