Outer enclosure for a water heating appliance having separable junction box for maintenance access

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing water heating appliances require complex and disruptive maintenance processes that involve moving or disconnecting the junction box to access internal components, which can be cumbersome and risky.

Innovation Solution

A water heating appliance design featuring separable wall panels that allow access to internal components without disturbing the junction box, utilizing a sliding retainer and receiver mechanism to create an open area for maintenance, enabling easy access to the heating system and other components.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If traditional access panels are used to provide maintenance access to internal components, then ease of operation is improved, but device complexity increases and reliability decreases due to the need to move or disconnect the junction box

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemaintenance accessVSAvoidmaintenance procedure complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The wall panels are segmented into separable components with specific attachment interfaces. The front wall panel can be independently removed from the rear wall panel through the sliding retainer mechanism, allowing maintenance access without disturbing the junction box which remains attached to the rear wall panel.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The junction box is extracted from the wall panel assembly and independently mounted to the rear wall panel. This separation allows the front wall panel to be removed for maintenance access while the junction box remains in place, eliminating the need to disconnect electrical connections during routine maintenance.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

2Ease of operation

If traditional access panels are used to provide maintenance access to internal components, then ease of operation is improved, but reliability worsens due to the risk of disturbing electrical connections

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemaintenance accessVSAvoidelectrical connection integrity

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The wall panels are segmented into separable components with specific attachment interfaces. The front wall panel can be independently removed from the rear wall panel through the sliding retainer mechanism, allowing maintenance access without disturbing the junction box which remains attached to the rear wall panel.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The junction box is extracted from the wall panel assembly and independently mounted to the rear wall panel. This separation allows the front wall panel to be removed for maintenance access while the junction box remains in place, eliminating the need to disconnect electrical connections during routine maintenance.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Ease of repair

If wall panels are made separable for maintenance access, then ease of repair is improved, but device complexity increases due to the attachment interface mechanism

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecomponent accessibilityVSAvoidattachment interface complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of repairVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The attachment interface transitions from a fixed rigid connection to a dynamic separable connection. The sliding retainer mechanism allows the front wall panel to be easily inserted and removed from the rear wall panel along guided paths, providing controlled mobility while maintaining structural integrity during operation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The sliding retainer and sliding receiver act as intermediary elements between the front wall panel and rear wall panel. These intermediaries facilitate the separation and reattachment processes while maintaining proper alignment and connection during the dynamic transitions of panel assembly.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentUS20250297778A1Outer enclosure for a water heating appliance having separable junction box for maintenance access

Publication Date: 2025.09.25 BRADFORD WHITE CORP

AI summary

A water heating appliance includes a heating system for heating a fluid from a fluid inlet. Front and rear wall panels cooperate to define a perimeter wall that extends around the heating system in a surrounding position. A junction box is externally visible with the plurality of wall panels. An attachment interface includes a sliding retainer of the front wall panel and a sliding receiver of the rear wall panel that form an interlocking attachment in the surrounding position. The front wall panel includes a junction box slot that extends around the junction box in the surrounding position. Vertical motion of the front wall panel separates the front wall panel from the rear wall panel and separates the junction box slot from the junction box and defines an open area for accessing at least the heating system.