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US 8,948,580 B2Granted
Foam dam for appliance
AssigneeGeneral Electric Company
InventorsEliel Fresco Rodriguez, Samuel Vincent Duplessis
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An apparatus includes an inner rim, a base wall, a side wall and an outer rim. The inner rim has a first opening formed therein. The base wall extends outward from an inner edge of the inner rim and is integral with the inner rim. The side wall extends outward from an outer edge of the inner rim and is integral with the inner rim. The outer rim has a second opening formed therein and an inner edge integral with the side wall. The inner rim, base wall, side wall and outer rim are formed to prevent liquid seepage to one or more surrounding components of an appliance in which the apparatus is installed.
Claims19
An apparatus comprising:
- an inner rim having a first opening formed therein;
- a base wall extending outward from an inner edge of the inner rim and integral with the inner rim;
- a side wall extending outward from an outer edge of the inner rim and integral with the inner rim;
- and
- an outer rim having a second opening formed therein and an inner edge integral with the side wall;
- the inner rim, the base wall, the side wall and the outer rim formed to prevent liquid seepage to one or more surrounding components of an appliance in which the apparatus is installed,
- wherein a surface of the inner rim and a surface of the base wall are substantially orthogonal to one another, wherein the surface of the inner rim and a surface of the side wall are substantially orthogonal to one another, wherein a surface of the outer rim and the surface of the side wall are substantially orthogonal to one another, and wherein the surface of the outer rim and the surface of the inner rim are substantially parallel to one another.
4 more elements
A water heater comprising:
- a tank;
- a layer of foam surrounding the tank;
- a wrapper surrounding the layer of foam;
- at least one heating element, a portion of the heating element protruding from an opening in the tank, the layer of foam and the wrapper;
- and
- at least one foam dam surrounding the at least one heating element and at least a portion of one of the opening in the tank, the layer of foam and the wrapper, the foam dam comprising:
- an inner rim having a first opening formed therein and configured to fit around a portion of the at least one heating element;
- a base wall extending outward from an inner edge of the inner rim and integral with the inner rim;
- a side wall extending outward from an outer edge of the inner rim and integral with the inner rim;
- and
- an outer rim having a second opening formed therein and an inner edge integral with the side wall,
- wherein a surface of the inner rim and a surface of the base wall are substantially orthogonal to one another, wherein the surface of the inner rim and a surface of the side wall are substantially orthogonal to one another, wherein a surface of the outer rim and the surface of the side wall are substantially orthogonal to one another, and wherein the surface of the outer rim and the surface of the inner rim are substantially parallel to one another.
9 more elements
A method comprising:
- aligning a first opening of a foam dam with a portion of a heating element protruding from a water heater;
- aligning a second opening of the foam dam with an opening in the water heater;
- and
- securing the foam dam to the opening in the water heater;
- wherein the foam dam comprises an inner rim having the first opening formed therein and configured to fit around a portion of the heating element, a base wall extending outward from an inner edge of the inner rim and integral with the inner rim, a side wall extending outward from the outer edge of the inner rim and integral with the inner rim, an outer rim having the second opening formed therein and an inner edge integral with the side wall, and a lip sloping outwards from an outer edge of the outer rim towards the base wall, and
- wherein a surface of the inner rim and a surface of the base wall are substantially orthogonal to one another, wherein the surface of the inner rim and a surface of the side wall are substantially orthogonal to one another, wherein a surface of the outer rim and the surface of the side wall are substantially orthogonal to one another, and wherein the surface of the outer rim and the surface of the inner rim are substantially parallel to one another.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.