Hot water supply apparatus

Abstract

To provide a technique for easily suppressing the deterioration of appearance in a water heater having an air supply port in a front cover.SOLUTION: A front cover side 2A of a water heater 1 includes a front cover body 20 having a plate-shaped first plate part 31 constituting a front surface part and a peripheral edge part 33, a second plate part 52 longitudinally overlapping with the first plate part 31, and a third plate part 63 attached to the first plate part 31 from the front side. The air supply port 42 is provided in the first plate portion 31. A part of the second plate portion 52 is disposed so as to cover the air supply port 42 from the rear side. A black part 58 represented by a black-based color is provided at a position overlapping at least the opening region of the air supply port 42 in the front-rear direction in the front surface part of the second plate part 52. The black portion 58 is continuously provided at least from one end side in the left-right direction of the air supply port 42 to the other end side in the left-right direction. The black portion 58 is configured to be visible from the front side through the air supply port 42.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a water heater. [Background technology]

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a water heater with a rainproof function. The outdoor water heater disclosed in Patent Document 1 is equipped with a rainproof plate with an open top with a certain gap inside an air supply gallery formed in the lower part of the front cover, and a recess that bulges backward is provided in the rainproof plate at a position facing the air supply gallery. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2001-263824 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] Conventional water heaters generally have a configuration in which various devices are housed in a housing with a front cover, and some types have an air intake port on the front cover. This type of water heater has an air intake port on the front cover, which allows fresh air supplied from the front to be sent into the housing. However, this also makes some of the internal components visible through the air intake port, which can be unsightly.

[0005] An object of the present disclosure is to provide a technology that can easily prevent deterioration in the aesthetic appearance of a water heater having an air intake port provided in a front cover. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The hot water heater according to the present disclosure includes: A water heating device including a housing having a housing main body having a front end opening at its front end side, and a front cover attached to the front side of the housing main body in a configuration that closes the front end opening, The front cover includes a front cover body having a plate-shaped first plate portion and a peripheral edge portion that constitute a front surface of the front cover, a second plate portion that overlaps the first plate portion from the front to the rear so as to partially cover the back surface of the first plate portion, and a third plate portion that is attached to the first plate portion from the front side, The first plate portion is provided with a first opening portion communicating with a front region and a rear region of the first plate portion, The second plate portion is provided with a second opening portion communicating with a front region and a rear region of the second plate portion, At least a part of an opening region of the first opening and at least a part of an opening region of the second opening overlap each other in the front-to-rear direction, The third plate portion is detachably attached to close the first opening, an air intake port communicating with a front region and a rear region of the first plate portion is provided at a position different from the first opening in the first plate portion; A part of the second plate portion is arranged to cover the air intake port from the rear side, A black portion expressed in a black color is provided on the front surface of the second plate portion at a position overlapping at least the opening area of ​​the air intake port in the front and rear directions, The black portion is provided continuously at least from one left-right end side to the other left-right end side of the air inlet, The black portion is configured to be visible from the front side through the air intake port. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] The technology disclosed herein makes it easy to prevent deterioration in the aesthetic appearance of a water heater having an air inlet provided in a front cover. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a front view illustrating a water heater according to a first embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a perspective view schematically illustrating the configuration of the water heater of FIG. 1 from which the front cover is omitted. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a configuration in which the black color of the black portions in water heater 1 shown in FIG. 1 is omitted. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing the front cover as viewed from the front, with the black color of the black pattern portion removed. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is a side view of the front cover. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram showing the front cover as viewed obliquely from the front side, with the black color of the black pattern removed. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a perspective view illustrating the configuration of the front cover as viewed obliquely from the rear side. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is an exploded perspective view of the front cover disassembled into the front cover main body, the second plate portion, and the third plate portion, with the black color that constitutes the black pattern portion omitted. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is an exploded perspective view of the front cover disassembled into a front cover main body, a second plate portion, and a third plate portion. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is an enlarged view showing a part of the configuration of the front cover as seen from the front side, with the black color of the black pattern portion removed. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is an enlarged view showing a part of the configuration of the front cover as seen from the front side. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] Each of the following [1] to [5] is an example of a characteristic technique included in the present disclosure.

[0010] [1] A water heater including a housing having a housing body with a front end opening at its front end side, and a front cover attached to the front side of the housing body in a configuration that closes the front end opening, The front cover includes a front cover body having a plate-shaped first plate portion and a peripheral edge portion that constitute a front surface of the front cover, a second plate portion that overlaps the first plate portion from the front to the rear so as to partially cover the back surface of the first plate portion, and a third plate portion that is attached to the first plate portion from the front side, The first plate portion is provided with a first opening portion communicating with a front region and a rear region of the first plate portion, The second plate portion is provided with a second opening portion communicating with a front region and a rear region of the second plate portion, At least a part of an opening region of the first opening and at least a part of an opening region of the second opening overlap each other in the front-to-rear direction, The third plate portion is detachably attached to close the first opening, an air intake port communicating with a front region and a rear region of the first plate portion is provided at a position different from the first opening in the first plate portion; A part of the second plate portion is arranged to cover the air intake port from the rear side, A black portion expressed in a black color is provided on the front surface of the second plate portion at a position overlapping at least the opening area of ​​the air intake port in the front and rear directions, The black portion is provided continuously at least from one left-right end side to the other left-right end side of the air inlet, The black portion is configured to be visible from the front side through the air intake port. Water heater.

