Patent Abstract:
A water heating system includes a housing that defines a substantially enclosed interior region. A control panel is attached to the housing and includes a display that displays a particular condition of the water heating system. An access panel is attached to the housing for movement between a first position and a second position, wherein, in the first position of the access panel, a passageway to the interior region of the housing is provided, and, in the second position of the access panel, the passageway to the interior region of the housing is closed. The display is visible in both positions of the access panel such that movement of the access panel from the second position to the first position facilitates simultaneous access to the display and to the interior region of the housing though the passageway.

Full Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a water heating system and a maintenance access system for a water heating system. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Hydronic boilers operate by way of heating water (or any other fluid) to a preset temperature and circulating the water throughout a building or a home typically by way of radiators, baseboard heaters, and so forth. Hydronic boilers typically include a burner, a gas valve, and a heat exchanger. The boiler may also include a gauge for displaying a condition of the boiler, such as temperature or pressure. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In one exemplary aspect, a water heating system is provided. A water heating system includes a housing that defines a substantially enclosed interior region. A control panel is attached to the housing and includes a display that displays a particular condition of the water heating system. An access panel is attached to the housing for movement between a first position and a second position, wherein, in the first position of the access panel, a passageway to the interior region of the housing is provided, and, in the second position of the access panel, the passageway to the interior region of the housing is substantially closed. The display is visible in both positions of the access panel such that movement of the access panel from the second position to the first position facilitates simultaneous access to the display of the control panel and to the interior region of the housing though the passageway. 
     In another exemplary aspect, a method for accessing a component within an interior region of a water heating system is provided. The method includes the steps of maintaining a control panel in a position adjacent a housing of the water heating system; moving an access panel of the water heating system from a closed position to an open position, thereby opening a passageway between the component and an exterior region of the water heating system; and accessing the component through the passageway while viewing the control panel. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The invention is best understood from the following detailed description when read in connection with the accompanying drawings. It is emphasized that, according to common practice, the various features of the drawings are not to scale. On the contrary, the dimensions of the various features may be arbitrarily expanded or reduced for clarity. Included in the drawings are the following figures: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a water heating system according to one exemplary embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG. 2A  is a perspective view of the water heating system of  FIG. 1 , wherein the lower access panel is shown pivoted to an open position to reveal internal components of the water heating system. 
         FIG. 2B  is a front elevation view of the water heating system of  FIG. 2A . 
         FIG. 3A  is a perspective view of the water heating system of  FIG. 1 , wherein the lower access panel and the control panel are both shown pivoted to an open position to reveal internal components of the water heating system. 
         FIG. 3B  is a front elevation view of the water heating system of  FIG. 3A . 
         FIG. 4A  is a perspective view of the water heating system of  FIG. 1 , wherein the lower access panel and the control panel are both shown pivoted to an open position and the top panels are omitted to reveal internal components of the water heating system. 
         FIG. 4B  is a front elevation view of the water heating system of  FIG. 4A . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Although the invention is illustrated and described herein with reference to specific embodiments, the invention is not intended to be limited to the details shown. Rather, various modifications may be made to the illustrated embodiments within the scope and range of equivalents of the claims and without departing from the invention. Also, the embodiment selected for illustration in the figures is not shown to scale and is not limited to the proportions shown. 
       FIGS. 1-4B  depict an exemplary embodiment of a water heating system that is designated by the numeral “10.” The water heating system  10  may also be referred to in the art as a boiler, a hydronic boiler, a water heater, a tankless water heater, or an instantaneous water heater, for example. The water heating system  10  generally includes a housing  12  defining a substantially enclosed interior region, a heat exchanger  13  contained within the housing  12 , an inlet conduit for delivering water (or other suitable liquid) into the water heating system  10 , an outlet conduit for distributing heated water (or other suitable liquid) from the water heating system  10 , a fuel-fired burner, a combustion inlet  14  for introducing air into a fuel-fired burner, an exhaust gas outlet  16  for expelling products of combustion, and an automatic air vent  18 . 
