A water heater

Abstract

The present invention relates to the technical field of water heaters, and discloses a water heater comprising: a water heater body; a remote controller comprising: a control module; a wireless module; a key module; a display module, wherein a power supply end of the display module is connected to a first power supply end of the control module; a power module, wherein a power supply end of the power module is respectively connected to a power supply end of the control module, a power supply end of the wireless module, and a power supply end of the key module; the control module being configured to: upon receiving a control instruction sent by the key module, supply power to the display module and send control information carried by the control instruction to the display module; after the display module displays the control information, stop supplying power to the display module; the control module sends the control instruction to the water heater body via the wireless module; and upon receiving a successful setting instruction returned by the water heater body, enter a dormant state. The water heater of the present invention can greatly reduce the power consumption of the remote controller, extend the standby time of the remote controller, and thus improve the user experience.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of water heaters, in particular to a water heater. Background Art

[0002] An electric water heater is a water heater that uses electricity as energy for heating. It has the advantages of long life, high efficiency and energy saving, safety, and environmental protection. Therefore, it has gradually become the main development direction of the water heater market in the future.

[0003] Currently, due to the bulky design of electric water heaters and the lack of significant breakthroughs in high-capacity commercial battery technology, water storage will likely remain the only option for the industry for a long time, resulting in their relatively large size. Furthermore, due to manufacturing issues, drum-type electric heating products have been the mainstream, resulting in a larger installation space. Consequently, due to limited space and aesthetics, users are more inclined to opt for concealed or wall-mounted installations, such as installing them in inconspicuous corners of balconies. However, both of these installation methods place the heater high in the room, making it difficult to access the on-board control panel. Consequently, nearly all existing electric water heaters are equipped with a remote control. However, existing remote controls often consume a lot of power, resulting in a poor user experience. Summary of the Invention

[0004] An object of the present invention is to provide a water heater that can greatly reduce the power consumption of the remote controller, thereby improving the user experience.

[0005] In order to solve the above technical problems, the present invention provides a water heater, comprising:

[0006] Water heater body;

[0007] A remote controller, comprising:

[0008] Control module;

[0009] A wireless module, wherein a data terminal of the wireless module is connected to a data terminal of the control module to perform data transmission between the control module and the water heater body;

[0010] A key module, wherein an output end of the key module is connected to an input end of the control module;

[0011] a display module, wherein an input terminal of the display module is connected to an output terminal of the control module, and a power supply terminal of the display module is connected to a first power supply terminal of the control module;

[0012] A power supply module, wherein a power supply end of the power supply module is respectively connected to a power supply end of the control module, a power supply end of the wireless module, and a power supply end of the key module;

[0013] The control module is configured to:

[0014] When receiving the control instruction sent by the button module, the control module wakes up, supplies power to the display module, and sends the control information carried by the control instruction to the display module, so that the display module displays the control information;

[0015] After the display module displays the control information, stopping power supply to the display module;

[0016] The control module also sends the control instruction to the water heater body through the wireless module;

[0017] When receiving a setting success instruction returned by the water heater body in response to the control instruction, the water heater body enters a dormant state.

[0018] In some embodiments of the present application, the control module is further configured to:

[0019] When no setting success instruction is received from the water heater body in response to the control instruction within a preset time threshold, the control instruction is sent to the water heater body again, and the number of times the control instruction is sent is counted;

[0020] When the number of times the control instruction is sent reaches a preset threshold, the control instruction is stopped from being sent to the water heater body and the water heater enters a dormant state.

[0021] In some embodiments of the present application, the remote controller further includes:

[0022] A power detection module, configured to detect the output voltage of the power module and provide a preset reference voltage; the output terminal of the power detection module is connected to the detection terminal of the control module, and the power terminal of the power detection module is connected to the second power supply terminal of the control module;

[0023] The wireless module is configured to: when receiving the power detection instruction sent by the water heater body, send a wake-up instruction and the power detection instruction to the control module;

[0024] The control module is further configured to:

[0025] When receiving the wake-up instruction and the power detection instruction, the control module wakes up and supplies power to the power detection module;

[0026] When receiving the reference voltage output by the power detection module and the output voltage of the power module, stopping supplying power to the power detection module;

[0027] Calculating the current power of the power module according to the reference voltage and the output voltage of the power module;

[0028] After the current power level of the power module is sent to the water heater body via the wireless module, the water heater enters a dormant state.

