The subject of this patent application relates generally to brackets, and more particularly to wall mount brackets configured for selectively mounting one or more water heater expansion tanks.
The following description includes information that may be useful in understanding the present invention. It is not an admission that any of the information provided herein is prior art or relevant to the presently claimed invention, or that any publication specifically or implicitly referenced is prior art.
Applicant(s) hereby incorporate herein by reference any and all patents and published patent applications cited or referred to in this application, to the same extent as if each individual publication or patent application were specifically and individually indicated to be incorporated by reference. Where a definition or use of a term in an incorporated reference is inconsistent or contrary to the definition of that term provided herein, the definition of that term provided herein applies and the definition of that term in the reference does not apply.
By way of background, residential or commercial water systems that include heated water and thus a water heater may experience thermal expansion during the heating process that can put stress on or cause damage to the plumbing components, particularly in the typical tank-style water heater context versus more recent on-demand, tankless water heater equipment. In an “open” plumbing system, thermally expanding (i.e., heated) water can push or flow back into the source water supply pipe and thus not necessarily adversely affect the downstream plumbing equipment. But often a building may have a “closed” plumbing system equipped with a one-way valve (e.g., backflow valve, check valve or pressure-reducing valve) configured to prevent heated or expanding water from backing into the supply pipe. Thus, in such a “closed” system, the increased water pressure due to thermal expansion would have nowhere to go and so could cause damage to the water heater and other plumbing equipment and potentially a safety risk as well. As such, most jurisdictions (e.g., plumbing codes) require that “closed” plumbing systems be further equipped with an expansion tank to capture or allow for the expansion of such heated water effectively without adverse consequences.
An expansion tank, sometimes referred to as a water heater expansion tank or thermal expansion tank, serves as an overflow container for excess water volume resulting from operation of the water heater or even from fluctuations in the incoming water supply pressure. Since water expands when it is heated due to thermal expansion, operation of the water heater creates extra water volume; for example, it is estimated that tap water in a standard 50-gallon water heater expands to 52 gallons when heated to 120° F. This extra water volume can again create excess pressure in the plumbing system, and if the increased pressure is sufficient and not released, over time it could cause damage to the water heater and the downstream plumbing system such as fixtures and the water pipes and connections themselves.
Accordingly, a variety of water heater expansion tanks have been developed over the years to suit various contexts, but such are generally cylindrical tanks formed of steel or the like, sized for the application. For example, a standard “small” expansion tank to suit most residential 40- or 50-gallon water heaters may be nominally rated as a 2-gallon expansion tank, which is normally sufficient in such contexts, taking the above 2-gallon volumetric expansion example as typical. Other expansion tank sizes are the “medium” that is rated as a nominal 4-gallon tank and the “large” rated as a nominal 8-gallon tank. Of course, a variety of other expansion tank sizes and configurations are possible, the foregoing being merely illustrative.
Expansion tanks are normally installed above the water heater in a substantially vertical or upright orientation, with the connection point oriented downwardly, though they may be installed in other orientations or at other angles as well. The expansion tank is typically connected to the cold water line before it enters the water heater. The most common connection is a threaded ¾ inch connection, the male connector being on the expansion tank for threadable receipt into a ¾ female “T” connector or the like installed in the water line at the desired location. Again, the foregoing is merely illustrative, as such plumbing connections can take a variety of other forms now known or later developed.
A challenge in installing such expansion tanks beyond the plumbing aspects and related connections is physically supporting or securing the expansion tank in the desired location relative to the plumbing pipes and fixtures and the water heater, with such installation needing to adequately and safely support the weight of the tank itself and any water in it (i.e., the weight of the tank empty or full). Obviously, if such mount should fail and the expansion tank shift or fall, the tank, any surrounding pipes it is connected to or otherwise, the water heater, the building structure, and/or other items or persons in the vicinity could be harmed. It is therefore desirable that the expansion tank mount be relatively easy to install, inexpensive, and functionally effective. Yet for many years such an expansion tank mount simply did not exist, and the plumbing contractor or installer or property owner was left having to field-fabricate some kind of mounting device to hang or anchor the tank, which it will be appreciated is less ideal for a number of reasons. More recently, expansion tank mounting brackets have been proposed, but each is lacking in one or more respects.
U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2016/0047571 to Jones et al. published on Feb. 18, 2016 is entitled “Support Stand for Expansion Tank” and discloses such a support stand for an expansion tank that is mounted directly atop a hot water heater system.
In U.S. Pat. No. 9,605,798 granted on Mar. 28, 2017 to Brown et al. and assigned to Securus, Inc. and entitled “Bracket for Mounting Expansion Tanks and Other Plumbing Devices to a Building Surface,” there is disclosed a system wherein an expansion tank is fastened to a support using a bracket with a U-shaped cross-section formed by a back and two sidewalls. The edges of the sidewalls each have a notch mating with a weld bead on the tank. Fasteners hold the back of the bracket to the support. First and second hose clamps pass through the sidewalls by the back to encircle the tank and clamp it to the edges of the sidewall when the hose clamps are tightened.
U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2017/0276405 to Bober published on Sep. 28, 2017 is entitled “Apparatus for Supporting Expansion Tank” and discloses an apparatus for supporting a thermal or hydronic expansion tank relative to a hot water heater that comprises a rigid bracket adapted to be secured to the tank and to the hot water heater. The bracket provides support for the tank adjacent to the pipe nipple. Means are provided for interconnecting the tank and the bracket for securing the tank to the bracket. In one aspect, the bracket comprises a base and an end wall at each end of the base. The end walls are adapted for engaging and supporting the tank, wherein one of the end walls engages the tank adjacent the pipe nipple and the other of the end walls engages the tank past the midpoint of the length of the tank from the base.
What has been needed and heretofore unavailable is a more easy-to-use, cost-effective, and versatile or universal expansion tank wall mount bracket. Aspects of the present invention fulfill these needs and provide further related advantages as described in the following summary.