Cover assembly, blower assembly and associated method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10711795-B2
Application number	US-201715612025-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 2, 2017
Priority date	Jul 27, 2016
Publication date	Jul 14, 2020
Grant date	Jul 14, 2020

Abstract

A blower assembly is attached to a water heater having an exhaust opening, the assembly includes a tank cap attached to a tank of the heater. A recess surface formed in the exterior surface of the cap. A member has a first surface that is connected to the tank cap to form a cover plenum between the cap and the member. The blower includes a motor, an air moving member connected to the motor and a blower housing having an interior containing the fan. The blower housing has an input opening that communicates the blower housing interior with the member output opening. The blower housing, the member and the tank cap provide an exhaust gas flow path from the exhaust opening of the heater through the cover plenum, through the blower housing interior and out the output opening.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A water heater assembly having an exhaust opening on the exterior surface of the water heater with the exhaust opening having a center axis that defines mutually perpendicular axial and radial directions relative to the water heater and advances exhaust gases from the water heater to an exterior environment, the assembly comprising:
a water heater having a tank, the water heater comprising a side wall and a tank cap located above the side wall, the side wall and the tank cap together defining an exterior surface of an upper portion of the water heater, said tank cap having a recess surface formed in the exterior surface thereof and configured to extend inwardly toward the water heater in the axial direction of the exhaust opening, wherein said recess surface is below the exterior surface of the tank cap, wherein said recess surface extends only partially along said exterior surface of the tank cap, and wherein said exterior surface comprises the uppermost surface of said tank cap;
a member defining a first surface thereof and connected to said exterior surface of said tank cap to form a cover plenum between the recess surface of said tank cap and the first surface of said member, wherein said cover plenum is below the exterior surface of the tank cap, said member defining an output opening of said member that communicates with the cover plenum; and
a blower connected to the member, the blower including:
a motor;
a fan connected to the motor for rotation of the fan with rotation of the motor; and
a blower housing having an interior containing the fan, the motor being supported by the blower housing, the blower housing having an output opening having a center axis that defines mutually perpendicular axial and radial directions and that communicates the blower housing interior with the exterior environment, the blower housing further having an input opening that communicates the blower housing interior with the member output opening, wherein said blower input opening is axially aligned with and spaced axially above said member output opening, wherein the blower housing, the member and the tank cap are configured to provide an exhaust gas flow path from the exhaust opening of the heater through the cover plenum, through the blower housing interior and out the output opening.

2. The water heater assembly of claim 1 ; wherein the fan is connected to the motor by a motor shaft extending from the motor; and
wherein the center axis of the blower housing output opening is substantially parallel to and spaced radially from the axis of rotation of the motor shaft and the fan axis of rotation, wherein the output opening is positioned axially above the heater exhaust opening when the blower housing is attached to the member.

3. The water heater assembly of claim 1 , further comprising: the blower housing attached to the member to prevent dilution air from entering the blower housing interior.

4. The water heater assembly of claim 1 , further comprising the blower housing being attached to the member with the blower housing sealing around the member and thereby providing a non-dilution air blower housing on the water heater.

5. The water heater assembly of claim 1 , further comprising the interior structure of the blower housing including an interior wall that extends radially through the blower housing interior and is positioned axially between the water heater exhaust opening and the blower housing output opening when the blower housing is attached to the member.

6. The water heater assembly of claim 5 , further comprising: the interior wall having an opening through the interior wall that is spaced radially and axially from the blower housing output opening and is spaced radially and axially from the water heater exhaust opening when the blower housing is attached to the member, wherein said interior wall opening defines said blower input opening.

7. The water heater assembly of claim 6 , further comprising: the exhaust gas flow path passing through the interior wall opening.

8. The water heater assembly of claim 6 , further comprising: the interior wall opening being axially aligned with the fan axis of rotation.

9. The water heater assembly of claim 6 , further comprising the fan being positioned on one side of the interior wall and the water heater exhaust opening being positioned on an opposite side of the interior wall when the blower housing is attached to the member.

10. The water heater assembly of claim 2 , further comprising:
the motor shaft axis of rotation and fan axis of rotation being substantially coaxial and substantially parallel to the blower housing output opening center axis and the water heater exhaust opening center axis.

11. The water heater assembly of claim 5 , further comprising:
the interior wall having an opening with a center axis that is substantially coaxial with the fan axis of rotation.

Assignees

• Regal Beloit America Inc

Inventors

• Post Steven Wilfred
• Garrett Michael Kenneth

Classifications

• F23L17/005 Primary

  using fans · CPC title

• F24H9/0026

  in combustion gas channels · CPC title

• F23M9/003

  in flue gas ducts · CPC title

• F24H1/206

  with submerged combustion chamber · CPC title

• F24H1/205

  with furnace tubes · CPC title