[0011] The water heater (1) described above has a first opening in the first plate, a second opening in the second plate, and at least a portion of the opening area of ​​the first opening overlaps at least a portion of the opening area of ​​the second opening. A third plate is detachably attached to close the first opening. This configuration allows an operator to access the interior of the water heater by removing the third plate without removing the front cover, thereby accessing the rear side of the front cover through the first and second openings. Furthermore, the water heater (1) described above has an air inlet in the first plate, allowing air to be introduced into the housing through the air inlet. The water heater (1) described above has a second plate positioned to cover the air inlet from the rear, preventing rain and other foreign objects from directly entering the rear side of the second plate through the air inlet. On the other hand, if such a configuration is adopted, the second plate portion would be located behind the air intake port, and the second plate portion itself and light reflected from the second plate portion would be visible to users through the air intake port, which could detract from the aesthetic appearance. In contrast, the water heater described above in [1] has a black portion on the front surface of the second plate portion, at a position that overlaps at least the opening area of ​​the air intake port from front to back, so that the black portion continues from at least one left-right end of the air intake port to the other left-right end, and is configured so that the black portion is visible from the front through the air intake port. This configuration prevents the uneven shape of the second plate portion from being clearly visible through the air intake port and prevents light reflected from the second plate portion from entering the user's eyes through the air intake port, thereby preventing the aesthetic appearance from being detracted.

[0012] [2] A step portion recessed rearward is provided in the first plate portion at a position above the third plate portion and closer to the third plate portion, the step portion forms a groove portion extending along an upper edge portion of the third plate portion, The air inlet is provided along the upper edge of the groove. The water heater according to [1].

[0013] In the water heater device of [2] above, a horizontally elongated air inlet can be provided at a lower position, away from the third plate portion. Therefore, when providing a second opening in the second plate portion and providing a portion that covers the air inlet, it is easy to reduce the vertical size of the second plate portion while ensuring the size of the air inlet. Furthermore, since the air inlet is provided in the groove portion configured in this way, the presence of the air inlet can be reduced, making it easier to prevent the aesthetic degradation caused by the presence of the air inlet.

[0014] [3] An insertion hole for inserting a screw member is provided in the groove portion, The first plate portion and the third plate portion are fixed by the screw member inserted into the insertion hole. The water heater according to [2].

[0015] In the water heater of [3] above, the screw member can be placed in the groove, which reduces the presence of the screw member and prevents the deterioration of the aesthetic appearance caused by the screw member being exposed alone in a way that makes it easy to emphasize it. Furthermore, in the water heater of [3] above, the groove can be used as a guide groove when installing the screw member, which also improves workability.

[0016] [4] The surface portion in the groove portion and the portion exposed to the front side of the screw member are expressed in a black color. The water heater according to [3].

[0017] In the water heater of the above [4], the surface of the groove, the screw member, and the rear side of the opening area of ​​the air inlet are colored in black, which significantly reduces the presence of the screw member and the air inlet, further preventing the deterioration of the aesthetic appearance caused by the screw member and the air inlet being overemphasized. Furthermore, the entire inside of the groove has a black band-like pattern, further enhancing the aesthetic appearance.

[0018] [5] The second plate portion is provided with a second groove portion recessed toward the rear side, The width of the second groove portion in the left-right direction is aligned with the width of the groove portion in the left-right direction, The vertical width of the second groove portion is aligned with the vertical width of the groove portion. The water heater according to any one of [2] to [4].

[0019] The water heater device of [5] above has a useful groove in the first plate portion, and a second groove in the second plate portion that is aligned in width and length with this groove, thereby achieving a unified design and further enhancing the aesthetics.

[0020] First Embodiment The following description relates to a water heater 1 according to the first embodiment. 1. Overall configuration of water heater 1 Fig. 1 is a front view illustrating a water heater 1 according to a first embodiment. Fig. 2 is a perspective view illustrating a simplified configuration of water heater 1 with a front cover 2A removed from a housing 2. Fig. 3 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a configuration of water heater 1 shown in Fig. 1 with the color of black portions omitted.

[0021] As shown in FIG. 2, water heater 1 includes a housing 2, a combustion device 3, a heat exchanger 4, an exhaust unit 5, and a blower 7. Housing 2 is a box-shaped case made of a metal material, and includes housing main body 2B, which is a box-shaped body with an open front, and a front cover 2A (FIG. 1) that is detachably attached to housing main body 2B. Housing 2 includes a front opening 2Z. A rectangular front opening 2Z is ​​formed at the front end of housing main body 2B. Front opening 2Z is ​​formed by the front end of a peripheral wall that forms the top, bottom, left, and right walls of housing main body 2B. Housing main body 2B has a peripheral wall formed by an upper plate 12 (top plate), a bottom plate 13 (lower plate), and a pair of side plates 14 and 15, and a back plate is provided that is connected to the rear end of the peripheral wall, forming a box-like shape with an open front end. The front ends of the top plate portion 12, the bottom plate portion 13, and the pair of side plate portions 14, 15 form a front opening portion 2Z.

[0022] The top plate 12 (top plate) forms the top surface of the housing main body 2B, covers the storage space inside the housing 2 from above, and extends in the left-right direction. The bottom plate 13 (lower plate) forms the bottom surface of the housing main body 2B, covers the storage space from below, and extends in the left-right direction. The side plate 14 forms a side surface on one left-right side of the housing main body 2B, covers the storage space from one left-right side, and extends in the up-down direction. The side plate 15 forms a side surface on the other left-right side of the housing main body 2B, covers the storage space from the other left-right side, and extends in the up-down direction. The back plate forms the back surface of the housing main body 2B, covers the storage space from the rear, and is arranged opposite the front cover 2A in the front-rear direction. The housing main body 2B accommodates the components such as the blower 7 and the combustion device 3 so as to surround these components from above, below, left and right.

