Damper valve and a heat pump water heater appliance
AssigneeGeneral Electric Company
InventorsTimothy Scott Shaffer, Shaun Michael Ward
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present subject matter provides a damper valve. The damper valve includes an outer sleeve and an inner sleeve. The inner sleeve is positioned within the outer sleeve and is pivotable between a first position and a second position within the outer sleeve. Radial openings of the inner sleeve align with radial openings of the outer sleeve when the inner sleeve is in the first position, and axial openings of the inner sleeve align with axial openings of the outer sleeve when the inner sleeve is in the second position. A related heat pump water heater appliance is also provided.
Claims18
A heat pump water heater appliance, comprising:
- a casing;
- a tank positioned within the casing and defining an interior volume;
- a sealed system configured for heating water within the interior volume of the tank, the sealed system having an evaporator positioned within the casing;
- an intake duct extending to the casing and configured for directing a flow of air towards the evaporator within the casing;
- an exhaust duct extending from the casing and configured for directing the flow of air out of the casing;
- a damper valve coupled to the intake duct or the exhaust duct, the damper valve comprising
- an outer sleeve defining an inner volume for receiving the flow of air, the outer sleeve defining a plurality of radial openings, the outer sleeve having a flow plate positioned within the inner volume of the outer sleeve, the flow plate of the outer sleeve defining a plurality of axial openings;
- and
- an inner sleeve pivotally mounted within the outer sleeve, the inner sleeve pivotable between a first position and a second position, the inner sleeve defining a plurality of radial openings, the plurality of radial openings of the inner sleeve aligned with the plurality of radial openings of the outer sleeve when the inner sleeve is in the first position, the inner sleeve having a flow plate positioned within the inner volume of the outer sleeve, the flow plate of the inner sleeve defining a plurality of axial openings, the plurality of axial openings of the inner sleeve aligned with the plurality of axial openings of the outer sleeve when the inner sleeve is in the second position.
A damper valve defining an axial direction, a radial direction, and a circumferential direction, the damper valve comprising
- an outer sleeve defining an inner volume for receiving a flow of air, the outer sleeve defining a plurality of radial openings that extend though the outer sleeve along the radial direction, the outer sleeve having a flow plate positioned within the inner volume of the outer sleeve, the flow plate of the outer sleeve defining a plurality of axial openings that extend through the flow plate of the outer sleeve along the axial direction;
- and
- an inner sleeve positioned within the outer sleeve, the inner sleeve pivotable between a first position and a second position within the outer sleeve, the inner sleeve defining a plurality of radial openings that extend through the inner sleeve along the radial direction, each radial opening of the plurality of radial openings of the inner sleeve aligned with a respective one of the plurality of radial openings of the outer sleeve when the inner sleeve is in the first position, the inner sleeve having a flow plate positioned within the inner volume of the outer sleeve, the flow plate of the inner sleeve defining a plurality of axial openings that extend through the flow plate of the inner sleeve along the axial direction, each axial opening of the plurality of axial openings of the inner sleeve aligned with a respective one of the plurality of axial openings of the outer sleeve when the inner sleeve is in the second position.
A heat pump water heater appliance, comprising:
- a casing;
- a tank positioned within the casing and defining an interior volume;
- a sealed system configured for heating water within the interior volume of the tank, the sealed system having an evaporator positioned within the casing;
- an intake duct extending to the casing and configured for directing a flow of air towards the evaporator within the casing;
- an exhaust duct extending from the casing and configured for directing the flow of air out of the casing;
- and
- means for regulating the flow of air through the intake duct or the exhaust duct.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.