JP7766254B2 - water heater - Google Patents

Description

This disclosure relates to a water heater.

Patent Document 1 discloses an exterior case for a water heater. The exterior case disclosed in Patent Document 1 has a top panel, right side panel, and left side panel that are integrally formed, and a back panel is fixed to this integral outer shell.

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2018-71817

The exterior case of the water heater disclosed in Patent Document 1 is a one-piece structure in which the top panel and both side panels are integrally formed, with the rear end portions of both side panels bent inward. The peripheral edges of the back panel are then folded from the front side over each inwardly folded portion and secured. In such an exterior case, if the front or bottom ends of the side panels of the one-piece structure do not have inwardly folded portions, it is relatively easy to insert the back panel from the front or bottom side of the one-piece structure and fold it over the inwardly folded portion of the rear end from the front side. However, if the front or bottom ends of the side panels have inwardly folded portions, the inwardly folded portions of the front or bottom end interfere with the back panel when it is inserted from the front or bottom. Therefore, the side panels must be deformed to widen the gap between them to avoid this interference. However, widening the gap too much results in plastic deformation. On the other hand, an attachment structure in which the rear panel is attached from the rear side so that it overlaps the inner bent portions of the rear ends of both side panels is also possible, but with this attachment structure, the ends (outer edges) of the rear panel would be exposed.

This disclosure provides technology that can reduce the number of parts in the housing that makes up a water heater while minimizing the exposure of the back panel edge, and also makes it easier to install the back panel.

The water heater according to the present disclosure includes:
a box-shaped housing body having an opening at the front end side;
a front panel fixed to the housing body so as to close the opening;
Equipped with
the housing body includes a back plate portion disposed on the rear side of the front panel and constituting a rear surface of the housing body, a bottom plate portion constituting a lower surface of the housing body, a top plate portion constituting an upper surface of the housing body, and a pair of side plate portions constituting a pair of side surfaces of the housing body;
The top plate portion and the pair of side plate portions are integrally formed,
One of the side plates bends from one end of the top plate in the left-right direction and extends downward,
The other side plate portion is bent from the other end of the top plate portion in the left-right direction and extends downward,
A first bent piece is provided on the front end side of each of the pair of side plate portions, the first bent piece being bent inward from the front end portion,
A second bent piece is provided on the rear end side of each of the pair of side plate portions and the top plate portion, the second bent piece being bent inward from the rear end portion,
A third bent piece is provided on the lower end side of each of the pair of side plate portions, the third bent piece being bent inward from the lower end portion,
The front panel is fixed in a configuration in which a peripheral edge portion of the front panel overlaps each of the first folding pieces,
The back plate portion is fixed to each of the second bent pieces in such a manner that a peripheral edge portion of the back plate portion overlaps the front side of the second bent piece,
The bottom plate portion is fixed in place such that the left and right edge portions of the bottom plate portion overlap each of the third bent pieces from above,
an outer edge of a first side portion on one side in the left-right direction of the back plate portion and an outer edge of a second side portion on the other side in the left-right direction of the back plate portion are aligned along the up-down direction;
The outer edge of the upper end of the back plate portion is along the left-right direction,
At the peripheral edge of the back plate portion, a first notch is provided between the upper end of the first side portion and one of the left-right ends of the upper end portion, the first notch being positioned lower than the upper end portion and on the other left-right side of the first side portion, and a second notch is provided between the upper end of the second side portion and the other left-right end of the upper end portion, the second notch being positioned lower than the upper end portion and on one of the left-right sides of the second side portion.

The technology disclosed herein can reduce the number of parts in the housing that makes up the water heater while minimizing the exposure of the back panel edge, and also makes it easier to install the back panel.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating a configuration of a water heater according to a first embodiment, in which components other than a housing unit are omitted. FIG. 2 is a front view illustrating the water heater according to the first embodiment with the front panel omitted. FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the housing of the water heater according to the first embodiment. FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the housing of the water heater according to the first embodiment, seen from the rear side and obliquely below. FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing the configuration of the housing unit of FIG. 4 with the bottom plate unit omitted. FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing the configuration of FIG. 5 with the back plate portion omitted. FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the housing of the water heater according to the first embodiment, seen from the rear side and obliquely from above. FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing the configuration of FIG. 7 from which the back plate and bottom plate are omitted. FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing a back plate portion used in the housing portion of FIG. 10 is a rear view of the back plate portion of FIG. 9. FIG. FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a process of attaching the back plate portion to the integrated portion. FIG. 12 is a rear view of the housing unit in the water heater according to the first embodiment. FIG. 13 is an enlarged view showing a part of FIG. FIG. 14 is an enlarged view showing a part of FIG.

Embodiments of the present disclosure are listed and exemplified below. Note that the features exemplified below may be combined in any compatible combination.

[1] A box-shaped housing body having an opening on the front end side;
a front panel fixed to the housing body so as to close the opening;
Equipped with
the housing body includes a back plate portion disposed on the rear side of the front panel and constituting a rear surface of the housing body, a bottom plate portion constituting a lower surface of the housing body, a top plate portion constituting an upper surface of the housing body, and a pair of side plate portions constituting a pair of side surfaces of the housing body;
The top plate portion and the pair of side plate portions are integrally formed,
One of the side plates bends from one end of the top plate in the left-right direction and extends downward,
The other side plate portion is bent from the other end of the top plate portion in the left-right direction and extends downward,
A first bent piece is provided on the front end side of each of the pair of side plate portions, the first bent piece being bent inward from the front end portion,
A second bent piece is provided on the rear end side of each of the pair of side plate portions and the top plate portion, the second bent piece being bent inward from the rear end portion,
A third bent piece is provided on the lower end side of each of the pair of side plate portions, the third bent piece being bent inward from the lower end portion,
The front panel is fixed in a configuration in which a peripheral edge portion of the front panel overlaps each of the first folding pieces,
The back plate portion is fixed to each of the second bent pieces in such a manner that a peripheral edge portion of the back plate portion overlaps the front side of the second bent piece,
The bottom plate portion is fixed in place such that the left and right edge portions of the bottom plate portion overlap each of the third bent pieces from above,
an outer edge of a first side portion on one side in the left-right direction of the back plate portion and an outer edge of a second side portion on the other side in the left-right direction of the back plate portion are aligned along the up-down direction;
The outer edge of the upper end of the back plate portion is along the left-right direction,
A water heater in which a first notch is provided at the peripheral edge of the back panel between the upper end of the first side portion and one of the left and right ends of the upper end portion, the first notch being positioned lower than the upper end portion and on the other left and right side of the first side portion, and a second notch is provided between the upper end of the second side portion and the other left and right end of the upper end portion, the second notch being positioned lower than the upper end portion and on one of the left and right sides of the second side portion.

