Heat pump type heat source unit

Abstract

We provide a heat pump type heat source unit that can smooth airflow and allows for easy removal of the fan. [Solution] The hot water heater 1 includes a fan case 50. The fan case 50 is positioned in front of the air heat exchanger 24. The fan case 50 includes a front wall 51 and a mounting plate 29. The mounting plate 29 is fixed from the front to the periphery of the opening 511 of the front wall 51. The mounting plate 29 includes an opening 291. The fan 27 is positioned inside the fan case 50 with the air discharge direction facing forward and overlapping the openings 511 and 291 in the front-rear direction, and has four fixing legs fixed to the rear surface of the mounting plate 29. The mounting plate 29 includes an overlapping section. The overlapping section is a region that overlaps with the front side of the periphery of the front wall 51. The mounting plate 29 and the front wall 51 are fixed to each other by fastening multiple screws from the front at the overlapping section.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a heat pump type heat source machine.

Background Art

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a heat pump type heat source machine. The heat pump type heat source machine includes a fan for attracting outside air to an air heat exchanger. If the air flow from the fan is disturbed, there is a concern that the operating noise will increase. For this reason, it is considered to provide a fan case to which the fan is fixed on the front side of the air heat exchanger and to provide a ventilation guide having a ventilation path between the fan case and the front cover. By doing so, it is expected that the air that has passed through the air heat exchanger can be smoothly guided outside the housing through the front cover, and the occurrence of disturbance in the air flow can be suppressed.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] However, when the fan needs to be maintained, after removing the front cover and the ventilation guide in order, in order to remove the fan, it is necessary to remove the entire fan case to which the fan is fixed, and it is troublesome to remove the fan.

[0005] An object of the present invention is to provide a heat pump type heat source machine that can smooth the air flow and facilitate the removal of the fan.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] The heat pump type heat source machine according to claim 1 is a heat pump type heat source machine that includes an air heat exchanger and a fan inside a housing on which a front cover is attached to the front side, wherein the air heat exchanger is provided on the rear side inside the housing, and a fan case formed in the shape of a box is provided in front of the air heat exchanger to guide the air that has passed through the air heat exchanger forward, wherein the fan case comprises a front wall having a first opening and whose surface direction is oriented in the front-rear direction, and a mounting plate fixed from the front to the peripheral edge of the first opening of the front wall and having a second opening arranged inside the first opening, wherein the fan is positioned inside the fan case in a forward-facing position for air delivery and overlapping with the first and second openings in the front-rear direction, and has a fixing part fixed to the rear surface of the mounting plate, wherein the mounting plate comprises an overlapping part that overlaps with the front side of the peripheral edge of the front wall, and the mounting plate and the front wall are fixed to each other by fastening a first fixing device from the front at the overlapping part.

[0007] The heat pump type heat source unit according to claim 2 comprises a control board for controlling the operation of the heat pump type heat source unit, the fan is fixed to the rear surface of the mounting plate via the fixing part and is located inside the fan case, the motor of the fan is located behind the front wall, the motor comprises a harness that is electrically connected to the control board, and the mounting plate may comprise a through hole for pulling the harness out from inside the fan case forward and inserting it.

[0008] Between the fan case and the front cover of the heat pump type heat source unit according to claim 3, a ventilation guide is provided which has a ventilation path that guides the air sent forward from the second opening forward, the ventilation guide has a relief portion that communicates with the insertion hole and allows the harness to escape to the outside, the front wall has a retaining member that presses and supports the ventilation guide from the front, and the retaining member may be fixed to the front surface of the front wall from the front with a second fastener. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] According to the heat pump type heat source unit of claim 1, the mounting plate with the fan fixed to it can be easily removed by removing the first fastener that fastens the mounting plate and the front wall. This improves the maintainability of the heat pump type heat source unit.

[0010] According to the heat pump type heat source unit of claim 2, the fan can be separated from the heat pump type heat source unit by removing the harness from the control board after removing the mounting plate. This further improves maintenance in this embodiment. The harness may be connected directly to the control board, or a connection connector may be provided between the insertion hole and the control board.

[0011] According to the heat pump type heat source unit of claim 3, the removal of the ventilation guide can be made easier. This embodiment further improves the maintainability of the heat pump type heat source unit. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0012] [Figure 1] This is a functional configuration diagram of the hot water supply system 1. [Figure 2] This is a perspective view of the hot water supply system 1. [Figure 3] This is a perspective view of the hot water heater 1 with the front cover removed. [Figure 4] This is a perspective view of the front cover 30, seen from the rear side. [Figure 5] This is a rear view of the hot water supply unit 1. [Figure 6] This is a bottom view of the hot water supply unit 1. [Figure 7] This is a perspective view of the hot water heater 1 with the front cover and surrounding panels removed. [Figure 8] This is a perspective view of the hot water supply unit 1 with the pipe connection plate removed from the state shown in Figure 7. [Figure 9] This is a right side view of the hot water supply unit 1 in the state shown in Figure 8. [Figure 10] This is a rear view of the hot water supply unit 1 in the state shown in Figure 8. [Figure 11] This is a plan view of the inner base plate 45. [Figure 12] It is a perspective view of the middle bottom plate 45. [Figure 13] It is a perspective view of the water supply device 1 with the upper cover plate removed from the state of FIG. 8. [Figure 14] It is a perspective view of the water supply device 1 with the ventilation guide 60 removed forward from the state of FIG. 13. [Figure 15] It is a perspective view of the water supply device 1 with the fan assembly 28 removed forward from the state of FIG. 14. [Figure 16] It is a perspective view of the water supply device 1 viewed from a different angle from FIG. 15. [Figure 17] It is a perspective view of the fan case 50. [Figure 18] It is a perspective view of the fan assembly 28. [Figure 19] It is a right side view of the fan assembly 28. [Figure 20] It is a rear view of the fan assembly 28. [Figure 21] It is a perspective view of the ventilation guide 60 viewed from the back side. [Figure 22] It is a sectional view taken along the arrow direction of line I-I shown in FIG. 2. [Figure 23] It is an enlarged view of the upper half part of FIG. 22. [Figure 24] It is a sectional view taken along the arrow direction of line II-II shown in FIG. 2.

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0013] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described. The devices, member configurations, etc. described below are not intended to be limited only to those, but are merely illustrative examples unless specifically described otherwise. The drawings are used to explain the technical features that can be adopted by the present invention. In the present embodiment, the front-back, left-right, and up-down directions shown in the drawings will be used for explanation. The scales of the respective figures do not necessarily match each other, and they are appropriately enlarged or reduced according to the objects to be illustrated.

[0014] Referring to Figure 1, the functional configuration of the hot water supply system 1 will be explained. The hot water supply system 1 is a heat pump system that constitutes a cycle using, for example, CO2 as a refrigerant. The hot water supply system 1 comprises a housing 2, a hot water storage tank unit 3, and a heat pump unit 4. The housing 2 houses the hot water storage tank unit 3 and the heat pump unit 4 in its internal space. The hot water storage tank unit 3 comprises a hot water storage tank 5. The hot water storage tank 5 stores hot water. The heat pump unit 4 heats the hot water in the hot water storage tank 5.

[0015] The configuration of the hot water storage tank unit 3 will now be described. The hot water storage tank unit 3 includes a hot water storage tank 5, a water supply pipe 6, a hot water outlet pipe 7, a supply pipe 8, a return pipe 9, a first bypass pipe 11, a second bypass pipe 12, a relief pipe 13, drain pipes 14-17, a drain pipe 18, etc. The hot water storage tank 5 stores high-temperature hot water (e.g., 65-90°C) heated by the heat pump unit 4. A tank surface thermistor 5A is provided on the side of the hot water storage tank 5.

[0016] The water supply pipe 6 is connected to the middle section of the side of the hot water storage tank 5. The outlet pipe 7 is connected to the upper part of the side of the hot water storage tank 5. One end of the supply pipe 8 is connected to the bottom of the hot water storage tank 5, and the other end is connected to the inlet of the water heat exchanger 22 of the heat pump unit 4 (described later). One end of the return pipe 9 is connected to the outlet of the water heat exchanger 22, and the other end is connected to the top of the hot water storage tank 5. Therefore, the hot water supply device 1 stores the high-temperature hot water returned from the return pipe 9 in the hot water storage tank 5, and can supply the high-temperature hot water from the hot water storage tank 5 through the outlet pipe 7 when hot water is needed.