[0023] The front cover 2A shown in FIGS. 1 and 3 is attached to the front side of the housing main body 2B so as to close the front end opening 2Z (FIG. 2) of the housing main body 2B. The front cover 2A functions as a front cover that covers the housing main body 2B from the front side. The front cover 2A covers the internal storage space of the housing main body 2B from the front side, and covers the stored components such as the blower 7 and combustion device 3 from the front side. As shown in FIG. 2, the housing 2 houses various components such as the combustion device 3, heat exchanger 4, exhaust unit 5, and blower 7. The combustion device 3 is located near the center inside the housing 2. The heat exchanger 4 is located above the combustion device 3 inside the housing 2. The exhaust unit 5 is located above the heat exchanger 4 inside the housing 2. The gas distribution unit 10 is located between the combustion device 3 and the front cover 2A in the front-to-rear direction. That is, the gas distribution unit 10 is disposed behind the front cover 2A, and the combustion device 3 is disposed behind the gas distribution unit 10. The blower 7 is disposed below the combustion device 3 inside the housing 2.

[0024] In this specification, the longitudinal direction of the rectangular front cover 2A (FIG. 1) is the up-down direction, and for example, the vertical up-down direction when the water heater 1 is installed is the up-down direction. The direction in which both side wall portions (both side plate portions 14, 15) provided on both the left and right sides of the housing main body 2B shown in FIG. 2 extend is the up-down direction. The shorter side direction of the front cover 2A (FIG. 1) is the left-right direction, and the direction perpendicular to the up-down direction and the left-right direction is the front-rear direction. The upper and lower edges of the front cover 2A extend along the left-right direction, and the left and right edges of the front cover 2A extend along the up-down direction. In the example of FIG. 1, the direction perpendicular to the flat surface with the largest area on the front surface of the front cover 2A is the front-rear direction, and the plate thickness direction (thickness direction) of the plate portion constituting the flat surface is the front-rear direction. In the example shown in FIG. 2 etc., the shaft of the motor in the blower 7 is configured to rotate around a rotation axis, and the direction of this rotation axis is the front-rear direction.

[0025] The gas distribution unit 10 shown in Fig. 2 is a flat gas distribution unit. The gas distribution unit 10 is a flow path that divides fuel gas supplied from the outside within itself and discharges the divided fuel gas into the combustion device 3 via a nozzle (not shown). The gas distribution unit 10 is configured to cover multiple inlets (not shown) provided in the front wall of the case of the combustion device 3, and is attached to the lower part of the front wall of the case. The gas discharged by the gas distribution unit 10 is supplied into the case.

[0026] The combustion device 3 shown in FIG. 2 is configured so that at least a portion of the air supplied from the blower 7 flows into it, and combusts fuel gas supplied via the gas distribution unit 10. The combustion device 3 includes the above-mentioned case and a burner group (not shown). The case of the combustion device 3 is a square box-shaped case that fits within the housing unit 2. The burner group is a burner group that is made up of gas burners, which are, for example, flattened thick / light burners, arranged side by side in the left-right direction. The combustion device 3 is configured so that at least a portion of the air supplied from the blower 7 flows into it, and is configured so that when air is supplied from the blower 7 and gas (fuel gas) is supplied from the gas distribution unit 10, the gas is combusted in the burner group.

[0027] The heat exchanger 4 shown in FIG. 2 is a device to which combustion exhaust gas resulting from the combustion of gas in the combustion device 3 is supplied. The heat exchanger 4 includes a metal casing 4A that forms the outer shell of the heat exchanger 4, and a heat transfer tube that is at least partially housed inside the casing 4A. The heat exchanger 4 introduces the combustion exhaust gas discharged from the combustion device 3 and passes it through its interior, where heat is exchanged between the combustion exhaust gas and water flowing inside the heat transfer tube, thereby heating the water inside the heat transfer tube. In the example shown in FIG. 2, the lower end of the heat exchanger 4 is fixed to the upper end of the combustion device 3. The combustion exhaust gas that has passed through the heat exchanger 4 is discharged to the exhaust section 5. The exhaust section 5 is a device having a flow path that guides the combustion exhaust gas discharged from the heat exchanger 4 to the outside of the housing section 2.

[0028] The blower 7 shown in FIG. 2 is a fan that supplies combustion air. The blower 7 includes a drive unit having a motor, blades, and the like, and a supply port (not shown) that is an opening for supplying combustion air. The supply port of the blower 7 is located below the combustion device 3. The supply port of the blower 7 communicates with the space inside the case of the combustion device 3, so that, for example, most or all of the air discharged upward from the supply port of the blower 7 is supplied to the space inside the case. The blower 7, for example, rotates a plurality of blades connected to the drive shaft when the drive shaft of the motor rotates, and the rotation of the plurality of blades creates an air flow that forcibly flows air upward (toward the combustion device 3). Note that the configuration of the blower 7 described above is merely an example, and various known configurations of blowers may be used as long as they are capable of forcibly supplying air.

[0029] The water heater 1 has a gas inlet to which an external gas pipe is connected, a water inlet to which a water pipe is connected, and a hot water outlet on the underside of the housing 2. The water inlet is an inlet through which water is introduced from a water pipe installed outside the water heater 1. The water introduced into the water inlet is supplied to the heat transfer pipe of the heat exchanger 4 via a water supply pipe. The hot water outlet is an outlet port through which hot water is discharged to the outside of the water heater 1. The hot water introduced by the heat transfer pipe of the heat exchanger 4 is discharged from the hot water outlet via a hot water outlet pipe connected to the downstream end of the heat transfer pipe. The gas inlet is an inlet through which gas is introduced from a gas pipe installed outside the water heater 1. The gas introduced into the gas inlet is supplied into the gas distribution unit 10 via a gas supply unit equipped with a main valve, a proportional valve, etc., and is then supplied from the gas distribution unit 10 to the combustion device 3.

