Water storage device, water heater, and manufacturing method thereof

Abstract

The present invention discloses a water storage device, a water heater thereof, and a manufacturing method thereof. A water storage device for a water heater includes: a first inner liner and a second inner liner; the first and second inner liner are connected via a connecting passage; the first inner liner is provided with a first connecting portion surrounding the outside of the connecting passage; the second inner liner is provided with a second connecting portion surrounding the outside of the connecting passage; the first connecting portion has an outer connecting surface that mates with the second connecting portion, and an inner connecting surface facing away from the outer connecting surface; the inner connecting surface is provided with a laser weld that securely welds the first and second connecting portions; the laser weld is provided around the connecting passage. The water storage device can directly use the inner surface of the first inner liner as a welding surface, allowing the inner wall of the inner liner to be enameled, resulting in excellent corrosion resistance and higher overall reliability.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of hot water equipment, and in particular to a water storage device, a water heater thereof, and a manufacturing method thereof. Background Art

[0002] At present, there are more and more varieties and styles of electric water heaters on the market, and their functions are also different. Among the existing electric water heaters, enamel inner tanks are widely used because of their excellent corrosion resistance and long service life.

[0003] Enamel liner generally adopts a double liner structure design, which connects two small-diameter cylindrical liner in series. Currently, one of the commonly used connection methods is to connect the two small cylindrical liner with a connecting pipe such as a stud in the middle, and then fix them by external welding.

[0004] However, the current welding method makes the distance between the two tanks too large, basically more than 24 mm, which limits the reduction of the volume of the electric water heater and makes it difficult to achieve the best effect of reducing the volume and overall thickness of the electric water heater. Summary of the Invention

[0005] In view of the above-mentioned deficiencies, an object of the present invention is to provide a water storage device, a water heater thereof, and a manufacturing method thereof, so as to facilitate reducing the distance between the two tanks and thereby reducing the volume of the water heater.

[0006] In order to achieve the above object, the present invention adopts the following technical solutions:

[0007] A water storage device for a water heater, comprising: a first inner tank and a second inner tank; the first inner tank and the second inner tank are connected through a connecting channel;

[0008] In which, the first inner liner is provided with a first connecting part surrounding the outside of the connecting channel; the second inner liner is provided with a second connecting part surrounding the outside of the connecting channel; the first connecting part has an outer connecting surface that fits with the second connecting part, and an inner connecting surface facing away from the outer connecting surface; a laser weld is provided on the inner connecting surface for fixing and welding the first connecting part and the second connecting part; the laser weld is arranged around the connecting channel.

[0009] As a preferred embodiment, the laser weld is an annular weld that extends continuously around the connecting channel.

[0010] As a preferred embodiment, the laser weld penetrates the first connecting portion and extends obliquely into the second connecting portion, thereby welding and fixing the first connecting portion and the second connecting portion.

[0011] As a preferred embodiment, the laser weld extends from the inner connection surface toward the second connection portion in a direction away from the central axis of the connection channel.

[0012] As a preferred embodiment, the extension direction of the laser weld is inclined by more than 2 degrees and less than 10 degrees relative to the central axis of the connecting channel.

[0013] As a preferred embodiment, the extension depth of the laser weld at the second connecting portion is greater than 1.5 mm.

[0014] As a preferred embodiment, the radial weld width of the laser weld is greater than 1 mm.

[0015] As a preferred embodiment, a through hole for water inlet or outlet is provided on the wall of the first inner liner; the center of the through hole is coaxially arranged with the center of the connecting channel.

[0016] As a preferred embodiment, the area of ​​the through hole is smaller than the area of ​​the region surrounded by the laser weld.

[0017] As a preferred embodiment, a through hole for water inlet or outlet is provided on the wall of the first inner liner; the orthographic projection of the through hole is located within the area surrounded by the laser weld.

[0018] As a preferred embodiment, the diameter of the through hole is smaller than the inner diameter of the annular laser weld.

[0019] As a preferred embodiment, the first connecting portion is a connecting platform formed by punching a portion of the wall of the first inner liner.

[0020] As a preferred embodiment, a connecting piece communicating with the interior of the second inner liner is welded on the wall of the second inner liner; an end of the connecting piece close to the first inner liner forms a second connecting portion welded to the first connecting portion.

[0021] As a preferred embodiment, the connecting piece and the second inner container are welded together by non-laser welding.

[0022] As a preferred embodiment, the second connecting portion is a docking platform arranged at the end of the connecting piece; a positioning step is also provided on the docking platform; the connecting platform is sleeved outside the positioning step and is in contact with the docking platform; the laser weld is located radially outside the positioning step.

[0023] As a preferred embodiment, the thickness of the positioning step is equal to the thickness of the docking platform.

[0024] As a preferred embodiment, the distance between the first inner liner and the second inner liner is within 20 mm, preferably, within 15 mm.

[0025] As a preferred embodiment, the connecting piece is a tubular structure with a connecting channel formed inside the tubular structure; the length of the connecting piece is less than 15 mm, preferably, less than 10 mm.

[0026] As a preferred embodiment, the second connecting portion is further provided with a positioning portion for radially limiting the first connecting portion.

[0027] A water storage device for a water heater, comprising: a first inner container and a second inner container arranged in parallel; wherein a water inlet hole and a water outlet hole are provided on a wall of the first inner container; the first inner container and the second inner container are connected by two connecting pieces; one connecting piece is coaxially arranged with the water inlet hole, and the other connecting piece is coaxially arranged with the water outlet hole;

[0028] Two connecting platforms corresponding to the two connecting pieces are stamped on the wall of the first inner liner; the connecting platform has an external connecting surface that fits the connecting piece, and an internal connecting surface facing away from the external connecting surface; a laser weld is provided on the internal connecting surface for fixing the connecting platform and the connecting piece; the connecting piece and the second inner liner are welded by a non-laser weld.

