Mounting plate assembly for water heater and water heater

Abstract

A mounting plate assembly for a water heater, including: a first housing, a mounting rail, a second housing and a fixing assembly. The mounting rail includes a first plate and a second plate, and a rail space is formed between the plates. The second plate has mounting holes penetrate through the second plate. The second housing is cooperated with the first housing to define an accommodating space to accommodate a portion of the water heater. The fixing assembly includes a third plate having elastic strips and a fourth plate movably connected to the third plate. The third plate and the fourth plate are mounted on the mounting rail, the fourth plate is configured to drive some of the elastic strips to pass through respective ones of the mounting holes so as to abut against a surface of the second plate facing away from the third plate.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application claims foreign priority of Chinese Patent Application No. 202620616883.7, filed on Apr. 30, 2026 in the China National Intellectual Property Administration, the entire disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference.TECHNICAL FIELD

[0002] The present disclosure relates to the technical field of water heaters, in particular to a mounting plate assembly for a water heater and a water heater.BACKGROUND

[0003] A water heater, as a household electrical appliance commonly used in daily family life, has a housing panel mounting manner that directly affects the product's appearance, assembly efficiency, and the convenience of subsequent maintenance. In traditional water heaters, panel mounting mostly adopts a method in which screws are directly fastened from the exterior. Although this method provides reliable connection, the screws being directly exposed damages the overall aesthetic appearance of the product. To address this, certain water heater products employ a decorative cover mounted on the outer side of the screw hole positions to shield the screws. However, the decorative cover itself is prone to detachment and suffers from inconvenient disassembly.SUMMARY

[0004] In view of the above, the present disclosure provides a mounting plate assembly for a water heater and a water heater, which facilitate the concealment of connecting and fixing structures while improving disassembly and assembly efficiency and the reliability of locking.

[0005] To realize the above objective, the present disclosure provides a mounting plate assembly for a water heater, including: a first housing; a mounting rail connected to the first housing, wherein the mounting rail comprises a first plate and a second plate arranged opposite to each other along a first direction, wherein a rail space is formed between the first plate and the second plate, wherein the second plate is provided with a plurality of mounting holes arranged sequentially along a second direction, and the plurality of mounting holes penetrate through the second plate along the first direction; a second housing connected to the first housing and cooperating with the first housing to define an accommodating space, wherein the accommodating space is configured to accommodate at least a portion of the water heater; a fixing assembly connected to the second housing, wherein the fixing assembly comprises a third plate and a fourth plate, wherein the third plate is provided with a plurality of elastic strips arranged sequentially along the second direction, at least part of the fourth plate is located on one side of the third plate along the first direction, and the fourth plate is movably connected to the third plate; wherein the third plate and the fourth plate are mounted on the mounting rail along the second direction, and wherein the fourth plate is configured to drive at least portions of the plurality of elastic strips to pass through respective ones of the plurality of mounting holes along the first direction so as to abut against a surface of the second plate facing away from the third plate.

[0006] In one embodiment, at least a portion of the fourth plate extends beyond the rail space in the second direction.

[0007] In one embodiment, the fourth plate is hinged to the third plate such that the fourth plate is movable relative to the third plate in the first direction and opposite to the first direction.

[0008] In one embodiment, the fixing assembly includes: a first fixing seat fixed to the third plate; a second fixing seat fixed to the fourth plate; and a hinged arm having one end hinged to the first fixing seat and another end hinged to the second fixing seat, wherein the hinged arm enables the fourth plate to move relative to the third plate in the first direction and opposite to the first direction, and to move relative to the third plate in the second direction and opposite to the second direction.

[0009] In one embodiment, the fixing assembly further comprises an elastic member, the elastic member elastically supports the third plate and the fourth plate, and the elastic member is configured to drive the fourth plate to abut against the first plate.

[0010] In one embodiment, the elastic member is a compression spring having one end abutting against the third plate and another end abutting against the fourth plate; or, the fixing assembly comprises a first fixing seat fixed to the third plate, a second fixing seat fixed to the fourth plate, and a hinged arm, one end of the hinged arm is hinged to the first fixing seat and the other end thereof is hinged to the second fixing seat, wherein the hinged arm enables the fourth plate to move relative to the third plate in the first direction and opposite to the first direction, and to move relative to the third plate in the second direction and opposite to the second direction; and wherein the elastic member is a compression spring having one end abutting against the third plate and another end abutting against the hinged arm.

[0011] In one embodiment, the elastic member is a torsion spring, the torsion spring has a surrounding portion, a first extending portion extending from one end of the surrounding portion, and a second extending portion extending from the other end of the surrounding portion; the surrounding portion is fixed to the third plate or the fourth plate, the first extending portion abuts against the third plate, and the second extending portion abuts against the fourth plate.

[0012] In one embodiment, the third plate further comprises a third fixing seat comprising a connecting portion fixed to the third plate and a mounting shaft fixed to the connecting portion, wherein the surrounding portion of the torsion spring is disposed around the mounting shaft.

[0013] In one embodiment, each of the plurality of elastic strips comprises a first segment, a second segment, a third segment and a fourth segment arranged in sequence; wherein the first segment is connected to a main body of the third plate, the second segment extends toward the fourth plate and is configured for abutting against the fourth plate, the third segment extends in a direction away from the fourth plate, and the fourth segment is configured for passing through one of the plurality of mounting holes to abut against a surface of the second plate facing away from the third plate when the fourth plate abuts against the second segment.

[0014] In one embodiment, the fourth plate is provided with a plurality of protrusions toward the third plate, wherein along the first direction, the plurality of elastic strips are located on one side of the plurality of protrusions, and the plurality of protrusions are configured to abut against the respective second segments when the fourth plate moves toward the third plate along the first direction.