     Referring now to  FIG. 4B , the following components are positioned at least partially within the interior of the housing  12 : the heat exchanger  13 , a blocked vent pressure switch  20 , an expansion tank  22 , a combustion air fan  24 , a three-way valve  26 , a condensate trap  28 , a pump  30 , a gas valve  32 , and a water pressure switch  34 . Those skilled in the art will understand the function of those components of the water heating system  10 . 
     Referring now to  FIG. 1 , a series of movable access panels are provided on the front face of the housing  12  to provide access to the internal components of the water heating system  10 . More particularly, a lower access panel  36  is hingedly connected to a lower front edge of the housing  12 . The access panel  36  is pivotable between a closed position (see  FIG. 1 ) and an open position (see  FIG. 2A ). 
     In the open position of the access panel  36 , a user can access at least the following components of the water heating system  10 : the three-way valve  26 , the condensate trap  28 , the pump  30 , the gas valve  32  and the terminal block/field wiring connections  29 . The access panel  36  may be hingedly connected to the housing  12 , as shown, or, alternatively, the access panel  36  may be removably coupled to the housing  12  or otherwise coupled in such a way as to open or close a passageway providing access to the interior region. 
     The access panel  36  includes the electronic components that are configured for operating the water heating system  10 , such as ignition control, pump control, high limit temperate control and cascading/lead lag control of the water heating system  10 . The ignition control feature is responsible for igniting the gas. The pump control feature is responsible for activating the water heating system pump. The high limit control prevents the temperature of the heated water from exceeding a pre-determined limit. The cascading/lead lag control feature facilities the connection of multiple water heating systems together. 
     A control panel  38  is pivotably connected to the front surface of the housing  12  is directly above the lower access panel  36 . The control panel  38  is pivotable between a closed position (see  FIG. 1 ) and an open position (see  FIG. 3A ). The panel  38  may be hingedly connected to the housing  12 , as shown, or, alternatively, the panel  38  may be removably coupled to the housing  12  or otherwise coupled in such a way as to open or close a passageway providing access to the interior region. 
     The control panel  38  includes a power button  40  for on/off control of the water heating system  10 , a temperature/pressure gauge  41  for displaying pressure and/or temperature levels of the water heating system  10 , a visual display  42  which displays conditions and settings of the water heating system  10 , DONE and NEXT buttons  44  and  46 , respectively, for scrolling between menu items, and UP and DOWN arrow buttons  48  and  50 , respectively, to change the numerical values of a particular menu item. The NEXT button  48  increments the display  42  to the next item in a menu structure, and the DONE button  50  returns the user to a Home screen. 
     The visual display  42  displays conditions of the water heating system  10 , such as, for example, fluid pressure, stack temperature (i.e., the temperature of the exhaust gas), temperature rise across the heat exchanger, outlet water temperature, outdoor air temperature, and the firing rate based upon fan speed. The visual display  42  also displays the menu items of the water heating system  10 , such as, for example, flame sense signal, alert code, lockout code, outlet temperature limit, domestic hot water limit setting, stack limit setting, minimum firing rate allowed, minimum forced firing rate, and maximum forced firing rate. The numerical value of a menu item may be adjusted using the UP and DOWN arrow buttons  48  and  50 , respectively. The display  42  may be an LED or an LCD screen, for example. 
     As best shown in  FIG. 2B , while the lower access panel  36  is pivoted to an open is position, a user of the water heating system  10  can adjust the setting of the three-way valve  26 , the condensate trap  28 , the pump  30 , the gas valve  32 , and the field electrical connections (e.g., thermostat, system pump, alarm contacts), for example, while conveniently viewing the display  42  and the gauge  41  and/or adjusting the settings of the water heating system  10  via buttons  44 ,  46 ,  48  and  50 . In this open position, components in the interior region can be accessed for disassembly, service, maintenance, repair, and/or setup. As is illustrated in  FIG. 2B , full access to such internal components and to the control panel  38  is provided simultaneously. While the lower panel  36  is open, for example, the control components in the control panel  38  are fully visible. More specifically, in the illustrated embodiment, a user of the water heating system  10  can simultaneously access internal components of the system  10  from the front of the system  10  while seeing and/or manipulating control components also from the front of the system  10 . 
