Gas appliance and control method thereof

Abstract

The invention discloses a gas appliance and a control method thereof. The gas appliance comprises an ignition coil and a thermocouple. The combination valve is arranged on a gas pipeline of the gas appliance, is used for opening or cutting off the gas pipeline between the gas source and the gas appliance, and comprises a user end and a gas source end; the combination valve comprises an electromagnetic valve and a gas safety valve, the electromagnetic valve is arranged between the gas safety valve and the gas source end, and the electromagnetic valve is electrically connected with an ignition coil and a thermocouple. The problems that a self-closing valve of an existing gas appliance is low in sensitivity, and trace leakage cannot be detected are solved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention belongs to the technical field of gas appliances, and more particularly, relates to a gas appliance and a control method thereof. Background Art

[0002] As a clean and efficient energy source, gas has brought numerous conveniences to our lives. However, safety issues such as gas leaks and explosions are also common. Statistics show that each year, these incidents cause significant property damage and casualties nationwide. Therefore, strengthening gas safety management to protect the lives and property of citizens has become a top priority.

[0003] The pipeline gas self-closing valve is installed on the pipeline of the low-pressure gas system. When the pipeline has underpressure, overpressure or gas leakage, it can automatically close without electricity or other external power and must be opened manually. It works automatically and is reliable in the long term.

[0004] However, when a slight leakage occurs at the rear end of the self-closing valve, that is, a slight leakage occurs in the gas pipeline between the self-closing valve and the gas appliance, since the gas source at the front end of the self-closing valve has been replenishing gas to the gas pipeline, the pressure difference between the two ends of the self-closing valve does not change significantly. The self-closing valve cannot detect the slight leakage and cannot cut off the gas source to the gas pipeline of the gas appliance in time, causing a safety hazard. Summary of the Invention

[0005] To address the problem of low sensitivity and inability to detect trace leaks in existing gas appliances' self-closing valves, the present invention provides a gas appliance and a control method thereof. The gas appliance comprises an ignition coil and a thermocouple; a combination valve, mounted on the appliance's gas pipeline, for opening or shutting off the gas pipeline between the gas source and the appliance, including both the user end and the gas source end; and a gas safety valve, mounted between the gas safety valve and the gas source end, electrically connected to both the ignition coil and the thermocouple.

[0006] Furthermore, the solenoid valve includes: a valve body, which is provided with a first valve port; an electromagnetic assembly, which is located in the valve body and electrically connected to the controller; a valve cover, which is movably arranged above the first valve port and is used to open or close the first valve port, and a spring is provided between the valve cover and the valve body, and the spring is used to keep the first valve port closed when the gas safety valve is closed; a valve core, one end of the valve core is connected to the valve cover, and the other end of the valve core is connected to the electromagnetic assembly, and the valve core can drive the valve cover to move up and down; a magnetic part, which is located at one end of the valve body away from the valve cover and is used to keep the first valve port open when the gas safety valve is opened.

[0007] Furthermore, the first valve port is an arc-shaped sealing surface, which includes: a sealing plane; a first sealing inclined surface, which is arranged on the outside of the sealing plane and is inclined downward, and the arc connects the sealing plane; and a second sealing arc surface, which is arranged on the inside of the sealing plane and is connected to the sealing plane.

[0008] Furthermore, an annular sealing surface is provided on the side of the valve cover close to the first valve port, the inner diameter of the annular sealing surface is smaller than the inner diameter of the first valve port, and the outer diameter of the annular sealing surface is larger than the outer diameter of the first valve port, so that the annular sealing surface can cover the sealing surface of the first valve port.

[0009] Furthermore, the valve cover includes: a sealing body for sealing the first valve port; a pressure cover pressed above the sealing body; wherein, when the valve cover closes the first valve port, the sealing body is pressed between the pressure cover and the first valve port, and fits with the sealing surface of the first valve port.

[0010] Furthermore, the combination valve further comprises: a user connector connected to the user end of the solenoid valve; wherein the user connector is provided with an internal thread matching the user pipeline, and the solenoid valve is connected to the user pipeline via the user connector.

[0011] Furthermore, the user connector is connected to the solenoid valve via a retaining spring; and at least one sealing ring is provided at the connection between the user connector and the user end.

[0012] Furthermore, the solenoid valve is a pulse valve, and the combination valve further includes a controller, and the solenoid valve is connected to the gas appliance or signal acquisition device via a signal from the controller.

[0013] Furthermore, the signal input terminal of the controller is signal-connected to the signal output terminal of the ignition coil, and the thermocouple supplies power to the controller.

[0014] Furthermore, the present invention provides a gas water heater. The gas water heater includes: a combination valve disposed on a gas pipeline of the gas water heater; a water flow monitoring unit disposed on a water pipeline at the water inlet or outlet of the gas water heater for real-time monitoring of water flow; and a power adapter electrically connecting the controller and the solenoid valve to supply power to the controller and the solenoid valve. The signal input terminal of the controller is signal-connected to the water flow monitoring unit, and the controller can control the solenoid valve to close based on the water flow value obtained by the water flow monitoring unit.

