Generally, gas cooktop appliances include a plurality of gas burners mounted to a top surface of the appliance. To light the gas burners, certain cooktop appliances include an ignition device. The ignition device can create an electrical arc that ignites gaseous fuel flowing through the gas burner. In particular, the ignition device can create an electrical arc between the ignition device and the gas burner to ignite the gaseous fuel.
Generally, the gas burner must be grounded for the ignition device to create an electric arc between the ignition device and the gas burner. In certain cooktop appliances, the gas burner is electrically grounded when the burner is mounted to the top surface of the cooktop appliance. For example, the top surface of certain cooktop appliances is constructed of a conductive metal that is in contact with a ground. Thus, by grounding the top surface of the cooktop, the gas burner is grounded as well. However, certain cooktop appliances have a top surface that is constructed of a non-conductive material such as a ceramic material or enameled steel. As a result, simply mounting the gas burner to the top surface will not ground the gas burner.
In addition, gas burners that are removable for easy cleaning are generally mounted to the cooktop appliance so that there is a gap between the top surface of the cooktop appliance and a head of the gas burner, i.e.—the gas burner's head floats above the top surface of the cooktop appliance when the gas burner is mounted to the cooktop appliance. This is to ensure the burner head is always in electrical communication with a grounded component of the burner assembly. Such an arrangement has several drawbacks. For example, the gap can have an unpleasant cosmetic appearance to consumers. Also, during use of the cooktop, spills and overflows can lead to food particles accumulating on the top surface of the cooktop. Such food particles can flow or travel beneath the gas burner and be difficult to clean and/or remove. Such food particles or liquid spills can also interfere with grounding of the gas burner.
Accordingly, a gas burner with features for grounding the gas burner when the gas burner is mounted to a non-conductive surface would be useful. Also, a gas burner with features for easily cleaning beneath the gas burner would be useful. Further, a gas burner with features for impeding debris from collecting beneath the gas burner would be useful. In addition, a gas burner that mounts to a cooking surface without a gap between the gas burner and the cooking surface would be useful.