Vent Attachment for Tankless Water Heater

Abstract

A vent attachment for a tankless water heater is provided. The vent attachment includes a first conduit and a second conduit. The first conduit includes a first exhaust pathway and a first air intake pathway. The first air intake pathway includes an adjustable portion having a first adjustable length and a first adjustment mechanism. The second conduit includes a second exhaust pathway and a second air intake pathway. The second air intake pathway slidably engages with the first air intake pathway. The second air intake pathway includes a projecting portion having a second adjustable length equal to or greater than the first adjustable length and a second adjustment mechanism. The first adjustment mechanism and the second adjustment mechanism slidably couple the second conduit with the first conduit for a desired length of the vent attachment.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A vent attachment for a tankless water heater, the vent attachment comprising:
 a first conduit configured to couple with the tankless water heater, the first conduit comprising:
 a first exhaust pathway configured to expel exhaust gas from the tankless water heater; and 
 a first air intake pathway coaxially disposed around the first exhaust pathway and configured to direct a flow of combustion air into the tankless water heater, the first air intake pathway comprising an adjustable portion having a first adjustable length; and 
   a second conduit configured to couple with the first conduit, the second conduit comprising:
 a second exhaust pathway configured to slidably engage in fluid-tight communication with the first exhaust pathway; and 
 a second air intake pathway coaxially disposed around the second exhaust pathway and configured to slidably engage with the first air intake pathway, the second air intake pathway comprising a projecting portion having a second adjustable length equal to or greater than the first adjustable length of the first conduit. 
   
     
     
         2 . The vent attachment of  claim 1  further comprising one or more gaskets disposed between the first exhaust pathway and the second exhaust pathway, the one or more gaskets being configured to prevent the exhaust gas from mixing with the combustion air flowing through the first air intake pathway. 
     
     
         3 . The vent attachment of  claim 1  further comprising a limiting member defined on an outer surface of the first air intake pathway at the first adjustable length from an attachment edge of the first conduit along a longitudinal axis thereof. 
     
     
         4 . The vent attachment of  claim 1 , wherein the first air intake pathway further comprises a first adjustment mechanism defined on the adjustable portion,
 wherein the second air intake pathway further comprises a second adjustment mechanism defined on the projecting portion, and   wherein the first adjustment mechanism of the first conduit and the second adjustment mechanism of the second conduit are together configured to slidably couple the second conduit with the first conduit for a desired length of the vent attachment.   
     
     
         5 . The vent attachment of  claim 4 , wherein each of the first adjustment mechanism and the second adjustment mechanism comprises threads configured to slidably engage the adjustable portion of the first conduit and the projecting portion of the second conduit. 
     
     
         6 . The vent attachment of  claim 4 , wherein the first adjustment mechanism comprises one or more projections defined in the adjustable portion of the first conduit. 
     
     
         7 . The vent attachment of  claim 6 , wherein the second adjustment mechanism comprises one or more grooves defined in the projecting portion of the second conduit. 
     
     
         8 . The vent attachment of  claim 7  further comprising a fastening member configured to couple the first conduit to the second conduit when a projection of the one or more projections aligns with a groove of the one or more grooves. 
     
     
         9 . The vent attachment of  claim 1 , wherein the first exhaust pathway has a first diameter and the adjustable portion of the first air intake pathway has a second diameter greater than the first diameter of the first exhaust pathway. 
     
     
         10 . The vent attachment of  claim 9 , wherein the second exhaust pathway has a third diameter smaller than the first diameter of the first exhaust pathway. 
     
     
         11 . The vent attachment of  claim 9 , wherein the projecting portion of the second air intake pathway has a third diameter that is less than the second diameter of the adjustable portion of the first air intake pathway. 
     
     
         12 . The vent attachment of  claim 9 , wherein the projecting portion of the second air intake pathway has a third diameter that is greater than the second diameter of the adjustable portion of the first air intake pathway. 
     
