WATER HEATER

Abstract

A water heater includes a combustion assembly having a mounting plate that includes a mounting surface and defines a mounting plate aperture. The combustion assembly includes a burner that has a body that extends through the mounting plate aperture and defines a combustion chamber and a burner flange that extends outward from the body and is coupled to the mounting surface. The combustion assembly further includes a blower assembly. The blower assembly includes a fan, a motor operable to drive rotation of the fan about an axis, and a housing. The housing includes a first housing component that includes a fan-housing portion that at least partially defines a fan-housing region, a tubular portion that defines a hollow, and a housing flange that is coupled to the burner flange. The housing flange defines a plurality of access openings.

Claims

1. A water heater, comprising: a combustion assembly, comprising: a mounting plate that includes a mounting surface and defines a mounting plate aperture; a burner that includes a body that extends through the mounting plate aperture and defines a combustion chamber and a burner flange that extends outward from the body and is coupled to the mounting surface of the mounting plate; and a blower assembly, comprising: a fan; a motor operable to drive rotation of the fan about an axis; and a housing that comprises a first housing component that includes a fan-housing portion that at least partially defines a fan-housing region within which the fan is disposed, a tubular portion that extends from the fan-housing portion and defines a hollow that is in fluid communication with the fan-housing region, and a housing flange that extends outward from the tubular portion to a housing flange rim and is coupled to the burner flange of the burner, wherein the housing flange defines at least one access opening; and at least one of: an ignitor that extends through the at least one access opening; a flame sensor that extends through the at least one access opening; and a sight glass that extends within the at least one access opening.

2. The water heater of claim 1, wherein the at least one access opening includes a first access opening, a second access opening, and a third access opening, and the blower assembly includes the ignitor, the flame sensor, and the sight glass, and wherein the ignitor extends through the first access opening, the flame sensor extends through the second access opening, and the sight glass extends within the third access opening.

3. The water heater of claim 2, further comprising: a flue conduit coupled within the mounting plate and defining an interior volume within which the body of the burner extends, wherein the ignitor and flame sensor extend through the first and second access openings, respectively, into the interior volume defined by the flue conduit.

4. The water heater of claim 2, wherein the third access opening is an aperture defined by a threaded portion of the housing flange, and the sight glass includes corresponding threads that are configured to engage the threaded portion to secure the sight glass within the third access opening.

5. The water heater of claim 1, further comprising: a ground tab electrically coupled with the burner that extends from a first end disposed between the housing flange and the burner flange to a second end that is in a spaced relationship with the burner flange and housing flange.

6. The water heater of claim 5, wherein the mounting plate, burner, and housing are coupled to each other via a plurality of fasteners, and the housing is grounded to the mounting plate via the plurality of fasteners.

7. The water heater of claim 1, further comprising: a first sealing element positioned between the housing flange and the burner flange; and a second sealing element positioned between the burner flange and the mounting surface.

8. The water heater of claim 7, wherein the first and second sealing elements are gaskets.

9. The water heater of claim 2, wherein at least one of the ignitor and the flame sensor includes a bracket coupled thereto, the bracket comprising: a bracket base that is coupled to a side of the housing flange opposite the burner flange; and a tab extending outward from the bracket base and along the housing flange rim toward the burner flange.

10. A blower assembly for a water heater, comprising: a fan; a motor operable to drive rotation of the fan about an axis; and a housing that comprises a first housing component that includes a fan-housing portion that at least partially defines a fan-housing region within which the fan is disposed, a tubular portion that extends from the fan-housing portion and defines a hollow that is in fluid communication with the fan-housing region, and a housing flange that extends outward from the tubular portion to a housing flange rim, wherein the housing flange defines a plurality of fastener openings configured to receive corresponding fasteners therethrough for coupling the housing flange with a burner flange of a burner, and the housing flange defines at least one access opening that is configured to receive at least one of an ignitor, a flame sensor, and sight glass therein.

