AU2003213465A1 - Combined hot-water supply system - Google Patents

Description

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AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION STANDARD PATENT Applicant(s): RINNAI CORPORATION Invention Title: COMBINED HOT-WATER SUPPLY SYSTEM The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me/us:

SPECIFICATION

COMBINED HOT-WATER SUPPLY SYSTEM BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a combined hot-water supply system in which a plurality of hot-water supply units are arranged in a side by side relation.

Description of Background Art When arranging hot-water supply units in a facility such as for example a hotel or general hospital in which hot-water supplies in many places are required, the necessary hot-water supply capacity is designed with a certain room supposing that there would be caused a situation in which all hot-water supplying places are simultaneously used.

In such a case, although it is possible to arrange a newly designed large hot-water supply unit, it cannot be used in a case in which an amount of hot-water to be supplied is small since the minimum amount of operating water at which a heat exchanger is not overheated at the minimum amount of heat is increased. Accordingly it is preferable in such a case, to connect several general purpose hot-water supply units to form the combined heat-water supply system.

Such a combined hot-water supply system is known for example in Japanese Patent Publication No. 2,767,500. In the general purpose hot-water supply unit, it has a box shaped housing containing a heat exchanger to which a clean water supplying pipe and a hot-water supplying pipe are connected. A fuel gas supplying pipe is connected to a gas burner for heating the heat exchanger. The other ends of these pipes are connected to piping junctions arranged at the bottom of the housing. The number of the hot-water supply unit is determined in accordance with the required hot-water supplying capacity.

When arranging the combined hot-water supply system, it is arranged a mount frame having a T-shaped cross-section at a predetermined place in accordance with the number of the hot-water supply unit. In this case, it is possible to arrange two hot-water supply units side by side at the front and back side of the top of the mount frame. When arranging four or more hot-water supply units, it is added, alongside of the initially arranged mount frame, another mount frame to which a predetermined number of hot-water supply units are mounted.

After having mounted the hot-water supply units on the mount frame, pipings connected to a main water supply pipe, a hot-water supply confluence pipe leading to each hot-water supplying place, and a main gas supply pipe are arranged at a lower portion of the mount frame. Then a necessary wiring is carried out after having arranged branch pipes of the water supply pipe, the hot-water supply pipe and the gas pipe between the piping junctions of each hot-water supply unit and the pipings.

However, there is a problem that a long time is required in arranging many hot-water supply units since the mounting operation of the hot-water supply units onto the mount frame and piping operation thereof have to be done in situ.

In addition, the pipings of the hot-water supply units project laterally beyond the mount frame and thus mutually adjacent hot-water supply units have to be connected at flanges mounted on the projected ends via joint. This remarkably increases the installation space of the hot-water supply units.

In this case, although it is possible to prepare one long piping or to arrange the mount frames in a L-shaped configuration, this requires to prepare L-shaped joints and to take an inventory of a plurality of parts and thus makes the inventory management troublesome.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Therefore, it would be an advantage if the present invention would provide a combined hot-water supply system which does not require a plurality of joining parts of the hot-water supply unit and thus can reduce the installation space and in addition can be efficiently and securely installed.

According to the present invention, there is provided a combined hot-water supply system having a necessary hot-water supplying capacity comprising a main hot-water supply apparatus including a main hot-water supply unit arranged on a main mount of rectangular parallelopiped; and a sub hot-water supply apparatus to be connected to the main hot-water supply apparatus with their mounts being mutually contacted, the sub hot water supply apparatus being selected from at least one of a first sub hot-water supply apparatus which includes a first sub hot-water supply unit arranged on a first sub mount having a same configuration as that of the main mount and can be arranged at one lateral side of the main hot-water supply apparatus and of a second sub hot-water supply apparatus which includes a second sub hot-water supply unit arranged on a second sub mount of rectangular parallelopiped having at least a same width and height as those of the main mount and can be arranged at the back side of the main hot-water supply apparatus and the first hot-water supply apparatus.

