Hot water supply apparatus
US9841197B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | May 18, 2015 |
| Grant date | Dec 12, 2017 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Nov 23, 2035 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY10T137/6497
- WIPO fieldThermal processes and apparatus
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
A hot water supply apparatus has: a thermo-sensitive valve which is connected in parallel to a cold water delivery pipe and a hot water delivery pipe and which is closed when the hot water temperature to flow inside the valve is above a predetermined temperature to thereby shut off communication between the cold water delivery pipe and the hot water delivery pipe; and a circulation pump. By operation of the circulation pump, water circulation takes place from a heat exchanger through the hot water delivery pipe, a return pipe, the circulation pump, and a cold water supply pipe back to the heat exchanger. When the thermo-sensitive valve is open, water circulation takes place also through the thermo-sensitive valve. Instantaneous hot water supply operation is finished when an amount detected by a flow sensor falls below a predetermined amount during the instantaneous hot water supply operation.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.