Liquid flow detector

Abstract

The present invention discloses a liquid flow detector, comprising a housing, a unipolar Hall switch, and a trigger assembly. The housing is provided with a liquid channel, one end of the liquid channel being a liquid inlet and the other end being a liquid outlet. The trigger assembly is disposed within the liquid channel and includes a magnet, with first and second poles of the magnet disposed toward the liquid inlet and liquid outlet, respectively. The magnet can move from an initial position to a trigger position under the influence of liquid flow. The unipolar Hall switch is disposed on the housing and corresponds to the movement path of the magnet. The unipolar Hall switch is configured to sense the first pole, with its sensing point disposed toward the liquid inlet. When the magnet is in the initial position, the sensing point of the unipolar Hall switch is located between the first pole of the magnet and the liquid outlet; when the magnet is in the trigger position, the first pole of the magnet is located between the sensing point of the unipolar Hall switch and the liquid outlet. The present invention has high detection accuracy, good stability, a simple and compact structure, low cost, and low power consumption.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention belongs to the field of liquid flow detection, and in particular relates to a liquid flow detector. Background Art

[0002] In some bathroom products, a water flow detector is often needed to detect whether water is flowing. For example, in existing faucets with manual and automatic functions, a water flow detector needs to be set in the manually controlled water channel to detect whether water is flowing in the water channel. If so, it means that the water is in the manual water-opening state, and the automatic function is blocked to avoid control confusion.

[0003] Most existing water flow detectors are implemented using a combination of magnets and magnetic induction switches, which feature a simple structure, small size, ease of implementation, and low cost. However, the magnetic induction switches of these existing water flow detectors generally use omnipolar Hall switches or reed switches, which control on and off by sensing a specific magnetic field size, regardless of the polarity of the magnetic field. Due to errors caused by objective factors during parts manufacturing, such as environmental errors, manual errors, and measurement errors, the magnetic field sizes of mass-produced magnets vary, and the induction strengths of different Hall switches also have reasonable tolerances during production. This results in different distances between the magnets triggering the Hall switch or reed switch when different products are manufactured. To ensure that all assembled products can be correctly triggered, the magnet's triggering movement distance is set to a maximum. This has the disadvantage of reducing detection accuracy. In addition, the detection accuracy of different products can also vary, resulting in poor stability. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The purpose of the present invention is to provide a liquid flow detector to solve the above-mentioned technical problems.

[0005] To achieve the above-mentioned purpose, the technical solution adopted by the present invention is: a liquid flow detector, comprising a shell, a unipolar Hall switch and a trigger assembly, a liquid channel being provided in the shell, one end of the liquid channel being the liquid inlet end, and the other end being the liquid outlet end, the trigger assembly being arranged in the liquid channel, the trigger assembly comprising a magnet, the first pole and the second pole of the magnet being arranged toward the liquid inlet end and the liquid outlet end respectively, the magnet being movable from an initial position to a trigger position under the force of the liquid flow, the unipolar Hall switch being arranged on the shell and corresponding to the moving path of the magnet, the unipolar Hall switch being a unipolar Hall switch that senses the first pole of the magnet, the sensing point of the unipolar Hall switch being arranged toward the liquid inlet end, and when the magnet is in the initial position, the sensing point of the unipolar Hall switch being located between the first pole of the magnet and the liquid outlet end; when the magnet is in the trigger position, the first pole of the magnet being located between the sensing point of the unipolar Hall switch and the liquid outlet end.

[0006] Furthermore, the first magnetic pole is a north pole or an south pole.

[0007] Furthermore, when the magnet is in the initial position, in the moving direction of the magnet, the distance between the sensing point of the unipolar Hall switch and the first magnetic pole of the magnet is 0.5 mm.

[0008] Furthermore, the magnet is a cylindrical structure, with its two end faces being the first magnetic pole and the second magnetic pole respectively. The length of the magnet is 3.0 mm, the diameter is 5.0 mm, and the magnetic field strength is ≥4000 Gauss.

[0009] Furthermore, a mounting groove is provided on the housing, the unipolar Hall switch is provided on a PCB board, and the PCB board is installed in the mounting groove.

[0010] Furthermore, the PCB board is fixed in the mounting slot by screws.

[0011] Furthermore, the trigger assembly also includes a mounting bracket and an elastic member. The mounting bracket is sealed and fixed in the liquid channel. The mounting bracket is provided with a mounting cavity connecting the liquid inlet end and the liquid outlet end. The magnet is movably arranged in the mounting cavity through the elastic member. When liquid flows, the magnet overcomes the elastic force of the elastic member and moves toward the liquid outlet end under the drive of the liquid.

[0012] Furthermore, the elastic member is a compression spring.

