JP7485358B2 - Water heater - Google Patents

Description

This disclosure relates to a water heater.

Patent Document 1 discloses an exhaust adapter that is attached to a combustion device capable of supplying hot water. The exhaust adapter disclosed in Patent Document 1 is connected to a combustion gas exhaust section of the combustion device. The combustion gas exhaust section includes an exhaust port. The exhaust port includes first and second regions. The first region has a sector shape. The exhaust adapter has a main body and a claw portion. The main body has an exhaust flow path. The claw portion protrudes from the main body and is inserted into the exhaust port.

JP 2017-009138 A

Including the technology disclosed in Patent Document 1, water heaters with a configuration in which an exhaust adapter protrudes forward from the water heater body are known. In this type of water heater, a possible structure for fixing the exhaust adapter to the water heater body is to position the exhaust port on the water heater body and the inlet on the exhaust adapter so that they are in communication with each other, and a screw is inserted from the side to fix the two parts. However, this fixing structure is disadvantageous in cases where it is desired to reduce the task of operating the screw from the side as much as possible.

Meanwhile, in Patent Document 1, in a configuration in which an exhaust port and a flat surface are provided on the front side of the main body, a flat surface is provided around the exhaust port, and a connection method is adopted in which this flat surface is used as an attachment portion for the exhaust adapter. However, there is a concern that simply connecting the exhaust adapter to a flat surface may cause problems during actual use.

However, in the main body of a water heater, it may be difficult to position the opening (exhaust port) of the heat exchanger in a very high position. For example, in the case of a latent heat recovery type heat exchanger, a downward-facing structure may be adopted in order to direct the drainage generated inside the heat exchanger to the front using the bottom wall. In this case, due to the structure of the heat exchanger, it is difficult to position the opening (exhaust port) in a very high position. This example is not the only example, and there may be other circumstances that make it difficult to position the opening (exhaust port) in a high position.

On the other hand, when installing an exhaust adapter in a water heater, it is often desirable to install the exhaust adapter in as high a position as possible. For example, it may be desirable to install the exhaust adapter in as high a position as possible to prevent exhaust gas discharged from the exhaust adapter from reaching the passage area as much as possible. Or, there may be cases where it is desirable to install the exhaust adapter in as high a position as possible due to installation space constraints, etc.

However, even if it is desirable to install the exhaust adapter as high as possible and there are circumstances that require the heat exchanger opening to be located at a low position, conventional water heaters have not been designed to take such circumstances into consideration, and have not adopted a structure that can achieve smooth exhaust without compromising workability as much as possible.

Therefore, in order to solve at least one of the problems described above, one objective of this disclosure is to realize a water heater that makes it easy to position the exhaust adapter as high as possible, while simultaneously improving workability and ensuring smooth exhaust.

The water heater according to the present disclosure is
a heat exchanger including a case through which exhaust gas passes and an opening for discharging the exhaust gas is formed in a front wall portion of the case;
an exhaust top fixed to the front wall portion and constituting a front exhaust path of the heat exchanger;
A water heater comprising:
The exhaust top has a rear plate portion fixed to the front wall portion and a front plate portion overlapping the rear plate portion from a front side,
an inlet port for introducing the exhaust gas discharged from inside the case through the opening portion is formed in the rear plate portion;
The front plate portion is formed with a protruding portion protruding forward in front of the introduction port,
An exhaust port is formed in the protruding portion,
A flat surface is provided around the exhaust port in the protruding portion,
The flat surface portion is formed with one or more holes for inserting fastening members used to fix the exhaust adapter,
At least a part of an opening area of the exhaust port and at least a part of an opening area of the inlet port overlap each other in the front-rear direction,
At least a part of the flat portion is provided at a position higher than the inlet, and at least any one of the holes is disposed at a position higher than the inlet.

The water heater disclosed in this document makes it easy to secure an exhaust vent while improving workability.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view that diagrammatically illustrates a water heater according to a first embodiment. FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram illustrating the configuration of the hot water supply device of FIG. FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the hot water supply device of FIG. 1 with some parts omitted. FIG. 4 is an enlarged perspective view showing a portion of the hot water heater of FIG. 1 . FIG. 5 is an enlarged view showing a part of the front view of the water heater of FIG. 1 . FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the water heater of FIG. 1 cut at the center in the left-right direction in a direction perpendicular to the left-right direction, with some components omitted. FIG. 7 is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing a part of FIG. FIG. 8 is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing a part of FIG. FIG. 9 is a perspective view mainly showing a housing main body and a heat exchanger of the hot water supply device of FIG. FIG. 10 is a front view mainly showing the housing main body and the heat exchanger of the hot water supply device of FIG. FIG. 11 is a perspective view mainly showing the housing main body, the heat exchanger, and the rear plate of the hot water supply device of FIG. FIG. 12 is a front view mainly showing the housing main body, the heat exchanger, and the rear plate of the hot water supply device of FIG. FIG. 13 is a perspective view mainly showing the housing main body, the heat exchanger, and the exhaust top of the water heater of FIG. FIG. 14 is a front view mainly showing the housing main body, the heat exchanger, and the exhaust top of the hot water supply device of FIG. FIG. 15 is a partially enlarged perspective view of the water heater of FIG. 1 with the relay pipe and the exhaust adaptor removed. FIG. 16 is a partially enlarged front view of the water heater of FIG. 1 with the relay pipe and the exhaust adaptor removed. 17 is a partially enlarged perspective view of the water heater of FIG. 1 with the exhaust adaptor removed. FIG. FIG. 18 is a partially enlarged front view of the water heater of FIG. 1 with the exhaust adaptor removed. FIG. 19 is a partially enlarged perspective view of the water heater of FIG. 1 with the exhaust adaptor cover removed. 20 is a partially enlarged front view of the water heater of FIG. 1 with the exhaust adaptor cover removed. FIG. FIG. 21 is a perspective view illustrating an example of a relay pipe attached to a hot water supply apparatus. FIG. 22 is a front view of the relay pipe in FIG. 21 with one flange member omitted. 23 is a rear view of the relay pipe of FIG. 21 with the other flange member omitted. FIG. 24 is a perspective view that roughly illustrates an example of the water heating device of the first embodiment in which no relay pipe is provided. FIG. 25 is a cross-sectional view of the water heater of FIG. 24 cut at the center in the left-right direction in a direction perpendicular to the left-right direction, with some components omitted. FIG. 26 is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing a part of FIG. 27 is a partially enlarged front view of the water heater of FIG. 24 with the exhaust adaptor cover removed.

