water heater

Abstract

A water heater according to an aspect of the present disclosure comprises: a housing; a heating part which is housed inside the housing; an expansion tank which is housed inside the housing; a circulation path part which passes through the heating part; a branch path part which branches off from the circulation path part and is connected to the expansion tank; and a tank support part that supports the expansion tank in the housing. The tank support part has a first support positioned on a first side in a first direction orthogonal to the vertical direction relative to the expansion tank, and a second support positioned on a second side in the first direction relative to the expansion tank. The first support has a first support surface for supporting the expansion tank from the lower side. The second support has a second support surface for supporting the expansion tank from the upper side.

Description

Technical Field

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

Background Art

[0002] A water heater is provided with an expansion tank that releases the expanded liquid in order to prevent the pressure in the circulation path section from rising too much (for example, Patent Document 1). The expansion tank is disposed at the upper end inside the water heater.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] A conventional expansion tank is supported from below by a support member provided inside the housing, and there is a risk that the expansion tank vibrates due to resonance with the vibration of other members such as a pump, causing noise. Further, when the expansion tank is firmly fixed to the housing for the purpose of suppressing the vibration of the expansion tank, there is a problem that the assembly process of the water heater becomes complicated.

[0005] In view of the above circumstances, one object of the present disclosure is to provide a water heater that can suppress rattling of the expansion tank without complicating the assembly process.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] One aspect of the water heater according to the present disclosure includes a housing, a heating unit housed inside the housing, an expansion tank housed inside the housing, a circulation path section passing through the heating unit, a branch path section branched from the circulation path section and connected to the expansion tank, a tank support section that supports the expansion tank inside the housing, A control unit housed inside the aforementioned enclosure,The tank support portion comprises a first support portion located on the first side in a first direction perpendicular to the vertical direction relative to the expansion tank, and a second support portion located on the second side in the first direction relative to the expansion tank, wherein the first support portion has a first support surface that supports the expansion tank from below, and the second support portion has a second support surface that supports the expansion tank from above. The control unit comprises a substrate and a support frame that supports the substrate, the expansion tank has a manually operable valve portion that protrudes to the second side from the surface of the expansion tank facing the second side, and the second support portion is fixed to the upper end of the support frame and located below the valve portion. . [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to this disclosure, it is possible to provide a water heater that can suppress rattling of the expansion tank without complicating the assembly process. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0008] [Figure 1] This is a schematic diagram showing a water heater in an embodiment. [Figure 2] This is a perspective view of the water heater body in the embodiment. [Figure 3] This is a front view of the water heater unit in the embodiment. [Figure 4] This is a perspective view of the water heater unit in the embodiment, showing a state in which a part of the casing has been removed. [Figure 5] This is an enlarged view of region V in Figure 4. [Figure 6] This is an exploded perspective view of the first support portion in the embodiment. [Figure 7] This is a perspective view of the second support portion in the embodiment. [Figure 8] This is a perspective view of the water heater body around the second support portion in the embodiment, and shows a portion of the water heater body in a cutaway view. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0009] Embodiments of this disclosure will be described below with reference to the drawings. However, the scope of this disclosure is not limited to the embodiments described below and can be modified at will within the scope of the technical concept of this disclosure. Furthermore, in the following drawings, the scale and number of components in each structure may differ from those in the actual structure in order to make the configurations easier to understand.

[0010] Furthermore, the X, Y, and Z axes are shown in the drawings as appropriate. The X axis represents one of the horizontal directions. The Y axis represents the other of the horizontal directions. The Z axis represents the vertical direction. In the following explanation, the horizontal direction along the X axis will be called the "front-back direction X," the horizontal direction along the Y axis will be called the "left-right direction Y," and the vertical direction along the Z axis will be called the "vertical direction Z." The front-back direction X, the left-right direction Y, and the vertical direction Z are all orthogonal to each other. In the following explanation, the side of the vertical direction Z in which the Z-axis arrow points (+Z side) will be considered the upper side, and the side of the vertical direction Z opposite to the side in which the Z-axis arrow points (-Z side) will be considered the lower side. Also, the side of the front-back direction X in which the X-axis arrow points (+X side) will be considered the front side, and the side of the front-back direction X opposite to the side in which the X-axis arrow points (-X side) will be considered the rear side. Furthermore, the left-right direction Y refers to the left-right direction when viewing the water heater body 10 in the following embodiment from the front (+X side). That is, the side in which the Y-axis arrow points (+Y side) is the right side, and the side opposite to the side in which the Y-axis arrow points (-Y side) is the left side. In the following embodiment, the front-back direction X corresponds to the "first direction," the rear side corresponds to the "first side" of the first direction, and the front side corresponds to the "second side" of the first direction. Also, in the following embodiment, the left-right direction Y corresponds to the "second direction."

