Electric water heater

• US 6,321,036 B1
• Filed: 12/04/2000
• Issued: 11/20/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 12/04/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Chao-Lin Huang
• Original Assignee: Chao-Lin Huang
• Inventors: Huang, Chao-Lin
• Primary Examiner(s): Walberg, Teresa
• Assistant Examiner(s): CAMPBELL, THOR S
• Application Number:
  US09/729,616
• Time in Patent Office: 351 Days
• Field of Search: 392/441, 392/445, 392/447, 392/448, 392/450-455
• US Class Current: 392/453
• CPC Class Codes: F24H 1/202 with resistances
• CPC Class Codes: F24H 9/0021 Sleeves surrounding heating elements or heating pipes, e.g. pipes filled with heat transfer fluid, for guiding heated liquid
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 3/82 Fixedly-mounted immersion heaters

Abstract

An electric water heater has a base, a tank mounted on the base, a partition wall mounted in the tank to divide the tank into a heating chamber and a reservoir and at least one electric heating element extending into the heating chamber. A cool-water supply pipe extends into the heating chamber to supply cool water to the tank when a user uses the hot water stored in the reservoir, This can immediately provide unlimitedly hot water at a desired high temperature to a user. In addition, the space for locating the tank can also be reduced. The convenience of using and locating the water heater can be improved.

Claims

1. A water heater comprising:

a base;

a tank mounted on the base;

a partition wall mounted in the tank to divide the tank into a heating chamber below the partition wall and a reservoir above the partition wall;

a tube extending from a bottom side of the partition wall and having an opening defined in a bottom end of the tube;

a through hole defined in the partition wall for communicating with the tube;

at least one electric heating element mounted on the base and extending into the tube;

a hot-water discharge pipe extending into the tank and communicating with the reservoir; and

a cool-water supply pipe extending into the tank and having an opening communicating with the heating chamber.

2. The water heater as claimed in claim 1, wherein the hot-water discharge pipe is mounted on the base and extends through the heating chamber, the tube and the through hole to communicate with the reservoir;

and the base has an outlet defined to communicate with the hot-water discharge pipe.

3. The water heater as claimed in claim 1, wherein the hot-water discharge pipe is attached to the tank.

4. The water heater as claimed in claim 1, wherein the cool-water supply pipe is attached to the base and extends into the heating chamber;

and

an inlet is defined in the base and communicates with the cool-water supply pipe.

5. The water heater as claimed in claim 4, wherein a check valve is mounted in the inlet of the base.

6. The water heater as claimed in claim 1, wherein the cool-water supply pipe is attached to the tank.

7. The water heater as claimed in claim 1, wherein a sensor is mounted in the tank and faces the opening of the cool-water supply pipe to detect the temperature of the water in the heating chamber.

8. The water heater as claimed in claim 1, wherein the opening of the supply pipe is located above the opening of the tube.