Multi-position point of use electric water heater

• US 6,282,372 B1
• Filed: 04/11/2000
• Issued: 08/28/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 04/11/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Rheem Manufacturing Company (Paloma Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Rheem Manufacturing Company (Paloma Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Thenappan, Subbu, Boros, Jozef
• Primary Examiner(s): Walberg, Teresa
• Assistant Examiner(s): CAMPBELL, THOR S
• Application Number:
  US09/547,928
• Time in Patent Office: 504 Days
• Field of Search: 392/441, 392/449, 392/454, 392/497, 392/498, 392/501, 392/502, 392/500
• US Class Current: 392/500
• CPC Class Codes: F24H 1/202 with resistances
• CPC Class Codes: F24H 15/223 in the water storage tank
• CPC Class Codes: F24H 15/37 of electric heaters
• CPC Class Codes: F24H 9/02 Casings; Cover lids; Ornamental panels
• CPC Class Codes: F24H 9/2021 Storage heaters
• CPC Class Codes: F24H 9/45 for preventing galvanic corrosion, e.g. cathodic or electrolytic means
• CPC Class Codes: F24H 9/455 for water heaters
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 3/82 Fixedly-mounted immersion heaters

Abstract

A point-of-use electric water heater is provided with a unique configuration permitting it to be selectively used in (1) a wall or ceiling-mounted horizontal orientation, (2) a floor or wall-supported vertical orientation, or (3) a wall-supported inverted vertical orientation without any substantial modification of the water heater, thereby advantageously avoiding the previous necessity of manufacturing differently configured water heaters for mounting in these various operational orientations. Specially designed mounting brackets are provided to support the water heater in any of its wall or ceiling-mounted orientations. In one embodiment of the water heater a dual element electric resistance type immersion heater is provided with an integral temperature control structure illustratively in the form of a separate sensing tube having operatively mounted therein a pair of thermistors each operatively associated with a different one of the two heating elements.

Claims

1. A multi-position point of use electric water heater comprising:

an insulated tank structure adapted to hold a quantity of water, said insulated tank structure having opposite first and second end portions spaced apart along a central axis, said insulated tank structure further having front and rear side portions disposed on opposite sides of a reference plane containing said central axis;

an inlet tube longitudinally extending parallel to said central axis and into the interior of said rear side portion through said first end portion;

an outlet tube longitudinally extending parallel to said central axis and into the interior of said rear side portion through said first end portion;

an elongated electric resistance type immersion heating structure longitudinally extending through the interior of said front side portion at least generally parallel to said central axis, said heating structure being operative to heat water disposed within said insulated tank structure;

a first opening disposed in said front side portion of said insulated tank structure at said first end portion and extending into the interior of said insulated tank structure;

a second opening disposed in said front side portion of said insulated tank structure at said second end portion and extending into the interior of said insulated tank structure;

a temperature and/or pressure relief structure removably secured to one of said first and second openings and being removably securable to the other of said first and second openings; and

a drain valve structure removably secured to said other of said first and second openings and being removably securable to said one of said first and second openings,

said electric water heater being operative to be mounted in a selectively variable one of a plurality of horizontal and vertical orientations without having to substantially vary its constructional configuration to accommodate variation in its mounting orientation and corresponding reorientation of said heating structure.

2. The multi-position point of use electric water heater of claim 1 wherein:

said water heater has a reference line extending through said first end portion, the reference line being parallel to said reference plane, rearwardly offset from said reference plane, and transverse to said central axis, and

said inlet and outlet tubes are spaced apart along said reference line.

3. The multi-position point of use electric water heater of claim 2 further comprising an electrical junction box mounted on said first end portion.

4. The multi-position point of use electric water heater of claim 3 wherein said electrical junction box is rearwardly offset from said inlet and outlet tubes.

5. The multi-position point of use electric water heater of claim 4 wherein said electrical junction box is generally centered between said inlet and outlet tubes.