11. The blower assembly of claim 10, wherein the at least one access opening comprises: a first access opening that is configured to receive an ignitor therethrough; and a second access opening that is configured to receive a flame sensor therethrough.

12. The blower assembly of claim 11, wherein the at least one access opening comprises: a third access opening that is configured to receive a sight glass therein.

13. The blower assembly of claim 10, wherein the housing comprises: a second housing component that is coupled with the first housing component and cooperates with the fan-housing portion of the first housing component to define the fan-housing region within which the fan is disposed.

14. A water heater, comprising: a combustion assembly, comprising: a mounting plate that includes a mounting surface and defines a mounting plate aperture; a burner that includes a body that extends through the mounting plate aperture and defines a combustion chamber and a burner flange that extends outward from the body and is coupled to the mounting surface of the mounting plate; and a blower assembly, comprising: a fan; a motor operable to drive rotation of the fan about an axis; and a housing that includes a fan-housing portion that at least partially defines a fan-housing region within which the fan is disposed, a tubular portion that extends from the fan-housing portion and defines a hollow that is in fluid communication with the fan-housing region, and a housing flange that extends outward from the tubular portion to a housing flange rim and is coupled to the burner flange of the burner; and a ground tab that is electrically coupled with the burner and that extends from a first end disposed between the housing flange and the burner flange to a second end that is in a spaced relationship with the burner flange and housing flange.

15. The water heater of claim 14, wherein the mounting plate, burner, and housing are coupled to each other via a plurality of fasteners, and the housing is grounded to the mounting plate via the plurality of fasteners.

16. The water heater of claim 14, wherein the housing of the blower assembly includes a first housing component, and the first housing component includes the fan-housing portion, the tubular portion, and the housing flange.

17. The water heater of claim 16, wherein the combustion assembly includes an ignitor and a flame sensor, and wherein the housing flange defines a first access opening, through which the ignitor extends, and a second access opening, through which the flame sensor extends.

18. The water heater of claim 17, wherein the combustion assembly includes a sight glass, and wherein the housing flange defines a third access opening, within which the sight glass extends.

19. The water heater of claim 14, further comprising: a first sealing element positioned between the housing flange and the burner flange; and a second sealing element positioned between the burner flange and the mounting surface.

20. The water heater of claim 19, wherein the first and second sealing elements are gaskets.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0028] In the drawings:

[0029] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a water heater, according to one embodiment;

[0030] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a portion of a water heater, illustrating a combustion assembly that includes a blower assembly, a burner, and a mounting plate, according to one embodiment;

[0031] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a combustion assembly that includes a mounting plate, a burner, and a blower assembly having a housing that includes a first housing component that has a housing flange that defines a plurality of access openings, according to embodiment;

[0032] FIG. 4 is an exploded elevational view of a combustion assembly, illustrating a housing of a blower assembly, a first sealing element, a burner, a second sealing element, and a mounting plate, according to one embodiment;

[0033] FIG. 5 is an elevational view of the combustion assembly of FIG. 4 in an assembled condition, according to one embodiment;

[0034] FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a portion of a combustion assembly, illustrating a housing of a blower assembly, a sight glass received within an access opening of a housing flange of the housing, an ignitor coupled with the housing flange, and a ground tab, according to one embodiment;

[0035] FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of a portion of the combustion assembly of FIG. 6 taken at line VII-VII, illustrating the ground tab extending from a first end disposed between a burner flange and a housing flange to a second end that is in a spaced relationship with the burner flange and the housing flange, according to one embodiment; and

[0036] FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a portion of a combustion assembly, illustrating a flame sensor having a bracket that includes a bracket base and a tab coupled thereto, according to one embodiment.

[0037] The components in the figures are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon illustrating the principles described herein.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0038] Additional features and advantages of the disclosure will be set forth in the detailed description which follows and will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the description, or recognized by practicing the disclosure as described in the following description, together with the claims and appended drawings.