[0011] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the water heater 100 in this embodiment. The water heater 100 in this embodiment shown in Figure 1 is a heat pump water heater. As shown in Figure 1, the water heater 100 comprises a water heater body 10 and an outdoor unit 20. The water heater body 10 and the outdoor unit 20 are connected to each other by a second circulation path section 12B through which the refrigerant R flows. Examples of refrigerant R include fluorine-based refrigerants or hydrocarbon-based refrigerants with low global warming potential (GWP). Examples of refrigerant R include a single refrigerant such as R1234yf, R1234ze, R32, or R290, or a mixture of two or more of these, or a mixture of one of these with another refrigerant. Examples of refrigerant R include a mixture containing R1132(E), or a mixture containing R1123. Furthermore, examples of Refrigerant R include mixed refrigerants such as R516A, R445A, R444A, R454C, R444B, R454A, R455A, R457A, R459B, R452B, R454B, R447B, R447A, R446A, and R459A.

[0012] The water heater unit 10 comprises a housing 11, a first circulation path section (circulation path section) 12A, a second circulation path section 12B, a branch path section 17, a heat exchanger 31, a heating section 13, a pump 15, a drain cock 16, a first pressure relief valve 18a, a second pressure relief valve 18b, a gas vent valve 19, a control unit 70, and an expansion tank 50. The housing 11 houses the first circulation path section 12A, the heat exchanger 31, the heating section 13, the pump 15, the drain cock 16, the second pressure relief valve 18b, the gas vent valve 19, the control unit 70, and the expansion tank 50.

[0013] Liquid W1 used for heating and cooling circulates through the first circulation path section 12A. A heat exchanger 31, a drain cock 16, a pump 15, and a heating unit 13 are arranged along the path of the first circulation path section 12A. The liquid W1 flowing through the first circulation path section 12A is, for example, water. The liquid W1 is drained by opening the drain cock 16. The liquid W1 circulates within the first circulation path section 12A by driving the pump 15.

[0014] An outflow pipe 12c and an inflow pipe 12d are connected to the first circulation path section 12A. The outflow pipe 12c is a pipe for causing the liquid W1 flowing through the first circulation path section 12A to flow out toward an air conditioner (not shown) and a heat exchanger. The inflow pipe 12d is a pipe for causing the liquid W1 from the air conditioner and the heat exchanger to flow into the first circulation path section 12A.

[0015] A refrigerant R circulates in the second circulation path section 12B. A heat exchanger 31 and an outdoor unit 20 are arranged in the path of the second circulation path section 12B. The outdoor unit 20 has a heat exchanger that performs heat exchange with the outside air and a compressor that circulates the refrigerant R in the second circulation path section 12B.

[0016] The heat exchanger 31 is a heat exchanger that performs heat exchange between the liquid W1 flowing in the first circulation path section 12A and the refrigerant R flowing in the second circulation path section 12B. The heat exchanger 31 functions as a heating unit that heats the liquid W1 when transferring heat from the second circulation path section 12B to the first circulation path section 12A.

[0017] The heating unit 13 is provided in the first circulation path section 12A and heats the liquid W1 flowing through the first circulation path section 12A. The heating unit 13 in the present embodiment is a heater. The heating of the liquid W1 by the heating unit 13 is performed by supplying power to the heating unit 13.

[0018] The branch path section 17 branches from the first circulation path section 12A. The branch path section 17 has further branched first branch path 17a, second branch path 17b, third branch path 17c, and fourth branch path 17d. The end portion of the first branch path 17a is connected to the expansion tank 50. The end portion of the second branch path 17b is connected to the first pressure relief valve 18a. The end portion of the third branch path 17c is connected to the second pressure relief valve 18b. The end portion of the fourth branch path 17d is connected to the gas vent valve 19.

[0019] The expansion tank 50 is provided to store the liquid W1 expanded in the first circulation path section 12A. When the liquid W1 in the first circulation path section 12A is heated in the heat exchanger 31 or the heating section 13 and its temperature rises, its volume increases. The expansion tank 50 suppresses the load on the piping constituting the first circulation path section 12A by retaining the liquid W1 of the increased volume. As will be described later, the expansion tank 50 is provided with a valve section 59 (see FIG. 4) for draining the liquid W1 in the expansion tank 50. The valve section 59 is opened by a maintenance worker during replacement of the expansion tank 50 or the like.

