Hot water tank

• US 20070251468A1
• Filed: 06/29/2007
• Published: 11/01/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/11/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Andre Houle
• Original Assignee: Andre Houle
• Inventors: Houle, Andre
• Granted Patent: US 8,453,610 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 122/19.200
• CPC Class Codes: F24H 1/202 with resistances
• CPC Class Codes: F28D 20/0034 using liquid heat storage material
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/14 Thermal energy storage

Abstract

This invention relates generally to hot water tank but more particularly to a hot water tank having a removable top lid. The hot water tank comprises a sleeve lining the tank; at least one compartment housed within said sleeve, the compartment having walls for containing water; and a top removable lid; and wherein said sleeve and said compartment are removable from the tank upon removal of said top lid. The sleeve can be sealed or not and has as its particularity that it can be extremely versatile and can have changeable water containers with heating means or not. The sleeve can be adapted to any existing or future water container of any size or model, with or without heating means, and has the possibility of having one or many individual water compartments being exchangeable upon rusting/piercing/breakage, instead of changing the complete tank. The sleeve can also hold the entire contents of the hot water container, if it pierces. The sleeve can also possess a diversified array of sensors (example: water, fire, electricity, etc) and a computer capable of cutting all energy sources, liquid, solids, or gas or other, when, for example, the container leaks. There can also be a valve to empty the contents of the sleeve or the tank when there is a water leak. The computer will let you know of the problem via internet, telephone, insurance, company, police, medical, fire and will shut off the water until help arrives. The water tank according to the present invention can also have a plurality of interconnecting compartments which progressively warm up the water by way of interconnecting pipes.

Claims

1. A versatile hot water tank comprising:

a sleeve lining the tank;

at least one compartment housed within said sleeve, the compartment having walls for containing water; and

a top removable lid;

and wherein said sleeve and said compartment are removable from the tank upon removal of said top lid.

2. The versatile hot water tank according to claim 1, wherein the compartments are vertically stacked within the sleeve and are vertically spaced from each other by an air-tight space, each compartment being connected to the other by a connecting pipe.

3. A versatile hot water tank according to claim 1, wherein the compartment is provided with heating means.

4. The versatile hot water tank according to claim 3, wherein said heating means are electrical heating elements, said electrical heating elements heat to a controlled level of temperature water that is traveling downward from the uppermost compartment to the next lowest compartment by way of a corresponding connecting pipe, whereby, in use, water in upper compartments is further heated through convection by lower compartments containing water that is heated by the electrical heating elements so that water entering the tank is warmed progressively and controllably before exiting the tank.

5. A versatile hot water tank according to any one of claims 1 to 4, comprising heat traps, said heat traps comprising two ends interfacing with a connecting pipe, two generally parallel pipe segments and joining segments slow down water migration.

6. A versatile hot water tank according to claim 4, wherein said connecting pipe is sectioned off to allow insertion of said heat trap.

7. A versatile hot water tank, built so that it includes one or more water containers, with or without heating means, so that said one or more water container can be changed, if broken, by way of removing a top lid.

8. The versatile hot water tank according to claim 7, which can also be adapted to existing or future kinds, sizes or models of water containers, with heating means or not, making the existing or future kinds, sizes or models of water containers iterchangeable for a new one when it breaks.

9. The versatile hot water tanks of claim 7, said hot water tank being sealable or not, and if sealed, can be be made air-tight or the air can be changed for a gas, with a positive or negative pressure, to diminish heat losses.

10. The versatile hot water tank according to claim 7, where the thickness of the insulation of the container can be increased because the water container or containers, with heating means or not, are now interchangeable.

11. The versatile hot water tank according to claim 7, possessing a diversified array of sensors such as for example water, fire, electricity, etc, and a computer of cutting all energy sources, liquid, solids or gas or other, when a problem arises, such as for example a water container leaks, the computer letting you know of the problem via the internet, telephone, insurance company, police, medical fire and will shut off the water until help arrives.

12. The versatile hot water tank according to claim 7, comprising a valve to empty its contents when there is a water leak.

13. A versatile hot water tank for containing any type of liquid or gas contained from leaking, such as a double-wall pipeline or a tank or container in or above ground, lakes river and ocean.

14. The versatile hot water tank according to claim 13, wherein the rivers can also be said for the same concept, example:

it can also stop the infiltration of gas, liquid or any contaminant from entering inside.

15. The versatile hot water tank according to claim 13, for use in a be double hull boat, submarines or tanker truck so that upon rupturing the first hull of said boat, submarine and so forth, the inner hull will not be breached and allow anything to enter.