The necessary hot-water supplying capacity is calculated supposing the occasion in which hot-water is used simultaneously at all hot-water supplying places and then the number of the sub hot-water supply apparatus to be connected to the main hot-water supply apparatus. Then the layout of the combined hot-water supply system may be determined in view of for example the maintenance space at its installed place and the S:50155 first and second sub hot-water supply apparatus may be assigned in accordance with the determined layout.

The main hot-water supply apparatus may firstly be installed in situ in accordance with the layout and then the first and second sub hot-water supply apparatus may be connected to the main hot-water supply apparatus.

In this case, since the main mount as well as the first and second sub mount are connected in a mutually contacted manner, it is possible to have a combined hot-water supply system having an integrated appearance and to reduce the installation space.

Then the main water supply pipe, the hot-water supply confluence pipe and the main gas supply pipe may be arranged within the inside space of the main mount as well as the first and second sub mounts. These pipings may then be connected to the water supply pipe, hot-water supply pipe and the gas pipe of the hot-water supply unit via branch pipes and finally the necessary electrical wiring may be made.

In this case, it may take a long time for performing the installing operation if the main water supply pipe, hot-water supply confluence pipe and the main gas pipe is arranged after the installation of the hot-water supply apparatus. In addition, several kinds of length of pipes may have to be prepared in accordance with the number of the sub hot-water supply apparatus to be connected to the main hot-water supply apparatus.

This causes a problem in the inventory management.

In this case, there may be arranged within an inside space of the main, first and second mounts either one of pipings comprising a main gas supply pipe piece to be connected to one end of the main gas supply pipe for supplying fuel gas to a heating means of heat exchangers of the main, first and second hot-water supply units, a main water supply pipe piece to be connected to one end of the main water supply pipe for supplying water to the heat exchangers, and a hot-water supplying confluence pipe piece to be connected to one end of the hot-water supplying pipe from the heat exchanger, the pipings being connected each other via a joining pipe.

S:50155 In addition, detachable decoration panels may be mounted on the front side, the back side and the lateral sides of the main mount as well as the front side and the back side of the first sub mount for improving the sealing performance of the inside space of the mount; the decoration panel arranged on the lateral side of the main mount to be connected to the lateral side of the first sub hot-water supply apparatus may be removed from the main mount and the removed decoration panel may be mounted on the lateral side of the first sub mount opposite to said lateral side when the first sub hot-water supply apparatus is connected to the main hot-water supply apparatus. This enables a reduction of the number of parts and thus the manufacturing cost of the combined hotwater supply system as well as an improvement of the sealing performance of the space formed by the mutually connected mounts.

Furthermore, the hot-water supply apparatus may be arranged along a layout determined in accordance with numbers of the first and second sub hot-water supply apparatus to be connected to the main hot-water supply apparatus by using at least one base frame selected from a first base frame for securing the main mount, a second base frame for securing a combination of the main and first sub mounts or a combination of two first sub mounts in their mutually contacted relation, and a third base frame for securing a combination of the main mount and second sub mount or a combination of the first and second sub mounts in their mutually contacted relation.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Additional advantages and features of the present invention will become apparent from the subsequent description and the appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein: Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the combined hot-water supply system of S:50155 the present invention; Fig. 2 is a front elevational view of the combined hot-water supply system shown in Fig. 1; Fig.3 is a top plan view of the combined hot-water supply system shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a side elevational view of the combined hot-water supply system shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 5 is an exploded view showing a condition prior to the mutual connection among the main hot-water supply apparatus, the first sub hot-water supply apparatus and the second sub hot-water supply apparatus; Fig. 6 is explanatory view of the base frame, and Fig. 7 is an explanatory view showing the installation of the combined hot-water supply system.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring now to Fig. 1 through Fig. 4, a reference numeral 1 denotes a combined hot-water supply system formed by connecting several general purpose hot-water supply units. The combined hot-water supply system 1 comprises a main hot-water supply apparatus 10a which has a main mount 2a of rectangular parallelopiped formed by a square prism frame. A top plate 21a arranged at the top of the main mount 2a has a function of a supporting plate for supporting a main hot-water supply unit 3a such as a general purpose small hot-water supply unit JIS According to the illustrated embodiment, two first sub hot-water supply apparatus 10b are arranged in a side by side relation at one side (the right side in Fig.2) of the main hot-water supply apparatus 10a. The first sub hot-water supply apparatus 10b has a first sub mount 2b having a same configuration as that of the main mount 2a and a top plate 21b of which forms a supporting plate for supporting a first sub hot-water supply unit 3b having a same hot-water supplying capacity as that of the main hot-water supply unit 3a.