[0015] Furthermore, the gas safety valve is connected to the gas water heater through a first gas pipeline, and the solenoid valve is connected to the gas source through a second gas pipeline; when the pressure difference between the first gas pipeline side and the solenoid valve side is greater than or equal to a first pressure threshold, the gas safety valve switches from an open state to a closed state.

[0016] Furthermore, the present invention provides a method for controlling a gas appliance. The method is applied to the aforementioned gas appliance and includes: if a water flow rate value of a water pipe of the gas water heater is less than or equal to a flow rate threshold, determining that the water heater is off, and controlling the solenoid valve to delay closing for a first time period by the controller.

[0017] Furthermore, the control method of the gas appliance also includes: obtaining the pressure difference between the first gas pipeline side and the solenoid valve side; judging whether the pressure difference is greater than or equal to a second pressure threshold; if so, obtaining the water flow value of the water pipeline of the gas water heater, and judging the reason why the pressure difference is greater than or equal to the second pressure threshold based on the size relationship between the water flow value and the flow threshold; wherein, the second pressure threshold is less than the first pressure threshold.

[0018] Furthermore, the reason for judging that the pressure difference is greater than or equal to the second pressure threshold based on the magnitude relationship between the water flow value and the flow threshold includes: if the water flow value of the water pipe of the gas water heater is less than or equal to the flow threshold, it is judged that the water switch of the water pipe is in the closed state, and the reason for judging that the pressure difference is greater than or equal to the second pressure threshold is that there is an unextinguished residual fire in the gas water heater.

[0019] Furthermore, if there is an unextinguished residual flame in the gas water heater, the solenoid valve is controlled to be closed with a delay of a first time period.

[0020] Furthermore, if the water flow value of the water pipe of the gas water heater is greater than the flow threshold, it is determined that the reason why the pressure difference is greater than or equal to the second pressure threshold is that there is a leak in the first gas pipe, so an alarm signal is issued to prompt the user to perform maintenance.

[0021] Furthermore, the power adapter includes a 220V AC to 12V DC module and is equipped with a backup battery; when the combination valve is powered off, the backup battery can provide backup working power for the controller and the solenoid valve.

[0022] The technical effects and advantages of the present invention are as follows: A solenoid valve is added to the existing self-closing valve near the gas source, and is electrically connected to both the ignition coil and the thermocouple. This allows the solenoid valve to be powered by the gas appliance's thermocouple, and signals are transmitted between the ignition coil and the solenoid valve, allowing the combination valve's solenoid valve to close synchronously with the gas appliance. When the gas appliance is turned off, the combination valve's solenoid valve also closes, shutting off the gas line at the front end of the gas safety valve. In other words, when the gas appliance is turned off, the gas source does not supply air to the front end of the gas safety valve. Therefore, if a slight leak occurs at the rear end of the gas safety valve—that is, if a slight leak occurs in the gas line between the gas safety valve and the gas appliance—the pressure differential across the gas safety valve is amplified, increasing the combination valve's gas leak sensitivity. This solves the problem of low gas leak sensitivity caused by the front-end air supply of existing self-closing valves, which prevents timely detection of slight leaks at the rear end of the gas safety valve. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0023] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a gas appliance provided by the present application, with the gas pipeline on the left and the water pipeline on the right; Figure 2 for Figure 1 Schematic diagram of the structure of the combination valve; Figure 3 This is a structural diagram of another combination valve provided by this application; Figure 4 yes Figure 3 Cross-sectional view of the middle combination valve; Figure 5 yes Figure 3 A cross-sectional view of the connection between the user connector and the solenoid valve; Figure 6 yes Figure 3 Exploded view of the connection between the user connector and the solenoid valve; Figure 7 yes Figure 4 A partial enlarged view of the middle valve cover and the first valve port; Figure 8 yes Figure 7 A partial enlarged view of the first valve port; Figure 9 This is an exploded diagram of the solenoid valve; Figure 10 It is a cross-sectional view of the connection between the cover plate and the magnetic body; Figure 11 This is a schematic diagram of the connection between the controller, solenoid valve, and water flow monitoring unit; Figure 12 A flow chart of a control method for a gas water heater provided in this application.

[0024] In the picture: 100, combination valve; 101, gas source end; 102, user end; 10, solenoid valve; 20, gas safety valve; 30, first valve port; 40, user connector; 51, retaining ring; 52, sealing ring; 60, controller; 70, magnetic component; 71, cover plate; 72, magnetic body; 721, groove; 11. Power cord; 12. Coil; 13. Iron core; 131. Protrusion; 14. Valve core; 141. Baffle; 15. Valve cover; 151. Gland; 152. Sealing body; 16. Spring; 31. Sealing plane; 32. First sealing slope; 33. Second sealing arc surface; 300, gas water heater; 210, water flow monitoring unit; 220, power adapter; 221, first signal line; 222, second signal line; 223, second power line; 400, gas source; 410, first gas pipeline; 420, second gas pipeline; 500, water source. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0025] The present invention will be described in further detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments. The embodiments of the present invention are provided for purposes of illustration and description and are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the disclosed forms. Many modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art. The embodiments are chosen and described to better illustrate the principles of the invention and its practical application, and to enable those skilled in the art to understand the invention and design various embodiments with various modifications suitable for specific applications.