[0030] 2. Front cover 2A details FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing the front cover 2A as viewed from the front, with the black color of the black pattern portion 22 removed. FIG. 5 is a side view of the front cover 2A. FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram showing the front cover 2A as viewed from the diagonally front side, with the black color of the black pattern portion 22 removed. FIG. 7 is a diagram showing the front cover 2A as viewed from the diagonally rear side. FIG. 8 is an exploded perspective view of the front cover 2A, with the front cover main body 20, second plate portion 52, and third plate portion 63 removed, with the black color of the black pattern portion 22 removed. FIG. 9 is an exploded perspective view including the black color of the black pattern portion 22. Note that FIGS. 4 to 7 also show screws for fixing the front cover 2A to the housing main body 2B, but these screws are not shown in FIGS. 8 and 9.

[0031] As shown in Fig. 4, the front cover 2A has a rectangular shape when viewed from the front, and as shown in Fig. 5, the front cover 2A has a longitudinal shape when viewed from the side.

[0032] 1 and 2, water heating apparatus 1 includes housing 2. Housing 2 has housing main body 2B having front end opening 2Z at its front end, and front cover 2A attached to the front side of housing main body 2B so as to close front end opening 2Z. The appearance of front cover 2A, excluding the black color of black pattern portion 22, is as shown in FIGS. 4 to 8.

[0033] 4 to 6, the front cover main body 20 has a plate-shaped first plate portion 31 that constitutes the front surface of the front cover 2A, and a peripheral edge portion 33 that is annularly arranged around the first plate portion 31. The first plate portion 31 and the peripheral edge portion 33 are integrally formed from, for example, a metal material.

[0034] As shown in FIG. 8, the first plate portion 31 is a portion configured as a plate as a whole, with most of it configured as a flat plate portion of a predetermined thickness and some portions having a deformed shape. The first plate portion 31 includes a plate-like portion 31B and a step portion 31C. The plate-like portion 31B is configured as a flat plate portion of a predetermined thickness. One plate surface of the plate-like portion 31B, the front surface (front plate surface), and the other plate surface, the rear surface (rear plate surface), are arranged parallel to each other and perpendicular to the front-to-rear direction, forming a flat plate-like configuration with the front-to-rear direction as the thickness direction. In the example of FIG. 8, the plate-like portion 31B occupies more than half of the area of ​​the first plate portion 31.

[0035] The stepped portion 31C is a portion formed in a stepped shape relative to the plate-shaped portion 31B, and is configured as a recess recessed rearward from the plate-shaped portion 31B. The stepped portion 31C has an annular plate portion 31D and an inner wall portion 31E extending from the peripheral edge of the annular plate portion 31D to the front. The annular plate portion 31D has a front surface, which is one plate surface, configured as a flat surface perpendicular to the front-to-rear direction, and a rear surface, which is the other plate surface, configured as a flat surface perpendicular to the front-to-rear direction, and is configured as an annular flat plate with its thickness direction being the front-to-rear direction. The inner edge of the annular plate portion 31D is configured as a first opening 31A, which will be described later.

[0036] The inner wall portion 31E of the stepped portion 31C is annularly formed along the peripheral edge of the annular plate portion 31D so as to be connected to the peripheral edge of the annular plate portion 31D and extend forward from the peripheral edge of the annular plate portion 31D. In this configuration, the stepped portion 31C is formed as a recess recessed rearward from the plate-shaped portion 31B, and the inner wall portion 31E is an annular portion that surrounds the space within this recess from above, below, left, and right. The inner wall portion 31E has an inner wall portion that forms the inner wall portion of the upper end of the stepped portion 31C (recess), an inner wall portion that forms the inner wall portion of the lower end of the stepped portion 31C (recess), and left and right inner wall portions of the stepped portion 31C (recess), and the upper inner wall portion forms part of a groove portion 81, which will be described later.

[0037] As shown in FIG. 8, the first plate portion 31 is provided with a first opening 31A that communicates with a front region and a rear region (third internal space 193) of the first plate portion 31. The first opening 31A is provided as a through-hole that penetrates the annular plate portion 31D in the thickness direction of the plate portion at the step portion 31C. The first opening 31A is formed in the first plate portion 31 below the center of the front cover 2A in the up-down direction, and has a substantially rectangular opening shape. In the example of FIGS. 6 and 8, the third plate portion 63 is disposed in a recess formed as the step portion 31C, and as shown in FIG. 6, the first opening 31A is closed by the third plate portion 63 (closure plate).

[0038] A plurality of air intake ports 42 communicating with the front and rear regions of the first plate portion 31 are provided in the first plate portion 31 at positions different from the first opening 31A. Each of the plurality of air intake ports 42 is configured as a through-hole penetrating the first plate portion 31. In the example of FIG. 6, two air intake ports 42 are provided in the first plate portion 31 at a position above and closer to the third plate portion 63, and the two air intake ports 42, 42 extending in the horizontal direction are arranged side by side. Each air intake port 42 is provided in the step portion 31C, specifically, near the upper end of the annular plate portion 31D and closer to the inner wall portion of the upper end of the inner wall portion 31E, and is formed along the inner wall portion of the upper end. In the example of FIG. 6, a pair of air intake ports 42, 42 is provided in the first plate portion 31 above the third plate portion 63.

