Outer enclosure for a water heating appliance having separable junction box for maintenance access

Abstract

A water heating appliance includes a heating system for heating a fluid from a fluid inlet. Front and rear wall panels cooperate to define a perimeter wall that extends around the heating system in a surrounding position. A junction box is externally visible with the plurality of wall panels. An attachment interface includes a sliding retainer of the front wall panel and a sliding receiver of the rear wall panel that form an interlocking attachment in the surrounding position. The front wall panel includes a junction box slot that extends around the junction box in the surrounding position. Vertical motion of the front wall panel separates the front wall panel from the rear wall panel and separates the junction box slot from the junction box and defines an open area for accessing at least the heating system.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A water heating appliance comprising:
 a heating system that is attached to a base panel;   a plurality of wall panels including a front wall panel and a rear wall panel that cooperate to selectively define a perimeter wall that extends around at least a portion of the heating system and the base panel in a surrounding position;   an electrical system in communication with the heating system, wherein the electrical system includes a junction box that is externally visible with the plurality of wall panels in the surrounding position; and   an attachment interface of the plurality of wall panels, wherein the attachment interface includes a sliding retainer of the front wall panel and a sliding receiver of the rear wall panel that define an interlocking attachment in the surrounding position, wherein
 the surrounding position is characterized by the rear wall panel being attached to the base panel and the front wall panel being attached to the base panel and the rear wall panel; 
 the front wall panel includes a junction box slot that extends around the junction box in the surrounding position; 
 selective vertical motion of the front wall panel separates the sliding receiver from the sliding retainer to remove the front wall panel from the rear wall panel and to separate the junction box slot from the junction box; and 
 removal of the front wall panel from the rear wall panel and the junction box defines an open area for accessing at least the heating system. 
   
     
     
         2 . The water heating appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the sliding retainer of the front wall panel includes a pair of opposing flanges that are defined within the front wall panel. 
     
     
         3 . The water heating appliance of  claim 2 , wherein the pair of opposing flanges are stamped within the front wall panel. 
     
     
         4 . The water heating appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the front wall panel and the rear wall panel define a cylindrical configuration of the perimeter wall. 
     
     
         5 . The water heating appliance of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a control panel that is in communication with the junction box and the heating system, wherein the control panel is disposed within a control receptacle defined within the front wall panel.   
     
     
         6 . The water heating appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the sliding receiver includes a top opening and a lower guide portion that guides the sliding retainer into the surrounding position. 
     
     
         7 . The water heating appliance of  claim 1 , further comprising a top panel that engages the perimeter wall to define an enclosed position, wherein the front wall panel is selectively separable from the rear wall panel after at least a portion of the top panel is removed from the perimeter wall. 
     
     
         8 . The water heating appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the base panel includes a plurality of tabs that receive slots of the front wall panel and the rear wall panel. 
     
     
         9 . The water heating appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the junction box is attached to the base panel, and wherein the junction box slot is defined within a bottom edge of the front wall panel. 
     
     
         10 . The water heating appliance of  claim 5 , wherein the control panel is attached to the electrical system via a wire harness that is received by an electrical receptacle of the control panel. 
     
     
         11 . A water heating appliance comprising:
 a heating system attached to a base panel;   a front wall panel and a rear wall panel that cooperate to selectively define a surrounding position that forms a cylindrical perimeter wall that extends around at least a portion of the heating system and the base panel;   an electrical junction box in communication with the heating system, wherein the electrical junction box is externally visible with the cylindrical perimeter wall in the surrounding position, wherein the electrical junction box is attached to the base panel; and   an attachment interface that includes a sliding retainer of the front wall panel and a sliding receiver of the rear wall panel that define an interlocking attachment in the surrounding position, wherein
 the surrounding position is characterized by the rear wall panel being attached to the base panel and the front wall panel being attached to the base panel and the rear wall panel; 
 the front wall panel includes a junction box slot within a bottom edge of the front wall panel that extends around the electrical junction box in the surrounding position; 
 selective vertical motion of the front wall panel separates the sliding receiver from the sliding retainer to separate the junction box slot from the electrical junction box; and 
 removal of the front wall panel from the rear wall panel and the electrical junction box defines an open area for accessing at least the heating system. 
   
     
     
         12 . The water heating appliance of  claim 11 , wherein the sliding retainer of the front wall panel includes at least one flange that is stamped within the front wall panel. 
     
     
         13 . The water heating appliance of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 a control panel that is in communication with the electrical junction box and the heating system, wherein the control panel is disposed within a control receptacle defined within the front wall panel.   
     
     
         14 . The water heating appliance of  claim 11 , wherein the sliding receiver includes a top opening and a lower guide portion that guides the sliding retainer into the surrounding position. 
     
     
         15 . The water heating appliance of  claim 11 , wherein the base panel includes a plurality of tabs that receive slots of the front wall panel and the rear wall panel. 
     
     
         16 . The water heating appliance of  claim 13 , wherein the control panel is attached to an electrical system via a wire harness that is received by an electrical receptacle of the control panel. 
     
     
         17 . A water heating appliance comprising:
 a base panel;   a front wall panel and a rear wall panel that cooperate to selectively and partially form a cylindrical perimeter wall that defines an upper housing;   an electrical junction box configured to be in communication with an electrical system, wherein the electrical junction box is attached to the base panel and forms a portion of the cylindrical perimeter wall; and   an attachment interface that includes a sliding retainer of the front wall panel and a sliding receiver of the rear wall panel, the sliding retainer and the sliding receiver defining an interlocking attachment, wherein
 the rear wall panel of the cylindrical perimeter wall is attached to the base panel, and the front wall panel of the cylindrical perimeter wall is attached to the base panel, the rear wall panel, and the electrical junction box; 
 the front wall panel includes a junction box slot within a bottom edge of the front wall panel that extends around the electrical junction box to define the cylindrical perimeter wall; 
 selective vertical motion of the front wall panel separates the sliding receiver from the sliding retainer to separate the junction box slot from the electrical junction box; and 
 removal of the front wall panel from the rear wall panel and the electrical junction box defines an open area for accessing the upper housing. 
   
     
     
         18 . The water heating appliance of  claim 17 , wherein the sliding retainer of the front wall panel includes at least one flange that is stamped within the front wall panel. 
     
     
         19 . The water heating appliance of  claim 17 , further comprising:
 A control panel that is in communication with the electrical junction box and the electrical system, wherein the control panel is disposed within a control receptacle defined within the front wall panel.   
     
     
         20 . The water heating appliance of  claim 17 , wherein the sliding receiver includes a top opening and a lower guide portion that guides the sliding retainer into a surrounding position.