     
         13 . A vent attachment for a tankless water heater, the vent attachment comprising:
 a first conduit having a first end configured to couple with the tankless water heater, the first conduit comprising:
 a first exhaust pathway having a first diameter configured to expel exhaust gas from the tankless water heater; and 
 a first air intake pathway having a second diameter greater than the first diameter of the first exhaust pathway, wherein the first air intake pathway is coaxially disposed around the first exhaust pathway and configured to allow flow of combustion air into the tankless water heater, the first air intake pathway comprising:
 an adjustable portion having a first adjustable length defined from an edge of a second end of the first conduit along a longitudinal axis thereof; and 
 a first adjustment mechanism defined on the adjustable portion; and 
 
   a second conduit having a first end configured to couple with the first conduit, the second conduit comprising:
 a second exhaust pathway having a third diameter smaller than the first diameter of the first exhaust pathway, and configured to slidably engage in fluid-tight communication with the first exhaust pathway; and 
 a second air intake pathway coaxially disposed around the second exhaust pathway and configured to slidably engage with the first air intake pathway, the second air intake pathway comprising:
 a projecting portion having a fourth diameter greater than the second diameter of the first air intake pathway and a second adjustable length equal to or greater than the first adjustable length of the first conduit; and 
 a second adjustment mechanism defined on the projecting portion, 
 
 wherein the first adjustment mechanism of the first conduit and the second adjustment mechanism of the second conduit are together configured to slidably couple the second conduit with the first conduit for a desired length of the vent attachment. 
   
     
     
         14 . The vent attachment of  claim 13  further comprising one or more gaskets disposed between the first exhaust pathway and the second exhaust pathway, and configured to prevent the exhaust gas from mixing with the combustion air flowing through the first air intake pathway. 
     
     
         15 . The vent attachment of  claim 13  further comprising a limiting member defined on an outer surface of the first air intake pathway at the first adjustable length from the edge of the second end of the first conduit. 
     
     
         16 . The vent attachment of  claim 13 , wherein each of the first adjustment mechanism and the second adjustment mechanism comprises threads configured to slidably engage the adjustable portion of the first conduit and the projecting portion of the second conduit. 
     
     
         17 . The vent attachment of  claim 13 , wherein the first adjustment mechanism comprises one or more projections defined in the adjustable portion of the first conduit. 
     
     
         18 . The vent attachment of  claim 17 , wherein the second adjustment mechanism comprises one or more grooves defined in the projecting portion of the second conduit. 
     
     
         19 . The vent attachment of  claim 18  further comprising a fastening member configured to couple the first conduit to the second conduit when a projection of the one or more projections aligns with a groove of the one or more grooves. 
     
     
         20 . A vent attachment kit for a tankless water heater, the vent attachment kit comprising:
 a first conduit having a first exhaust pathway and a first air intake pathway coaxially disposed around the first exhaust pathway, the first conduit configured to couple with the tankless water heater;   a second conduit having a second exhaust pathway and a second air intake pathway coaxially disposed around the second exhaust pathway, the second conduit configured to discharge exhaust gas to atmosphere and receive combustion air from the atmosphere; and   an adjustable vent attachment configured to fluid tightly couple with the first conduit and the second conduit, the adjustable vent attachment comprising:
 an inner conduit configured to fluid tightly engage with the first exhaust pathway of the first conduit and the second exhaust pathway of the second conduit; 
 a first outer conduit coaxially disposed around the inner conduit and configured to fluid tightly couple with the first air intake pathway of the first conduit, the first outer conduit comprising an adjustable portion having a first adjustable length and a first adjustment mechanism defined on the adjustable portion; and 
 a second outer conduit coaxially and slidably disposed around the first outer conduit and configured to couple with the second air intake pathway of the second conduit, the second outer conduit comprising a projecting portion having a second adjustable length equal to or greater than the first adjustable length and a second adjustment mechanism defined on the projecting portion, 
   wherein the first adjustment mechanism of the first outer conduit and the second adjustment mechanism of the second outer conduit are together configured to slidably couple the second conduit and the first conduit for a desired length of the adjustable vent attachment.