Water heater

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims priority of Taiwan Patent Application No. 90133392, filed on Dec. 31, 2001.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The invention relates to a water heater, more particularly to a water heater that efficiently conducts heat from a heat-generating source to water channeled therethrough.

2. Description of the Related Art

A conventional water heater is used to heat water in a water tank using a gas burner or an electric heating element. As heat transfer in the conventional water heater takes place mainly at the bottom portion of the water tank that is in direct contact with the gas burner or heating element, it takes a relatively long time to heat the water in the water tank, which means large consumption of heat energy. This is not economically desirable in view of the trend toward energy conservation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Therefore, the main object of the present invention is to provide a water heater that has a high heat-conducting efficiency to reduce energy consumption.

According to one aspect of the invention, a water heater comprises:

a heat-conducting assembly including:

an outer casing including a bottom wall that is formed with a bottom hole and that has an outer periphery and an inner periphery confining the bottom hole, a hollow flue tube that extends vertically from the inner periphery, and an outer surrounding wall that extends uprightly from the outer periphery and that cooperates with the flue tube to confine a receiving space with a top opening, and

a heat-conducting unit mounted inside the receiving space of the outer casing so as to configure the receiving space with isolated first and second chambers, the first chamber being filled with a thermal superconductor material, the second chamber being adapted for holding water therein, the heat-conducting unit including a plurality of interconnected upright tubular members that cooperate with the outer casing to confine the first chamber therein, the second chamber being disposed externally of the tubular members, each of the tubular members having a closed upper end; and

a heat-generating source mounted below the heat-conducting assembly for heating the water inside the second chamber.

According to another aspect of the invention, a device for heating water includes:

an outer casing including a bottom wall having an outer periphery, and an outer surrounding wall that extends uprightly from the outer periphery and that cooperates with the bottom wall to confine a receiving space with a top opening, and

a heat-conducting unit mounted inside the receiving space of the outer casing so as to configure the receiving space with isolated first and second chambers, the first chamber being filled with a thermal superconductor material, the second chamber being adapted for holding water therein, the heat-conducting unit including a plurality of interconnected upright tubular members that cooperate with the outer casing to confine the first chamber therein, the second chamber being disposed externally of the tubular members, each of the tubular members having a closed upper end.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent in the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which:

FIG. 1

is a partly sectional view of the first preferred embodiment of a water heater according to the invention;

FIG. 2

is a schematic front view of the first preferred embodiment;

FIG. 3

is a top view of a heat-conducting assembly of the first preferred embodiment, showing a heat-conducting unit having tubular members with a cross-shaped cross section;

FIG. 4

is a view similar to

FIG. 3

, but showing tubular members with a Y-shaped cross-section;

FIG. 5

is a view similar to

FIG. 3

, but showing tubular members with a T-shaped cross-section;

FIG. 6

is a view similar to

FIG. 3

, but showing tubular members with an L-shaped cross-section;

FIG. 7

is a partly sectional view of the second preferred embodiment of a water heater according to the invention;

FIG. 8

is a partly sectional view of the third preferred embodiment of a water heater according to the invention; and

FIG. 9

is a partly sectional view of the fourth preferred embodiment of a water heater according to <he invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Before the present invention is described in greater detail, it should be noted that like elements are denoted by the same reference numerals throughout the disclosure.

Referring to

FIGS. 1 and 2

, the first preferred embodiment of a water heater

1

according to the present invention is shown to include a heat-conducting assembly

2

and a heat-generating source

3

.

The heat-conducting assembly

2

includes a cylindrical outer casing

22

and a heat-conducting unit

21

. The outer casing

22

includes a sloping, stepped bottom wall

223

that is formed with a bottom hole

2231

and that has an outer periphery and an inner periphery confining the bottom hole

2231

, a hollow flue tube

222

that extends vertically from the inner periphery, and an outer surrounding wall

220

that extends uprightly from the outer periphery and that cooperates with the flue tube

222

to confine a receiving space

221

with a top opening

2210

.

The heat-conducting unit

21

is mounted inside the receiving space

221

of the outer casing

22

so as to configure the receiving space

221

with isolated first and second chambers

23

,

24

. The first chamber

23

is filled with a thermal superconductor material

20

. The second chamber

24

is adapted for holding water therein. It is noted that the thermal superconductor material

20

is an inorganic superconductor material formed from inorganic elements so as to inhibit generation of hydrogen and oxygen molecules to thereby avoid possible explosion. Preferably, the outer casing

22

and the heat-conducting unit

21

are formed from a material that is non-radioactive, non-toxic, non-corrosive, and non-polluting, and that can be a metal material, such as copper, aluminum, or alloys, or any other material with good heat conductivity. The material should preferably have an applicable temperature range from −50° C. to 1700° C. It is also noted that the thermal superconductor material

20

can adhere to inner surfaces of the first chamber

23

when being filled into the vacuum interior of the latter. The heat-conducting unit

21

includes a plurality of upright tubular members

211

that are interconnected at lower ends and that cooperate with the outer casing

22

to confine the first chamber

23

therein. The second chamber

24

is disposed externally of the tubular members

211

. Each of the tubular members

211

has a closed upper end

2111

, and preferably has an angled cross-section, such as a cross-shaped cross-section shown in

FIG. 3

, a Y-shaped cross-section shown in

FIG. 4

, a T-shaped cross-section shown in

FIG. 5

, or an L-shaped cross-section shown in FIG.

6

. In addition, the heat-conducting unit

21

includes a tubular sleeve

212

that is sleeved on the flue tube

222

and that is connected to the tubular members

211

at a lower end thereof.