[0026] The present invention provides a gas appliance. The gas appliance includes an ignition coil, a thermocouple, and a combination valve 100. The combination valve 100 is connected to the gas appliance's gas input pipeline via a user terminal 102. The signal input terminal of a controller 60 is connected to the signal output terminal of the ignition coil, and the thermocouple supplies power to the controller 60. For example, the gas appliance can be a gas stove or a gas water heater, or other appliance that uses gas as fuel.

[0027] See also Figure 2The combination valve 100 is arranged on the gas pipeline of the gas appliance, and is used to open or cut off the gas pipeline between the gas source 400 and the gas appliance, and includes a gas source end 101 and a user end 102. Specifically, the combination valve 100 includes a solenoid valve 10 and a gas safety valve 20, and the solenoid valve 10 is electrically connected to the ignition coil and thermocouple of the gas appliance. The gas safety valve 20 is arranged on the side of the combination valve 100 close to the user end 102, and the solenoid valve 10 is arranged on the side of the combination valve 100 close to the gas source end 101. That is to say, the solenoid valve 10 is located at the front end of the gas safety valve 20, that is, the solenoid valve 10 is located on the side of the gas safety valve 20 close to the gas source 400. When the gas appliance is turned on, the solenoid valve 10 is opened; when the gas appliance is turned off, the solenoid valve 10 is closed. For example, the signal source of the controller 60 can be the ignition coil of the gas appliance, or it can be a signal acquisition device such as a water flow sensor.

[0028] In one embodiment, the gas appliance's thermocouple supplies power to the solenoid valve 10. When the flame of the gas appliance goes out, the solenoid valve 10 shuts off, cutting off the gas supply to the gas pipeline leading to the gas safety valve 20. This improves the gas leak detection sensitivity of the gas safety valve 20 when a small leak occurs in the gas pipeline between the gas safety valve 20 and the gas appliance.

[0029] Preferably, combined Figure 3 The combination valve 100 further includes a controller 60. For example, the solenoid valve 10 is a pulse valve, and the solenoid valve 10 is connected to a gas appliance or a signal acquisition device via a signal from the controller 60.

[0030] In one specific embodiment, the gas appliance is a gas stove, gas water heater, or other appliance that uses gas as fuel. The signal source for controller 60 is the ignition coil of the gas appliance. When the ignition coil senses flame extinction, controller 60 receives the flame extinction signal from the ignition coil and, based on the signal, generates a pulse power supply to control solenoid valve 10 to switch from an open state to a closed state, thereby shutting off the gas pipeline leading to gas safety valve 20. This improves the gas leak detection sensitivity of gas safety valve 20 in the event of a minor leak in the gas pipeline between gas safety valve 20 and the gas appliance.

[0031] For example, the gas appliance is a gas water heater, and the signal source for controller 60 is a signal acquisition device, such as a water flow sensor, used to detect whether the gas water heater is shut off. In one specific embodiment, when the water flow sensor detects that the water line is shut off, controller 60 can receive a water line shutoff signal from the water flow sensor and, based on this signal, control solenoid valve 10 to switch from an open state to a closed state, thereby shutting off the gas line leading to gas safety valve 20. This improves the gas leak detection sensitivity of gas safety valve 20 in the event of a minor leak in the gas line between gas safety valve 20 and the gas appliance.

[0032] It is understood that the combination valve 100 provided in the present application adds a solenoid valve 10 to the existing self-closing valve near the gas source 400, and connects the solenoid valve 10 to the signal acquisition device via a controller 60 signal. This allows the controller 60 to synchronize the closing of the solenoid valve 10 of the combination valve 100 with the gas appliance. Specifically, when the gas appliance is turned off, the solenoid valve 10 of the combination valve 100 also closes, cutting off the gas pipeline at the front end of the gas safety valve 20. In other words, when the gas appliance is turned off, the gas source will not supply gas to the front end of the gas safety valve 20. Therefore, when a slight leak occurs at the rear end of the gas safety valve 20, that is, when a slight leak occurs in the gas pipeline between the gas safety valve 20 and the gas appliance, the pressure difference across the gas safety valve 20 can be amplified, thereby increasing the gas leak sensitivity of the combination valve 100. This solves the problem of low gas leak sensitivity caused by the front-end gas supply of the existing self-closing valve, which prevents timely detection of slight leaks at the rear end of the self-closing valve.

[0033] Further, combined Figures 2 to 10 The solenoid valve 10 is a pulse valve and includes, for example, a power cord 11, a magnetic component 70, a valve body, a solenoid assembly, a valve core 14, a valve cover 15, and a spring 16. The valve body defines a first valve port 30; the valve cover 15 is movably disposed above the first valve port 30 for opening or closing the first valve port 30; the valve core 14 passes through the middle of the valve cover 15, driving the valve cover 15 to move up and down.