[0020] The pressure relief valves 18a and 18b lower the pressure in the first circulation path section 12A when the pressure in the first circulation path section 12A becomes equal to or higher than a predetermined threshold value. By providing a plurality of pressure relief valves 18a and 18b in the branch path section 17 branched from the first circulation path section 12A, even when some of the pressure relief valves 18a do not operate, the pressure in the first circulation path section 12A can be lowered by the other pressure relief valves 18b. In the present embodiment, the pressure threshold value set for the second pressure relief valve 18b is higher than the threshold value of the pressure set for the first pressure relief valve 18a. The second pressure relief valve 18b is provided as a backup for the first pressure relief valve 18a. The first pressure relief valve 18a is disposed outside the housing 11, and the second pressure relief valve 18b is disposed inside the housing 11. The gas vent valve 19 separates the liquid W1 and the gas and removes the gas from the liquid W1 when gas is mixed in the liquid W1 in the first circulation path section 12A.

[0021] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the water heater main body 10. FIG. 3 is a front view of the water heater main body 10. As shown in FIG. 2, the water heater main body 10 has a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape that is long in the vertical direction Z. Further, the housing 11 has a substantially rectangular parallelepiped box shape that is long in the vertical direction Z.

[0022] The housing 11 has a housing space A for housing each component of the water heater body 10. The housing 11 has a top wall portion 11a located above the housing space A, a pair of side wall portions 11b located on the left (-Y side) and right side of the housing space A, a bottom wall portion 11c located below the housing space A, and a rear wall portion 11d located on the rear (-X side) of the housing space A. Although not shown in Figure 2, the housing 11 also has a front cover located on the front (+X side) of the housing space A. The top wall portion 11a, the pair of side wall portions 11b, the bottom wall portion 11c, the rear wall portion 11d, and the front cover are all separate parts.

[0023] As shown in Figure 2, the control unit 70 includes a circuit board 72, a plurality of terminal blocks 73, and a support frame 71. The circuit board 72 is arranged perpendicular to the front-to-back direction X. Multiple elements are mounted on the circuit board 72. The plurality of terminal blocks 73 are arranged to the right of the circuit board 72. The plurality of terminal blocks 73 are connected to the circuit board 72 via wiring (not shown). Terminals of the plurality of wires are connected to the terminal blocks 73. Note that in Figure 2, the wiring connected to the terminal blocks 73 is not shown.

[0024] The support frame 71 supports the circuit board 72 and a plurality of terminal blocks 73. The support frame 71 has a support plate portion 71f, an upper frame portion 71a, a pair of side frame portions 71b, a pair of fixing portions 71c, and a lower frame portion 71d. The support plate portion 71f is plate-shaped and perpendicular to the front-rear direction X. The support plate portion 71f is rectangular when viewed from the front. The circuit board 72 and the plurality of terminal blocks 73 are fixed to the front surface of the support plate portion 71f. The upper frame portion 71a and the lower frame portion 71d are plate-shaped and perpendicular to the vertical direction Z. The pair of side frame portions 71b are plate-shaped and perpendicular to the left-right direction Y. The upper frame portion 71a protrudes forward from the upper end of the support plate portion 71f. The pair of side frame portions 71b protrude forward from the right end and left end of the support plate portion 71f, respectively. The lower frame portion 71d protrudes forward from the lower end of the support plate portion 71f.

[0025] Each of the pair of fixing parts 71c is plate-shaped and perpendicular to the front-rear direction X. Each of the pair of fixing parts 71c extends in the vertical direction Z. The pair of fixing parts 71c are arranged side by side in the left-right direction Y. The right (+Y side) fixing part 71c protrudes to the right from the front end of the right side frame part 71b. The right fixing part 71c is screwed to the front edge of the right side wall part 11b of the housing 11. The left (-Y side) fixing part 71c protrudes to the left from the front end of the left side frame part 71b. The left fixing part 71c is screwed to the front edge of the left side wall part 11b of the housing 11. In this way, the support frame 71 is fixed to the housing 11.

[0026] The expansion tank 50 is located at the top of the housing space A. That is, the expansion tank 50 is located above each component of the water heater body 10. The expansion tank 50 is positioned below the top wall portion 11a of the housing 11, along the top wall portion 11a.

[0027] Figure 4 is a perspective view of the water heater body 10 with a portion of the housing 11 removed. As shown in Figure 4, the expansion tank 50 has an upper member 51, a lower member 52, and a first buffer material 50C. Inside the expansion tank 50 is a storage space B for storing the expanded liquid. The upper member 51 and the lower member 52 are connected to each other to form the storage space B. The upper member 51 covers the storage space B from above. The lower member 52 covers the storage space B from below. The upper member 51 and the lower member 52 are made of metal material to ensure sufficient heat resistance.

