ELECTRONIC MIXING VALVE IN STANDARD HOT WATER HEATER
First Claim
1. A hot water heater system comprising:
- a hot water tank having a cold water inlet line and a hot water outlet line;
an electronically controlled mixing valve fluid coupled to the cold water inlet line and the hot water outlet line;
a mixed output line from the electronically controlled mixing valve;
a controller operatively coupled to the electronically controlled mixing valve;
a temperature sensor operatively coupled to the mixed output line and the controller, the controller being operative in response to the sensor to;
detect a temperature of water in the mixed output line;
compare a setpoint temperature of a desired hot water temperature output to the detected temperature of the water in the mixed output line; and
regulate a flow of one or both of cold water from the cold water input line and hot water from the hot water output line through the electronically controlled mixing valve to maintain the detected temperature of the water in the mixed output line at the setpoint temperature.
2 Assignments
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Accused Products
Abstract
A hot water heater includes a hot water tank having a cold water inlet line and a hot water outlet line, an electronically controlled mixing valve fluid coupled to the cold water inlet line and the hot water outlet line and mixed output line and a controller operatively coupled to the mixing valve. A temperature sensor is operatively coupled to the mixed output line and the controller, the controller being operative in response to the sensor to detect a temperature of the water in the mixed output line, compare a setpoint temperature to the detected temperature of the water in the mixed output line, and regulate a flow of one or both of cold water from the cold water input line and hot water from the hot water output line through the electronically controlled mixing valve to maintain the detected temperature at the setpoint temperature.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A hot water heater system comprising:
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a hot water tank having a cold water inlet line and a hot water outlet line; an electronically controlled mixing valve fluid coupled to the cold water inlet line and the hot water outlet line; a mixed output line from the electronically controlled mixing valve; a controller operatively coupled to the electronically controlled mixing valve; a temperature sensor operatively coupled to the mixed output line and the controller, the controller being operative in response to the sensor to; detect a temperature of water in the mixed output line; compare a setpoint temperature of a desired hot water temperature output to the detected temperature of the water in the mixed output line; and regulate a flow of one or both of cold water from the cold water input line and hot water from the hot water output line through the electronically controlled mixing valve to maintain the detected temperature of the water in the mixed output line at the setpoint temperature. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A method for controlling an electronically controlled mixing valve for a hot water heater, the electronically controlled mixing valve fluidly coupled to a cold water inlet line to the hot water heater and a hot water outlet line from the hot water heater, and providing a flow of water in a mixed output line, the method comprising:
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detecting a temperature of water in the mixed output line; comparing the detected temperature to a setpoint temperature; and controlling a flow of water from one or both of the cold water inlet line and hot water outlet line through the electronically controlled mixing valve to regulate the detected temperature of the water in the mixed output line to correspond to the setpoint temperature. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A hot water heater control system comprising;
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a hot water heater; a mixing valve coupled to an output of the hot water heater, the mixing valve including a non-heated water input and a heated water input and a mixed water output; a temperature control configured to enable setting of a temperature setpoint of the mixed water output; a controller coupled to the mixing valve and the temperature control and configured to control the mixing valve to regulate a temperature of the mixed water output to be at the setpoint temperature; and wherein the controller is configured to; detect the temperature of the mixed water output; determine if the detected temperature exceeds a pre-determined temperature threshold; control the mixing valve to reduce a temperature of the mixed water output if the detected temperature exceeds a pre-determined temperature threshold; and stop a flow of water from the mixing valve if a decrease in the detected temperature is not detected within a pre-determined time period. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
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Specification