[0034] Specifically, the solenoid assembly is located within the valve body and is electrically connected to the controller 60. It drives the valve core 14 and valve cover 15 downward, closing the first valve port 30. For example, the solenoid assembly includes a coil 12 and an iron core 13. A spring 16 is positioned above the valve cover 15 to press against the valve cover 15 and maintain the first valve port 30 closed when the solenoid valve 10 is closed. A magnetic element 70 is located on the end of the valve body away from the valve cover 15 and is configured to maintain the first valve port 30 open when the solenoid valve 10 is open.

[0035] For example, the magnetic part 70 is a permanent magnet arranged at the top of the valve body. The magnetic attraction of the magnetic part 70 can keep the iron core 13 at the upper limit position. At this time, the valve cover 15 opens the first valve port 30, and the first valve port 30 remains open, the solenoid valve 10 is opened, and the gas pipeline from the gas source end 101 to the gas safety valve 20 is opened.

[0036] When the gas water heater is turned off, the ignition coil of the gas water heater senses that the flame is extinguished and sends a flame extinguishing signal. The controller 60 can receive the flame extinguishing signal and send a pulse power supply according to the flame extinguishing signal to control the electromagnetic component to be energized and operate. The electromagnetic component generates a downward magnetic attraction force, and the magnetic attraction force generated by the electromagnetic component is greater than the magnetic attraction force of the magnetic part 70, thereby causing the valve core 14 and the valve cover 15 to move downward. The valve cover 15 closes the first valve port 30, and the spring 16 can keep the valve cover 15 in a closed state, thereby cutting off the gas pipeline from the gas source end 101 to the gas safety valve 20.

[0037] It can be understood that, compared with controlling the opening and closing of the solenoid valve 10 only by the electromagnetic component, by adding a magnetic part 70 and a spring 16 to the solenoid valve 10, the magnetic attraction of the magnetic part 70 can be used to keep the solenoid valve 10 in an open state when the gas appliance is in use, and the elastic force of the spring 16 can be used to keep the solenoid valve 10 in a closed state. Therefore, the electromagnetic component does not need to be powered on and operated all the time in the open and closed states; the electromagnetic component will only be powered on and operated to close the solenoid valve 10 when the gas water heater is turned off, thereby reducing the power-on time of the electromagnetic component, reducing the energy consumption of the solenoid valve 10, and thereby reducing the operating energy consumption of the combination valve 100, which is more power-saving and energy-efficient.

[0038] Further, combined Figure 10 The magnetic part 70 includes a cover plate 71 and a magnetic body 72. A groove 721 is provided at the bottom end of the magnetic body 72, and a protrusion 131 is provided at the top end of the iron core 13. When the valve cover 15 opens the first valve port 30 and keeps it open, the protrusion 131 is located in the groove 721. By providing the groove 721 at the bottom end of the magnetic body 72 and the protrusion 131 at the top end of the iron core 13, the contact area between the magnetic body 72 and the iron core 13 can be increased, thereby increasing the magnetic attraction between the magnetic body 72 and the iron core 13. For example, the protrusion 131 and the groove 721 are truncated cone-shaped.

[0039] Furthermore, the upper half of the solenoid valve 10 is connected to the valve body of the lower half by a snap-fit connection. It is understandable that the snap-fit connection facilitates assembly and disassembly, allowing the upper half of the solenoid valve 10 to be removed during transportation, reducing the space occupied by the combination valve 100 and lowering transportation costs. On the other hand, because the upper half of the solenoid valve 10 is equipped with an electromagnetic assembly, it must be connected to a circuit for power supply. The valve body of the lower half, which contains sealing-related components, does not require connection to a circuit for power supply. When a circuit fault occurs in the solenoid valve 10, the snap-fit connection facilitates the removal of the upper half of the solenoid valve 10 for maintenance, making subsequent maintenance and troubleshooting more convenient.

[0040] Further, combined Figure 7 and Figure 8A curved sealing surface is provided on one side of the first valve port 30 close to the valve cover 15 .

[0041] It should be noted that the sealing surface at the valve port of a conventional solenoid valve is a flat surface, and its sealing contact area is relatively small. By providing an arc-shaped sealing surface at the first valve port 30, the contact area between the first valve port 30 and the valve cover 15 can be increased, and the sealing performance is better.

[0042] Further, combined Figure 8 The sealing surface of the first valve port 30 includes a sealing plane 31, a first sealing bevel 32, and a second sealing arc 33. The first sealing bevel 32 is disposed outside the sealing plane 31 and is connected to the sealing plane 31 in an arc shape. The second sealing arc 33 is disposed inside the sealing plane 31 and is connected to the sealing plane 31 in an oblique manner. For example, the first sealing bevel 32 can be an inclined surface or an arc surface, which is not limited here.

[0043] It should be noted that the full arc surface sealing surface is difficult to process and the processing cost is relatively high. By combining the sealing plane 31 with the sealing arc surface, the sealing performance of the solenoid valve 10 can be improved while avoiding a significant increase in processing difficulty and processing cost.