[0039] Each of the air intake ports 42, 42 is long horizontally and is provided along the upper edge of the third plate portion 63. Each of the air intake ports 42, 42 is configured to communicate between an external space 190 ( FIG. 2 ) outside the housing portion 2 and an internal space inside the housing portion 2. Specifically, the air intake ports 42, 42 communicate between the external space 190 outside the housing portion 2 and the space between the first plate portion 31 and the second plate portion 52 inside the housing portion 2 (first internal space), and function as an intake port that takes in air from the external space 190 into the first internal space. In the configuration of this embodiment, an air passage 80 that constitutes the first internal space is provided behind the air intake ports 42, 42. In the example of FIG. 7 , the second plate 52 is disposed behind the air intakes 42, 42, at a position rearward and away from the air intakes 42, 42, so that the air intakes 42, 42 are covered from directly behind by the second plate 52. A portion of the rear surface of the first plate 31 and a portion of the front surface of the second plate 52 are disposed spaced apart from each other in the front-to-rear direction, thereby forming an air passage 80, and the space within this air passage 80 is defined as a first internal space. The opening area of ​​each of the air intakes 42, 42 communicates with the internal space (first internal space) of the air passage 80, and the air passage 80 continues at least from the positions of the air intakes 42, 42 to the upper end of the second plate 52. An opening is provided in the air passage 80 at the upper end of the second plate 52, which functions as a discharge port that discharges air that has passed through the air passage 80 into the second internal space 192. With this configuration, air taken into the housing part 2 through the air inlets 42, 42 flows through the ventilation path 80 into the second internal space 192.

[0040] 4 to 6, the peripheral edge 33 of the front cover main body 20 is connected to the outer edge of the first plate portion 31, and constitutes the peripheral portion of the portion where the first plate portion 31 and the peripheral edge 33 are integrally formed (specifically, the portion that protrudes forward from the inner edge of the protruding portion 32, which will be described later). The peripheral edge 33 constitutes a part of the peripheral region of the front cover main body 20. The peripheral edge 33 includes an upper edge 38 that bends rearward from the upper end of the first plate portion 31, a lower edge 39 that bends rearward from the lower end of the first plate portion 31, and a pair of side edges 36, 37 that bend rearward from both the left and right ends of the first plate portion 31.

[0041] The peripheral edge portion 33 is configured as an outer wall that surrounds the space behind the first plate portion 31 on all sides, and the rear end of the peripheral edge portion 33 has an open aperture shape. The front end of the peripheral edge portion 33 is connected to the top, bottom, left, and right edges of the first plate portion 31. As shown in FIG. 4 , a pair of side edges 36, 37 are wall portions disposed on both the left and right sides of the first internal space. The side edge portion 36 has a plate-like shape that is bent rearward from the outer edge of one side in the left-right direction of the first plate portion 31 (the left side in the representative example of this embodiment) and extends vertically from one side to the other side in the up-down direction. The outer surface of the side edge portion 36 faces one side in the left-right direction (the left side in the representative example of this embodiment), and the inner surface of the side edge portion 36 faces the other side in the left-right direction (the right side in the representative example of this embodiment). The side edge portion 37 has a plate-like shape that is bent rearward from the outer edge portion of the other left-right side (the right side in the representative example of this embodiment) of the first plate portion 31, and extends vertically from one side to the other side in the vertical direction. The outer surface of the side edge portion 37 faces the other left-right side (the right side in the representative example of this embodiment), and the inner surface of the side edge portion 37 faces one side in the left-right direction (the left side in the representative example of this embodiment). Holes 35 are formed in the side edges 36, 37, and air from the external space 190 enters the first internal space described above through the holes 35.

[0042] As shown in Figures 4 to 6, the front cover main body 20 is provided with a protruding portion 32 that protrudes outward from the rear end of the peripheral edge portion 33. The protruding portion 32 is arranged in a ring shape, protruding upward, downward, leftward, and rightward from the rear end of the peripheral edge portion 33. The protruding portion 32 is arranged in front of the front ends of the top plate portion 12, bottom plate portion 13, and side plate portions 14 and 15 of the housing main body 2B so as to overlap these front ends. The protruding portion 32 and the housing main body 2B are fixed together with screw members, thereby fixing the front cover 2A to the housing main body 2B.

[0043] As shown in Figures 7 to 9, the second plate portion 52 is a portion that is fixed to the back side of the front cover main body 20. The second plate portion 52 is made of, for example, a metal material, and in the examples of Figures 7 to 9, is formed into a plate shape by known metal processing. The second plate portion 52 is arranged so as to overlap the first plate portion 31 from the front and rear, and is configured to partially cover the back surface of the first plate portion 31 from the rear. In the example of Figure 7, the rear surface of the first plate portion 31 and the front surface of the second plate portion 52 face each other, and the second plate portion 52 overlaps a portion of the lower side of the first plate portion 31.

[0044] 4, 7, etc., second plate portion 52 is arranged so as to cover air inlet 42 from the rear side. Specifically, a portion of second plate portion 52 is arranged directly behind air inlet 42, and the entire opening area of ​​each of air inlets 42, 42 is positioned so as to overlap second plate portion 52 from the front to rear, and second plate portion 52 is arranged in a configuration that covers the entire opening area of ​​each of air inlets 42, 42. Due to this arrangement, when water heater 1 is viewed from the front side, the part of second plate portion 52 that is arranged behind the opening area of ​​air inlet 42 may be visible through air inlet 42.

