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.
Claims16
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 comprising a combustion chamber sensor that is a generally circular disc, normally biased in a concave position and adapted to operate to a convex position upon reaching a predetermined temperature, 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.
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 comprising a generally circular disc, normally biased in a concave position and adapted to operate to a convex position upon reaching a predetermined temperature, 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.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.