One second sub hot-water supply apparatus 10c is arranged at the back side of the first sub hot-water supply apparatus 10b positioned at one end of the system 1 and is also connected thereto. The second sub hot-water supply apparatus 10c has a second sub mount 2c of rectangular parallelopiped formed by a square prism frame. A top plate 21c arranged at the top of the second sub mount 2c has a function of a supporting plate for supporting a second sub hot-water supply unit 3c having a same hot-water supplying capacity as that of the main hot-water supply capacity and arranged back to back relation relative to the first sub hot-water supply unit 3b.

In this case, the main hot-water supply apparatus 10a, the first sub hot-water supply apparatus 10b and the second sub hot-water supply apparatus 10c as well as the main mount 2a, the first sub mount 2b and the second sub mount 2c are arranged such that they are mutually contacted. It is preferable to arrange a heat insulating material at a place between the main mount 2a and the first sub mount 2b, as well as the first sub mount 2b and the second sub mount 2c to improve the sealing performance therebetween.

Each of the main mount 2a, the first sub mount 2b and the second sub mount 2c has a box like housing 31 within which a heat exchanger (not shown) heated by a gas burner is arranged.

A water supply pipe for supplying clean water and a hot-water supplying pipe are connected to the heat exchanger and a gas pipe for supplying fuel gas via a proportioning valve is connected to the gas burner.

The other ends of these pipes are connected to piping junctions 22a, 22b and 22c.

After the connection of the first and second sub hot-water supply apparatus 10b and O10c to the main hot-water supply apparatus 10a, it is necessary to arrange a main water supply pipe 4 connected to a water source, a hot-water supply confluence pipe 5 leading to each hot-water supplying places P, and a main gas pipe 6 connected a gas source and also to connect these pipes 4, 5 and 6 and the piping junctions 22a, 22b and 22c via a branch water supply tube 41, a branch hot-water supply tube 51 and a branch gas pipe 61 respectively.

In this case, the working space will be reduced and the connecting operation will be troublesome if all the pipes 4, 5 and 6 are arranged within the inside space (first space) of the main mount 2a, the first sub mount 2b and the second sub mount 2c.

According to the preferable embodiment of the present invention, the squares of the top plates 21a and 21b of the main mount 2a and the first sub mount 2b are determined larger than those of the bases of the housing 31 of the main hot-water supply unit 3a and the first sub hot-water supply unit 3b, as well as the supporting areas for the main hot-water supply unit 3a and the first sub hot-water supply unit 3b are set at the front side of the top plates 21a and 21b (see Fig. 2 and Fig. 3) in order to leave a second space for accommodating at least one of the pipes 4, 5 and 6 at the backsides of the main hot-water supply unit 3a and the first sub hot-water supply unit 3b when these hot-water supply units 3a and 3b are arranged on the top plates 21a and 21b. Areas of the top plates 21a and 21b except for the areas set at the front side of the top plates 21a and 21b are adapted to be used for a piping space.

It is preferable to arrange the main gas pipe 6 in the second space so as to be able to observe the sealed conditions at the piping junctions 22a, 22b and 22c.

The square of the top plate 21c of the second sub mount 2c are determined larger than that of the bases of the housing 31 of the second sub hot-water supply unit 3c. However the square of the top plate 21c is determined smaller than that of the top plate 21b of the first sub mount 2b as well as the supporting area for the second sub hot-water supply unit 3c is set at the front side of the top plates 21c (see Fig. 3) in order to leave a third space for accommodating a branch pipe 61 to the main gas pipe 6 at the backsides of the second sub hot-water supply unit 3c. An area of the top plates 21c except for the area set at the front side of the top plate 21c is adapted to be used for a piping space.

