An integrated wall-hung heat pump water heater

Abstract

The application discloses a whole wall-mounted heat pump water heater, which comprises a water tank shell, a water tank inner container arranged in the water tank shell, a heat pump host and a condenser coil pipe, the heat pump host is fixedly supported on a host hanging rack, and the host hanging rack is fixedly connected with the water tank shell. The whole wall-mounted heat pump water heater can solve the technical problem of occupying ground space by integrally hanging the water tank part and the heat pump host part on a wall.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of water heater technology, and more specifically, to an integrated wall-mounted heat pump water heater. Background Technology

[0002] Traditional heat pump water heaters produce hot water and offer numerous advantages such as safety, energy efficiency, and low carbon emissions. In today's energy-scarce and heavily polluted society, they have been widely adopted. To achieve miniaturization and compact design for widespread adoption, the condenser in a heat pump system often combines a heat exchanger and a water tank, forming the water tank condenser, also known as the heat pump water heater tank. Specifically, the heat exchanger is typically placed inside the inner tank or wrapped around its outer wall, exchanging heat with the water during operation to heat it. When the water tank and the main unit (containing the compressor and other components) are separate, the heat pump water heater is called a split-type heat pump water heater. In this type of installation, the water tank and main unit are placed separately and connected by two connecting pipes. Currently, this type of water heater typically has both the water tank and main unit floor-standing, or the water tank is wall-mounted while the main unit is floor-standing. Regardless of the design, it occupies floor space, making it impractical for small apartments. Summary of the Invention

[0003] In order to solve the technical problem of large space occupation of existing heat pump water heaters, the present invention proposes an integrated wall-mounted heat pump water heater, which can solve the above-mentioned problem.

[0004] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, the present invention adopts the following technical solution:

[0005] An integrated wall-mounted heat pump water heater includes a water tank shell, a water tank inner liner disposed inside the water tank shell, a heat pump main unit, and a condenser coil. The heat pump main unit is fixedly supported on a main unit bracket, and the main unit bracket is fixedly connected to the water tank shell.

[0006] Furthermore, the back of the water tank casing has a mounting structure for fixing it to a wall.

[0007] Furthermore, the main unit bracket is fixed to the bottom, top, or one side of the water tank casing.

[0008] Furthermore, the main unit bracket includes at least two connecting arms and a tray, the tray being supported by the connecting arms, and the other end of the connecting arms being fixed to the water tank shell.

[0009] Furthermore, the connecting arm includes a first connecting arm and a second connecting arm. The first connecting arm is L-shaped. The vertical end of the first connecting arm is fixed to the bottom of the water tank shell. The horizontal end of the first connecting arm is fixed to the lower end of the second connecting arm. The upper end of the second connecting arm is fixed to the back of the water tank shell. The support plate is disposed on the upper part of the horizontal side of the first connecting arm and is supported by the horizontal side of the first connecting arm.

[0010] Furthermore, the lower end of the second connecting arm is provided with a locking hole perpendicular to its length direction, and the transverse end of the first connecting arm has a locking claw that cooperates with the locking hole, and the locking claw can be detachably inserted into the locking hole.

[0011] Furthermore, the bottom of the water tank shell has a bottom fixing seat, and the vertical end of the first connecting arm is fixedly connected to the bottom fixing seat through a connector.

[0012] Furthermore, the connector is a horizontally placed U-shaped connector, and a first mounting hole is opened on the upper horizontal side of the connector. The fixing member passes through the first mounting hole to fix the connector to the bottom fixing seat. The vertical end of the first connecting arm has an inwardly folded flange, which is inserted from the U-shaped opening of the connector between its two horizontal sides.

[0013] Furthermore, a second mounting hole is provided on the lower horizontal edge of the connector, and a third mounting hole is provided on the inner flange that mates with the second mounting hole. The fastener passes through the second mounting hole and the third mounting hole to fix the first connecting arm to the connector.

[0014] Furthermore, the lower horizontal edge of the connector is folded down to form a lower flange, and a fourth mounting hole is provided on the lower flange. A fifth mounting hole that mates with the fourth mounting hole is provided on the vertical edge of the first connecting arm. The fastener passes through the fourth mounting hole and the fifth mounting hole to fix it.

[0015] Furthermore, the second connecting arm has an inner arc surface that matches the curvature of the back of the water tank shell, and the second connecting arm is tightly fitted and fixed to the back of the water tank shell through its inner arc surface.

[0016] Compared with the prior art, the advantages and positive effects of the present invention are: the integrated wall-mounted heat pump water heater of the present invention can solve the technical problem of occupying ground space by mounting the water tank and the heat pump main unit as a whole on the wall.

