An electric water heater

Abstract

The present invention discloses an electric water heater, which relates to the technical field of drinking water equipment. The electric water heater is used in conjunction with a disposable paper cup, and includes a furnace base, a heat insulation board, a heating element, a spring, a weight sensor, a vibration sensor, a temperature sensor, a power switch, a power indicator light, a heating indicator light, a controller, etc. The electric water heater is used in conjunction with a heat-resistant disposable paper cup to provide a convenient and hygienic water boiling service, mainly meeting the needs of personal hygienic drinking hot water in scenarios such as hotels, hostels, homestays, and conferences where there is a large flow of personnel and no one is on duty or there are opportunities for private use. That is, it effectively solves the hygienic problem of strangers taking turns to share small drinking water containers.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of drinking water equipment, in particular to an electric water heater. Background Art

[0002] Drinking water hygiene requirements are very high, and everyone is very concerned about it. After all, boiled water is ultimately consumed, so the sanitation of its containers is also very important. However, when traveling, the less luggage you carry, the more convenient it is. Carrying an electric kettle can really take up a lot of luggage space. Summary of the Invention

[0003] To this end, the present invention provides an electric water heater to solve the hygienic problem of strangers taking turns sharing a small drinking water container.

[0004] In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides the following technical solutions:

[0005] An electric water heater is used in conjunction with a disposable paper cup, comprising a stove base and a heating element, wherein the heating element is fixed in the stove base and the disposable paper cup is movably arranged in the stove base and fits the disposable paper cup to the heating element.

[0006] Furthermore, the heating element is arranged at an inclination adapted to the taper of the disposable paper cup, and the inner side surface of the heating element is an arc surface adapted to the disposable paper cup.

[0007] Furthermore, the stove base includes a circular base and a plurality of columns evenly distributed on the edge of the base, a heating element is fixed on the inner side of each column, and the disposable paper cup is located in the space surrounded by the plurality of heating elements.

[0008] Furthermore, the electric water heater also includes an insulation board, which is arranged between the heating element and the column. One heating element and one insulation board constitute a heating and heat-insulating assembly, and the heating and heat-insulating assembly is floatingly installed in a one-to-one correspondence with the column.

[0009] Furthermore, a plurality of evenly distributed rubber pads are provided on the lower side of the base.

[0010] Furthermore, a circular boss for supporting the disposable paper cup is provided at the center of the upper side of the base, a weight sensor and a vibration sensor are provided in the boss, the base is provided with a bottom compartment with a waterproof upper portion and an open bottom, a controller is provided in the bottom compartment, and the controller is connected to the weight sensor, the vibration sensor and the heating element circuit;

[0011] Among them, the weight sensor is used to detect the total weight information of the disposable paper cup and the water in the cup, and the controller determines whether to heat it according to the weight information; the vibration sensor is used to detect the vibration information of the disposable paper cup and the water in the cup, and the controller determines whether it has boiled and whether to stop heating according to the vibration information.

[0012] Furthermore, a temperature sensor connected to the controller circuit is provided in the boss, and the temperature sensor is used to detect changes in ambient temperature to compensate for temperature drift and make the measurement result more accurate.

[0013] Furthermore, a flowing water detector connected to the controller circuit is also provided in the stove base. When water overflow or leakage is detected, the controller stops the heating process.

[0014] Furthermore, a posture detector is provided at the bottom of the furnace base, and when it is detected that the furnace base is tilted too much or falls over, the controller terminates the heating program.

[0015] Furthermore, a leakage safety system connected to the controller and the heating circuit is also provided in the furnace base. When a dangerous situation of electricity is detected, the controller immediately terminates the heating program.

[0016] The present invention has the following advantages:

[0017] The present invention discloses an electric water heater, which uses a disposable paper cup as an inner liner and heats water in the disposable paper cup by a heating element, thereby obtaining clean drinking water. By replacing the disposable paper cup, the problem of different people cross-using the same inner liner can be avoided. The electric water heater is applicable to occasions with a large flow of people. Hotels and inns can equip tenants with the electric water heater, which can effectively solve the hygienic problem of drinking boiled water in such occasions. Moreover, the electric water heater has a complete control scheme and can heat water or a suitable liquid in the disposable paper cup that is resistant to boiling temperature. The electric water heater has the functions of automatic safety detection, automatic start, automatic boiling judgment, automatic stop, and the like. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0018] To more clearly illustrate the embodiments of the present invention or the technical solutions in the prior art, the following briefly introduces the drawings required for the embodiments or the description of the prior art. Obviously, the drawings described below are merely exemplary, and those skilled in the art can, without inventive effort, derive other implementation drawings based on the provided drawings.

