US4085308A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Electric water heater for showers
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1976-11-26
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Granted: 1978-04-18
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Expires: 1996-11-26
Abstract
Abstract The heater has various provisions which severally and in combination improve its life, protect it from overheating and burnout under all operating conditions, and adapt it for shower use with maximum safety. These include a special arrangement with a water pressure responsive switch of a heating unit of the type having a rigid tubular housing so as to effect adequate heating with relatively low current density, provision for confining the heating of said unit to portions thereof which are fully submerged in water during operation, provisions affording air chamber means for accommodating exudations from the heating unit and facilitating operation of the pressure responsive switch, provisions for lockingly enclosing its insulating electrical housing and for encapsulating with the aid of potting compound all electrical elements of the device.
Inventors
- 👤 Rex Veech Youngquist
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 02:45
CPC Classifications
H; H05; H05B; H05B3/00; H05B3/78; H05B3/82; F; F24; F24H; F24H1/00; F24H1/10; F24H1/101; F24H1/102; F24H9/00; F24H9/20; F24H9/2007; F24H9/2014; F24H9/2028; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T137/00; Y10T137/6416; Y10T137/6606
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 11
Claim 1
Independent Claim
389 words
An improved automatic electric in-line water heater of the type having (a) a hollow vertical casing closed at its bottom and open at its top, (b) a vertical partition dividing said casing into first and second longitudinally extending compartments communicating with each other at their lower ends, and essentially separated by said partition at their upper ends, (c) a water inlet delivering into the upper portion of one of said first and second compartment, (d) a relatively restricted water outlet delivering from the upper part of the other of said first and second compartments, (e) said heater having a top closure assembly for said casing comprising a base portion covering said open casing top and a removable cover portion defining with said base portion a receptacle, (f) an electrical heating means having a rigid tubular housing with an electrical heating element therein and terminal portions at its ends, said heating means being mounted in said base portion with its ends in said receptacle, (g) pressure-actuated switch means in said receptacle having a pressure chamber therein communicating with said casing through said base portion, and (h) three conductor current supply means secured to said assembly with one of its conductors grounded and two of its conductors connected to said heating element and switch means in series connection, and including the improvement that (i) said rigid tubular housing is mounted in said base portion through first and second apertures therein both overlying said first compartment at one side of said partition, (j) said rigid tubular housing extends downwardly in said first compartment from its mounting in said first aperture to a position proximate to the closed bottom of said vertical casing, thence into and upwardly in said second compartment to a bend at a height therein lower than the height of said liquid outlet from said casing, thence from said bend downwardly in said second compartment to a position proximate to the closed bottom of said vertical casing, and thence into and upwardly in said first compartment to its mounting in said second aperture, and (k) said electrical heating element is confined to those portions of said rigid tubular housing located below the level of said water inlet, whereby in use said water is effectively heated without excessive heating of said base portion or of any portion of said heating means.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
389 words
An improved automatic electric in-line water heater of the type having (a) a hollow vertical casing closed at its bottom and open at its top, (b) a vertical partition dividing said casing into first and second longitudinally extending compartments communicating with each other at their lower ends, and essentially separated by said partition at their upper ends, (c) a water inlet delivering into the upper portion of one of said first and second compartment, (d) a relatively restricted water outlet delivering from the upper part of the other of said first and second compartments, (e) said heater having a top closure assembly for said casing comprising a base portion covering said open casing top and a removable cover portion defining with said base portion a receptacle, (f) an electrical heating means having a rigid tubular housing with an electrical heating element therein and terminal portions at its ends, said heating means being mounted in said base portion with its ends in said receptacle, (g) pressure-actuated switch means in said receptacle having a pressure chamber therein communicating with said casing through said base portion, and (h) three conductor current supply means secured to said assembly with one of its conductors grounded and two of its conductors connected to said heating element and switch means in series connection, and including the improvement that (i) said rigid tubular housing is mounted in said base portion through first and second apertures therein both overlying said first compartment at one side of said partition, (j) said rigid tubular housing extends downwardly in said first compartment from its mounting in said first aperture to a position proximate to the closed bottom of said vertical casing, thence into and upwardly in said second compartment to a bend at a height therein lower than the height of said liquid outlet from said casing, thence from said bend downwardly in said second compartment to a position proximate to the closed bottom of said vertical casing, and thence into and upwardly in said first compartment to its mounting in said second aperture, and (k) said electrical heating element is confined to those portions of said rigid tubular housing located below the level of said water inlet, whereby in use said water is effectively heated without excessive heating of said base portion or of any portion of said heating means.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
