GAS SUPPLY INTERFACE FOR A WATER HEATER

INTERFACE D'ALIMENTATION EN GAZ POUR CHAUFFE-EAU

English Abstract

The present invention relates to a gas supply interface for delivering
combustions gases to a
combustion chamber of a heating device including a door having a serrated
opening and a gas
supply tube having a flange and which is inserted through the serrated opening
of the door.

French Abstract

La présente invention concerne une interface d'alimentation en gaz pour acheminer des gaz de combustion vers une chambre de combustion d'un dispositif de chauffage qui comprend une porte avec une ouverture dentelée et un tube d'alimentation en gaz avec une bride et lequel est inséré par l'ouverture dentelée de la porte.

Claims

CLAIMS
1. A gas supply interface for delivering combustion gases to a combustion
chamber
of a heating device, said supply interface comprising:
a door adapted to fit within an opening to a combustion chamber, said door
including a serrated opening;
a gas supply tube which includes a flange, said gas supply tube received
within
said serrated opening such that said flange abuts said door ; and
a crimp ring which, when crimped, provides a metal-to-metal seal between said
gas supply tube and said gas supply line, and compresses said gas supply tube
against
said serrated opening.
2. The gas supply interface as recited in claim 1, further comprising a gas
supply
line which telescopes with said gas supply tube.
3. The gas supply interface as recited in claim 1, wherein said gas supply
tube is
flexible.
4. The gas supply interface as recited in claim 1, wherein said crimp ring
includes a
ramped inner surface.
5. The gas supply interface of claim 1, wherein, when said crimp ring is
crimped,
said serrated opening at least partially interfaces with said gas supply tube
such that said
gas supply tube is substantially prevented from rotating relative to said
door.
6. The gas supply interface as recited in claim 1, wherein a surface of
said flange
engages a surface of said door such that a plane of said surface of said
flange is
substantially parallel to a plane of said surface of said door.
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7. The gas supply interface as recited in claim 1, wherein said door is
seated within
an opening providing access to said combustion chamber, thereby substantially
closing
said opening to said combustion chamber.
8. The gas supply interface as recited in claim 7, wherein said door is
attached to a
housing of a water heater assembly.
9. The gas supply interface as recited in claim 8, wherein said door is at
least
partially arcuate along a length direction thereof.
10. The gas supply interface as recited in claim 9, wherein said door has a
length of
approximately 10 inches, and a height of approximately 3.5 inches.
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Description