[0017] The first bypass pipe 11 branches off from the middle of the water supply pipe 6 and connects to the hot water outlet pipe 7. A solenoid valve 11A is provided in the first bypass pipe 11. The second bypass pipe 12 branches off upstream of the solenoid valve 11A in the first bypass pipe 11 and connects to the mixing valve 7B provided in the hot water outlet pipe 7. A check valve 12A is provided in the second bypass pipe 12. The mixing valve 7B is provided upstream of the point where the hot water outlet pipe 7 and the first bypass pipe 11 connect. A mixing valve motor 7D is connected to the mixing valve 7B. The relief pipe 13 is connected upstream of the mixing valve 7B in the hot water outlet pipe 7. A relief valve 13A is provided in the relief pipe 13.

[0018] Drain pipe 14 is connected to the second bypass pipe 12. A drain valve 14A is provided at the outlet of drain pipe 14. Drain pipe 15 is connected to the hot water outlet pipe 7. A drain valve 15A is provided at the outlet of drain pipe 15. Drain pipe 16 is connected to the return pipe 9. A drain valve 16A is provided at the outlet of drain pipe 16. Drain pipe 17 is connected to the supply pipe 8. A drain valve 17A is provided at the outlet of drain pipe 17. A solenoid valve 18A is provided in the drain pipe 18. Drain pipe 19 is connected upstream of the solenoid valve 18A in the drain pipe 18. A drain valve with a safety valve 19A is provided at the outlet of drain pipe 19.

[0019] The water supply pipe 6 is equipped with, in order from upstream where water flows, a pressure reducing valve 6A, a water flow sensor 6B, a thermistor 6C, and a check valve 6D. The hot water outlet pipe 7 is equipped with, in order from upstream where hot water flows, a tank hot water outlet thermistor 7A, a mixing valve 7B, and a mixed water thermistor 7C. The supply pipe 8 is equipped with, in order from upstream where hot water flows, a pump 8A, a water flow switch 8B, and an inlet water thermistor 8C. The return pipe 9 is equipped with a hot water outlet thermistor 9A.

[0020] The functional configuration of the heat pump unit 4 will now be described. The heat pump unit 4 includes a fan 27, an air heat exchanger 24, piping 25, a compressor 21, a water heat exchanger 22, an expansion valve 23, and a bypass pipe 26. The fan 27 takes in outside air into the housing 2 and supplies it to the air heat exchanger 24. The air heat exchanger 24 is equipped with refrigerant piping 241. Refrigerant passes through the refrigerant piping 241. The air heat exchanger 24 takes heat from the supplied outside air into the refrigerant passing through the refrigerant piping 241.

[0021] One end of the piping 25 is connected to the inlet of the air heat exchanger 24, and the other end is connected to the outlet. The piping 25 is equipped with a compressor 21, a water heat exchanger 22, and an expansion valve 23, in that order from upstream where the refrigerant flows. The compressor 21 compresses the refrigerant that has absorbed heat, making it high temperature and high pressure. The water heat exchanger 22 performs heat exchange between the high-temperature refrigerant and the hot water supplied from the supply pipe 8. The expansion valve 23 lowers the pressure of the refrigerant, making it low temperature again. These components—air heat exchanger 24, piping 25, compressor 21, water heat exchanger 22, and expansion valve 23—constitute a heat pump circuit. The heat pump circuit uses the refrigerant sealed in the piping 25 to perform hot water storage operation.

[0022] The bypass pipe 26 branches off from the piping 25 downstream of the compressor 21 and connects to the downstream of the expansion valve 23. A defrosting solenoid valve 26A is provided in the bypass pipe 26.

[0023] The piping 25 is equipped with an intake thermistor 25A, a discharge thermistor 25B, and an expansion valve outlet thermistor 25C. The intake thermistor 25A is installed between the air heat exchanger 24 and the compressor 21. The discharge thermistor 25B is installed between the water heat exchanger 22 and the expansion valve 23. The expansion valve outlet thermistor 25C is installed between the expansion valve 23 and the air heat exchanger 24.

[0024] The physical configuration of the hot water heater 1 will be explained with reference to Figures 2 to 23. The hot water heater 1 shown in Figure 2 has the functional configuration shown in Figure 1.

[0025] The structure of the enclosure 2 will now be described. As shown in Figure 2, the enclosure 2 is a vertically elongated, roughly rectangular parallelepiped. The enclosure 2 comprises a case body 20 and a front cover 30. As shown in Figure 3, the case body 20 is a vertically elongated, roughly rectangular parallelepiped with an open front. The case body 20 is positioned on the upper surfaces of the right leg 37 and the left leg 38, respectively. The right leg 37 and the left leg 38 are trapezoidal blocks extending in the front-to-back direction. The right leg 37 and the left leg 38 support the case body 20 from below. A gap is formed between the bottom of the case body 20 and the mounting surface.

[0026] As shown in Figure 2, the front cover 30 is detachable from the front of the case body 20. The front cover 30 is made of thin steel plate. A roughly circular ventilation opening 311 is provided on the upper half of the front cover 30, slightly to the left of the center. As shown in Figure 4, a protruding cylinder 312 is provided on the rear side of the front cover 30, around the periphery of the ventilation opening 311. The protruding cylinder 312 is a short-axis cylindrical shape that protrudes to the rear.

[0027] A grid-like filter 313 is provided on the outside of the ventilation opening 311 so as to cover the ventilation opening 311 from the front. With the front cover 30 attached to the front of the case body 20, a fan 27 (see Figure 3) supported within the housing 2 is positioned behind the ventilation opening 311. The ventilation opening 311 is positioned so as to overlap with the fan 27 (see Figure 3) in the front-to-back direction.

[0028] As shown in Figure 3, the case body 20 comprises a main frame 40 (see Figure 7), a right panel 32, a left panel 33 (see Figure 5), a top panel 34, a back panel 35, a bottom panel 36, and a middle bottom panel 45 (see Figures 7 and 11). The main frame 40 is a vertically elongated, roughly rectangular frame (see Figure 7). The right panel 32 is attached to the right side of the main frame 40. The left panel 33 (see Figure 5) is attached to the left side of the main frame 40. The top panel 34 is attached to the top of the main frame 40. The back panel 35 (see Figure 5) is attached to the back of the main frame 40. The bottom panel 36 is attached to the bottom of the main frame 40.

[0029] As shown in Figure 5, a rectangular opening 351 is provided in the center of the back plate 35. A mesh filter 352 is attached to the opening 351. As shown in Figure 6, a groove 360 ​​is provided in the bottom plate 36. The groove 360 ​​is a groove that is recessed downwards and comprises one horizontal groove 361 and four vertical grooves 362. The four vertical grooves 362 are perpendicular to the one horizontal groove 361 and are spaced apart in the left-right direction. Five discharge holes 365 are provided in the horizontal groove 361, spaced apart on the left and right sides.

[0030] As shown in Figure 3, a fixing bracket 341 is fixed to the rear center of the top surface of the top plate 34. The fixing bracket 341 is roughly L-shaped in side view, with one end fixed to the top surface of the top plate 34 and the other end fixed to, for example, the wall of the house. Therefore, the hot water heater 1 is fixed to the wall of the house (not shown) via the fixing bracket 341. A predetermined gap is provided between the case body 20 and the wall.

[0031] As shown in Figure 3, a rectangular opening 321 is provided on the lower right side of the right plate 32. A pipe connection plate 39 (see Figure 7) is attached to the opening 321 from the inside of the case body 20. Various connection ports and drain plugs, etc., described later, are provided on the pipe connection plate 39. A cover 322 is attached to the opening 321 from the right. The cover 322 is box-shaped and opens towards the rear (see Figure 5).

