Water heater with electronic control

Details Water heater with electronic control Water heater with electronic control

2000-05-24

2001-07-24

Paschall, Mark (Department: 3742)

Electric heating

Heating devices

With power supply and voltage or current regulation or...

C219S486000, C219S481000, C219S506000, C392S454000, C374S104000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06265699

ABSTRACT:

FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to water heaters, particularly to electric water heaters having an electronic control system.
BACKGROUND
Typical electric water heaters are constructed with one or two electric-powered heating elements to heat water in the water tank, depending on the size and utilization of the water heater. Each element is ordinarily mounted onto a side wall of the tank. Further, in designs incorporating two elements, the elements are typically mounted onto the tank at spaced separation from one another. There are a number of disadvantages associated with such constructions. Element malfunction is not easily detected and is also costly since monitoring devices are required in the overall design. Also, the monitoring devices themselves can malfunction and not detect element failure. In addition, it is often difficult to identify the source of a malfunction, which works to increase the time required for repair and/or replacement of a defective or malfunctioning part.
This invention has been developed in view of the foregoing to overcome the deficiencies of the prior art.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with the invention, there is disclosed several embodiments of water heaters as will be described in detail herein. In one aspect, the water heater includes a water container; an element located to heat water in the water container; a sensor located to sense temperature of the element; and a controller connected to the element and the sensor, the controller being capable of identifying element failure or malfunction by monitoring the temperature measured by the sensor.
In another aspect of the invention, there is a water heater that includes a water container; an element located to heat water in the water container; a sensor located to sense temperature of water in the water container; and a controller connected to the element and the sensor, the controller being capable of monitoring temperature information received from the sensor over a predetermined time interval to identify the condition of the element.
In still another aspect of the invention, there is a water heater that includes a water container; a pair of elements located to heat water in the water container; a pair of sensors located to sense temperature of water in the water container; and a controller connected to each of the elements and the sensors, the controller being capable of comparing temperature information received from each of the respective sensors against one another to verify sensor condition.
Other advantages of the various embodiments of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the drawings, the detailed description of the invention and the appended claims.


REFERENCES:
patent: 4901061 (1990-02-01), Twerdochlib
patent: 5449884 (1995-09-01), Lee
patent: 5723846 (1998-03-01), Koether et al.
patent: 5968393 (1999-10-01), Demaline

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