[0017] Other features and advantages of the present invention will become clearer after reading the detailed description of the embodiments of the present invention in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Attached Figure Description

[0018] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0019] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of an embodiment of the integrated wall-mounted heat pump water heater proposed in this invention;

[0020] Figure 2 yes Figure 1 Enlarged view of section A in the middle;

[0021] Figure 3 This is a partial structural schematic diagram of an embodiment of the integrated wall-mounted heat pump water heater proposed in this invention;

[0022] Figure 4 This is a partial structural schematic diagram of an embodiment of the integrated wall-mounted heat pump water heater proposed in this invention;

[0023] Figure 5 This is a partial structural schematic diagram of an embodiment of the integrated wall-mounted heat pump water heater proposed in this invention;

[0024] Figure 6 This is a partial structural schematic diagram of an embodiment of the integrated wall-mounted heat pump water heater proposed in this invention. Detailed Implementation

[0025] The technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0026] Currently, split-type heat pump water heaters, where the water tank and main unit are separate, are often assembled in a way that limits space due to the size of both components and ease of assembly. Typically, both the water tank and main unit are floor-standing, or the water tank is wall-mounted while the main unit is floor-standing. Both designs occupy floor space, making them impractical for small apartments. Therefore, this invention proposes an integrated wall-mounted heat pump water heater. This heat pump water heater features a separate main unit and water tank design, with the water tank being wall-mounted. Furthermore, this design uses a mounting bracket to fix the heat pump main unit to the water tank casing, allowing the water tank and heat pump main unit to be mounted as a single unit on the wall, significantly saving floor space. A specific embodiment will be used to describe this design, its advantages, and technical effects in detail below.

[0027] Example 1: This example proposes an integrated wall-mounted heat pump water heater, such as... Figure 1 As shown, the system includes a water tank outer shell 11, a water tank inner liner (not shown in the figure due to the angle), a heat pump main unit 12, and a condenser coil (not shown in the figure due to the angle). The heat pump main unit 12 is fixedly supported on the main unit bracket 13, and the main unit bracket 13 is fixedly connected to the water tank outer shell 11. The condenser coil can be an inner coil, located inside the water tank, or an outer coil, located outside the inner tank. The condenser coil is connected to the heat pump unit via pipes. The heat pump unit outputs high-temperature refrigerant to the condenser coil. The refrigerant exchanges heat with the water in the inner tank within the condenser coil, releasing heat to heat the water. The refrigerant then returns to the heat pump unit to absorb heat again, and this cycle repeats. The heat pump unit includes, but is not limited to, a compressor, evaporator, and evaporator fan. The refrigerant pipes may also contain, but are not limited to, throttling devices for flow control. The heat pump unit and the condenser coil work together to absorb and release heat from the refrigerant, thereby heating the water in the inner tank. This embodiment of the integrated wall-mounted heat pump water heater solves the technical problem of occupying floor space by mounting the water tank and heat pump unit together on the wall.

[0028] To facilitate the installation of the water tank housing 11, the back of the water tank housing 11 has a mounting structure (not shown in the figure) for fixing to the wall. This mounting structure can be found in the conventional water tank fixing installation method of wall-mounted electric water heaters.

[0029] The main unit bracket 13 used to fix and support the heat pump unit can be fixed to the bottom, top or side of the water tank shell 11.

[0030] This embodiment of the integrated wall-mounted heat pump water heater features a separate design for the water tank and the heat pump unit. Compared to designs where the heat pump unit and inner tank are integrated into the water tank casing, this approach has several advantages. First, integrating the heat pump unit and inner tank into the casing would occupy space within the inner tank. If the casing size is inconvenient, the inner tank volume would be reduced, resulting in a decrease in hot water production. To maintain the same hot water production capacity, the length of the water tank casing would need to be extended to provide sufficient installation space for the heat pump unit. This would increase the cost of extending the casing and would also affect the insulation performance of the inner tank, hindering heat absorption by the evaporator and ultimately impacting the overall performance of the unit. Furthermore, extending the length of the water tank casing would occupy more horizontal wall space, making it unsuitable for installation in small apartments.