[0039] As used herein, the term and/or, when used in a list of two or more items, means that any one of the listed items can be employed by itself, or any combination of two or more of the listed items can be employed. For example, if a composition is described as containing components A, B, and/or C, the composition can contain A alone; B alone; C alone; A and B in combination; A and C in combination; B and C in combination; or A, B, and C in combination.

[0040] In this document, relational terms, such as first and second, top and bottom, and the like, are used solely to distinguish one entity or action from another entity or action, without necessarily requiring or implying any actual such relationship or order between such entities or actions.

[0041] For purposes of this disclosure, the term coupled (in all of its forms: couple, coupling, coupled, etc.) generally means the joining of two components (electrical or mechanical) directly or indirectly to one another. Such joining may be stationary in nature or movable in nature. Such joining may be achieved with the two components (electrical or mechanical) and/or any additional intermediate members. Such joining may include members being integrally formed as a single unitary body with one another (i.e., integrally coupled) or may refer to joining of two components. Such joining may be permanent in nature, or may be removable or releasable in nature, unless otherwise stated.

[0042] The terms substantial, substantially, and variations thereof as used herein are intended to note that a described feature is equal or approximately equal to a value or description. For example, a substantially planar surface is intended to denote a surface that is planar or approximately planar. Moreover, substantially is intended to denote that two values are equal or approximately equal. In some embodiments, substantially may denote values within about 10% of each other, such as within about 5% of each other, or within about 2% of each other.

[0043] As used herein, the terms the, a, or an, mean at least one, and should not be limited to only one unless explicitly indicated to the contrary. Thus, for example, reference to a component includes embodiments having two or more such components unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.

[0044] Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 2, a water heater 10 includes a tank 12. In some examples, the tank 12 can be covered by a jacket with insulation disposed between the tank 12 and the jack for insulating water in the tank 12. As illustrated in FIG. 1, a cold water inlet 14 and a hot water outlet 16 may be coupled with the tank 12 of the water heater 10. As illustrated in FIG. 2, the water heater 10 includes a combustion assembly 18. The combustion assembly 18 includes a mounting plate 20, a burner 22 coupled to the mounting plate 20, and a blower assembly 24 coupled to the burner 22. As shown in FIG. 2, a flue conduit 26 is coupled to the mounting plate 20 and defines an interior volume 28 into which a body 30 of the burner 22 extends, as described further herein. In the illustrated embodiment, the water heater 10 is a top-fired water heater 10, and the flue conduit 26 extends downward from the combustion assembly 18 to a manifold 32 from which a plurality of flue conduits 34 extend upward. The plurality of flue conduits 34 that extend upward from the manifold 32 extend through an inner volume 36 of the tank 12 of the water heater 10, such that, as exhaust is conveyed within the flue conduits 34, heat from the exhaust is transferred to water disposed within the tank 12. A variety of types of water heaters 10 that incorporate combustion assemblies are contemplated (e.g., bottom-fired water heaters, etc.).

[0045] Referring now to FIGS. 2-5, the combustion assembly 18 includes the mounting plate 20. The mounting plate 20 includes a mounting surface 38 and defines a mounting plate aperture 40 (FIG. 7). In various implementations, mounting plate aperture 40 is defined by the mounting surface 38, the mounting surface 38 extends outboard from the mounting plate aperture 40 to a collar 42, and the collar 42 extends from the mounting surface 38 to a mounting plate flange 44 that extends outboard from the collar 42. The mounting surface 38 can define a plurality of openings (not shown) that are configured to receive water heater components and/or fasteners 46 therethrough. In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 2, the flue conduit 26 extends to an underside of the mounting plate flange 44 and supports the mounting plate 20 thereby.

