Water dispenser

Abstract

The present invention discloses a water dispenser, comprising: a cold water tank; a refrigeration assembly, including a refrigeration box and a refrigeration heat exchanger arranged corresponding to the refrigeration box, the refrigeration box is communicated with the cold water tank through a pipeline, and a circulation pump is arranged on the pipeline to enable water to circulate between the cold water tank and the refrigeration box; a water replenishing tank, the water replenishing tank is arranged in the cold water tank and communicated with a water source for replenishing water to the cold water tank; a hot water tank, the hot water tank is communicated with the water replenishing tank to enable the water replenishing tank to replenish water to the hot water tank. By arranging the water replenishing tank in the cold water tank, the water dispenser of the present invention can directly replenish water from the inside of the cold water tank, eliminating the pipeline connecting the cold water tank and the water replenishing tank, and also making the water replenishing waterways of the water replenishing tank to the cold water tank and the hot water tank independent of each other, so as to avoid water replenishing errors and improve the practicability and stability of the water dispenser.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of drinking water equipment, and particularly to a drinking fountain. Background Art

[0002] Existing drinking fountains use a two-way solenoid valve to replenish water from a replenishment water tank to a cold water tank and a hot water tank. The switching working frequency of the two-way solenoid valve is relatively high, which easily causes the two-way solenoid valve to malfunction, resulting in water replenishment failure or water path cross-flow, reducing the practicability of the drinking fountain. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The main object of the present invention is to provide a drinking fountain, aiming to solve the technical problem of how to improve the practicability of the drinking fountain.

[0004] To achieve the above object, the drinking fountain proposed by the present invention includes:

[0005] A cold water tank;

[0006] A refrigeration assembly, including a refrigeration box and a refrigeration heat exchanger arranged corresponding to the refrigeration box. The refrigeration box is communicated with the cold water tank through a pipeline, and a circulation pump is provided on the pipeline to enable water to circulate between the cold water tank and the refrigeration box;

[0007] A replenishment water tank, which is arranged in the cold water tank and communicated with a water source for replenishing water to the cold water tank;

[0008] A hot water tank, which is communicated with the replenishment water tank so that the replenishment water tank replenishes water to the hot water tank.

[0009] Preferably, a heat insulation boss is convexly provided at the bottom of the cold water tank, and the replenishment water tank is arranged on the heat insulation boss.

[0010] Preferably, the hot water tank is arranged below the cold water tank so that the water in the replenishment water tank flows to the hot water tank under the action of gravity.

[0011] Preferably, the replenishment water tank is communicated with the water source through a water supply pump, and a float switch electrically connected to the water supply pump is further arranged in the replenishment water tank to start the water supply pump according to the change of the water level in the replenishment water tank.

[0012] Preferably, the drinking fountain further includes a water intake valve communicated with the hot water tank, and the water intake flow rate of the water intake valve is greater than the water supply flow rate of the water supply pump.

[0013] Preferably, the effective volume of the replenishment water tank is not less than the product of the difference between the water intake flow rate of the water intake valve and the water supply flow rate of the water supply pump and the preset water intake duration of the water intake valve.

[0014] Preferably, the effective volume of the replenishment water tank is not greater than 1 / 40 of the effective volume of the cold water tank.

[0015] Preferably, the make-up water tank has an overflow port for the water in the make-up water tank to overflow into the cold water tank, and the overflow port is higher than the full water level of the cold water tank.

[0016] Preferably, a partition is provided in the cold water tank, and the partition divides the cold water tank into a cold water area and a mixing area. The overflow port of the make-up water tank is arranged corresponding to the mixing area so that the water flowing out of the overflow port flows into the mixing area.

[0017] The cold water tank has a heat exchange water outlet communicated with the refrigeration box and a water intake port communicated with a water intake device. The heat exchange water outlet is arranged in the mixing area and / or the cold water area, and the water intake port is arranged in the cold water area.

[0018] Preferably, the water dispenser further includes an inner tank, the bottom of the inner tank forms the cold water tank, and the refrigeration assembly is arranged at the top of the inner tank and above the cold water area so that the water in the refrigeration box flows into the cold water area.

