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US 10,316,981 B2Granted
Heat pump water heater appliance and an electronic mixing valve
AssigneeHaier US Appliance Solutions, Inc.
InventorsShaun Michael Ward, Timothy Scott Shaffer
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A heat pump water heater appliance includes an electronic mixing valve. The electronic mixing valve is positioned within a casing of the heat pump water heater appliance. A mixed water conduit and a heated water conduit of the electronic mixing valve may be positioned coaxially with each other, and a cold water conduit of the electronic mixing valve may be oriented such that the cold water conduit extends orthogonal to the heated water conduit and the mixed water conduit. A plunger is positioned within the valve body at the mixing chamber of the valve body. A motor is coupled to the plunger, the motor being operable to adjust a position of a head of the plunger within the valve body.
Claims18
A heat pump water heater appliance, comprising:
- a casing;
- a tank disposed within the casing, the tank defining an inlet and an outlet;
- an inlet conduit mounted to the tank at the inlet of the tank;
- a bypass conduit coupled to the inlet conduit;
- a sealed system configured for heating water within the tank, the sealed system having a condenser positioned at the tank, a compressor operable to provide compressed refrigerant to the condenser and an evaporator configured for receiving refrigerant from the condenser;
- and
- an electronic mixing valve positioned within the casing at the outlet of the tank, the electronic mixing valve comprising:
- a valve body that defines a heated water conduit, a cold water conduit, a mixed water conduit and a mixing chamber, the valve body coupled to the tank such that the heated water conduit is positioned for receiving heated water from the outlet of the tank, the bypass conduit coupled to the valve body at the cold water conduit of the valve body, the heated water conduit and the mixed water conduit positioned coaxially with each other and extending along a vertical direction within the casing, the cold water conduit extending along a transverse direction such that the cold water conduit is orthogonal to the heated water conduit and the mixed water conduit;
- a plunger positioned within the valve body at the mixing chamber of the valve body, the plunger having a head, the plunger being positioned coaxially with the cold water conduit;
- and
- a motor coupled to the plunger, the motor operable to adjust a position of the head of the plunger within the valve body.
8 more elements
A heat pump water heater appliance, comprising:
- a casing;
- a tank disposed within the casing, the tank defining an inlet and an outlet;
- an inlet conduit mounted to the tank at the inlet of the tank;
- a bypass conduit coupled to the inlet conduit;
- a sealed system configured for heating water within the tank, the sealed system having a condenser positioned at the tank, a compressor operable to provide compressed refrigerant to the condenser and an evaporator configured for receiving refrigerant from the condenser;
- and
- an electronic mixing valve positioned within the casing at the outlet of the tank, the electronic mixing valve comprising:
- a valve body having a heated water conduit, a cold water conduit, a mixed water conduit and a mixing chamber, the heated water conduit coupled to the tank at the outlet of the tank, the bypass conduit coupled to the cold water conduit, the mixed water conduit positioned above the heated water conduit, the cold water conduit oriented such that the cold water conduit extends along a transverse direction such that the cold water conduit is orthogonal to the heated water conduit and the mixed water conduit that extend along a vertical direction within the casing;
- a plunger positioned within the valve body at the mixing chamber of the valve body, the plunger having a head, the plunger extending coaxial to the cold water conduit;
- and
- a motor coupled to the plunger, the motor operable to adjust a position of the head of the plunger within the valve body.
8 more elements
An electronic mixing valve for a water heater appliance, comprising
- a valve body defining a heated water conduit, a cold water conduit, a mixed water conduit and a mixing chamber, the heated water conduit and the mixed water conduit positioned coaxially with each other and extending along a vertical direction, the cold water conduit oriented such that the cold water conduit extends along a transverse direction such that the cold water conduit is orthogonal to the heated water conduit and the mixed water conduit, the heated water conduit, the cold water conduit and the mixed water conduit of the valve body integrally formed with one another;
- a plunger positioned within the valve body at the mixing chamber of the valve body, the plunger having a head, the plunger being positioned coaxially with the cold water conduit;
- and
- a motor coupled to the plunger, the motor operable to adjust a position of the head of the plunger within the valve body.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.