# US 12,760,932 B2 · Blower collar for combustion system > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,760,932 B2 - Document ID: US12760932B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/519,780 - Filed: 2023-11-27 - Published: 2024-05-30 - Granted: 2026-10-13 - Earliest claimed: 2022-11-28 - Assignees: Rheem Manufacturing Company - Applicants: Rheem Manufacturing Company - Inventors: Jeremy Peters; Madhuresh Bhandari - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12760932B2 ## CPC - F24H 9/0005: {for water heaters} - F24H 1/186: {using fluid fuel} - F24H 9/2035: {using fluid fuel} - F24H: FLUID HEATERS, e.g. WATER OR AIR HEATERS, HAVING HEAT-GENERATING MEANS, e.g. HEAT PUMPS, IN GENERAL (steam generation F22) ## Abstract A blower collar for use with a blower and a burner. The blower collar includes: a bottom portion having a circular opening surrounded by a burner mounting rim configured to be mounted to the burner; an upper portion having a non-circular opening surrounded by a blower mounting rim and being configured to mount to the blower; and a central portion between the bottom portion and the upper portion, the central portion having a surrounding wall connected to the burner mounting rim and the blower mounting rim, the surrounding wall surrounding an inner pass through having a cross-sectional shape that changes from the non-circular opening of the upper portion to the circular opening of the bottom portion. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A blower collar for use with a blower and a burner, the blower collar comprising: a bottom portion having a circular opening surrounded by a burner mounting rim configured to be mounted to the burner; an upper portion having a non-circular opening surrounded by a blower mounting rim and being configured to mount to the blower; wherein the blower mounting rim includes a gasket-receiving recessed face, a first protruding planar physical stop on a first side, and a second protruding planar physical stop on a second side, wherein the first protruding planar physical stop and the second protruding planar physical stop protrude from the gasket-receiving recessed face, and wherein the gasket-receiving recessed face is configured to receive a compressible blower gasket such that the compressible blower gasket does not cover either the first protruding planar physical stop or the second protruding planar physical stop; and a central portion between the bottom portion and the upper portion, wherein the central portion includes a surrounding wall extending between the burner mounting rim and the blower mounting rim, and wherein the surrounding wall surrounds an inner pass through having a cross-sectional shape that changes from the non-circular opening of the upper portion to the circular opening of the bottom portion. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The blower collar of claim 1, wherein the upper portion has a rectangular opening as the non-circular opening. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The blower collar of claim 1, wherein the central portion includes a first set of structural support ribs on a first side that connect with an underside of the blower mounting rim and a second set of structural support ribs on a second side that connect with the underside of the blower mounting rim. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The blower collar of claim 1, wherein the central portion includes a first set of structural support ribs on a first side below the first protruding planar physical stop and a second set of structural support ribs on a second side below the second protruding planar physical stop, wherein the first set of structural support ribs connect with an underside of the blower mounting rim, and wherein the second set of structural support ribs connect with the underside of the blower mounting rim. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The blower collar of claim 1, wherein the burner mounting rim has a burner mounting hole configured to receive a burner mounting screw to mount the burner mounting rim to the burner, and wherein the blower mounting rim includes a clearance hole that aligns with the burner mounting hole in the burner mounting rim of the bottom portion to enable insertion and removal of the burner mounting screw. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The blower collar of claim 1, wherein the central portion includes a sensor port configured to receive a flow sensor to enable the flow sensor to detect gas flow through the inner pass through. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The blower collar of claim 1, wherein the blower mounting rim has a blower mounting hole configured to receive a blower mounting screw to mount the blower mounting rim to the blower, and wherein the blower mounting hole includes a threaded portion configured to receive the blower mounting screw. ### Claim 8 A heat generating system for use with a water tank, the heat generating system comprising: a blower; a compressible blower gasket; a burner configured to be mounted within the water tank; and a blower collar configured to be mounted to the burner and to the blower outside of the water tank; wherein the blower collar comprises: a bottom portion having a circular opening surrounded by a burner mounting rim configured to mount to the burner; an upper portion having a non-circular opening surrounded by a blower mounting rim having a blower mounting hole and being configured to mount the blower mounting rim to the blower; wherein the blower mounting rim includes a gasket-receiving recessed face, a first protruding planar physical stop on a