Below, embodiments of the present disclosure are listed and illustrated.

[1] A heat exchanger having a case through which exhaust gas passes and an opening for discharging the exhaust gas formed in a front wall portion of the case;
an exhaust top fixed to the front wall portion and constituting a front exhaust path of the heat exchanger;
A water heater comprising:
The exhaust top has a rear plate portion fixed to the front wall portion and a front plate portion overlapping the rear plate portion from a front side,
an inlet port for introducing the exhaust gas discharged from inside the case through the opening portion is formed in the rear plate portion;
The front plate portion is formed with a protruding portion protruding forward in front of the introduction port,
An exhaust port is formed in the protruding portion,
A flat surface is provided around the exhaust port in the protruding portion,
The flat surface portion is formed with one or more holes for inserting fastening members used to fix the exhaust adapter,
At least a part of an opening area of the exhaust port and at least a part of an opening area of the inlet port overlap each other in the front-rear direction,
At least a part of the flat portion is provided at a position higher than the inlet, and at least any one of the holes is disposed at a position higher than the inlet.

In the water heater of [1] above, the flat surface and the hole are positioned higher than the inlet, so the exhaust adapter can be easily fixed at a higher position relative to the inlet. Moreover, in the above water heater, the fastening member used to fix the exhaust adapter can be directly inserted into the hole in the flat surface to fix the exhaust adapter, so that the addition of accessories can be suppressed and the increase in the number of parts and the increase in weight can be reduced. On the other hand, at least a part of the opening area of the exhaust port and at least a part of the opening area of the inlet overlap front to back, so that exhaust can be performed smoothly even if the flat surface is located at a higher position. Therefore, the above water heater can be realized as a water heater in which the exhaust adapter can be easily positioned as high as possible, while improving workability and achieving smooth exhaust.

[2] The water heater described in [1] above has the following features. The end of the exhaust port on one side in the left-right direction is located on the other side in the left-right direction than the end of the inlet on one side in the left-right direction. The end of the exhaust port on the other side in the left-right direction is located on the one side in the left-right direction than the end of the inlet on the other side in the left-right direction. The upper end of the exhaust port is located above the upper end of the inlet, and the lower end of the exhaust port is located below the lower end of the inlet.

The water heater of [2] above can be configured to keep the size of the exhaust port small in the left-right direction, so that the exhaust port does not expand too much in the left-right direction. Furthermore, this water heater can prevent the opening area from becoming too narrow by ensuring the size of the exhaust port in the up-down direction.

[3] The water heater described in [1] or [2] above has the following features: The rear plate portion has a plate portion in which the inlet is formed, and a bent portion that bends forward from the upper edge of the inlet in the plate portion. The bent portion is provided at a position that overlaps front-to-rear with the opening area of the exhaust port.

The water heater of [3] above has a bent section that bends forward from the upper edge of the inlet, which helps to regulate the flow of exhaust gas near the bent section and reduces noise.

[4] The water heater described in [3] above has the following features: The bent portion is provided along the upper edge of the opening, in front of the opening.

In the water heater of [4] above, the bend is located along the upper edge of the opening, so the exhaust gas flows more smoothly from the opening to the area near the bend.

[5] The water heater described in [3] or [4] above, which has the following features: The bent portion has a plate piece extending forward from the upper edge of the inlet.

In the water heater of [5] above, the plate that forms the bent portion extends forward from the upper edge of the inlet, which makes it easier for the exhaust gas to flow smoothly along the plate, and prevents irregular flows (such as the sudden generation of vortexes) from occurring in front of the inlet.

[6] The water heater according to any one of [3] to [5] above has the following features: The rear plate portion is provided with an opening area expansion portion at a position shifted in the left-right direction from the bend in the inlet, with the upper edge of the inlet being positioned above the bend.

In the water heater of [6] above, the emphasis can be placed on suppressing the generation of noise near the bend, and on both sides of the bend, the emphasis can be placed on making it easier for exhaust gas to flow by expanding the opening area.

[7] The water heater described in [6] above has the following features: The opening area expansion portion is provided at least at a position shifted to one side in the left-right direction from the end portion on one side of the exhaust port in the left-right direction, or at a position shifted to the other side in the left-right direction from the end portion on the other side of the exhaust port in the left-right direction.

The water heater of [7] above has a bent portion at a position that overlaps front-to-back with the opening area of the exhaust port, so the bent portion can suppress noise at positions where the flow rate is likely to be fast. On the other hand, the water heater has an opening area expansion portion at a position shifted left-to-right from the exhaust port, so the flow rate is likely to be suppressed at the position of the opening area expansion portion shifted left-to-right, making it difficult for noise to occur. In other words, at a position shifted left-to-right from the exhaust port, a flow that is too fast can be suppressed to suppress noise, while the expansion of the opening area can make the flow easier.