In the water heater described in [1] above, the top panel and a pair of side panels are integrally constructed, thereby reducing the number of parts, and the outer edge of the back panel is covered by the vicinity of the first bent piece, thereby preventing the end of the back panel from being exposed. Furthermore, a first cutout is provided on the periphery of the back panel between the upper end of the first side panel and one of the left and right ends of the upper end, and is positioned lower than the upper end and to the other left and right side of the first side panel. And a second cutout is provided between the upper end of the second side panel and the other left and right end of the upper end, and is positioned lower than the upper end and to the one left and right side of the second side panel. Because the first and second cutouts are provided in this manner, when the back panel is positioned in the correct position (behind the first bent piece, in front of the second bent piece, and above the third bent piece) for an integrated unit in which the top panel and a pair of side panels are constructed as one unit, the back panel can be positioned with the pair of side panels spread apart more, making it easier to position the back panel properly.

[2] The outer edge of the first cutout portion is inclined with respect to the left-right direction,
The water heater according to [1], wherein an outer edge of the second cutout portion is inclined with respect to the left-right direction.

In the water heater described in [2] above, the outer edges of the first and second cutouts are inclined, so when the pair of side panels are spread apart to position the back panel, the outer edges of the first and second cutouts are less likely to get caught.

[3] The angle between the outer edge of the first cutout portion and the left-right direction is greater than 45°,
The water heater according to [2], wherein an angle formed between an outer edge of the second cutout portion and the left-right direction is greater than 45°.

In the water heater described above in [3], when the back panel is positioned in the correct position (behind the first bent piece, in front of the second bent piece, and above the third bent piece) for a unitary structure in which the top panel and a pair of side panels are integrally constructed, the pair of side panels can be spread apart more to position the back panel. Therefore, the water heater described above more effectively prevents adverse effects (such as plastic deformation) caused by spreading the pair of side panels too far apart.

First Embodiment
The following description relates to the water heater 1 according to the first embodiment.
1. Overall configuration of water heater 1 Fig. 1 is a perspective view illustrating the configuration of the water heater 1 according to the first embodiment, omitting all components except the housing 2. Fig. 2 is a front view illustrating a simplified configuration of the water heater 1 with the front panel 2A removed from the housing 2. As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the water heater 1 includes the housing 2, a combustion device 3, a heat exchanger 4, an exhaust section 5, a blower 7, and the like. The water heater 1 is, for example, an indoor installation type water heater.

The housing 2 is a box-shaped case made entirely or largely of metal material, and includes a housing main body 2B that is box-shaped and open at the front, with an opening 2W at the front end as shown in Figure 2, and a front panel 2A that can be attached to or detached from the housing main body 2B. The front panel 2A is fixed to the housing main body 2B so as to close the opening 2W from the front.

As shown in Figure 2, the housing 2 houses various components, including the combustion device 3, heat exchanger 4, exhaust unit 5, and blower 7. The combustion device 3 is located near the center inside the housing 2. The heat exchanger 4 is located above the combustion device 3 inside the housing 2. The exhaust unit 5 is located above the heat exchanger 4 inside the housing 2. The gas distribution unit 10 is located between the combustion device 3 and the front panel 2A. The blower 7 is located below the combustion device 3 inside the housing 2.

As shown in Figures 1, 2, 3, 6, and 9, in this embodiment, the longitudinal direction of the rectangular front panel 2A is the up-down direction, and for example, the vertical direction when the water heater 1 is installed is the up-down direction. The shorter side of the front panel 2A is the left-right direction, and the direction perpendicular to the up-down direction and the left-right direction is the front-rear direction. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the longitudinal direction of the back panel 30 is the up-down direction, and the shorter side of the back panel 30 is the left-right direction. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the extension direction of the pair of side panel portions 60, 70 is the up-down direction, the extension direction of the top panel portion 50 is the left-right direction, and the extension direction of the bottom panel portion 40 is also the left-right direction. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the direction in which the pair of side panel portions 60, 70 face each other is the left-right direction, and the thickness direction of the flat panel portions 69, 79 of the pair of side panel portions 60, 70 is also the left-right direction. In this embodiment, the direction in which the top plate portion 50 and the bottom plate portion 40 face each other is the up-down direction, and the thickness direction of the flat plate portion 59 of the top plate portion 50 is also the up-down direction. When viewed from the front, the left side of the water heater 1 is the left side of the water heater 1, and the right side of the water heater 1 is the right side of the water heater 1.

The combustion device 3 shown in FIG. 2 is a device that burns gas (fuel gas) supplied via the gas distribution unit 10 using the burner group. It includes a case 3A and a burner group. The case 3A is a square box-shaped case that fits within the housing unit 2. The heat exchanger 4 is a device that receives combustion exhaust gas generated by the combustion of gas in the combustion device 3. It includes a metal casing 4A and a heat transfer tube that is at least partially housed within the casing 4A. The heat exchanger 4 introduces the combustion exhaust gas discharged from the combustion device 3 and passes it through its interior. The water in the heat transfer tube is heated by heat exchange between the combustion exhaust gas and the water flowing through the heat exchanger 4. The combustion exhaust gas that passes through the heat exchanger 4 is discharged to the exhaust section 5. The exhaust section 5 includes an exhaust main body 5A and an exhaust stack 5B. The exhaust main body 5A is a flow path that guides the combustion exhaust gas discharged from the heat exchanger 4 upward, and the exhaust stack 5B is a flow path that discharges the combustion exhaust gas from the exhaust main body 5A to the outside of the water heater 1. The blower 7 is a fan that supplies air for combustion. When the drive shaft of a motor (not shown) rotates, multiple blades connected to the drive shaft rotate, forcing air to flow upward (towards the combustion device 3).

As shown in Figure 2, the lower side of the housing 2 of the water heater 1 is provided with a gas inlet 191, which is an inlet for introducing gas from a gas pipe installed outside the water heater 1, a water inlet 192, which is an inlet for introducing water from a water pipe installed outside the water heater 1, and a hot water outlet 193, which is an outlet for discharging hot water to the outside of the water heater 1. The gas introduced into the gas inlet 191 is supplied into the gas distribution unit 10 via a gas supply unit 114 equipped with a main valve, a proportional valve, etc. Water introduced into the water inlet 192 is supplied to the heat transfer tube of the heat exchanger 4 via a water supply pipe 115. A portion of the water supply pipe 115 is shown in Figure 2. The hot water introduced by the heat transfer tube of the heat exchanger 4 is discharged from the hot water outlet 193 via a hot water outlet pipe 116 connected to the downstream end of the heat transfer tube.