A supporting member 23 having a substantially I-shaped cross-section is arranged at predetermined positions in the supporting areas of the main mount 2a, the first sub mount 2b and the second sub mount 2c. the main hot-water supply unit 3a, first sub hot-water supply unit 3b and the second sub hot-water supply unit 3c along with the top plates 21a, 21b and 21c are secured to the supporting member 23 (see Fig. 4).

Joint portions 24 are formed in the top plate 21 passing therethrough at substantially central portion of the piping arrangement portions of the main mount 2a, the first sub mount 2b and the second sub mount 2c. Connected to the joint portions 24 are the branch gas pipe 61 from the main gas pipe 6 arranged within the second space and the jointing pipes 62 arranged within the inside space of the first sub mount 2b and the second sub mount 2c and adapted to be connected to the piping junctions 22c for the fuel gas at the bottom of the housing 31.

This enables further rapid piping operations since the piping operation of the one end of the branch gas pipe 61 to the main gas pipe 6 can be carried out at any other broad place than in situ.

Two pipe supporting members 25 are arranged at a predetermined space in the piping arrangement portions of the main mount 2a and the first sub mount 2b. Each of the pipe supporting member 25 has a U-shaped tip corresponding to a profile of the main gas pipe 6 so as to support it therein. In addition, the top surface of the pipe supporting member 25 is formed with screw threads for receiving a U-shaped bolt to secure the main gas pipe 6 therein.

The installing operation would be troublesome if the main water supply pipe 4 and the hot-water supply confluence pipe 5 are arranged within the inside space of the main mount 2a, the first sub mount 2b and the second sub mount 2c in situ of installation of the combined hot-water supply system 1.

According to the preferred embodiment of the present invention, a main water supply pipe piece 42 for forming the main water supply pipe 4 and a hot-water supply confluence pipe piece 52 for forming the hot-water supply confluence pipe 5 are arranged within the inside space of the main mount 2a, the first sub mount 2b and the second sub mount 2c in order to enable the efficient piping operation.

The main water supply pipe piece 42 and the hot-water supply confluence pipe piece 52 are suspended by a branch water supply pipe 41 and branch hot-water supply pipe 51 one end of which pipes 41 and 51 are connected to the piping junctions 22a and 22b for the water supply and hot-water supply, respectively.

After the main mount 2a, the first sub mount 2b and the second sub mount 2c are connected in a mutually contacted manner, mutually adjacent water supply pipe pieces 42 are connected via a flexible pipe 40 and the mutually hot-water supply confluence pipe pieces 52 are connected via a flexible pipe This eliminates the necessity of preparing a plurality of piping joint parts of different lengths and thus makes its inventory management easy when a plurality of the first and second hot-water supply apparatus. 10b and are connected to the main hot-water supply apparatus During a shipping stage of the system 1, the other ends of the piping pieces 42 and 52 within the main mount 2a are closed by blind plates (not shown), on the contrary, the either ends of the piping pieces 42 and 52 within the first and second sub mounts 2b and 2c are left open.

As shown in Fig. 5, decoration panels 26a, 26b and 26c for holding the sealing performance within the inside space are mounted on the front side, two lateral sides and back side of the main mount 2a during the shipping stage in order to reduce the number of parts and thus its cost. The decoration panels 26a and 26c are also mounted on the front side and two lateral sides of the sub mount 2b.

The decoration panels 26a and 26b arranged on the front side of the main mount 2a and the first sub mount 2b as well as on the two lateral sides of the main mount 2a are detachable. After the decoration panel 26b on the lateral side to which the first sub hot-water supply apparatus 10b is connected is removed and the first sub hot-water supply apparatus 10b is connected thereto, the removed decorated panel 26b is remounted on the opened lateral side of the first sub mount 2b.

On the other hand, in the second sub mount 2c of the second sub hot-water supply apparatus 10c to be connected to the back side of the first sub hot-water supply apparatus 10b, decoration panels 26d, 26e and 26f for holding the sealing performance within the inside space of the second sub mount 2c are mounted on the front side, the two lateral sides and the back side thereof. The decoration panels 26d and 26e arranged on the front side and the two lateral sides are detachable.