[0013] Furthermore, the trigger assembly also includes a moving part, which is located in the mounting cavity. The moving part is provided with a guide rod extending toward the liquid outlet end. The guide rod is movably inserted into the mounting bracket. The compression spring is sleeved on the guide rod, and the two ends respectively abut against the mounting bracket and the moving part. The magnet seal is arranged in the moving part.

[0014] Furthermore, the magnet is made of a high-temperature resistant magnet.

[0015] Beneficial technical effects of the present invention:

[0016] In the present invention, when the magnet is in the initial position, the sensing point of the unipolar Hall switch is located between the first magnetic pole of the magnet and the liquid outlet end. At this time, no matter how large the magnetic field of the magnet is, the unipolar Hall switch will not be triggered. Only when the magnet moves to the point where the first magnetic pole of the magnet is located between the sensing point of the unipolar Hall switch and the liquid outlet end, the unipolar Hall switch will be triggered. Therefore, the influence of the magnetic field size error of different magnets and the induction intensity error of different Hall switches are avoided. In addition, the influence of the reasonable manufacturing tolerance of components such as elastic parts, mounting brackets, and guide rods can be greatly reduced. The detection accuracy is high (ultra-low flow detection can be achieved), the stability is good (the detection accuracy of different products is consistent), the structure is simple and compact, the cost is low, and the power consumption is low. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0017] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention, the following briefly introduces the drawings required for use in the description of the embodiments. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without paying any creative work.

[0018] Figure 1 This is a structural diagram of embodiment 1 of the present invention;

[0019] Figure 2 A structural diagram of another perspective of the first embodiment of the present invention;

[0020] Figure 3 A structural diagram of another perspective of the first embodiment of the present invention;

[0021] Figure 4 This is an exploded view of the first embodiment of the present invention;

[0022] Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view of embodiment 1 of the present invention;

[0023] Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view of the first embodiment of the present invention in a triggering position;

[0024] Figure 7 1 is a structural diagram of a unipolar Hall switch according to the first embodiment of the present invention;

[0025] Figure 8 This is a structural diagram of a trigger component according to a first embodiment of the present invention;

[0026] Figure 9 It is a cross-sectional view of embodiment 2 of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0027] To further illustrate various embodiments, the present invention is provided with accompanying drawings. These drawings form part of the present disclosure and are primarily used to illustrate the embodiments and, in conjunction with the relevant description in the specification, to explain the operating principles of the embodiments. By referring to these drawings, one of ordinary skill in the art will understand other possible embodiments and the advantages of the present invention. The components in the figures are not drawn to scale, and similar reference numerals are generally used to represent similar components.

[0028] The present invention will now be further described with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments.

[0029] Implementation

[0030] like Figure 1-8 The liquid flow detector comprises a housing 1, a unipolar Hall switch 2 and a trigger assembly 3. A liquid channel 11 is provided in the housing 1. One end of the liquid channel 11 ( Figure 5The right end in the middle) is the liquid inlet end 12, and the other end ( Figure 5 The left end in the figure is the liquid outlet end 13, the trigger assembly 3 is arranged in the liquid channel 11, and the trigger assembly 3 includes a magnet 31. The first magnetic pole and the second magnetic pole of the magnet 31 are respectively arranged toward the liquid inlet end 12 and the liquid outlet end 13. In this specific embodiment, the first magnetic pole is the N pole 311, and the second magnetic pole is the S pole 312.

[0031] The magnet 31 can be driven by the flow force of the liquid (the liquid in this specific embodiment is water, but not limited to this) from the initial position (such as Figure 5 Move to the trigger position (as shown) Figure 6 As shown), and when there is no water flow, the magnet 31 can be reset to the initial position.

[0032] The unipolar Hall switch 2 is arranged on the housing 1 outside the liquid channel 11 and corresponds to the moving path of the magnet 31. The unipolar Hall switch 2 is a unipolar Hall switch that senses the N pole 311 of the magnet 31. The sensing point 21 of the unipolar Hall switch 2 (that is, the marking surface of the unipolar Hall switch) is set toward the liquid inlet end 12. When the magnet 31 is in the initial position, the sensing point 21 of the unipolar Hall switch 2 is located between the N pole 311 of the magnet 31 and the liquid outlet end 13. Figure 5 When the magnet 31 is in the trigger position, the N pole 311 of the magnet 31 is located between the sensing point 21 and the liquid outlet end 13 of the unipolar Hall switch 2, as shown Figure 6 shown.

