Water heater combustion chamber sensing system
AssigneeAmerican Water Heater Company
InventorsMichael A. Garrabrant, Eric Arnold, Jeff L. Lyons
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A combustion chamber is disposed below the water container of a water heater and formed at least partially by a shell. A burner disposed within the combustion chamber and a fuel supply line is connected to the burner. A valve associated with the fuel supply line. A combustion chamber sensor is disposed within the combustion chamber and adapted to sense a rise in temperature indicative of an abnormality in the combustion chamber. A circuit connected to the sensor and the valve such that the circuit triggers the valve to shut off fuel to the burner in response to a sensed temperature by the sensor.
Claims30
A water heater comprising:
- a water container;
- a combustion chamber disposed below the water container and formed at least partially by a shell having an interior surface;
- a burner disposed within the combustion chamber;
- a fuel supply line connected to the burner;
- a valve associated with the fuel supply line;
- a movable combustion chamber sensor disposed interiorly of the shell proximate to the interior surface of the shell, and adapted to sense a rise in temperature indicative of an abnormality in the combustion chamber;
- and
- a switch associated with the sensor and operatively associated with the valve such that the switch triggers the valve to shut off fuel to the burner in response to a sensed temperature by the sensor.
The water heater according to claim 4, wherein the combustion chamber sensor is disposed within the hollow portion and adapted to sense the temperature of the combustion chamber sensor casing.
A combustion chamber temperature sensing system comprising:
- a casing having a sensing extension and a barrel portion;
- a sensor disposed within the barrel portion and adapted to operate from a concave to convex position upon reaching a predetermined temperature;
- a switch comprising a member having a fixed first end portion connected to a first terminal and a movable second end portion biased against a second terminal;
- and
- a shaft portion disposed between the sensor and the member and adapted to move the second end portion away from the second terminal when the sensor shifts from a concave to a convex position.
A water heater comprising:
- a water container;
- a combustion chamber disposed below the water container and formed at least partially by a shell having an interior surface;
- a burner disposed within the combustion chamber;
- a fuel supply line connected to the burner;
- a valve associated with the fuel supply line;
- a movable combustion chamber sensor disposed interiorly of the shell proximate to the interior surface, and adapted to sense a rise in temperature indicative of a selected amount of carbon monoxide present in the combustion chamber;
- and
- a switch associated with the sensor and operatively associated with the valve such that the switch triggers the valve to shut off fuel to the burner in response to a sensed temperature by the sensor.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.