[0029] In some embodiments of the present application, the current power of the power module is calculated according to the reference voltage and the output voltage of the power module, specifically:

[0030] The actual voltage of the power module is calculated according to the reference voltage and the output voltage of the power module using the following formula:

[0031]

[0032] Among them, U a is the actual voltage of the power module; U1 is the output voltage of the power module; U2 is the reference voltage;

[0033] The actual voltage of the power module is converted into the current power of the power module.

[0034] In some embodiments of the present application, the control module is further configured to:

[0035] After calculating the current power level of the power module, supplying power to the display module and sending the current power level of the power module to the display module so that the display module displays the current power level of the power module;

[0036] After the display module displays the current power level of the power module, power supply to the display module is stopped.

[0037] In some embodiments of the present application, the control module is further configured to:

[0038] When the current power level of the power module is less than or equal to a preset power threshold, a low power instruction is sent to the water heater body through the wireless module, so that the water heater body sends an alarm signal.

[0039] In some embodiments of the present application, the wireless module uses radio frequency communication to transmit data between the control module and the water heater body.

[0040] In some embodiments of the present application, the display module is an electronic ink screen.

[0041] In some embodiments of the present application, the control module is a single chip microcomputer.

[0042] In some embodiments of the present application, the power module is a AAA battery or a lithium battery.

[0043] Compared with the prior art, the present invention provides a water heater, which wakes up the control module of the remote control and supplies power to the display module only when receiving the control instruction, so that the display module displays the control information carried by the control instruction, and stops supplying power to the display module after the display module displays the control information, so as to turn off the power of the display module; at the same time, the control module also enters a dormant state when receiving the setting success instruction returned by the water heater body in response to the control instruction, thereby achieving a power saving effect, greatly reducing the power consumption of the remote control, and extending the standby time of the remote control, thereby improving the user experience. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0044] Figure 1 is a schematic structural diagram of a water heater provided by an embodiment of the present invention;

[0045] Figure 2 The figure is a schematic structural diagram of a remote control provided by an embodiment of the present invention.

[0046] Among them, 1. Water heater body; 2. Remote control; 21. Control module; 22. Wireless module; 23. Key module; 24. Display module; 25. Power module; 26. Power detection module; 27. Bottom shell; 28. Top cover; 29. Circuit board. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0047] The following will clearly and completely describe the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only part of the embodiments of the present invention, not all of the embodiments. All other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field based on the embodiments of the present invention without making any creative efforts shall fall within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0048] Combine Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the water heater provided in the embodiment of the present invention includes:

[0049] Water heater body 1;

[0050] Remote controller 2, comprising:

[0051] Control module 21;

[0052] A wireless module 22, wherein a data terminal of the wireless module 22 is connected to a data terminal of the control module 21 to perform data transmission between the control module 21 and the water heater body 1;

[0053] A button module 23, wherein an output end of the button module 23 is connected to an input end of the control module 21;

[0054] A display module 24 , wherein an input terminal of the display module 24 is connected to an output terminal of the control module 21 , and a power supply terminal of the display module 24 is connected to a first power supply terminal of the control module 21 ;

[0055] A power supply module 25 , wherein the power supply end of the power supply module 25 is respectively connected to the power supply end of the control module 21 , the power supply end of the wireless module 22 , and the power supply end of the key module 23 ;

[0056] The control module 21 is configured to:

[0057] When receiving the control instruction sent by the button module 23, the control module 21 wakes up, supplies power to the display module 24, and sends the control information carried by the control instruction to the display module 24, so that the display module 24 displays the control information;

[0058] After the display module 24 displays the control information, stopping power supply to the display module 24;

[0059] The control module 21 also sends the control instruction to the water heater body 1 through the wireless module 22;

[0060] When receiving the setting success instruction returned by the water heater body 1 in response to the control instruction, the water heater body 1 enters the dormant state.

