Development of AVANCE, a Built-in Gas Stove Equipped with Area Sensors, the Industry’s First New Technology

Overview

Osaka Gas Co., Ltd. developed a built-in gas stove named AVANCE² in cooperation with Paloma Co., Ltd. and launched it in June 2019. The AVANCE is equipped with the Area Sensor¹ function, the first new technology in the kitchen stove industry that automatically controls the heat by detecting sleeves or other objects approaching the stove burner from the front.
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　1. Area Sensor is a registered trademark of Osaka Gas Co., Ltd.
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　2. The AVANCE is a registered trademark of Paloma Co., Ltd.

Background to Development

As an accident caused by a gas stove, sleeves or other parts of clothing can catch fire from flames during cooking. Osaka Gas has been working on technology development to ensure that stoves can be used safely for many years with a sense of security. Among the functions provided for that purpose so far are medium heat ignition and pot’s absence detection. In addition, the company has recently developed the Area Sensor as a new function.

Area Sensor, Industry’s First New Technology

The control that the Area Sensor performs includes automatically reducing the heat when the device detects a sleeve or other objects approaching the burner from the front of the stove. The device is composed of nine infrared distance sensors to perform its functions.

Infrared distance sensors placed in three locations on the top plate of the stove measure the elevation of the intruding sleeve or other objects. If the elevation of the intruding object has the risk of catching fire, automatic heat control takes place. In this way, the device ensures all safety, security, and ease-of-cooking requirements.

More specifically, the heat is automatically controlled for sleeves or other objects that are below approximately 11 cm in elevation from the top plate.

Evaluation of AVANCE

The AVANCE received the Excellence Award (the Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry award) in the “Category of design contributing to the safety and security of children (general category)” of the 13th Kids Design Award in 2019, as the first gas stove to do so. The gas stove was highly evaluated as a good example of a cooking appliance that has effective safety and security measures for all age groups, along with the comment, “The Area Sensor in particular is eye-catching as an epoch-making function.”

Furthermore, the product obtained recommendation certification as a fire-prevention and disaster-management product that can be used effectively in the fields of fire prevention and disaster management from the Fire Equipment and Safety Center of Japan, the first time for a cooking device.