US 12,359,845 B1
Air funnel for a heat pump system of a water heater
Joshua Bultema, Grandville, MI (US); Benjamin De Jager, Ada, MI (US); and Michael Richards, Byron Center, MI (US)
Assigned to Bradford White Corporation, Ambler, PA (US)
Filed by BRADFORD WHITE CORPORATION, Ambler, PA (US)
Filed on Sep. 25, 2024, as Appl. No. 18/895,930.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/568,486, filed on Mar. 22, 2024.
Int. Cl. F24H 9/02 (2006.01); F24H 9/14 (2006.01)
CPC F24H 9/146 (2013.01) [F24H 9/02 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A water heating appliance comprising:
a heat exchanger that draws heat from process air, wherein the heat exchanger delivers the heat to a heat exchange media, the heat exchanger having a polygonal cross-section defining a first area;
a blower that delivers the process air through the heat exchanger; and
a funnel that directs the process air from the heat exchanger to the blower, wherein the funnel manages an air pressure of the process air to be consistent within the heat exchanger, and wherein the funnel regulates the air pressure of the process air to decrease evenly and consistently between a downstream surface of the heat exchanger and a port that directs the process air into the blower, wherein the funnel includes a plate that engages a blower housing of the blower.