Electric heating elements and water heaters including same

Abstract

A stamped bare wire metal heating element for heating fluid in a tankless electric fluid heating device may include a first electrically conductive portion extending linearly; a second electrically conductive portion extending linearly; and a third electrically conductive portion connecting the first electrically conductive portion to the second electrically conductive portion at a first end of the stamped bare wire metal heating element, wherein the stamped bare wire metal heating element is open between the first electrically conductive portion and the second electrically conductive portion at a second end of the stamped bare wire metal heating element.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A stamped bare wire metal heating element for heating fluid in a tankless electric fluid heating device, the stamped bare wire metal heating element comprising:
 a first electrically conductive portion extending linearly;   a second electrically conductive portion extending linearly; and   a third electrically conductive portion connecting the first electrically conductive portion to the second electrically conductive portion at a first end of the stamped bare wire metal heating element,   wherein the stamped bare wire metal heating element is open between the first electrically conductive portion and the second electrically conductive portion at a second end of the stamped bare wire metal heating element.   
     
     
         2 . The stamped bare wire metal heating element of  claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of first fins extending outwardly from the first electrically conductive portion and a plurality of second fins extending outwardly from the second electrically conductive portion. 
     
     
         3 . The stamped bare wire metal heating element of  claim 2 , wherein the plurality of the first fins and the plurality of the second fins are of a same size. 
     
     
         4 . The stamped bare wire metal heating element of  claim 2 , wherein a first fin of the plurality of the first fins is a different size than a second fin of the plurality of the first fins. 
     
     
         5 . The stamped bare wire metal heating element of  claim 2 , wherein the plurality of the first fins and the plurality of the second fins are of a same shape. 
     
     
         6 . The stamped bare wire metal heating element of  claim 2 , wherein a first fin of the plurality of the first fins is a different shape than a second fin of the plurality of the first fins. 
     
     
         7 . The stamped bare wire metal heating element of  claim 2 , further comprising first openings extending through the first electrically conductive portion and second openings extending through the second electrically conductive portion. 
     
     
         8 . The stamped bare wire metal heating element of  claim 1 , wherein the first electrically conductive portion and the second electrically conductive portion are parallel to one another. 
     
     
         9 . The stamped bare wire metal heating element of  claim 1 , wherein the third electrically conductive portion is curved. 
     
     
         10 . The stamped bare wire metal heating element of  claim 1 , wherein a thickness of the first electrically conductive portion is not uniform. 
     
     
         11 . The stamped bare wire metal heating element of  claim 1 , wherein the first electrically conductive portion, the second electrically conductive portion, and the third electrically conductive portion are flat. 
     
     
         12 . The stamped bare wire metal heating element of  claim 1 , wherein the first electrically conductive portion and the second electrically conductive portion are twisted. 
     
     
         13 . A tankless electric fluid heating device comprising:
 a heating chamber; and   a stamped bare wire metal heating element at least partially arranged within the heating chamber and configured to heat fluid within the heating chamber, the stamped bare wire metal heating element comprising:
 a first electrically conductive portion extending linearly; 
 a second electrically conductive portion extending linearly; and 
 a third electrically conductive portion connecting the first electrically conductive portion to the second electrically conductive portion at a first end of the stamped bare wire metal heating element, and 
 wherein the stamped bare wire metal heating element is open between the first electrically conductive portion and the second electrically conductive portion at a second end of the stamped bare wire metal heating element. 
   
     
     
         14 . The tankless electric fluid heating device of  claim 13 , further comprising a plurality of first fins extending outwardly from the first electrically conductive portion and a plurality of second fins extending outwardly from the second electrically conductive portion. 
     
     
         15 . The tankless electric fluid heating device of  claim 14 , further comprising first openings extending through the first electrically conductive portion and second openings extending through the second electrically conductive portion. 
     
     
         16 . The tankless electric fluid heating device of  claim 13 , wherein the first electrically conductive portion and the second electrically conductive portion are parallel to one another. 
     
     
         17 . The tankless electric fluid heating device of  claim 13 , wherein the third electrically conductive portion is curved. 
     
     
         18 . The tankless electric fluid heating device of  claim 13 , wherein the first electrically conductive portion, the second electrically conductive portion, and the third electrically conductive portion are flat. 
     
     
         19 . The tankless electric fluid heating device of  claim 13 , wherein the first electrically conductive portion and the second electrically conductive portion are twisted. 
     
     
         20 . A method of heating fluid in a tankless fluid heating device, the method comprising:
 arranging a stamped bare wire metal heating element within a heating chamber, the stamped bare metal wire heating element comprising:
 a first electrically conductive portion extending linearly; 
 a second electrically conductive portion extending linearly; 
 a third electrically conductive portion connecting the first electrically conductive portion to the second electrically conductive portion at a first end of the stamped bare wire metal heating element, and 
 wherein the stamped bare wire metal heating element is open between the first electrically conductive portion and the second electrically conductive portion at a second end of the stamped bare wire metal heating element; and 
   transmitting electricity to the stamped bare wire metal heating element.