[0045] As shown in FIGS. 7 to 9, the second plate portion 52 is provided with a second opening 52A that communicates with the front and rear regions of the second plate portion 52. The second opening 52A is configured as a through-hole that penetrates the second plate portion 52 in the thickness direction. In the example of FIGS. 7 to 9, the first opening 31A and the second opening 52A are arranged so that at least a portion of the opening region of the first opening 31A overlaps with at least a portion of the opening region of the second opening 52A in the front-to-rear direction. Specifically, more than half of the opening region of the first opening 31A overlaps with more than half of the opening region of the second opening 52A in the front-to-rear direction, and the second opening 52A is configured to be blocked by the third plate portion 63 or by the first plate portion 31 and the third plate portion 63. In the example of Fig. 7, most or all of the opening area of ​​the second opening 52A is blocked by the third plate 63, and the rear surface (back surface) of the third plate 63 is exposed to the third internal space 193 (Fig. 2). Due to this configuration, when the third plate 63 is removed with the front cover 2A fixed as shown in Fig. 1, the external space outside the housing 2 and the third internal space 193 on the rear side of the second plate 52 are in communication with each other via the first opening 31A and the second opening 52A. In this state of communication, an operator can enter the first opening 31A and the second opening 52A from the external space. By inserting a hand or the like into the third internal space 193, it is possible to access and work on the components arranged in the third internal space 193.

[0046] The third plate portion 63 illustrated in FIGS. 6 to 9 is made of, for example, a metal material and formed into a plate shape by, for example, known metal processing. The third plate portion 63 is configured to close the first opening 31A and the second opening 52A from the front side and is detachably attached to the first plate portion 31 from the front side. The third plate portion 63 is secured to a portion of the first plate portion 31 by a screw member 90 while overlapping the front side with a part of the first plate portion 31 from the front side. In the example illustrated in FIGS. 6 and 8, a locking piece (not shown) provided near the lower end of the third plate portion 63 so as to protrude downward is inserted into a hole 28 provided near the lower end of the stepped portion 31C, and the lower end portion of the third plate portion 63 is supported from below by the stepped portion 31C. As a result, the third plate portion 63 is positioned relative to the first plate portion 31 in the left-right and front-rear directions and the third plate portion 63 is supported from below by the first plate portion 31. In this state, fixed portions 95, 95 provided near the upper end portion of the third plate portion 63 are fixed to the first plate portion 31 with the screw members 90, whereby the portion near the upper end portion of the third plate portion 63 is fixed while being positioned in the left-right, front-rear, and up-down directions. In the example of Fig. 8 etc., the fixed portions 95, 95 are configured as protruding pieces that protrude upward from a linear upper edge portion 63A that forms part of a groove portion 81 described later, and are portions in which an insertion hole 93 for inserting a screw member 90 is formed.

[0047] 9 and 11, black portion 58, which is colored black, is provided on the front surface of second plate portion 52 at a position that overlaps at least the opening region of air inlet 42 in the front-rear direction. This configuration allows black portion 58 to be viewed from the front through air inlet 42, as shown in FIG. 1. Black portion 58 is provided continuously from one left-right end of air inlet 42 to the other left-right end, and is provided continuously from the upper end to the lower end of air inlet 42. That is, for any air inlet 42, when black portion 58 is viewed through air inlet 42 while viewing water heater 1 from the front, black portion 58 is continuous from a position close to one left-right end of air inlet 42 (position A closer to one left-right end than the left-right center) to a position close to the other left-right end (position closer to the other left-right end than the left-right center). Specifically, when black portion 58 is viewed through air inlet 42 while viewing water heater 1 from the front, black portion 58 appears continuous from one left-right end to the other left-right end of air inlet 42, and more specifically, black portion 58 is visible throughout the entire opening area of ​​air inlet 42. Black colors naturally include complete black, but also include colors such as dark black, black, ivory black, raven's feather color, ebony, black, black oak, lamp black, wet raven's feather color, wet raven's feather color, brown, wax color, jet black, purple-black, ink color, and iron black, as well as colors similar to these.

[0048] More specifically, as shown in FIG. 10 , the front cover 2A is provided with a groove 81 extending along the upper edge 63A of the third plate 63. In the example of FIGS. 8 and 10 , the step 31C constitutes part of the groove 81, and the upper edge 63A of the third plate 63 constitutes part of the groove 81. Specifically, the portion of the step 31C that constitutes the upper edge (the inner wall portion at the upper end of the inner wall 31E) constitutes the upper edge and inner wall of the groove 81, and the upper edge 63A of the third plate 63 constitutes the lower edge and inner wall of the groove 81. The portion of the step 31C near the upper edge of the annular plate 31D constitutes the inner wall portion on the rear end side of the groove 81. Furthermore, portions near the upper ends of the inner wall portions on both end sides of the step 31C (the left and right inner wall portions of the inner wall 31E) constitute the inner wall portions on both left and right ends of the groove 81. In the groove 81 thus configured to be long in the horizontal direction, the air intake port 42 is provided along the upper edge 63A of the third plate portion 63.

[0049] 8, insertion holes 92, 92 for inserting screw members 90, 90 are provided within the groove portion 81. Meanwhile, insertion holes 93, 93 for inserting screw members 90 are provided in a protruding piece provided near the upper end of the third plate portion 63. Then, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 6, the first plate portion 31 and the third plate portion 63 are fixed on one side in the left-right direction by the screw member 90 inserted into the insertion holes 92, 93 on one side in the left-right direction, and the first plate portion 31 and the third plate portion 63 are fixed on the other side in the left-right direction by the screw member 90 inserted into the insertion holes 92, 93 on the other side in the left-right direction.

[0050] 1 and 11, the surface portion within the groove portion 81 and the portion of the screw member 90 exposed to the front are also depicted in a blackish color. In the example of FIGS. 1 and 11, the black pattern portion 22 is formed by the portions depicted in a blackish color on the second plate portion 52, the screw member 90, and the surface portion of the groove portion 81. The black pattern portion 22 is depicted as a black stripe pattern extending in the left-right direction.

