A coupler

Abstract

The present invention discloses a coupler, comprising an upper coupler and a lower coupler. The lower coupler includes a lower coupling slot, wherein the width of a single lower coupling slot varies along the circumference to form a wide region and a narrow region. An output conductor is disposed within the thick-walled section to increase the creepage distance of the output conductor, and all output conductors within the lower coupling slot are located within the narrow region. The lower coupling slot of the present invention includes a wide region and a narrow region. The wide region facilitates drainage and prevents water from adhering to the coupling slot. When the upper and lower couplers are mated, the narrow region restricts the position of the upper coupler, ensuring close contact between the input and output conductors. The output conductor is disposed within the mounting slot of the thick-walled section, increasing the creepage distance of the output conductor and improving safety. When the upper and lower couplers are separated, power is first disconnected before the upper and lower water inlet pipes are separated to prevent water from overflowing from the lower water inlet pipe.

Description

Technical Field

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

[0002] Currently, electrical couplers are widely used in appliances such as electric kettles. They consist of a lower coupler (also known as a lower connector) and an upper coupler (also known as an upper connector). Multiple ring-shaped metal electrodes are arranged in each of the lower and upper couplers. When the upper coupler is inserted into the lower coupler, electrical connection is established through contact between the corresponding metal electrodes. To improve the ease of use of appliances such as kettles, a water supply device is provided on the coupler to guide liquid into the kettle. The water supply device includes an upper water inlet assembly within the upper coupler and a lower water inlet assembly within the lower coupler. As the upper and lower couplers are connected and disconnected, the upper and lower water inlet assemblies connect and disconnect.

[0003] However, when a water inlet assembly is provided on the coupler, there is a possibility that when the kettle is lifted, the lower water inlet assembly cannot stop discharging water in time or residual water still flows out, causing the residual water to accumulate on the lower coupler and unable to flow away, or stick to the inner wall of the lower coupler due to the surface tension of the water, and there is a risk of leakage when it is used next time; when the upper and lower couplers are matched, the upper and lower couplers need to be electrically connected by contacting the corresponding metal electrodes, but there is a problem that the coupling groove of the lower coupler is too large, resulting in the metal electrode of the upper coupler not being able to contact and conduct with the metal electrode of the lower coupler every time, or the metal electrode of the lower coupler loses elasticity and cannot contact with the metal electrode of the upper coupler, resulting in problems such as poor contact between the upper and lower couplers in daily use. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The present invention provides a coupler to overcome the problems in the prior art where, when the coupling groove of the lower coupler is too narrow, water adheres to the coupling groove due to surface tension of water, or the residual water in the coupling groove cannot be discharged in time, or when the coupling groove is too wide, the upper and lower couplers have poor contact.

[0005] In order to achieve the above object, the present invention adopts the following technical solutions:

[0006] A coupler, comprising an upper coupler and a lower coupler, wherein the lower coupler comprises:

[0007] A plurality of lower coupling rings, wherein the wall thickness of each lower coupling ring varies along the circumferential direction to form a thick-walled section and a thin-walled section, and the thick-walled sections of the plurality of lower coupling rings are distributed on the lower coupler in a staggered manner;

[0008] A lower coupling groove is formed between two adjacent lower coupling rings, wherein the width of a single lower coupling groove varies along the circumferential direction to form a wide area and a narrow area;

[0009] a drainage hole, the drainage hole being arranged at the bottom of the lower coupling groove and located in the wide area;

[0010] an output conductor, wherein the output conductor is arranged in the thick-walled section to increase a creepage distance of the output conductor, and the output conductors located in the lower coupling slot are all located in the narrow area;

[0011] When the upper coupler is mated with the lower coupler, the thick-walled section limits the upper coupler so that the output conductor is in close contact with the upper coupler.

[0012] A drainage hole is also provided at the bottom of the lower coupling groove. When excess water accumulates in the lower coupling groove, the excess water can be drained away in time from the drainage hole. The wall thickness of the coupling ring is different, so the width of the coupling groove formed by the two adjacent coupling rings is also different in the circumferential direction. The wide area can prevent water from adhering to the groove wall due to surface tension and being unable to be discharged. The drainage hole is set in the wide area, so that water can be drained away more smoothly. The narrow area can limit the movement of the upper coupler, and the output conductor is set in the narrow area, so that the output conductor can have a closer contact with the upper coupler. touch, preventing poor contact between the upper and lower couplers; when the user touches the coupler, the output conductor may break through the air and creep along the lower coupling ring to the human hand. The output conductor is arranged in the thick-walled section, which increases the creepage distance of the current along the ring wall of the lower coupling ring to the human hand, thereby improving the safety of the lower coupler; the thick-walled sections are staggered on the lower coupler, so that when the upper and lower couplers are matched, the lower coupler can limit the upper coupler in multiple directions and angles, further avoiding the shaking of the upper coupler when the upper and lower couplers are matched.