[0046] Referring still to FIGS. 2-5, the combustion assembly 18 includes the burner 22. The burner 22 includes the body 30 and a burner flange 48 that extend outward from the body 30. The body 30 of the burner 22 defines a combustion chamber and extends through the mounting plate aperture 40 and into the interior volume 28 defined by the flue conduit 26, as illustrated in FIG. 2. The burner flange 48 extends outward from the body 30 and is coupled to the mounting surface 38 of the mounting plate 20, as described further herein. In operation of the water heater 10, combustion of gas mixed with air occurs within the combustion chamber to heat water within the tank 12 of the water heater 10.

[0047] Referring still to FIGS. 2-5, the combustion assembly 18 includes the blower assembly 24. The blower assembly 24 includes a fan 50, a motor 52 (FIG. 1) operable to drive rotation of the fan 50 about an axis 54, and a housing 56 that houses the fan 50. The fan 50 is configured to deliver air and/or gas to the burner 22 for combustion to heat the water within the tank 12 of the water heater 10. The housing 56 of the blower assembly 24 includes a first housing component 58. The first housing component 58 includes a fan-housing portion 60 that at least partially defines a fan-housing region within which the fan 50 is disposed, a tubular portion 62 that extends from the fan-housing portion 60 and defines a hollow that is in fluid communication with the fan-housing region, and a housing flange 64 that extends outward from the tubular portion 62 to a housing flange rim 66. The housing flange 64 is coupled to the burner flange 48 of the burner 22 in an assembled state of the combustion assembly 18. In some implementations, the fan-housing portion 60, the tubular portion 62, and the housing flange 64 are integrally coupled. In various implementations, the housing 56 may include one or more housing components in addition to the first housing component 58. For example, in the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 3, the housing 56 includes a second housing component 68 that is coupled with the first housing component 58 and cooperates with the fan-housing portion 60 of the first housing component 58 to define the fan-housing region within which the fan 50 is disposed. In various implementations, hollow defined by the first housing component 58 is wholly defined by the tubular portion 62 of the first housing component 58.

[0048] Referring now to FIGS. 4-6, in various implementations, the combustion assembly 18 includes a first sealing element 70 and a second sealing element 72. The first sealing element 70 is positioned between the housing flange 64 and the burner flange 48, and the second sealing element 72 is positioned between the burner flange 48 and the mounting surface 38 of the mounting plate 20. In the illustrated embodiments, the first and second sealing elements 70, 72 are gaskets 74. A variety of types of sealing elements are contemplated (e.g., sealant, etc.).

[0049] Referring now to FIG. 3, the housing flange 64 of the first housing component 58 defines a plurality of access openings 76. In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 3, the housing flange 64 includes first, second, and third access openings 76A, 76B, 76C. The plurality of access openings 76 are configured to receive components of the water heater 10 therein and/or therethrough as described further herein. As further illustrated in FIG. 3, the housing flange 64 of the first housing component 58 may further define a plurality of fastener openings 78 for receiving corresponding fasteners 46 (e.g., bolts) therethrough for coupling of the housing flange 64 with the burner flange 48 and/or the mounting surface 38 of the mounting plate 20. The burner flange 48 and/or the mounting surface 38 may include fastener openings (not shown) that correspond with the fastener openings 78 defined by the housing flange 64, in various embodiments.

[0050] Referring still to FIG. 3, in various implementations, the water heater 10 includes an ignitor 80 that is configured to ignite the air-gas mixture conveyed into the combustion chamber via operation of the fan 50, a flame sensor 82 that is configured to sense the presence of a flame within the interior volume 28 defined by the flue conduit 26, and a sight glass 84 having a transparent portion that allows a viewer to see into the interior volume 28 of the flue conduit 26 therethrough. As illustrated in FIG. 3, the ignitor 80 extends through the first access opening 76A, the flame sensor 82 extends through the second access opening 76B, and the sight glass 84 extends within the third access opening 76C. In various implementations, the sight glass 84 extends through the third access opening 76C. In some implementations, the third access opening 76C is an aperture defined by a threaded portion of the housing flange 64 (not shown), and the sight glass 84 includes corresponding threads that are configured to engage the threaded portion to secure the sight glass 84 within the third access opening 76C.

