Patents by Inventor Raheel Chaudhry

Raheel Chaudhry 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
  • Publication number: 20220341600
    Abstract: The disclosed technology includes systems and methods for operating a fluid heating device comprising a heat pump and an electric heating element. The disclosed technology can include a system and method that can receive current data from a current sensor and temperature data from a temperature sensor, determine whether the current is greater than or equal to a threshold current and whether the temperature is greater than or equal to a threshold temperature, and output a control signal to heat the fluid using the heat pump only or the electric heating element only based on the current data and the temperature data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 13, 2022
    Publication date: October 27, 2022
    Inventors: David I. Vega, Raheel A. Chaudhry, Troy E. Trant, Piyush Porwal
  • Patent number: 11460220
    Abstract: A water heater has one or more heating elements and an internal wall that causes an increased rate of heating within a sub-volume within the water heater tank. Water from the sub-volume is directed to the tank outlet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2022
    Assignee: Rheem Manufacturing Company
    Inventors: Jozef Boros, Arthur Y. Hinton, Raheel A. Chaudhry, Gary A. Elder
  • Publication number: 20220260281
    Abstract: A water heater monitoring and notification method includes determining, by a controller of a water heater system, a deviation of a duration of a pre-purge operation from a pre-purge duration average value. The method further includes determining, by the controller of the water heater system, a deviation of a flame current from a flame current average value and determining, by the controller of the water heater system, a deviation of a pulse-width-modulation (PWM) parameter from a PWM parameter average value. The method also includes providing a notification related to a combustion system of the water heater system based on at least the deviation of the duration of the pre-purge operation from the pre-purge duration average value, the deviation of the flame current from the flame current average value, and the deviation of the PWM parameter from the PWM parameter average value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 5, 2022
    Publication date: August 18, 2022
    Inventors: Raheel A. Chaudhry, Michael C. Mitchell
  • Patent number: 11415327
    Abstract: The disclosed technology includes systems and methods for operating a fluid heating device comprising a heat pump and an electric heating element. The disclosed technology can include a system and method that can receive current data from a current sensor and temperature data from a temperature sensor, determine whether the current is greater than or equal to a threshold current and whether the temperature is greater than or equal to a threshold temperature, and output a control signal to heat the fluid using the heat pump only or the electric heating element only based on the current data and the temperature data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2022
    Assignee: Rheem Manufacturing Company
    Inventors: David I. Vega, Raheel A. Chaudhry, Troy E. Trant, Piyush Porwal
  • 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
  • Patent number: 11408616
    Abstract: A water heating system can include a water heater having a tank, an inlet line, and an outlet line, where the inlet line provides unheated water to the tank, and where the outlet line draws heated water from the tank. The water heating system can also include multiple sensing devices, where each sensing device of the plurality of sensing devices measures a parameter associated with the tank. The water heating system can further include a controller communicably coupled to the plurality of sensing devices, where the controller determines an amount of heated water in the tank based on measurements made by the plurality of sensing devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2022
    Assignee: Rheem Manufacturing Company
    Inventors: Raheel A. Chaudhry, Lydia Herge
  • Publication number: 20220214077
    Abstract: An integrated valve and flow sensor for a water heater can have a valve body that includes a valve and a flow sensor for measuring the flow of water through the valve. The integrated valve and flow sensor can be disposed within a fitting that can be attached to a water heater. An actuator for opening and closing the valve can be attached to the fitting. A diffuser can also be attached to the fitting.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 28, 2022
    Publication date: July 7, 2022
    Inventors: Timothy D. Scott, Michael C. Mitchell, Raheel A. Chaudhry, William T. McLemore, Hector J. Donastorg
  • Publication number: 20220178555
    Abstract: A water heater system includes a water heater having a first water outlet and a second water outlet. The water heater system further includes a flow detection device coupled to the first water outlet to detect a water flow through the first water outlet. The water heater system also includes a flow control valve fluidly coupled to the second water outlet. The flow control valve is configured to control a flow of water through the second water outlet based on whether the water flow through the first water outlet is detected by the flow detection device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 28, 2022
    Publication date: June 9, 2022
    Inventors: Raheel A. Chaudhry, Michael C. Mitchell
  • Publication number: 20220163221
    Abstract: The disclosed technology includes systems and methods for operating a fluid heating device comprising a heat pump and an electric heating element. The disclosed technology can include a system and method that can receive current data from a current sensor and temperature data from a temperature sensor, determine whether the current is greater than or equal to a threshold current and whether the temperature is greater than or equal to a threshold temperature, and output a control signal to heat the fluid using the heat pump only or the electric heating element only based on the current data and the temperature data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 25, 2020
    Publication date: May 26, 2022
    Inventors: David I. Vega, Raheel A. Chaudhry, Troy E. Trant, Piyush Porwal
  • Patent number: 11287160
    Abstract: An integrated valve and flow sensor for a water heater can have a valve body that includes a valve and a flow sensor for measuring the flow of water through the valve. The integrated valve and flow sensor can be disposed within a fitting that can be attached to a water heater. An actuator for opening and closing the valve can be attached to the fitting. A diffuser can also be attached to the fitting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2022
    Assignee: Rheem Manufacturing Company
    Inventors: Timothy D. Scott, Michael C. Mitchell, Raheel A. Chaudhry, William T. McLemore, Hector J. Donastorg
  • Publication number: 20220064916