[0031] Considering the practical situation of small apartments, the bathroom may not have long walls. If the main unit bracket 13 is placed on both sides of the water tank shell 11, it will increase the overall length of the wall occupied by the main unit bracket 13 and the water tank shell 11, which means it will occupy more horizontal wall space, which is unsightly and will affect the installation of furniture or hardware on the wall. It is preferable to place the heat pump main unit on the upper or lower part of the water tank shell 11. Therefore, the main unit bracket 13 in this solution includes at least two connecting arms and a support plate. The support plate is supported by the connecting arms, and the other end of the connecting arms is fixed to the water tank shell. Figure 1 , Figure 6 As shown, in this design, the main unit bracket 13 can be installed on the upper part of the water tank outer shell 11. That is, the bottom of at least two connecting arms is fixedly connected to the top of the water tank outer shell 11, and the upper part of the connecting arms is fixedly supported by a support plate. Then, the heat pump main unit is fixed on top of the support plate, achieving a fixed installation of the three components. Alternatively, the main unit bracket 13 can also be installed on the lower part of the water tank outer shell 11. That is, the upper parts of the at least two connecting arms are fixedly connected to the bottom of the water tank outer shell 11, and the lower parts of the connecting arms are fixed to the support plate. Then, the heat pump main unit is fixed on top of the support plate, achieving a fixed installation of the three components.

[0032] As a preferred embodiment, to facilitate the assembly of the heat pump unit, if the heat pump unit is located above the water tank casing, it will increase the height of the heat pump unit and correspondingly increase the assembly difficulty. Therefore, this embodiment preferably adopts a solution where the heat pump unit is assembled below the water tank casing. Figures 1-3 As shown, the host bracket 13 in this embodiment includes at least two connecting arms 131 and a tray 132. The tray 132 is supported by the connecting arms 131, and the other end of the connecting arms 131 is fixed to the water tank shell 11. The connecting arms 131 include a first connecting arm 131a and a second connecting arm 131b. The first connecting arm 131a is L-shaped. The vertical end of the first connecting arm 131a is fixed to the bottom of the water tank shell 11, the horizontal end of the first connecting arm 131a is fixed to the lower end of the second connecting arm 131b, and the upper end of the second connecting arm 131b is fixed to the back of the water tank shell 11. The tray 132 is disposed on the upper part of the horizontal side of the first connecting arm 131a and is supported by the horizontal side of the first connecting arm 131a. The main unit bracket 13 structure in this solution adopts a structure in which the first connecting arm and the second connecting arm cooperate to support the support plate. On the one hand, the connecting arm is convenient to fix to the water tank shell. On the other hand, by setting the first connecting arm 131a to an L-shape, the horizontal side of the first connecting arm 131a supports the support plate and the heat pump main unit located above the support plate as a whole, which increases the contact area between the first connecting arm 131a and the support plate, thereby reducing the stress in local positions and improving the fixation stability and service life.

[0033] To facilitate the installation and fixing of the first connecting arm 131a and the second connecting arm 131b, such as Figure 5 As shown, the lower end of the second connecting arm 131b has a locking hole 133 perpendicular to its length direction, and the transverse end of the first connecting arm 131a has a locking claw 134 that mates with the locking hole 133. The locking claw 134 can be detachably inserted into the locking hole 133. This design makes it very convenient to quickly detach and install the first connecting arm 131a and the second connecting arm 131b.

[0034] like Figures 2-3 As shown, the bottom of the water tank shell 11 has a bottom fixing base 111, and the vertical end of the first connecting arm 131a is fixedly connected to the bottom fixing base 111 through a connector 135. The main unit bracket of this solution can easily assemble the heat pump main unit with the water tank shell. The process is simple. During installation, first fix the second connecting arm 131b to the water tank shell. This step can be done on the ground, which is convenient. Then fix the water tank shell at a suitable height on the wall. At the same time, assemble the heat pump main unit with the main unit bracket. This step can also be done on the ground. That is, fix the heat pump main unit on the support plate. Then lift the support plate together with the heat pump main unit, insert the claw 134 of the first connecting arm 131a into the locking hole 133 of the second connecting arm 131b, and then fix the vertical end of the first connecting arm 131a to the bottom fixing base 111 through the connector 135 to achieve overall fixed installation. As can be seen from the above, the assembly method of the water tank shell and the main unit bracket in this embodiment, in which part of the assembly process is completed on the ground and the other part of the process is completed after the water tank shell is fixed to the wall, is significantly more efficient than the solution of first assembling the heat pump main unit and the water tank shell on the ground and then fixing the two together to the wall. This solution saves labor, reduces the weight when fixing to the wall, and thus reduces the assembly difficulty.

[0035] To further facilitate assembly, such as Figure 4 As shown, the connector 135 is a horizontally placed U-shaped connector. The upper horizontal side of the connector 135 has a first mounting hole 136. The connector 135 can be fixed to the bottom fixing seat 111 of the water tank shell in advance through the first mounting hole 136. Specifically, the fixing parts (such as screws, pins, but not limited to the above two) pass through the first mounting hole 136 and are fixed to the bottom fixing seat 111. The vertical end of the first connecting arm 131a has an inwardly folded flange 131c. The inwardly folded flange 131c is inserted from the U-shaped opening of the connector 135 between the two horizontal sides of the connector 135, thereby realizing the fixation of the first connecting arm 131a and the connector 135. Since the connector 135 is fixed to the water tank shell in advance, the fixation of the first connecting arm 131a and the water tank shell is also realized.