2. Detailed Configuration of the Housing Unit 2 As shown in FIG. 1, the housing main body 2B is disposed behind the front panel 2A. As shown in FIG. 3, the housing main body 2B includes a back plate 30 constituting the rear portion, a bottom plate 40 constituting the lower surface of the housing main body 2B, a top plate 50 constituting the upper surface of the housing main body 2B, and a pair of side plates 60, 70 constituting a pair of side surfaces of the housing main body 2B. The housing unit 2 has an external appearance as seen from the rear and diagonally below as shown in FIG. 4. The configuration in which the bottom plate 40 is omitted from FIG. 4 is shown in FIG. 5, and the configuration in which the back plate 30 is omitted from the configuration in FIG. 5 is shown in FIG. 6. The housing unit 2 has an external appearance as seen from the rear and diagonally above as shown in FIG. 7, and the configuration in which the back plate 30 and the bottom plate 40 are omitted from FIG. 7 is shown in FIG. 8. The configuration in which the back plate 30 is removed from FIG. 7 is shown in FIG. 9. Furthermore, the configuration of the back plate portion 30 as viewed from directly behind (rear view) is as shown in FIG.

As shown in Figure 3, the front panel 2A comprises a plate portion 90 made of a metal plate, an upper bent portion 16 that bends from the top end of the plate portion 90, a left bent portion 14 that bends from the left end of the plate portion 90, a right bent portion 15 that bends from the right end of the plate portion 90, and a lower bent portion 18 that bends from the bottom end of the plate portion 90. In the example shown in Figures 1 and 3, the majority of the front surface of the front panel 2A is made up of the plate portion 90, and a portion of the center is made up of components other than the plate portion 90 (panels 92, 94). The plate portion 90, upper bent portion 16, left bent portion 14, right bent portion 15, and lower bent portion 18 of the front panel 2A are made up of, for example, painted metal plate material.

The upper bent portion 16 forms the upper surface of the front panel 2A. The upper bent portion 16 comprises a long plate portion 16C and protruding portions 16A and 16B that bend from the rear end of the long plate portion 16C and protrude downward. The long plate portion 16C is configured as a long, thin plate that extends in the left-right direction and has a thickness in the up-down direction. The protruding portion 16A is a plate piece that protrudes downward from a position near the left end of the long plate portion 16C. The protruding portion 16B is a plate piece that protrudes downward from a position near the right end of the long plate portion 16C.

The lower bent portion 18 forms the underside of the front panel 2A. The lower bent portion 18 comprises a long plate portion 18C and protruding portions 18A and 18B that protrude further rearward from the rear end of the long plate portion 18C. The long plate portion 18C is configured as a long, narrow plate that extends left and right and has a thickness in the up and down direction. Protruding portion 18A is a plate piece that protrudes rearward from a position near the left end of the long plate portion 18C. Protruding portion 18B is a plate piece that protrudes rearward from a position near the right end of the long plate portion 18C.

The left-hand bent portion 14 constitutes the left side surface of the front panel 2A. When attached as shown in Figure 1, the rear end of the left-hand bent portion 14 faces closely to the front end of a first bent piece 61 (described below). The right-hand bent portion 15 constitutes the right-hand side surface of the front panel 2A. When attached as shown in Figure 1, the rear end of the right-hand bent portion 15 faces closely to the front end of a second bent piece 62 (described below).

As shown in Figures 1 and 3, the housing body 2B comprises an integral part 20, a back plate part 30, and a bottom plate part 40. As shown in Figure 2, the housing body 2B has an openable structure with an opening 2W on the front side, and the integral part 20, back plate part 30, and bottom plate part 40 are arranged to cover the top, bottom, left, right, and rear of each housed component (combustion device 3, heat exchanger 4, exhaust part 5, blower 7, etc.).

As shown in Figure 3, the integrated portion 20 is a portion in which the top plate portion 50 and a pair of side plate portions 60, 70 are integrally formed. The integrated portion 20 is configured such that the side plate portions 60 and 70 are bent relative to the top plate portion 50. In the example shown in Figure 3, the top plate portion 50 and the side plate portions 60, 70 are each configured in a plate shape.

The top plate portion 50 has a flat plate portion 59, the upper and lower surfaces of which are plate surfaces perpendicular to the vertical direction. In the example shown in Figure 3, the majority of the area of the top plate portion 50 is configured as the flat plate portion 59, which covers the above-mentioned housed components from above. The top plate portion 50 extends in the left-right direction. Specifically, both the upper and lower surfaces of the flat plate portion 59 are arranged parallel to the left-right direction and the front-to-back direction.

As shown in Figure 3, one side plate 60 bends and extends downward from one left-right end of the top plate 50 (the left end in the example of Figure 3). The side plate 60 forms the left side surface of the housing 2. The side plate 60 has a flat plate 69 whose outer and inner surfaces are plate surfaces perpendicular to the left-right direction. In the example of Figure 3, the majority of the side plate 60 is configured as the flat plate 69, which covers the above-mentioned housed components from the left side. The side plate 60 extends in the up-down direction; specifically, both the outer surface (left surface) and inner surface (right surface) of the flat plate 69 are arranged parallel to the up-down direction and the front-to-back direction.

As shown in Figure 3, the other side plate 70 bends and extends downward from the other left-right end of the top plate 50 (the right end in the example of Figure 3). The side plate 70 forms the right side surface of the housing 2. The side plate 70 has a flat plate 79 whose outer and inner surfaces are plate surfaces perpendicular to the left-right direction. In the example of Figure 3, the majority of the side plate 70 is configured as the flat plate 79, which covers the above-mentioned housed components from the right side. The side plate 70 extends in the up-down direction; specifically, both the outer surface (right surface) and inner surface (left surface) of the flat plate 79 are arranged parallel to the up-down direction and the front-to-back direction.

The integral portion 20 shown in FIG. 3 is formed, for example, by bending a metal plate. Specifically, the side plate portion 60 is bent downward at one left-right end of the top plate portion 50 so that the flat plate portion 69 of the side plate portion 60 is arranged at a right angle or approximately a right angle to the flat plate portion 59 of the top plate portion 50. Similarly, the side plate portion 70 is bent downward at the other left-right end of the top plate portion 50 so that the flat plate portion 79 of the side plate portion 70 is arranged at a right angle or approximately a right angle to the flat plate portion 59 of the top plate portion 50. The integral portion 20 is formed, for example, by painting a metal plate.