[0015] In one embodiment, the third plate is provided with a plurality of avoidance holes sequentially arranged along the second direction, each elastic strip is located in a corresponding one of the plurality of avoidance holes.

[0016] In one embodiment, the fourth segment of each elastic strip comprises a first surface and a second surface arranged opposite to each other; when the fourth plate abuts against the second segment, the first surface is configured to abut against a surface of the second plate facing away from the third plate; and when the fourth plate is separated from the second segment, the second surface does not protrude an inner surface of the second plate facing toward the third plate.

[0017] In one embodiment, the second housing comprises a fifth plate abutted against the first plate; the first housing, the first plate and the fifth plate are configured to cooperate to enclose the accommodating space; the second plate is located within the accommodating space such that the rail space is within the accommodating space; the third plate is connected to the fifth plate, the third plate is at least partially located within the accommodating space and partially located in the rail space.

[0018] In one embodiment, the third plate comprises a first portion and a second portion; wherein the first portion is connected to the fifth plate and to the second portion;

[0019] wherein the second portion is located within the rail space and arranged opposite to the fourth plate, and wherein the second portion is provided with the elastic strips.

[0020] The present disclosure further provides a water heater, comprising: a main body, wherein the main body comprises the mounting plate assembly mentioned above.

[0021] In one embodiment, the water heater further comprises a bracket, and the bracket is connected to the main body and is configured for supporting the main body.

[0022] The embodiments of the present disclosure have the following beneficial effects. The embodiments of the present disclosure provide a mounting plate assembly for a water heater. The mounting plate assembly comprises a first housing, a mounting rail, a second housing, and a fixing assembly. During assembly, the third plate and the fourth plate of the fixing assembly are slid into the rail space of the mounting rail along a second direction, thereby achieving pre-positioning and guidance. After sliding into position, the fourth plate is operated to push and press the elastic strip on the third plate, causing the elastic strip to undergo elastic deformation and pass through the mounting hole on the second plate. The third plate is then further pushed along the second direction, such that the distal end of the elastic strip extends to the back side of the second plate and abuts against the second plate, thereby locking the second housing with the first housing.

[0023] Firstly, the entire mounting process of the mounting plate assembly of the present disclosure does not require the use of screws, and after assembly, no connecting members are visible from the exterior, resulting in a neat and aesthetically pleasing appearance. Secondly, guidance is achieved through rail sliding, and the elastic strip on the third plate is driven by actively operating the fourth plate to engage with the second plate, such that alignment during assembly is simple, without the need to simultaneously align multiple engagement points. This reduces the risk of misalignment during engagement and improves the convenience of disassembly and assembly. Thirdly, the elastic strip passes through the mounting hole and abuts against the back side of the second plate, forming a reliable mechanical lock with strong pull-out resistance. During disassembly, it is only necessary to operate the fourth plate in the reverse direction to withdraw the elastic strip from the mounting hole, after which the second housing can be slid out. The disassembly and assembly are convenient and do not damage the structure. In addition, the elastic strip itself possesses a certain degree of elasticity, which enables it to adapt to manufacturing tolerances within a certain range, thereby ensuring the reliability of the connection.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0024] FIG. 1 is a schematic structural diagram of a water heater according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0025] FIG. 2 is a schematic structural diagram of a mounting plate assembly according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0026] FIG. 3 is a schematic structural diagram of a portion of the mounting plate assembly according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0027] FIG. 4 is a partially enlarged schematic view of portion A in FIG. 3.

[0028] FIG. 5 is a schematic structural diagram of a portion of the mounting plate assembly according to an embodiment of the present disclosure from another perspective.

[0029] FIG. 6 is a partial exploded view of the mounting plate assembly according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0030] FIG. 7 is an enlarged view of the portion circled with a box in FIG. 6.

[0031] FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of a portion of the mounting plate assembly according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0032] FIG. 9 is a partially enlarged schematic view of the mounting plate assembly according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0033] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of a portion of the mounting plate assembly according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0034] FIG. 11 is a side view of a portion of a back plate in the prior art.

[0035] FIG. 12 is a partially enlarged schematic view of the mounting plate assembly according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0036] FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view of a partial structure of the mounting plate assembly according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0037] FIG. 14 is a partially enlarged schematic view of the mounting plate assembly according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0038] FIG. 15 is a side view of a partial structure of the mounting plate assembly according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.DESCRIPTION OF THE REFERENCE NUMERALSReferenceReferenceDescriptionnumeralDescriptionnumeralmounting plate100avoidance hole 513assembly for waterheaterfirst housing 10first portion 51amounting rail 20second portion 51bfirst plate 21fourth plate 52second plate 22protrusion 521mounting hole221first fixing seat 53rail space 23second fixing seat 54second housing 30hinged arm 55fifth plate 31elastic member 56accommodating space 40surrounding portion 561fixing assembly 50first extending 562portionthird plate 51second extending 563portionelastic strip511main body 200first segment511abracket 300second segment511bwater heater1000third segment511cfirst directionXfourth segment511dsecond directionYfirst surface511ethird directionZsecond surface511fback plate 401third fixing seat512clamping strip 402connecting portion512adistal end of 402aclamping stripmounting shaft512bDETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

[0039] The technical solutions in the embodiments of the present disclosure will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings in the embodiments of the present disclosure. It is apparent that the described embodiments are only some of the embodiments of the present disclosure, rather than all of the embodiments.