[0028] The upper member 51 has a concave upper member body 51a that opens downward and a first flange portion 51f that surrounds the downward-facing opening. The lower member 52 has a concave lower member body 52a that opens upward and a second flange portion 52f that surrounds the upward-facing opening. The openings of the upper member body 51a and the lower member body 52a are arranged facing each other and constitute a storage space B. The first flange portion 51f and the second flange portion 52f face each other in the vertical direction Z. The first flange portion 51f and the second flange portion 52f are connected to each other by joining means such as welding to constitute a connecting flange portion 50f.

[0029] The first cushioning material 50C is made of, for example, a porous resin material. The first cushioning material 50C is an elastic member that is compressed along the outer shape of an object when it receives a force from the object. The first cushioning material 50C is attached to the connecting flange portion 50f. The first cushioning material 50C is formed in a C-shape in cross-section. The first cushioning material 50C surrounds the upper surface, lower surface, and tip surface of the connecting flange portion 50f. The first cushioning material 50C is adhesively fixed to the upper surface, lower surface, and tip surface of the connecting flange portion 50f.

[0030] The expansion tank 50 is provided with a valve section 59. The valve section 59 protrudes forward from the front-facing surface of the expansion tank 50. The valve section 59 is located in the center of the left-right direction Y relative to the expansion tank 50. The valve section 59 is provided on the upper member body 51a. That is, the valve section 59 is located above the connecting flange section 50f. The valve section 59 has a knob shape that allows it to be manually rotated around a central axis extending in the front-rear direction X. By rotating the valve section 59, maintenance workers can discharge the liquid stored in the storage space B.

[0031] <Tank support section> A tank support section 10A is positioned in the housing space A of the housing 11. That is, the water heater body 10 has a tank support section 10A. The tank support section 10A supports the expansion tank 50 within the housing 11. The tank support section 10A has two first support sections 90 and one second support section 80. The two first support sections 90 and the one second support section 80 are each fixed to the housing 11. That is, the tank support section 10A is fixed to the housing 11.

[0032] The two first support parts 90 are located on the rear side of the expansion tank 50. The two first support parts 90 are also located on both sides of the expansion tank 50 in the left-right direction Y. The second support part 80 is located on the front side of the expansion tank 50. The second support part 80 is also located in the center of the expansion tank 50 in the left-right direction Y.

[0033] <1st support part> The two first support parts 90 have shapes that are symmetrical to each other when viewed from the front-rear direction X. In the following description, we will focus only on the first support part 90 located on the left side (-Y side) and describe each part, while omitting the description of the other first support part 90 located on the right side (+Y side).

[0034] Figure 5 is an enlarged view of region V in Figure 4. Figure 6 is an exploded perspective view of the first support portion 90. As shown in Figure 6, the first support portion 90 includes a base portion 97, a first support body 91, and a second cushioning material 90C. The base portion 97 and the first support body 91 are each metal plate members formed by press working. The second cushioning material 90C is made of the same material as the first cushioning material 90C.

[0035] The base portion 97 includes a first fixing plate portion 97a, a second fixing plate portion 97b, two connecting plate portions 97c, and a first support plate portion 97d. The first fixing plate portion 97a, the second fixing plate portion 97b, and the first support plate portion 97d are plate-shaped and perpendicular to the front-rear direction X, and are arranged along the rear wall portion 11d of the housing 11. The first fixing plate portion 97a is located above the first support plate portion 97d. The second fixing plate portion 97b is located below the first support plate portion 97d. The first fixing plate portion 97a and the second fixing plate portion 97b are welded and fixed to the rear wall portion 11d. In this way, the first support portion 90 is fixed to the housing 11.

[0036] The first support plate portion 97d is located in front of the first fixing plate portion 97a and the second fixing plate portion 97b. The first support plate portion 97d has a third support surface 97f facing forward. The third support surface 97f is a flat surface perpendicular to the front-rear direction X. The second cushioning material 90C is adhesively fixed to the front side of the third support surface 97f. The first support plate portion 97d is also provided with two screw holes 97h. The screw holes 97h are located in the area to the left (-Y side) of the area where the second cushioning material 90C is fixed to the first support plate portion 97d.

[0037] The two connecting plate sections 97c are plate-shaped and perpendicular to the vertical direction Z. The two connecting plate sections 97c are arranged side by side in the vertical direction Z. The upper connecting plate section 97c connects the lower end of the first fixing plate section 97a to the upper end of the first support plate section 97d. The lower connecting plate section 97c connects the upper end of the second fixing plate section 97b to the lower end of the first support plate section 97d.

[0038] The first support 91 has two third fixing plate portions 96, an upper guide plate portion 94, a lateral guide plate portion 93, and a second support plate portion 92. The first support 91 protrudes forward from the third support surface 97f of the base portion 97.