As shown in FIG. 3, a first bent piece 61, 71 is provided at the front end of each of the pair of side plate portions 60, 70, bending inward from the front end. As shown in FIG. 4, a second bent piece 62, 72 is provided at the rear end of each of the pair of side plate portions 60, 70 and the top plate portion 50, bending inward from the rear end. The second bent piece 62 and the second bent piece 72 are symmetrical to each other. Furthermore, a third bent piece 63, 73 is provided at the bottom end of each of the pair of side plate portions 60, 70, bending inward from the bottom end. The third bent piece 63 and the third bent piece 73 are symmetrical to each other.

As shown in FIG. 3, the first bent piece 61 on one side in the left-right direction is integrally connected to the left side surface (the portion of the side plate 60 that forms the left side of the housing 2), which is mostly or entirely formed by the flat plate portion 69, and bends inward (to the right, which is the other side in the left-right direction) from the front end of the left side surface. As shown in FIG. 6, the second bent piece 62 on one side in the left-right direction is integrally connected to the left side surface including the flat plate portion 69, and bends inward (to the right, which is the other side in the left-right direction) from the rear end of the left side surface. The third bent piece 63 on one side in the left-right direction is integrally connected to the left side surface including the flat plate portion 69, and bends inward (to the right, which is the other side in the left-right direction) from the lower end of the left side surface. The left side surface may be entirely formed by the flat plate portion 69, or may have some portions that are not flat plate portions 69 (e.g., protrusions, steps, etc.). The second bent piece 62 is configured as a plate piece that extends in the vertical direction and has its plate thickness direction as the front-to-rear direction. The maximum amount of inward (right side) protrusion of the first bent piece 61 is smaller than the maximum amount of inward (right side) protrusion of the second bent piece 62, which is also smaller than the maximum amount of inward (right side) protrusion of the third bent piece 63. In the configurations shown in Figures 3 and 6, the left side surface portion having the flat plate portion 69, the first bent piece 61, the second bent piece 62, and the third bent piece 63 are integrally configured by bending a common metal plate material (the common metal plate material that forms the top plate portion 50 and both side plate portions 60, 70).

As shown in FIG. 3, the first bent piece 71 on the other side in the left-right direction is integrally connected to the right side surface (the portion of the side plate 70 that forms the right side of the housing 2), which is mostly or entirely formed by the flat plate portion 79, and bends inward (to the left, which is one of the left-right sides) from the front end of the right side surface. As shown in FIG. 6, the second bent piece 72 on the other side in the left-right direction is integrally connected to the right side surface, including the flat plate portion 79, and bends inward (to the left, which is one of the left-right sides) from the rear end of the right side surface. The third bent piece 73 on the other side in the left-right direction is integrally connected to the right side surface, including the flat plate portion 79, and bends inward (to the left, which is one of the left-right sides) from the lower end of the right side surface. The right side surface may be entirely formed by the flat plate portion 79, or may have some portions that are not flat plate portions 79 (e.g., protrusions, steps, etc.). The second bent piece 72 is configured as a plate piece that extends in the vertical direction and has its plate thickness direction in the front-to-rear direction. The maximum amount of inward (left) protrusion of the first bent piece 71 is smaller than the maximum amount of inward (left) protrusion of the second bent piece 72, which is also smaller than the maximum amount of inward (left) protrusion of the third bent piece 73. In the configurations shown in Figures 3 and 6, the right side surface portion having the flat plate portion 79, the first bent piece 71, the second bent piece 72, and the third bent piece 73 are integrally configured by bending a common metal plate material (the common metal plate material that forms the top plate portion 50 and both side plates 60, 70).

In the examples shown in Figures 3 and 6, the top panel 50 also has a first bent piece 51 and a second bent piece 52. The first bent piece 51 is also simply referred to as the bent piece 51. As shown in Figure 3, the upper first bent piece 51 is integrally connected to the top surface (the portion of the top panel 50 that forms the top surface of the housing 2), which is mostly or entirely composed of a flat plate portion 59, and bends inward (downward) from the front end of the top surface. As shown in Figure 6, the upper second bent piece 52 is integrally connected to the top surface, including the flat plate portion 59, and bends inward (downward) from the rear end of the top surface. The top surface may be entirely composed of the flat plate portion 59, or may have some portions that are not flat plate portions 59 (e.g., protrusions, steps, etc.). The second bent piece 52 is configured as a plate piece extending in the left-right direction and with its thickness in the front-to-rear direction. The maximum inward (downward) protrusion of the first bent piece 51 is smaller than the maximum inward (downward) protrusion of the second bent piece 52. In the configurations shown in Figures 3 and 6, the top surface portion having a flat plate portion 59, the first bent piece 51, and the second bent piece 52 are integrally formed by bending a common metal plate (the common metal plate from which the top plate portion 50 and the side plate portions 60, 70 are formed). The top surface portion including the flat plate portion 59 has a recess 57 formed in the center in the left-right direction. The recess 57 is recessed from the front end of the top surface portion toward the rear. The area inside the recess 57 is an open communication portion that connects the upper and lower sides of the top surface portion. In the example shown in Figure 2, a portion of the exhaust portion 5 is arranged to pass through the recess 57.

As shown in Figure 3, the bottom plate portion 40 is configured as a separate member from the integrated portion 20. The bottom plate portion 40 is a member configured in a plate shape. For example, the bottom plate portion 40 is formed by processing a metal plate. The bottom plate portion 40 has a flat plate portion 49 whose upper and lower surfaces are plate surfaces perpendicular to the up-down direction. In the example shown in Figures 3 and 4, most of the area of the bottom plate portion 40 is configured as the flat plate portion 49, which covers the above-mentioned housed components from below. As shown in Figure 4, the bottom plate portion 40 extends in the left-right direction, and specifically, both the upper and lower surfaces of the flat plate portion 59 are arranged parallel to the left-right direction and the front-to-rear direction.