[0040] It should be noted that, unless otherwise expressly specified and defined, the terms “mount,”“connect,”“link,”“fix,” and the like should be understood in a broad sense. For example, they may refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection. When a component is considered “connected” to another component, it may be directly connected to the other component or there may be an intermediate component present simultaneously. When a component is considered “disposed on” another component, it may be directly disposed on the other component or there may be an intermediate component present simultaneously.

[0041] Unless otherwise specified, the term “plurality” as used herein refers to two or more.

[0042] The terms “first,”“second,” and the like are used merely to distinguish different objects and are not to be construed as indicating or implying relative importance, or implicitly indicating the number, specific order, or primary-secondary relationship of the indicated technical features.

[0043] The term “perpendicular” is configured to describe an ideal state between two components. In actual production or use, an approximately perpendicular state may exist between the two components. For example, when described in conjunction with numerical values, perpendicular may refer to an angle range between two straight lines within 90°±100, perpendicular may refer to a dihedral angle range between two planes within 90°±100, and perpendicular may also refer to an angle range between a straight line and a plane within 90°±100.

[0044] The term “parallel” is configured to describe an ideal state between two components. In actual production or use, an approximately parallel state may exist between the two components. For example, when described in conjunction with numerical values, parallel may refer to an angle range between two straight lines within 180°±10°, parallel may refer to a dihedral angle range between two planes within 180°±10°, and parallel may also refer to an angle range between a straight line and a plane within 180°±10.

[0045] It should be recognized that the dimensions of the various components shown in the drawings are provided for better understanding and more convenient description, and the present disclosure is not limited to the dimensions shown in the drawings. To make the present disclosure clear, elements irrelevant to the description are omitted from the details of this specification.

[0046] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by those skilled in the technical field to which the present disclosure belongs. The terms used in the specification of the present disclosure herein are only for the purpose of describing specific embodiments and are not intended to limit the present disclosure.

[0047] Some embodiments of the present disclosure will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. The embodiments and features in the embodiments described below may be combined with each other without conflict. In addition, the dashed lines involved in the drawings of the present disclosure do not represent physical structures and are only for the convenience of distinguishing different features.

[0048] Referring to FIG. 1, in some embodiments of the present disclosure, a water heater 1000 is provided. The water heater 1000 includes a main body 200.

[0049] In some embodiments, the water heater 1000 may be an electric water heater, a gas water heater, or a heat pump water heater.

[0050] In some embodiments, referring to FIG. 1, the main body 200 includes a mounting plate assembly 100. The mounting plate assembly 100 is constituted by at least a portion of the housing of the main body 200 and is capable of accommodating other components of the water heater 1000.

[0051] In some embodiments, referring to FIG. 1, the water heater 1000 further includes a bracket 300. The bracket 300 is connected to the main body 200 and is configured to support the main body 200.

[0052] In some embodiments, the bracket 300 may be a support frame placed on the ground or other platform for supporting the main body 200.

[0053] In other embodiments, the bracket 300 may be a wall-mounting plate installed on the back side of the main body 200 for suspending the water heater 1000 on a wall. The bracket 300 and the mounting plate assembly are mutually independent structures that do not interfere with each other. The bracket 300 may adopt a conventional wall-hanging structure and may be fixed to the wall by expansion bolts.

[0054] In some embodiments, referring to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, the mounting plate assembly 100 includes a first housing 10 and a second housing 30. The second housing 30 cooperates with the first housing 10 to define an accommodating space 40.

[0055] In some embodiments, the first housing 10 constitutes the body outer shell of the water heater 1000, while the second housing 30 serves as a back plate, a decorative cover plate, or a maintenance cover plate of the water heater 1000. The second housing 30 and the first housing 10 together enclose the accommodating space 40 for accommodating other internal components of the water heater 1000, such as a water tank, heating tubes, a circuit board, a water pump.

[0056] In some embodiments, referring to FIG. 2 to FIG. 4, the mounting plate assembly 100 includes a mounting rail 20 and a fixing assembly 50. The mounting rail 20 is connected to the first housing 10, and the fixing assembly 50 is connected to the second housing 30. The first housing 10 and the second housing 30 are detachably connected through the cooperation of the fixing assembly 50 with the mounting rail 20.

[0057] In some embodiments, referring to FIG. 4 and FIG. 5, the mounting rail 20 includes a first plate 21 and a second plate 22 that are oppositely arranged along a first direction X. The first direction X may be a width direction of the mounting rail 20. A spacing is maintained between the first plate 21 and the second plate 22 to form a rail space 23. The second plate 22 is provided with a plurality of mounting holes 221 arranged sequentially along a second direction Y, and these mounting holes 221 penetrate the second plate 22 along the first direction X. The second direction Y may be a length direction of the mounting rail 20.

[0058] The fixing assembly 50 includes a third plate 51 and a fourth plate 52. The third plate 51 is provided with a plurality of elastic strips 511 arranged sequentially along the second direction Y. The fourth plate 52 is movably connected to the third plate 51, and at least a portion of the fourth plate 52 is located on one side of the third plate 51 along the first direction X.

[0059] Referring to FIG. 4 to FIG. 8, FIGS. 4-6 illustrate the state before the fourth plate 52 drives the elastic strips 511, while FIGS. 7 and 8 illustrate the state after the fourth plate 52 drives the elastic strips 511 such that portions thereof pass through the mounting holes 221. During assembly, the operator slides the second housing 30 together with the fixing assembly 50 along the second direction Y, causing portions of the third plate 51 and the fourth plate 52 to enter the rail space 23. The third and fourth plates are then sandwiched between the first plate 21 and the second plate 22 for guidance and limitation. After the second housing 30 reaches a predetermined position, the operator pushes the fourth plate 52 toward the third plate 51. This causes the elastic strips 511 to deform elastically and pass through the mounting holes 221. Subsequently, moving the third plate 51 along the second direction Y allows the distal ends of the elastic strips 511 to extend to the back side of the second plate 22 and abut against the surface facing away from the third plate 51, thereby locking the fixing assembly 50 to the mounting rail 20.