[0039] The two third fixing plate portions 96 are plate-shaped and perpendicular to the front-rear direction X. The two third fixing plate portions 96 are arranged side by side in the vertical direction Z. Each of the two third fixing plate portions 96 is provided with an insertion hole 96h. Fixing screws 99, which are tightened into screw holes 97h, are inserted into the insertion holes 96h. In this way, the first support 91 is fixed to the base portion 97.

[0040] The upper guide plate section 94 and the second support plate section 92 are plate-shaped and perpendicular to the vertical direction Z. The lateral guide plate section 93 is plate-shaped and perpendicular to the left-right direction Y. The upper guide plate section 94 and the second support plate section 92 face each other with a gap in the vertical direction Z. The upper guide plate section 94 is located above the second support plate section 92. The upper guide plate section 94 is connected to the lower end of the upper of the two third fixing plate sections 96. The upper guide plate section 94 is approximately triangular in shape when viewed from the vertical direction Z.

[0041] The second support plate portion 92 is connected to the upper end of the lower of the two third fixing plate portions 96. The second support plate portion 92 has an opposing portion 92c that overlaps with the upper guide plate portion 94 when viewed from the vertical direction Z, and a rail portion 92b that extends forward from the opposing portion 92c. The opposing portion 92c is approximately triangular when viewed from the vertical direction Z. The rail portion 92b is rectangular with its longitudinal direction in the front-rear direction X. The second support plate portion 92 has a first support surface 92a that faces upward. The first support surface 92a is a flat surface perpendicular to the vertical direction Z. The first support surface 92a is provided over the entire second support plate portion 92, including the opposing portion 92c and the rail portion 92b.

[0042] The lateral guide plate portion 93 is rectangular in shape with the longitudinal direction X being its longitudinal direction. The lateral guide plate portion 93 connects the left (-Y side) end of the upper guide plate portion 94 to the left (-Y side) end of the second support plate portion 92. As a result, the upper guide plate portion 94, the lateral guide plate portion 93, and the second support plate portion 92 are configured in a C-shape that opens to the right (+Y side). The lateral guide plate portion 93 extends forward beyond the front end of the upper guide plate portion 94. The lateral guide plate portion 93 connects to the entire length of the second support plate portion 92 in the longitudinal direction X, including the opposing portion 92c and the rail portion 92b.

[0043] As shown in Figure 5, the connecting flange portion 50f of the expansion tank 50 is inserted into an opening surrounded by the upper guide plate portion 94, the lateral guide plate portion 93, and the second support plate portion 92 of the first support portion 90. The connecting flange portion 50f is mounted on the first support surface 92a of the second support plate portion 92. That is, the first support portion 90 supports the expansion tank 50 from below on the first support surface 92a. As described above, the connecting flange portion 50f is covered by the first buffer material 50C. Therefore, the first buffer material 50C is placed between the first support surface 92a and the expansion tank 50. The first buffer material 50C is compressed in the vertical direction Z between the first support surface 92a and the connecting flange portion 50f.

[0044] The upper guide plate portion 94 covers the connecting flange portion 50f from above through a gap. The lateral guide plate portion 93 covers the connecting flange portion 50f from the left side (-Y side) through a gap. As a result, the upper guide plate portion 94 and the lateral guide plate portion 93 guide the connecting flange portion 50f, facilitating the assembly process of the expansion tank 50 to the first support portion 90.

[0045] A base portion 97 is positioned behind the expansion tank 50. The third support surface 97f of the base portion 97 faces the expansion tank 50 in the front-rear direction X. The expansion tank 50 is pressed against the third support surface 97f while mounted on the first support surface 92a. That is, the first support portion 90 supports the expansion tank 50 from the rear on the third support surface 97f. As described above, the first cushioning material 50C is fixed to the connecting flange portion 50f of the expansion tank 50. Also, the second cushioning material 90C is fixed to the first support surface 92a. The connecting flange portion 50f and the third support surface 97f are in contact with each other with the first cushioning material 50C and the second cushioning material 90C in between. The first cushioning material 50C and the second cushioning material 90C are compressed in the front-rear direction X between the connecting flange portion 50f and the third support surface 97f.

[0046] <Second support part> Figure 7 is a perspective view of the second support portion 80. Figure 8 is a perspective view of the water heater body 10 around the second support portion 80, where the water heater body 10 has been broken along line VIII-VIII in Figure 3.

[0047] As shown in Figure 7, the second support portion 80 includes a second support body 89, a pair of third cushioning materials 82C, and a fourth cushioning material 83C. The second support body 89 is a metal plate member formed by press working. The third cushioning material 82C and the fourth cushioning material 83C are made of the same material as the first cushioning material 50C and the second cushioning material 90C.