[0036] To improve the stability of the fixed installation of the second connecting arm 131b and the connector 135, such as Figure 4 , Figure 5 As shown, preferably, a second mounting hole 137 is provided on the lower horizontal edge of the connector 135, and a third mounting hole 138 is provided on the inner flange 131c to cooperate with the second mounting hole 137. The fastener (such as screws, pins, but not limited to the above two) passes through the second mounting hole 137 and the third mounting hole 138 and is fixed to the bottom fixing seat.

[0037] like Figures 4-5 As shown, the lower horizontal edge of the connector 135 is folded down to form a lower flange 139. A fourth mounting hole 140 is provided on the lower flange 139. A fifth mounting hole 141 that mates with the fourth mounting hole 140 is provided on the vertical edge of the first connecting arm 131a. Fixing components (such as screws, pins, pins, etc., but not limited to the above two) pass through the fourth mounting hole 140 and the fifth mounting hole 141, thereby fixing the first connecting arm 131a to the connector 135 from the side, further improving the stability of the fixed installation of the second connecting arm 131b and the connector 135.

[0038] like Figure 5 As shown, the second connecting arm 131b has an inner arc surface B that matches the curvature of the back of the water tank shell 11. The second connecting arm 131b is tightly attached to the back of the water tank shell 11 through its inner arc surface B, which increases the contact area and improves the stability of the fixation.

[0039] Of course, the above description is not intended to limit the present invention, and the present invention is not limited to the examples given above. Any changes, modifications, additions or substitutions made by those skilled in the art within the scope of the present invention should also fall within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A wall-mounted integrated heat pump water heater, comprising a water tank shell, a water tank inner liner disposed within the water tank shell, a heat pump unit, and a condenser coil, characterized in that: The heat pump unit is fixedly supported on the unit bracket, and the unit bracket is fixedly connected to the water tank shell; The main unit bracket is fixed to the bottom of the water tank shell. The main unit bracket includes at least two connecting arms and a support plate. The support plate is supported by the connecting arms, and the other end of the connecting arms is fixed to the water tank shell. The connecting arms include a first connecting arm and a second connecting arm. The first connecting arm is L-shaped. The vertical end of the first connecting arm is fixed to the bottom of the water tank shell, the horizontal end of the first connecting arm is fixed to the lower end of the second connecting arm, and the upper end of the second connecting arm is fixed to the back of the water tank shell. The support plate is located on the upper part of the horizontal side of the first connecting arm and is supported by the horizontal side of the first connecting arm. The back of the water tank shell has a hanging structure for fixing to a wall.

2. The integrated wall-mounted heat pump water heater according to claim 1, characterized in that: The lower end of the second connecting arm has a locking hole perpendicular to its length direction, and the transverse end of the first connecting arm has a locking claw that cooperates with the locking hole. The locking claw can be detachably inserted into the locking hole.

3. The integrated wall-mounted heat pump water heater according to claim 1, characterized in that: The bottom of the water tank shell has a bottom fixing seat, and the vertical end of the first connecting arm is fixedly connected to the bottom fixing seat through a connector.

4. The integrated wall-mounted heat pump water heater according to claim 3, characterized in that: The connector is a horizontally placed U-shaped connector. A first mounting hole is opened on the upper horizontal side of the connector. The fixing member passes through the first mounting hole to fix the connector to the bottom fixing seat. The vertical end of the first connecting arm has an inwardly folded flange. The inwardly folded flange is inserted from the U-shaped opening of the connector between its two horizontal sides.

5. The integrated wall-mounted heat pump water heater according to claim 4, characterized in that: The lower horizontal edge of the connector has a second mounting hole, and the inner flange has a third mounting hole that mates with the second mounting hole. The fastener passes through the second mounting hole and the third mounting hole to fix the first connecting arm to the connector.

6. The integrated wall-mounted heat pump water heater according to claim 5, characterized in that: The lower horizontal edge of the connector is folded down to form a lower flange, and a fourth mounting hole is provided on the lower flange. A fifth mounting hole that mates with the fourth mounting hole is provided on the vertical edge of the first connecting arm. The fastener passes through the fourth mounting hole and the fifth mounting hole to fix it.

7. The integrated wall-mounted heat pump water heater according to any one of claims 1-6, characterized in that: The second connecting arm has an inner arc surface that matches the curvature of the back of the water tank shell, and the second connecting arm is tightly fitted and fixed to the back of the water tank shell through its inner arc surface.

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