Patent Application
20200300505
The present invention generally relates to housings that are recess mounted within a wall. More specifically, the invention relates to a housing adapted for recess mounting in wall, as may be used for the mounting of an electric tankless water heater.
Currently, when mounting an electric tankless water heater so as to be recessed into a wall, a metal plate is mounted behind two wall studs and an opening is framed with metal or wood studs to define the opening in the wall. An access door is then mounted to the framing studs to cover the installation.
Such an installation is manually intensive, time consuming and complicated, and is also difficult in an application to an existing wall.
In satisfying the above need, as well as overcoming the enumerated drawbacks and other limitations of the related art, the present invention provides a wall sleeve for mounting an electric tankless water heater within a recess of a wall.
In one aspect, a wall sleeve is provided that includes a top sidewall, a bottom sidewall, a left sidewall, a right sidewall and a rear wall. The right sidewall extends between and connects one end of the top sidewall to a corresponding end of the bottom sidewall. The left sidewall extends between and connects an opposing end of the top sidewall to a corresponding opposing end of the bottom sidewall. The top sidewall extends between and connects one end of the right sidewall to a corresponding end of the left sidewall, while the bottom sidewall extends between and connects an opposing end of the right sidewall to a corresponding opposing end of the left sidewall. A rear wall extends between and connects together the top sidewall, the bottom sidewall, the right sidewall and the left sidewall to cooperatively define an enclosure having an enclosure opening located opposite of the rear wall. Each of the top sidewall, the bottom sidewall, the right sidewall and the left sidewall have identical configurations, including portions defining at least one access opening and portions defining at least one mounting opening. The mounting openings having an effective diameter smaller than an effective diameter of the access openings.
In another aspect, each of the access openings of the top sidewall, the bottom sidewall, the right sidewall and the left sidewall are a first access opening and each of the each of the top sidewall, the bottom sidewall, the right sidewall and the left sidewall each include portions defining a second access opening.
In a further aspect, the second access openings are identical in size and shape to the first access openings.
In an additional aspect, the first and second access openings are positioned closer to the rear wall than the enclosure opening.
In still another aspect, the access openings are positioned closer to the rear wall than the enclosure opening.
In yet a further aspect, an access door mounted to the enclosure opening of the enclosure.
In still an additional aspect, the access door includes a frame, a bezel mounted to the frame and a cover door.
In another aspect, each of the sidewalls of the enclosure includes mounting openings, the access door being mounted to the enclosure through the mounting openings.
In still a further aspect, the mounting openings are in the form of slots.
In an additional aspect, the slots extend away from the enclosure opening toward the rear wall.
Further objects, features and advantages of this invention will become readily apparent to persons skilled in the art after review of the following description, including the claim, with reference to the drawings that are appended to and form a part of this specification.
As used in the description that follows, directional terms such as “upper” and “lower” are used with reference to the orientation of the elements as presented in the figures. Accordingly, “upper” indicates a direction toward the top of the figure and “lower” indicates a direction toward the bottom of the figure. The terms “left” and “right” are similarly interpreted. The terms “inward” or “inner” and “outward” or “outer” indicate a direction that is generally toward or away from a central axis of the referred to part whether or not such an access is designated in the figures. An axial surface is therefore one that faces in the axial direction. In other words, an axial surface faces in a direction along the central axis. A radial surface therefore faces radially, generally away from or toward the central axis. It will be understood, however, that in actual implementation, the directional references used herein may not necessarily correspond with the installation and orientation of the corresponding components or device.
Referring now to the drawings, a wall sleeve embodying the principles of the present invention is generally illustrated in
Referring now to
The wall sleeve 10 allows an electric tankless water heater 24 or similar device to be mounted in a recessed position within the wall 20. Such an electric tankless water heater 24 is readily seen in
Referring now to
Preferably, the enclosure is formed from a single stamped sheet of metal that is bent along the lines of the juncture between the rear wall 34 and each of the sidewalls 26, 28, 30, 32, without the sidewalls being welded to one another to allow for some flexibility when mounting to a wall stud 22. Alternatively, the junctures could be welded or the enclosure 12 could be formed of a molded plastic material of suitable strength and heat resistance.
