Water heater and cover assembly therefor

{
  "publication_number": "US11821658B2",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "B2",
  "title": "Water heater and cover assembly therefor",
  "abstract": "A water heater and a cover assembly for the water heater is provided. The water heater includes a mixing valve disposed in fluid communication with each of a hot water conduit and a cold water pipe, to regulate temperature of hot water received from the hot water conduit. The cold water pipe branches from a cold water conduit and extends along a longitudinal axis of the tank to connect with the mixing valve. The cover assembly is mounted on a tank of the water heater. The cover assembly includes a first cover to conceal the cold water pipe, and a second cover to conceal the mixing valve and the hot water conduit extending between the tank and the mixing valve. The second cover is removably coupled to the first cover via one or more coupling elements.",
  "claims": [
    "1. A water heater comprising: a tank; a cold water conduit configured to direct flow of cold water into the tank; a hot water conduit extending radially outward from the tank and configured to direct hot water out of the tank; a mixing valve in fluid communication with each of the hot water conduit and a cold water pipe branching from the cold water conduit, the mixing valve being located adjacent to an outer lateral side surface of the water heater, wherein the mixing valve is configured to regulate temperature of hot water received from the hot water conduit; and a cover assembly mounted on the outer lateral side surface of the water heater and extending parallel with a longitudinal axis of the tank, the cover assembly configured to conceal each of the mixing valve, the hot water conduit, and the cold water pipe, wherein the cover assembly comprises: a first cover configured to conceal the cold water pipe extending along the longitudinal axis of the tank and extending between the mixing valve and the cold water conduit; and a second cover configured to conceal the mixing valve and the hot water conduit extending between the tank and the mixing valve, wherein the second cover defines a first aperture on a first side thereof and a second aperture on a second side thereof, the first aperture and the second aperture configured to allow access to the mixing valve, and wherein the second cover is detachably attachable to the first cover via one or more coupling elements, thereby permitting selective access to the mixing valve.",
    "2. The water heater of claim 1, wherein the one or more coupling elements comprise a hinge, a snap lock, a buckle lock, a push button spring snap, or combinations thereof.",
    "3. The water heater of claim 1, wherein the one or more coupling elements comprise a protrusion and an engaging member configured to releasably engage within the protrusion to define a snap lock mechanism.",
    "4. The water heater of claim 3, wherein the protrusion is located on an inner surface of the first cover and the engaging member is located on an inner surface of the second cover.",
    "5. The water heater of claim 3, wherein a first coupling element is located on a first side of the cover assembly and a second coupling element is located on a second side of the cover assembly.",
    "6. The water heater of claim 1, wherein the second cover is mounted on the outer lateral side surface via mounting to the mixing valve.",
    "7. The water heater of claim 6, wherein the second cover comprises an upper rib and a lower rib, wherein the mixing valve is configured to snap fit between the upper rib and the lower rib, such that the second cover snaps onto the mixing valve to secure the second cover to the water heater.",
    "8. A cover assembly for a water heater, the cover assembly mounted on an elongated outer lateral side surface of the water heater comprising: a first cover configured to conceal a cold water pipe extending along a longitudinal axis of a tank of the water heater and extending between a mixing valve and a cold water conduit configured to direct flow of cold water into the tank; and a second cover configured to conceal each of a hot water conduit extending outward from the tank and a mixing valve in fluid communication with the hot water conduit, the mixing valve being located adjacent to the elongated outer lateral side surface of the water heater, wherein the second cover defines a first aperture on a first side thereof and a second aperture on a second side thereof, the first aperture and the second aperture configured to allow access to the mixing valve, and wherein the second cover is detachably attachable to the first cover via one or more coupling elements permitting selective access to the mixing valve.",
    "9. The cover assembly of claim 8, wherein the one or more coupling elements comprise a protrusion and an engaging member configured to releasably engage with the protrusion to define a snap lock mechanism.",
    "10. The cover assembly of claim 9, wherein the protrusion is located on an inner surface of the first cover and the engaging member is located on an inner surface of the second cover.",