[0048] The second support 89 includes a main plate portion 81, a pair of reinforcing plate portions 84, a pair of fixing pieces 85, a pair of first protruding pieces 82, and a second protruding piece 83. The main plate portion 81 is plate-shaped and perpendicular to the front-rear direction X. The main plate portion 81 is substantially rectangular when viewed from the front-rear direction X. The main plate portion 81 has a protruding portion 81a located at its lower end. The protruding portion 81a is located approximately in the center of the main plate portion 81 in the left-right direction Y. The main plate portion 81 is also provided with a through hole 81h that penetrates the main plate portion 81 in the thickness direction. The through hole 81h is substantially rectangular when viewed from the front-rear direction X.

[0049] The pair of reinforcing plate sections 84 are plate-shaped and perpendicular to the left-right direction Y. The pair of reinforcing plate sections 84 are formed by bending forward from both ends of the main plate section 81 in the left-right direction Y. The fixing pieces 85 are plate-shaped and perpendicular to the vertical direction Z. The pair of fixing pieces 85 are connected to the lower ends of the reinforcing plate sections 84 located on both sides in the left-right direction Y.

[0050] A pair of first protruding pieces 82 are arranged side by side in the left-right direction Y. Each pair of first protruding pieces 82 is connected to the upper edge of the main plate portion 81. The first protruding piece 82 has a first rearward protrusion 82b and an upward protrusion 82a. The first rearward protrusion 82b is plate-shaped and perpendicular to the vertical direction Z. The upward protrusion 82a is plate-shaped and perpendicular to the front-rear direction X. The first rearward protrusion 82b and the upward protrusion 82a are formed by bending in an L-shape when viewed from the left-right direction Y. The first rearward protrusion 82b extends to the rear from the main plate portion 81. The first rearward protrusion 82b has a second support surface 82g facing downward. The upward protrusion 82a extends upward from the rear end of the first rearward protrusion 82b. The upward protrusion 82a has a fourth support surface 82f facing rear. In other words, the first protruding piece 82 has a second support surface 82g and a fourth support surface 82f. A third cushioning material 82C is fixed to the first protruding piece 82. The third cushioning material 82C is adhesively fixed to the second support surface 82g and the fourth support surface 82f.

[0051] The second protruding piece 83 is connected to the upper edge of the through hole 81h of the main plate portion 81. The second protruding piece 83 has a second rearward protrusion 83b and a downward protrusion 83a. The second rearward protrusion 83b is plate-shaped perpendicular to the vertical direction Z. The downward protrusion 83a is plate-shaped perpendicular to the front-rear direction X. The second rearward protrusion 83b and the downward protrusion 83a are formed by bending in an L-shape when viewed from the left-right direction Y. The second rearward protrusion 83b extends to the rear from the main plate portion 81. The downward protrusion 83a extends downward from the rear end of the second rearward protrusion 83b. The downward protrusion 83a has a fourth support surface 83f facing the rear. That is, the second protruding piece 83 has a fourth support surface 83f. A fourth cushioning material 83C is fixed to the second protruding piece 83. The fourth cushioning material 83C is adhesively fixed to the fourth support surface 83f and the upper surface of the second rear projection 83b.

[0052] As shown in Figure 8, the lower surface of the fixing piece 85 is mounted on the upper surface of the upper frame portion 71a of the support frame 71. The fixing piece 85 is joined to the upper frame portion 71a by a joining means such as welding. In this way, the second support portion 80 is fixed to the upper end of the support frame 71. As shown in Figure 2, the support frame 71 is fixed to the two side walls 11b of the housing 11. That is, the second support portion 80 is fixed to the housing 11 via the support frame 71. The support frame 71 is fixed to the housing 11 with the second support portion 80 already welded to it.

[0053] As shown in Figure 8, the first protruding piece 82 is located above the connecting flange portion 50f of the expansion tank 50. The second protruding piece 83 is located below the connecting flange portion 50f. The second support surface 82g of the first protruding piece 82 contacts the upper surface of the connecting flange portion 50f from above via the first cushioning material 50C and the third cushioning material 82C. The first cushioning material 50C and the third cushioning material 82C are compressed vertically in the Z direction between the connecting flange portion 50f and the second support surface 82g.

[0054] The fourth support surface 82f of the first projection piece 82 contacts the front-facing surface of the expansion tank 50 via the third cushioning material 82C from the front. The third cushioning material 82C is compressed in the longitudinal direction X between the front surface of the expansion tank 50 and the fourth support surface 82f. The fourth support surface 83f of the second projection piece 83 contacts the front-facing surface of the expansion tank 50 via the fourth cushioning material 83C from the front. The fourth cushioning material 83C is compressed in the longitudinal direction X between the front surface of the expansion tank 50 and the fourth support surface 82f.

