Patent ID: 6917756

Claim:
Liquid heating apparatus comprising: a vessel for holding a liquid to be heated; a heating system for heating the liquid in the vessel; a jacket wall outwardly circumscribing said vessel and defining therewith an insulation space between said vessel and said jacket wall, said jacket wall having an opening therein; and an insulation dam structure including a hollow body portion having opposite open outer and inner sides spaced apart along an axis circumscribed by said body portion, a first sealing portion laterally projecting outwardly from said open outer side, a second sealing portion on said open inner side of said body portion, and a force exerting portion disposed axially inwardly of said first sealing portion, said insulation dam structure axially extending through said jacket wall opening with said first sealing portion overlying an outer side portion of said jacket wall extending peripherally around said jacket wall opening, said second sealing portion overlying an outer surface portion of said vessel, and said force exerting portion holding said first sealing portion in an axially outwardly deformed sealing engagement with said outer side portion of said jacket wall.