Back lit temperature knob
AssigneeRobertshaw Controls Company
InventorsJames E. Pearson, Timothy M. Wright
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A backlit temperature control knob for water heater valves used with water heaters and more particularly to gas water heaters provides a way to read the temperature indication not previously known in the art. Some embodiments rely on a thermocouple or thermopile normally used to power a safety magnet with the pilot light system as a source of electrical energy to selectively illuminate a Light Emitting Diode (LED) which directs light through at least a portion of the knob to assist in reading the temperature indications.
Claims17
A water heater lighted temperature adjustment valve and gas water heater combination comprising:
- ras water heater having one of a thermocouple and a thermopile normally providing power to a safety magnet, said as water heater not connected to an external electrical source,
- a manual control knob having temperature indications displayed on a front face of the knob, said manual control knob extending from a front of a valve cover;
- one of a cutout, a transparent portion, and a translucent portion permitting at least some light to pass through the knob from behind to at least selectively illuminate at least a portion of the temperature indications;
- a light source selectively directing light through the knob, said one of the thermocouple and thermopile also serving as an electrical power source for the light source;
- and
- an activator, wherein upon activation, the light source at least temporarily provides light thereby illuminating the at least a portion of the temperature indications.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.