[0060] Firstly, the mounting plate assembly 100 in the embodiments of the present disclosure requires no screws during installation, and no connecting members are visible from the exterior after assembly, resulting in a clean and aesthetically pleasing appearance. Secondly, referring to FIG. 9, which is a schematic view of the prior art, the inventors of the present disclosure discovered during research that when the prior art merely employs a slide-rail snap-fit manner to assemble the body outer shell and the back plate 401 of the water heater 1000, there is a problem of low assembly efficiency. Specifically, the body outer shell of the water heater 1000 is provided with a mounting rail 20 having a plurality of mounting holes 221, and the back plate 401 of the water heater 1000 is provided with a plurality of clamping strips 402. The distal ends 402a of the clamping strips 402 protrude beyond the lower surface of the back plate 401 along the thickness direction of the back plate 401. The purpose of this arrangement is to allow the distal ends 402a of the clamping strips 402 to snap into the mounting holes 221 during the process of the back plate 401 sliding into the mounting rail 20, thereby achieving snap-fit connection. This manner tends to cause misalignment and erroneous snap-fitting between the clamping strips 402 and the mounting holes 221. That is, the clamping strips 402 erroneously snap into undesired mounting holes 221, resulting in installation inconvenience and making it difficult for the assembly efficiency to meet expectations. In contrast, in the embodiments of the present disclosure, guiding is achieved through rail sliding, and the elastic strips 511 on the third plate 51 are actively driven by operating the fourth plate 52 to snap-fit with the second plate 22. This configuration makes it less likely for the elastic strips 511 to snap into incorrect mounting holes 221, resulting in simple alignment during assembly, which reduces the risk of misalignment in snap-fitting and improves the convenience of assembly and disassembly. Furthermore, the elastic strips 511 pass through the mounting holes 221 and abut against the back side of the second plate 22, forming a reliable mechanical lock with strong pull-out resistance. During disassembly, it is only necessary to operate the fourth plate 52 in the reverse direction to withdraw the elastic strips 511 from the mounting holes 221, after which the second housing 30 can be slid out. The assembly and disassembly are convenient and do not damage the structure. In addition, the elastic strips 511 themselves possess a certain degree of elasticity, enabling them to accommodate manufacturing tolerances within a certain range and ensuring the reliability of the connection.

[0061] It can be understood that, in some embodiments, by adopting the mounting plate assembly 100, the installation of the water heater 1000 does not require the use of screws for the mounting panel, which makes the appearance of the water heater 1000 more concise and aesthetically pleasing. The assembly and disassembly processes are simple, facilitating the production and after-sales maintenance of the water heater 1000.

[0062] It should be noted that the first direction X and the second direction Y described in the present disclosure are used merely to indicate the relative positional relationships among the various components and do not constitute a limitation on absolute directions. In an actual product, the first direction X may be a vertical direction or a horizontal direction, depending on the installation posture of the water heater 1000.

[0063] In some embodiments, the first plate 21 and the second plate 22 are arranged in parallel, and the third plate 51 and the fourth plate 52 are arranged in parallel.

[0064] In some embodiments, the first plate 21, the second plate 22, the third plate 51, and the fourth plate 52 are arranged in parallel.

[0065] In some embodiments, referring to FIG. 2, there are two mounting rails 20, the two mounting rails 20 are spaced apart along the third direction Z, there are two mounting fixing assemblies 50 (not shown in the figures), the two fixing assemblies 50 are spaced apart along the third direction Z, and the mounting rails 20 and the fixing assemblies 50 are arranged in one-to-one correspondence. The first direction X, the second direction Y, and the third direction Z are pairwise perpendicular to each other.

[0066] In some embodiments, the first plate 21 and the second plate 22 may be a part of the first housing 10. That is, the first housing 10, the first plate 21, and the second plate 22 are integrally formed. Alternatively, the first plate 21 and the second plate 22 may be connected to the first housing 10 by means of bolting, welding, or other suitable connection methods.

[0067] In some embodiments, the third plate 51 may be a part of the second housing 30, that is, the second housing 30 and the third plate 51 are integrally formed; alternatively, the third plate 51 may be connected to the second housing 30 by means of bolting, welding, or other suitable connection methods.

[0068] In some embodiments, the fourth plate 52 is connected to the third plate 51 via a hinged structure. The hinged structure enables the fourth plate 52 to rotate relative to the third plate 51 about the hinge axis, thereby allowing movement along the first direction X and the opposite direction thereof. The hinged structure is simple and has low cost. When the fourth plate 52 is pressed, it rotates about the hinge axis, and the end thereof close to the elastic strips 511 moves closer to the third plate 51, thereby pushing and pressing the elastic strips 511. After release, the elastic force of the elastic strips 511 or an additionally provided return member can reset the fourth plate 52.

[0069] In some embodiments, referring to FIG. 4, the fixing assembly 50 further includes an adapter structure. The adapter structure includes a first fixing seat 53, a second fixing seat 54, and a hinged arm 55. The first fixing seat 53 is fixed to the third plate 51, and the second fixing seat 54 is fixed to the fourth plate 52. One end of the hinged arm 55 is hinged to the first fixing seat 53 via a pin shaft, and the other end is hinged to the second fixing seat 54 via a pin shaft. In this way, the fourth plate 52, the hinged arm 55, and the third plate 51 form a parallelogram linkage mechanism. This structure ensures that the fourth plate 52 always maintains a posture parallel to the third plate 51 during movement without tilting, thereby enabling the fourth plate 52 to accurately and simultaneously contact the elastic strip 511, resulting in more uniform pushing force. Moreover, this structure also allows the fourth plate 52 to move along the first direction X and the opposite direction of the first direction X while simultaneously moving along the second direction Y and the opposite direction of the second direction Y.