[0019] Preferably, the refrigeration heat exchanger can be used for making ice, and the water dispenser further includes an ice storage tray arranged in the inner tank. The ice storage tray is located above the cold water tank for receiving the ice cubes separated from the refrigeration box.

[0020] Preferably, a water passing gap is formed between the partition and the inner wall of the cold water tank, and the water passing gap communicates the cold water area and the mixing area.

[0021] By arranging the make-up water tank inside the cold water tank, the water dispenser of the present invention can directly make up water from the inside of the cold water tank, eliminating the pipeline connecting the cold water tank and the make-up water tank, and also making the make-up water circuits for the cold water tank and the hot water tank independent of each other, so as to avoid make-up water errors and improve the practicability and stability of the water dispenser. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0022] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention or the prior art, the following will briefly introduce the drawings required for use in the description of the embodiments or the prior art. Obviously, the following drawings are only some embodiments of the present invention, and for those of ordinary skill in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on the structures shown in these drawings without creative efforts.

[0023] Figure 1 It is a system schematic diagram of an embodiment of the water dispenser of the present invention;

[0024] Figure 2 It is a structural schematic diagram of an embodiment of the water dispenser of the present invention;

[0025] Figure 3This is a top view schematic diagram of an embodiment of the water dispenser of the present invention.

[0026] Explanation of the reference numerals in the drawings:

[0027] Label Name Label Name Label Name 10 Inner tank 21 Refrigeration box 22 Refrigeration heat exchanger 30 Circulation pump 40 Make-up water tank 50 Hot water tank 11 Cold water tank 12 Thermal insulation boss 41 Water supply pump 131 Water passing gap 51 Water intake valve 43 Overflow port 13 Partition board 111 Cold water area 112 Mixed water area 113 Heat exchange water outlet 114 Water intake 60 Ice storage tray 70 Water intake equipment

[0028] The realization, functional features and advantages of the object of the present invention will be further described with reference to the embodiments and the accompanying drawings. Specific embodiments

[0029] Next, the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in the embodiments of the present invention. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of the present invention, rather than all the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without creative work fall within the protection scope of the present invention.

[0030] It should be noted that if there are directional indications (such as up, down, left, right, front, back...) involved in the embodiments of the present invention, the directional indications are only used to explain the relative positional relationship and movement conditions between components in a specific posture (as shown in the drawings). If the specific posture changes, the directional indications will also change accordingly.

[0031] In addition, if there are descriptions such as "first" and "second" involved in the embodiments of the present invention, the descriptions of "first", "second", etc. are only for descriptive purposes and cannot be understood as indicating or implying their relative importance or implicitly indicating the quantity of the indicated technical features. Thus, the features defined with "first" and "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one such feature. In addition, the meaning of "and / or" appearing throughout the text is that it includes three parallel solutions. Taking "A and / or B" as an example, it includes the A solution, or the B solution, or the solution where A and B are satisfied simultaneously. In addition, the technical solutions between the various embodiments can be combined with each other, but it must be based on the fact that those of ordinary skill in the art can implement them. When the combination of technical solutions results in contradictions or cannot be implemented, it should be considered that such a combination of technical solutions does not exist and is not within the protection scope required by the present invention.

[0032] The present invention provides a water dispenser.

[0033] In the embodiments of the present invention, as Figures 1 to 3As shown in the figure, the water dispenser includes: a cold water tank 11; a refrigeration assembly, including a refrigeration box 21 and a refrigeration heat exchanger 22 disposed corresponding to the refrigeration box 21. The refrigeration box 21 is communicated with the cold water tank 11 through a pipeline, and a circulation pump 30 is provided on the pipeline to enable water to circulate between the cold water tank 11 and the refrigeration box 21; a water replenishing tank 40, which is disposed in the cold water tank 11 and communicated with a water source to replenish water to the cold water tank 11; a hot water tank 50, which is communicated with the water replenishing tank 40 to enable the water replenishing tank 40 to replenish water to the hot water tank 50.