Each of the sidewalls 26, 28, 30, 32 is provided with one or more cutouts 52, mounting apertures 54 and, optionally, adjustment openings 56.
Preferably, two cutouts, a first cutout 52 and a second cutout 52′, are identically provided in each of the sidewalls 26, 28, 30, 32. The cutouts 52 are openings that define passages for the ingress of electrical cable 59 providing power to the electric tankless water heater 24 and for the ingress and egress of inlet and outlet plumbing lines 58 to the electric tankless water heater 24, which is mounted to the rear wall 34 of the wall sleeve 10. As seen in
Preferably at least two mounting apertures 54 are identically provided in the sidewalls 26, 28, 30, 32. The mounting apertures 54 are sized to receive screws, nails or other fasteners that are extended through the apertures 54 and into the wall studs 22 or framework of the wall 20 to support the wall sleeve 10 in the wall 20. In the illustrated embodiment, three mounting apertures 54, staggered along the length of the sidewall, are provided.
To allow for securement of the electric tankless water heater 24 in the wall sleeve 10, the rear wall 34 of the enclosure 12 may be provided with apertures 55, corresponding mounting bosses of the heater 24, for receiving metal screws or other fasteners. Alternatively, the apertures 55 maybe omitted and the electric tankless water heater 24 mounted via other mechanisms to the wall sleeve 10.
As noted above, adjustment openings 56 may be, optionally, identically provided in each of the sidewalls 26, 28, 30, 32. When provided, two adjustment openings 56, in the form of slots, generally adjacent to the front edges of the sidewalls 26, 28, 30, 32 and extending in the direction of the rear wall 34, are included. The adjustment slots 56 are used to secure the access door 16 to the enclosure 12 when an access door 16 is provided. The position and length of the slots 26, 28, 30, 32 allows for adjustment of the access door 16 relative to the exterior surface of the wall 20 when mounting the access door 16 to the enclosure 12. The access door 16 is preferably mounted to the enclosure 12 by extending screws or bolts through openings in the access door 16, as further discussed below, into and through the adjustment openings 56.
The access door 16, as seen in
The bezel 62 is integrally mounted, likewise by welds or other means, about the perimeter of the frame 60 and, like the face flanges 70, are generally oriented perpendicular to the frame sidewalls 66. The exterior dimensions of the bezel 62 are greater than the exterior dimensions of the frame 60. Accordingly, when installed, the bezel 62 rests on the exterior surface of the wall 20 framing the wall sleeve 10 and aesthetically concealing from view the opening 18 in the wall 20. The interior dimensions of the bezel 62 generally correspond with the dimensions of the frame 60 except that the face flanges 70 extend inward of the central opening 72 of the bezel 62.
The cover door 64 is pivotally secured to the one of the face flanges 70 of the frame 60, within the central opening 72 of the bezel 62, by a pivot rod and/or hinges 74. When closed, an edge 76 of the cover door 64, opposite of the hinge 74, engages the corresponding face flange 70 and is prevented from rotating through of the central opening 72 into the enclosure 12. The cover door 64 may additional include a latch 78, such as a rotary or other latch, to secure the cover door in the closed position.
The construction of the wall sleeve 10, as described above, is intended to permit the wall sleeve 10 to be installed within an opening 18 in the wall 20 regardless of the orientation of the wall sleeve 10 relative to the opening 18. In other words, the wall sleeve 10 is omni-directional and does not have upper, lower, left or right sides specific to a mounting orientation. The four identically configured sidewall 26, 28, 30, 32 allow for this omni-directional aspect while ensuring that the electrical cables 59 and plumbing lines 58 always have access into the enclosure 12.
The above description is meant to be illustrative of at least one preferred implementation incorporating the principles of the invention. One skilled in the art will really appreciate that the invention is susceptible to modification, variation and change without departing from the true spirit and fair scope of the invention, as defined in the claims that follow. The terminology used herein is therefore intended to be understood in the nature of words of description and not of limitation.