[0044] Further, combined Figure 8 The first sealing inclined surface 32 and the second sealing arc surface 33 are both inclined downward.

[0045] It should be noted that when the gas is impure, foreign matter may be present in the gas pipeline. If this foreign matter is located at the valve port of a conventional solenoid valve with a flat sealing surface, the foreign matter will remain on the flat surface. When the solenoid valve is closed, the foreign matter will be located between the flat surface and the valve cover 15, so the flat surface and the valve cover 15 will not be fully aligned, thus affecting the sealing performance.

[0046] By angling the first sealing bevel 32 and the second sealing arc 33 downward, foreign matter within the gas pipeline is prevented from accumulating on the sealing surface of the first valve port 30. When foreign matter is located on the sealing surface of the first valve port 30, because the first sealing bevel 32 angling downward is provided on the outer side of the sealing plane 31, and the second sealing arc 33 angling downward is provided on the inner side of the sealing plane 31, the foreign matter can slide down along the first sealing bevel 32 or the second sealing arc 33 and will not accumulate on the sealing surface of the first valve port 30. When the solenoid valve 10 is closed, the valve cover 15 can fully fit the sealing surface of the first valve port 30, thereby ensuring the sealing performance of the first valve port 30.

[0047] In a specific embodiment, combining Figure 7An annular sealing surface is provided on the side of the valve cover 15 close to the first valve port 30. The inner diameter of the annular sealing surface is smaller than the inner diameter of the first valve port 30, and the outer diameter of the annular sealing surface is larger than the outer diameter of the first valve port 30, so that the annular sealing surface can cover the sealing surface of the first valve port 30.

[0048] Preferably, a baffle 141 is further provided at the bottom of the valve core 14 to prevent the valve cover 15 from falling off the valve core 14. The diameter of the baffle 141 is larger than the inner diameter of the annular sealing surface and smaller than the inner diameter of the first valve port 30.

[0049] Furthermore, the valve cover 15 includes, for example, a gland 151 and a sealing body 152. The sealing body 152 is used to seal the first valve port 30. The gland 151 is pressed onto the sealing body 152. When the valve cover 15 closes the first valve port 30, the sealing body 152 is pressed between the gland 151 and the first valve port 30, contacting the sealing surface of the first valve port 30. The bottom of the sealing body 152 may be provided with a sealing groove corresponding to the shape of the first valve port 30, or it may be an elastic seal that can deform according to the shape of the first valve port 30.

[0050] For example, a sealing groove is provided at the bottom of the pressure cover 151, and the sealing body 152 is embedded in the sealing groove. The connection between the sealing body 152 and the pressure cover 151 can be adhesive or directly clamped.

[0051] In a specific embodiment, the sealing body 152 is a rubber part. When squeezed by the pressure cover 151, the sealing surface of the sealing body 152 can be deformed so that the sealing surface of the sealing body 152 adapts to the shape of the first valve port 30 and fits tightly against the sealing surface of the first valve port 30.

[0052] By configuring the valve cover 15 to include a sealing body 152 and a pressure cover 151 , when the valve cover 15 closes the first valve port 30 , the pressure cover 151 can squeeze the sealing body 152 , making the sealing body 152 fit more closely with the first valve port 30 and improving the sealing performance.

[0053] Further, combined Figure 6 The combination valve 100 further includes a user connector 40 . The user connector 40 is connected to the side of the solenoid valve 10 close to the gas source end 101 . The user connector 40 has an internal thread that matches the user pipeline, and the combination valve 100 is connected to the gas pipeline through the user connector 40 .

[0054] It should be noted that conventional gas self-closing valves are typically integrated and directly connected to the gas pipeline. Different user pipe diameters require matching gas self-closing valves of different specifications. By providing a split user connector 40 at the gas source end 101 of the solenoid valve 10, the user connector 40 can be replaced with different specifications of internal threads according to different user pipe diameters, thereby improving the applicability of the combination valve 100.

[0055] Furthermore, the user connector 40 is connected to the solenoid valve 10 via a clamping spring 51. For example, the clamping spring 51 is hexagonal in shape.

[0056] Furthermore, the combination valve 100 includes at least one sealing ring 52 disposed at the connection between the user connector 40 and the solenoid valve 10. Because the user connector 40 and the solenoid valve 10 are separate components, the sealing performance of the connection between the user connector 40 and the solenoid valve 10 needs to be considered. By providing at least one sealing ring 52 at the connection between the user connector 40 and the solenoid valve 10, the sealing performance of the connection between the user connector 40 and the solenoid valve 10 is guaranteed, preventing gas leakage from the connection between the user connector 40 and the solenoid valve 10. In one specific embodiment, two sealing rings 52 are provided at the connection between the user connector 40 and the solenoid valve 10.