First Embodiment
The following description relates to the first embodiment.
(Overview of hot water supply equipment)
The hot water supply device (hot water heater) 1 shown in Fig. 1 has a function of heating tap water supplied from the outside and discharging hot water. As shown in Fig. 2, the hot water supply device 1 includes a gas burner 2, a water inlet pipe 4, a hot water outlet pipe 6, a heat exchanger 8, a connecting pipe 15, and the like. The heat exchanger 8 includes a primary heat exchanger 9 and a secondary heat exchanger 10. The heat exchanger 8 functions to recover sensible heat of the combustion exhaust gas by the primary heat exchanger 9, and then recover latent heat by the secondary heat exchanger 10. The primary heat exchanger 9 is configured such that a heat transfer pipe section 13 constituting a part of the hot water supply side heat transfer pipe section 11 and a heat transfer pipe section 113 constituting a part of the bath side heat transfer pipe section 111 are housed inside a box-shaped case (not shown) in a form partitioned by a partition wall. The secondary heat exchanger 10 is configured so that a heat transfer tube section 12 constituting part of the hot water side heat transfer tube section 11 and a heat transfer tube section 113 constituting part of the bath side heat transfer tube section 111 are housed inside a box-shaped case 10A (Figure 3, etc.) and are separated by a partition wall.

The gas burner 2 burns the combustion gas to generate combustion exhaust. The water inlet pipe 4 is configured as a path into which water flows from the water inlet 16. The hot water outlet pipe 6 is configured as a path for sending hot water to the hot water outlet 18. In the heat exchanger 8, the hot water supply side heat transfer pipe section 11 is interposed between the water inlet pipe 4 and the hot water outlet pipe 6. When heat exchange is performed in the hot water supply side circuit, the heat exchanger 8 transfers heat generated by combustion in the gas burner 2 to the water passing through the inside of the hot water supply side heat transfer pipe section 11. The heat transfer pipe section 12 of the hot water supply side heat transfer pipe section 11 is provided in the secondary heat exchanger 10, and the heat transfer pipe section 12 is connected to the downstream side of the water inlet pipe 4. The connecting pipe 15 is connected to the downstream side of the heat transfer pipe section 12. The heat transfer pipe section 13 of the hot water supply side heat transfer pipe section 11 is provided in the primary heat exchanger 9, and the heat transfer pipe section 13 is connected to the downstream side of the connecting pipe 15. The outlet pipe 6 is connected to the downstream side of the heat transfer pipe section 13.

The water heater 1 is equipped with a gas burner 102, pipes 104, 106, a connecting pipe 115, etc., and has a function of reheating the bath using a heat exchanger 8. In the heat exchanger 8, the bath side heat transfer pipe section 111 is interposed between the pipes 104 and 106. The heat transfer pipe section 112 of the bath side heat transfer pipe section 111 is provided in the secondary heat exchanger 10, and the heat transfer pipe section 112 is connected to the downstream side of the pipe 104. The connecting pipe 115 is connected to the downstream side of the heat transfer pipe section 112. The heat transfer pipe section 113 of the bath side heat transfer pipe section 111 is provided in the primary heat exchanger 9, and the heat transfer pipe section 113 is connected to the downstream side of the connecting pipe 115. The pipe 106 is connected to the downstream side of the heat transfer pipe section 113.

The water heater 1 includes a drain pipe 22 and a neutralizer 24. Furthermore, the water heater 1 includes a controller 28 as a control device.

(Details of the front panel area)
As shown in FIG. 1, the water heater 1 has a main body 1A and an exhaust adapter 130. The water heater 1 is configured such that the exhaust adapter 130 is attached to the main body 1A from the outside. The main body 1A is the part of the water heater 1 excluding the exhaust adapter 130. In the example of FIG. 1, the part of the water heater 1 excluding the exhaust adapter 130 and the relay pipe 120 is the main body 1A. In the example of FIG. 19, the part of the water heater 1 excluding the exhaust adapter 130 is the main body 1A. The main body 1A has a housing 30 and various parts housed in the housing 30. The parts housed in the housing 30 are various parts shown in FIG. 2, such as the heat exchanger 8, the gas burners 2, 102, and the controller 28.

3, the housing 30 includes a housing body 32 and a front panel 33. The housing body 32 is a box-shaped case body with an open front end. The housing body 32 is made of, for example, a metal material. The inside of the housing body 32 is configured as a storage space that accommodates the various components described above. The housing body 32 includes an upper plate 34, side plates 35 and 36, a back plate 37, and a bottom plate 38. The upper plate 34 is an upper wall portion that constitutes the upper surface of the housing 30. The bottom plate 38 is a lower wall portion that constitutes the bottom surface of the housing 30. The side plates 35 and 36 are a pair of left and right side walls of the housing 30. The back plate 37 is a rear wall portion that constitutes the rear surface of the housing 30. The upper plate 34 and the bottom plate 38 are provided on both sides of the upper and lower directions of the storage space. The pair of side plates 35 and 36 are provided on both sides of the left and right directions of the storage space. The back plate 37 is provided on the rear side of the storage space. FIG. 3 illustrates a secondary heat exchanger 10 as an example of a component housed in the housing body 32. In the following description, the secondary heat exchanger 10 is also simply referred to as the heat exchanger 10.

The front panel 33 is a front wall that constitutes the front part of the housing 30, and is a plate-like body. The front panel 33 is made of, for example, a metal material. One surface of the front panel 33 constitutes the front part of the main body 1A. The front panel 33 is attached to the housing main body 32 so as to close the open end 32A provided at the front end of the housing main body 32. The front panel 33 is fixed to the housing main body 32 by a connecting member such as a screw or a bolt. The front panel 33 is configured as a square plate with a flange formed on the periphery. The front panel 33 is formed with a through hole portion 33A. The through hole portion 33A is configured as a substantially circular hole that penetrates the plate-like body (e.g., a metal plate) that constitutes the front panel 33 in the front-rear direction. The protruding portion 62 described later is inserted into the through hole portion 33A.