[0032] Referring to Figure 7, the pipe connection plate 39 will be described. On the front end of the pipe connection plate 39, drain valves 14A, 15A, 16A, and 17A are arranged in order from top to bottom. Behind drain valve 14A is the heat source supply connection port 91. The heat source supply connection port 91 is the outlet of the hot water pipe 7 (see Figure 1). Behind drain valve 15A is the electrical wire connection port 92. A cable (not shown) is connected to the electrical wire connection port 92. Further behind the electrical wire connection port 92 is the water supply connection port 93. The water supply connection port 93 is the inlet of the water supply pipe 6 (see Figure 1).

[0033] A drain outlet 94 is provided behind the drain valve 16A, on the right end side of the pipe connection plate 39. The drain outlet 94 is the outlet for the drain pipe 10 (see Figure 10), which will be described later. A drain valve with a safety valve 19A is provided behind and near the drain valve 17A. An automatic tank drain outlet 95 is provided behind the drain valve with a safety valve 19A, approximately in the center of the pipe connection plate 39 in the front-to-back direction. The automatic tank drain outlet 95 is the outlet for the drain pipe 18 (see Figure 1).

[0034] Referring to Figure 8, the structure of the main frame 40 will be described. The main frame 40 comprises a lower frame 41 and an upper frame 42. The lower frame 41 is a roughly rectangular parallelepiped frame. The lower frame 41 comprises a right frame section 411, a left frame section 412, a front upper beam section 413, a front lower beam section 414, a rear upper beam section 415, and a rear lower beam section 416.

[0035] The right frame section 411 is roughly U-shaped, opening downwards when viewed from the right side. A right fixing plate 417, which has a roughly L-shaped cross-section and protrudes to the right, is attached to the lower end of the right frame section 411. The right fixing plate 417 is screwed to the upper surface of the right leg section 37. The left frame section 412 is roughly U-shaped, opening downwards when viewed from the left side. A left fixing plate 418, which has a roughly inverted L-shaped cross-section and protrudes to the left, is attached to the lower end of the left frame section 412. The left fixing plate 418 is screwed to the upper surface of the left leg section 38.

[0036] The front upper beam section 413 is installed approximately horizontally between the upper end of the front column section 41A of the right frame section 411 and the upper end of the front column section 41C of the left frame section 412. The front lower beam section 414 is installed approximately horizontally between the lower end of the front column section 41A of the right frame section 411 and the lower end of the front column section 41C of the left frame section 412. The rear upper beam section 415 is installed approximately horizontally between the upper end of the rear column section 41B of the right frame section 411 and the upper end of the rear column section 41D of the left frame section 412. The rear lower beam section 416 is installed approximately horizontally between the lower end of the rear column section 41B of the right frame section 411 and the lower end of the rear column section (not shown) of the left frame section 412. The bottom plate 36 is fixed approximately horizontally to the bottom of the lower frame assembly 41.

[0037] The upper frame 42 is a roughly rectangular parallelepiped frame. The upper frame 42 is fixed to the upper part of the lower frame 41. The upper frame 42 comprises a right frame section 421, a left frame section 422, a front upper beam section 423, and a rear upper beam section 425.

[0038] The right frame section 421 is roughly U-shaped, with an opening on the lower right side when viewed from the right. The lower part of the right frame section 421 is screwed to the upper part of the right frame section 411 of the lower frame assembly 41. The left frame section 422 is roughly U-shaped, with an opening on the lower left side when viewed from the left. The lower part of the left frame section 422 is screwed to the upper part of the left frame section 412 of the lower frame assembly 41.

[0039] The front upper beam section 423 is installed approximately horizontally between the upper end of the front column section 42A of the right frame section 421 and the upper end of the front column section 42C of the left frame section 422. The rear upper beam section 425 is installed approximately horizontally between the upper end of the rear column section 42B of the right frame section 421 and the upper end of the rear column section 42D of the left frame section 422. The middle bottom plate 45 is fixed approximately horizontally to the bottom of the upper frame assembly 42.

[0040] Two tongue-shaped pieces 43A and 43B are provided at the lower end of the rear upper beam section 425, spaced apart from each other in the left-right direction. The tongue-shaped pieces 43A and 43B protrude forward from the lower end of the rear upper beam section 425. The tongue-shaped pieces 43A and 43B are screwed to the upper surface of the upper cover plate 59, which is attached to the upper part of the air heat exchanger 24. A non-contact portion 44 is provided between the tongue-shaped pieces 43A and 43B at the lower end of the rear upper beam section 425. The non-contact portion 44 is located above the tongue-shaped pieces 43A and 43B and is a portion that does not come into contact with the upper cover plate 59.

[0041] Referring to Figures 11 and 12, the inner bottom plate 45 will be explained. The inner bottom plate 45 divides the internal space of the case body 20 into upper and lower sections (see Figure 7). The space below the inner bottom plate 45 is the storage space S1. The space above the inner bottom plate 45 is the storage space S2.

[0042] The inner base plate 45 is a roughly rectangular sheet metal that is horizontally elongated in plan view. A front projection piece 45A is provided at the front end of the inner base plate 45, a right projection piece 45B at the right end, a left projection piece 45C at the left end, and a rear projection piece 45D at the rear end, all projecting upward. A notched discharge hole 468 is provided at the left rear corner of the inner base plate 45, between the rear end of the left projection piece 45C and the left end of the rear projection piece 45D. Two discharge holes 466 are provided side by side near the left front corner of the inner base plate 45. The discharge holes 466 are circular in shape.

[0043] The upper surface of the middle base plate 45 is provided with a first region 46, a second region 47, and a main body region 48. The first region 46 is located on the rear end side of the upper surface of the middle base plate 45, excluding the right end side. The first region 46 is roughly rectangular in shape, elongated in the left-right direction in plan view. The first region 46 is located directly below the air heat exchanger 24, which will be described later. The second region 47 is provided adjacent to the front side of the first region 46. The second region 47 is roughly trapezoidal in plan view, with a longer front-to-back width than the first region 46. The front end of the second region 47 is located slightly forward of the midpoint of the middle base plate 45 in the front-to-back direction. When the second region 47 is viewed from above, the right end 47A of the second region 47 slopes to the right as it moves from the front to the rear in plan view. The second region 47 is located directly below the fan case 50, which will be described later. The main body region 48 is the region on the upper surface of the middle base plate 45 other than the first region 46 and the second region 47.

[0044] The first region 46 includes a guide groove 461, an inclined portion 462, and a deep-drawn portion 463. The guide groove 461 is provided on the rear end side of the first region 46 and is a long, strip-shaped section in the left-right direction in plan view. The guide groove 461 is recessed below the main body region 48. The inclined portion 462 is provided between the front end of the first region 46 and the front end of the guide groove 461. The inclined portion 462 slopes diagonally downward from the front end of the first region 46 toward the front end of the guide groove 461. The first region 46 is located lower than the second region 47.

[0045] The deep-drawn portion 463 is located slightly to the right of the center of the guide groove 461 in the left-right direction. The deep-drawn portion 463 is roughly rectangular in shape and protrudes forward in a plan view. The left and right corners of the front end of the deep-drawn portion 463 are roughly arc-shaped. The front end of the deep-drawn portion 463 protrudes forward beyond the front end of the first region 46. The bottom surface of the deep-drawn portion 463 is at the same height as the bottom surface of the guide groove 461.

[0046] Steps 464 are formed along both the left and right ends and the front end of the deep-drawn section 463. The steps 464 include steps with respect to the inclined section 462 and steps with respect to the second region 47. A through hole 465 is provided on the front side of the bottom surface of the deep-drawn section 463. The through hole 465 is approximately rectangular in plan view. The through hole 465 penetrates the bottom of the deep-drawn section 463 in the vertical direction. One upstream end of the drain pipe 10 (see Figure 10) is connected to the through hole 465. One downstream end of the drain pipe 10 is connected to the drain outlet 94 (see Figure 7).

[0047] One end of the overflow path 467 is connected to the left end of the first region 46, excluding the guide groove 461. The overflow path 467 is formed in a groove shape. The other end of the overflow path 467 is connected to the discharge hole 468. The bottom of the overflow path 467 is positioned higher than the inclined portion 462 and lower than the main body region 48.