[0034] In this embodiment, the pipeline communicates the cold water tank 11 with the refrigeration box 21, and the circulation pump 30 is disposed on the pipeline to transport the water in the cold water tank 11 to the refrigeration box 21. The refrigeration heat exchanger 22 is an evaporator, and the refrigeration heat exchanger 22 is disposed inside or above the refrigeration box 21. If the refrigeration heat exchanger 22 is disposed above the refrigeration box 21, the water in the cold water tank 11 first flows through the refrigeration heat exchanger 22 for heat exchange and refrigeration and then falls into the refrigeration box 21; if the refrigeration heat exchanger 22 is disposed inside the refrigeration box 21, the water in the refrigeration box 21 can be refrigerated and heat exchanged. After the water is refrigerated by the refrigeration heat exchanger 22 to form cold water, it will flow back to the cold water tank 11, which can be through the circulation pump 30 or other means, as long as the water can flow between the cold water tank 11 and the refrigeration box 21. During the process of refrigerating water, since the water is in a flowing state, the water exchanging heat with the refrigeration heat exchanger 22 will not easily freeze, but the overall water temperature of the cold water tank 11 is reduced through flowing, so as to effectively produce cold water.

[0035] The water replenishing tank 40 can replenish water to the cold water tank 11 by means of overflow, that is, the water replenishing tank 40 is kept in a communicating state with the cold water tank 11, so that the water from the water source can be supplied to the water replenishing tank 40. After the water replenishing tank 40 is full of water, it can overflow to the cold water tank 11. Thus, the cold water tank 11 can be replenished with water from the inside of the cold water tank 11, saving the water replenishing pipeline between the cold water tank 11 and the water replenishing tank 40, and after the water replenishing is completed, the water replenishing tank 40 can be kept in a full water state. The hot water tank 50 is disposed outside the cold water tank 11 and communicated with the water replenishing tank 40 through a pipeline, so that the water replenishing waterways of the hot water tank 50 and the cold water tank 11 can be independent of each other, avoiding water replenishing errors and improving the stability of the water replenishing process.

[0036] By disposing the water replenishing tank 40 inside the cold water tank 11, the water dispenser of the present invention can directly replenish water from the inside of the cold water tank 11, saving the pipeline connecting the cold water tank 11 and the water replenishing tank 40, and also making the water replenishing waterways of the water replenishing tank 40 to the cold water tank 11 and the hot water tank 50 independent of each other, so as to avoid water replenishing errors and improve the practicability and stability of the water dispenser.

[0037] In one embodiment, as Figure 1As shown, a temperature-insulating boss 12 is convexly provided at the bottom of the cold water tank 11, and the water supply tank 40 is arranged on the temperature-insulating boss 12. In this embodiment, the temperature-insulating boss 12 is used to increase the installation height of the water supply tank 40 in the cold water tank 11, so as to reduce the contact volume between the water supply tank 40 and the cold water, and avoid the water in the water supply tank 40 and the water in the cold water tank 11 from exchanging heat and cooling, thereby avoiding the water temperature entering the hot water tank 50 from being too low, so that the hot water tank 50 can effectively form hot water, and improve the stability of the water outlet temperature of the hot water tank 50.

[0038] In one embodiment, if Figure 1 As shown, the hot water tank 50 is arranged below the cold water tank 11, so that the water in the water supply tank 40 flows to the hot water tank 50 under the action of gravity. In this embodiment, the hot water tank 50 is connected with the water supply tank 40, and the water level of the water supply tank 40 will rise only after the hot water tank 50 is full of water, thereby keeping the hot water tank 50 full of water and preventing the heating element in the hot water tank 50 from drying out.

[0039] Specifically, the water supply tank 40 is connected to the water source through the water supply pump 41. The water supply tank 40 is also provided with a float switch electrically connected to the water supply pump 41 to start the water supply pump 41 according to the water level change of the water supply tank 40. In this embodiment, when the water supply tank 40 supplies water to the hot water tank 50, the amount of water in the water supply tank 40 will decrease and the water level will decrease. The float switch is used to detect the water level change of the water supply tank 40. Once the float switch detects that the water level of the water supply tank 40 decreases, it will control the water supply pump 41 to operate and supply water to the water supply tank 40 in time, so as to prevent the hot water tank 50 from discharging water too quickly and causing the water supply tank 40 to be replenished in time, thereby avoiding the heating element from drying out. In this way, the timing of replenishing water to the hot water pipe can be made more timely, and the stability of the water replenishment process can be improved.