[0070] In some embodiments, the number of adapter structures is two or more, and the plurality of adapter structures are sequentially arranged along the second direction Y. Along the third direction Z, at least one adapter structure of the plurality of adapter structures is located on one side of the plurality of elastic members 56, and at least one adapter structure is located on the other side of the plurality of elastic members 56.

[0071] In some embodiments, the number of adapter structures is four, wherein two adapter structures are located on one side of the plurality of elastic members 56 along the second direction Y, and the two adapter structures are spaced apart along the third direction Z. The other two adapter structures are located on the other side of the plurality of elastic members 56 along the second direction Y, and the two adapter structures are spaced apart along the third direction Z.

[0072] In some embodiments, the number of hinged arms 55 in one adapter structure is two, and the two hinged arms 55 are spaced apart along the third direction Z, such that the two hinged arms 55 are respectively disposed on two sides of the first fixing seat 53 and the second fixing seat 54 along the third direction Z.

[0073] In some embodiments, referring to FIG. 4, FIG. 6 to FIG. 8, FIG. 10, and FIG. 11, wherein FIGS. 4 and 8 illustrate state diagrams in which the fourth plate 52 has not yet driven the elastic strip 511; FIGS. 9 and 10 illustrate state diagrams in which an external force is applied to the fourth plate 52 to drive the elastic strip 511; and FIGS. 12 and 13 illustrate state diagrams in which, after the elastic strip 511 engages with the second plate 22, the external force on the fourth plate 52 is removed and the elastic member 56 resets the fourth plate 52. The fixing assembly 50 further includes an elastic member 56 that elastically supports the third plate 51 and the fourth plate 52. In the natural state, the fourth plate 52 is held in its initial position by the elastic member 56. Consequently, the fourth plate 52 does not contact the elastic strip 511 or the contact force is very small, and the fourth segment 511d of the elastic strip 511 does not extend beyond the inner surface of the second plate 22. When locking is required, the user pushes the fourth plate 52 against the restoring force of the elastic member 56. Upon release, the elastic member 56 automatically pushes the fourth plate 52 back to the original position, and the elastic strip 511 retracts accordingly. This design enables automatic reset and simplifies user operation.

[0074] In some embodiments, referring to FIG. 4, FIG. 6 to FIG. 10, FIG. 12, and FIG. 13, the elastic member 56 is configured to urge the fourth plate 52 into abutment against the first plate 21. Such an arrangement is beneficial in that, in addition to the engagement between the elastic strip 511 and the second plate 22, the fixing assembly 50 further adds a fixing manner in which the fourth plate 52 abuts against the first plate 21, thereby improving the stability of the connection between the fixing assembly 50 and the mounting rail 20, which in turn is beneficial to enhancing the stability of the connection between the first housing 10 and the second housing 30.

[0075] In some embodiments, referring to FIG. 4, FIG. 6 to FIG. 10, FIG. 12 to FIG. 14, the elastic member 56 is disposed between the third plate 51 and the fourth plate 52, or disposed between the hinged arm 55 and the third plate 51 / fourth plate 52. The function of the elastic member 56 is to provide an elastic force that moves the fourth plate 52 away from the third plate 51.

[0076] In some embodiments, referring to FIG. 4, FIG. 6 to FIG. 10, FIG. 12 to FIG. 14, the elastic member 56 is a compression spring. One end of the compression spring abuts against the third plate 51, and the other end abuts against the fourth plate 52 or against the hinged arm 55. It can be understood that the compression spring may be installed in the gap between the third plate 51 and the fourth plate 52, or may be arranged in the gap between the third plate 51 and the hinged arm 55. The compression spring has linear force characteristics, is low in cost, and is easy to procure and assemble. The number of compression springs may be one or more, distributed at different positions of the fixing assembly 50 to ensure balanced force distribution.

[0077] In other embodiments, referring to FIG. 15, the elastic member 56 is a torsion spring. The torsion spring has a surrounding portion 561, a first extending portion 562 extending from one end of the surrounding portion 561, and a second extending portion 563 extending from the other end of the surrounding portion 561. The surrounding portion 561 of the torsion spring is fixed to the third plate 51 or the fourth plate 52, the first extending portion 562 abuts against the third plate 51, and the second extending portion 563 abuts against the fourth plate 52. When the fourth plate 52 is pressed toward the third plate 51, the torsion spring is twisted and generates a restoring torque. After the external force is removed, the restoring force of the torsion spring pushes the fourth plate 52 back. The torsion spring has a compact structure, does not occupy additional space, and provides stable torsion force.

[0078] In some embodiments, referring to FIG. 15, a third fixing base 512 is provided on the third plate 51. The third fixing base 512 includes a connecting portion 512a and a mounting shaft 512b, and the surrounding portion 561 of the torsion spring is sleeved on the mounting shaft 512b.

[0079] In some embodiments, the mounting shaft 512b may be a metal shaft or a plastic shaft, which is in clearance fit with the surrounding portion 561 to ensure flexible rotation. The third fixing base 512 may be integrally injection-molded with the third plate 51 or may be assembled as a separate component.