6. The multi-position point of use electric water heater of claim 1 wherein:

said water heater has a reference line extending through said first end portion, the reference line being parallel to said reference plane, forwardly offset from said reference plane, and transverse to said central axis, and

said heating structure and said first opening are spaced apart along said reference line.

7. The multi-position point of use electric water heater of claim 1 wherein:

said heater structure extends through said first end portion of said insulated tank structure.

8. The multi-position point of use electric water heater of claim 1 further comprising a temperature control structure for sensing the temperature of water within said insulated tank structure and responsively controlling the operation of said heating structure.

9. The multi-position point of use electric water heater of claim 8 wherein said temperature control structure includes a thermostat operatively coupled to said heater structure.

10. The multi-position point of use electric water heater of claim 9 wherein:

said heating structure has a body portion from which an elongated heating element portion longitudinally outwardly extends.

11. The multi-position point of use electric water heater of claim 10 wherein:

said temperature control structure includes a temperature sensing portion secured to and projecting outwardly from said body portion.

12. The multi-position point of use electric water heater of claim 11 wherein:

said temperature control structure includes a tube longitudinally extending outwardly from said body portion and having at least one thermistor operatively disposed therein.

13. The multi-position point of use electric water heater of claim 12 wherein:

said heating element portion includes a first elongated heating element longitudinally projecting outwardly from said body portion, and a second elongated heating element longitudinally projecting outwardly from said body portion parallel to said first heating element, and

said tube has longitudinally spaced apart first and second thermistors operatively disposed therein and respectively associated with said first and second heating elements.

14. The multi-position point of use electric water heater of claim 1 further comprising a bracket structure connected to said insulated tank structure and useable to mount said water heater in selectively variable vertical and horizontal orientations on a support structure.

15. The multi-position point of use electric water heater of claim 14 wherein said bracket structure includes an elongated bracket member having a longitudinally central portion secured to said insulated tank structure, and opposite end portions with edges through which generally L-shaped slots inwardly extend.

16. The multi-position point of use electric water heater of claim 15 wherein:

said slots have first leg portions extending inwardly through said edges in directions transverse to the length of said bracket member, and second leg portions transverse to said first leg portions and extending generally parallel to the length of said bracket member.

17. A multi-position point of use electric water heater comprising:

an insulated tank structure adapted to hold a quantity of water, said insulated tank structure having opposite first and second end portions spaced apart along a central axis, said insulated tank structure further having front and rear side portions disposed on opposite sides of a reference plane containing said central axis;

an inlet tube longitudinally extending parallel to said central axis and into the interior of said rear side portion through said first end portion;

an outlet tube longitudinally extending parallel to said central axis and into the interior of said rear side portion through said first end portion;

an elongated electric resistance type immersion heating structure longitudinally extending through the interior of said front side portion at least generally parallel to said central axis, said heating structure being operative to heat water disposed within said insulated tank structure;

a first opening disposed in said front side portion of said insulated tank structure at said first end portion and extending into the interior of said insulated tank structure;

a second opening disposed in said front side portion of said insulated tank structure at said second end portion and extending into the interior of said insulated tank structure;

a temperature and/or pressure relief structure removably secured to one of said first and second openings and being removably securable to the other of said first and second openings; and

a drain valve structure removably secured to said other of said first and second openings and being removably securable to said one of said first and second openings,

said water heater having a first reference line extending through said first end portion, said first reference line being parallel to said reference plane, rearwardly offset from said reference plane, and transverse to said central axis, said inlet and outlet tubes being spaced apart along said first reference line,

said water heater having a second reference line extending through said first end portion, said second reference line being parallel to said reference plane, forwardly offset from said reference plane, and transverse to said central axis, said heating structure and said first opening being spaced apart along said second reference line, and

said electric water heater being operative to be mounted in a selectively variable one of a plurality of horizontal and vertical orientations without having to substantially vary its constructional configuration to accommodate variation in its mounting orientation and corresponding reorientation of said heating structure.

18. The multi-position point of use electric water heater of claim 17 further comprising:

an electrical junction box mounted on said first end portion and being rearwardly offset from said inlet and outlet tubes.