[0061] In an embodiment of the present invention, the user can select the function to be set through the button module 23 in the remote control 2, such as power on and off, mode setting, power setting, temperature setting, appointment setting, etc.; when the user presses the button module 23, the button module 23 sends a trigger signal and a corresponding control instruction to the control module 21, and the trigger signal can trigger an external interrupt of the control module 21, so that the control module 21 wakes up from the sleep state; after waking up, the control module 21 supplies power to the display module 24 and sends the control information corresponding to the control instruction to the display module 24, so that the display module 24 displays the control information, and after the display module 24 displays the control information, the control module 21 stops supplying power to the display module 24, and the display module 24 has the function of maintaining the display data before power off after power off; and after the user settings are completed, the control module 21 The control instruction is written into the wireless module 22. After receiving the control instruction, the wireless module 22 enters the transmitting mode to send the control instruction to the water heater body 1. At this time, the power consumption of the wireless module 22 is relatively high; after the wireless module 22 completes the sending of the control instruction, it enters the receiving mode to receive the data sent by the water heater body 1. At this time, the power consumption of the wireless module 22 is relatively low; after receiving the control instruction, the water heater body 1 controls its own working state according to the control instruction so that the water heater body 1 can realize the function selected by the user; after controlling its own working state according to the control instruction, the water heater body 1 returns a setting success instruction to the remote controller 2; specifically, after receiving the setting success instruction, the wireless module 22 of the remote controller 2 transmits the setting success instruction to the control module 21. After receiving the setting success instruction, the control module 21 enters the sleep state.

[0062] It can be understood that the control module 21 enters the sleep state, which is specifically manifested as: the control module 21 enters a state of very low power consumption; specifically, after the control module 21 enters the sleep state, the clock signals of the CPU (Central Processing Unit) of the control module 21 and all peripheral devices are stopped. At this time, the CPU and all peripheral devices stop running, and only external interrupts can wake up the CPU (such as the trigger signal of the button module 23 and the trigger signal of the wireless module 22).

[0063] In an embodiment of the present invention, the control module 21 wakes up and supplies power to the display module 24 only when it receives the control instruction, so that the display module 24 displays the control information carried by the control instruction, and after the display module 24 displays the control information, the power supply to the display module 24 is stopped to turn off the power of the display module 24; at the same time, the control module 21 also enters a dormant state when it receives the setting success instruction returned by the water heater body 1 in response to the control instruction, thereby achieving a power saving effect, greatly reducing the power consumption of the remote control 2, and extending the standby time of the remote control 2, thereby improving the user experience.

[0064] In a preferred embodiment, the control module 21 of this embodiment is further configured to:

[0065] When no setting success instruction is received from the water heater body 1 in response to the control instruction within a preset time threshold, the control instruction is sent to the water heater body 1 again, and the number of times the control instruction is sent is counted;

[0066] When the number of times the control instruction is sent reaches a preset threshold, the control instruction is stopped from being sent to the water heater body 1 and the water heater enters a dormant state.

[0067] It can be understood that after the control module 21 sends the control instruction to the water heater body 1 through the wireless module 22, when the setting success instruction returned by the water heater body 1 is not received within the preset time threshold, the control module 21 sends the control instruction to the water heater body 1 again through the wireless module 22; when the number of times the control instruction is sent reaches the preset number threshold, it indicates that the water heater body 1 has not yet set its working status according to the control instruction, that is, the water heater body 1 may have a fault, so the control module 21 stops sending the control instruction to the water heater body 1 and enters the sleep state to reduce the power consumption of the remote control 2.

[0068] In an embodiment of the present invention, when the setting success instruction returned by the water heater body 1 is not received within a preset time threshold, the control instruction is sent to the water heater body 1 again to ensure that the water heater body 1 can receive the control instruction; and when the number of times the control instruction is sent reaches a preset number threshold, the control instruction is stopped from being sent to the water heater body 1, and the sleep state is entered to avoid the remote control 2 from continuously sending the control instruction, thereby reducing the power consumption of the remote control 2.