The second sub mount 2c is connected to the first sub mount 2b sothat the decoration panels 26c and 26f of the first sub mount 2b and the second sub mount 2c are mutually contacted. The decoration panels 26c and 26f of the back side of the main mount 2a, the first sub mount 2b and the second sub mount 2c are formed with an opening 26g having a predetermined square for passing the flexible pipe 40 and 50 therethrough. The opening 26g is closed by a blind plate 26h during the shipping stage.

When a plurality of second sub hot-water supply apparatus 10c are arranged, the lateral side panels 26e may be mounted on only one second sub mount 2c similarly to the case in which the first sub hot-water supply apparatus 10b is connected to the main hot-water supply apparatus One end of each of the main water supply pipe piece 42 and the hot-water supply confluence pipe piece 52 arranged in the main mount 2a may be projected from one side plate the right hand side in Fig. 1) and flanges 43 and 53 may be mounted on the ends of the projected pipe pieces 42 and 52. This enables the jointing operation of the main water supply pipe 4 and the hot-water supply confluence pipe 5 at the outside of the main mount 2a.

According to the preferred embodiment of the present invention, a circulating pump 71 and an expansion tank 72 arranged within the main mount 2a are connected to the piping pieces 42 and 52 so as to enable the supply of hot-water at a place away from the combined hot-water supply systeml.

It is necessary to secure the main mount 2a, the first sub mount 2b and the second sub mount 2c to the installed place for example using anchor bolts by way of precaution against an earthquake. In such a case, it is sometimes difficult to carry out the securing operation using the anchor bolts once the main mount 2a, the first sub mount 2b and the second sub mount 2c have been installed with being mutually contacted.

As shown in Fig. 6, according to a preferable embodiment of the present invention, the combined hot-water supply system 1 is installed using a second base frame 81 which enables installation of the main mount 2a and one of the first sub mount 2b in a mutually contacted manner, and a third base frame which enables installation of the other first sub mount 2b and the second sub mount 2c in a mutually contacted manner.

In this case, two securing plates 27a are arranged at either ends of the main mount 2a and the first sub mount 2b with them being projected fore and aft as well as two securing plates 27b are arranged at either ends of the second sub mount 2c with them being projected only from the side of the second sub hot-water supply unit 3c. Apertures 28 of a predetermined diameter are formed on the securing plates 27a and 27b at their longitudinal ends.

The second base frame 81 of metal is formed by combining thin strips into a rectangular configuration, the depth W1 of which substantially corresponds to a sum of the widths of the main mount 2a and the first sub mount 2b, and the depth L1 substantially corresponds to the length of the securing plate 27a.

Eight upwardly projected securing bolts 83 are arranged at positions corresponding to those of the apertures 28 of the securing plates 27 when the main mount 2a and the first sub mount 2b are arranged in a mutually contacted manner.

The third base frame 82 is also formed by combining thin metal strips into a rectangular configuration, the width W2 of which substantially corresponds to the width of the first or second sub mount 2b or 2c, and the depth L2 of which substantially corresponds to a sum of the depths of the first sub mount 2b and the second sub mount 2c.

Six upwardly projected securing bolts 83 are arranged at positions corresponding to those of the six apertures 28 of the securing plates 27 when the first sub mount 2b and the second sub mount 2c are arranged in a mutually contacted manner.

In the installation of the combined hot-water supply system 1, securing bolts 83 are passed through the aperture 28 of the securing plates 27a and 27b and then tightened by nuts. Thus the main mount 2a, the first sub mount 2b and the second sub mount 2c are secured to the second and third base frames 81 and 82.

Although the second sub mount 2c of the second sub hot-water supply apparatus 10c is secured to the third base frame 82 only at either ends of the second sub kot-water supply unit 3c in the illustrated embodiment, instability of the second sub mount 2c can be prevented by securing it using the frame and the securing bolts of the first sub mount 2b to which the second sub mount 2c is contacted.