In this embodiment, the direction in which the top plate 34 and the bottom plate 38 face each other is the up-down direction of the water heater 1. The up-down direction is, for example, a direction along the vertical up-down direction. The up-down direction is also the direction in which each of the pair of side plates 35, 36 extends. The direction perpendicular to the up-down direction and in which the pair of side plates 35, 36 face each other is the left-right direction of the water heater 1. The left-right direction is the direction in which the top plate 34 and the bottom plate 38 extend. The direction perpendicular to the up-down direction and the left-right direction and in which the front panel 33 and the back plate 37 face each other is the front-rear direction of the water heater 1.

3 and 6, the heat exchanger 10 housed in the housing 30 includes a case 10A through which exhaust gas passes, and a heat transfer tube portion 11. The heat exchanger 10 is configured so that exhaust gas passes through the inside of the case 10A. As shown in Figs. 6, 9, and 10, the case 10A is box-shaped. The case 10A includes a front wall portion 10B and a rear wall portion 10C that face each other in the front-rear direction, and a pair of side walls 10F, 10G that face each other in the left-right direction. Furthermore, the case 10A includes a lid portion 10D, and the lid portion 10D and a bottom wall portion 10E that face each other in the top-bottom direction. The case 10A is configured such that the front wall portion 10B, the rear wall portion 10C, and a pair of side walls 10F and 10G are connected to rise from the bottom wall portion 10E in a form that forms a peripheral wall portion around the storage space, and has a box-like configuration with an open upper end, and a lid portion 10D is arranged in a configuration that closes the opening at the upper end. The heat transfer tube portion 11 is accommodated inside the case 10A. The case 10A has a box-like configuration that surrounds both the front and rear sides, both the left and right sides, and both the top and bottom sides of the storage space that accommodates the heat transfer tube portion 11, and is configured such that exhaust gas passes through the storage space. The rear wall portion 10C of the case 10A has an opening 10J for guiding exhaust gas into the case 10A. The front wall portion 10B of the case 10A has an opening 10H for discharging exhaust gas that has passed through the case 10A. That is, exhaust gas is introduced into the case 10A through the opening 10J, passes through the case 10A, and flows toward the opening 10H on the front side. As shown in FIG. 3, the case 10A is shaped like a box that is long in the left-right direction, and the opening 10H is formed as a long and narrow hole that runs along the left-right direction.

As shown in Figures 3, 7, and 8, the exhaust top 40 is fixed to the front wall portion 10B of the heat exchanger 10. The exhaust top 40 forms the exhaust path on the front side of the heat exchanger 10. The exhaust top 40 has a rear plate portion 42 fixed to the front wall portion 10B, and a front plate portion 60 overlapping the rear plate portion 42 from the front side. The exhaust top 40 has a protruding portion 62 described below, and is configured to introduce exhaust gas discharged from the opening portion 10H and guide it to an exhaust port 66 formed in the protruding portion 62.

As shown in FIG. 3, the rear plate portion 42 is formed in a plate shape. The rear plate portion 42 is fixed to the front wall portion 10B of the heat exchanger 10 arranged as shown in FIG. 9 and FIG. 10 as shown in FIG. 11 and FIG. 12. The method of fixing the rear plate portion 42 to the front wall portion 10B is, for example, a method of fixing both members by fastening members such as screws and bolts. Note that the fastening members are not shown in FIG. 11 and FIG. 12. In order to further ensure the prevention of exhaust gas leakage, a packing (not shown) may be provided around the opening 10H between the front wall portion 10B and the rear plate portion 42 in a configuration sandwiched between the front wall portion 10B and the rear plate portion 42.

The rear plate 42 is formed with an inlet 42A for introducing exhaust gas discharged from inside the case 10A through the opening 10H. The rear plate 42 has a plate 44 in which the inlet 42A is formed, and a bent portion 46 that bends forward from the upper edge of the inlet 42A in the plate 44. In the example of Figures 11 to 13, the inlet 42A extends elongatedly in the left-right direction, and the bent portion 46 also extends in the left-right direction. The base end (root portion) of the bent portion 46, which is the boundary between the plate 44 and the bent portion 46, constitutes at least a part of the upper edge of the inlet 42A.

As shown in FIG. 14, the bent portion 46 is provided at a position overlapping the opening area of the exhaust port 66 in the front-rear direction. When viewed from the front as in FIG. 14, at least a part of the bent portion 46 (all of it in the example of FIG. 14) is located inside the inner edge of the exhaust port 66. As shown in FIGS. 11 to 13, the bent portion 46 is provided along the upper edge portion 10Z of the opening 10H in front of the opening 10H. The upper edge portion 10Z is configured as an inner edge portion that extends linearly along the left-right direction. The bent portion 46 has a plate piece 46A that extends forward from the upper edge portion of the inlet 42A. The plate piece 46A is bent at a right angle to a predetermined portion (a portion to which the plate piece 46A is connected) of the plate portion 44 and protrudes forward along the front-rear direction. The thickness direction of the plate piece 46A is a direction along the vertical direction, and for example, the thickness direction of the plate piece 46A coincides with the vertical direction. The bent portion 46 is a part that contributes to suppressing noise.

11, 12, and 14, the rear plate portion 42 is provided with the opening area enlargement portions 48A and 48B, which are located at a position shifted in the left-right direction from the bent portion 46 at the inlet 42A, and have the upper edge of the inlet 42A positioned above the bent portion 46. The opening area enlargement portions 48A and 48B are at least located at a position shifted to one side in the left-right direction from the end portion on one side of the left-right direction of the exhaust port 66, or at a position shifted to the other side in the left-right direction from the end portion on the other side of the left-right direction of the exhaust port 66. In FIG. 12 and FIG. 14, the area AR1 is the left-right range of the bent portion 46. The area AR2 is the left-right range of the opening area enlargement portion 48A. The area AR3 is the left-right range of the opening area enlargement portion 48B. The area AR is the left-right range of the inlet 42A. The area AR4 is the left-right range of the exhaust port 66. Area AR5 is the range in the up-down direction of inlet 42A and also the range in the up-down direction of opening area expansion portions 48A and 48B. Area AR5 is the range in the up-down direction of exhaust port 66.