[0069] In a preferred embodiment, the remote controller 2 of this embodiment further includes:

[0070] The power detection module 26 is used to detect the output voltage of the power module 25 and provide a preset reference voltage; the output end of the power detection module 26 is connected to the detection end of the control module 21, and the power end of the power detection module 26 is connected to the second power supply end of the control module 21;

[0071] The wireless module 22 is configured to: when receiving the power detection instruction sent by the water heater body 1, send a wake-up instruction and the power detection instruction to the control module 21;

[0072] The control module 21 is further configured to:

[0073] When receiving the wake-up instruction and the power detection instruction, the control module 21 wakes up and supplies power to the power detection module 26;

[0074] When receiving the reference voltage output by the power detection module 26 and the output voltage of the power module, stopping supplying power to the power detection module 26;

[0075] Calculating the current power of the power module according to the reference voltage and the output voltage of the power module;

[0076] After the current power level of the power module is sent to the water heater body 1 via the wireless module 22 , the water heater enters a dormant state.

[0077] It can be understood that the water heater body 1 can periodically send the power detection instruction to the remote control 2 (such as once a day). After receiving the power detection instruction, the wireless module 22 of the remote control 2 sends a wake-up instruction, that is, a trigger signal, to the control module 21, so that the control module 21 wakes up from the sleep state; the wireless module 22 writes the power detection instruction to the control module 21. After receiving the power detection instruction, the control module 21 supplies power to the power detection module 26, so that the power detection module 26 detects the output voltage of the power module 25 and The detected output voltage of the power module 25 and the preset reference voltage are sent to the control module 21; after receiving the output voltage of the power module 25 and the reference voltage, the control module 21 stops supplying power to the power detection module 26 to turn off the power of the power detection module 26 and stop it from working; and calculates the current power of the power module 25, and writes the current power of the power module 25 into the wireless module 22, and then enters the sleep state; after receiving the current power of the power module 25, the wireless module 22 sends it to the water heater body 1.

[0078] It should be noted that the power detection module 26 includes a voltage reference source, and the reference voltage output end of the voltage reference source is connected to the AD port of the control module 21 to output the reference voltage and the output voltage of the power module 25 to the control module 21.

[0079] Furthermore, in the control module 21, the current power of the power module 25 is calculated according to the reference voltage and the output voltage of the power module 25, specifically:

[0080] According to the reference voltage and the output voltage of the power module 25, the actual voltage of the power module 25 is calculated by the following formula:

[0081]

[0082] Among them, U a is the actual voltage of the power module 25; U1 is the output voltage of the power module 25; U2 is the reference voltage;

[0083] The actual voltage of the power module 25 is converted into the current power of the power module 25 .

[0084] It should be noted that the reference voltage can be set according to actual usage. Preferably, in this embodiment, the reference voltage is 0 to 1.8V.

[0085] In a preferred embodiment, in order to facilitate the user to know the current power level of the remote controller 2, preferably, the control module 21 in this embodiment is further configured as follows:

[0086] After calculating the current power level of the power module 25 , power is supplied to the display module 24 , and the current power level of the power module 25 is sent to the display module 24 , so that the display module 24 displays the current power level of the power module 25 ;

[0087] After the display module 24 displays the current power level of the power module 25 , power supply to the display module 24 is stopped.

[0088] In an embodiment of the present invention, after the control module 21 calculates the current power level of the power module 25, power is supplied to the display module 24 so that it displays the current power level of the power module 25, thereby facilitating the user to know the current power level of the remote control 2; and after the display module 24 displays the current power level of the power module 25, power supply to the display module 24 is stopped, and then the sleep state is entered to reduce the power consumption of the control module 21 and the display module 24.

[0089] In a preferred embodiment, the control module 21 is further configured to:

[0090] When the current power level of the power module 25 is less than or equal to a preset power threshold, a low power instruction is sent to the water heater body 1 through the wireless module 22, so that the water heater body 1 sends an alarm signal.

[0091] It can be understood that when the current power level of the power module 25 calculated by the control module 21 is less than or equal to the power threshold, it indicates that the current power level of the remote control 2 is low. Therefore, the low power instruction is written into the wireless module 22, so that the low power instruction is sent to the water heater body 1 through the wireless module 22, and then enters the sleep state; after receiving the low power instruction, the water heater body 1 sends an alarm signal, such as a sound signal or a light signal, to remind the user.

[0092] It should be noted that the power module 25 supplies power to the remote control 2; specifically, the power module 25 supplies power to the control module 21, the wireless module 22, and the button module 23 respectively; since the control module 21 has a dormant state, the button module 23 does not consume power when it is in a released state (not pressed), and the wireless module 22 detects wireless data in the air in real time and has its own low-power mode, so there is no need to control their power supply separately, and the low-power effect can be achieved, and the structure is simple. In addition, the display module 24 and the power detection module 26 are powered by the control module 21, so when the display module 24 and the power detection module 26 are not needed, they can stop being powered, thereby achieving a power-saving effect, further reducing the power consumption of the remote control 2, thereby extending the standby time of the remote control 2, and improving the user experience.

[0093] In a preferred embodiment, the wireless module 22 uses radio frequency communication to transmit data between the control module 21 and the water heater body 1. By using radio frequency communication, the remote controller 2 can remotely control the water heater body 1 with reliability far exceeding that of conventional infrared remote controllers, effectively avoiding the problems of conventional remote controllers such as short range and the need for directional alignment.

[0094] In a specific implementation, the wireless module 22 of this embodiment can use a radio frequency module of LoRa (Long Range Radio) technology. Of course, this is only one of the configuration methods of the wireless module 22, and the present invention does not limit this.

[0095] In this embodiment of the present invention, the type of the display module 24 can be set according to actual usage, as long as it ensures that it has a display function. Preferably, the display module 24 of this embodiment is an electronic ink screen. By setting the display module 24 as an electronic ink screen, the electronic ink screen only consumes power when displaying content, and the electronic ink screen can still maintain the display after power failure. This achieves the goal of making it easier for users to obtain information about the water heater while further reducing the power consumption of the remote control 2.

[0096] Furthermore, the type of the control module 21 of this embodiment can be set based on actual usage. To simplify the structure and reduce costs, the control module 21 of this embodiment is preferably a single-chip microcomputer; the single-chip microcomputer has a sleep mode. Furthermore, the type of the power module 25 can also be set based on actual usage, as long as it can ensure power supply to the remote control 2. To further simplify the structure and reduce costs, the power module 25 of this embodiment is preferably a AAA battery or a lithium battery. It should be noted that when the power module 25 is a lithium battery, the remote control 2 also includes a charging circuit, a battery protection circuit, and a discharge circuit.

[0097] like Figure 2 As shown, in actual use, the remote control 2 further includes a bottom shell 27, an upper cover 28, and a circuit board 29. The bottom shell 27 and the upper cover 28 are snap-fitted together, defining a first cavity between the bottom shell 27 and the upper cover 28. The circuit board 29, the wireless module 22, and the key module 23 are disposed within the first cavity, and the control module 21 and the power detection module 26 are disposed on the circuit board 29. The bottom shell 27 has a second cavity, in which the power module 25 is housed. The upper cover 28 is provided with windows extending through its upper and lower surfaces, and the display module 24 is disposed within the windows.

[0098] In summary, the present invention provides a water heater, comprising: a water heater body 1; a remote controller 2, the remote controller 2 comprising: a control module 21; a wireless module 22, the data end of the wireless module 22 being connected to the data end of the control module 21 to perform data transmission between the control module 21 and the water heater body 1; a key module 23, the output end of the key module 23 being connected to the input end of the control module 21; a display module 24, the input end of the display module 24 being connected to the output end of the control module 21, the power end of the display module 24 being connected to the first power supply end of the control module 21; a power supply module 25, the power supply end of the power supply module 25 being connected to the power supply end of the control module 21 respectively. The power supply end of the wireless module 22 and the power supply end of the button module 23 are connected; the control module 21 is configured as follows: when receiving the control instruction sent by the button module 23, the control module 21 wakes up, supplies power to the display module 24, and sends the control information carried by the control instruction to the display module 24, so that the display module 24 displays the control information; after the display module 24 displays the control information, the power supply to the display module 24 is stopped; the control module 21 also sends the control instruction to the water heater body 1 through the wireless module 22; when receiving the setting success instruction returned by the water heater body 1 in response to the control instruction, it enters a sleep state. By waking up and supplying power to the display module 24 only when the control module 21 receives the control instruction, so that the display module 24 displays the control information carried by the control instruction, and after the display module 24 displays the control information, stopping supplying power to the display module 24 to turn off the power of the display module 24; at the same time, the control module 21 also enters a dormant state when receiving a setting success instruction returned by the water heater body 1 in response to the control instruction, thereby achieving a power saving effect, greatly reducing the power consumption of the remote control 2, and extending the standby time of the remote control 2, thereby improving the user experience.

