Back to results
US 2020/0224789 A1Published application
Water valve heater for firetrucks and the like
AssigneeWiSys Technology Foundation, Inc.
InventorColin Feuster
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A heated water valve provides electrical resistance heaters placed within flange connections of the valve to provide for an integrated heater valve assembly with good heat conduction and spreading capabilities that can prevent water valve freezing at low temperatures.
Claims12
A heated water valve comprising:
- a valve body having a flow channel between an inlet opening and outlet opening, the valve body including at least one flange providing a metal plate extending radially outward around one of the inlet opening and outlet opening and communicating with the flow channel, the metal plate bounded by peripheral walls and supporting multiple flange through-holes in the metal plate around the one of the inlet opening and outlet opening;
- a valve operator positioned in the channel to move between a first position allowing flow through the channel and a second position blocking flow through the channel;
- and
- at least one electrical resistance heater fitting within at least one bore through the metal plate to conduct heat into the metal flange, the electrical resistance heater having a capacity of at least 200 watts.
1 more element
A fire truck comprising:
- a truck chassis providing a drivetrain communicating with truck wheels;
- an engine providing power to a truck drivetrain communicating with truck wheels and to a water pump;
- a water tank communicating with the water pump to provide water to the water pump and to receive water from the water pump;
- at least one water inlet communicating with the water pump to provide water to the water pump;
- at least one water outlet communicating with the water pump to receive pressurized water from the water pump, wherein the water outlet provides a first attachment flange providing a set of outlet flange bolt holes surrounding an outlet channel within the first attachment flange;
- a valve heater having:
- (a) a metal plate providing an opposed first and second face having a central plate opening and multiple plate holes around the central opening, the first face sized to abut and be bolted to the first attachment flange of the outlet with the central plate opening aligned with the outlet channel and the multiple plate holes aligned with valve flange bolt holes;
- and
- (b) an electric heater having a capacity of at least 200 watts in thermal communication with the metal plate to heat the metal plate;
- a water valve providing a second attachment flange providing a set of valve flange bolt holes surrounding a valve channel within the second attachment flange and sized to abut and be bolted to the second face of the metal plate with the central opening aligned with the valve channel and the multiple valve flan bolt holes aligned with the multiple plate holes;
- and
- a hose coupler attached to the water valve to receive water from the valve channel when the water valve is open.
9 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.