System and method for water connection convertibility

Abstract

A water heater appliance and a method of configuring or reconfiguring said appliance for connection to one or more external conduits located above or below said appliance is disclosed. The water heater appliance comprises a housing at least partially defining an interior. At least one conduit is positioned within the interior and has a fixable conduit section and a movable conduit section coupled at a joint and movable relative to the fixable conduit section. The joint permits rotation of the movable conduit section about an axis of the joint while remaining coupled to the fixable conduit section. The movable conduit section is movable for being oriented or reoriented for alignment with an opening in an upwardly-facing surface of the housing, or oriented or reoriented for alignment with an opening in a downwardly-facing surface of the housing, for the water heater appliance to be configured for connection to the external conduit.

1 - 49 . (canceled) 
     
     
         50 . A water heater appliance comprising:
 a housing at least partially defining an interior, the housing having at least one side wall, a top portion with an upwardly-facing surface and a bottom portion with a downwardly-facing surface;   at least one conduit positioned within the interior of the housing, the at least one conduit having a fixable conduit section and a movable conduit section coupled at a joint to the fixable conduit section;   the movable conduit section being movable relative to the fixable conduit section such that the movable conduit section can be oriented or reoriented for alignment with an opening in the upwardly-facing surface of the housing, or can be oriented or reoriented for alignment with an opening in the downwardly-facing surface of the housing, such that the water heater appliance can be configured for connection to an external conduit located above or below the water heater appliance; wherein the joint is configured to permit rotation of the movable conduit section about an axis of the joint while remaining coupled to the fixable conduit section,   further comprising an inlet module for facilitating a connection between an end portion of the movable conduit section and an external conduit located above, below, or adjacent the housing of the water heater appliance.   
     
     
         51 . The water heater appliance of  claim 50 , wherein the inlet module includes a plate bracket configured to be mounted on the top portion with the upwardly-facing surface of the housing or the bottom portion with the downwardly-facing surface of the housing. 
     
     
         52 . The water heater appliance of  claim 51 , wherein the inlet module includes a cold water inlet configured to be mounted to the plate bracket and a return-recirculation inlet connected to the cold water inlet. 
     
     
         53 . (canceled) 
     
     
         54 . The water heater appliance of  claim 52 , wherein the cold water inlet extends for a length between opposed ends, one of the opposed ends extending along a first axis and the other one of the opposed ends extending along a second axis that is different from the first axis, and wherein the opposed end extending along the first axis is configured to be connected to an end portion of the movable conduit section and the opposed end extending along the second axis is configured to be connected to the external conduit. 
     
     
         55 . The water heater appliance of  claim 54 , wherein the return-recirculation inlet extends for a length between opposed ends, one of the opposed ends extending along a first axis and the other one of the opposed ends extending along a second axis that is different from the first axis. 
     
     
         56 . The water heating appliance of  claim 55 , further comprising a branch extending along a third axis that is perpendicular to the first axis, the branch configured to connect the opposed ends of the return-recirculation inlet. 
     
     
         57 . (canceled) 
     
     
         58 . The water heater appliance of  claim 56 , wherein the end portion of the movable conduit section is positionable for alignment with the opening in the upwardly-facing surface of the housing or in the downwardly-facing surface of the housing. 
     
     
         59 . (canceled) 
     
     
         60 . The water heater appliance of  claim 58 , further comprising an outlet module configured to be mounted on the top portion with the upwardly-facing surface of the housing or the bottom portion with the downwardly-facing surface of the housing. 
     
     
         61 . A water-heater appliance comprising:
 a housing at least partially defining an interior, the housing having at least one side wall, a top portion with an upwardly-facing surface and a bottom portion with a downwardly-facing surface;   at least one conduit positioned within the interior of the housing, the at least one conduit having a fixable conduit section and a movable conduit section coupled at a joint to the fixable conduit section;   the movable conduit section being movable relative to the fixable conduit section such that the movable conduit section can be oriented or reoriented for alignment with an opening in the upwardly-facing surface of the housing, or can be oriented or reoriented for alignment with an opening in the downwardly-facing surface of the housing, such that the water heater appliance can be configured for connection to an external conduit located above or below the water heater appliance; wherein the joint is configured to permit rotation of the movable conduit section about an axis of the joint while remaining coupled to the fixable conduit section,   wherein the joint comprises a clip for coupling a section of the fixed conduit and a section of the movable conduit.   
     