If preparing three kinds of base frames by adding a first base frame (not shown) which enables only fixation of the main mount 2a of the main hot-water supply apparatus 10a, the base frame can be laid beforehand according to its layout even if any number of the first and second sub hot-water supply apparatus 10b and 10c are connected.

Then the installation procedure of the combined hot-water supply system 1 will be described with reference to Figs. 1 through 6. First of all, the necessary hot-water supply capacity is calculated supposing that the hot-water is simultaneously used at all supplying places P in order to determine the number of the first and second sub hot-water supply apparatus and 10c to be connected to the main hot-water supply apparatus Then the layout of the combined hot-water supply system 1 is determined in consideration for example of the maintenance space at the installed place and positions of the first and second sub hot-water supply apparatus o10b and 10c are determined. In the illustrated embodiment, two first sub hot-water apparatus 10b and one second hot-water supply apparatus are connected to the main hot-water supply apparatus 10a as mentioned above.

In this case, the base frames 81 and 82 are selected in accordance with the layout so as to reduce the number of parts. The base frames 81 and 82 are laid on along the layout at the installation place of the combined hot-water supply system 1 (see Fig.6), and then secured for example using anchor bolts.

Then the main hot-water supply apparatus 10a is arranged at one end (the left hand side in Fig.2) of the laid second base frame 81. The apparatus

I

is secured thereto by inserting the securing bolts 83 into the apertures 28 of the securing plate 27a and by fastening the bolts 83 using nuts. During which, the decoration panel 26a on the one lateral side and the blind plate on the piping pieces 42 and 52 for water and hot-water supplies should be removed.

Then one first sub hot-water supply apparatus 10b is arranged at one lateral side of the main hot-water supply apparatus 10a and four securing bolts 83 positioned at the right side of the second base frame 81 are inserted into the apertures 28 of the securing plates 27a and secured by fastening nuts.

Then the piping pieces 42 and 52 for water and hot-water supplies of the main and first sub hot-water supply apparatus 10a and 10b are connected via the flexible pipes 40 and 50 respectively.

Similarly, the first sub hot-water supply apparatus 10b is secured to the front side of the third base frame 82. Then the piping pieces 42 and 52 for water and hot-water supplies of the adjacent first sub hot-water supply apparatus 10b and 10b are connected via the flexible pipes 40 and respectively.

Similarly, the second sub hot-water supply apparatus 10c is secured at the back side of the other sub hot-water supply apparatus 10b with the two securing bolts 83 at the rear side of the third base frame 82 being inserted into the apertures 28 of the securing plate27b and fastened by nuts (see Fig.

6).

During which, the blind plates 26h mounted on the openings 26g of the decoration panels 26c and 26f are removed. Then the piping pieces 42 and 52 for water and hot-water supplies of the first and second sub hot-water supply apparatus 10b and 10c are connected via the flexible pipes 40 and respectively through the openings 26g.

Elbows may be arranged between the piping pieces 42 and 52 for water and hot-water supplies and the flexible pipes 40 and 50. The removed blind plates are remounted on other ends of the piping pieces 42 and 52 for water and hot-water supplies arranged in the second sub mount 2c.

Then one main gas pipe 6 is laid on the piping support member 25 in the second space formed at the backs of the hot-water unit 3a and 3b of the main hot-water supply apparatus 10a and the first sub hot-water supply apparatus 10b. In this case, one end of the branch gas pipe 61 for fuel gas is connected to the main gas pipe 6 in different places with corresponding to the positions of joint portions 24 of the main mount 2a, the first sub mount 2b and the second sub mount 2c.

After the main gas pipe 6 to which one end of the branch gas pipe 61 is connected at a predetermined distance has been laid on the supporting members 25 and the other end of the branch gas pipe 61 is connected to the joint portion 24, the main gas pipe 6 is secured on the supporting member using the U-shaped bolt. The main gas pipe 6 of which connecting operation has been completed may be covered by any material.

