A.o. Smith Corporation

American Water Heater Company

J Eric Arnold

George W Kraus, Ii

Jeff L Lyons

Steven Lawrence Tilson

Roger D Veen

Roy L Smith

A gas-fired water heater including a water tank, a combustion chamber, a burner assembly disposed within the combustion chamber, a gas valve for controllably supplying gas to the burner assembly, a temperature sensor coupled to the combustion chamber, wherein the temperature sensor generating a signal related to the temperature of the combustion chamber, and a controller having an electronic processor and memory. The controller is configured to receive the signal at a first predetermined time and at a second predetermined time, calculate a change in temperature based on the signal received at the first predetermined time and the signal received at the second predetermined time, compare the change in temperature to a rate of change threshold to produce a first comparison, and shut the gas valve in response to the change in temperature being less than the rate of change threshold.

Gas-fired appliance and control algorithm for same

An igniter bracket for a gas control valve comprising a base member sized and shaped to be mounted adjacent at least a portion of a first surface of the gas control valve; an igniter holder extending from the base member in a direction away from the gas control valve and having an opening to receive an igniter; at least one positioning arm extending from the base member in a direction substantially opposite of the igniter holder and adapted to engage at least a portion of a second surface of the gas control valve or a body extending from a second surface; and at least one clamp member extending from the base member in a direction substantially opposite of the igniter holder and adapted to engage at least a portion of a third surface of the gas control valve or a body extending from the third surface.

Piezoelectric igniter mounting brackets

Growing community of inventors

Jonesborough, TN, United States of America

J Eric Arnold