[0051] 1 , the second plate portion 52 is provided with a second groove portion 82 that is recessed toward the rear side. The width in the left-right direction of the second groove portion 82 is aligned with the width in the left-right direction of the groove portion 81. The vertical width in the up-down direction of the second groove portion 82 is aligned with the vertical width in the up-down direction of the groove portion 81. In other words, the width in the left-right direction of the second groove portion 82 is aligned with the width in the left-right direction of the black pattern portion 22, and the vertical width in the up-down direction of the second groove portion 82 is aligned with the vertical width in the up-down direction of the black pattern portion 22. The "configuration in which the left-right width of the second groove portion 82 is aligned with the left-right width of the groove portion 81" preferably refers to "a configuration in which the left-right width of the second groove portion 82 is the same as the left-right width of the groove portion 81, the left-right positions of the left ends of the second groove portion 82 and the left ends of the groove portion 81 are the same, and the left-right positions of the right ends of the second groove portion 82 and the right ends of the groove portion 81 are the same," but is not limited to this example. For example, the difference between the left-right width of the groove portion 81 and the left-right width of the second groove portion 82 may be within 5% of the left-right width of the groove portion 81, and the left ends of both the groove portion 81 and the second groove portion 82 may be positioned near the left end of the front cover 2A (to the left of the left-right center), and the right ends of both the groove portion 81 and the second groove portion 82 may be positioned near the right end of the front cover 2A (to the right of the left-right center).

[0052] In the water heater 1 configured as described above, the blower 7 shown in FIG. 2 is disposed behind the second plate portion 52. The front side of the blower 7 shown in FIG. 2 is covered by the second plate portion 52, and the blower 7 draws in air from the space behind the second plate portion 52 (third internal space 193) and blows it upward. The blower port (opening) of the blower 7 communicates with an inlet (opening) provided in the bottom of the case of the combustion device 3, so that the air supplied by the blower 7 is supplied into the case of the combustion device 3. The case of the combustion device 3 and the casing 4A of the heat exchanger 4 communicate with each other so that the gas in the combustion device 3 is supplied into the casing 4A of the heat exchanger 4, and the gas that passes through the casing 4A is discharged to the outside of the housing 2 through the exhaust section 5. In this way, the gas flow path is configured to pass through the blower 7, the combustion device 3, the heat exchanger 4, and the exhaust section 5, making it less likely that the gas passing through these interiors will interfere with the gas passing outside of these interiors.

[0053] In water heater 1, gas entering through air inlets 42, 42 and through holes 35 passes through first internal space (the space between first plate 31 and second plate 52) and is then released into the area outside combustion device 3, heat exchanger 4, and exhaust section 5 in second internal space 192, and a flow of gas tends to occur from this outside area into third internal space 193 below. Then, gas (mainly air) sucked into blower 7 in third internal space 193 flows through blower 7, combustion device 3, heat exchanger 4, and exhaust section 5 as described above.

[0054] 3.Example of effects As shown in FIGS. 1 and 6 , water heater 1 has first opening 31A provided in first plate 31, second opening 52A provided in second plate 52, and at least a portion of the opening area of ​​first opening 31A overlaps at least a portion of the opening area of ​​second opening 52A in the front-to-rear direction. Third plate 63 is detachably attached to close first opening 31A. This configuration allows an operator to access the interior of water heater 1 through first opening 31A and second opening 52A by removing third plate 63 without removing front cover 2A. Furthermore, water heater 1 has air inlet 42 provided in first plate 31, allowing air to be introduced into housing 2 through air inlet 42. Furthermore, since the second plate portion 52 of the water heater 1 is positioned so as to cover the air intake port 42 from the rear side, the second plate portion 52 can prevent foreign objects such as rain from directly entering the rear side of the second plate portion 52 from the air intake port 42.

[0055] On the other hand, if such a configuration is adopted, second plate portion 52 would be located behind air inlet 42, and second plate portion 52 itself and light reflected from second plate portion 52 would be visible to a user through air inlet 42, raising concerns about detracting from the aesthetic appearance. In response to this, water heater 1 is configured such that black portion 58 is provided on the front portion of second plate portion 52 at a position that overlaps at least the opening area of ​​air inlet 42 in the front-to-rear direction, so as to continue from at least one left-to-right end side to the other left-to-right end side of air inlet 42, and black portion 58 is visible from the front side through air inlet 42. This configuration makes it possible to clearly see the uneven shape of second plate portion 52 through air inlet 42 and to prevent light reflected by second plate portion 52 from entering the user's eyes through air inlet 42, thereby preventing detracting from the aesthetic appearance.

[0056] In water heater 1, horizontally elongated air inlet 42 can be provided at a lower position away from third plate portion 63. Therefore, when second plate portion 52 is provided with second opening 52A and a portion covering air inlet 42, it is easy to reduce the vertical size of second plate portion 52 while ensuring the size of air inlet 42. Furthermore, because air inlet 42 is provided in groove portion 81 configured in this manner, the presence of air inlet 42 can be reduced, making it easy to prevent a deterioration in aesthetic appearance due to the presence of air inlet 42.

[0057] In water heating apparatus 1, screw member 90 can be placed in groove portion 81, which reduces the presence of screw member 90 and prevents deterioration of the aesthetic appearance caused by screw member 90 being exposed alone in a manner that emphasizes it. Furthermore, in water heating apparatus 1, groove portion 81 can be used as a guide groove when installing screw member 90, which improves workability.

