Patents by Inventor Gregory M. Welk

Gregory M. Welk 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: 20220349621
    Abstract: A water heater includes a leak detection system. The leak detection system includes a leak sensor assembly that is disposed in a bottom pan of the water heater. The leak sensor assembly includes a sensor housing that has a sensor channel that is formed therein such that the sensor channel is disposed at an elevation from a base of the bottom pan when the sensor housing is disposed on the base of the bottom pan. Further, the leak sensor assembly includes a leak sensor that is disposed in the sensor channel of the sensor housing. The leak sensor detects water that leaks from the water heater and accumulates in the bottom pan when a level of the water in the bottom pan rises to the elevation of the sensor channel and the leak sensor that is disposed therein.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 15, 2022
    Publication date: November 3, 2022
    Inventors: Joseph D. Gardner, Jozef Boros, Timothy D. Scott, William J. Hall, Raheel A. Chaudhry, Gregory M. Welk
  • Patent number: 11408642
    Abstract: A water heater includes a leak detection system. The leak detection system includes a leak sensor assembly that is disposed in a bottom pan of the water heater. The leak sensor assembly includes a sensor housing that has a sensor channel that is formed therein such that the sensor channel is disposed at an elevation from a base of the bottom pan when the sensor housing is disposed on the base of the bottom pan. Further, the leak sensor assembly includes a leak sensor that is disposed in the sensor channel of the sensor housing. The leak sensor detects water that leaks from the water heater and accumulates in the bottom pan when a level of the water in the bottom pan rises to the elevation of the sensor channel and the leak sensor that is disposed therein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2022
    Assignee: Rheem Manufacturing Company
    Inventors: Joseph D. Gardner, Jozef Boros, Timothy D. Scott, William J. Hall, Raheel A. Chaudhry, Gregory M. Welk
  • Publication number: 20200116392
    Abstract: A water heater includes a leak detection system. The leak detection system includes a leak sensor assembly that is disposed in a bottom pan of the water heater. The leak sensor assembly includes a sensor housing that has a sensor channel that is formed therein such that the sensor channel is disposed at an elevation from a base of the bottom pan when the sensor housing is disposed on the base of the bottom pan. Further, the leak sensor assembly includes a leak sensor that is disposed in the sensor channel of the sensor housing. The leak sensor detects water that leaks from the water heater and accumulates in the bottom pan when a level of the water in the bottom pan rises to the elevation of the sensor channel and the leak sensor that is disposed therein.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 13, 2019
    Publication date: April 16, 2020
    Inventors: Joseph D. Gardner, Jozef Boros, Timothy D. Scott, William J. Hall, Raheel A. Chaudhry, Gregory M. Welk
  • Patent number: 10480824
    Abstract: A water heater includes a leak detection system. The leak detection system includes a leak sensor assembly that is disposed in a bottom pan of the water heater. The leak sensor assembly includes a sensor housing that has a sensor channel that is formed therein such that the sensor channel is disposed at an elevation from a base of the bottom pan when the sensor housing is disposed on the base of the bottom pan. Further, the leak sensor assembly includes a leak sensor that is disposed in the sensor channel of the sensor housing. The leak sensor detects water that leaks from the water heater and accumulates in the bottom pan when a level of the water in the bottom pan rises to the elevation of the sensor channel and the leak sensor that is disposed therein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignee: Rheem Manufacturing Company
    Inventors: Joseph D. Gardner, Jozef Boros, Timothy D. Scott, William J. Hall, Raheel A. Chaudhry, Gregory M. Welk
  • Publication number: 20190145661
    Abstract: A water heater includes a leak detection system. The leak detection system includes a leak sensor assembly that is disposed in a bottom pan of the water heater. The leak sensor assembly includes a sensor housing that has a sensor channel that is formed therein such that the sensor channel is disposed at an elevation from a base of the bottom pan when the sensor housing is disposed on the base of the bottom pan. Further, the leak sensor assembly includes a leak sensor that is disposed in the sensor channel of the sensor housing. The leak sensor detects water that leaks from the water heater and accumulates in the bottom pan when a level of the water in the bottom pan rises to the elevation of the sensor channel and the leak sensor that is disposed therein.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 13, 2017
    Publication date: May 16, 2019
    Inventors: Joseph D. Gardner, Jozef Boros, Timothy D. Scott, William J. Hall, Raheel A. Chaudhry, Gregory M. Welk
  • Patent number: 7415943
    Abstract: A fuel-fired water heater has a single pass condensing-type heat exchanger disposed within its water storage tank portion. The heat exchanger includes a primary non-condensing portion defined by a combustion chamber positioned in an upper interior portion of the tank and having a spaced series of vertical tubes depending therefrom. A secondary condensing portion of the heat exchanger is defined by a plenum having a top side connected to the bottom ends of the vertical tubes, and a bottom side from which a downwardly coiled flue tube depends. A fuel burner generates hot combustion gases that are sequentially flowed into the combustion chamber and then downwardly through the balance of the heat exchanger in a single pass.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2008
    Assignee: Rheem Manufacturing Company
    Inventors: Ozzie Missoum, Gregory M. Welk, Jeffrey M. Haney, Phillip W. Stephens, Qian Zhang
  • Patent number: 7290503
    Abstract: A fuel-fired water heater has a three-pass condensing type heat exchanger disposed within its tank and having a central vertical first pass flue pipe separated into upper and lower portions by an internal dividing structure. Respectively coupled to the upper and lower first pass flue pipe portions are circumferentially spaced series of vertical second and third pass flue pipes which circumscribe the central flue pipe within the tank. During firing of the water heater, combustion gases from a power burner are sequentially forced downwardly through the upper portion of the first pass flue pipe, upwardly through the second pass flue pipes to an upper plenum external to the tank, and then downwardly through the third pass flue pipes and the lower central pipe portion into a bottom plenum external to the tank for discharge from the water heater.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2007
    Assignee: Rheem Manufacturing Company
    Inventors: Ozzie Missoum, Gregory M. Welk, Qian Zhang
  • Patent number: 7258080
    Abstract: A fuel-fired commercial water heater has upper and lower communicated tank portions which are separated by a plenum forming a vertically intermediate portion of a dual pass condensing type heat exchanger. A lower portion of the heat exchanger is defined by a series of vertical flue tubes extending through the lower tank and intercommunicating the plenum with a combustion chamber disposed beneath the lower tank and having a fuel burner with a discharge portion communicated therewith. An upper portion of the heat exchanger is defined by a vertical flue pipe, disposed in the upper tank, that extends upwardly from the plenum and then coils downwardly around itself and horizontally exits the upper tank. During firing of water heater the burner flows flue gases sequentially through the lower tank flue tubes, the plenum, and the upper tank coiled flue pipe structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2007
    Assignee: Rheem Manufacturing Company
    Inventors: Ozzie Missoum, Gregory M. Welk, Phillip W. Stephens, Qian Zhang, Jeffrey M. Haney
  • Patent number: 6244223
    Abstract: A power burner type gas-fired water heater has a fuel supply manifold which is mounted within a sealed plenum box and supplied with gas from a valve externally mounted on the plenum box and coupled to the manifold via a flex hose disposed within the plenum box and removably connected to the gas valve. By simply removing an access wall portion of the plenum box, uncoupling the flex hose from the gas valve and disconnecting the manifold from associated support structure within the plenum box, the manifold may be removed from the plenum box for replacement of the fuel supply orifices carried by the manifold. This facilitates the field modification of the water heater's input rate and/or fuel type.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2001
    Assignee: Rheem Manufacturing Company
    Inventor: Gregory M. Welk