    "11. The cover assembly of claim 9, wherein the second cover is snap fitted with the first cover along a longitudinal axis of the cover assembly.",
    "12. The cover assembly of claim 9, wherein the second cover is snap fitted on top of the first cover along a longitudinal axis of the cover assembly.",
    "13. The cover assembly of claim 9, wherein the second cover comprises two protrusions on each of a first side and a second side thereof, the first cover comprises two engaging members on each of a first side and a second side thereof, and wherein the second cover snaps over the first cover to allow the protrusions on the first side and the second side of the second cover to slide into corresponding engaging members of the first cover.",
    "14. The cover assembly of claim 8, wherein the one or more coupling elements comprise a hinge, a snap lock, a buckle, a push button spring snap, or combinations thereof.",
    "15. The cover assembly of claim 8, wherein the first aperture is configured to allow access to an outlet of the mixing valve, and wherein the second aperture is configured to allow access to a knob of the mixing valve.",
    "16. A method of mounting a cover assembly on an outer side surface of a water heater, the method comprising: mounting a first cover of the cover assembly on the outer side surface of the water heater to conceal a cold water pipe branching from a cold water conduit configured to direct flow of cold water into a tank of the water heater; and coupling a second cover of the cover assembly with the first cover along a longitudinal axis of the cover assembly via one or more coupling elements to conceal a mixing valve and a hot water conduit extending between the tank and the mixing valve, wherein the second cover defines a first aperture on a first side thereof and a second aperture on a second side thereof, the first aperture and the second aperture configured to allow access to the mixing valve, wherein the second cover is detachably attachable to the first cover permitting selective access to the mixing valve, and wherein the mixing valve is located adjacent to the outer side surface of the water heater.",
    "17. The method of claim 16, wherein coupling the second cover with the first cover comprises engaging at least one protrusion of the second cover with at least one engaging member of the first cover.",
    "18. The method of claim 17, wherein engaging the at least one protrusion of the second cover with the at least one engaging member of the first cover comprises aligning the second cover on top of the first cover along a longitudinal axis of the cover assembly.",
    "19. The method of claim 17, wherein engaging the at least one protrusion of the second cover with the at least one engaging member of the first cover is achieved via a snap lock, a buckle lock, a push button spring snap, or combinations thereof."
  ],
  "description_excerpt": "The present disclosure relates, in general, to a water heater and, more specifically relates, to a cover assembly for the water heater.\n\nWater heaters are used to heat and store a quantity of water in a tank thereof for subsequent on-demand delivery for residential and commercial use. Water heaters are known to use multiple piping to allow ingress and egress of water to and from a tank of the water heater. Besides, the water heaters also implement multiple valves coupled to the piping to regulate flow of water. Among the multiple valves, the water heaters include a mixing valve to regulate temperature of hot water extracted from the water heater. Typically, the mixing valve is either located at a top of the tank or along a curved outer surface of the tank. It is desired to conceal the mixing valve and the piping to enhance aesthetics of the water heater.\n\nAccording to one aspect of the present disclosure, a water heater is disclosed. The water heater includes a tank, a heating element to heat water received into the tank, a cold water conduit to direct flow of cold water into the tank, and a hot water conduit extending radially outward from the tank to direct hot water out of the tank. The water heater further includes a mixing valve in fluid communication with each of the hot water conduit and a cold water pipe branching from the cold water conduit. The mixing valve regulates temperature of hot water received from the hot water conduit. The water heater also includes a cover assembly mounted on the tank to conceal each of the mixing valve, the hot water conduit, and the cold water pipe.",
  "cpc": [
    "F24H 9/02",
    "F16B 37/0842",
    "F24H 9/06",
    "F24H 9/133",
    "F24H 9/2007",
    "F28F 9/0258"
  ],
  "ipc": [
    "F16B 37/08",
    "F24H 9/02",
    "F24H 9/06",
    "F24H 9/13",
    "F24H 9/20",
    "F28F 9/02"
  ],
  "assignees": [
    "Rheem Manufacturing Co"
  ],
  "inventors": [
    "Piyush Porwal",
    "Miguel Ubaldo",
    "Tobey Fowler",
    "Damian Weitherspoon"
  ],
  "filing_date": "2020-12-18",
  "publication_date": "2023-11-21",
  "grant_date": "2023-11-21",
  "priority_date": "2020-12-18",
  "application_number": "US-202017126586-A",
  "family_id": "82023263",
  "cited_by_count": 0,
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  ]
}