The front plate 60 is fixed to the rear plate 42 arranged as shown in Figs. 11 and 12 as shown in Figs. 13 and 14. The front plate 60 is fixed to the rear plate 42 by, for example, fastening members such as screws and bolts, or by riveting. In order to further ensure the prevention of exhaust gas leakage, a packing (not shown) may be provided between the periphery of the rear plate 42 and the periphery of the front plate 60, sandwiched between the rear plate 42 and the front plate 60. Note that the fastening members and other fixing parts are not shown in Figs. 13 and 14. The front plate 60 arranged as shown in Figs. 13 and 14 is then attached to the front panel 33 as shown in Figs. 15 and 16.

The front plate 60 is provided with a plate 61 and a protruding portion 62. The plate 61 is a flat portion configured with its thickness direction being in the front-to-rear direction. The plate 61 is fixed to the peripheral portion around the inlet 42A of the plate 44 of the rear plate 42 in such a manner that the plate surface is in close contact with the surface of the peripheral portion. As shown in Figures 15 and 16, the plate 61 is disposed behind the front panel 33 so as to be covered by the front panel 33.

The protruding portion 62 is a portion that is attached to the front panel 33 as shown in Figs. 15 and 16. The protruding portion 62 protrudes forward from the front surface of the plate portion 61. As shown in Figs. 15 and 16, the protruding portion 62 has a convex configuration that bulges forward so as to be inserted into the through-hole portion 33A formed in the front panel 33. The protruding portion 62 protrudes forward from the surface (front surface) of the front panel 33 in front of the inlet 42A (see also Fig. 8). An exhaust port 66 is formed in the protruding portion 62. A flat portion 64 is provided on the front surface of the protruding portion 62.

The planar portion 64 is a planar portion whose front surface is configured as a flat surface 64Z. The front surface of the planar portion 64 (flat surface 64Z) is a flat surface along a predetermined first direction and a second direction perpendicular to the first direction. In this embodiment, the first direction is the up-down direction, and the second direction is the left-right direction. In other words, the flat surface 64Z is a flat surface in a planar direction perpendicular to the front-rear direction.

As shown in Figures 15 and 16, an exhaust port 66 is formed in the flat surface portion 64. The exhaust port 66 is a circular opening, and is a circular hole that penetrates in the front-rear direction. The shape of the edge of the exhaust port 66 on the surface (front surface) of the flat surface portion 64 (the shape of the outer edge of the opening area of the exhaust port 66) is, for example, a circle of a predetermined diameter centered on a predetermined position C1. The flat surface portion 64 is provided around the exhaust port 66 in the protruding portion 62. The exhaust port 66 is provided eccentrically on one side (specifically, the upper side) of the first direction (up-down direction) in the flat surface portion 64.

16, the flat surface portion 64 is provided with a first protruding portion 64A and a second protruding portion 64B. The flat surface portion 64 has a width X1 on one side (upper side) in the first direction greater than the exhaust port 66, and a width X2 on the other side (lower side) in the first direction greater than the exhaust port 66. Specifically, the vertical distance between the lower end of the exhaust port 66 and the lower end of the flat surface portion 64 is greater than the vertical distance between the upper end of the exhaust port 66 and the upper end of the flat surface portion 64. 16, a vertical reference line G1 is set that passes through the center C1 of the exhaust port 66 and extends above the center C1, and a first imaginary straight line L1 is set by rotating the reference line G1 clockwise about the center C1 by α° (where 0<α<90°), and a second imaginary straight line L2 is set by rotating the reference line G1 counterclockwise about the center C1 by β° (where 0<β<90°). The first protrusion 64A is provided at a position intersecting the first imaginary straight line L1. The second protrusion 64B is provided at a position intersecting the second imaginary straight line L2.

The area around the end of the exhaust port 66 on one side in the first direction (the area around the upper end of the flat portion 64) that is relatively narrow corresponds to an example of the first area. The area around the end of the exhaust port 66 on the other side in the first direction (the area around the lower end of the flat portion 64) that is relatively wider than the first area corresponds to an example of the second area. The wide portion formed in the second area of the flat portion 64 is the wide portion 64C. The first protruding portion 64A is provided on the flat portion 64 on one side in the first direction (upper side) of the center C1 of the exhaust port 66 and on one side in the second direction (right side in FIG. 16) of the first area. The first protruding portion 64A protrudes in a direction away from the center C1 in the radial direction. More specifically, the radial width of a part of the first protruding portion 64A centered on the center C1 is larger than the radial width of the first area and is larger than the radial width of the wide portion 64C. The second protruding portion 64B is provided on one side in the first direction (upper side) of the center C1 of the exhaust port 66 and on the other side in the second direction (left side in FIG. 16) of the first region. The second protruding portion 64B protrudes in a direction away from the center C1 in the radial direction. More specifically, the radial width of a portion of the second protruding portion 64B is greater than the radial width of the first region and is greater than the radial width of the wide portion 64C.

15 and 16, a plurality of holes 68 are formed around the exhaust port 66 in the flat portion 64 for inserting the fastening member 190 (FIG. 19, FIG. 25 to FIG. 27) used to fix the exhaust adapter 130. Among the plurality of holes 68, the holes 68A and 68B are formed in the first region in the flat portion 64. Among the plurality of holes 68, the holes 68C and 68D are formed in the second region in the flat portion 64. The holes 68A, 68B, 68C, and 68D are holes into which the fastening member 190 is inserted when the exhaust adapter 130 is directly fixed to the flat portion 64 without using the relay pipe 120 as in FIG. 24 to FIG. 27. Among the plurality of holes 68, the hole 68E is formed in the first protruding portion 64A. Among the plurality of holes 68, the hole 68F is formed in the second protruding portion 64B. Of the multiple holes 68, holes 68G and 68H are formed in the wide portion 64C. Holes 68E, 68F, 68G, and 68H correspond to an example of a screw hole portion for fastening a fastening member 180 (screw member) used to fasten the relay pipe 120, as shown in FIG. 19.