[0057] Furthermore, the present invention provides a gas water heater 300. Figure 1 and Figure 11 The gas water heater 300 includes any combination valve 100 as described above, a water flow monitoring unit 210, and a power adapter 220. The combination valve 100 is disposed on the gas pipeline of the gas water heater 300; the water flow monitoring unit 210 is disposed on the water pipeline at the water inlet or outlet of the gas water heater 300 and is used to monitor the water flow in real time; and the power adapter 220 electrically connects the controller 60 and the solenoid valve 10 to provide power to the controller 60 and the solenoid valve 10.

[0058] In a specific embodiment, the water source 500 supplies water to the water pipeline of the gas water heater 300, and the gas source 400 supplies gas to the gas pipeline of the gas water heater 300. Specifically, the signal input end of the controller 60 is connected to the water flow monitoring unit 210 signal, and the controller 60 can control the switch state of the gas safety valve 20 according to the water flow value obtained by the water flow monitoring unit 210. For example, the controller 60 is a PLC controller, and the water flow monitoring unit 210 is a water flow sensor provided on the water outlet pipeline of the gas water heater 300. The PLC controller is electrically connected to the water flow monitoring unit 210 through the first signal line 221; the PLC controller is electrically connected to the solenoid valve 10 through the second signal line 222; and the power adapter 220 supplies power to the PLC controller through the second power line 223.

[0059] It should be noted that when the gas water heater 300 is turned off, the water line switch of the water line and the solenoid valve 10 on the gas line will be closed synchronously with the gas water heater 300. However, sometimes there is an unextinguished afterglow in the combustion chamber of the gas water heater 300, causing the gas on the side of the gas safety valve 20 near the combustion chamber to be consumed by the unextinguished afterglow, resulting in a pressure difference across the gas safety valve 20, causing the gas safety valve 20 to misjudge that there is a leak in the gas line on the side of the gas safety valve 20 near the combustion chamber. As a result, the gas safety valve 20 automatically closes due to the misjudgment, requiring the user to manually open the gas safety valve 20 before using the gas water heater 300, which is quite cumbersome to operate.

[0060] To address the issue of misjudgment of the gas safety valve 20 due to residual flames remaining in the combustion chamber of the gas water heater 300, the applicant has added a water flow monitoring unit 210 and a power adapter 220 to the existing combination valve. The water flow monitoring unit 210 is installed on the water pipe at the water inlet or outlet of the gas water heater 300. The water flow monitoring unit 210 can monitor the water flow in the water pipe of the gas water heater 300 in real time. The PLC controller can determine whether the gas water heater 300 is in the recently shut-off state based on the water flow value obtained by the water flow monitoring unit 210. The power adapter 220 is electrically connected to the PLC controller to provide operating power to the PLC controller.

[0061] In a specific embodiment, when a pressure difference occurs at both ends of the gas safety valve 20, the PLC controller can know whether the water switch of the water pipeline is in a closed state at this time based on the water flow value obtained by the water flow monitoring unit 210, so that the PLC controller can judge whether the gas water heater 300 is in a just-closed state at this time based on the water flow value obtained by the water flow monitoring unit 210, and then know the reason for the pressure difference at both ends of the gas safety valve 20, whether it is really due to a leak in the gas pipeline on the side of the gas safety valve 20 close to the combustion chamber, or there is an unextinguished residual flame in the combustion chamber of the gas water heater 300; thereby avoiding the gas safety valve 20 from being misjudged due to interference from the unextinguished residual flame, thereby improving the user's convenience in using the gas water heater 300.

[0062] For example, if the water path flow value is less than the flow threshold and the water path flow change rate is greater than the first flow change rate, it is determined that the gas water heater 300 is in a state of just being turned off.

[0063] Further, combined Figure 1 The solenoid valve 10 is located at one end of the gas safety valve 20 close to the gas source 400; the solenoid valve 10 is connected to the gas source 400 through the second gas pipeline 420, and the gas safety valve 20 is connected to the gas water heater 300 through the first gas pipeline 410.

[0064] Specifically, when the pressure difference between the first gas pipeline 410 side and the solenoid valve 10 side is greater than or equal to the first pressure threshold, the gas safety valve 20 determines that there is a leak in the first gas pipeline 410, and the gas safety valve 20 will automatically close, cutting off the gas pipeline from the gas source 400 end to the gas water heater 300.

[0065] Furthermore, the present invention provides a method for controlling a gas appliance, wherein the gas appliance is a gas water heater 300. Figure 12 The gas appliance control method includes: if the water flow rate of the water pipe of the gas water heater 300 is less than or equal to a flow threshold, the gas water heater 300 is determined to be off, and the controller 60 controls the solenoid valve 10 to delay closing for a first time period. For example, the first time period ranges from 2 to 5 seconds; the preferred value of the first time period is 3 seconds.

[0066] For example, if the water flow rate of the water pipe of the gas water heater 300 is less than or equal to the flow threshold, the gas water heater 300 is determined to be in the off state. To prevent the gas safety valve 20 from being consumed by the residual flame near the combustion chamber when the solenoid valve 10 and the water pipe switch are closed simultaneously, causing the gas safety valve 20 to be interfered with by the residual flame and mistakenly automatically closed, the controller 60 controls the solenoid valve 10 to delay closing for a first period of time when it detects that the gas water heater 300 has switched from the on state to the off state.