[0080] In some embodiments, referring to FIG. 4 and FIGS. 6-9, at least a portion of the fourth plate 52 protrudes along the second direction Y beyond an end of the rail space 23. That is, after the fixing assembly 50 is fully installed in place, one end of the fourth plate 52 extends out from one end of the rail space 23. The advantage of this design is that the user or assembly personnel can directly press or push the protruding portion of the fourth plate 52 by hand without the need for tools. The protruding portion can serve as an operating handle. At the same time, during disassembly, the protruding portion can also be pulled to withdraw the elastic strip 511 from the locked state.

[0081] Referring to FIG. 4, in some embodiments, the elastic strip 511 is designed as a four-segment structure. Specifically, the elastic strip 511 includes a first segment 511a, a second segment 511b, a third segment 511c, and a fourth segment 511d. The first segment 511a is fixedly connected to the main body of the third plate 51, and may be integrally stamped and formed with the third plate 51, or may be a separate component fixed by welding or riveting. The second segment 511b extends from the end of the first segment 511a toward the fourth plate 52, forming a force-receiving arm. The second segment 511b may be a straight arm or an arm with curvature. The third segment 511c is bent and extends from the end of the second segment 511b in a direction away from the fourth plate 52, forming a turning portion. The fourth segment 511d continues to extend from the end of the third segment 511c in a direction toward the back surface of the second plate 22. In the natural state, the fourth segment 511d is located on the side of the second plate 22 facing the third plate 51 and does not pass through the mounting hole 221. When the fourth plate 52 is pushed and contacts the second segment 511b, the second segment 511b is compressed and deformed, driving the third segment 511c and the fourth segment 511d to move in a direction away from the third plate 51, so that the fourth segment 511d passes through the mounting hole 221 and abuts against the back surface of the second plate 22, thereby achieving locking.

[0082] It should be noted that, compared with a conventional straight-arm type elastic buckle, the multi-segment, segmented-bending elastic strip 511 structure of the present disclosure offers several advantages.

[0083] First, by designing the elastic strip 511 as a longer path with multiple bending segments, the effective elastic deformation length of the elastic arm is equivalently increased. This enables the elastic strip 511 to more readily undergo the required elastic deformation during the assembly and locking process, thereby significantly reducing the operating force required when the fourth plate 52 drives the elastic strip 511. The user can complete the locking with only a small pushing force. At the same time, the risk of the elastic strip 511 fracturing due to excessive elastic deformation is reduced, thereby improving the comfort of operation and the safety of the structure.

[0084] Second, the multi-segment structure can effectively disperse stress. In a straight-arm type buckle, when subjected to force and deformation, the maximum stress is typically concentrated at the root portion connected to the main body; after long-term use or repeated deformation, fatigue cracks or even fracture are prone to occur at the root. In the present disclosure, after the elastic strip 511 is divided into multiple bending segments, when the elastic strip 511 is subjected to the pushing pressure from the fourth plate 52, its elastic deformation is uniformly distributed across the first segment 511a, the second segment 511b, the third segment 511c, and the respective bending transition regions. This reduces the risk of excessive stress concentration in a single region, thereby significantly improving the fatigue resistance and overall service life of the elastic strip 511.

[0085] Third, the structure enables staged deformation, making the hand-feel of the locking process smoother and more controllable. Specifically, when the fourth plate 52 initially contacts and pushes the elastic strip 511, the second segment 511b, acting as the primary force-receiving arm, first undergoes elastic deformation, at which time the operating hand-feel is relatively light. As the fourth plate 52 continues to move, the third segment 511c and the first segment 511a successively participate in the deformation, and the resistance gradually increases, forming a progressive locking hand-feel of “first soft, then tight.” This staged deformation mechanism not only makes the assembly process smoother and less prone to sudden rigid jamming sensations, but also helps operators accurately determine the locking state, reducing the risk of structural damage caused by excessive force.

[0086] Furthermore, the multi-segment long elastic arm structure possesses excellent tolerance adaptation capability. In actual production, if manufacturing tolerances and assembly deviations exist in parts such as the first housing 10, the second housing 30, the mounting rail 20, and the fixing assembly 50, thermal expansion and contraction may also occur due to temperature changes during use of the water heater 1000. The multi-segment elastic strip 511 of the present disclosure can absorb the aforementioned dimensional fluctuations and positional deviations through its own elastic deformation, ensuring reliable locking connection in the assembly of parts from different batches without requiring excessively high machining precision for all parts. This reduces manufacturing costs and improves the production yield of the product.

[0087] In a preferred embodiment, the end of the fourth segment 511d of the elastic strip 511 is provided with a circular arc transition surface. This circular arc end portion serves a guiding function during the process in which the elastic strip 511 passes through the mounting hole 221, smoothly guiding the fourth segment 511d into the mounting hole 221, thereby reducing the possibility of scraping or jamming between sharp corner structures and the hole wall and reducing assembly resistance. At the same time, the circular arc transition also eliminates the stress concentration point at that location, further improving the structural strength of the elastic strip 511.

[0088] In yet another improved solution, a local step structure or a variable cross-section structure may also be provided on the third segment 511c or the fourth segment 511d of the elastic strip 511. These step or variable cross-section portions can serve a limiting function to control the maximum deformation amount of the elastic strip 511, preventing the elastic strip 511 from undergoing permanent plastic deformation or fracture under excessive pressing or extreme operating conditions, thereby enhancing the reliability and safety of the product.