     An access panel  60  is removably coupled to the front surface of the housing  12 . The access panel  60  is shown mounted to the housing  12  in  FIGS. 1-3B , and shown removed from the housing  12  in  FIGS. 4   a  and  4 B. The access panel  60  may be slid or pulled off of the front surface of the housing  12 . Alternatively, the access panel  60  may be hingedly connected to the housing  12 . 
     Another access panel  62  is removably mounted to the front surface of the housing  12 . The access panel  62  is positioned beneath both the access panel  60  and the control panel  38 . One or more labels  63 , which include safety, operation and/or general information, are located on the front face of the access panel  62 . The labels  63  are concealed by the control panel  38  while the control panel  38  is rotated to a closed position. The access panel  62  is mounted to the front surface of the housing  12  by a plurality of fasteners  64 . To remove the access panel  60 , the control panel  38  is pivoted downwards to the open position (as shown in  FIG. 3A ), the access panel  60  is detached from the housing  12 , the fasteners  64  are removed, and the access panel  62  is removed from the housing  12 . Alternatively, although not shown, the access panel  62  may be hingedly connected to the housing  12 . 
     Once the access panel  62  is removed, the user may adjust, for example, the heat exchanger  13 , the blocked vent pressure switch  20 , the expansion tank  22 , the combustion air fan  24 , the three-way valve  26 , the condensate trap  28 , a pump  30 , the gas valve  32 , and a water pressure switch  34 . If so desired, the user may pivot the control panel  38  back to the closed position (as shown in  FIG. 2A ), to conveniently view the display  42  and the gauge  41  and/or adjust the settings of the water heating system  10  via buttons  44 ,  46 ,  48  and  50  while manipulating the internal components of the water heating system  10 . 
     In the interests of convenience, the control panel  38  and the panels  36 ,  60  and  62  are all positioned on the front side of the housing  12 , and the control panel  38  is positioned directly adjacent the panels  36 ,  60  and  62 . By positioning the control panel  38  (and, therefore, the display  42  and the gauge  41 ) in the vicinity of the panels  36 ,  60  and  62 , a user does not have to look very far to observe the display  42  and the gauge  41 , or operate buttons  44 ,  46 ,  48  and  50  while manipulating the interior components of the water heating system  10 . 
     In use, and according to one aspect of the invention, an end-user or installer of the water heating system would perform several steps to access a component (e.g., a gas valve) within an interior region of the housing  12  of the water heating system  10 , namely, maintain the control panel  38  in a position adjacent the housing  12  of the water heating system  10 ; move an access panel  36 ,  60  and/or  62  of the water heating system  10  from a closed position to an open position, thereby opening a passageway between the component and an exterior region of the water heating system  10 ; and access the component thru the passageway while manipulating a control (e.g., buttons  44 ,  46 ,  48  and/or  50 ) on the control panel  38 . 
     Ornamentation of the sleek appliance-grade cabinet panels applied to the housing  12  is disclosed and claimed separately in co-pending U.S. Design patent application Ser. No. 29/376,266, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. It will be appreciated that a wide variety and range of ornamental appearances can be selected for the cabinet panels while providing the functional and performance benefits disclosed herein. 
     While preferred embodiments of the invention have been shown and described herein, it will be understood that such embodiments are provided by way of example only. Numerous variations, changes and substitutions will occur to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention. Accordingly, it is intended that the appended claims cover all such variations as fall within the spirit and scope of the invention.

Technology Classification (CPC): 8