A bent piece 41 is provided at the front end of the bottom plate 40. A bent piece 42 is provided at the rear end of the bottom plate 40. As shown in FIG. 3 , the bent piece 41 is integrally connected to the lower surface (the portion of the bottom plate 40 that forms the lower surface of the housing 2), most of which is constituted by the flat plate portion 49, and is bent inward (upward) from the front end of the lower surface. As shown in FIG. 7 , the bent piece 42 is integrally connected to the lower surface, including the flat plate portion 49, and is bent inward (upward) from the rear end of the lower surface. In the configurations shown in FIGS. 3 and 7 , the lower surface, including the flat plate portion 49, the bent piece 41, and the bent piece 42 are integrally formed by bending a common metal plate (a common plate material different from the common metal plate material that forms the top plate 50 and the side plate portions 60 and 70).

As shown in Figures 7, 9, and 10, the back plate portion 30 is a member configured in a plate shape. The back plate portion 30 forms the back portion (rear portion) of the housing main body 2B, and forms the back portion (rear portion) of the water heater 1. The back plate portion 30 is arranged to cover the rear of each of the above-mentioned housing components. In the example of Figures 9 and 10, the back plate portion 30 is configured in an overall rectangular shape. In the example of Figures 9 and 10, the back plate portion 30 is configured vertically with the vertical direction as the longitudinal direction. As shown in Figures 7 and 8, the back plate portion 30 is a member that can be attached and detached to the integrated portion 20, and is also a member that can be attached and detached to the bottom plate portion 40. In other words, the housing portion 2 is configured so that the front panel 2A, back plate portion 30, integrated portion 20, and bottom plate portion 40 can each be detached separately. Figures 10 to 14 show the water heater 1 (Figure 2) and back panel 30, etc., as viewed from the rear, so the right side of the drawing is the left side of the water heater 1, and the left side of the drawing is the right side of the water heater 1.

The back plate portion 30 has a flat plate portion 39 and a peripheral portion 100. The peripheral portion 100, which forms the periphery of the back plate portion 30, has an upper peripheral portion 103, a lower peripheral portion 104, a left peripheral portion 101, a right peripheral portion 102, and cutouts 110 and 120. In the example shown in Figures 9 and 10, the upper end of the left peripheral portion 101 forms the lower end of the cutout 110. The upper end of the cutout 110 forms the left end of the upper peripheral portion 103. The right end of the upper peripheral portion 103 forms the upper end of the cutout 120. The lower end of the cutout 120 forms the upper end of the right peripheral portion 102. The lower end of the right peripheral portion 102 forms the right end of the lower peripheral portion 104. The left end of the lower peripheral portion forms the lower end of the left peripheral portion 101.

In the example of Figure 10, the first side portion 31, which is located on one side of the back panel portion 30 in the left-right direction, constitutes the entire left peripheral edge portion 101. The edge (outer edge) of the first side portion 31 is aligned in the up-down direction. In the example of Figure 10, the outer edge of the first side portion 31 extends in a straight line perpendicular to the left-right and front-to-back directions and parallel to the up-down direction. Note that the configuration of Figure 10 is merely one example, and the example of Figure 10 may be slightly modified so that the first side portion 31 constitutes the majority of the left peripheral edge portion 101, and a portion thereof is formed by a configuration other than the first side portion 31 (for example, a recess or step).

In the example of Figure 10, the second side portion 32 located on the other left-right side of the back panel portion 30 constitutes the entire right peripheral edge portion 102. The edge (outer edge) of the second side portion 32 is aligned along the up-down direction. In the example of Figure 10, the outer edge of the second side portion 32 extends in a straight line perpendicular to the left-right and front-to-back directions and parallel to the up-down direction. Note that the configuration of Figure 10 is merely one example, and the example of Figure 10 may be slightly modified so that the second side portion 32 constitutes the majority of the right peripheral edge portion 102, with a portion being structured other than the second side portion 32 (for example, a recess or step).

In the example of Figure 10, the upper end 33, which is located at the upper end of the back panel 30, constitutes the majority of the upper peripheral edge 103, and remaining portions 103A and 103B are provided as portions other than the upper end 33. In the example of Figure 10, the remaining portions 103A and 103B are configured as recesses that are recessed downward from the upper end 33. The edge (outer edge) of the upper end 33 runs along the left-right direction. Specifically, the outer edge of the upper end 33 extends in a straight line perpendicular to the up-down and front-to-back directions and parallel to the left-right direction.

In the example of Figure 10, a first notch 110 is provided in the peripheral portion 100 of the back panel portion 30, between the upper end of the first side portion 31 and one left-right end (left end) of the upper end portion 33, and is positioned lower than the upper end portion 33 and on the other left-right side (right side) of the first side portion 31. The first notch 110 is also simply referred to as the notch 110. The first notch 110 is configured as an inclined portion with an inclined outer edge. The edge (outer edge) of the first notch 110 is inclined with respect to the left-right direction. The angle between the outer edge of the first notch 110 and the left-right direction is greater than 45°. Specifically, the acute angle between the direction of the outer edge of the first notch 110 and the direction of the outer edge of the upper end portion 33 is greater than 45°. On the other hand, the acute angle between the direction of the outer edge of the first side portion 31 and the direction of the outer edge of the first cutout 110 is an angle smaller than 45°. The size of the first cutout 110 is such that it is covered by the second bent piece 62; specifically, it is such that it is covered by both the second bent piece 52 and the second bent piece 62. For example, the first cutout 110 is such that most of its area (more than half of its area) is covered by the second bent piece 62. The length of the slanted edge of the first cutout 110 is greater than the amount of protrusion of the second bent piece 62 in the left-right direction and greater than the amount of protrusion of the second bent piece 52 in the up-down direction.

In the example of Figure 10, a second notch 120 is provided in the peripheral portion 100 of the back panel portion 30, between the upper end of the second side portion 32 and the other left-right end (right end) of the upper end portion 33, and is positioned lower than the upper end portion 33 and to one side (left side) of the second side portion 32 in the left-right direction. The second notch 120 is also simply referred to as the notch 120. The second notch 120 is configured as an inclined portion with an inclined outer edge. The edge (outer edge) of the second notch 120 is inclined with respect to the left-right direction. The angle between the outer edge of the second notch 120 and the left-right direction is greater than 45°. Specifically, the acute angle between the direction of the outer edge of the second notch 120 and the direction of the outer edge of the upper end portion 33 is greater than 45°. On the other hand, the acute angle between the direction of the outer edge of the second side portion 32 and the direction of the outer edge of the second cutout 120 is smaller than 45°. The size of the second cutout 120 is such that it is covered by the second bent piece 72, specifically, such that it is covered by both the second bent piece 52 and the second bent piece 72. For example, the second cutout 120 is sized so that a large portion (a majority of its area) is covered by the second bent piece 72. The length of the inclined edge of the second cutout 120 is greater than the amount of protrusion of the second bent piece 72 in the left-right direction and greater than the amount of protrusion of the second bent piece 52 in the up-down direction. The first cutout 110 and the second cutout 120 are sized so that plastic deformation does not occur in the integrated portion 20 during the assembly process shown in FIG. 11 , which will be described later. In this embodiment, the first notch 110 and the second notch 120 are symmetrical to each other.