CA 02750046 2011-08-23
GAS SUPPLY INTERFACE FOR A WATER HEATER
BACKGROUND
The present disclosure relates to a gas supply interface for delivering
natural
gas to a combustion chamber of a water heater.
Devices that utilize a combustible fuel such as propane or natural gas require
connections between a multiple of components. Various connections have been
provided. Although effective, current connection components are rather
expensive
and may require a welded or brazed connection which may complicate
installation for
combustible fuel devices.
S UMMARY
A gas supply interface according to an exemplary aspect of the present
disclosure includes a door adapted to fit within an opening to a combustion
chamber
and a gas supply tube which defines a flange, the gas supply tube received
within a
serrated opening such that the flange abuts the door.
A method of assembling a gas supply interface for delivering combustion
gases to a device according to an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure
includes
telescoping a gas supply line to a gas supply tube; inserting the gas supply
tube
through a serrated opening of a door adapted to fit within an opening to a
combustion
chamber; and compressing the gas supply tube against the serrated opening.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAVVTNGS
The various features and advantages of this invention will become apparent to
those skilled in the art from the following detailed description of the
currently
preferred embodiment. The drawings that accompany the detailed description can
be
briefly described as follows:
Figure 1 is a general side view of a gas supply interface for a water heater
embodiment of the present invention;
Figure 2 is a perspective sectional view of the gas supply interface for the
water heater;
Figure 3 is an exploded view of a gas supply interface;
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CA 02750046 2011-08-23
Figure 4A is a front view of a door with a serrated opening; and
Figure 4B :is a sectional view taken along line 4B-4B of Figure 4A.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
Figure 1 illustrates a general perspective view of a gas supply assembly 10
for
use with a water heater assembly 12. Although a water heater assembly 12 is
disclosed in the illustrated embodiment, it should be understood that any
other type of
device such as a gas range, oven, fireplace, water heater, furnace, cloths
dryer, BBQ
grili or any other gas or liquid propane type appliance, valve, regulator or
other gas
control device will benefit herefrom.
The water heater assembly 12 incl.udes a water heater housing 14 that nay be
compartmentalized to include a water tank 16 and a combustion chamber 18.
Disposed within the combustion chamber 18 is a burner 20 in close proximity to
the
water tank 16. The gas supply assembly 10 of the present invention is designed
to
deliver fuel to the burner 20 for combustion proximate the water tank 16
thereby
heating the water within the tank 16 to a predetermined temperature. The gas
supply
assembly 10 will be connected to a fuel supply which in one preferred
embodiment is
natural gas although it is contemplated that the gas supply assembly 10 may be
used
with other fuel types including propane. The combustion chamber 18 includes an
opening 22 to the exterior of the water heater 12 to facilitate access to the
gas supply
and combustion elements.
The gas supply assembly 10 is disposed within and extends through the
opening 22 of the combustion chamber 18. The gas supply assembly 10 includes a
door 24 configured to seat within the opening 22 thereby closing this pathway
into the
combustion chamber 18 (Figure 2). The door 24 may in one disclosed, non-
.limiting
embodiment of a water heater assembly be at least partially arcuate and
approximately
10X3.5 inches in size which typically provides maintenance access, etc. The
door 24
defines an interface 26 which provides interconnection between a gas supply
line 28
and a gas supply tube 30. The gas supply line 28, in one non-limiting
embodiment,
may be a flexible line which is connected to the fuel supply. The gas supply
tube 30
is, in one non-limiting embodiment, a rigid tube with an outlet port 32 at the
burner 20
for delivering the fuel to the burner 20.
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CA 02750046 2011-08-23
Referring to Figure 3, the door 24 receives the gas supply line 28 within a
serrated opening 34 formed directly therein (also illustrated in Figures 4A).
The
serrated opening 34 is defined by a multiple of teeth or other serrations.
That is, the
serrated opening 34 is a non-circular opening within the door 24. It
should be
understood that various serrations may alternatively be provided.
The gas supply tube 30 includes a flange 36 which abuts the door 24 from an
inner side thereof when the gas supply tube 30 is inserted within the serrated
opening
34. Once the gas supply tube 30 is inserted within the serrated opening 34,
the gas
supply tube 30 receives the gas supply line 28 directly therein in an
overlapped or
telescoped relationship at an interface section 40. It should be understood
that other
male/female receipt arrangements may also be utilized.
A crimp ring 42 provides a metal-to-metal seal between the supply tube 30
and the gas supply line 28 at the interface section 40. One such crimp ring 42
may be
a crimp ring manufactured by Lokring of Bartow, Florida. The crimp ring 42
typically includes a ramped inner diameter to provide contact stresses which
are
sufficiently high to plastically yield a portion of the interface section 40
between the
gas supply tube 30 and the gas supply line 28 forming a circumferential,
permanent,
metal-to-metal seal. The crimp ring 42 facilitates a permanent joint and
avoids the
usage of elastomeric or rubber seals, 0-rings or gaskets Which may degrade and
leak
over time. The crimp ring 42 essentially meets all criteria of a welded
connection,
except that no heat is required to make the connection.
Once crimped, the crimp ring 42 also essentially compresses the gas supply
tube 30 against the serrated opening 34 to prevent the gas supply tube 30 from
rotating therein upon assembly. That is, the serrated opening 34 at least
partially
interfaces with the material build-up which forms the flange 36 to assure a
non-
rotatable and secure attachment.
It should be understood that although a particular component arrangement is
disclosed in the illustrated embodiment, other arrangements will benefit from
the
instant in-vention.
Although partic-ular step sequences are shown, described, and claimed, it
should be understood that steps may be performed in any order, separated or
combined unless otherwise indicated and will sti.11 benefit from the present
invention.
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CA 02750046 2013-10-01
The foregoing description is exemplary rather than defined by the limitations
within. Many modifications and variations of the present invention are
possible in light
of the above teachings. The scope of the claims should not be limited by the
preferred
embodiments set forth in the examples, but should be given the broadest
interpretation
consistent with the description as a whole.
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Representative Drawing