The heat-generating source

3

is mounted below the heat-conducting assembly

2

for heating the water inside the second chamber

24

. In this embodiment, the heat-generating source

3

is a gas burner, but can also be a known electric heating element.

The heat-conducting assembly

2

further includes a cylindrical preheating unit

4

disposed around the outer casing

22

. In this embodiment, the preheating unit

4

cooperates with the outer surrounding wall

220

to confine a water conduit

41

that is in fluid communication with the second chamber

24

such that water can be preheated before entering the second chamber

24

.

The heat-conducting assembly

2

further includes a top cover

5

mounted on the outer casing

22

to close the top opening

2210

. The top cover

5

is provided with a water inlet

51

in fluid communication with the water conduit

41

, a water outlet

52

in fluid communication with the second chamber

24

, and a pressure relief valve

54

. The water conduit

41

extends into the top cover

5

, and includes a guiding tube

53

that extends from the top cover

5

toward the bottom wall

223

.

The water heater

1

further includes a hollow base

6

that is filled with the thermal superconductor material

20

to conduct the heat produced by the heat-generating source

3

toward the heat-conducting assembly

2

that is mounted on the base

6

.

In addition, a vent cover

7

is disposed on top of the flue tube

222

. A wire screen

8

is provided in one side of the water heater

1

and is disposed adjacent to the base

6

such that the heat-generating source

3

is visible from the exterior of the water heater

1

.

In use, when water enters via the water inlet

51

of the top cover

5

into the water conduit

41

of the preheating unit

4

, the water in the water conduit

41

is preheated via the outer casing

22

and the heat-conducting unit

21

before entering the second chamber

24

via the guiding tube

53

. By virtue of the thermal superconductor material

20

in the first chamber

23

and by virtue of the configuration of the tubular members

211

that provide a relatively large heat transfer surface area, the heat produced by the heat-generating source

3

can be transmitted quickly and effectively throughout the water inside the second chamber

24

such that heated water is discharged through the water outlet

52

.

Referring to

FIG. 7

, the second preferred embodiment of a water heater according to the invention is shown to be generally similar to the previous embodiment. The major difference between this embodiment and the previous embodiment resides in that the preheating unit

4

′ includes a water pipe

41

′ that winds around the outer surrounding wall

220

of the outer casing

22

and that has an inlet end

42

adapted to be coupled to a water source (not shown), and an outlet end

43

extending through a top cover

5

′ into the second chamber

24

, toward the bottom wall

223

, and in fluid communication with the second chamber

24

. The top cover

5

′ is mounted on the outer casing

22

to close the top opening

2210

, and is provided with a water outlet

52

in fluid communication with the second chamber

24

, and a pressure relief valve

54

.

FIG. 8

shows the third preferred embodiment of a water heater according to the invention. In this embodiment, the water heater is in the form of a water kettle

9

, which includes an outer casing

91

, a heat-conducting unit

94

, and a top cover

92

. The outer casing

91

includes a bottom wall

910

having an outer periphery, and an outer surrounding wall

911

that extends uprightly from the outer periphery and that cooperates with the bottom wall

910

to confine a receiving space

912

with a top opening

9120

. The heat-conducting unit

94

is mounted inside the receiving space

912

of the outer casing

91

so as to configure the receiving space

912

with isolated first and second

15

chambers

95

,

96

. The first chamber

95

is filled with a thermal superconductor material

90

. The second chamber

96

is adapted for holding water therein. The heat-conducting unit

94

includes a plurality of interconnected upright tubular members

941

that cooperate with the outer casing

91

to confine the first chamber

95

therein. The second chamber

96

is disposed externally of the tubular members

941

. Each of the tubular members

941

has a closed upper end

9410

. The top cover

92

is mounted removably on the outer casing

91

so as to close the top opening

9120

. A spout

97

is connected to the surrounding wall

911

, which includes a water outlet

913

that permits fluid communication between the spout

97

and the second chamber

96

. Likewise, by virtue of the thermal superconductor material

90

in the first chamber

95

and by virtue of the configuration of the tubular members

941

that provide a relatively large heat transfer surface area, heat produced by a heat-generating source

93

that is disposed below the water kettle

9

can quickly distribute throughout the water inside the second chamber

96

.

FIG. 9

shows the fourth preferred embodiment of a water heater according to the invention. In this embodiment, the water heater is in the form of a water boiler

100

that includes an outer casing

110

, a heat-conducting unit

101

, a top cover

102

, and a heat-insulating member

106

. As in the third preferred embodiment, the outer casing

110

includes a bottom wall

1101

and a surrounding wall

1102

which cooperates with the bottom wall

1101

to confine a receiving space. The heat-conducting unit

101

is mounted inside the receiving space to configure the receiving space with first and second chambers

1013

,

1011

, and includes a plurality of interconnected upright tubular members

1012

. A heat-generating source

107

is disposed below the water boiler

100

to heat water in the second chamber

1011

. In this embodiment, the top cover

102

is mounted on the outer casing

110

, and the heat-insulating member

106

is mounted on each of the outer casing

110

and the top cover

102

. The top cover

102

is provided with a water inlet

103

that has a first end which extends through the heat-insulating member

106

on the top cover

102

and which is adapted to be coupled to a water source (not shown), and a second end which extends toward the bottom wall

1101

. The top cover

102

is further provided with a pressure relief valve

104

that extends through the heat-insulating member

106

on the top cover

102

. The surrounding wall

1102

is provided with a water outlet

105

which extends through the heat-insulating member

106

on the outer casing

110

to communicate fluidly with the second chamber

1011

. Similarly, this embodiment can achieve the same advantages as those of the previous embodiments.

While the present invention has been described in connection with what is considered the most practical and preferred embodiments, it is understood that this invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments but is intended to cover various arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and equivalent arrangements.