[0048] The second region 47 comprises a U-shaped protrusion 471 and an inclined portion 472. The U-shaped protrusion 471 is formed in a substantially U-shape that opens toward the rear in a plan view and protrudes above the upper surface of the second region 47. The U-shaped protrusion 471 comprises a central portion 474, a right inclined portion 475, and a left inclined portion 476. The central portion 474 is substantially rectangular in shape and extends in the left-right direction. The right inclined portion 475 extends substantially in a straight line from the right end of the central portion 474, inclined diagonally backward to the right. The left inclined portion 476 extends substantially in a straight line from the left end of the central portion 474, inclined diagonally backward to the left. The upper surface of the U-shaped protrusion 471 is flat. Four fixing holes 491 are provided in a row along the length of the upper surface of the right inclined portion 475.

[0049] The inclined portion 472 is provided in the region surrounded by the U-shaped raised portion 471 and slopes downward from the front to the rear. Four fixing holes 492 are provided at the left end of the second region 47, arranged in the front-to-back direction.

[0050] The main body region 48 comprises a base portion 49, a base portion 481, and a base portion 482. The base portion 49 is located in the right-hand region of the upper surface of the middle base plate 45 and is provided adjacent to the right side of the U-shaped protrusion 471. The base portion 49 is approximately triangular in shape when viewed from above. The base portion 49 rises above the main body region 48, and its upper surface is flat. The compressor 21 is screwed to the upper surface of the base portion 49 (see Figure 9).

[0051] The base portion 481 is provided in front of the base portion 49. The base portion 481 rises above the main body region 48, and its upper surface is flat. The support plate 70 (see Figure 3), described later, is screwed to the upper surface of the base portion 481. The base portion 482 is provided near the left front corner of the middle bottom plate 45. The base portion 482 rises above the main body region 48, and its upper surface is flat. The bottom surface of the ventilation guide 60 (described later) is positioned on the upper surface of the base portion 482 (see Figure 14). In the main body region 48, six fixing holes 493 are provided side by side in the left-right direction, adjacent to the front end of the central portion 474 of the U-shaped raised portion 471.

[0052] Furthermore, a pair of front and rear fixing holes 479, 479 are provided near the right and left ends of the first region 46, respectively. These four fixing holes 479 are for screwing in the air heat exchanger 24, which will be described later.

[0053] Next, the configuration of the hot water storage tank unit 3 housed in the storage space S1 will be described. In this embodiment, the positional relationships of the main devices among the multiple devices and various pipes that constitute the hot water storage tank unit 3 will be described in detail.

[0054] As shown in Figures 8 and 10, in a front view, a tank assembly 150 is provided on the left side of the storage space S1. The tank assembly 150 occupies approximately the left half of the storage space S1. The tank assembly 150 comprises a hot water storage tank 5 (see Figure 1) and a tank case 151. The hot water storage tank 5 is a roughly cylindrical metal case that extends vertically (see Figure 1). As shown in Figure 24, the tank case 151 surrounds the hot water storage tank 5 and is formed in a roughly octagonal prism shape. The tank assembly 150 is positioned to the left of the upper surface of the bottom plate 36, and an empty space A1 is formed below the discharge hole 468 located at the left rear corner of the bottom plate 36, i.e., the left rear corner of the middle bottom plate 45.

[0055] The tank case 151 is a cushioning material and is made of, for example, expanded polystyrene. The tank case 151 protects the area around the hot water storage tank 5 and also keeps the hot water stored in the hot water storage tank 5 warm. The bottom surface of the tank case 151 is in contact with the base portion 482 of the inner bottom plate 45.

[0056] The space to the right of the tank assembly 150 houses the aforementioned supply pipe 8, pump 8A, water flow switch 8B, water volume sensor 6B, outlet pipe 7, relief valve 13A (see Figure 9), etc., which constitute the hot water storage tank unit 3. Electrical components such as the pump 8A, water flow switch 8B, and water volume sensor 6B are arranged in this space. The other components and their respective positions are not described here.

[0057] Next, the configuration of the heat pump unit 4 housed in the containment space S2 will be described. In this embodiment, the description will focus on the shapes and relative positions of the main devices and components among the multiple devices and various pipes that constitute the heat pump unit 4.

[0058] The housing space S2 shown in Figure 8 houses the air heat exchanger 24, fan case 50, fan assembly 28, ventilation guide 60, compressor 21, water heat exchanger 22, support plate 70, and the like.

[0059] The structure of the air heat exchanger 24 will now be described. As shown in Figures 9, 10, and 13, the air heat exchanger 24 is positioned at the rearmost part of the housing space S2. The air heat exchanger 24 is positioned in front of the opening 351 (see Figure 5) provided in the back plate 35. The air heat exchanger 24 is formed in the shape of a roughly rectangular parallelepiped plate, with a short front-to-back width and extending in the up-down, left-to-right, and right directions. The lower left and right ends of the air heat exchanger 24 are screwed into four fixing holes 479 (see Figure 11) provided near the left and right ends of the first region 46 of the middle bottom plate 45. This fixes the air heat exchanger 24 directly above the first region 46 of the middle bottom plate 45.

[0060] The air heat exchanger 24 comprises a plurality of fins (not shown) and refrigerant piping 241. The plurality of fins are stacked between a pair of left and right side plates 242, spaced apart from each other in the left-right direction. The plurality of fins are arranged along the front-rear direction. Refrigerant passes through the refrigerant piping 241. The refrigerant piping 241 penetrates the plurality of fins in the left-right direction. The refrigerant piping 241 extends in the left-right direction and folds back to the opposite side on both the left and right sides, forming a series of pipes that are connected in a meandering manner in the up-down direction. Piping 25 (see Figure 1) is connected to the refrigerant piping 241.

[0061] Referring to Figure 17, the structure of the fan case 50 will be described. The fan case 50 is positioned in front of the air heat exchanger 24 (see Figure 13). The fan case 50 is formed in a box shape with the top, bottom, and rear open. The fan case 50 has a front wall 51, a right wall 52, and a left wall 53. The front wall 51, the right wall 52, and the left wall 53 are made of sheet metal. In a plan view, the right wall 52 and the left wall 53 extend inclined away from each other from both the left and right ends of the front wall 51.

[0062] The front wall 51 is roughly rectangular in shape when viewed from the front. A large, roughly rectangular opening 511 is provided in the center of the front wall 51 when viewed from the front. The front wall 51 comprises an upper front wall 55 and a lower front wall 56. The upper front wall 55 is roughly inverted U-shaped and opens downward when viewed from the front. The lower front wall 56 is roughly U-shaped and opens upward when viewed from the front. The opening 511 is provided between the upper front wall 55 and the lower front wall 56.

[0063] Five fixing holes 551 are provided side-by-side at the upper end of the upper front wall 55. Four fixing holes 552 are provided at the lower end of the upper front wall 55. Four fixing holes 562 are provided at the upper end of the lower front wall 56. A fixing piece 54 is provided at the lower end of the lower front wall 56, protruding forward. The fixing piece 54 is roughly rectangular in shape, elongated in the left-right direction in a plan view. Six fixing holes 541 are provided side-by-side at the fixing piece 54. When viewing the front wall 51 from the front, a retaining member 512 is fastened from the front to the right end of the upper front wall 55 with a bolt 97. The retaining member 512 is formed by bending a roughly rectangular plate member into a roughly L-shape. The retaining member 512 has a roughly L-shaped bent portion 515. The tip of the bent portion 515 extends toward the opening 511.

[0064] The right wall 52 is roughly rectangular in shape when viewed from the right side. Three fixing holes 521 are provided at the upper end of the right wall 52. A fixing piece 57 is provided at the rear end of the right wall 52, protruding to the right. Three fixing holes 571 are provided in the fixing piece 57, arranged vertically. A fixing piece 525 is provided at the lower end of the right wall 52, protruding to the left. Four fixing holes 526 are provided in the fixing piece 525.