Finally the necessary electric wiring has to be done. Cable connections 91 of electric power source may be arranged on the supporting member 23 at the back of the main hot-water supply unit 3a. In this case, the electric power can be supplied to the first and second sub hot-water supply apparatus and 10c only by inserting an electric plug into an electric receptacle if the electric receptacles 92 is arranged above the cable connections 91 and electric wires having electric plugs are connected to the first and second sub hot-water supply unit 2b and 2c of the first and second hot-water supply apparatus 10b and 10c. This enables further simplification of the installation operation since the electric wiring is required only in the main hot-water supply apparatus Although it is described that all the main hot-water supply unit 3a, first and second hot-wire sub supply units 3b and 3c has a same hot-water supplying capacity in the illustrated embodiment, the hot-water supplying capacity may be differentiated as long as the size of the housing 21 is same each other.

In addition, although it is described that one main gas pipe 6 is arranged within the second space, it is possible, in order to further promoting the use of common parts, to secure beforehand the pipe piece for gas pipe forming the main gas pipe 6 on the piping support members 24 and to connect the pipe piece for gas pipe after having connected the first sub hot-water supply apparatus 10b to the main hot-water supply apparatus As described above, according to the combined hot-water supply system of the present invention, it is possible to reduce its installation space and to achieve the installation operation with high efficiency and certainty.

The present invention has been described with reference to the preferred embodiment. Obviously, modifications and alternations will occur to those of ordinary skill in the art upon reading and understanding the preceding detailed description. It is intended that the present invention be construed as including all such alternations and modifications insofar as they come within the scope of the appended claims or the equivalents thereof.

A reference herein to a prior art document is not an admission that the document forms part of the common general knowledge in the art in Australia.

S:50155

Claims (4)

1. A combined hot-water supply system having a necessary hot-water supplying capacity comprising a main hot-water supply apparatus including a main hot-water supply unit arranged on a main mount of rectangular parallelopiped; and a sub hot-water supply apparatus to be connected to the main hot-water supply apparatus with their mounts being mutually contacted, the sub hot water supply apparatus being selected from at least one of a first sub hot-water supply apparatus which includes a first sub hot-water supply unit arranged on a first sub mount having a same configuration as that of the main mount and can be arranged at one lateral side of the main hot-water supply apparatus and of a second sub hot-water supply apparatus which includes a second sub hot-water supply unit arranged on a second sub mount of rectangular parallelopiped having at least same width and height as those of the main mount and can be arranged at the back side of the main hot-water supply apparatus and the first hot-water supply apparatus.

2. A combined hot-water supply system of claim 1 wherein there is arranged within an inside space of the main, first and second mounts either one of pipings comprising a main gas supply pipe piece to be connected to one end of the main gas supply pipe for supplying fuel gas to a heating means of heat exchangers of the main, first and second hot-water supply units, a main water supply pipe piece to be connected to one end of the main water supply pipe for supplying water to the heat exchangers, and a hot-water supplying confluence pipe piece to be connected to one end of the hot-water supplying pipe from the heat exchanger, the pipings being connected each other via a joining pipe.

3. A combined hot-water supply system of claim 1 or 2 wherein detachable decoration panels are mounted on the front side, the back side and the lateral sides of the main mount as well as the front side and the back side of the first sub mount for improving the sealing performance of the inside space of the mount; the decoration panel arranged on the lateral side of the main mount to be connected to the lateral side of the first sub hot-water supply apparatus is removed from the main mount and the removed decoration panel is mounted on the lateral side of the first sub mount opposite to said lateral side when the first sub hot-water supply apparatus is connected to the main hot-water supply apparatus.

4. A combined hot-water supply system of either one of claims 1 through 3 wherein the hot-water supply apparatus are arranged along a layout determined in accordance with numbers of the first and second sub hot-water supply apparatus to be connected to the main hot-water supply apparatus by using at least one base frame selected from a first base frame for securing the main mount, a second base frame for securing a combination of the main and first sub mounts or a combination of two first sub mounts in their mutually contacted relation, and a third base frame for securing a combination of the main mount and second sub mount or a combination of the first and second sub mounts in their mutually contacted relation. A combined hot-water supply substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Dated this 15th day of July 2003 RINNAI CORPORATION By their Patent Attorneys GRIFFITH HACK S:50155