[0029] A water storage device for a water heater, comprising:

[0030] First liner;

[0031] Second liner;

[0032] At least one connecting piece connecting the first inner container and the second inner container; the connecting piece is less than 15 mm in length; the connecting piece is provided with a connecting passage connecting the first inner container and the second inner container; the connecting piece is welded to the second inner container by a non-laser weld;

[0033] In which, the first liner is provided with a first connecting part surrounding the outside of the connecting channel; the connecting piece is provided with a second connecting part surrounding the outside of the connecting channel; the first connecting part has an outer connecting surface that fits with the second connecting part, and an inner connecting surface facing away from the outer connecting surface; a laser weld is provided on the inner connecting surface for fixing and welding the first connecting part and the second connecting part; the laser weld is arranged around the connecting channel.

[0034] An electric water heater comprises: a water storage device as described in any one of the above embodiments.

[0035] A method for manufacturing a water storage device, comprising a first inner liner and a second inner liner; the first inner liner and the second inner liner are connected via a connecting passage; the first inner liner is provided with a first connecting portion surrounding the connecting passage; the second inner liner is provided with a second connecting portion surrounding the connecting passage; the first connecting portion has an outer connecting surface that mates with the second connecting portion, and an inner connecting surface facing away from the outer connecting surface;

[0036] The manufacturing method includes: performing laser welding with the inner connection surface as a laser incident surface, rotating the laser around the connection channel to form a laser weld that fixedly connects the first connection part and the second connection part.

[0037] As a preferred embodiment, the wall of the first inner liner is provided with a through hole for water inlet or outlet;

[0038] In the manufacturing method, the through hole serves as a laser input hole to inject laser light into the inner connection surface.

[0039] As a preferred embodiment, the through hole and the connecting channel are coaxially arranged;

[0040] In the manufacturing method, laser is rotated and welded at a predetermined angle relative to the concentric axis of the through hole and the connecting channel to form a laser weld on the inner connecting surface with an inner area larger than the cross-sectional area of ​​the through hole.

[0041] As a preferred embodiment, the laser is incident from the through hole toward the inner connection surface in a direction away from the axis.

[0042] As a preferred embodiment, the laser is inclined relative to the axis by more than 2 degrees and within 10 degrees.

[0043] As a preferred embodiment, the manufacturing method further comprises: welding a connecting piece of the second connecting portion on the wall of the second inner liner by non-laser welding.

[0044] As a preferred embodiment, the manufacturing method further comprises:

[0045] A portion of the wall of the first inner container is punched out to form a connection platform providing the first connection portion.

[0046] As a preferred embodiment, the second connecting portion includes a docking platform provided at the end of the connecting piece for docking with the connecting platform; the docking platform is also provided with a positioning step;

[0047] The manufacturing method includes: supporting the first inner liner on the second inner liner in the form of a connecting platform that is sleeved outside the positioning step and is in contact with the docking platform, and then laser welding the first connecting part and the second connecting part using the inner connecting surface as the laser incident surface.

[0048] Beneficial effects:

[0049] The two inner tanks of the water storage device provided in one embodiment of the present application are manufactured by laser welding, which has high welding efficiency. The first connecting part and the second connecting part are laser-fused to form a fixed connection by laser welding. This welding method is conducive to reducing the distance between the two inner tanks, thereby reducing the volume of the water heater.

[0050] In addition, the water storage device provided in one embodiment of the present application is connected by laser welding, which can reduce the use of welding auxiliary materials and reduce production costs.

[0051] The water storage device of one embodiment of the present application can directly use the inner surface of the first inner tank as the welding surface, so that the inner wall of the inner tank can be enameled, with good corrosion resistance and higher overall reliability.

[0052] With reference to the following description and the accompanying drawings, the specific embodiments of the present invention are disclosed in detail, indicating the manner in which the principles of the present invention can be applied. It should be understood that the embodiments of the present invention are not limited in scope thereby.

[0053] Features described and / or illustrated with respect to one embodiment may be used in the same or similar manner in one or more other embodiments, combined with features in other embodiments, or substituted for features in other embodiments.

[0054] It should be emphasized that the term "include / comprising" when used herein refers to the presence of features, integers, steps or components, but does not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps or components. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0055] In order 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 use in the embodiments or the description of the prior art. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without paying any creative labor.

[0056] Figure 1 This is a schematic structural diagram of a water storage device provided by one embodiment of the present invention;

[0057] Figure 2 yes Figure 1A schematic diagram of a connection portion between the first inner liner and the second inner liner;

[0058] Figure 3 yes Figure 2 A top view of

[0059] Figure 4 yes Figure 2 Laser weld cross-section;

[0060] Figure 5 yes Figure 2 Schematic diagram of laser penetration welding;

[0061] Figure 6 yes Figure 1 Schematic diagram of laser welding;

[0062] Figure 7 yes Figure 1 Schematic diagram of the manufacturing method. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0063] In order to enable those skilled in the art to better understand the technical solutions of the present invention, the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings of the embodiments of the present invention. Obviously, the embodiments described are only part of the embodiments of the present invention, not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without making creative efforts should fall within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0064] It should be noted that when an element is referred to as being "disposed on" another element, it may be directly on the other element or there may be another element centered thereon. When an element is referred to as being "connected to" another element, it may be directly connected to the other element or there may be another element centered thereon. The terms "vertical," "horizontal," "left," "right," and similar expressions used herein are for illustrative purposes only and do not represent the only implementation methods.

[0065] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by those skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains. The terms used herein in the specification of the present invention are for the purpose of describing specific embodiments only and are not intended to limit the present invention. The term "and / or" as used herein includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.

[0066] See also Figures 1 to 7One embodiment of the present invention provides a water storage device for a water heater, which is applicable to, but not limited to, electric water heaters. Specifically, the water storage device includes: a first inner tank 200 and a second inner tank 100. The first inner tank 200 and the second inner tank 100 are connected by a connecting channel 10. The first inner tank 200 and the second inner tank 100 can both be long cylindrical inner tanks, parallel to each other (parallel in their length directions, also commonly referred to as axially parallel arrangement of the upper and lower inner tanks), and arranged in an upper and lower position.

[0067] like Figure 1 As shown, when the water heater is in operation, the first inner tank 200 is located below the second inner tank 100. Accordingly, the first inner tank 200 can be referred to as the lower inner tank, and the second inner tank 100 can be referred to as the upper inner tank. End caps are welded to each end of the inner tank's cylindrical body along its length, forming a water storage space inside. The lengths of the first inner tank 200 and the second inner tank 100 can be approximately equal, but this is not a limitation in this application; the volumes and lengths of the first inner tank 200 and the second inner tank 100 can differ.

[0068] In this embodiment, the first inner liner 200 and the second inner liner 100 are connected by at least one connecting channel 10. Through the connecting channel 10, when cold water is input to the first inner liner 200, the water in the first inner liner 200 can enter the second inner liner 100 through the connecting channel 10. Among them, multiple connecting channels 10 can be provided, and the multiple connecting channels 10 can be arranged along the length direction of the inner liner. The first inner liner 200 and the second inner liner 100 are connected by multiple connecting channels 10, and water circulation is achieved within the water storage device. It can also be compatible with other functional components of the inner liner, such as scale inhibition modules, etc.

[0069] In this embodiment, the first inner liner 200 and the second inner liner 100 are connected via two connecting channels 10. The connecting channels 10 may be cylindrical holes with circular cross sections. Of course, the cross sections of the connecting channels 10 may also be other shapes, which is not particularly limited in this application.

[0070] In this embodiment, the first inner container 200 is provided with a first connection portion 110 surrounding the outside of the connecting passage 10. The second inner container 100 is provided with a second connection portion 150 surrounding the outside of the connecting passage 10. Figure 3 、 Figure 4As shown, the first connecting portion 110 has an outer connecting surface 112 that mates with the second connecting portion 150, and an inner connecting surface 111 facing away from the outer connecting surface 112. A laser weld 20 is provided on the inner connecting surface 111, which securely welds the first connecting portion 110 and the second connecting portion 150. The laser weld 20 is disposed around the connecting channel 10. The laser weld 20 is located radially outward of the connecting channel 10. The laser weld 20 is a continuous annular weld extending around the connecting channel 10.

[0071] When manufacturing the water storage device, the method for manufacturing the water storage device may include: performing laser welding with the inner connection surface 111 as a laser incident surface, rotating the laser around the connection channel 10 to form a laser weld 20 that securely connects the first connection portion 110 and the second connection portion 150. The laser is rotated around the connection channel 10 at least once to form a (total) annular laser weld 20.

[0072] In this embodiment, the first connecting portion 110 may be provided with an opening that leads into the interior of the first inner liner 200. This opening may participate in forming the connecting passage 10, or surround the connecting passage 10 to facilitate installation of components (e.g., studs) providing the connecting passage 10. Similar to the first connecting portion 110, the second connecting portion 150 may be provided with an opening that leads into the interior of the second inner liner 100. This opening may participate in forming the connecting passage 10, or surround the connecting passage 10 to facilitate installation of components (e.g., studs) providing the connecting passage 10.

[0073] In this embodiment, the first connecting portion 110 can be integrally formed with the first inner liner 200. The first inner liner 200 has opposing outer and inner wall surfaces. Accordingly, the outer connecting surface 112 of the first connecting portion 110 represents a portion of the outer surface of the first inner liner 200, while the inner connecting surface 111 represents a portion of the inner wall of the first inner liner 200. Therefore, the water storage device of this embodiment can directly utilize the inner surface of the first inner liner 200 as a welding surface, allowing the inner wall of the inner liner to be enameled, providing excellent corrosion resistance and increased overall reliability.

[0074] The first connecting portion 110 is a connecting platform formed by stamping a portion of the wall of the first inner liner 200. This connecting platform can be formed by stamping a portion of the wall of the first inner liner 200 outward or inward. The outer surface of the connecting platform (outer connecting surface 112) provides a contact surface, reducing the gap between the first connecting portion 110 and the second connecting portion 150, thereby achieving a higher quality fusion between the first connecting portion 110 and the second connecting portion 150 during laser welding.

[0075] Correspondingly, the second connecting part 150 provides a docking plane for docking with the first connecting part 110, and the docking plane is in contact with the outer connecting surface 112 of the first connecting part 110, thereby achieving good gap control and fit between the first connecting part 110 and the second connecting part 150, ensuring that the first inner liner 200 and the second inner liner 100 can form a higher quality laser welding fusion, thereby achieving reliable assembly of the upper and lower inner liners.

[0076] The two inner tanks of the water storage device provided in this embodiment are manufactured by laser welding, which has high welding efficiency. Laser welding is used to laser fuse the first connecting part 110 and the second connecting part 150 to form a fixed connection, thereby eliminating the need for welding auxiliary materials and reducing production costs.

[0077] In this embodiment, laser welding is used for internal welding, eliminating the need for sufficient clearance between the first inner liner 200 and the second inner liner 100 for inter-liner welding. Consequently, the inner liner of the water storage device can be spaced relatively close together, thereby reducing the overall volume of the water heater. Specifically, the spacing between the first inner liner 200 and the second inner liner 100 is less than 20 mm. Furthermore, the spacing between the first inner liner 200 and the second inner liner 100 is less than 15 mm, or even less than 10 mm.

[0078] To prevent the gap between the first connecting portion 110 and the second connecting portion 150 from being too large and affecting the quality of laser welding, the second connecting portion 150 is further provided with a positioning portion for positioning the first connecting portion 110. This positioning portion can radially limit the first inner liner 200 (first connecting portion 110), preventing the first inner liner 200 from moving radially when it is assembled and supported on the second inner liner 100 during the welding process, thereby facilitating laser welding.

[0079] During the welding process, the first connection part 110 can not only be attached to the second connection part 150 through the external connection surface 112 by using the positioning part, but can also be positioned on the second connection part 150, so that the first connection part 110 does not require additional positioning measures during the assembly process, achieving good clearance fit and meeting the precision requirements of laser welding.

[0080] As a schematic example, the positioning portion can be a positioning protrusion or a positioning through hole. Accordingly, the first connecting portion 110 is provided with a positioning hole for inserting the positioning protrusion, or an insertion protrusion inserted into the positioning through hole. The assembly positioning of the first connecting portion 110 and the second connecting portion 150 is achieved through the cooperation between the protrusion structure and the hole.

[0081] Of course, the positioning through hole or positioning hole can be an opening on the (first or second) connecting portion 110 / 150 that extends into the interior of the inner liner, thereby avoiding the need for additional holes. By providing the positioning portion, the first inner liner 200 can be prevented from shifting when the first inner liner 200 is placed on the second inner liner 100 for welding and positioning, allowing the laser to strike the desired welding position, thereby improving welding accuracy.

[0082] In this embodiment, if Figure 4 、 Figure 5 As shown, the positioning portion is a positioning step 152 inserted into the opening of the first connecting portion 110. During manufacturing, the positioning step 152 is inserted into the opening of the first connecting portion 110 to achieve surface bonding and welding positioning of the first liner 200 and the second liner 100.

[0083] The first connecting portion 110 is formed by the wall of the first inner liner 200 and provides an (external) connection plane for connecting the first inner liner 200 to the second inner liner 100. The first connecting portion 110 facilitates direct connection with the second connecting portion 150. When at least one connecting member 15 (such as a stud) is used for connection, the connecting member 15 and the first connecting portion 110 can also be connected conveniently via a platform docking method, facilitating laser welding.

[0084] In this embodiment, a single stud can be used to assemble the first inner liner 200 and the second inner liner 100. In other embodiments, the first inner liner 200 can be directly welded to the second inner liner 100 via the first connecting portion 110. This demonstrates that the water storage device of the present application can reduce the number of studs used, thereby reducing the problems of enamel microcracks and corrosion caused by stud butt welding. Furthermore, eliminating the need for studs or reducing the number of studs used can effectively save material costs and increase welding speed.

[0085] When the second inner liner 100 of this embodiment is connected to the first inner liner 200 through at least one connecting piece 15 (stud), the first connecting part 110 can also facilitate stud welding, reduce welding difficulty, and increase welding speed. It is also beneficial to reduce the spacing distance between the first inner liner 200 and the second inner liner 100, thereby facilitating the formation of complete enamel protection at the joint of the first inner liner 200 and the second inner liner 100, and improving the enamel protection quality of the joint position of the first inner liner 200 and the second inner liner 100.

[0086] In this embodiment, the first connecting portion 110 and the first inner liner 200 are integrally formed, thereby eliminating the need for a weld between the first inner liner 200 and the first connecting portion 110, thereby reducing the number of welds and improving the connection strength. Specifically, the first connecting portion 110 is formed by stamping a portion of the wall of the first inner liner 200.

[0087] The first inner liner 200 is connected to the second inner liner 100 via the first connecting portion 110. Considering that the length direction of the first inner liner 200 is generally parallel to the length direction of the second inner liner 100, to facilitate reducing the gap between the first inner liner 200 and the second inner liner 100, the inner and outer connecting surfaces 112 provided by the first connecting portion 110 are parallel to the length direction of the first inner liner 200. Of course, this application does not exclude the possibility that the inner and outer connecting surfaces 112 are not parallel to the length direction of the first inner liner 200.

[0088] When the water storage device is in operation, the second inner liner 100 is fixedly welded above the first inner liner 200. During the welding process, the first inner liner 200 is positioned above the second inner liner 100. To facilitate laser welding and improve welding quality, at least one connecting piece 15 is welded to the wall of the second inner liner 100, connecting to the interior of the second inner liner 100. This connecting piece 15 provides a second connecting portion 150 welded to the first connecting portion 110. The second connecting portion 150 can be located at the end of the connecting piece 15 away from the second inner liner 100.

[0089] Of course, in other embodiments, the second connecting portion 150 may also be an integral structure with the second inner liner 100 . Similar to the first connecting portion 110 , the second connecting portion 150 is formed by stamping a portion of the wall of the second inner liner 100 .

[0090] During manufacturing, the connecting piece 15 can be first welded to the wall of the second inner liner 100. The wall of the second inner liner 100 has an opening, and the connecting piece 15 is welded to the wall around the opening. The connecting piece 15 passes through the opening into the interior of the second inner liner 100. The connecting piece 15 and the second inner liner 100 are welded together by a non-laser weld 20.

[0091] Specifically, the connecting piece 15 and the second liner 100 can be welded by gas shielded welding. The connecting piece 15 is a tubular structure, which can be a connecting stud. The connecting piece 15 forms a connecting channel 10 inside. The length of the connecting piece 15 is less than 15 mm. Figure 2 As shown, a portion of the wall of the second inner liner 100 is formed into a welding platform 220 by stamping, and the lower end of the connecting piece 15 (connecting stud) is welded to the welding platform 220 of the second inner liner 100 by gas shielded welding. The length of the connecting piece 15 in this embodiment can be less than 10 mm. By using the inwardly stamped welding platform 220 and the connecting platform (110), the distance between the first inner liner 200 and the second inner liner 100 can be less than the length of the connecting piece 15.

[0092] like Figure 4 、 Figure 5As shown, the second connecting portion 150 is a docking platform 151 provided at the end of the connecting piece 15. A positioning step 152 is also provided on the docking platform 151. The docking platform 151 and the positioning step 152 form an end portion of the connecting piece 15 with an "L"-shaped cross-section. The docking platform 151 is sleeved outside the positioning step 152 and is in contact with the docking platform 151. The positioning step 152 can be used to realize the plug-in assembly of the first inner liner 200 and the second inner liner 100, facilitate the assembly of the first inner liner 200 on the connecting piece 15, and realize the precise positioning of the first inner liner 200 and the second inner liner 100.

[0093] In this embodiment, the thickness of the positioning step 152 is equal to the thickness of the docking platform 151. The laser weld 20 is located radially outside the positioning step 152. Through the plug-in assembly positioning method of the first connecting part 110 and the second connecting part 150, the assembly gap between the first connecting part 110 and the second connecting part 150 can be less than 0.5mm (the assembly gap between the connecting piece 15 and the connecting platform can be less than 0.5mm), thereby providing good gap control and fit for the first inner liner 200 and the second inner liner 100, ensuring reliable assembly of the two and facilitating the improvement of enamel quality in subsequent processes.

[0094] like Figure 5 As shown, a high-energy laser is incident on the inner connection surface 111 of the first connection part 110, forming a laser weld 20 on the inner connection surface 111. The heat of the laser on the inner connection surface 111 diffuses inward through the first connection part 110 to the second connection part 150, melting part of the material of the first connection part 110 and the second connection part 150, achieving fusion welding, and then achieving the welding and fixation of the first connection part 110 and the second connection part 150. Under the action of the high-energy laser beam, the area to be welded penetrates the first connection part 110 and melts part of the material of the second connection part 150. The metal in the area penetrated by the laser is molten and fuses in the molten state. After cooling, the second connection part 150 and the first connection part 110 are fused.

[0095] like Figure 4 、 Figure 6 As shown, the laser weld 20 penetrates the first connecting portion 110 and extends obliquely into the second connecting portion 150, welding the first connecting portion 110 and the second connecting portion 150 together. Specifically, the laser weld 20 extends from the inner connecting surface 111 toward the second connecting portion 150 in a direction away from the central axis 50 of the connecting channel 10. The laser welding is oblique, which reduces the impact on the connecting channel 10 and facilitates a larger through-hole 210 diameter in the connecting channel 10, thereby forming a larger flow area.

[0096] When there is a larger flow area between the first inner tank 200 and the second inner tank 100, the flow rate of water in the lower inner tank (second inner tank 100) can be reduced when entering the upper inner tank (first inner tank 200), avoiding the formation of relatively large turbulence in the first inner tank 200, thereby improving the hot water production rate of the water heater.

[0097] Specifically, the laser weld 20 is an oblique weld, extending from the inner connection surface 111 toward the second connection portion 150 in a direction away from the central axis 50 of the connection channel 10. Furthermore, the extension direction of the laser weld 20 is inclined by at least 2 degrees and no more than 10 degrees relative to the central axis 50 of the connection channel 10. The extension depth of the laser weld 20 at the second connection portion 150 is greater than 1.5 mm. The laser weld 20 is annular in shape, and its radial width is greater than 1 mm.

[0098] In the manufacturing method, the laser can be incident at an angle on the inner connecting surface 111 of the first connecting portion 110, rather than perpendicularly. This allows for a larger diameter annular weld, reduces the flow rate, and avoids the formation of significant turbulence in the first inner tank 200, thereby improving the water heater's hot water production rate. Furthermore, the aperture of the laser input hole (water inlet 202 or water outlet 201) requires a smaller diameter. The diameter of the connecting channel 10 can also be set larger to facilitate the spacing between the upper and lower inner tanks and facilitate comprehensive protection by the anode rod.

[0099] When performing laser welding, the water inlet hole 202 or the water outlet hole 201 can be used as the input hole of the laser. The laser oblique incidence welding in this embodiment can reduce the size requirements of the water inlet hole 202 or the water outlet hole 201. Smaller water inlet hole 202 or water outlet hole 201 can reduce the impact on the integrity of the inner liner and improve the pressure-bearing capacity of the entire inner liner.

[0100] In this embodiment, the second connecting portion 150 is thicker than the first connecting portion 110 (the wall thickness of the first inner liner 200), thereby providing a higher weld thickness. The weld depth on the second connecting portion 150 can be greater than the wall thickness of the first connecting portion 110, or the weld extension length on the second connecting portion 150 can be greater than the wall thickness of the first connecting portion 110. This meets the requirements of laser welding, avoids welding through the second connecting portion 150, and achieves the desired inner liner welding effect.

[0101] In this embodiment, a through hole 210 for water inlet or outlet is provided on the wall of the first inner liner 200. In this embodiment, two through holes 210 are provided on the wall of the first inner liner 200: a water inlet hole 202 and a water outlet hole 201. The water inlet hole 202 or the water outlet hole 201 can be installed with a water outlet pipe or a water inlet pipe. Among them, the through hole 210 (the water inlet hole 202 or the water outlet hole 201) is coaxially arranged with the center of the connecting channel 10. In this way, additional holes can be avoided on the wall of the first inner liner 200, and the water inlet hole 202 or the water outlet hole 201 coaxial with the connecting channel 10 is used as the laser input hole. The area of ​​the through hole 210 (the water inlet hole 202 or the water outlet hole 201) is smaller than the area of ​​the area surrounded by the laser weld 20, which reduces the impact on the integrity of the inner liner and improves the pressure bearing capacity of the inner liner.

[0102] As can be seen, laser angled welding creates a larger weld path, allowing the diameter of the connecting hole 210 connecting the first inner liner 200 and the second inner liner 100 to be larger, thereby creating a larger flow area between the inner liner. With a larger flow area between the first inner liner 200 and the second inner liner 100, the flow rate of water in the lower inner liner (first inner liner 200) entering the upper inner liner (second inner liner 100) can be reduced, avoiding the formation of relatively large turbulence in the first inner liner 200, thereby improving the hot water production rate of the water heater.

[0103] In this embodiment, the orthographic projection of the through hole 210 is located within the area surrounded by the laser weld 20. The orthographic projection of the through hole 210 is the projection along its central axis 50. The diameter of the through hole 210 is smaller than the inner diameter of the annular laser weld 20.

[0104] A specific embodiment of the present application provides a water storage device, which includes a first inner liner 200 and a second inner liner 100 arranged in parallel; wherein, a water inlet hole 202 and a water outlet hole 201 are provided on the wall of the first inner liner 200; the first inner liner 200 and the second inner liner 100 are connected by two connecting pieces 15; one of the connecting pieces 15 is coaxially arranged with the water inlet hole 202, and the other connecting piece 15 is coaxially arranged with the water outlet hole 201.

[0105] Two connecting platforms corresponding to the two connecting pieces 15 are stamped on the wall of the first inner liner 200; the connecting platform has an outer connecting surface 112 that fits the connecting piece 15, and an inner connecting surface 111 facing away from the outer connecting surface 112; a laser weld 20 is provided on the inner connecting surface 111 for fixing and welding the connecting platform and the connecting piece 15; the connecting piece 15 and the second inner liner 100 are welded by a non-laser weld 20.

[0106] Another specific embodiment of the present application provides a water storage device for a water heater, comprising: a first inner tank 200; a second inner tank 100; and at least one connecting piece 15 connecting the first inner tank 200 and the second inner tank 100. The connecting piece 15 is provided with a connecting passage 10 connecting the first inner tank 200 and the second inner tank 100. The connecting piece 15 is welded to the second inner tank 100 via a non-laser weld 20. The first inner tank 200 is provided with a first connecting portion 110 surrounding the exterior of the connecting passage 10; and the connecting piece 15 is provided with a second connecting portion 150 surrounding the exterior of the connecting passage 10. The first connecting portion 110 has an outer connecting surface 112 that mates with the second connecting portion 150, and an inner connecting surface 111 facing away from the outer connecting surface 112. The inner connecting surface 111 is provided with a laser weld 20 that securely welds the first connecting portion 110 and the second connecting portion 150; the laser weld 20 is provided around the connecting passage 10.

[0107] One embodiment of the present invention further provides an electric water heater, comprising a water storage device as described in any of the above embodiments. It should be noted that the water inlet and outlet pipes, the heating unit, the mounting portion for mounting the electric water heater, and other components (e.g., the control unit) of the electric water heater provided in this embodiment may be constructed using any suitable existing structure. To clearly and concisely illustrate the technical solution provided by this embodiment, the aforementioned components will not be described in detail herein, and the accompanying drawings have been simplified accordingly. However, it should be understood that this does not limit the scope of this embodiment.

[0108] Please continue reading Figures 1 to 7 In another embodiment of the present invention, a method for manufacturing a water storage device is provided. The water storage device includes a first inner liner 200 and a second inner liner 100. The first inner liner 200 and the second inner liner 100 are connected through a connecting channel 10. The first inner liner 200 is provided with a first connecting portion 110 surrounding the outside of the connecting channel 10. The second inner liner 100 is provided with a second connecting portion 150 surrounding the outside of the connecting channel 10. The first connecting portion 110 has an outer connecting surface 112 that is in contact with the second connecting portion 150, and an inner connecting surface 111 facing away from the outer connecting surface 112.

[0109] The water storage device manufacturing method can be applied to, but not limited to, the manufacturing of the water storage devices in the above-mentioned embodiments, and the repeated parts will not be repeated. It should be noted that although each embodiment is described separately, the embodiments of this application can be referenced to each other and do not exist in isolation.

[0110] A laser light source 1 (such as a laser transmitter) emits laser light from outside the first inner container 200 through the water outlet 201 or the water inlet 202 toward the inner connecting surface 111. The laser light is not obstructed before it strikes the inner connecting surface 111. The laser light source 1 is located on one side of the axis 50 and rotates about the axis 50. The intersection of the laser light and the axis 50 is located outside the first inner container 200. The laser light is incident on the inner connecting surface 111 from the through hole 210 in a direction away from the axis 50.

[0111] Specifically, the manufacturing method includes: performing laser welding with the inner connection surface 111 as the laser incident surface, rotating the laser around the connection channel 10 to form a laser weld 20 that fixedly connects the first connection part 110 and the second connection part 150.

[0112] The wall of the first inner liner 200 is provided with a through hole 210 for water inlet and outlet. In the manufacturing method, the through hole 210 serves as a laser input hole, directing laser light toward the inner connecting surface 111. During the welding process, the distance between the laser light source 1 emitting the laser and the inner connecting surface 111 is between 0.9 and 1.1 times the laser focal length.

[0113] When the first inner liner 200 is carried on the second inner liner 100, the through hole 210 and the connecting channel 10 are coaxially arranged. That is, the first inner liner 200 is carried on the second inner liner 100 in a manner that the through hole 210 is coaxial with the center of the connecting channel 10. The axis 50 around which the laser revolves is the concentric axis 50 of the through hole 210 and the connecting channel. In the manufacturing method: the laser is tilted at a predetermined angle relative to the concentric axis 50 of the through hole 210 and the connecting channel 10 for rotational welding to form a laser weld 20 on the inner connecting surface 111 whose internal area is larger than the cross-sectional area of ​​the through hole 210. Specifically, the laser is tilted at least 2 degrees and within 10 degrees relative to the axis 50.

[0114] In this embodiment, the manufacturing method further includes: welding a connecting piece 15 providing the second connecting portion 150 to the wall of the second inner liner 100 by a non-laser welding method. The second connecting portion 150 is located at an end of the connecting piece 15 away from the second inner liner 100 (usually the upper end), the first inner liner 200 is placed on the connecting piece 15, and the first inner liner 200 and the connecting piece 15 are laser welded to achieve a fixed connection between the first inner liner 200 and the second inner liner 100.

[0115] The manufacturing method further includes: stamping a portion of the wall of the first inner liner 200 to form a connection platform for the first connecting portion 110. The connection platform can be formed by stamping a portion of the wall toward the interior of the first inner wall. This creates a recessed structure on the outer wall of the first inner liner 200, not only providing a flat surface for contact with the second connecting portion 150 but also further reducing the distance between the first inner liner 200 and the second inner liner 100. Alternatively, a portion of the wall can be stamped toward the exterior of the liner to form an outwardly protruding connection platform, which is not specifically limited in this application.

[0116] In this embodiment, the end of the connecting member 15 is provided with a docking platform 151 that interfaces with the connecting platform. The docking platform 151 is also provided with a positioning step 152. The manufacturing method includes: first, fitting the connecting platform of the first inner liner 200 over the positioning step 152, so that it interfaces with the docking platform 151; and then, performing laser welding using the inner connecting surface 111 as the laser incident surface.

[0117] The following describes in detail the manufacturing steps of the water storage device manufacturing method of this embodiment to better understand the present invention. Figure 7 As shown, the manufacturing method of the water storage device includes the following specific steps:

[0118] S100 , a ring-shaped welding platform is formed by punching on the wall of the second inner liner 100 .

[0119] S101 , welding a connecting piece 15 (eg, a connecting stud) on the welding platform by gas shielded welding. The connecting piece 15 is provided with a docking platform 151 and a positioning step 152 at one end away from the second inner liner 100 .

[0120] S200: Stamping a connecting platform in the shape of a ring on the wall of the first inner liner 200. The connecting platform is coaxially arranged with the water inlet hole 202 or the water outlet hole 201 on the wall. There is no specific order for executing step S200, S100, or S101. Step S200 can be performed simultaneously with steps S100 and S101, or they can be performed sequentially. This application does not impose any restrictions.

[0121] S300: Place the first inner liner 200 on the connecting member 15 by inserting the positioning step 152 into the connecting platform for positioning. At this point, the first inner liner 200 is positioned above the second inner liner 100, with the water inlet 202 or water outlet 201, which serves as the laser input port, located at the top and open upward. The connecting platform is aligned with the docking platform 151, and the internal channel of the connecting member 15 forms a connecting channel 10 connecting the first inner liner 200 and the second inner liner 100. The connecting platform surrounds the outside of the connecting channel 10.

[0122] S400: Control the laser light source 1 to emit laser light at an angle toward the inner connection surface 111 of the connection platform outside the first inner liner 200, using the water inlet 202 or the water outlet 201 as the laser input hole (for laser welding). The laser light propagates at an angle relative to the axis 50 around which it is located. The axis 50 is the central axis 50 of the through hole 210. The laser light is incident from the through hole 210 toward the inner connection surface 111 in a direction away from the axis 50. The laser light is inclined relative to the axis 50 by more than 2 degrees and less than 10 degrees.

[0123] S500 , rotating the laser around the coaxial axis 50 of the through hole 210 and the connecting piece 15 to form an annular laser weld 20 on the inner connecting surface 111 , welding the connecting platform and the connecting piece 15 .

[0124] Any numerical value cited herein includes all values ​​of the lower and upper values ​​in increments of one unit from the lower limit to the upper limit, and there is an interval of at least two units between any lower value and any higher value. For example, if the value of the quantity of a component or a process variable (such as temperature, pressure, time, etc.) is set forth to be from 1 to 90, preferably from 20 to 80, more preferably from 30 to 70, the purpose is to illustrate that values ​​such as 15 to 85, 22 to 68, 43 to 51, 30 to 32 are also explicitly listed in this specification. For values ​​less than 1, one unit is appropriately considered to be 0.0001, 0.001, 0.01, 0.1. These are merely examples that are intended to be clearly expressed, and it can be considered that all possible combinations of the numerical values ​​listed between the minimum and maximum values ​​are explicitly set forth in this specification in a similar manner.

[0125] Unless otherwise indicated, all ranges include the endpoints and all numbers between the endpoints. When used with a range, "about" or "approximately" applies to both endpoints of the range. Thus, "about 20 to 30" is intended to cover "about 20 to about 30," including at least the specified endpoints.

[0126] All articles and references disclosed herein, including patent applications and publications, are incorporated herein by reference for all purposes. The term "consisting essentially of..." when describing a combination should include the identified elements, ingredients, components, or steps and other elements, ingredients, components, or steps that do not materially affect the basic novel characteristics of the combination. The use of the terms "comprising" or "including" to describe a combination of elements, ingredients, components, or steps herein also contemplates embodiments consisting essentially of these elements, ingredients, components, or steps. By using the term "may," it is intended to indicate that any attribute described as "may" be optional.

[0127] Multiple elements, ingredients, parts or steps can be provided by a single integrated element, ingredient, part or step. Alternatively, a single integrated element, ingredient, part or step can be divided into separate multiple elements, ingredients, parts or steps. The disclosure of "a" or "an" to describe an element, ingredient, part or step is not intended to exclude other elements, ingredients, parts or steps.

[0128] It should be understood that the above description is for illustration and not for limitation. Many embodiments and many applications beyond the examples provided will be apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading the above description. Therefore, the scope of the present teachings should not be determined with reference to the above description, but rather with reference to the appended claims and the full scope of equivalents to which such claims are entitled. For the purpose of comprehensiveness, all articles and references, including disclosures of patent applications and publications, are incorporated herein by reference. The omission of any aspect of the subject matter disclosed herein from the foregoing claims is not intended to be a disclaimer of such subject matter, nor should it be assumed that the inventors did not consider such subject matter to be part of the disclosed inventive subject matter.

Claims

1. A water storage device for a water heater, characterized in that: include: a first inner liner and a second inner liner; the first inner liner and the second inner liner are connected via a connecting channel; The first inner liner is provided with a first connecting portion surrounding the outside of the connecting channel; the second inner liner is provided with a second connecting portion surrounding the outside of the connecting channel; the first connecting portion has an outer connecting surface that is in contact with the second connecting portion, and an inner connecting surface facing away from the outer connecting surface; a laser weld is provided on the inner connecting surface for fixing and welding the first connecting portion and the second connecting portion; the laser weld is provided around the connecting channel; the laser weld is an oblique weld, and the laser weld extends from the inner connecting surface toward the second connecting portion in a direction away from the central axis of the connecting channel; The wall of the first inner liner is provided with a through hole for water inlet or outlet, or the first inner liner and the second inner liner are long cylindrical inner liner, or the second inner liner and the first inner liner are arranged up and down.

2. The water storage device according to claim 1, characterized in that The laser weld is an annular weld that extends continuously around the connecting channel.

3. The water storage device according to claim 1, wherein The laser weld penetrates the first connection portion and extends obliquely into the second connection portion, welding and fixing the first connection portion and the second connection portion.

4. The water storage device according to claim 1, wherein The extending direction of the laser weld is inclined relative to the central axis of the connecting channel by more than 2 degrees and less than 10 degrees.

5. The water storage device according to claim 1, wherein: The extension depth of the laser weld at the second connecting portion is greater than 1.5 mm.

6. The water storage device according to claim 1, wherein: The laser weld has a weld width in the radial direction greater than 1 mm.

7. The water storage device according to claim 1, wherein: A through hole for water inlet or outlet is provided on the wall of the first inner liner; the center of the through hole is coaxially arranged with the center of the connecting channel.

8. The water storage device according to claim 7, characterized in that The area of ​​the through hole is smaller than the area of ​​the region surrounded by the laser weld.

9. The water storage device according to claim 1, wherein: The orthographic projection of the through hole is located within the area surrounded by the laser weld.

10. The water storage device according to any one of claims 7 to 9, characterized in that: The diameter of the through hole is smaller than the inner diameter of the ring-shaped laser weld.

11. The water storage device according to claim 1, wherein The first connecting portion is a connecting platform formed by punching a portion of the wall of the first inner container.

12. The water storage device according to claim 11, characterized in that A connecting piece communicating with the interior of the second inner liner is welded on the wall of the second inner liner; an end of the connecting piece close to the first inner liner forms a second connecting portion welded to the first connecting portion.

13. The water storage device according to claim 12, wherein: The connecting piece and the second inner container are welded together by non-laser welding.

14. The water storage device according to claim 12, wherein: The second connecting portion is a docking platform arranged at the end of the connecting piece; a positioning step is also provided on the docking platform; the connecting platform is sleeved outside the positioning step and is in contact with the docking platform; the laser weld is located radially outside the positioning step.

15. The water storage device according to claim 14, wherein: The thickness of the positioning step is equal to the thickness of the docking platform.

16. The water storage device according to claim 1, wherein: The distance between the first inner container and the second inner container is within 20 mm.

17. The water storage device according to claim 16, wherein: The distance between the first inner container and the second inner container is within 15 mm.

18. The water storage device according to claim 12, wherein: The connecting piece is a tube structure with a connecting channel formed inside. The length of the connecting piece is less than 15 mm.

19. The water storage device according to claim 18, wherein The length of the connecting piece is less than 10 mm.

20. The water storage device according to claim 1, wherein: The second connecting portion is further provided with a positioning portion for radially limiting the first connecting portion.

21. A water storage device for a water heater, characterized in that: include: A first inner liner and a second inner liner are arranged in parallel; wherein a water inlet hole and a water outlet hole are provided on the wall of the first inner liner; the first inner liner and the second inner liner are connected by two connecting pieces; one connecting piece is coaxially arranged with the water inlet hole, and the other connecting piece is coaxially arranged with the water outlet hole; Two connecting platforms corresponding to the two connecting pieces are stamped on the wall of the first inner liner; the connecting platform has an outer connecting surface that fits the connecting piece, and an inner connecting surface facing away from the outer connecting surface; a laser weld is provided on the inner connecting surface for fixing the connecting platform and the connecting piece; the laser weld is an oblique weld, and the laser weld extends from the inner connecting surface toward the connecting piece in a direction away from the central axis of the connecting piece; the connecting piece and the second inner liner are welded by a non-laser weld.

22. A water storage device for a water heater, characterized in that: include: First liner; Second liner; At least one connecting piece connecting the first inner container and the second inner container; the connecting piece is less than 15 mm in length; the connecting piece is provided with a connecting passage connecting the first inner container and the second inner container; the connecting piece is welded to the second inner container by a non-laser weld; In which, the first liner is provided with a first connecting part surrounding the outside of the connecting channel; the connecting piece is provided with a second connecting part surrounding the outside of the connecting channel; the first connecting part has an outer connecting surface that is in contact with the second connecting part, and an inner connecting surface facing away from the outer connecting surface; a laser weld is provided on the inner connecting surface for fixing and welding the first connecting part and the second connecting part; the laser weld is an oblique weld, and the laser weld extends from the inner connecting surface toward the second connecting part in a direction away from the central axis of the connecting channel; the laser weld is arranged around the connecting channel.

23. An electric water heater, characterized in that: include: A water storage device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 22.

24. A method for manufacturing a water storage device for a water heater according to any one of claims 1 to 20, characterized in that: The manufacturing method includes: performing laser welding with the inner connection surface as a laser incident surface, rotating the laser around the connection channel to form a laser weld that fixedly connects the first connection part and the second connection part.

25. The manufacturing method according to claim 24, wherein: The wall of the first inner liner is provided with a through hole for water inlet or outlet; In the manufacturing method, the through hole serves as a laser input hole to inject laser light into the inner connection surface.

26. The manufacturing method according to claim 24, wherein: The wall of the first inner liner is provided with a through hole for water inlet or outlet; the through hole and the connecting channel are coaxially arranged; In the manufacturing method, laser is rotated and welded at a predetermined angle relative to the concentric axis of the through hole and the connecting channel to form a laser weld on the inner connecting surface with an inner area larger than the cross-sectional area of ​​the through hole.

27. The manufacturing method according to claim 24, wherein: A through hole for water inlet or outlet is provided on the wall of the first inner liner; the laser is incident from the through hole along a direction away from the axis toward the inner connection surface.

28. The manufacturing method according to claim 26, wherein: The laser is tilted relative to the axis by more than 2 degrees and within 10 degrees.

29. The manufacturing method according to claim 24, wherein: The manufacturing method further includes: welding a connecting piece of the second connecting portion on the wall of the second inner liner by a non-laser welding method.

30. The manufacturing method according to claim 24, wherein: The manufacturing method further comprises: A portion of the wall of the first inner container is punched out to form a connection platform providing the first connection portion.

31. The manufacturing method according to claim 25, wherein: A connecting piece is welded to the wall of the second inner liner and communicates with the interior of the second inner liner; the first connecting portion is a connecting platform formed by stamping a portion of the wall of the first inner liner; the second connecting portion includes a docking platform provided at the end of the connecting piece for docking and affixing the connecting platform; a positioning step is also provided on the docking platform; The manufacturing method includes: placing the connection platform of the first inner liner outside the positioning step and supporting it on the second inner liner in a form of being in contact with and fitted to the docking platform, and then laser welding the first connection part and the second connection part using the inner connection surface as the laser incident surface.

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