EP0138171A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
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Water heaters
Assignee: Gainsborough Electrical Ltd
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Filing: 1984-10-05
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2004-10-05
Abstract
Abstract A water heater has an inlet (12) and an outlet (13) and electrical heating means (17-21) to theat water which flows through the heater, the electric heating means (17-21) comprising a plurality of heating elements each adapted to be switched on and off in response to a control means (30) whereby the heat dissipated to the flowing water from the electric heating means (17-21) can be varied by arranging for the elements to be switched on and off in different combinations, and at least one (17) of the elements being burst fired.
Inventors
- 👤 Anthony Dytch
- 👤 Andrew Keatley
- 👤 William Wright
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-30 15:54
CPC Classifications
G; G05; G05D; G05D23/00; G05D23/19; G05D23/1906; G05D23/1912; F; F24; F24H; F24H15/00; F24H15/10; F24H15/128; F24H15/144; F24H15/148; F24H15/156; F24H15/174; F24H15/20; F24H15/212; F24H15/215; F24H15/219; F24H15/238; F24H15/281; F24H15/30; F24H15/305; F24H15/31; F24H15/355; F24H15/37; F24H15/395; F24H15/40; F24H15/407; F24H15/414; F24H9/00; F24H9/20; F24H9/2007; F24H9/2014; F24H9/2028; F24H9/25
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim
112 words
A water heater comprising a water inlet (12) and a water outlet (13), there being, in use, a continuous flow of water from the inlet (12) to the outlet (13), electrical heating means (17-21) to heat the water as it flows, wherein the electrical heating means comprises a plurality of heating elements (17-21) each adapted to be switched on and off in response to a control means (30) whereby the heat dissipated to the flowing water from the electric heating means can be varied by arranging for the elements (17-21) to be switched on and off in different combinations, characterised in that at least one of the elements (17) is burst fired.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
112 words
A water heater comprising a water inlet (12) and a water outlet (13), there being, in use, a continuous flow of water from the inlet (12) to the outlet (13), electrical heating means (17-21) to heat the water as it flows, wherein the electrical heating means comprises a plurality of heating elements (17-21) each adapted to be switched on and off in response to a control means (30) whereby the heat dissipated to the flowing water from the electric heating means can be varied by arranging for the elements (17-21) to be switched on and off in different combinations, characterised in that at least one of the elements (17) is burst fired.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
66 words
A water heater according to Claim I characterised in that a sensor means (32-36) is provided to sense any change in flow rate and/or temperature of the inflowing water and provide a first input to the control means, the control means being arranged to respond to said signal from the sensor means (32-36) by switching on or off one or more of the heating elements (17-21).
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
88 words
A water heater according to Claim I characterised in that a sensor means (32-36) is provided to sense any change in flow rate and/or temperature of the inflowing water and provide a first input to the control means, the control means being arranged to respond to said signal from the sensor means (32-36) by varying the number of "on" cycles in a set time period of the burst fired element (17) or by adjusting the "on" time relative to the "off" time of the burst fired element (17).
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
40 words
A water heater according to Claim 2 or Claim 3 characterised in that the control means also switches on or off one or more of the other, heating elements (18-21) in response to said signal from the sensor means (32-36).
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
56 words
A water heater according to any one of Claims 1 to 4 characterised in that the burst fired heating element (17) has the smallest heating value of all the heating elements, the control means (30) being arranged to switch all the elements (17-21) on and off so that the burst fired element (17) is used minimally.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
157 words
A water heater comprising a water inlet (12) and a water outlet (13), there being, in use, a continuous flow of water from the inlet (12) to the outlet (13), electrical heating means (17-21) to heat the water as it flows, the heater further comprising a control means (30) to control the heat dissipated by the heating means (17-21), characterised in that the water inlet (12) has means (31-36) to sense the flow rate and temperature of the inflowing water and provide a first input to the control means (30), the water outlet (13) having means (40) to sense the temperature of the outflowing water and provide a second input to the control means (30) at least during the period immediately after the heater is switched on, the control means (30) adjusting the heat dissipated by the heating means (17-21) in response to said first and second inputs to maintain the temperature of the outflowing water constant.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
157 words
A water heater comprising a water inlet (12) and a water outlet (13), there being, in use, a continuous flow of water from the inlet (12) to the outlet (13), electrical heating means (17-21) to heat the water as it flows, the heater further comprising a control means (30) to control the heat dissipated by the heating means (17-21), characterised in that the water inlet (12) has means (31-36) to sense the flow rate and temperature of the inflowing water and provide a first input to the control means (30), the water outlet (13) having means (40) to sense the temperature of the outflowing water and provide a second input to the control means (30) at least during the period immediately after the heater is switched on, the control means (30) adjusting the heat dissipated by the heating means (17-21) in response to said first and second inputs to maintain the temperature of the outflowing water constant.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
25 words
A water heater according to Claim 6 having any of the features of the water heater according to any one of Claims I to 4.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
62 words
A water heater according to any one of the preceding claims characterised in that a plurality of heating elements (17-21) are provided, each of which is switched on and off by its own solid state device (23-27), in response to an output from the control means (30), the elements (17-21) each extending into a canister (16) through which, in use, water flows.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
54 words
A water heater according to Claim 8 characterised in that said solid state devices (23-27) are in thermal contact with the canister (16) and thus dissipate any heat created by operation of the solid state devices (23-27), to the canister (16) and hence to the water which, in use, flows through the canister (16).
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
87 words
A water heater according to any one of the preceding claims characterised in that a control panel (45) is provided for the user, said panel (45) including a control (51) to operate a valve means (14) whereby the user may selectively change the flow rate of the water through the heater, and a further control (54,55) whereby the user of the heater may give an input command to the control means (30) to cause the temperature of the outflowing water to be increased or decreased as required.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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