When manufacturing or assembling the water heater 1 according to this embodiment, the housing body 2B is constructed by assembling the back plate 30 and bottom plate 40 to the integrated part 20 configured as described above. When constructing the housing body 2B, the back plate 30 is positioned in the correct mounting position relative to the integrated part 20 by guiding it into the integrated part 20 as shown in FIG. 11 . The correct mounting position is when the back plate 30 is positioned above the third bent pieces 63, 73, the upper end 33 of the back plate 30 overlaps the front of the second bent piece 52 and presses against each other, the first side 31 overlaps the front of the second bent piece 62 and presses against each other, and the second side 32 overlaps the front of the second bent piece 72 and presses against each other.

In this embodiment, the left-right distance W41 between the upper end 31A of the first side portion 31 and the upper end 32A of the second side portion 32 of the back panel 30 is greater than the left-right distance W21 between the upper end 62A of the linear inner end of the second bent piece 62 and the upper end 72A of the linear inner end of the second bent piece 72 in the attached state shown in FIG. 12 (when all components constituting the housing 2 are attached). The distance W41 is greater than the left-right distance W22 between the lower end 62B of the linear inner end of the second bent piece 62 and the lower end 72B of the linear inner end of the second bent piece 72 in the attached state shown in FIG. 12. In the example of Figure 12, the above-mentioned intervals W21, W22 are the minimum intervals in the left-right direction between the second bent pieces 62, 72, and the area where this minimum interval is located between the second bent pieces 62, 72 continues over a predetermined range in the vertical direction (specifically, from a position near the top of the second bent pieces 62, 72 (upper ends 62A, 72A) to a position near the bottom of the second bent pieces 62, 72 (lower ends 62B, 72B)), and the left-right interval over at least this predetermined range in the vertical direction is smaller than the above-mentioned interval W41 and is smaller than the maximum width of the back panel portion 30. Note that in this embodiment, intervals W21 and W22 are the same size (same length).

The distance W41 is greater than the minimum distance W31 (see also FIG. 3) between the third bent pieces 63, 73 in the left-right direction when the third bent pieces 63, 73 are mounted as shown in FIG. 12. The minimum distance W31 is the distance between the third bent pieces 63, 73 at a cross section (plane) at any position in the front-to-rear direction that is perpendicular to the front-to-rear direction and passes through both of the third bent pieces 63, 73, where the distance between the third bent pieces 63, 73 is smallest. In the example shown in FIG. 3, the distance between the third bent pieces 63, 73 in the left-to-right direction at the cross section (plane perpendicular to the front-to-rear direction) is the minimum distance W31 at any position within a predetermined range in the front-to-rear direction of the third bent pieces 63, 73 (specifically, the predetermined range from a position near the front end to a position near the rear end of the third bent pieces 63, 73). In this configuration, within the specified range in the front-to-rear direction, the left-to-right spacing between the third bent pieces 63, 73 is smaller than the spacing W41, and is smaller than the maximum width of the back panel portion 30.

The distance W41 is greater than the minimum left-right distance W11 (see also Figure 3) between the first bent piece 61 and the first bent piece 71 in the attached state shown in Figure 12. The left-right distance between the upper end 61A of the linear inner end of the first bent piece 61 and the upper end 71A of the linear inner end of the first bent piece 71 is the minimum distance W11. The left-right distance between the lower end 61B of the linear inner end of the first bent piece 61 and the lower end 71B of the linear inner end of the first bent piece 71 is also the minimum distance W11. Between the first bent pieces 61, 71, the area with the minimum spacing W11 continues over a predetermined range in the vertical direction (specifically, from a position near the top of the first bent pieces 61, 71 (upper ends 61A, 71A) to a position near the bottom of the first bent pieces 61, 71 (61B, 71B)), and the left-right spacing over at least this predetermined vertical range is smaller than the spacing W41 and is smaller than the maximum width of the back panel portion 30.

The left-right distance W42 between the lower end 31B of the first side portion 31 and the lower end 32B of the second side portion 32 of the back panel 30 is larger than the distance W21, larger than the distance W22, larger than the minimum distance W31, and larger than the minimum distance W11. In the example of FIG. 10, the distances W41 and W42 are the maximum widths of the back panel 30 in the left-right direction, and in the example of FIG. 10, this maximum-width region continues continuously from one end to the other in the vertical direction. Specifically, the maximum-width region continues continuously from the upper ends 31A, 32A of the first side portion 31 and the second side portion 32 to the lower ends 31B, 32B.

When the back panel 30 is positioned in the correct installation position relative to the integrated part 20 sized as described above, the integrated part 20 is elastically deformed to widen the gap between the lower ends of the side panels 60, 70, as shown by arrows F1 and F2 in Figure 11. This allows the gaps between the third bent pieces 63, 73, the gap near the lower ends of the second bent pieces 62, 72, and the gap near the lower ends of the first bent pieces 61, 71 to be wider than the gaps W41 and W42, allowing the back panel to fit between the side panels 60, 70 through any of these gaps, as indicated by arrow F1. In this configuration, the notches 110, 120 are provided near the upper end of the back panel 30, so that the width of the back panel 30 in the left-right direction gradually decreases toward the upper end within the range where these notches are provided. Therefore, as shown in Figure 11, when inserting the back panel 30 from below the integrated portion 20 into "any of the spaces" (for example, between the third bent pieces 63, 73), the upper end of the back panel 30 (near the upper ends of the notches 110, 120) can be easily inserted without having to spread the side panels 60, 70 too much. Furthermore, after the upper end of the back panel 30 has been inserted, the notches 110, 120 can be used to push the side panels 60, 70 apart while keeping the areas near the notches 110, 120 in contact. This allows the back panel 30 to be positioned above the third bent pieces 63, 73 while minimizing the need to spread the side panels 60, 70.