[0040] In one embodiment, if Figure 1 As shown, the water dispenser further includes a water intake valve 51 connected to the hot water tank 50, and the water intake flow rate of the water intake valve 51 is greater than the water supply flow rate of the water supply pump 41. In this embodiment, as soon as the hot water tank 50 discharges water, the water replenishment tank 40 replenishes water to the hot water tank 50 synchronously, and the water supply pump 41 supplies water to the water replenishment tank 40 accordingly, that is, the water discharge of the hot water tank 50 and the water supply of the water supply pump 41 are equivalent to being performed synchronously. The water intake flow rate of the water intake valve 51 is the water outlet flow rate of the hot water tank 50. If the water intake flow rate of the water intake valve 51 is lower than the water supply flow rate of the water supply pump 41, the water level in the water replenishment tank 40 will rise to overflow the water replenishment tank 40 during the process of replenishing water to the hot water tank 50, thereby causing water to overflow into the cold water tank 11, affecting the water level and water temperature of the cold water tank 11; therefore, the water intake flow rate of the water intake valve 51 should be higher than the water supply flow rate of the water supply pump 41 to prevent the water replenishment tank 40 from overflowing during the process of replenishing water to the hot water tank 50, thereby improving the stability of the water replenishment process.

[0041] Specifically, the effective volume of the make-up water tank 40 is not less than the product of the difference between the water intake flow rate of the water intake valve 51 and the water supply flow rate of the water supply pump 41, and the preset water intake duration of the water intake valve 51. In this embodiment, the preset water intake duration of the water intake valve 51 is the longest single water outlet time of the hot water tank 50. If the user's water intake duration exceeds this preset water intake duration, the water intake valve 51 will automatically close to stop the water outlet, so as to provide water supply time for the make-up water tank 40. The product of the difference between the water intake flow rate of the water intake valve 51 and the water supply flow rate of the water supply pump 41, and the preset water intake duration of the water intake valve 51 is the compensation water volume for keeping the hot water tank 50 full during the water replenishment process of the hot water tank 50. During the water replenishment process of the make-up water tank 40, water outlet and water inlet in the make-up water tank 40 occur simultaneously. Since the water outlet flow rate is greater than the water inlet flow rate, the water volume in the make-up water tank 40 is in a dynamically decreasing state. Before water replenishment, the make-up water tank 40 is full of water, and this part of water is used as the compensation water volume for replenishing the hot water tank 50. Therefore, the effective volume of the make-up water tank 40 should be at least this compensation water volume to keep the hot water tank 50 full during the water outlet process of the hot water tank 50, prevent the heating element in the hot water tank 50 from dry burning, and improve the stability of the water dispenser.

[0042] In practical applications, the effective volume of the make-up water tank 40 is not greater than 1 / 40 of the effective volume of the cold water tank 11. In this embodiment, if the effective volume of the make-up water tank 40 is too large, the water in the make-up water tank 40 will exchange heat with the cold water tank 11 to form a large amount of cold water. If the cold water replenishes the hot water tank 50, the water entering the hot water tank 50 will be too cold, resulting in the final formed hot water not reaching the preset temperature. Therefore, setting the effective volume of the make-up water tank 40 to not be greater than 1 / 40 of the effective volume of the cold water tank 11 can avoid the water entering the hot water tank 50 from being too cold, enabling the hot water tank 50 to effectively form hot water and improving the stability of the water outlet temperature of the hot water tank 50.

[0043] In one embodiment, as Figure 2 and Figure 3 shown, the make-up water tank 40 has an overflow port 43 for overflowing the water in the make-up water tank 40 to the cold water tank 11, and the overflow port 43 is higher than the full water level of the cold water tank 11. In this embodiment, if the water level of the cold water tank 11 reaches the full water level, the water replenishment can be stopped. The full water level is lower than the overflow port 43 of the make-up water tank 40, which can prevent the water in the cold water tank 11 from flowing back into the make-up water tank 40 during the process of the make-up water tank 40 replenishing the hot water tank 50, thereby further avoiding cold water from entering the hot water tank 50, enabling the hot water tank 50 to effectively form hot water, and improving the stability of the water outlet temperature of the hot water tank 50.