[0089] The multi-segment elastic strip 511 structure adopted in the present disclosure effectively reduces the assembly operating force, improves the fatigue life and resilience performance of the elastic strip 511, improves the assembly hand-feel and guiding smoothness, and enhances the product's adaptability to manufacturing tolerances and changes in the use environment through technical means such as extending the elastic deformation path, dispersing stress concentration, achieving staged deformation, improving tolerance adaptation capability, optimizing end guidance, and providing deformation limiting. It also reduces abnormal noise caused by loosening and shaking during long-term use, thereby providing users with a more reliable and comfortable use experience.

[0090] In some embodiments, referring to FIG. 4, a plurality of protrusions 521 are provided on the side of the fourth plate 52 facing the third plate 51. The positions of these protrusions 521 correspond to the positions of the second segments 511b of the elastic strips 511. When the fourth plate 52 moves close to the third plate 51 along the first direction X, the protrusions 521 of the fourth plate 52 first contact and press the second segments 511b. The protrusions 521 may be designed as hemispherical or wedge-shaped shapes to form point contact or small-area contact with the second segments 511b, which can improve transmission efficiency. At the same time, the number of protrusions 521 is the same as the number of elastic strips 511, corresponding one-to-one, ensuring that each elastic strip 511 can be independently driven. The protrusions 521 may be integrally machined with the fourth plate 52 using metal material, or may be implemented by embedding or bonding plastic parts.

[0091] It is worth mentioning that, in embodiments in which the fixing assembly 50 further includes a first fixing seat 53, a second fixing seat 54, and a hinged arm 55, the fourth plate 52, the hinged arm 55, and the third plate 51 constitute a parallelogram linkage mechanism. This structure ensures that the fourth plate 52 always maintains a posture parallel to the third plate 51 during movement without tilting, so that each protrusion 521 on the fourth plate 52 can accurately contact the corresponding elastic strip 511, thereby improving the uniformity of the pushing force.

[0092] In some embodiments, referring to FIG. 4, a plurality of avoidance holes 513 are formed in the third plate 51. Each elastic strip 511 is correspondingly located within one avoidance hole 513. The size and shape of the avoidance hole 513 are designed to accommodate the elastic strip 511 and provide sufficient deformation space, avoiding interference between the elastic strip 511 and the solid portion of the third plate 51 when under pressure. The avoidance hole 513 may be a rectangular elongated hole; the first segment 511a of the elastic strip 511 is connected to one side of the avoidance hole 513, and the other portions of the elastic strip 511 are suspended within the avoidance hole 513. This structure allows the elastic strip 511 to deform independently and freely while facilitating the processing of stamping molds.

[0093] In some embodiments, referring to FIG. 4 and FIGS. 6-9, the fourth segment 511d of the elastic strip 511 has a first surface 511e and a second surface 511f arranged opposite to each other. In the unlocked state, the second surface 511f of the fourth segment 511d does not extend beyond the surface of the second plate 22 facing the third plate 51, that is, the fourth segment 511d is completely hidden inside the second plate 22. This ensures that when the second housing 30 slides along the mounting rail 20, the fourth segment 511d does not collide with or scrape against the second plate 22. The sliding process is smooth and unobstructed, and the elastic strip 511 is also prevented from erroneously snapping into a non-corresponding mounting hole 221, which is beneficial for improving assembly efficiency. When locked, the fourth segment 511d passes through the mounting hole 221, and its first surface 511e contacts and presses tightly against the back surface of the second plate 22. The first surface 511e may be designed as a flat surface, which is conducive to closely fitting the back surface of the second plate 22, thereby increasing the contact area and improving locking stability.

[0094] In some embodiments, referring to FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, the second housing 30 includes a fifth plate 31. The fifth plate 31 may be the main body portion of the second housing 30. When the second housing 30 is assembled in place with the first housing 10, the fifth plate 31 abuts against the first plate 21 of the mounting rail 20. The first housing10, the first plate 21, and the fifth plate 31 together enclose and form the accommodating space 40. That is, the first housing 10, the first plate 21, and the fifth plate 31 are exposed to the outside and can cover and hide the rail space 23. The second plate 22 is located inside the accommodating space 40, and therefore the entire rail space 23 is also located inside the accommodating space 40. The third plate 51 is fixedly connected to the fifth plate 31, for example, by screws, welding, sheet metal, or integral injection molding. A portion of the third plate 51 is located within the accommodating space 40, and another portion extends into the rail space 23; the elastic strips 511 are provided on the portion located within the rail space 23. This layout causes the snap-fit portions of the fixing assembly 50 and the mounting rail 20 to be enclosed within the first housing 10 and the second housing 30, so that the mounting structure is not visible from the outside, achieving a hidden effect for the mounting structure. The abutment between the fifth plate 31 and the first plate 21 can also serve a limiting function, facilitating the sliding of the fixing assembly 50 into the rail space 23.

[0095] In some embodiments, referring to FIG. 4, the third plate 51 includes a first portion 51a and a second portion 51b. The first portion 51a may be a connecting plate extending from the fifth plate 31 toward the interior of the accommodating space 40, and the second portion 51b is an extending section bent from the first portion 51a and parallel to the first plate 21 or the second plate 22. The second portion 51b is located within the rail space 23 and is arranged opposite to the fourth plate 52. The elastic strips 511 are provided on the second portion 51b. This two-segment structure is beneficial for allowing the fifth plate 31 to shield the third plate 51 and the fourth plate 52, which helps improve the overall integrity and aesthetic appearance of the product.

[0096] The above descriptions are merely specific embodiments of the present disclosure and are not intended to limit the present disclosure. The above embodiments are only configured to illustrate the present disclosure, but the protection scope of the present disclosure is not limited thereto. As long as within the scope of the essential spirit of the present disclosure, any person skilled in the art, within the technical scope disclosed in the present disclosure, may make appropriate changes and modifications to the above embodiments, and such changes and modifications shall fall within the scope disclosed in the present disclosure.