[0051] Referring now to FIGS. 3 and 8, in some implementations, at least one of the ignitor 80 and the flame sensor 82 includes a bracket 86 coupled thereto. In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 3, the ignitor 80 and the flame sensor 82 each respectively include a bracket 86 coupled thereto. As shown in FIG. 8, the bracket 86 includes a bracket base 88 that is coupled to a side of the housing flange 64 that is opposite (i.e., facing away from) the burner flange 48. In various embodiments, the bracket 86 is coupled to a substantially planar portion of the housing flange 64, and the bracket 86 is mounted to the housing flange 64 via one or more fasteners 46, such as screws, as illustrated in FIG. 8. The bracket 86 further includes a tab 90 that extends outward from the bracket base 88 and along the housing flange rim 66 toward the burner flange 48. The tab 90 of the bracket 86 conveniently allows a user assembling the bracket 86 to the housing flange 64 to align the bracket 86 in a poka-yoke manner with the housing flange 64, and further aids in restricting displacement (e.g., turning) of the bracket 86 relative to the housing flange 64 while the bracket 86 is being assembled to the housing flange 64 via the one or more fasteners 46. In some embodiments, the bracket 86 may include an aperture through which the ignitor 80 and/or the flame sensor 82 extends. The aperture may extend through a portion of the bracket 86 that ensures that the bracket 86 is positioned on the housing flange 64 in the desired orientation if the ignitor 80 and/or the flame sensor 82 is appropriately aligned with aperture. In some embodiments, that aperture that extends through the bracket 86 may be offset from a center of the bracket 86, such that, if the bracket 86 is backwards relative to the appropriately aligned position, interference with another portion of the combustion assembly 18 (e.g., the tubular portion 62 of the housing 56) may prevent the ignitor 80 and/or the flame sensor 82 from aligning with the aperture. This may allow for assembly of the bracket 86 to the housing flange 64 in a poka-yoke manner.

[0052] Referring now to FIGS. 6 and 7, the combustion assembly 18 of the water heater 10 can include a ground tab 92. The ground tab 92 is electrically coupled with the burner 22 of the combustion assembly 18. As illustrated in FIG. 7, the ground tab 92 extends from a first end 94 that is disposed between the housing flange 64 and the burner flange 48 to a second end 96 that is in a spaced relationship with the burner flange 48 and the housing flange 64. The ground tab 92 is operable to ground the burner 22 directly with a control of the water heater 10. In various implementations, the mounting plate 20, burner 22, and housing 56 are coupled to each other via the plurality of fasteners 46, and the housing 56 is grounded via its connection to the mounting plate 20 via the plurality of fasteners 46.

[0053] The water heater 10 of the present disclosure may provide a variety of advantages. First, the first housing component 58 of the housing 56 including the fan-housing portion 60, the tubular portion 62, and the housing flange 64 enables the housing 56 of the blower assembly 24 to be coupled to the burner flange 48 of the burner 22 without the need for a transition tube extending between the housing 56 and the burner 22. Second, the housing flange 64 defining the plurality of access openings 76 allows for various components of the water heater 10 (e.g., ignitor 80, flame sensor 82, sight glass 84) to be assembled to the housing 56 rather than to a separate component of the combustion assembly 18, such as the mounting plate 20. Third, the ground tab 92 being electrically coupled to the burner 22, and the housing 56 being grounded to the chassis of the water heater 10 via the one or more fasteners 46 extending between the housing 56 and the mounting plate 20, eliminates the need for a ground jumper wire that extends from the housing 56 to the burner 22. Fourth, the brackets 86 coupled with the flame sensor 82 and the ignitor 80 provide a poka-yoke system for convenient assembly to the housing 56.

[0054] It is to be understood that variations and modifications can be made on the aforementioned structure without departing from the concepts of the present disclosure, and further it is to be understood that such concepts are intended to be covered by the following claims unless these claims by their language expressly state otherwise.