[0033] Preferably, in this specific embodiment, when the magnet 31 is in the initial position, in the moving direction of the magnet 31, the distance d1 between the sensing point 21 of the unipolar Hall switch 2 and the N pole 311 of the magnet 31 is 0.5 mm, which has high detection accuracy, realizes ultra-low flow detection, and can be triggered at 0.4 L / min, but is not limited to this. In some embodiments, the distance d1 between the sensing point 21 of the unipolar Hall switch 2 and the N pole 311 of the magnet 31 can be set according to actual needs, as long as the sensing point 21 of the unipolar Hall switch 2 is located on the side of the N pole 311 facing the water outlet 13.

[0034] Furthermore, in this specific embodiment, the magnet 31 is a cylindrical structure, and its two end faces are the N pole 311 and the S pole 312 respectively. The length of the magnet 31 is 3.0 mm and the diameter is 5.0 mm, which further improves the detection accuracy. However, this is not limited to this. In some embodiments, the structure and size of the magnet 31 can be selected according to actual needs. This can be easily achieved by those skilled in the art and will not be elaborated.

[0035] In this specific embodiment, the unipolar Hall switch 2 is implemented using a Hall switch model MT8891AT, but is not limited thereto. The magnetic field strength of the magnet 31 is preferably ≥ 4000 Gauss to ensure that when the magnet 31 is in the trigger position, the magnetic field strength of the magnet 31 can trigger the unipolar Hall switch 2, thereby improving reliability. Of course, in some embodiments, the magnetic field strength of the magnet 31 can be specifically set based on the induction strength of the unipolar Hall switch 2 and the distance between the unipolar Hall switch 2 and the magnet 31.

[0036] In this specific embodiment, the magnet 31 is preferably made of high-temperature resistant magnetic material, which is easy to implement, low in cost, stable, and has a wide range of applications. Of course, in some embodiments, the magnet 31 can also be made of other existing magnetic materials.

[0037] In this specific embodiment, a mounting groove 14 is provided on the housing 1 , and the unipolar Hall switch 2 is disposed on the PCB board 4 . The PCB board 4 is mounted in the mounting groove 14 , which is easy to install, but the present invention is not limited thereto.

[0038] Furthermore, in this specific embodiment, the PCB board 4 is fastened to the mounting slot 14 by screws 5, which not only facilitates installation but also provides good firmness. Accordingly, the PCB board 4 is provided with mounting screw holes 41, and the mounting slot 14 is provided with corresponding mounting studs 141. Of course, in other embodiments, the PCB board 4 may also be installed in the mounting slot 14 using other existing fixing structures, such as snap-fitting, welding, or gluing.

[0039] In this specific embodiment, the trigger assembly also includes a mounting bracket 32 ​​and an elastic member 33. The mounting bracket 32 ​​is sealed and fixed in the liquid channel 11. Specifically, the mounting bracket 32 ​​is sealed and fixed in the liquid channel 11 by a sealing ring 34 to improve the sealing effect. The mounting bracket 32 ​​is provided with a mounting cavity 321 connecting the liquid inlet end 12 and the liquid outlet end 13. The magnet 31 is movably arranged in the mounting cavity 321 through the elastic member 33. When there is water flow, the magnet 31 overcomes the elastic force of the elastic member 33 and moves toward the liquid outlet end 13; when the water flow disappears, the magnet 31 moves to the liquid inlet end 12 and resets under the action of the restoring force of the elastic member 33.

[0040] Preferably, the elastic member 33 is a compression spring, which has a simple structure, is easy to implement, and has low cost, but is not limited to this. In other embodiments, the elastic member 33 can also be implemented by other existing elastic members, such as springs, tension springs, etc.

[0041] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the trigger assembly 3 also includes a moving part 35, the moving part 35 is located in the mounting cavity 321, the moving part 35 is provided with a guide rod 36 extending toward the liquid outlet end 13, the guide rod 36 is movably arranged on the mounting bracket 32, specifically, the mounting bracket 32 ​​is provided with a guide hole 322, the outer end of the guide rod 36 toward the liquid outlet end 13 passes through the guide hole 322 and extends out of the mounting cavity 321, the outer end of the guide rod 36 is provided with a limit portion 361, the size of the limit portion 361 is larger than the size of the guide hole 322, thereby limiting the guide rod 36 from continuing to move toward the liquid inlet end 12, the compression spring 33 is sleeved on the guide rod 36, and the two ends respectively contact the mounting bracket 32 ​​and the moving part 35, and the magnet 31 is sealed in the moving part 35. The use of this trigger assembly 3 structure has a simple structure, is easy to assemble and maintain, and has a good moving effect. Sealing the magnet 31 in the moving part 35 can further protect the magnet 31 and improve reliability.

[0042] In this specific embodiment, the moving member 35 is provided with an open cavity 351 and a cover 352 . The magnet 31 is installed in the cavity 351 . The cover 352 is sealed over the opening of the cavity 351 and fixed by ultrasonic welding.