As shown in FIG. 14, at least a part of the flat portion 64 is provided at a position above the inlet 42A, and at least one of the holes 68 (specifically, the holes 68A and 68B) is arranged at a position above the inlet 42A. The end of the exhaust port 66 on one side in the left-right direction is arranged on the other side in the left-right direction than the end of the inlet 42A on one side in the left-right direction. For example, the left end of the exhaust port 66 when viewed from the front as in FIG. 14 is arranged to the right of the left end of the inlet 42A. The end of the exhaust port 66 on the other side in the left-right direction is arranged to one side in the left-right direction than the end of the inlet 42A on the other side in the left-right direction. For example, the right end of the exhaust port 66 when viewed from the front as in FIG. 16 is arranged to the left of the right end of the inlet 42A. The upper end of the exhaust port 66 is arranged at a position above the upper end of the inlet 42A, and the lower end of the exhaust port 66 is arranged at a position below the lower end of the inlet 42A. The upper end of the exhaust port 66 is positioned above the bent portion 46 and above the enlarged opening area portions 48A and 48B. A portion of the opening area of the exhaust port 66 overlaps with a portion of the opening area of the inlet port 42A in the front-rear direction.

The flat surface 64 can be used in both a configuration in which the exhaust adapter 130 is fixed directly to the flat surface 64 without using the relay pipe 120, as shown in Figures 24 to 27, and a structure in which the relay pipe 120 is fixed to the flat surface 64 (a structure in which the exhaust adapter 130 is fixed indirectly via the relay pipe 120), as shown in Figures 1 to 8, etc.

The configuration shown in Figures 1 to 8 etc. is a configuration in which the exhaust adapter 130 is indirectly fixed to the flat surface portion 64 by interposing an intermediate pipe 120 between the exhaust adapter 130 and the flat surface portion 64. When the exhaust adapter 130 is fixed to the main body portion 1A via the intermediate pipe 120 as shown in Figures 1, 7 and 8, the flat surface portion 64 is fixed to the flange member 122 by a fastening member 180 such as a screw member as shown in Figures 4 and 19, overlapping the flange member 122 of the intermediate pipe 120 from front to rear as shown in Figure 8.

The relay pipe 120 is configured as shown in Figures 21 to 23. The relay pipe 120 includes a tubular portion 126 and flange members 122, 124. The relay pipe 120 has the same shape even if the flange member 122 side and the flange member 124 side are reversed. The tubular portion 126 is a cylinder centered on the central axis C2. The central axis C2 is an axis that is in the front-to-rear direction when the relay pipe 120 is attached to the water heater 1. The flange member 122 is fixed to one end of the tubular portion 126 and is configured to protrude from the one end in a flange-like shape. The flange member 124 is fixed to the other end of the tubular portion 126 and is configured to protrude from the other end in a flange-like shape. The flange members 122, 124 are in the form of a plate along a plane direction perpendicular to the central axis C2 of the tubular portion 126.

As shown in FIG. 22, a plurality of through holes 125A, 125B, 125C, 125D, 125E, 125F, 125G, and 125J are formed in the flange member 124. The plurality of through holes 125A, 125B, 125C, 125D, 125E, 125F, 125G, and 125J penetrate the flange member 124 in the thickness direction (the direction of the central axis C2). Furthermore, a plurality of recesses 125K, 125L, 125M, and 125N are formed in the flange member 124. The plurality of recesses 125K, 125L, 125M, and 125N form a concave shape in which the outer edge of the flange member 124 is recessed toward the central axis C2 side.

As shown in FIG. 23, the flange member 122 has a plurality of through holes 123A, 123B, 123C, 123D, 123E, 123F, 123G, and 123J formed therein. The plurality of through holes 123A, 123B, 123C, 123D, 123E, 123F, 123G, and 123J penetrate the flange member 122 in the thickness direction (the direction of the central axis C2). Furthermore, the flange member 122 has a plurality of recesses 123K, 123L, 123M, and 123N formed therein. The plurality of recesses 123K, 123L, 123M, and 123N form a concave shape in which the outer edge of the flange member 122 is recessed toward the central axis C2 side.

In the case where the flange member 122 is fixed to the flat portion 64 and the flange member 124 is fixed to the exhaust portion 140 as shown in Figs. 1, 17 to 20, the through holes 123E, 123F, 123G, 123H of the flange member 122 are aligned with the positions of the holes 68E, 68F, 68G, 68H (Fig. 16) as shown in Figs. 17 and 18. In this state, as shown in Fig. 19, each fastening member 180 is inserted into the two corresponding holes, and the holes are fixed together. Meanwhile, the through holes 125A, 125B, 125C, 125D of the flange member 124 are aligned with the positions of the holes 144A, 144B, 144C, 144D (see Fig. 27) formed in the fixed portion 144. In this state, as shown in Figures 19 and 20, each fastening member 192 is inserted into the two corresponding holes, and the holes are fixed together.

When the exhaust section 140 is fixed to the flat section 64 as shown in Figures 26 and 27, the holes 145A, 145B, 145C, and 145D (see Figure 20) formed in the fixed section 144 are aligned with the positions of the holes 68A, 68B, 68C, and 68D (Figure 16) formed in the flat section 64. In this state, as shown in Figures 26 and 27, each fastening member 190 is inserted into the two corresponding holes, and the holes are fixed together.