    Abstract: The disclosed technology includes a valve assembly having a valve, an actuating system, and a trigger. The trigger can be in mechanical communication with the actuating system and the actuating system can be in mechanical communication with the valve. The trigger can be positioned such that the trigger can interact with liquid resulting from a leak in a plumbing system, and upon interaction with liquid, the trigger can release the actuating system such that the actuating system can cause the valve to transition from an open position to a closed position. In the closed position, the valve can restrict the passage of liquid through the plumbing system such that the leak can be mitigated or stopped.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 1, 2020
    Publication date: March 3, 2022
    Inventors: Raheel A. Chaudhry, Michael C. Mitchell, Michael C. Ezell, Troy Trant
  • Patent number: 11262084
    Abstract: A water heater system includes a water heater having a first water outlet and a second water outlet. The water heater system further includes a flow detection device coupled to the first water outlet to detect a water flow through the first water outlet. The water heater system also includes a flow control valve fluidly coupled to the second water outlet. The flow control valve is configured to control a flow of water through the second water outlet based on whether the water flow through the first water outlet is detected by the flow detection device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2022
    Assignee: Rheem Manufacturing Company
    Inventors: Raheel A. Chaudhry, Michael C. Mitchell
  • Publication number: 20220057126
    Abstract: A method of operating a water heater is disclosed. The method includes obtaining a first input corresponding to ambient temperature and a second input corresponding to evaporator temperature. The method includes determining the ambient temperature from the first input and the evaporator temperature from the second input, followed by determining whether the ambient temperature is less than a first threshold temperature. The method includes determining whether the evaporator temperature is less than a second threshold temperature when the ambient temperature is less than the first threshold temperature, where the second threshold temperature is less than the first threshold temperature. The method also includes actuating a heating element coupled to one or more tubes of the evaporator to heat refrigerant present in the one or more tubes, when the evaporator temperature is less than the second threshold temperature.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 20, 2020
    Publication date: February 24, 2022
    Inventors: Piyush Porwal, Raheel Chaudhry
  • Publication number: 20210396428
    Abstract: Systems and methods for integrating photovoltaic (PV) energy into water heater systems are disclosed. The disclosed technology includes determining whether a current water temperature is less than a first PV heat point that is greater than a normal heat point, and if so, outputting instructions for PV energy to be transferred from a PV system to a heating device of the water heater. If the current water temperature falls below a second PV heat point that is less than the normal heat point, the disclosed technology includes outputting instructions for energy to be transferred from a utility system to the heating device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 23, 2020
    Publication date: December 23, 2021
    Inventors: Raheel A. Chaudhry, James Michael Reagin
  • Publication number: 20210325087
    Abstract: The disclosed technology includes a system and method of preventing short cycling in a water heater. The system can include a burner, a temperature sensor, and a controller. The controller can be configured to perform several steps to determine whether to turn on a burner and whether to increment a temperature offset value based on the amount of time that has elapsed since the last time the burner was on.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 15, 2020
    Publication date: October 21, 2021
    Inventor: Raheel A. Chaudhry
  • Publication number: 20210095866
    Abstract: A heated water recirculation system includes a water heater having a water inlet and a water outlet. The heated water recirculation system further includes a flow detector positioned to detect inflow water flowing into the water heater through the water inlet. The heated water recirculation system also includes a controller configured to control operations of a recirculation pump based on a detection of the inflow water flowing into the water heater through the water inlet. The water heater is configured to provide heated water through the water outlet, and the recirculation pump is configured to circulate the heated water through the heated water recirculation system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2019
    Publication date: April 1, 2021
    Inventors: Raheel A. Chaudhry, David I. Vega Fernandez, William T. McLemore
  • Publication number: 20210063052
    Abstract: The metal tank portion of an electric water heater is protected against corrosion utilizing a corrosion protection system that detects a voltage potential between the sheath portion of a tank water-immersed electric heating element and the tank. In one embodiment of the corrosion protection system the sensed sheath/tank potential is utilized to enable a user of the water heater to accurately gauge the necessity of replacing a sacrificial anode extending into the tank. In another corrosion protection system, the sensed sheath/tank potential is utilized to provide impressed current cathodic protection of the tank and also to prevent dry firing of the electric water heater.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 17, 2020
    Publication date: March 4, 2021
    Inventors: Jozef Boros, Raheel A. Chaudhry, Yan Hong, Troy E. Trant
  • Publication number: 20210055004
    Abstract: A fluid heating device includes a housing defining an inner volume. A combustion chamber configured to produce heat via combustion such that heat produced by the combustion chamber is transferred to a fluid in the inner volume, and a flue is in fluid communication with the combustion chamber and in thermal communication with the inner volume. An electrical heating device is configured to provide heat to the fluid in the inner volume, and a thermoelectric generator is in electrical communication with the electrical heating device. The thermoelectric generator is connected to the flue such that a heat difference between the inner volume of the housing and the interior portion of the flue enables the thermoelectric generator to generate electricity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 9, 2020
    Publication date: February 25, 2021
    Inventors: Hafez R. Fard, Raheel A. Chaudhry
  • Publication number: 20210033287
    Abstract: A water heater system includes a water heater having a first water outlet and a second water outlet. The water heater system further includes a flow detection device coupled to the first water outlet to detect a water flow through the first water outlet. The water heater system also includes a flow control valve fluidly coupled to the second water outlet. The flow control valve is configured to control a flow of water through the second water outlet based on whether the water flow through the first water outlet is detected by the flow detection device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 31, 2019
    Publication date: February 4, 2021
    Inventors: Raheel A. Chaudhry, Michael C. Mitchell