[0043] The moving member 35 can be made of plastic material, which is easy to implement, low in cost and light in weight, but is not limited thereto.

[0044] Testing process:

[0045] When there is no water flow, the magnet 31 is in the initial position, and the sensing point 21 of the unipolar Hall switch 2 is located between the N pole 311 of the magnet 31 and the liquid outlet 13. Figure 5 As shown, at this time, no matter what the magnetic field size of the magnet 31 is, the unipolar Hall switch 2 will not be triggered; when there is water flow, the magnet 31 moves toward the liquid outlet end 13 to the trigger position under the drive of the water flow, so that the N pole 311 of the magnet 31 is located between the sensing point 21 of the unipolar Hall switch 2 and the liquid outlet end 13. At this time, the unipolar Hall switch 2 is triggered to output the sensing signal. Therefore, the magnetic field of the magnet 31 can be set to be larger to ensure that the unipolar Hall switch 2 can be triggered at the trigger position, and the triggering movement distance is not affected by the magnetic field size and the induction strength of the Hall switch, avoiding the influence of the magnetic field size error of different magnets and the induction strength error of different Hall switches, so that the triggering movement distance can be set very small, with high detection accuracy (ultra-low flow detection can be achieved), good stability (good consistency of detection accuracy of different products), simple and compact structure, low cost, and low power consumption.

[0046] Example 2

[0047] like Figure 9As shown, the difference between this embodiment and the first embodiment is that the unipolar Hall switch 2 of this embodiment is a unipolar Hall switch of the S pole 312 of the induction magnet 31, and the S pole 312 and the N pole 311 of the magnet are respectively arranged toward the liquid inlet end 12 and the liquid outlet end 13.

[0048] The detection principle of this embodiment is similar to that of the first embodiment. For details, please refer to the first embodiment and will not be described in detail here.

[0049] Although the present invention has been particularly shown and described in conjunction with preferred embodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and details may be made to the present invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims, and all such changes are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A liquid flow detector, characterized in that: The invention comprises a shell, a unipolar Hall switch and a trigger assembly. A liquid channel is provided in the shell, one end of the liquid channel is a liquid inlet end, and the other end is a liquid outlet end. The trigger assembly is arranged in the liquid channel. The trigger assembly includes a magnet with a magnetic field strength of ≥4000 Gauss. The first pole and the second pole of the magnet are arranged toward the liquid inlet end and the liquid outlet end respectively. The magnet can move from an initial position to a trigger position under the drive of the liquid flow force. The unipolar Hall switch is arranged on the shell and corresponds to the movement path of the magnet. The unipolar Hall switch is a unipolar Hall switch that senses the first pole of the magnet. The sensing point of the unipolar Hall switch is arranged toward the liquid inlet end. When the magnet is in the initial position, the sensing point of the unipolar Hall switch is located between the first pole of the magnet and the liquid outlet end. In the moving direction of the magnet, the distance between the sensing point of the unipolar Hall switch and the first pole of the magnet is 0.5 mm. It can be triggered at 0.4 L / min to achieve ultra-low flow detection. When the magnet is in the trigger position, the first pole of the magnet is located between the sensing point of the unipolar Hall switch and the liquid outlet end. The trigger assembly also includes a mounting bracket, a compression spring and a moving part. The mounting bracket is sealed and fixed in the liquid channel. The mounting bracket is provided with a mounting cavity connecting the liquid inlet end and the liquid outlet end. The moving part is located in the mounting cavity. The moving part is provided with a guide rod extending toward the liquid outlet end. The guide rod is movably passed through the mounting bracket. The compression spring is sleeved on the guide rod, and the two ends respectively abut the mounting bracket and the moving part. The magnet is sealed in the moving part; the magnet is movably set in the mounting cavity by the compression spring. When liquid flows, the magnet overcomes the elastic force of the compression spring and moves toward the liquid outlet end under the drive of the liquid.

2. The liquid flow detector according to claim 1, wherein: The first magnetic pole is a north pole or a south pole.

3. The liquid flow detector according to claim 1, wherein: The magnet is a cylindrical structure, with two end faces respectively being a first magnetic pole and a second magnetic pole. The length of the magnet is 3.0 mm and the diameter is 5.0 mm.

4. The liquid flow detector according to claim 1, wherein: The housing is provided with a mounting groove, the unipolar Hall switch is arranged on a PCB board, and the PCB board is installed in the mounting groove.

5. The liquid flow detector according to claim 4, characterized in that: The PCB board is fixed in the installation slot by screws.

6. The liquid flow detector according to claim 1, wherein: The magnet is made of high-temperature resistant magnet.

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