[0067] In one embodiment, when the gas water heater 300 is turned on, it is first determined whether there is water in the water pipe, that is, whether the water pipe of the gas water heater 300 is open. If the water pipe of the gas water heater 300 is open, it is then determined whether to delay closing the solenoid valve 10 based on the water pipe flow rate.

[0068] Furthermore, the control method of the gas appliance also includes: obtaining the pressure difference between the first gas pipeline 410 side and the solenoid valve 10 side; judging whether the pressure difference is greater than or equal to a second pressure threshold; if so, obtaining the water flow value of the water pipeline of the gas water heater 300, and judging the reason why the pressure difference is greater than or equal to the second pressure threshold based on the relationship between the water flow value of the water pipeline of the gas water heater 300 and the flow threshold; wherein, the second pressure threshold is less than the first pressure threshold.

[0069] Furthermore, based on the relationship between the water flow value of the water pipe of the gas water heater 300 and the flow threshold, the reason why the pressure difference is greater than or equal to the second pressure threshold is judged to be: if the water flow value of the water pipe of the gas water heater 300 is less than or equal to the flow threshold, it is determined that the water switch of the water pipe is in the closed state, and the reason why the pressure difference is greater than or equal to the second pressure threshold is that there is an unextinguished residual fire in the gas water heater 300.

[0070] In a specific embodiment, in order to make the judgment more accurate, if the water flow value is less than the flow threshold and the water flow change rate is greater than the first flow change rate, it is determined that the gas water heater is switched from the open state to the closed state, that is, the reason for determining that the pressure difference is greater than or equal to the second pressure threshold is that there is an unextinguished residual fire in the gas water heater 300, so the solenoid valve 10 is controlled to close for 3 seconds to avoid the pressure difference rising to greater than or equal to the first pressure threshold, causing the gas safety valve 20 to close abnormally.

[0071] Furthermore, based on the relationship between the water flow value of the water pipe of the gas water heater 300 and the flow threshold, the reason for judging that the pressure difference is greater than or equal to the second pressure threshold also includes: if the water flow value of the water pipe of the gas water heater 300 is greater than the flow threshold, it is judged that the water switch of the water pipe is in the open state, and it is judged that the reason why the pressure difference is greater than or equal to the second pressure threshold is that there is a leak in the first gas pipe 410.

[0072] It can be understood that if the water flow value of the water pipe of the gas water heater 300 is greater than the flow threshold, it means that the water switch of the gas water heater 300 is not closed, that is, it can be ruled out that the gas water heater 300 has just switched from the on state to the off state, and there is an unextinguished residual fire in the gas water heater 300 causing the pressure difference. Therefore, it is determined that there is a leak in the first gas pipeline 410, and an alarm signal is issued in advance to prompt the user to perform maintenance.

[0073] Preferably, the PLC controller integrates a wireless communication module, and the PLC controller can send an alarm signal to a mobile terminal such as a user's mobile phone. Even if the user is not at home, the gas leak alarm signal can be received and maintenance personnel can be contacted in time for inspection.

[0074] Furthermore, the power adapter 220 includes a 220V AC to 12V DC module and is equipped with a backup battery; when the power is off, the backup battery can provide backup working power for the PLC controller and the solenoid valve 10.

[0075] It can be understood that by configuring the power adapter 220 with a 220V AC to 12V DC module and a backup battery, the solenoid valve 10 and the PLC controller can be powered directly by connecting to the mains power through the power adapter 220; when encountering an emergency such as a power outage or other mains power outage, the backup battery can also be used to provide working power for the PLC controller and the water flow monitoring unit 210, further improving the safety of the gas water heater 300.

[0076] In the description of the present invention, it should be understood that the indicated orientations or positional relationships are based on the orientations or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing the present invention and simplifying the description, rather than indicating or implying that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore cannot be understood as a limitation on the present invention.

[0077] Obviously, the embodiments described are only some of the embodiments of the present invention, not all of them. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field and related fields without making creative efforts should fall within the scope of protection of the present invention. Structures, devices, and operating methods not specifically described and explained in the present invention shall be implemented in accordance with conventional means in the field unless otherwise specified or limited.

Claims

1. A gas appliance, characterized in that: The gas appliance includes: ignition coils and thermocouples; The combination valve is arranged on the gas pipeline of the gas appliance and is used to open or cut off the gas pipeline between the gas source and the gas appliance, including the user end and the gas source end; the combination valve includes a solenoid valve and a gas safety valve, the solenoid valve is arranged between the gas safety valve and the gas source end, and the solenoid valve is electrically connected to the ignition coil and the thermocouple.