[0019] The structures, proportions, sizes, etc. illustrated in this specification are intended solely to complement the contents disclosed herein and to facilitate understanding and reading by persons skilled in the art. They are not intended to limit the conditions under which the present invention may be implemented and therefore have no substantive technical significance. Any structural modifications, changes in proportions, or adjustments in sizes, without affecting the efficacy and objectives of the present invention, shall remain within the scope of the technical contents disclosed herein.

[0020] Figure 1 A schematic structural diagram of an electric water heater provided by an embodiment of the present invention (without disposable water cups);

[0021] Figure 2 A cross-sectional view of an electric water heater provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0022] Figure 3 An exploded view of an electric water heater provided by an embodiment of the present invention (including a disposable water cup);

[0023] Figure 4 A schematic structural diagram of a heating and heat-insulating assembly of an electric water heater provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0024] Figure 5 This is a circuit diagram of an electric water heater provided in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0025] In the figure: 1-furnace base, 2-insulation board, 3-heating element, 4-locking nut, 5-boss, 6-bottom bin, 7-rubber foot pad, 8-paper cup, 9-paper lifting ring, 10-paper cup cover, 11-countsunk screw, 12-controller, 13-weight sensor, 14-vibration sensor, 15-temperature sensor, 16-power switch, 17-base, 18-column. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0026] The following describes the implementation of the present invention using specific embodiments. Those skilled in the art will readily understand the other advantages and benefits of the present invention from the disclosure herein. Obviously, the embodiments described are only a portion of the present invention, not all of it. All other embodiments derived by persons of ordinary skill in the art based on the embodiments of the present invention without inventive effort are intended to fall within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0027] The terms "upper", "lower", "left", "right", "middle", etc. used in this specification are only for the convenience of description and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention. Changes or adjustments to their relative relationships should be regarded as within the scope of the present invention without substantially changing the technical content.

[0028] Example 1

[0029] like Figure 1-5 As shown, Example 1 provides an electric water heater, which includes a stove base 1, a heat insulation board 2, a heating element 3, a spring, a weight sensor 13, a vibration sensor 14, a temperature sensor 15, a power switch 16, a power indicator light, a heating indicator light, a controller 12, etc. The electric water heater, when used with a heat-resistant disposable paper cup 8, provides a convenient and hygienic water heating service, primarily meeting the needs of individuals for hygienic drinking hot water in places such as hotels, hostels, guesthouses, and conference rooms, effectively solving the hygienic problem of strangers sharing small drinking water containers.

[0030] The stove base 1 comprises a circular base 17 and multiple uprights 18 evenly spaced around the edges of the base 17. The number of uprights 18 is typically three to eight. In this embodiment, six uprights 18 are evenly spaced on the base 17. The inner surfaces of the uprights 18 are angled relative to the base 17 to allow the heating and insulation components mounted on the uprights 18 to better accommodate the inherent tapering of the paper cup 8. A circular boss 5 is located in the center of the upper side of the base 17. Within this boss 5 are mounted a weight sensor 13, a vibration sensor 14, and a temperature sensor 15. An insulation board 2 is installed between the stove base 1 and the heating element 3 to prevent heat from the heating element 3 from scalding the stove base 1. The insulation board 2 is typically made of ceramic or asbestos. A bottom compartment 6 is located at the bottom of the base 17. The compartment 6 houses the controller 12. The compartment 6 can only be opened from the bottom and is fully waterproofed to protect the controller 12 from damage. The controller 12 is connected to the various sensors and detector circuits, as well as to the power switch 16 and the heating element 3. A power indicator light and a heating indicator light are installed at a position convenient for observation, and a power switch 16 is installed at an appropriate position convenient for operation.

[0031] The lower side of the base 17 is provided with a plurality of evenly distributed rubber pads 7, generally three evenly distributed, which can play a role in shock absorption and anti-slip.

[0032] The heating element 3 adopts a PTC heating element. The PTC heating element has the advantages of low thermal resistance and high heat exchange efficiency. It is an automatic constant temperature and energy-saving electric heater. The PTC heating element does not require a special thermostat and a temperature sensor 15 such as a thermal resistor or thermocouple for temperature feedback, which can control the heating of the heater. Its temperature regulation depends on its own material properties, so that the product has a service life far greater than that of other heaters. Compared with electric heating tubes and resistance wire heating products, the PTC heating element relies on the characteristics of the material itself to adjust its own thermal power output according to changes in ambient temperature, so it can optimize the electric energy consumption of the heater to a minimum. At the same time, the high heating efficiency material also greatly improves the utilization efficiency of electric energy.

[0033] The number of insulation boards 2 and PTC heating elements is the same as the number of columns 18. After the insulation boards 2 and heating elements 3 are tightly mounted to form a heating and insulation assembly, the heating and insulation assembly is floatingly mounted on the furnace base 1 via a spring. There are various floating mounting options, such as screw-type, connecting rod-type, slider-type, and magnet-type. In this embodiment, only the simplest screw-type floating mounting is used as an example. One end of the screw is fixed to the heating and insulation assembly, while the other end passes through the long hole of the column 18 of the furnace base 1 and is secured at the end with a locknut. A spring is mounted on the screw, with one end of the spring supporting the heating and insulation assembly and the other end against the column 18. The spring's properties have been calculated so that a disposable paper cup 8 filled with water can easily push (compress) the spring, and the spring can also keep the heating and insulation assembly tightly against the side wall of the paper cup 8. Although the diameter and taper of different models of disposable paper cups 8 vary, the floating heating and insulation assembly can accommodate a variety of different models of disposable paper cups 8 within a certain range. More specifically, the insulation board 2 of the heating assembly has countersunk holes. Before the insulation board 2 and the heating element 3 are fastened together with bolts, two countersunk screws 11 are pre-placed in the countersunk holes of the insulation board 2. After the heating elements are grouped, the pre-placed countersunk screws 11 are inserted into the long slotted holes on the side columns 18 of the furnace base 1. After the screws are inserted, the ends of the countersunk screws 11 are secured with locknuts. Before the heating and heat-insulating assembly is inserted into the long holes of the columns 18, a spring is placed on the countersunk screws 11. Once the heating and heat-insulating assembly is inserted into the longitudinal holes of the side columns 18 of the furnace base 1, the spring is compressed between the side columns 18 of the furnace base 1 and the heating assembly, causing the heating assembly, which is evenly distributed along the circumference, to converge toward the center of the electric water heater.

[0034] To use, simply fill a disposable paper cup 8 with an appropriate amount of water and place it in the center of the stove base 1. The cup's weight compresses the spring behind the heating element, causing it to land on the boss 5. Once the power is turned on, the weight sensor 13, vibration sensor 14, and temperature sensor 15 on the boss 5 begin detecting the heat. The spring pushes the heating element 3 against the outer wall of the cup. Its inwardly curved, concave shape facilitates heat transfer to the cup. The weight sensor 13 automatically measures the combined weight of the paper cup 8 and the water. If the weight is too light, there's a risk of the cup drying out; if it's too heavy, there's a risk of the boiling water spilling. Therefore, if the weight is too light or too heavy, the controller 12 will not initiate the heating process. Instead, the controller 12 will issue an error message, such as a rapid flashing of the heating indicator light. When the controller 12 determines the combined weight of the disposable paper cup 8 and the water is within a reasonable range, the heating indicator light will begin a countdown, flashing five times, for example, once per second. After this flashing, the controller 12 automatically initiates the heating process, energizing the circuitry of the heating element 3. When the water in the disposable paper cup 8 is heated to a boiling state, the vibration sensor 14 detects a vibration signal. After the controller 12 confirms that the water is boiling, it disconnects the circuit of the heating element 3, automatically stops heating, and turns off the heating indicator light. This completes the normal water boiling process. If the controller 12 detects a significant decrease in the weighing data during the heating process, it determines that the disposable paper cup 8 may have accidentally spilled. In this case, the controller 12 terminates the heating process and stops heating immediately. If the vibration sensor 14 does not detect a boiling state within a set and reasonable upper limit of the heating time, the controller 12 unconditionally terminates the heating process to prevent the user from heating an unconventional object and causing danger. After a boiling determination automatically stops, the next automatic heating cycle will only start after the weight sensor 13 detects that the weighing data is zero, thereby avoiding repeated heating of the same cup of water.

[0035] When the power switch 16 is turned on, the power indicator light is on; when the power switch 16 is turned off, the power indicator light is off. The user can forcibly stop heating by turning off the power switch 16 during the heating process.

[0036] For safety reasons, there is a posture detector or anti-dump switch at the bottom of the furnace base 1. When the furnace base 1 tilts too much or dumps, the anti-dump switch is disconnected and the electric heating furnace stops working; or the controller 12 terminates the heating program. The temperature sensor 15 measures the change in ambient temperature to compensate for temperature drift and make the measurement result more accurate. A fuse is set for overcurrent protection, and the current value is detected to evaluate whether all PTC heating elements are working normally. If the current value is less than a reasonable range and decreases proportionally, the controller 12 will determine that one or several heating elements 3 are damaged and execute a flashing light warning program. There is also a leakage safety system connected to the controller 12 and the heating circuit. When a dangerous electrical situation is detected, the controller 12 immediately terminates the heating program.

[0037] The disposable paper cup 8 is designed to withstand boiling heat, ensuring that no harmful substances are released from the inner wall of the cup 8 when heated continuously at 120°C for 10 minutes. When placed on the raised platform 5, the flat bottom surface of the disposable paper cup 8 rests firmly against the upper surface of the raised platform 5. The bottom flange of the disposable paper cup 8 is higher than that of a standard paper cup 8, ensuring that the user's fingers do not get burned when pouring hot water from the cup 8 into another container. A paper handle 9 is affixed to the upper outer wall of the disposable paper cup 8, making it easy to remove the hot cup from the heating furnace. The cup lid 10 prevents scalding from splashing water after boiling. The lid 10 features a T-shaped cutout. When the water boils, the steam pushes past the T-shaped cutout and gushes out in the designated direction. A red arrow is pre-printed on the lid to indicate the location and direction of the steam, along with text warning users of the risk of scalding.

[0038] Although the present invention has been described in detail above using general descriptions and specific embodiments, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that modifications and improvements may be made thereto. Therefore, such modifications and improvements, without departing from the spirit of the present invention, are intended to be within the scope of protection claimed herein.

Claims

1. An electric water heater, characterized in that: The electric water heater is used in conjunction with a disposable paper cup, and comprises a stove base and a heating element, wherein the heating element is fixed in the stove base, and the disposable paper cup is movably arranged in the stove base, and the disposable paper cup is fitted with the heating element; The heating element is arranged to be inclined in accordance with the taper of the disposable paper cup, and the inner side surface of the heating element is an arc surface in accordance with the taper of the disposable paper cup; The stove base includes a circular base and a plurality of columns evenly distributed on the upper edge of the base, a heating element is fixed on the inner side of each column, and the disposable paper cup is located in a space surrounded by the plurality of heating elements; The electric water heater further comprises a heat insulation board, which is arranged between the heating element and the column, and one heating element and one heat insulation board form a heating and heat insulation assembly, and the heating and heat insulation assembly is floatingly installed with the column in a one-to-one correspondence; A plurality of evenly distributed rubber foot pads are arranged on the lower side of the base.

2. The electric water heater according to claim 1, characterized in that: A circular boss for supporting the disposable paper cup is provided at the center of the upper side of the base, a weight sensor and a vibration sensor are provided in the boss, the base is provided with a bottom bin with a waterproof upper portion and an open bottom, a controller is provided in the bottom bin, and the controller is connected to the weight sensor, the vibration sensor and the heating element circuit; Among them, the weight sensor is used to detect the total weight information of the disposable paper cup and the water in the cup, and the controller determines whether to heat according to the weight information; the vibration sensor is used to detect the vibration information of the disposable paper cup and the water in the cup, and the controller determines whether it has boiled and whether to stop heating according to the vibration information.

3. The electric water heater according to claim 2, characterized in that: A temperature sensor connected to the controller circuit is also provided in the boss. The temperature sensor is used to detect changes in ambient temperature to compensate for temperature drift and make the measurement result more accurate.

4. The electric water heater according to claim 2, characterized in that: The furnace base is also provided with a flowing water detector connected to the controller circuit. When water overflow or leakage is detected, the controller stops the heating program.

5. The electric water heater according to claim 2, characterized in that: A posture detector is provided at the bottom of the furnace seat. When it is detected that the furnace seat is tilted too much or tipped over, the controller terminates the heating program.

6. The electric water heater according to claim 2, characterized in that: The furnace base is also provided with a leakage safety system connected with the controller and the heating circuit. When a dangerous situation of using electricity is detected, the controller immediately terminates the heating program.

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