[0044] Specifically, a water level switch electrically connected to the water supply pump 41 is provided inside the cold water tank 11 to detect the full water state of the cold water tank 11. Through the electrical connection between the water level switch and the water supply pump 41, the water supply pump 41 can be stopped in a timely manner according to the water volume in the tank, achieving the stability of water replenishment.

[0045] In one embodiment, as Figure 2 and Figure 3 shown, a partition 13 is provided inside the cold water tank 11. The partition 13 divides the cold water tank 11 into a cold water area 111 and a mixing area 112. The overflow port 43 of the water replenishment tank 40 is correspondingly arranged opposite to the mixing area 112, so that the water flowing out from the overflow port 43 flows towards the mixing area 112;

[0046] The cold water tank 11 has a heat exchange water outlet 113 communicating with the refrigeration box 21 and a water intake 114 communicating with the water intake device 70. The heat exchange water outlet 113 is arranged in the mixing area 112 and / or the cold water area 111, and the water intake 114 is arranged in the cold water area 111.

[0047] In this embodiment, the front side edge of the partition 13 extends towards the water replenishment tank 40 and is connected to the water replenishment tank 40, so that the overflow port 43 can accurately correspond to the mixing area 112. The normal temperature water first enters the mixing area 112, and the cold water first enters the cold water area 111. Therefore, the water temperature in the mixing area 112 is higher than that in the cold water area 111. The water intake 114 communicates with the cold water area 111, enabling users to take cold water more and more timely. The heat exchange water outlet 113 corresponds to the mixing area 112, enabling the relatively high-temperature water in the mixing area 112 to be heat-exchanged and refrigerated, improving the refrigeration efficiency of the overall water in the cold water tank 11.

[0048] Specifically, as Figure 1 shown, the water dispenser further includes an inner tank 10. The bottom of the inner tank 10 forms the cold water tank 11. The refrigeration assembly is arranged at the top of the inner tank 10 and above the cold water area 111, so that the water in the refrigeration box 21 flows to the cold water area 111. In this embodiment, the cold water tank 11 and the refrigeration assembly are integrated into the inner tank 10, making the overall structure of the water dispenser more compact. The pipeline communicates the cold water tank 11 and the refrigeration box 21 from the outside of the inner tank 10 to reduce the space occupation of the inner tank 10. The circulation pump 30 pumps the water in the cold water tank 11 to the refrigeration box 21. After the refrigeration box 21 is full of water, it overflows to the cold water tank 11 under the action of gravity, so that the water can circulate between the cold water tank 11 and the refrigeration box 21. The refrigeration heat exchanger 22 is suspended in the refrigeration box 21. After the water entering the refrigeration box 21 exchanges heat with the refrigeration heat exchanger 22 to form cold water, it overflows back to the lower cold water area 111, thereby cooling the water in the cold water area 111.

[0049] In practical applications, as Figure 2 andFigure 3 As shown, a water gap 131 is formed between the partition 13 and the inner wall of the cold water tank 11, and the water gap 131 connects the cold water area 111 and the mixed water area 112. In this embodiment, a water gap 131 is formed between the rear side of the partition 13 and the inner wall of the cold water tank 11, so that the water in the cold water area 111 and the water in the mixed water area 112 can maintain the same water level to avoid uneven water volume.

[0050] In one embodiment, if Figure 1 As shown, the refrigeration heat exchanger 22 can be used to make ice, and the water dispenser also includes an ice storage tray 60 arranged in the inner tank 10, and the ice storage tray 60 is located above the cold water tank 11, and is used to hold ice cubes separated from the refrigeration box 21. In this embodiment, the water dispenser has a water making condition and an ice making condition. In the water making condition, the circulation pump 30 runs continuously, so that the water in the cold water tank 11 continuously flows to the refrigeration box 21 and then overflows back to the cold water tank 11, so that the water in the cold water tank 11 is cooled as a whole.