Claims

1. A mounting plate assembly for a water heater, comprising:a first housing;a mounting rail connected to the first housing, wherein the mounting rail comprises a first plate and a second plate arranged opposite to each other along a first direction, wherein a rail space is formed between the first plate and the second plate, wherein the second plate is provided with a plurality of mounting holes arranged sequentially along a second direction, and the plurality of mounting holes penetrate through the second plate along the first direction;a second housing connected to the first housing and cooperating with the first housing to define an accommodating space, wherein the accommodating space is configured to accommodate at least a portion of the water heater;a fixing assembly connected to the second housing, wherein the fixing assembly comprises a third plate and a fourth plate, wherein the third plate is provided with a plurality of elastic strips arranged sequentially along the second direction, at least part of the fourth plate is located on one side of the third plate along the first direction, and the fourth plate is movably connected to the third plate;wherein the third plate and the fourth plate are mounted on the mounting rail along the second direction, and wherein the fourth plate is configured to drive at least portions of the plurality of elastic strips to pass through respective ones of the plurality of mounting holes along the first direction so as to abut against a surface of the second plate facing away from the third plate.

2. The mounting plate assembly according to claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the fourth plate extends beyond the rail space in the second direction.

3. The mounting plate assembly according to claim 1, wherein the fourth plate is hinged to the third plate such that the fourth plate is movable relative to the third plate in the first direction and opposite to the first direction.

4. The mounting plate assembly according to claim 1, wherein the fixing assembly comprises:a first fixing seat fixed to the third plate;a second fixing seat fixed to the fourth plate; anda hinged arm having one end hinged to the first fixing seat and another end hinged to the second fixing seat, wherein the hinged arm enables the fourth plate to move relative to the third plate in the first direction and opposite to the first direction, and to move relative to the third plate in the second direction and opposite to the second direction.

5. The mounting plate assembly according to claim 1, wherein the fixing assembly further comprises an elastic member, the elastic member elastically supports the third plate and the fourth plate, and the elastic member is configured to drive the fourth plate to abut against the first plate.

6. The mounting plate assembly according to claim 5, wherein the elastic member is a compression spring having one end abutting against the third plate and another end abutting against the fourth plate; or,the fixing assembly comprises a first fixing seat fixed to the third plate, a second fixing seat fixed to the fourth plate, and a hinged arm, one end of the hinged arm is hinged to the first fixing seat and the other end thereof is hinged to the second fixing seat, wherein the hinged arm enables the fourth plate to move relative to the third plate in the first direction and opposite to the first direction, and to move relative to the third plate in the second direction and opposite to the second direction; andwherein the elastic member is a compression spring having one end abutting against the third plate and another end abutting against the hinged arm.

7. The mounting plate assembly according to claim 5, wherein the elastic member is a torsion spring, the torsion spring has a surrounding portion, a first extending portion extending from one end of the surrounding portion, and a second extending portion extending from the other end of the surrounding portion;the surrounding portion is fixed to the third plate or the fourth plate, the first extending portion abuts against the third plate, and the second extending portion abuts against the fourth plate.

8. The mounting plate assembly according to claim 7, wherein the third plate further comprises a third fixing seat comprising a connecting portion fixed to the third plate and a mounting shaft fixed to the connecting portion, wherein the surrounding portion of the torsion spring is disposed around the mounting shaft.

9. The mounting plate assembly according to claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of elastic strips comprises a first segment, a second segment, a third segment and a fourth segment arranged in sequence; wherein the first segment is connected to a main body of the third plate, the second segment extends toward the fourth plate and is configured for abutting against the fourth plate, the third segment extends in a direction away from the fourth plate, and the fourth segment is configured for passing through one of the plurality of mounting holes to abut against a surface of the second plate facing away from the third plate when the fourth plate abuts against the second segment.

10. The mounting plate assembly according to claim 9, wherein the fourth plate is provided with a plurality of protrusions toward the third plate, wherein along the first direction, the plurality of elastic strips are located on one side of the plurality of protrusions, and the plurality of protrusions are configured to abut against the respective second segments when the fourth plate moves toward the third plate along the first direction.

11. The mounting plate assembly according to claim 9, wherein the third plate is provided with a plurality of avoidance holes sequentially arranged along the second direction, each elastic strip is located in a corresponding one of the plurality of avoidance holes.

12. The mounting plate assembly according to claim 9, wherein the fourth segment of each elastic strip comprises a first surface and a second surface arranged opposite to each other;when the fourth plate abuts against the second segment, the first surface is configured to abut against a surface of the second plate facing away from the third plate; andwhen the fourth plate is separated from the second segment, the second surface does not protrude an inner surface of the second plate facing toward the third plate.

13. The mounting plate assembly according to claim 1, wherein the second housing comprises a fifth plate abutted against the first plate;the first housing, the first plate and the fifth plate are configured to cooperate to enclose the accommodating space;the second plate is located within the accommodating space such that the rail space is within the accommodating space;the third plate is connected to the fifth plate; the third plate is at least partially located within the accommodating space and partially located in the rail space.

14. The mounting plate assembly according to claim 13, wherein the third plate comprises a first portion and a second portion;wherein the first portion is connected to the fifth plate and to the second portion;wherein the second portion is located within the rail space and arranged opposite to the fourth plate, and wherein the second portion is provided with the elastic strips.

15. A water heater, comprising: a main body, wherein the main body comprises the mounting plate assembly of claim 1.

16. The water heater according to claim 15, wherein the water heater further comprises a bracket, and the bracket is connected to the main body and is configured for supporting the main body.

Images