[0065] The left wall 53 is roughly rectangular in shape when viewed from the left side. Three fixing holes 531 are provided at the upper end of the left wall 53. A fixing piece 58 is provided at the rear end of the left wall 53, protruding to the left. Three fixing holes (not shown) are provided in the fixing piece 58. A fixing piece 535 is provided at the lower end of the left wall 53, protruding to the left. Four fixing holes 536 are provided in the fixing piece 535.

[0066] Referring to Figures 18 to 20, the structure of the fan assembly 28 will be described. The fan assembly 28 comprises a fan 27 and a mounting plate 29. The mounting plate 29 is roughly rectangular in front view. An opening 291 is provided in the center of the mounting plate 29. The opening 291 is roughly circular in front view. A protruding cylinder 293 is provided on the periphery of the opening 291. The protruding cylinder 293 is cylindrical and protrudes forward.

[0067] In the mounting plate 29, overlapping portions 294, 295, 296, and 297 are provided around the opening 291. The overlapping portions 294 to 297 are the parts that overlap with the front wall 51 of the fan case 50. The overlapping portions 294 and 295 are provided on the upper side of the opening 291 and are regions that overlap with the upper front wall 55. The overlapping portions 296 and 297 are provided on the lower side of the opening 291 and are regions that overlap with the lower front wall 56.

[0068] Two fixing holes 29A are provided in the overlapping section 294. Two fixing holes 29A are also provided in the overlapping section 295. Two fixing holes 29B are provided in the overlapping section 296. Two fixing holes 29B are provided in the overlapping section 297. Furthermore, in the mounting plate 29, four fixing holes 290 are provided on the upper right, lower right, upper left, and lower left sides of the opening 291.

[0069] An insertion hole 298 is provided near the lower right corner of the mounting plate 29. The insertion hole 298 allows the first harness 276 (see Figure 19), which extends from the motor case 273 (described later), to be pulled forward of the mounting plate 29 and inserted through it. A packing 299 is provided on the inner periphery of the insertion hole 298. The packing 299 seals the gap between the inner periphery of the insertion hole 298 and the first harness 276.

[0070] The fan 27 comprises five blades 271, a rotating shaft 272, a motor case 273, a connecting section 274, and four fixed legs 275. The five blades 271 are fixed radially to the circumferential surface of the rotating shaft 272. A fan motor (not shown) is housed inside the motor case 273. The rotating shaft 272 extends in the front-rear direction and is fixed coaxially with the drive shaft (not shown) of the fan motor. The drive shaft protrudes forward from the front end of the motor case 273. As shown in Figures 19 and 20, the connecting section 274 is provided at the rear end of the motor case 273. The connecting section 274 is roughly rectangular in shape when viewed from the rear. The four fixed legs 275 extend radially from the four corners of the connecting section 274 and curve in a roughly L-shape toward the front. In other words, the rear ends, which are the base ends of each of the four fixed legs 275, are connected to the connecting section 274.

[0071] The front end of each of the four fixing legs 275 abuts against the rear surface of the mounting plate 29, specifically the upper right, lower right, upper left, and lower left areas of the opening 291. A bolt 98 is provided at the front end of each of the four fixing legs 275. The four bolts 98 are inserted from rear to front into four fixing holes 290 provided in the mounting plate 29 and secured with nuts 99. This fixes the fan 27 to the mounting plate 29, completing the fan assembly 28. In the fan assembly 28, the five blades 271 of the fan 27 are rotatably supported inside the opening 291 of the mounting plate 29.

[0072] The structure of the ventilation guide 60 will be described with reference to Figures 15, 16, and 21-23. As shown in Figures 15 and 16, the ventilation guide 60 is a roughly cylindrical shape with a short axis extending in the front-to-back direction. The ventilation guide 60 is roughly rectangular in front view. The material of the ventilation guide 60 is expanded polystyrene. The ventilation guide 60 has a ventilation path section 61 in the center. The ventilation path section 61 is a roughly circular opening in front view.

[0073] The roughly cylindrical inner surface of the ventilation passage 61 comprises, in order from the front to the rear, a front section 611, an enlarged diameter section 612, and a rear section 613. The front section 611 is a surface parallel to the axis of the ventilation passage 61, or a tapered surface that expands in diameter toward the front. The enlarged diameter section 612 is a tapered surface that expands in diameter toward the rear from the rear end of the front section 611. The rear section 613 extends rearward from the rear end of the enlarged diameter section 612 and is a surface parallel to the axis.

[0074] A receiving portion 615 is provided at the front end of the front part 611. The receiving portion 615 is a part with a diameter larger than that of the front part 611. The rear end of the protruding cylinder 312 of the front cover 30 (see Figures 4 and 23) is inserted into the receiving portion 615 from the front. A notched groove 62, which is roughly L-shaped in front view, is provided at the upper right corner of the ventilation guide 60. A locking surface 621 is provided on the inner side of the notched groove 62. The locking surface 621 faces forward. A rib 68 is provided at the left end of the rear surface of the ventilation guide 60, protruding rearward along the left end. A constricted portion 65 is provided at the lower part of the right side of the ventilation guide 60, constricting toward the ventilation path portion 61.

[0075] As shown in Figure 21, a relief section 66 is provided at the lower right corner of the rear surface of the ventilation guide 60. The relief section 66 is an inverted L-shaped groove when viewed from the rear. The relief section 66 comprises a vertical section 661 and a horizontal section 662. The vertical section 661 extends in the vertical direction. The lower end of the vertical section 661 is located at the lower end of the rear surface of the ventilation guide 60. The horizontal section 662 extends from the lower end of the vertical section 661 to the right end of the rear surface of the ventilation guide 60. The right end of the horizontal section 662 connects to the rear end of the constricted section 65. When the rear surface of the ventilation guide 60 is viewed from the rear, the relief section 66 opens downwards and to the right.

[0076] As shown in Figure 9, the compressor 21 is screwed to the upper surface of the base portion 49 of the middle bottom plate 45. On the middle bottom plate 45, the base portion 49 is located to the right of the U-shaped protrusion 471 (see Figure 11). Therefore, the compressor 21 is positioned to the right of the fan case 50. The compressor 21 is roughly cylindrical in shape and extends in the vertical direction. The water heat exchanger 22 is mounted to the right front of the compressor 21.

[0077] The support plate 70 is screwed to the base portion 481. As shown in Figures 8 and 9, the support plate 70 is positioned to the right of the ventilation guide 60. The support plate 70 extends upward and is roughly rectangular in shape when viewed from the front. The support surface of the support plate 70 faces forward. The control board 100 is fixed to the support surface in an upright position. The control board 100 controls the operation of the hot water storage tank unit 3 and the heat pump unit 4, respectively. A resin cover 110 is attached to the front side of the support plate 70. The resin cover 110 covers the front of the control board 100 from the front. A capacitor 105 is fixed to the rear side of the support plate 70. The capacitor 105 is for the compressor 21.

[0078] Referring to Figures 15 to 18, the method of fixing the fan case 50 and the fan assembly 28 will be explained. The worker assembling the hot water supply device 1 positions the fan assembly 28 from the front relative to the fan case 50 with the motor case 273 facing rear. The motor case 273 is placed inside the fan case 50 through the opening 511 in the front wall 51. Then, the overlapping portions 294, 295, 296, and 297 on the rear surface of the mounting plate 29 of the fan assembly 28 are brought into contact with the front surface of the front wall 51. The four fixing holes 29A provided in the overlapping portions 294 and 295 overlap with the four fixing holes 552 provided in the front wall 51. Four screws 96 are fastened to the four fixing holes 552 via the four fixing holes 29A.

[0079] Furthermore, the four fixing holes 29B provided in the overlapping sections 296 and 297 overlap with the four fixing holes 562 provided in the front wall 51. Four screws 96 are fastened to the four fixing holes 562 via the four fixing holes 29B. This fixes the fan assembly 28 to the fan case 50. The first harness 276 is pulled out from the insertion hole 298 of the mounting plate 29 of the fan assembly 28. A connector 277 is connected to one end of the first harness 276.