After the back plate 30 is inserted above the third bent pieces 63, 73, the back plate 30 is positioned in the normal mounting position described above and secured to the integrated portion 20. Specifically, the peripheral edge of the back plate 30 is secured to the second bent pieces 62, 72 of the side plate portions 60, 70 and the second bent piece 52 of the top plate portion 50, overlapping from the front. In the example of Figure 12, the second bent piece 62 and a portion of the back plate 30 near the first side portion 31 at the upper position (above the vertical center of the back plate 30) are secured to each other by connecting members 161, 162 such as screws, overlapping from the front to the rear above the vertical center of the side plate 60 (see Figure 12). Furthermore, at a position below the vertical center of the side plate 60, the second bent piece 62 and a portion near the first side portion 31 at the lower position of the back plate 30 (a position below the vertical center of the back plate 30) are overlapped front to back and fixed to each other by connecting members 163, 164 such as screws (see Figure 12).

Similarly, at a position above the vertical center of the side plate portion 70, the second bent piece 72 and a portion near the second side portion 32 at the upper position of the back plate portion 30 (above the vertical center of the back plate portion 30) are overlapped from front to back and fixed to each other by connecting members 171, 172 such as screws (see FIG. 12). Furthermore, at a position below the vertical center of the side plate portion 70, the second bent piece 72 and a portion near the second side portion 32 at the lower position of the back plate portion 30 (below the vertical center of the back plate portion 30) are overlapped from front to back and fixed to each other by connecting members 173, 174 such as screws (see FIG. 12).

Furthermore, the second bent piece 52 and a portion of the back plate 30 near the upper end 33 are overlapped front to back and secured together by a connecting member 151 such as a screw (see Figure 12). The structure of the assembled body 2Z in which the back plate 30 is secured to the integrated part 20 is as shown in Figure 3, and is the same as the structure shown in Figure 12 with the bottom plate 40 omitted. When the back plate 30 is secured to the integrated part 20 in this manner, the assembled body 2Z covers the vicinity of the upper peripheral edge 103, the vicinity of the left peripheral edge 101, and the vicinity of the right peripheral edge 102 of the back plate 30 from the rear.

When the back panel 30 is fixed to the integral part 20, the vicinity of the second notch 120 of the back panel 30, configured as shown in FIG. 13, is positioned near the end of the second bent piece 52 and the end of the second bent piece 72, as shown in FIG. 14. In the example shown in FIG. 14, the lower end 52A of the second bent piece 52 is configured as a straight edge extending in the left-right direction, and a sloped portion 52C having a lower edge sloped with respect to the up-down and left-right directions is provided near the end (right end) on the other side of the left-right direction of the second bent piece 52. The downward protrusion of the sloped portion 52C decreases toward the other side of the left-right direction. Meanwhile, the end (left end) 72A on one side of the left-right direction of the second bent piece 72 is configured as a straight edge extending in the up-down direction, and a sloped portion 72C having an upper edge sloped with respect to the up-down and left-right directions is provided near the upper end of the second bent piece 72. The amount of protrusion of inclined portion 72C to one side in the left-right direction (left side) decreases toward the upper side. A small gap is provided between inclined portion 52C and inclined portion 72C. Note that while Figures 13 and 14 show the configuration near notch 120, the configuration near notch 110 is bilaterally symmetrical to the configuration near notch 120.

When attaching the bottom plate portion 40 to the assembly 2Z as shown in Figure 3, the overlapping portion 43 constituting the end portion on one side (left side) of the bottom plate portion 40 in the left-right direction is placed over the third bent piece 63, and the third bent piece 63 and overlapping portion 43 are secured with a connecting member 143 such as a screw, as shown in Figure 4. Similarly, the overlapping portion 44 constituting the end portion on the other side (right side) of the bottom plate portion 40 is placed over the third bent piece 73, and the third bent piece 73 and overlapping portion 44 are secured with a connecting member 144 such as a screw, as shown in Figure 4. Furthermore, the bent piece 42 is placed behind the overlapping portion 38 constituting the lower end 34 of the back plate portion 30, and the overlapping portion 38 and bent piece 42 are secured with a connecting member 141 such as a screw, as shown in Figure 4. In this way, the bottom plate 40 is fixed to the assembly 2Z, and the area near the lower peripheral edge 104 of the back plate 30 is covered from the rear by fixing the bottom plate 40 to the assembly 2Z. By fixing the bottom plate 40 to the assembly 2Z in this way, the housing main body 2B is formed.

The above-described assembly method is merely one example, and the bottom plate 40 may be assembled to the back plate 30 before assembling the back plate 30 to the integrated part 20. In other words, the lower end 34 of the back plate 30 and the bent piece 42 may be overlapped and fixed with a connecting member 141 such as a screw, thereby forming an integrated unit in which the bottom plate 40 is attached to the back plate 30 before assembling the back plate 30 to the integrated part 20. This integrated unit in which the bottom plate 40 is assembled to the back plate 30 may then be attached to the integrated part 20 using a method similar to the "method of attaching the back plate 30 to the integrated part 20" described above. In this case, too, the integrated portion 20 is elastically deformed to widen the gap between the lower ends of the side plate portions 60, 70, and the gap between the third bent pieces 63, 73, the gap near the lower ends of the second bent pieces 62, 72, and the gap near the lower ends of the first bent pieces 61, 71 are made wider than the gaps W41, W42, and the back plate portion 30 is allowed to fit between the side plate portions 60, 70 through any of these gaps. In this case, the cutouts 110, 120 function particularly effectively, making it easy to position the back plate portion 30 between the side plate portions 60, 70 and above the third bent pieces 63, 73, even in situations where an integrated object bulkier than the back plate portion 30 is to be attached (a situation that is more difficult than attaching the back plate portion 30 alone). In this example, after the back plate portion 30 is inserted above the third bent pieces 63, 73, the back plate portion 30 is placed in the normal mounting position described above and fixed to the integrated portion 20.

When attaching the front panel 2A to the housing main body 2B, the front panel 2A is fixed in place by overlapping the peripheral edge of the front panel 2A with the first bent pieces 61, 71 and bent pieces 41, 51 configured as shown in Figures 2 and 3. In the example of Figure 1, the portions of the front panel 2A that are positioned to cover the front sides of the first bent pieces 61, 71 and bent pieces 41, 51 are part of the "peripheral edge of the front panel 2A."