The exhaust adapter 130 includes an exhaust section 140 and a cover body 160. The exhaust section 140 includes an exhaust tube 142 and a fixed section 144. When the exhaust adapter 130 is directly fixed to the flat section 64 as shown in Figs. 24 to 27, the fixed section 144 is overlapped on the flat section 64 from the front to the rear, and the fastening member 190 is inserted into the hole 68 (specifically, the hole 68A, 68B, 68C, 68D) from the front side of the fixed section 144 and the flat section 64 so as to fix the fixed section 144 and the flat section 64. When the exhaust adapter 130 is fixed to the flat section 64 via the relay pipe 120 as shown in Figs. 1 to 8, the fastening member 192 is inserted into the fixed section 144 and the flange member 124 from the front to the rear, and ...

The exhaust tube 142 is configured in a square tube shape and extends in a predetermined direction (longitudinal direction), with an open section 143 provided at its rear end. The longitudinal direction of the exhaust tube 142 is the direction in which exhaust gas flows in the exhaust tube 142. In the example of Figures 19 and 20, the exhaust section 140 is attached so that the longitudinal direction of the exhaust tube 142 is the left-right direction. The exhaust tube 142 has an upper wall section 142A, a lower wall section 142B, a front wall section 142C, a rear wall section 142D, and a side wall section 142E. These upper wall section 142A, lower wall section 142B, front wall section 142C, rear wall section 142D, and side wall section 142E are integrally connected. The upper wall section 142A and the lower wall section 142B are arranged opposite each other vertically, and are arranged to extend in the left-right direction in the attached state as shown in Figures 19, 20, and 27. The front wall 142C and the rear wall 142D are arranged facing each other in the front and rear directions, and are arranged to extend in the left-right direction in the installation state as shown in Figures 19, 20, and 27. The upper wall 142A, the lower wall 142B, the front wall 142C, and the rear wall 142D surround the top and bottom and the front and rear of the space through which the exhaust gas flows, forming a flow path in the left-right direction. The side wall 142E is arranged at an end on one side in the left-right direction in the exhaust tube 142, and blocks the flow of the exhaust gas to one side in the left-right direction. An exhaust port 148 is provided at an end (the end on the other side in the left-right direction) of the exhaust tube 142 opposite to the side wall 142E. The exhaust port 148 is at least partially open, and functions as an opening that discharges the exhaust gas that flows in the left-right direction inside the exhaust tube 142 to the other side in the left-right direction. An open portion 143 is formed near the end on one side in the left-right direction in the rear wall 142D. The opening 143 is a hole formed in the rear wall 142D, and opens up in a manner that penetrates the rear wall 142D from front to rear.

Because of this configuration, in the configuration shown in Figures 19 and 20, exhaust gas that flows forward so as to pass through the relay pipe 120 enters the exhaust stack 142 from the open portion 143, and this exhaust gas flows left and right inside the exhaust stack 142 and is discharged from the exhaust port 148. In the configuration shown in Figures 26 and 27, exhaust gas that flows forward so as to pass through the exhaust top 40 enters the exhaust stack 142 from the open portion 143, and this exhaust gas flows left and right inside the exhaust stack 142 and is discharged from the exhaust port 148.

The fixed part 144 is integrally connected to the exhaust tube 142 and is configured to protrude outward from the rear end of the exhaust tube 142. The fixed part 144 is provided with a first protruding part 144W that protrudes to one side in the short direction (upper side) at one end of the short direction of the exhaust tube 142. The fixed part 144 is provided with a second protruding part 144X that protrudes to the other side in the short direction (lower side) at the other end of the short direction of the exhaust tube 142. The fixed part 144 is provided with a third protruding part 144Y and a fourth protruding part 144Z that protrude to one side in the long direction and the other side in the long direction at both ends of the long direction of the exhaust tube 142, respectively. Holes 144A, 144B, 144C, 144D, and holes 145A, 145B, 145C, 145D (FIGS. 20 and 27) are formed penetrating the first overhanging portion 144W, the second overhanging portion 144X, the third overhanging portion 144Y, and the fourth overhanging portion 144Z.

As shown in FIG. 19, FIG. 20, or FIG. 27, the exhaust adapter 130 is designed so that the cover body 160 can be attached to the exhaust section 140 after the fixed section 144 is attached to the fixed object. Specifically, the cover body 160 is positioned so as to cover the exhaust tube 142 and the fixed section 144, and the cover body 160 and the exhaust section 140 are fixed together by the screw member 198 (FIG. 4, FIG. 24).

(Example of effects)
In the water heater 1, the flat surface portion 64 and the holes 68A, 68B are positioned above the inlet 42A, so that the exhaust adapter 130 can be easily fixed at a higher position relative to the inlet 42A. Moreover, in the water heater 1, the fastening members 190 used to fix the exhaust adapter 130 can be directly inserted into the holes 68A, 68B of the flat surface portion 64 to fix the exhaust adapter 130, so that the addition of accessories can be suppressed, and an increase in the number of parts and an increase in weight can be reduced.

In the water heater 1, the end of the exhaust port 66 on one side in the left-right direction is disposed on the other side in the left-right direction than the end of the inlet 42A on one side in the left-right direction. The end of the exhaust port 66 on the other side in the left-right direction is disposed on one side in the left-right direction than the end of the inlet 42A on the other side in the left-right direction. The upper end of the exhaust port 66 is disposed at a position higher than the upper end of the inlet 42A, and the lower end of the exhaust port 66 is disposed at a position lower than the lower end of the inlet 42A. This water heater 1 can be configured to keep the size of the exhaust port 66 in the left-right direction small and not expand too much in the left-right direction. Furthermore, this water heater 1 can prevent the opening area from becoming too narrow by ensuring the size of the exhaust port 66 in the up-down direction.