2. The gas appliance according to claim 1, characterized in that: The solenoid valve comprises: The valve body is provided with a first valve port; An electromagnetic assembly is located in the valve body and is electrically connected to the controller; a valve cover movably disposed above the first valve port, for opening or closing the first valve port, and a spring disposed between the valve cover and the valve body, for keeping the first valve port closed when the gas safety valve is closed; A valve core, one end of which is connected to the valve cover, and the other end of which is connected to the electromagnetic assembly, and the valve core can drive the valve cover to move up and down; A magnetic component is located on an end of the valve body away from the valve cover and is used to keep the first valve port open when the gas safety valve is opened.

3. The gas appliance according to claim 2, characterized in that: The first valve port is an arc-shaped sealing surface, and the arc-shaped sealing surface includes: Sealing plane; A first sealing slope is arranged downwardly and obliquely on the outer side of the sealing plane, and an arc is connected to the sealing plane; The second sealing arc surface is arranged on the inner side of the sealing plane and connected to the sealing plane.

4. The gas appliance according to claim 3, characterized in that: An annular sealing surface is provided on one side of the valve cover close to the first valve port, the inner diameter of the annular sealing surface is smaller than the inner diameter of the first valve port, and the outer diameter of the annular sealing surface is larger than the outer diameter of the first valve port, so that the annular sealing surface can cover the sealing surface of the first valve port.

5. The gas appliance according to claim 3, characterized in that: The valve cover comprises: A sealing body, used for sealing the first valve port; A gland, mounted on top of the sealing body; When the valve cover closes the first valve port, the sealing body is pressed between the pressure cover and the first valve port and fits against the sealing surface of the first valve port.

6. The gas appliance according to claim 1, characterized in that: The combination valve further comprises: A user connector connected to the gas source end of the solenoid valve; The user connector is provided with an internal thread matching the user pipeline, and the solenoid valve is connected to the user pipeline via the user connector.

7. The gas appliance according to claim 6, characterized in that: The user connector is connected to the solenoid valve via a retaining spring; and at least one sealing ring is provided at the connection between the user connector and the gas source end.

8. The gas appliance according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that: The solenoid valve is a pulse valve, and the combination valve further includes a controller. The solenoid valve is connected to the gas appliance or signal acquisition device via a signal from the controller.

9. The gas appliance according to claim 8, characterized in that: The signal input end of the controller is signal-connected to the signal output end of the ignition coil, and the thermocouple supplies power to the controller.

10. The gas appliance according to claim 8, characterized in that The gas appliance is a gas water heater, and the combination valve is arranged on the gas pipeline of the gas water heater; the gas water heater further comprises: The water flow monitoring unit is installed on the water pipe at the water inlet or outlet of the gas water heater and is used to monitor the water flow in real time; a power adapter, electrically connecting the controller and the solenoid valve to supply power to the controller and the solenoid valve; The signal input end of the controller is connected to the water flow monitoring unit signal, and the controller can control the solenoid valve to close according to the water flow value obtained by the water flow monitoring unit.

11. The gas appliance according to claim 10, characterized in that: The gas safety valve is connected to the gas water heater through a first gas pipeline, and the solenoid valve is connected to the gas source through a second gas pipeline; when the pressure difference between the first gas pipeline side and the solenoid valve side is greater than or equal to a first pressure threshold, the gas safety valve switches from an open state to a closed state.

12. A method for controlling a gas appliance, characterized in that: The gas appliance control method is applied to the gas appliance according to claim 10, and the gas appliance control method includes: If the water flow value of the water pipe of the gas water heater is less than or equal to the flow threshold, the gas water heater is determined to be closed, and the controller controls the solenoid valve to delay closing for a first time period.

13. The gas appliance control method according to claim 12, characterized in that: Also includes: Obtaining a pressure difference between the first gas pipeline side and the solenoid valve side; determining whether the pressure difference is greater than or equal to a second pressure threshold; If so, obtain the water flow value of the water pipe of the gas water heater, and judge the reason why the pressure difference is greater than or equal to the second pressure threshold based on the size relationship between the water flow value and the flow threshold; wherein, the second pressure threshold is less than the first pressure threshold.

14. The gas appliance control method according to claim 13, characterized in that: The reason for determining, based on the magnitude relationship between the waterway flow value and the flow threshold, that the pressure difference is greater than or equal to the second pressure threshold includes: If the water flow value of the water pipe of the gas water heater is less than or equal to the flow threshold, it is determined that the water switch of the water pipe is in the closed state, and the reason why the pressure difference is greater than or equal to the second pressure threshold is that there is an unextinguished residual fire in the gas water heater.

15. The gas appliance control method according to claim 14, characterized in that: If there is an unextinguished residual fire in the gas water heater, the solenoid valve is controlled to be closed for a first delay time.

16. The gas appliance control method according to claim 13, characterized in that: Also includes: If the water flow value of the water pipe of the gas water heater is greater than the flow threshold, it is determined that the reason why the pressure difference is greater than or equal to the second pressure threshold is that there is a leak in the first gas pipe, so an alarm signal is issued to prompt the user to perform maintenance.

17. The gas appliance control method according to claim 14, characterized in that: The power adapter includes a 220V AC to 12V DC module and is equipped with a backup battery; when the combination valve is powered off, the backup battery can provide backup working power for the controller and the solenoid valve.

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