[0051] In the ice-making condition, the circulating pump 30 operates intermittently to effectively freeze the water in the refrigeration box 21. After the ice cubes are separated from the refrigeration box 21 and transported to the ice storage tray 60, the circulating pump 30 operates in time to add water to the refrigeration box 21 for the next ice-making. The ice cubes in the refrigeration box 21 can be separated from the refrigeration box 21 and transported to the ice storage tray 60 by turning the refrigeration box 21 or by the ice-squeezing structure. The ice storage tray 60 is located on one side of the refrigeration box 21 to avoid hindering the refrigeration of cold water in the water-making condition. In this way, the water dispenser can have an ice-making function, meet user needs, and improve the practicality of the water dispenser.

[0052] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention, and does not limit the patent scope of the present invention. All equivalent structural changes made by using the contents of the present invention specification and drawings under the inventive concept of the present invention, or directly / indirectly applied in other related technical fields are included in the patent protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A water dispenser, characterized in that, it includes: a cold water tank, a partition is provided in the cold water tank, and the partition divides the cold water tank into a cold water area and a mixing area; a refrigeration assembly, including a refrigeration box and a refrigeration heat exchanger arranged corresponding to the refrigeration box, the refrigeration heat exchanger is arranged inside or above the refrigeration box, the refrigeration box is communicated with the cold water tank through a pipeline, and a circulation pump is arranged on the pipeline to enable water to circulate between the cold water tank and the refrigeration box; a water replenishing tank, the water replenishing tank is arranged in the cold water tank and communicated with a water source for replenishing water to the cold water tank; the water replenishing tank has an overflow port arranged corresponding to the mixing area for overflowing the water in the water replenishing tank to the mixing area, and the overflow port is higher than the full water level of the cold water tank; the cold water tank has a heat exchange water outlet communicated with the refrigeration box and a water taking port communicated with a water taking device, the heat exchange water outlet is arranged in the mixing area and / or the cold water area, and the water taking port is arranged in the cold water area; a hot water tank, the hot water tank is communicated with the water replenishing tank so that the water replenishing tank replenishes water to the hot water tank.

2. The water dispenser according to claim 1, characterized in that, a heat insulation boss is convexly provided at the bottom of the cold water tank, and the water replenishing tank is arranged on the heat insulation boss.

3. The water dispenser according to claim 1, characterized in that, the hot water tank is arranged below the cold water tank so that the water in the water replenishing tank flows to the hot water tank under the action of gravity.

4. The water dispenser according to claim 3, characterized in that, the water replenishing tank is communicated with a water source through a water supply pump, and a float switch electrically connected to the water supply pump is further arranged in the water replenishing tank to start the water supply pump according to the change of the water level in the water replenishing tank.

5. The water dispenser according to claim 4, characterized in that, the water dispenser further includes a water taking valve communicated with the hot water tank, and the water taking flow rate of the water taking valve is greater than the water supply flow rate of the water supply pump.

6. The water dispenser according to claim 5, characterized in that, the effective volume of the water replenishing tank is not less than the product of the difference between the water taking flow rate of the water taking valve and the water supply flow rate of the water supply pump and the preset water taking duration of the water taking valve.

7. The water dispenser according to claim 1, characterized in that, the effective volume of the water replenishing tank is not greater than 1 / 40 of the effective volume of the cold water tank.

8. The water dispenser according to claim 1, characterized in that, the water dispenser further includes an inner tank, the bottom of the inner tank forms the cold water tank, and the refrigeration assembly is arranged at the top of the inner tank and above the cold water area so that the water in the refrigeration box flows to the cold water area.

9. The water dispenser according to claim 8, characterized in that, the refrigeration heat exchanger can be used for making ice, and the water dispenser further includes an ice storage tray arranged in the inner tank, and the ice storage tray is located above the cold water tank for receiving the ice separated from the refrigeration box.

10. The water dispenser according to claim 1, characterized in that, a water passing gap is formed between the partition and the inner wall of the cold water tank, and the water passing gap communicates the cold water area with the mixing area.

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