[0058] In water heater 1, the surface of groove 81, screw member 90, and the rear side of the opening region of air inlet 42 are colored in a blackish color, which significantly reduces the presence of screw member 90 and air inlet 42, thereby further preventing a loss of aesthetic appeal caused by overemphasizing screw member 90 and air inlet 42. Furthermore, the entire interior of groove 81 has a black band-like pattern, further enhancing the aesthetic appeal.

[0059] The water heater 1 has a useful groove 81 provided in the first plate portion 31, and a second groove 82 also provided in the second plate portion 52 so as to match the width and height of this groove 81, thereby achieving a unified design and further enhancing the aesthetic appearance.

[0060] <Other embodiments> The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above and illustrated in the drawings. For example, any combination of features of the above-described or following embodiments is possible within a range that does not contradict. Furthermore, any feature of the above-described or following embodiments may be omitted unless explicitly stated as essential. Furthermore, the above-described embodiments may be modified as follows.

[0061] In the above-described embodiment, the screw member 90 is disposed within the groove portion 81 , but the screw member 90 may be disposed outside the groove portion 81 .

[0062] In the above embodiment, the air supply port 42 is provided in the groove portion 81 along the upper edge portion of the third plate portion 63, but the air supply port 42 may also be provided outside the groove portion 81.

[0063] In the above-described embodiment, in the annular plate portion of the stepped portion 31C shown in FIGS. 8 and 9 , the front surfaces of the “portion overlapping with the protruding piece of the third plate portion 63 (the plate portion having the insertion hole 93),” the “portion surrounding the first opening 31A,” and the “portion surrounding the air inlets 42, 42” are configured as a single, flat surface so that they are positioned on the same imaginary plane. However, this is not limiting. For example, the “portion overlapping with the protruding piece of the third plate portion 63 (the plate portion having the insertion hole 93)” of the annular plate portion of the stepped portion 31C may be configured as a recessed portion into which the protruding piece fits, and the front surface of the protruding piece disposed in this recess may be configured flush with the front surface of the portion surrounding the first opening 31A and the portion surrounding the air inlets 42, 42. This configuration reduces the presence of the protruding piece, further enhancing the design.

[0064] In the above-described embodiment, the surface portion within the groove portion 81 and the portion exposed to the front of the screw member 90 are represented in a blackish color, but this portion does not have to be represented in a blackish color, and may, for example, be represented in the same color as the plate-shaped portion 31B.

[0065] It should be noted that the embodiments disclosed herein should be considered to be illustrative in all respects and not restrictive. The scope of the present invention is not limited to the embodiments disclosed herein, but is intended to include all modifications within the scope indicated by the claims or the scope equivalent to the claims. [Explanation of symbols]

[0066] 1: Hot water supply equipment 2: Housing 2A: Front cover 2B: Housing main body 2Z: Front end opening 3: Combustion equipment 4: Heat exchanger 4A: Casing 5: Exhaust section 7: Blower 10: Gas distribution section 12: Upper plate 13:Bottom plate part 14: Side plate part 15: Side plate part 20: Front cover body 22: Black patterned part 28: Hole 31: 1st plate part 31A: 1st opening 31B: Plate-shaped part 31C: Stepped section 31D: Annular plate section 31E:Inner wall part 32: Overhang 33: Periphery 35: Hole 36: Side edge 37: Side edge 38: Upper edge 39: Lower edge 42: Air supply port 52:Second plate part 52A: 2nd opening 58: Black part 63: 3rd plate part 63A: Upper edge 80: Ventilation channel 81: Groove 82: Second groove 90: Screw member 92: Insertion hole 93: Insertion hole 95: Fixed part 190: Exterior space 192:Second internal space 193:Third internal space

Claims

1. A water heating device including a housing having a housing main body having a front end opening at its front end side, and a front cover attached to the front side of the housing main body in a configuration that closes the front end opening, The front cover includes a front cover body having a plate-shaped first plate portion and a peripheral edge portion that constitute a front surface of the front cover, a second plate portion that overlaps the first plate portion from the front to the rear so as to partially cover the back surface of the first plate portion, and a third plate portion that is attached to the first plate portion from the front side, The first plate portion is provided with a first opening communicating with a front region and a rear region of the first plate portion, The second plate portion is provided with a second opening communicating with a front region and a rear region of the second plate portion, At least a portion of an opening region of the first opening and at least a portion of an opening region of the second opening overlap each other in the front-to-rear direction, The third plate portion is detachably attached to close the first opening, an air intake port communicating with a front region and a rear region of the first plate portion is provided at a position different from the first opening in the first plate portion; a part of the second plate portion is disposed so as to cover the air inlet from the rear side, A black portion expressed in a black color is provided on the front surface portion of the second plate portion at a position overlapping at least the opening area of ​​the air inlet in the front and rear directions, The black portion is provided continuously at least from one left-right end side to the other left-right end side of the air inlet, The black portion is configured to be visible from the front side through the air intake port. Water heater.

2. a step portion recessed rearward is provided in the first plate portion at a position above the third plate portion and closer to the third plate portion, the step portion forms a groove portion extending along an upper edge portion of the third plate portion, The air inlet is provided along the upper edge of the groove. The water heater according to claim 1 .

3. An insertion hole for inserting a screw member is provided in the groove, The first plate portion and the third plate portion are fixed together by the screw member inserted into the insertion hole. The water heater according to claim 2 .

4. The surface portion in the groove and the portion of the screw member exposed to the front side are shown in black. The water heater according to claim 3.

5. The second plate portion is provided with a second groove portion recessed toward the rear side, a width in the left-right direction of the second groove portion is aligned with a width in the left-right direction of the groove portion, The vertical width of the second groove portion is aligned with the vertical width of the groove portion. The water heater according to any one of claims 2 to 4.

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