[0080] Referring to Figures 11, 15 to 17, the method for fixing the fan case 50 to the inner base plate 45 will be explained. The worker fixes the fan case 50 with the fan assembly 28 attached to the inner base plate 45. First, the worker places the fan case 50 shown in Figure 17 on the upper surface of the U-shaped protrusion 471 (see Figure 11) of the inner base plate 45. The fixing piece 54 of the front wall 51 of the fan case 50 is placed between the central part 474 and the base part 482 of the U-shaped protrusion 471. The fixing piece 525 of the right wall 52 of the fan case 50 is placed on the upper surface of the right inclined part 475 of the U-shaped protrusion 471. The fixing piece 535 of the left wall 53 of the fan case 50 is placed at the right end of the second region 478.

[0081] Six fixing holes 493 are provided in the middle bottom plate 45, and six fixing holes 541 are provided in the fixing piece 54 of the front wall 51 of the fan case 50, which are then screwed in. Four fixing holes 491 are provided in the middle bottom plate 45, and four fixing holes 526 are provided in the fixing piece 525 of the right wall 52 of the fan case 50, which are then screwed in. Four fixing holes 492 are provided in the middle bottom plate 45, and four fixing holes 536 are provided in the fixing piece 535 of the left wall 53 of the fan case 50, which are then screwed in. This fixes the fan case 50 to the second region 47 of the middle bottom plate 45 (see Figures 15 and 16).

[0082] Furthermore, a fixing piece 57 provided at the rear end of the right wall 52 of the fan case 50 is positioned at the right end of the front of the air heat exchanger 24 and secured with screws through three fixing holes 571 provided in the fixing piece 57. Additionally, a fixing piece 58 provided at the rear end of the left wall 53 is positioned at the left end of the air heat exchanger 24 and secured with screws through three fixing holes (not shown) provided in the fixing piece 58. This secures the fan case 50 to the front of the air heat exchanger 24 (see Figures 15 and 16).

[0083] The top cover plate 59 will be described with reference to Figures 8 and 17. As shown in Figure 8, the top cover plate 59 is attached to the top of the air heat exchanger 24 and the fan case 50. The top cover plate 59 is a metal plate that is roughly trapezoidal in plan view. A cover piece 591 is provided at the front end of the top cover plate 59, protruding downward. Five fixing holes (not shown) are provided on the cover piece 591, arranged side by side in a front view. These five fixing holes correspond to five fixing holes 551 (see Figure 17) provided at the upper end of the upper front wall 55 of the fan case 50. The five fixing holes of the cover piece 591 overlap with the five fixing holes 551 of the upper front wall 55, and the cover piece 591 is fixed to the upper end of the upper front wall 55 by screwing them together.

[0084] A cover piece 592 is provided at the right end of the top cover plate 59, protruding downward. Three fixing holes (not shown) are provided in a horizontal line on the right side view of the cover piece 592. These three fixing holes correspond to three fixing holes 521 (see Figure 17) provided at the upper end of the right wall 52 of the fan case 50. The three fixing holes of the cover piece 592 are aligned with the three fixing holes 521 of the right wall 52, and the cover piece 592 is fixed to the upper end of the right wall 52 by screwing them together.

[0085] A cover piece 593 is provided at the left end of the top cover plate 59, protruding downward. Three fixing holes (not shown) are provided in a horizontal line on the left side view of the cover piece 593. These three fixing holes correspond to three fixing holes 531 (see Figure 17) provided at the upper end of the left wall 53 of the fan case 50. The three fixing holes of the cover piece 593 are aligned with the three fixing holes 531 of the left wall 53 and secured with screws, thereby fixing the cover piece 593 to the upper end of the left wall 53. In this way, the top cover plate 59 is integrally attached so as to cover the upper parts of the air heat exchanger 24 and the fan case 50, respectively.

[0086] Referring to Figure 8, the support structure of the air heat exchanger 24 and the fan case 50 will be described. An upper cover plate 59 is integrally attached to the top of both the air heat exchanger 24 and the fan case 50. Two tongue-shaped pieces 43A and 43B that protrude forward from the lower end of the rear upper beam 425 are screwed to the upper cover plate 59. As a result, the air heat exchanger 24 is stably supported by the rear column 42B of the right frame 421 and the rear column 42D of the left frame 422 via the two tongue-shaped pieces 43A and 43B and the rear upper beam 425. This prevents the air heat exchanger 24 from shifting position due to impacts during transport of the hot water supply device 1, for example. In addition, vibrations from the compressor 21 transmitted through the middle bottom plate 45 can be suppressed. This prevents the air heat exchanger 24 from vibrating and hitting other metal parts, thereby preventing the generation of abnormal noise.

[0087] Furthermore, as described above, the top cover plate 59 is integrally attached to the top of both the air heat exchanger 24 and the fan case 50. The two tongue-shaped pieces 43A and 43B are screwed to the top cover plate 59, thereby stably supporting the fan assembly 28 fixed to the fan case 50. This allows the hot water heater 1 to cancel out vibrations from the fan 27. Thus, the hot water heater 1 can suppress the generation of abnormal noises from the air heat exchanger 24 due to the vibrations of the fan 27.

[0088] Furthermore, as described above, a non-contact portion 44 is provided between the two tongue portions 43A and 43B that does not come into contact with the upper cover plate 59. This allows the hot water heater 1 to minimize the transmission of vibrations from the compressor 21 to the air heat exchanger 24 via the rear upper beam portion 425. Thus, the hot water heater 1 can effectively suppress the generation of abnormal noises from the air heat exchanger 24 due to the vibrations of the fan 27.

[0089] Referring to Figures 13, 14, and 21, the method for installing the ventilation guide 60 will be explained. As shown in Figure 14, the air heat exchanger 24, fan case 50, and fan assembly 28 are already installed on the upper frame 42. The worker positions the ventilation guide 60 from the front relative to the mounting plate 29 fixed to the front wall 51 of the fan case 50. At this time, the ventilation path portion 61 of the ventilation guide 60 is positioned coaxially with respect to the opening 291 of the mounting plate 29.

[0090] Furthermore, the rib 68 provided on the left end of the rear surface of the ventilation guide 60 is locked to the left end of the mounting plate 29 from the left. Then, the worker inserts the protruding cylinder 293 that protrudes forward from the periphery of the opening 291 into the inside of the rear part 613 of the ventilation path 61. This allows the worker to easily position the ventilation guide 60 to the mounting position on the mounting plate 29 in the front-to-back and left-to-right directions, and to temporarily fasten it in that state.

[0091] Next, with the ventilation guide 60 temporarily attached to the mounting plate 29, the worker fixes the retaining member 512 to the upper front wall 55 of the fan case 50 with bolts 97. At this time, the tip of the bent portion 515 of the retaining member 512 is locked from the front to the locking surface 621 on the far side of the notched groove 62 provided in the ventilation guide 60. This allows the retaining member 512 to press the fan case 50 toward the mounting plate 29. The rear surface of the ventilation guide 60 contacts the mounting plate 29 fixed to the front wall 51 of the fan case 50. Since the ventilation guide 60 is a cushioning material, it absorbs some of the vibration and noise of the fan 27 transmitted through the mounting plate 29. In this way, the ventilation guide 60 can suppress the vibration and noise of the fan 27. In this manner, the worker can attach the ventilation guide 60 to the fan case 50 to which the fan assembly 28 is fixed.

[0092] Here, the insertion hole 298 of the mounting plate 29 is positioned opposite the vertical portion 661 (see Figure 21) of the relief portion 66. Therefore, the vertical portion 661 communicates with the insertion hole 298 in the front-rear direction.

[0093] The connector 277 of the first harness 276, which is pulled forward from the insertion hole 298 of the mounting plate 29, is connected to the second harness. The second harness extends downward along the vertical portion 661 of the relief portion 66, and is pulled out by bending to the right along the horizontal portion 662. The second harness is pulled forward along the constricted portion 65 and extends toward the control board 100. The connector of the second harness pulled toward the control board 100 is connected to the control board 100 which is fixed to the support plate 70. As a result, the fan 27 is operated under the control of the control board 100. Alternatively, the connector 277 of the first harness 276 may be connected directly to the control board 100.