47 words
An improved automatic electric in-line water heater according to claim 1, wherein (1) the pressure chamber of said pressure-actuated switch communicates with a trapped air space in said casing above the relatively restricted water outlet therefrom, whereby deposition of water-carried components in said pressure chamber is inhibited.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
114 words
An improved automatic electric in-line water heater according to claim 1, wherein (1) said water inlet and water outlet from said compartments comprise conduits of approximately equal inside diameter and the communication between said first and second compartments at their lower ends is of a cross-sectional area such that, when water is permitted to flow freely through said casing, silt and sediment clogging said cross-section is entrained by the flow of water therethrough, and the restriction of said water outlet is incorporated in a shower-head removably secured to said water outlet, whereby removal of said shower-head for cleaning removes said restriction and allows free flow of water through said casing for flushing the same.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
109 words
An improved automatic electric in-line water heater according to claim 1, wherein (1) said restricted outlet comprises a ball-joint having a ball-joint housing sealingly secured to said vertical casing and a ball-joint ball removably sealed to said ball-joint housing and having a delivery aperture therethrough with a restriction of selected bore-size removably secured in said delivery aperture, whereby selection from restrictions of different bore sizes enables substantially the same water flow rate through said casing and substantially the same desired water discharge temperatures therefrom to be attained by control of the water supply to said water inlet from either a relatively low pressure or a relatively high pressure supply.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
29 words
An improved automatic electric in-line water heater according to claim 1, further comprising (1) thermal and overload fuse means located in said receptacle and connected in said series connection.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
35 words
An improved automatic electric in-line water heater according to claim 1, wherein said pressure switch is a snap-action pressure switch spring biased to open position when not closed by fluid pressure in said pressure chamber.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
83 words
An improved automatic electric in-line water heater according to claim 1, wherein said snap-action switch is provided with a pressure diaphram and spring bias such as to cause it to become closed to "on" position at a pressure of about 41/2 psi in said pressure chamber and to become opened to "off" position at a pressure of about 21/2 psi in said pressure chamber, whereby delivery of excessively hot water in response to reduction of the water supply through said inlet is inhibited.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
107 words
An improved automatic electric in-line water heater according to claim 1, wherein (l) the ends of said electrical heating means mounted in said receptacle have said terminal portions protruding therefrom, said heater further having (m) plastic air chamber means attached to said ends of said heating means inside said receptacle for accommodating any matter emitted from said heating means during operation thereof, said terminals protruding through orifices in the walls of said air chamber means and fitting snugly in said orifices, and p1 (n) plastic potting material filling the space within said receptacle surrounding said plastic air chamber means and said series connection and encapsulating the same.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
61 words
An improved automatic electric in-line water heater according to claim 8, further comprising (o) a plastic air chamber means attached to said pressure actuating switch inside said receptacle in at least partially surrounding relation thereto for accommodating any matter emitted from said switch during operation thereof, said switch and last mentioned air chamber means being also encapsulated by said potting material.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
48 words
An improved automatic electric in-line water heater according to claim 1, wherein (1) said removable cover portion of said top closure assembly is formed of electric insulating material and comprises elements essentially locking the same to said base portion for preventing access to said receptacle after its assembly.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1981-04-17 | 1981-10-17 | 1982-04-18 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1985-04-17 | 1985-10-17 | 1986-04-18 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1989-04-17 | 1989-10-17 | 1990-04-18 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |