Method and system for securing temperature sensors on the outer surface of a tank of an electric water heater
OwnerClaude Lesageinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A temperature sensor securing system and method is described for securing two or more temperature sensors against an outer surface of a side wall of a tank of an electric water heater. The temperature sensors are secured spaced apart on an elongated support such as a circuit board which is held in position against the tank outer surface by support means. An expandable liquid foam causes the temperature sensors to be biased against the outer surface of the tank side wall to sense the temperature of the side wall at the location of the sensors and to generate actual temperature signals to a controller which is programmed to communicate with a subscriber and/or energy provider to control the water temperature inside the tank.
Claims4
A method for securing at least two temperature sensors against an outer surface of a tank of an electric water theater, said method comprising the steps of:
- i) providing an elongated circuit board on which is mounted said at least two temperature sensors at predetermined spaced intervals to sense the temperature of said outer surface of said tank at said predetermined spaced intervals, said sensed temperature having a correlation to the actual temperature of water in said tank at said predetermined spaced intervals,
- ii) retaining said at least two sensors against said outer surface of said tank along a longitudinal axis of said tank,
- iii) pressure biasing said at least two sensors against said outer surface of said tank by means of an expandable foam acting there against, and wherein there is further provided the steps of attaching an elongated u-shaped channel member against said outer surface of said tank along said longitudinal axis with an elongated opening of said channel facing said outer surface of said tank, positioning said elongated circuit board in said channel member from a top end of said channel member with said temperature sensors facing said outer surface of said tank, and injecting a foam forming liquid between said circuit board and an inner surface of said u-shaped channel member wherein upon expansion of said foam said at least two sensors are pressure biased against said outer surface of said tank.
A method for securing at least two temperature sensors against an outer surface of a tank of an electric water theater, said method comprising the steps of:
- i) providing an elongated circuit board on which is mounted said at least two temperature sensors at predetermined spaced intervals to sense the temperature of said outer surface of said tank at said predetermined spaced intervals, said sensed temperature having a correlation to the actual temperature of water in said tank at said predetermined spaced intervals,
- ii) retaining said at least two sensors against said outer surface of said tank along a longitudinal axis of said tank,
- iii) pressure biasing said at least two sensors against said outer surface of aid tank by means of an expandable foam acting there against, and wherein after step (i) there is provided the steps of
- iv) attaching said elongated circuit board to an inner flexible sheet of an expandable foam pouch of flexible material,
- v) inserting said expandable foam pouch in a surrounding insulating space formed between said outer surface of said tank and an outer casing of said water heater secured in a spaced-apart manner about said tank, and
- iv) injecting a foam forming liquid into said expandable foam pouch to cause said pouch to expand and deploy into said insulation space to cause said at least two sensors to be pressure biased against said outer surface of said tank along said longitudinal axis.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.