     
         62 . The water heater appliance of  claim 61 , wherein at least one of the sections of conduit can be reoriented at least 180 degrees, such that an end portion of at least one section of conduit is adjacent the opening in the upwardly-facing surface of the housing or the downwardly-facing surface of the housing. 
     
     
         63 . The water heater appliance of  claim 61 , wherein the clip is configured to restrict movement of a section of the movable conduit relative to at least the section of the fixed conduit. 
     
     
         64 . The water heater appliance of  claim 61 , further comprising a gasket for restricting movement of the clip relative to at least one of the sections of the fixed conduit or the moveable conduit. 
     
     
         65 . The water heater appliance of  claim 61 , wherein the clip comprises a self-locking clamp defining one or more openings. 
     
     
         66 . The water heater appliance of  claim 62 , wherein the joint comprises a connector surface configured to be received by the respective one or more openings defined in the self-locking clamp. 
     
     
         67 . A water heater appliance comprising:
 a housing at least partially defining an interior, the housing having at least one side wall, a top portion with an upwardly-facing surface and a bottom portion with a downwardly-facing surface;   at least one conduit positioned within the interior of the housing, the at least one conduit having a fixable conduit section and a movable conduit section coupled at a joint to the fixable conduit section;   the movable conduit section being movable relative to the fixable conduit section such that the movable conduit section can be oriented or reoriented for alignment with an opening in the upwardly-facing surface of the housing, or can be oriented or reoriented for alignment with an opening in the downwardly-facing surface of the housing, such that the water heater appliance can be configured for connection to an external conduit located above or below the water heater appliance; wherein the joint is configured to permit rotation of the movable conduit section about an axis of the joint while remaining coupled to the fixable conduit section,   wherein a distal end of the movable conduit section is configured to be coupled to an inlet module, the inlet module comprising a plate bracket configured to be mounted on a top portion with an upwardly-facing surface of the housing or a bottom portion with a downwardly-facing surface of the housing.   
     
     
         68 . The water heater appliance of  claim 67 , wherein a proximal end of the movable conduit section is decouplable from the fixable conduit section for the movement relative to the fixable conduit section and for the movement relative to the housing, and wherein the distal end of the movable conduit section is decouplable from the inlet module for the movement relative to the fixable conduit section and for the movement relative to the housing. 
     
     
         69 . The water heater appliance of  claim 68 , wherein the movable conduit section is configured to be decoupled from the fixable conduit section and the inlet module, the movable conduit configured to be reoriented relative to the fixable conduit section, and the movable conduit section is configured to be recoupled to the fixable conduit section in a new orientation. 
     
     
         70 . The water heater appliance of  claim 69 , wherein the inlet module is configured to be decoupled from the housing, reoriented relative to the housing, and recoupled to the housing in a new orientation. 
     
     
         71 . (canceled) 
     
     
         72 . The water heater appliance of  claim 56 , wherein the cold water inlet is an N-shaped conduit, the cold water inlet comprising an inlet opposed end extending along the first axis, an outlet opposed end extending along another axis parallel to the first axis, and a cold water branch extending between the inlet opposed end and the outlet opposed end, the cold water branch extending along the second axis that is different from the first axis, and wherein the N-shaped conduit defines a cold water fluid pathway. 
     
     
         73 . The water heater appliance of  claim 72 , wherein the return-recirculation inlet is an N-shaped conduit, the return-recirculation inlet comprising an inlet opposed end extending along the first axis, an outlet opposed end extending along another axis parallel to the first axis, a return-recirculation branch extending between the inlet opposed end and the outlet opposed end, the return-recirculation extending along the second axis that is different from the first axis. 
     
     
         74 . The water heater appliance of  claim 73 , wherein the branch is configured to connect the outlet opposed end of the return-recirculation inlet and the outlet opposed end of the cold water inlet. 
     
     
         75 . The water heater appliance of  claim 74 , wherein the inlet opposed end of the return-recirculation inlet, the return-recirculation branch, the outlet opposed end of the return-recirculation inlet, the branch, and the outlet opposed end of the cold water inlet define a return-recirculation fluid pathway. 
     
     
         76 . (canceled) 
     
     
         77 . (canceled) 
     
     
         78 . The water heater appliance of  claim 56 , wherein when the end portion of the movable conduit section is positionable for alignment with the opening in at least one of the upwardly-facing surface of the housing or the downwardly-facing surface of the housing, and a plate is positionable for alignment with the opening in at least one of the downwardly-facing surface of the housing or the upwardly-facing surface of the housing. 
     
     
         79 . (canceled)