[0055] The second support portion 80 supports the expansion tank 50 from above on the second support surface 82g, and supports the expansion tank 50 from the front on the fourth support surfaces 82f and 83f. In addition, the fourth support surfaces 82f and 83f in this embodiment support the upper and lower regions of the expansion tank 50, respectively, with the connecting flange portion 50f in between.

[0056] As shown in Figure 8, the valve portion 59 of the expansion tank 50 is positioned between a pair of first protruding pieces 82 in the left-right direction Y. The upper edge of the second support portion 80 is located below the valve portion 59 in the region between the pair of first protruding pieces 82. Therefore, the second support portion 80 is located below the valve portion 59. According to this embodiment, the second support portion 80 is not positioned above the valve portion 59, making it easier for maintenance workers to access the valve portion 59 from above. According to this embodiment, the second support portion 80 is less likely to obstruct the operation of the valve portion 59, making it easier for maintenance workers to operate the valve portion 59.

[0057] <Summary> As shown in Figure 1, the water heater 100 of the above-described embodiment comprises a housing 11, a heating unit 13 housed inside the housing 11, an expansion tank 50 housed inside the housing 11, a first circulation path 12A passing through the heating unit 13, a branch path 17 branching off from the first circulation path 12A and connecting to the expansion tank 50, and a tank support section 10A (see Figure 4) supporting the expansion tank 50 within the housing 11. As shown in Figure 4, the tank support section 10A has a first support section 90 located on the rear side of the expansion tank 50 and a second support section 80 located on the front side of the expansion tank 50. As shown in Figure 5, the first support section 90 has a first support surface 92a that supports the expansion tank 50 from below. As shown in Figure 8, the second support section 80 has a second support surface 82g that supports the expansion tank 50 from above. In this configuration, the expansion tank 50 is supported from both sides in the vertical direction Z by the first support surface 92a and the second support surface 82g. This suppresses rattling of the expansion tank 50 inside the housing 11 and prevents the expansion tank 50 from vibrating in resonance with vibrations when the pump 15 and other components are driven. This makes it possible to provide a water heater 100 with excellent quietness. In this configuration, the tank support section 10A fixes the expansion tank 50 by pressing the first support surface 92a and the second support surface 82g against the surface of the expansion tank 50 from both sides in the vertical direction Z. Therefore, complicated procedures such as screwing are not required in the process of fixing the expansion tank 50, and the assembly process of the water heater 100 can be simplified. Thus, rattling of the expansion tank can be suppressed in the water heater 100 without complicating the assembly process.

[0058] In the water heater 100 of the above-described embodiment, as shown in Figure 5, a first cushioning material 50C is placed between the first support surface 92a and the expansion tank 50. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 8, the first cushioning material 50C and the third cushioning material 82C are placed between the second support surface 82g and the expansion tank 50. With this configuration, errors in the assembly dimensions of the first support surface 92a and the second support surface 82g can be absorbed by the compression of the cushioning materials 50C and 82C, and rattling of the expansion tank 50 can be more effectively suppressed.

[0059] As shown in Figure 5, in the water heater 100 of the above-described embodiment, the first support portion 90 has a third support surface 97f that supports the expansion tank 50 from the rear. As shown in Figure 8, the second support portion 80 has fourth support surfaces 82f and 83f that support the expansion tank 50 from the front. With this configuration, the expansion tank 50 is further supported from both sides in the front-rear direction X by the third support surface 97f and the fourth support surfaces 82f and 83f. Therefore, rattling of the expansion tank 50 in the front-rear direction X inside the housing 11 can be suppressed.

[0060] As shown in Figure 5, in the hot water heater 100 of the above embodiment, a first cushioning material 50C and a second cushioning material 90C are placed between the third support surface 97f and the expansion tank 50. As shown in Figure 8, a third cushioning material 82C or a fourth cushioning material 83C is placed between the fourth support surfaces 82f, 83f and the expansion tank 50. With this configuration, errors in the assembly dimensions of the third support surface 97f and the fourth support surfaces 82f, 83f can be absorbed by the compression of the cushioning materials 50C, 90C, 82C, 83C, and rattling in the front-rear direction X of the expansion tank 50 can be more effectively suppressed.

[0061] As shown in Figure 4, in the hot water heater 100 of the above-described embodiment, the expansion tank 50 has an upper member 51 and a lower member 52 that form a storage space B. The upper member 51 and the lower member 52 each have flange portions 51f and 52f that are connected to each other in the vertical direction Z. The first support portion 90 supports the connecting flange portion 50f to which the flange portions 51f and 52f are connected from below. The second support portion 80 supports the connecting flange portion 50f from above. Generally, the expansion tank 50 is made of a metal material to ensure high heat resistance. For this reason, a typical expansion tank 50 has a connecting flange portion 50f that is provided when the lower member 52 and the upper member 51 are connected to each other. With this configuration, the expansion tank 50 can be supported by utilizing the connecting flange portion 50f of the expansion tank 50. Therefore, compared to the case where a support structure supported by the first support section 90 and the second support section 80 is separately provided in the expansion tank 50, the manufacturing cost of the expansion tank 50 can be reduced.