1 and 3, elongated holes 55A and 55B are provided on both the left and right sides of the front end of the top plate 50, extending in the left-right direction. When attaching the front panel 2A to the housing main body 2B as shown in FIG. 1, the protrusions 16A and 16B configured as shown in FIG. 3 are inserted into the elongated holes 55A and 55B, respectively. When the protrusion 16A is inserted into the elongated hole 55A and the protrusion 16B is inserted into the elongated hole 55B in this manner, the protrusions 16A and 16B are hooked onto the elongated holes 55A and 55B, respectively, and are locked in place. In this hooked state, the lower bent portion 18 is positioned so that it overlaps the front end portion of the bottom plate 40 fixed to the housing main body 2B from below. In this way, with the lower bent portion 18 overlapping the underside of the front end portion of the bottom plate portion 40, the lower bent portion 18 (specifically, the protrusions 18A, 18B provided on the lower bent portion 18) and the front end portion of the bottom plate portion 40 are connected with connecting members 141, 142 such as screws, thereby fixing the bottom plate portion 40 to the front panel 2A.

3. Example of Effect Because the water heater 1 has the top panel 50 and the pair of side panel portions 60, 70 integrally configured, the number of parts is reduced, and because the outer edge of the back panel portion 30 is covered by the vicinity of the first bent pieces 61, 71, exposure of the end portion of the back panel portion 30 is suppressed. Furthermore, a first notch 110 is provided on the periphery of the back panel portion 30 between the upper end of the first side portion 31 and one left-right end of the upper end portion 33, the first notch 110 being positioned lower than the upper end portion 33 and on the other left-right side of the first side portion 31. And, a second notch 120 is provided between the upper end of the second side portion 32 and the other left-right end of the upper end portion 33, the second notch 120 being positioned lower than the upper end portion 33 and on one left-right side of the second side portion 32. Because the first notch 110 and the second notch 120 are provided in this manner, when the back plate portion 30 is positioned in the correct position (rearward of the first bent piece 61, 71, forward of the second bent piece, and above the third bent piece 63, 73) for a unitary object in which the top plate portion 50 and the pair of side plate portions 60, 70 are integrally formed, the back plate portion 30 can be positioned by spreading the pair of side plate portions 60, 70 more widely, making it easier to position the back plate portion 30 properly.

In the water heater 1, the outer edges of the first notch 110 and the second notch 120 are inclined, so when the pair of side panels 60, 70 are spread apart to position the back panel 30, the outer edges of the first notch 110 and the second notch 120 are less likely to get caught. In particular, if the side panels 60, 70 are "exterior components that are treated with a surface coating or other aesthetically pleasing process," scratches caused by catching or the like could significantly impair the value of the product, so the back panel 30 must be assembled with extra care to avoid catching or the like. In such cases, the presence of the first notch 110 and the second notch 120, which makes it less likely to get caught, is even more effective.

The angle between the outer edge of the first cutout 110 and the left-right direction is greater than 45°, and the angle between the outer edge of the second cutout 120 and the left-right direction is also greater than 45°. Therefore, when the back panel 30 is positioned in the correct position (rearward of the first bent pieces 61, 71, forward of the second bent pieces, and above the third bent pieces 63, 73) relative to the integrated top panel 50 and the pair of side panels 60, 70, the pair of side panels 60, 70 can be positioned with a smaller spread. Therefore, the water heater 1 described above more effectively prevents adverse effects (such as plastic deformation) caused by spreading the pair of side panels 60, 70 too far.

<Other Embodiments>
The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above and illustrated in the drawings. For example, any combination of features of the above-described or following embodiments is possible within a range that does not contradict. Furthermore, any feature of the above-described or following embodiments may be omitted unless explicitly stated as essential. Furthermore, the above-described embodiments may be modified as follows.

In the above embodiment, the top panel 50 is provided with a second bent piece 52, but the second bent piece 52 may not be present, and the protruding amount of the second bent piece 52 may be smaller than in the configuration shown in Figure 4, etc. Also, in the above embodiment, the top panel 50 is provided with a first bent piece 51, but the first bent piece 51 may not be present.

The embodiments disclosed herein should be considered to be illustrative in all respects and not 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.

1: Water heater 2: Housing portion 2A: Front panel 2B: Housing main body 2W: Opening 30: Back plate portion 31: First side portion 32: Second side portion 40: Bottom plate portion 50: Top plate portion 60: Side plate portion 61: First bent piece 62: Second bent piece 63: Third bent piece 70: Side plate portion 71: First bent piece 72: Second bent piece 73: Third bent piece 100: Peripheral edge portion 110: First notch portion 120: Second notch portion

Claims (3)

a box-shaped housing body having an opening at the front end side;
a front panel fixed to the housing body so as to close the opening;
Equipped with
the housing body includes a back plate portion disposed on the rear side of the front panel and constituting a rear surface of the housing body, a bottom plate portion constituting a lower surface of the housing body, a top plate portion constituting an upper surface of the housing body, and a pair of side plate portions constituting a pair of side surfaces of the housing body;
The top plate portion and the pair of side plate portions are integrally formed,
One of the side plates bends from one end of the top plate in the left-right direction and extends downward,
The other side plate portion is bent from the other end of the top plate portion in the left-right direction and extends downward,
A first bent piece is provided on the front end side of each of the pair of side plate portions, the first bent piece being bent inward from the front end portion,
A second bent piece is provided on the rear end side of each of the pair of side plate portions and the top plate portion, the second bent piece being bent inward from the rear end portion,
A third bent piece is provided on the lower end side of each of the pair of side plate portions, the third bent piece being bent inward from the lower end portion,
The front panel is fixed in a configuration in which a peripheral edge portion of the front panel overlaps each of the first folding pieces,
The back plate portion is fixed to each of the second bent pieces in such a manner that a peripheral edge portion of the back plate portion overlaps the front side of the second bent piece,
The bottom plate portion is fixed in place such that the left and right edge portions of the bottom plate portion overlap each of the third bent pieces from above,
an outer edge of a first side portion on one side in the left-right direction of the back plate portion and an outer edge of a second side portion on the other side in the left-right direction of the back plate portion are aligned along the up-down direction;
The outer edge of the upper end of the back plate portion is along the left-right direction,
A water heater in which a first notch is provided at the peripheral edge of the back panel between the upper end of the first side portion and one of the left and right ends of the upper end portion, the first notch being positioned lower than the upper end portion and on the other left and right side of the first side portion, and a second notch is provided between the upper end of the second side portion and the other left and right end of the upper end portion, the second notch being positioned lower than the upper end portion and on one of the left and right sides of the second side portion. an outer edge of the first cutout portion is inclined with respect to the left-right direction;
The water heater according to claim 1 , wherein an outer edge of the second cutout portion is inclined with respect to the left-right direction. the angle formed between the outer edge of the first cutout portion and the left-right direction is greater than 45°;
The water heater according to claim 2 , wherein an angle formed between an outer edge of the second cutout and the left-right direction is greater than 45°.