US 11,988,466 B2
Water heater bypass valves and devices thereto
Amin Monfared, Oxnard, CA (US); Juan Garcia, Oxnard, CA (US); Juan Carlos Montanez, Oxnard, CA (US); Satya Kiran Gullapalli, Oxnard, CA (US); and Alexander Chow, Oxnard, CA (US)
Assigned to Rheem Manufacturing Company, Atlanta, GA (US)
Filed by Rheem Manufacturing Company, Atlanta, GA (US)
Filed on May 12, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/318,052.
Prior Publication US 2022/0364805 A1, Nov. 17, 2022
Int. Cl. F16K 17/04 (2006.01); F28F 27/02 (2006.01); F28D 1/053 (2006.01)
CPC F28F 27/02 (2013.01) [F16K 17/04 (2013.01); F16K 2200/30 (2021.08); F28D 1/05366 (2013.01); F28F 2250/06 (2013.01)] 17 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A bypass valve assembly for a fluid heating system, the bypass valve assembly comprising:
a partition configured to fluidly separate an inlet and an outlet of the fluid heating system;
a first bypass valve mounted to the partition and configured to transition between (i) a closed state in which a fluid is prevented from flowing through the first bypass valve and (ii) an open state in which the fluid is permitted to flow from the inlet to the outlet through the first bypass valve, the first bypass valve having a first spring configured to transition the first bypass valve from the closed state in response to experiencing a pressure that is greater than or equal to a first predetermined pressure; and
a second bypass valve mounted to the partition and configured to transition between (i) a closed state in which a fluid is prevented from flowing through the second bypass valve and (ii) an open state in which the fluid is permitted to flow from the inlet to the outlet through the second bypass valve, the second bypass valve having a second spring configured to transition the second bypass valve from the closed state in response to experiencing a pressure that is greater than or equal to a second predetermined pressure, the second predetermined pressure being greater than the first predetermined pressure,
wherein the first spring comprises a first spring rate and the second spring comprises a second spring rate, the second spring rate being greater than the first spring rate.