Patents by Inventor Gary Flatness

Gary Flatness has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20230101175
    Abstract: A heat trap apparatus for a water heater is provided. The heat trap apparatus includes a tubular body, a liner disposed within the tubular body, and a heat trap baffle assembly having a tubular housing coaxially disposed within the liner. The liner includes a projection to engage with an inner surface of the tubular body at a first end using an interference fit. The tubular housing includes a first diametric portion to engage with the inner surface of the tubular body at a second end using an interference fit, a second diametric portion extending from the first diametric portion and to engage with an inner surface of the liner using an interference fit, and a third diametric portion extending from the second diametric portion and to movably support one or more heat trap inserts to inhibit convective fluid flow therethrough.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 29, 2021
    Publication date: March 30, 2023
    Inventors: Gary Flatness, William White, Jason Hall
  • Patent number: 10036570
    Abstract: A baffle arrangement disposed within the exhaust flue of a fuel-burning water heater promotes heat transfer from exhausted combustion by-products to the water storage chamber. The baffle arrangement has an elongate planar base and plural exhaust-directing fins spaced along opposite sides of the base. Each fin is a planar body extending perpendicularly from the base at an acute upward angle from a longitudinal centerline to a respective side of the base. The fins deflect combustion by-products laterally outwardly within the flue to promote heat transfer. The fins are of selected configurations generally increasing in surface area upwardly along the planar base for selectively controlling pressure drop within the exhaust flue. Hanger tabs project outwardly from the upper end of the base to suspend the baffle arrangement within the flue. The planar base, hanger tabs and exhaust-directing fins are formed integrally from a unitary body of sheet metal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2018
    Assignee: RHEEM MANUFACTURING COMPANY
    Inventors: Qian Zhang, Jiang Yin, Gary Flatness, David Gibbons
  • Publication number: 20160201944
    Abstract: A baffle arrangement disposed within the exhaust flue of a fuel-burning water heater promotes heat transfer from exhausted combustion by-products to the water storage chamber. The baffle arrangement has an elongate planar base and plural exhaust-directing fins spaced along opposite sides of the base. Each fin is a planar body extending perpendicularly from the base at an acute upward angle from a longitudinal centerline to a respective side of the base. The fins deflect combustion by-products laterally outwardly within the flue to promote heat transfer. The fins are of selected configurations generally increasing in surface area upwardly along the planar base for selectively controlling pressure drop within the exhaust flue. Hanger tabs project outwardly from the upper end of the base to suspend the baffle arrangement within the flue. The planar base, hanger tabs and exhaust-directing fins are formed integrally from a unitary body of sheet metal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 14, 2015
    Publication date: July 14, 2016
    Inventors: Qian Zhang, Jiang Yin, Gary Flatness, David Gibbons