[0094] Next, the front cover 30 is attached to the open front of the case body 20. A protruding cylinder 312 is provided on the periphery of the ventilation opening 311 of the front cover 30, which protrudes to the rear. The worker inserts the protruding cylinder 312 from the front into a receiving portion 615 provided at the front end of the ventilation path portion 61 of the ventilation guide 60. This reduces the step between the ventilation path portion 61 and the protruding cylinder 312. As a result, it is possible to prevent the generation of air vortices around the step, so that air from the fan 27 can be smoothly discharged to the outside of the housing 2.

[0095] Furthermore, the step between the front portion 611 and the receiving portion 615 should be approximately the same as the plate thickness of the protruding cylinder 312. This eliminates the step between the ventilation path portion 61 and the protruding cylinder 312 in the hot water supply device 1. As a result, the hot water supply device 1 can more smoothly discharge air from the fan 27 to the outside of the housing 2 via the ventilation path portion 61 and the ventilation opening portion 311.

[0096] With the front cover 30 attached to the front of the case body 20, the protruding cylinder 312 of the front cover 30 comes into contact with the receiving portion 615 of the ventilation path portion 61 of the ventilation guide 60. As a result, the ventilation guide 60 is sandwiched between the mounting plate 29 fixed to the front wall 51 of the fan case 50 and the front cover 30. Therefore, the ventilation guide 60 can more efficiently suppress vibrations and noise from the fan 27 transmitted through the mounting plate 29.

[0097] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 23, in the hot water heater 1 having the above configuration, the protruding cylinder 293 of the mounting plate 29 is inserted slightly inward from the inner circumferential surface of the rear end of the ventilation path portion 61. This allows the hot water heater 1 to straighten the air flowing from the opening 291 of the fan case 50 toward the ventilation path portion 61 of the ventilation guide 60 in a forward direction. Thus, the hot water heater 1 can smoothly discharge the air sent from the fan 27 to the outside of the housing 2 via the ventilation path portion 61 of the ventilation guide 60 and the ventilation opening portion 311 of the front cover 30.

[0098] Furthermore, at the lower part of the ventilation path 61 of the ventilation guide 60, the protruding cylinder 293 of the mounting plate 29 is positioned higher than the inner circumferential surface of the rear end of the ventilation path 61. This allows the hot water heater 1 to prevent rainwater that has entered the inside of the ventilation path 61 through the protruding cylinder 293 from flowing forcefully into the fan case 50.

[0099] Referring to Figures 15 and 16, the method for removing the fan assembly 28 will be explained. First, the worker pulls the ventilation guide 60 forward from the fan case 50. At this time, the bent portion 515 of the retaining member 512 is removed from the locking surface 621 of the ventilation guide 60. This makes it easy to remove the ventilation guide 60 from the fan case 50.

[0100] Next, the worker removes the four nuts 99 that fasten the mounting plate 29 to the front wall 51, and removes the mounting plate 29 from the front wall 51. At this time, the first harness 276, which is inserted through the insertion hole 298 of the mounting plate 29, can also be removed forward together with the mounting plate 29. As a result, the worker can easily remove the fan assembly 28 together with the first harness 276 without removing the fan case 50 from the upper frame 42. Thus, the hot water supply device 1 can improve the maintainability of the heat pump unit 4.

[0101] Next, after removing the mounting plate 29 from the fan case 50, the worker disconnects the connector of the second harness from the control board 100. This allows the worker to separate the fan assembly 28 from the heat pump unit 4. Thus, the hot water supply system 1 can further improve the maintainability of the heat pump unit 4.

[0102] Referring to Figures 11 to 16, the drainage structure for drains and other fluids in the middle bottom plate 45 will be explained. During operation of the heat pump unit 4, the air is cooled by the air heat exchanger 24, causing moisture in the air to condense on the surface of the refrigerant pipes 241. The condensed water formed on the surface of the refrigerant pipes 241 falls into the first region 46 of the middle bottom plate 45. On the other hand, rainwater that falls into the housing 2 through the opening 351 of the back plate 35 comes into contact with the refrigerant pipes 241 of the air heat exchanger 24 and falls into the first region 46 of the middle bottom plate 45.

[0103] The bottom plate 45 allows condensation and rainwater that falls into the first region 46 to be guided into the guide groove 461 by the inclined section 462. The condensation and rainwater that falls into the guide groove 461 is guided towards the deep-drawn section 463 as drain. The drain that flows into the deep-drawn section 463 falls into the through hole 465. The drain that falls into the through hole 465 flows through the drain drain pipe 10 (see Figure 10) and is discharged outside the housing 2 from the drain outlet 94.

[0104] Furthermore, the inclined portion 462 of the middle bottom plate 45 guides the drain towards the rear of the housing 2, thereby preventing the drain from flowing towards electrical components such as the control board 100 and compressor 21 located on the right side of the housing space S2.

[0105] Furthermore, since the inclined section 462 and the deep-drawn section 463 are connected via a step 464, it is possible to suppress the backflow of drain water forward from the deep-drawn section 463 side.

[0106] Furthermore, the front end of the deep-drawn section 463 protrudes into the second region 47, which is located in front of the front end of the first region 46. The deep-drawn section 463 and the second region 47 are connected via a step 464. This allows the middle bottom plate 45 to add the volume of the deep-drawn section 463 to the volume of the guide groove 461. In addition, the inclined sections 462 and 472 of the middle bottom plate 45 can guide the drain that has fallen onto the upper surfaces of the first region 46 and the second region 47 towards the deep-drawn section 463.

[0107] Furthermore, even if drain overflows from the guide groove 461, the drain will drip through the overflow path 467 and out of the discharge hole 468 into space A1 formed in the left rear corner of the housing space S1 of the lower frame 41. The drain that falls onto the upper surface of the bottom plate 36 through space A1 flows into the groove 360. The drain that flows into the groove 360 ​​falls out of the four discharge holes 365 provided in the lateral groove 361 and is discharged outside the housing 2. This prevents the drain from adhering to electrical components such as the control board 100 and compressor and the tank assembly 150.

[0108] Furthermore, in this embodiment, two drain holes 466, 466 are provided near the left front corner of the middle bottom plate 45. This allows the drain to drip from the two drain holes 466, 466 into the space A2 formed at the left front corner of the housing space S1 of the lower frame 41, even if drain overflows from the upper surface of the middle bottom plate 45. Therefore, the hot water supply device 1 can prevent the drain from flowing towards electrical components such as the pump 8A, water flow switch 8B, water volume sensor 6B, and mixing valve motor 7D, which are located on the right side of the housing space S1. In addition, by allowing the drain to drip into space A2, the hot water supply device 1 can prevent the drain from adhering to the tank assembly 150.

[0109] Referring to Figures 3, 22, and 23, the waterproofing function of the ventilation guide 60 in the event of rainwater intrusion will be explained. Rainwater enters the inside of the ventilation path 61 of the ventilation guide 60 through the ventilation opening 311 of the front cover 30. Here, the ventilation path 61 is surrounded by the ventilation guide 60 except in the front-to-back direction. Therefore, the hot water heater 1 can prevent rainwater that has entered the ventilation path 61 from adhering to the control board 100 and other electrical components located to the right of the ventilation guide 60.

[0110] Furthermore, as shown in Figures 22 and 23, rainwater that penetrates to the back of the ventilation path 61 enters the inside of the fan case 50 through the opening 511 of the fan case 50 (see dotted arrow R1 in Figure 23) and drips onto the second region 47 of the middle bottom plate 45 (see Figures 11 and 12). The rainwater that drips onto the second region 47 flows towards the first region 46 side via the inclined portion 472, falls through the through hole 465 via the guide groove 461 and the deep drawing portion 463, and is discharged to the outside of the housing space S2 (towards the housing space S1 side). In this way, rainwater can be discharged to the outside of the housing space S2 through the drain through hole 465, so that rainwater can be more effectively prevented from entering the right side of the housing space S2 where the control board 100 and other electrical components are located.

[0111] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 23, an enlarged diameter section 612 is provided in the middle of the ventilation path section 61. The ventilation guide 60 can guide rainwater that has entered the back of the ventilation path section 61 towards the fan case 50 side by the enlarged diameter section 612 (see the dotted arrow R2 in Figure 23). In this way, the ventilation guide 60 can prevent rainwater from remaining inside the ventilation path section 61.