[0062] As shown in Figure 4, the water heater 100 of the above-described embodiment includes a control unit 70 housed inside the casing 11. As shown in Figure 4, the control unit 70 has a circuit board 72 and a support frame 71 that supports the circuit board 72. The expansion tank 50 has a manually operable valve portion 59 that protrudes forward from the front-facing surface of the expansion tank 50. The second support portion 80 is fixed to the upper end of the support frame 71 and is located below the valve portion 59. With this configuration, the second support portion 80 is less likely to obstruct the manual operation of the valve portion 59. In addition, since maintenance workers are less likely to come into contact with the second support portion 80 when manually operating the valve portion 59, measures such as protecting the edge portion of the second support portion 80 are not required, and the manufacturing cost of the water heater 100 can be reduced.

[0063] As shown in Figure 4, in the water heater 100 of the above-described embodiment, the tank support section 10A has two first support sections 90 and one second support section 80. The two first support sections 90 are located on both sides in the left-right direction Y with respect to the expansion tank 50. The one second support section 80 is located in the center in the left-right direction Y with respect to the expansion tank 50. With this configuration, the tank support section 10A supports both ends in the left-right direction Y on the rear side of the expansion tank 50 and supports the center in the left-right direction Y on the front side, so that the expansion tank 50 can be supported at three points that are sufficiently spaced apart from each other. This makes it possible to stabilize the support of the expansion tank 50 by the tank support section 10A.

[0064] As described above, each configuration and method can be combined as appropriate within the bounds of mutual non-inconsistency. For example, in the above-described embodiment, both a heat exchanger and a heating unit (heater) are provided as devices for heating the liquid in the first circulation path, but since both devices function as "heating units" that heat the liquid in the first circulation path, either one of the meanings may be provided. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0065] 10...Water heater main unit, 10A...Tank support part, 11...Housing, 12A...First circulation path part (circulation path part), 13...Heating part, 17...Branch path part, 50...Expansion tank, 50C...Cushioning material, 51...Upper member, 50f, 51f, 52f...Flange part, 52...Lower member, 59...Valve part, 70...Control unit, 71...Support frame, 72...Substrate, 80...Second support part, 82f, 83f...Fourth support surface, 82g...Second support surface, 90...First support part, 92a...First support surface, 97f...Third support surface, 100...Water heater, B...Storage space, X...Front-back direction (first direction), +X side...Front side (second side), -X side...Rear side (first side), Y...Left-right direction (second direction), Z...Vertical direction

Claims

1. The casing and A heating unit housed inside the aforementioned enclosure, An expansion tank housed inside the aforementioned enclosure, The circulation path section passing through the heating section, A branching path that branches off from the aforementioned circulation path and connects to the aforementioned expansion tank, A tank support portion that supports the expansion tank within the housing, The enclosure comprises a control unit housed inside the aforementioned housing, The aforementioned tank support section is The expansion tank has a first support portion located on the first side in a first direction perpendicular to the vertical direction, The expansion tank has a second support portion located on the second side in the first direction, The first support portion has a first support surface that supports the expansion tank from below, The second support portion has a second support surface that supports the expansion tank from above, The control unit, circuit board and It has a support frame that supports the substrate, The expansion tank has a manually operable valve portion that protrudes to the second side from the surface of the expansion tank facing the second side, The second support portion is fixed to the upper end of the support frame and is located below the valve portion. Water heater.

2. A buffer material is placed between the first support surface and the expansion tank. A cushioning material is placed between the second support surface and the expansion tank. The water heater according to claim 1.

3. The first support portion has a third support surface that supports the expansion tank from the first side, The second support portion has a fourth support surface that supports the expansion tank from the second side. The water heater according to claim 1.

4. A cushioning material is placed between the third support surface and the expansion tank. A buffer material is placed between the fourth support surface and the expansion tank. The water heater according to claim 3.

5. The expansion tank has an upper member and a lower member that form a storage space, The upper member and the lower member each have flange portions that are connected to each other in the vertical direction, The first support portion supports the connected flange portion from below, The second support portion supports the connected flange portion from above. The water heater according to claim 1.

6. The aforementioned tank support section is The two first support parts, It has one of the aforementioned second support parts, The two first support portions are located on both sides of the expansion tank in a second direction that is perpendicular to both the vertical direction and the first direction. The aforementioned second support portion is located in the center in the second direction relative to the expansion tank, A water heater according to any one of claims 1 to 5.

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