The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jan. 12, 1988
Filed:
Oct. 11, 1985
Danny McCall, Hickory, NC (US);
Exemplar, Inc., Hickory, NC (US);
Abstract
A control arrangement for a water heater system that includes a water heater having a heating element, an alternate heat source which is preferably a solar collector panel, and a heat exchange and storage unit containing a phase change material therein for storing heat energy from the alternate heat source and for transmitting the stored heat to the water in the water heater when available and when needed. The control arrangement includes means for programming the system to operate in one or more of several different operating modes, including a mode in which the heating element is deenergized at all times, a mode in which priority is given to using stored energy rather than heating element energy, a mode in which both the stored energy and the heating element are utilized simultaneously, and a mode in which the heating element is deenergized during predetermined time periods. The control may also be programmed to select which modes are used during selected time periods of each day of the week.