In the water heater 1, the rear plate portion 42 has a plate portion 44 in which the inlet 42A is formed, and a bent portion 46 that bends forward from the upper edge of the inlet 42A in the plate portion 44. The bent portion 46 is provided at a position that overlaps with the opening area of the exhaust port 66 in the front-to-rear direction. Because this water heater has the bent portion 46 that bends forward from the upper edge of the inlet 42A, it is possible to regulate the flow of exhaust gas near the bent portion 46 and suppress the generation of noise.

The bend 46 is provided along the upper edge of the opening 10H in front of the opening 10H of the heat exchanger 10, so that the exhaust gas can flow more smoothly from the opening 10H to the vicinity of the bend 46.

In the water heater 1, the plate piece 46A that constitutes the bent portion 46 extends forward from the upper edge of the inlet 42A, which allows the exhaust gas to flow smoothly along the plate piece 46A, and prevents irregular flows (such as the sudden generation of vortexes) from occurring in front of the inlet 42A.

In the water heater 1, the rear plate 42 is provided with opening area enlargement sections 48A, 48B at a position offset in the left-right direction from the bend 46 at the inlet 42A, with the upper edge of the inlet 42A positioned above the bend 46. In this water heater 1, emphasis is placed on suppressing the generation of noise near the bend 46, and on both sides of the bend 46, emphasis is placed on making it easier for exhaust gas to flow by enlarging the opening area.

In the water heater 1, the opening area expansion parts 48A, 48B are at least provided at a position shifted to one side in the left-right direction from the end of one side in the left-right direction of the exhaust port 66, or at a position shifted to the other side in the left-right direction from the end of the other side in the left-right direction of the exhaust port 66. In this water heater 1, the bent part 46 is provided at a position overlapping the opening area of the exhaust port 66 in the front-to-back direction, so that the bent part 46 can suppress noise at a position where the flow speed is likely to be fast. On the other hand, in the water heater 1, the opening area expansion parts 48A, 48B are provided at a position shifted left-right from the exhaust port 66, so that the flow speed is easily suppressed at the position of the opening area expansion parts 48A, 48B shifted left-right, and noise is unlikely to occur. In other words, at a position shifted left-right from the exhaust port 66, it is possible to suppress a flow that is too fast and suppress noise, while allowing the flow to be made easier by expanding the opening area.

<Other embodiments>
The present disclosure is not limited to the embodiments described above and in the drawings. For example, the features of the above or later described embodiments can be combined in any combination within a range that does not contradict. In addition, any feature of the above or later described embodiments can be omitted unless it is clearly stated as essential. Furthermore, the above-mentioned embodiment may be modified as follows.

In the above embodiment, multiple holes 68 for inserting the fastening member 190 are provided, but there may be only one such hole, or multiple holes with a number different from that of the above embodiment.

It should be noted that the embodiments disclosed herein are illustrative in all respects and should not be considered restrictive. The scope of the present invention is not limited to the embodiments disclosed herein, but is intended to include all modifications within the scope of the claims or within the scope equivalent to the claims.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1...Water heater 1A...Main body 10...Heat exchanger 10A...Case 10B...Front wall 10H...Opening 33...Front panel 40...Exhaust top 42...Rear plate 42A...Inlet 44...Plate 46...Bent portion 46A...Plate pieces 48A, 48B...Opening area expansion portion 60...Front plate 62...Protruding portion 64...Flat portion 66...Exhaust port 68...Hole 130...Exhaust adapter

Claims (7)

a heat exchanger including a case through which exhaust gas passes and an opening for discharging the exhaust gas is formed in a front wall portion of the case;
an exhaust top fixed to the front wall portion and constituting a front exhaust path of the heat exchanger;
A water heater comprising:
The exhaust top has a rear plate portion fixed to the front wall portion and a front plate portion overlapping the rear plate portion from a front side,
an inlet port for introducing the exhaust gas discharged from inside the case through the opening portion is formed in the rear plate portion;
The front plate portion is formed with a protruding portion protruding forward in front of the introduction port,
An exhaust port is formed in the protruding portion,
A flat surface is provided around the exhaust port in the protruding portion,
The flat surface portion is formed with one or more holes for inserting fastening members used to fix the exhaust adapter,
At least a part of an opening area of the exhaust port and at least a part of an opening area of the inlet port overlap each other in the front-rear direction,
At least a part of the flat surface portion is provided at a position higher than the inlet, and at least any one of the holes is disposed at a position higher than the inlet ,
The center position of the vertical range of the opening area of the exhaust port is higher than the center position of the vertical range of the opening area of the inlet port.
Water heater. an end portion of the exhaust port on one side in the left-right direction is disposed on the other side in the left-right direction relative to an end portion of the inlet port on one side in the left-right direction, and an end portion of the exhaust port on the other side in the left-right direction is disposed on one side in the left-right direction relative to an end portion of the inlet port on the other side in the left-right direction,
The water heater according to claim 1 , wherein an upper end of the exhaust port is disposed above an upper end of the inlet port, and a lower end of the exhaust port is disposed below a lower end of the inlet port. The rear plate portion has a plate portion in which the introduction port is formed, and a bent portion bent forward from an upper edge portion of the introduction port of the plate portion,
The water heater according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the bent portion is provided at a position overlapping an opening area of the exhaust port in a front-rear direction. The water heater according to claim 3 , wherein the bent portion is provided along an upper edge of the opening on a front side of the opening. The water heater according to claim 3 or 4, wherein the bent portion has a plate piece extending forward from the upper edge portion of the inlet. The water heater according to any one of claims 3 to 5, wherein the rear plate portion has an opening area enlargement portion at a position shifted left-right from the bend at the inlet, with the upper edge of the inlet being positioned above the bend. The water heater according to claim 6, wherein the opening area enlargement portion is provided at least at a position shifted to one side in the left-right direction from an end portion on one side of the exhaust port in the left-right direction or at a position shifted to the other side in the left-right direction from an end portion on the other side of the exhaust port in the left-right direction.

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