first side, and a second protruding planar physical stop on a second side, wherein the first protruding planar physical stop and the second protruding planar physical stop protrude from the gasket-receiving recessed face, and wherein the gasket-receiving recessed face is configured to receive the compressible blower gasket such that the compressible blower gasket does not cover either the first protruding planar physical stop or the second protruding planar physical stop; and a central portion between the bottom portion and the upper portion, wherein the central portion includes a surrounding wall connected to the burner mounting rim and the blower mounting rim, and wherein the surrounding wall surrounds an inner pass through having a cross-sectional shape that changes from the non-circular opening of the upper portion to the circular opening of the bottom portion. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The heat generating system of claim 8, wherein the upper portion has a rectangular opening as the non-circular opening. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The heat generating system of claim 8, wherein the central portion includes a first set of structural support ribs on a first side that connect with an underside of the blower mounting rim and a second set of structural support ribs on a second side that connect with the underside of the blower mounting rim. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) The heat generating system of claim 8, wherein the burner mounting rim has a burner mounting hole configured to receive a burner mounting screw to mount the burner mounting rim to the burner, and wherein the blower mounting rim includes a clearance hole that aligns with the burner mounting hole in the burner mounting rim of the bottom portion to enable insertion and removal of the burner mounting screw. ### Claim 12 (depends on 8) The heat generating system of claim 8, further comprising: a flow sensor, wherein the central portion includes a sensor port configured to receive the flow sensor to enable the flow sensor to detect gas flow through the inner pass through. ### Claim 13 (depends on 8) The heat generating system of claim 8, wherein the blower mounting rim has a blower mounting hole configured to receive a blower mounting screw to mount the blower mounting rim to the blower, and wherein the blower mounting hole includes a threaded portion configured to receive the blower mounting screw. ### Claim 14 A water heater comprising: a water tank configured to store water therein; a blower configured to blow a combustible gas; a compressible blower gasket; a burner configured to be mounted within the water tank and to ignite the combustible gas to generate heat to heat the water; and a blower collar configured to be mounted to the burner and to the blower outside of the water tank, wherein the blower collar comprises: a bottom portion having a circular opening surrounded by a burner mounting rim configured to mount to the burner; an upper portion having a non-circular opening surrounded by a blower mounting rim having a blower mounting hole and being configured to mount to the blower; wherein the blower mounting rim includes a gasket-receiving recessed face, a first protruding planar physical stop on a first side, and a second protruding planar physical stop on a second side, wherein the first protruding planar physical stop and the second protruding planar physical stop protrude from the gasket-receiving recessed face, and wherein the gasket-receiving recessed face is configured to receive the compressible blower gasket such that the compressible blower gasket does not cover either the first protruding planar physical stop or the second protruding planar physical stop; and a central portion between the bottom portion and the upper portion, wherein the central portion includes a surrounding wall connected to the burner mounting rim and the blower mounting rim, and wherein the surrounding wall surrounds an inner pass through having a cross-sectional shape that changes from the non-circular opening of the upper portion to the circular opening of the bottom portion. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The water heater of claim 14, wherein the upper portion has a rectangular opening as the non-circular opening. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The water heater of claim 14, wherein the central portion includes a first set of structural support ribs on a first side that connect with an underside of the blower mounting rim and a second set of structural support ribs on a second side that connect with the underside of the blower mounting rim. ### Claim 17 A blower collar for use with a blower and a burner, the blower collar comprising: a bottom portion having a circular opening surrounded by a burner mounting rim configured to be mounted to the burner; an upper portion having a non-circular opening surrounded by a blower mounting rim and being configured to mount to the blower; and a central portion between the bottom portion and the upper portion, wherein the central portion includes a surrounding wall extending between the burner mounting rim and the blower mounting rim, and wherein the surrounding wall surrounds an inner pass through having a cross-sectional shape that changes from the non-circular opening of the upper portion to the circular opening of the bottom portion, wherein the central portion includes a first set of structural support ribs on a first side that connect with an underside of the blower mounting rim and a second set of structural support ribs on a second side that connect with the underside of the blower mounting rim.