[0112] In the above description, the hot water supply device 1 is an example of the "heat pump type heat source unit" of the present invention. The opening 511 in the front wall 51 is an example of the "first opening" of the present invention. The opening 291 in the mounting plate 29 is an example of the "second opening" of the present invention. The connecting part 274 and the four fixing legs 275 of the fan assembly 28 are examples of the "fixing part" of the present invention. The screw 96 is an example of the "first fixing device" of the present invention. The bolt 97 is an example of the "second fixing device" of the present invention.

[0113] As described above, the hot water supply device 1 of this embodiment includes a heat pump unit 4. The heat pump unit 4 includes an air heat exchanger 24 and a fan 27 inside the housing 2. A front cover 30 is attached to the front of the housing 2. The air heat exchanger 24 is located on the rear side inside the housing 2. The heat pump unit 4 includes a fan case 50. The fan case 50 is box-shaped and is positioned in front of the air heat exchanger 24. The fan case 50 guides the air that has passed through the air heat exchanger 24 forward. The fan case 50 includes a front wall 51 and a mounting plate 29. The front wall 51 has an opening 511 and its surface direction faces the front-to-back direction. The mounting plate 29 is fixed from the front to the periphery of the opening 511 of the front wall 51. The mounting plate 29 has an opening 291. The fan 27 is positioned inside the fan case 50 with its air outlet facing forward and overlapping the front-to-back direction with the openings 511 and 291, and is equipped with four fixing legs 275 fixed to the rear surface of the mounting plate 29. The mounting plate 29 is equipped with overlapping sections 294, 295, 296, and 297. The overlapping sections 294 to 297 overlap with the front side of the peripheral edge of the front wall 51. The mounting plate 29 and the front wall 51 are fixed to each other by fastening multiple screws 96 from the front at the overlapping sections 294 to 297. As a result, a worker can easily remove the mounting plate 29 with the fan 27 fixed to it by removing the multiple screws 96 that fasten the mounting plate 29 and the front wall 51. This improves the maintainability of the hot water supply device 1 in this embodiment.

[0114] The hot water supply system 1 includes a control board 100. The control board 100 controls the operation of the hot water storage tank unit 3 and the heat pump unit 4, respectively. The fan 27 is fixed to the rear surface of the mounting plate 29 via four fixing legs 275 and is located inside the fan case 50, with the motor of the fan 27 located behind the front wall 51. The motor includes a first harness 276 that is electrically connected to the control board 100. The mounting plate 29 has an insertion hole 298 through which the first harness 276 is pulled forward from inside the fan case 50 and inserted. After removing the mounting plate 29, the worker can separate the fan 27 from the heat pump unit 4 by removing the first harness 276 from the control board 100. This further improves the maintainability of the hot water supply system 1 in this embodiment.

[0115] A ventilation guide 60 is positioned between the fan case 50 and the front cover 30. The ventilation guide 60 includes a ventilation path 61. The ventilation path 61 guides the air sent forward from the opening 291 of the mounting plate 29. The ventilation guide 60 includes a relief section 66. The relief section 66 communicates with the insertion hole 298. The relief section 66 is a groove for allowing the first harness 276, or the second harness connected to the first harness 276, to escape to the outside. The front wall 51 includes a retaining member 512. The retaining member 512 is fixed to the front surface of the front wall 51 from the front with a bolt 97. The retaining member 512 presses and supports the ventilation guide 60 from the front. As a result, this embodiment makes it easier to remove the ventilation guide 60 and further improves the maintainability of the hot water supply device 1.

[0116] It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and various modifications are possible. The fan 27 is equipped with four fixing legs 275 at the rear end of the motor case 273 via a connecting portion 274, and the front end of each of these four fixing legs 275 is fixed to the rear surface of the mounting plate 29. The number of fixing legs 275 may be more or less than four.

[0117] The shape of the relief portion 66 provided on the rear surface of the ventilation guide 60 is not limited to the above embodiment. The relief portion 66 can be any groove shape that communicates in the front-rear direction by being positioned opposite the insertion hole 298 of the mounting plate 29 and allows air to escape to the outside of the ventilation guide 60.

[0118] The ventilation guide 60 is made of expanded polystyrene, but any cushioning material will do, such as urethane sponge.

[0119] In the above embodiment, the mounting plate 29 is screwed to the front wall 51 of the fan case 50 to constitute the "front panel portion" of the present invention, but the front wall 51 and the mounting plate 29 may be integrally formed.

[0120] The ventilation guide 60 is a roughly cylindrical shape with a short axis extending in the front-to-back direction, but is not limited to this shape. If the ventilation guide 60 is positioned between the fan case 50 and the front cover 30 and is in contact with the mounting plate 29 of the fan case 50, the ventilation path 61 may be omitted.

[0121] In the above embodiment, the ventilation path portion 61 of the ventilation guide 60 and the protruding cylinder 293 of the mounting plate 29 are in contact, and the ventilation path portion 61 and the protruding cylinder 312 of the front cover 30 are in contact. However, it is sufficient if at least one of these is in contact, and preferably the ventilation path portion 61 and the protruding cylinder 293 of the mounting plate 29 are in contact.

[0122] The connecting portion 274 of the fan assembly 28 is equipped with four fixing legs 275, but the number and shape of the fixing legs 275 are not limited to the above embodiment.

[0123] In the above embodiment, the inner circumferential surface of the front portion 611 provided on the front end side of the ventilation path 61 is parallel to the axis. For example, at least the front end side of the front portion 611 may be provided with an enlarged diameter portion where the cross-sectional area for passage increases as it moves towards the front. In this way, rainwater that enters the ventilation path 61 can be guided in both the front and rear directions. As a result, the ventilation guide 60 can more effectively suppress the retention of rainwater within the ventilation path 61. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0124] 1. Hot water supply system 2 cabinets 4 Heat pump unit 5. Hot water storage tank 24 Air heat exchanger 27 Fans 29 Mounting plate 30 Front cover 50 Fan Case 51 Front wall 60 Ventilation Guide 61 Ventilation path section 66 Escape Department 96 screws 97 volts 100 Control board 274 Connecting part 275 Fixed leg 276 First Harness 291 Opening 294-297 Polymerization section 298 Through hole 511 Opening

Claims

1. In a heat pump type heat source unit equipped with an air heat exchanger and a fan inside a housing with a front cover attached to the front, The air heat exchanger is provided on the rear side inside the housing. The front side of the air heat exchanger is provided with a fan case that is box-shaped and guides the air that has passed through the air heat exchanger forward. The aforementioned fan case is A front panel having a first opening and whose surface direction is oriented in the front-to-back direction, A mounting plate having a second opening is fixed from the front to the peripheral edge of the first opening of the front plate and positioned inside the first opening. Equipped with, The fan is positioned inside the fan case with its air outlet facing forward and overlapping the first and second openings in the front-to-back direction, and is equipped with a fixing portion that is fixed to the rear surface of the mounting plate. The mounting plate has an overlapping portion that overlaps with the front side of the peripheral edge of the front plate, The mounting plate and the front plate are fixed to each other by fastening the first fastener from the front at the overlapping portion. A heat pump type heat source unit characterized by the following.

2. The heat pump type heat source unit is equipped with a control board that controls the operation of the heat pump type heat source unit, With the fan fixed to the rear surface of the mounting plate via the fixing portion and positioned inside the fan case, the fan motor is located behind the front plate. The motor is equipped with a harness that is electrically connected to the control board. The mounting plate is provided with a through hole for pulling the harness out from the inside of the fan case forward and inserting it. A heat pump type heat source machine according to claim 1, characterized by the above.

3. Between the fan case and the front cover, a ventilation guide is provided, which has a ventilation path that guides the air sent forward from the second opening forward. The ventilation guide is provided with a relief section that communicates with the insertion hole and allows the harness to escape to the outside. The front panel is equipped with a retaining member that holds and supports the ventilation guide from the front, The retaining member is fixed to the front surface of the front plate from the front side by a second fastener. A heat pump type heat source machine according to claim 2, characterized by the above.

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