[0099] The above is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention. It should be pointed out that for ordinary technicians in this technical field, several improvements and substitutions can be made without departing from the technical principles of the present invention. These improvements and substitutions should also be regarded as the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A water heater, characterized in that: include: Water heater body; A remote controller, comprising: Control module; A wireless module, wherein a data terminal of the wireless module is connected to a data terminal of the control module to perform data transmission between the control module and the water heater body; A key module, wherein an output end of the key module is connected to an input end of the control module; a display module, wherein an input terminal of the display module is connected to an output terminal of the control module, and a power supply terminal of the display module is connected to a first power supply terminal of the control module; A power supply module, wherein a power supply end of the power supply module is respectively connected to a power supply end of the control module, a power supply end of the wireless module, and a power supply end of the key module; The control module is configured to: When receiving the control instruction sent by the button module, the control module wakes up, supplies power to the display module, and sends the control information carried by the control instruction to the display module, so that the display module displays the control information; After the display module displays the control information, stopping power supply to the display module; The control module also sends the control instruction to the water heater body through the wireless module; When receiving a setting success instruction returned by the water heater body in response to the control instruction, the water heater body enters a dormant state.

2. The water heater according to claim 1, wherein The control module is further configured to: When no setting success instruction is received from the water heater body in response to the control instruction within a preset time threshold, the control instruction is sent to the water heater body again, and the number of times the control instruction is sent is counted; When the number of times the control instruction is sent reaches a preset threshold, the control instruction is stopped from being sent to the water heater body and the water heater enters a dormant state.

3. The water heater according to claim 1, wherein: The remote controller further comprises: A power detection module, configured to detect the output voltage of the power module and provide a preset reference voltage; the output terminal of the power detection module is connected to the detection terminal of the control module, and the power terminal of the power detection module is connected to the second power supply terminal of the control module; The wireless module is configured to: when receiving the power detection instruction sent by the water heater body, send a wake-up instruction and the power detection instruction to the control module; The control module is further configured to: When receiving the wake-up instruction and the power detection instruction, the control module wakes up and supplies power to the power detection module; When receiving the reference voltage output by the power detection module and the output voltage of the power module, stopping supplying power to the power detection module; Calculating the current power of the power module according to the reference voltage and the output voltage of the power module; After the current power level of the power module is sent to the water heater body via the wireless module, the water heater enters a dormant state.

4. The water heater according to claim 3, wherein: The current power of the power module is calculated according to the reference voltage and the output voltage of the power module, specifically: The actual voltage of the power module is calculated according to the reference voltage and the output voltage of the power module using the following formula: Among them, U a is the actual voltage of the power module; U1 is the output voltage of the power module; U2 is the reference voltage; The actual voltage of the power module is converted into the current power of the power module.

5. The water heater according to claim 3, wherein: The control module is further configured to: After calculating the current power level of the power module, supplying power to the display module and sending the current power level of the power module to the display module so that the display module displays the current power level of the power module; After the display module displays the current power level of the power module, power supply to the display module is stopped.

6. The water heater according to claim 3, wherein: The control module is further configured to: When the current power level of the power module is less than or equal to a preset power threshold, a low power instruction is sent to the water heater body through the wireless module, so that the water heater body sends an alarm signal.

7. The water heater according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that: The wireless module uses radio frequency communication to transmit data between the control module and the water heater body.

8. The water heater according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that: The display module is an electronic ink screen.

9. The water heater according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that: The control module is a single chip microcomputer.

10. The water heater according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that: The power module is a AAA battery or a lithium battery.

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