Water heating appliance having a multi-component shroud mounting and top cover

Abstract

A water heating appliance includes a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet, and a heater that heats a fluid that is delivered to a fixture. First and second wall panels define a perimeter wall that extends around the heater. A first top panel is attached to the first wall panel and has a seat that partially defines a dividing edge. A second top panel is disposed on a second wall panel. The second top panel includes a mount that further defines the dividing edge. The mount engages the seat to define an enclosed position. The seat extends below the mount. The dividing edge defines a cutout portion. The fluid inlet and the fluid outlet pass through the cutout portion. The second top panel is separable from the first top panel and the wall panels define a minor access aperture.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A water heating appliance comprising:
 a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet;   a heating system that operates to heat a fluid that is received via the fluid inlet to define a heated fluid that is delivered to an external fixture;   a plurality of wall panels that cooperate to selectively define a perimeter wall that extends around at least a portion of the heating system;   a first top panel having a seat that partially defines a dividing edge, wherein the first top panel is selectively attached to at least a first wall panel of the plurality of wall panels; and   a second top panel that is selectively disposed on at least a second wall panel of the plurality of wall panels, wherein
 the second top panel includes a mount that further defines the dividing edge, the mount configured to selectively engage the seat to define an enclosed position of the first top panel and the second top panel, wherein the seat extends below the mount; 
 the dividing edge defines a cutout portion through which the fluid inlet and the fluid outlet pass through the first top panel and the second top panel in the enclosed position; and 
 the second top panel is separable from the first top panel and the plurality of wall panels to define a minor access aperture for accessing at least the heating system. 
   
     
     
         2 . The water heating appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the second top panel is configured to engage the fluid inlet and the fluid outlet. 
     
     
         3 . The water heating appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the cutout portion of the dividing edge is defined within the second top panel. 
     
     
         4 . The water heating appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the mount of the second top panel is selectively attached to the seat of the first top panel via fasteners. 
     
     
         5 . The water heating appliance of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a blower that is in thermal communication with the heating system, wherein the heating system is a heat pump system, and wherein the first top panel is positioned above the blower.   
     
     
         6 . The water heating appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the first top panel defines an air outlet that is engaged with a blower outlet of a blower. 
     
     
         7 . The water heating appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the first top panel includes a first vent aperture that at least partially defines an air inlet. 
     
     
         8 . The water heating appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the second top panel includes a second vent aperture that at least partially defines an air inlet. 
     
     
         9 . The water heating appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the second top panel in the enclosed position prevents removal of the first top panel from the plurality of wall panels. 
     
     
         10 . The water heating appliance of  claim 5 , wherein the blower is accessible through a major access aperture that is defined by the plurality of wall panels with the first top panel and the second top panel removed. 
     
     
         11 . A water heating appliance comprising:
 a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet;   a heat pump system that operates to heat a fluid that is received via the fluid inlet to define a heated fluid that is delivered to an external fixture;   a blower in thermal communication with the heat pump system;   a perimeter wall that extends around at least a portion of the heat pump system and the blower;   a first top panel having a seat that partially defines a dividing edge, wherein the first top panel is selectively attached to the perimeter wall and the blower; and   a second top panel that is selectively disposed on at least a second wall panel of a plurality of wall panels, wherein
 the second top panel includes a mount that further defines the dividing edge, the mount configured to selectively attach to the seat via fasteners to define an enclosed position of the first top panel and the second top panel, wherein the seat extends below the mount; 
 the dividing edge defines a cutout portion through which the fluid inlet and the fluid outlet pass through the first top panel and the second top panel in the enclosed position; and 
 the second top panel is separable from the first top panel and the plurality of wall panels to define a minor access aperture for accessing at least the heat pump system. 
   
     
     
         12 . The water heating appliance of  claim 11 , wherein the second top panel is configured to partially surround and engage the fluid inlet and the fluid outlet. 
     
     
         13 . The water heating appliance of  claim 11 , wherein the cutout portion of the dividing edge is partially defined by the first top panel. 
     
     
         14 . The water heating appliance of  claim 11 , wherein the first top panel partially defines an air outlet that is engaged with a blower outlet of the blower. 
     
     
         15 . The water heating appliance of  claim 11 , wherein the first top panel includes a first vent aperture that at least partially defines an air outlet, and wherein the second top panel includes a second vent aperture that at least partially defines an air inlet. 
     
     
         16 . The water heating appliance of  claim 11 , wherein the second top panel in the enclosed position prevents removal of the first top panel from the plurality of wall panels. 
     
     
         17 . The water heating appliance of  claim 11 , wherein the blower is accessible through a major access aperture that is defined by the plurality of wall panels with the first top panel and the second top panel removed. 
     
     
         18 . A water heating appliance comprising:
 a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet;   a heating system that operates to heat a fluid that is received via the fluid inlet to define a heated fluid that is delivered to an external fixture;   a blower in thermal communication with the heating system;   a plurality of wall panels that cooperate to surround a portion of the heating system and the blower;   a first top panel having a seat, wherein the first top panel is selectively attached to the plurality of wall panels; and   a second top panel having a mount that is selectively disposed on the seat and attached to the plurality of wall panels to define an enclosed position, wherein
 the seat and the mount define a dividing edge in the enclosed position, the dividing edge forming a first cutout that receives the fluid inlet and a second cutout that receives the fluid outlet, the first and second cutouts being located within interrupted portions of the seat and the mount; 
 the second top panel is separable from the first top panel and the plurality of wall panels to define a minor access aperture for accessing at least the heating system; and 
 the blower is accessible through a major access aperture that is defined by the plurality of wall panels with the first top panel and the second top panel removed. 
   
     
     
         19 . The water heating appliance of  claim 18 , wherein the first cutout and the second cutout are partially defined within the first top panel. 
     
     
         20 . The water heating appliance of  claim 18 , wherein the mount of the second top panel is selectively attached to the seat of the first top panel via fasteners.