[0013] Preferably, the thick-walled sections are provided with mounting grooves, within which the output conductors are positioned. Radially adjacent thick-walled sections partially overlap, forming a high-current zone and a low-current zone between the two sections. The mounting grooves provided in the thick-walled sections and within which the output conductors are positioned provide both barrier protection for the output conductors, preventing short circuits or poor contact caused by water droplets or other impurities falling on them, and space for elastic deformation of the output conductors.

[0014] Preferably, the lower coupler includes a first lower coupling ring, a third lower coupling ring and a separator ring, the output conductor includes a live wire terminal and a neutral wire terminal, the live wire terminal and the neutral wire terminal are respectively arranged in the first lower coupling ring and the third lower coupling ring, the high-electric zone is formed between the live wire terminal and the neutral wire terminal, the separator ring is arranged between the first lower coupling ring and the third lower coupling ring, and the separator ring separates the high-electric zone into a first high-electric zone and a second high-electric zone isolated from each other.

[0015] Preferably, the lower coupler further includes a fourth lower coupling ring, the ring walls of the third lower coupling ring and the fourth lower coupling ring both protrude inward to form the thick-walled section, the ring wall of the first lower coupling ring protrudes outward to form the thick-walled section, the narrow zone is formed between the thick-walled section of the fourth lower coupling ring and the outer side wall of the third lower coupling ring, the narrow zone is formed between the thick-walled section of the third lower coupling ring and the outer side wall of the separator ring, and the narrow zone is formed between the thick-walled section of the first lower coupling ring and the inner side wall of the separator ring.

[0016] Preferably, the output conductor is a moving contact piece, an end of the moving contact piece is provided with a convex point, the convex point protrudes from the mounting groove, and the moving contact pieces located in the lower coupling groove are all located in the narrow area.

[0017] Preferably, the upper coupler includes an upper water inlet pipe, an upper coupling groove and an input conductor arranged on the side wall of the upper coupling groove, and the lower coupler also includes a lower water inlet pipe connected to the water pump. When the upper coupler and the lower coupler are matched, the input conductor abuts against the thick-walled section, the upper and lower water inlet pipes are plugged in, and the input conductor and the output conductor are in contact and conductive. During the separation process of the upper coupler and the lower coupler, the lower water inlet pipe pushes the output conductor to separate from the input conductor, and then the lower water inlet pipe is disengaged from the upper water inlet pipe. The input conductor and the output conductor are powered off and separated before the lower water inlet pipe is disconnected from the upper water inlet pipe, so that the water pump stops supplying water to the lower water inlet pipe first, and then the upper water inlet pipe is disconnected from the lower water inlet pipe, to prevent the water pump from not stopping work in time or the residual pressure in the pipe from causing water to continue to flow out of the lower water inlet pipe and spray on the upper and lower couplers. After power is cut off, the upper and lower water inlet pipes are separated again, so that the water at the rear end of the water pump can be retained through the upper water inlet pipe under the action of the residual pressure in the pipe, to prevent the residual water from spilling when the upper and lower water inlet pipes are separated.

[0018] Preferably, the lower water inlet pipe is slidably connected to the center of the lower coupler through an elastic member, the lower water inlet pipe includes a tube body and a limiting protrusion provided on the tube body, and the output conductor is provided with a pushing protrusion. When the upper coupler is matched with the lower coupler, the lower water inlet pipe compresses the elastic member, the limiting protrusion is located below the pushing protrusion, the input conductor is in contact with the output conductor, and during the separation process of the upper coupler and the lower coupler, the lower water inlet pipe moves upward under the action of the elastic member, the limiting protrusion pushes up the pushing protrusion, and the input conductor is separated from the output conductor.

[0019] Preferably, the limiting protrusion is an annular rib surrounding the outer periphery of the tube body, the elastic member is sleeved on the outer periphery of the tube body, the upper end of the elastic member is against the annular rib, and the lower end of the elastic member is against the bottom of the lower coupler.

[0020] Preferably, a mounting hole for the pipe body to pass through is provided at the bottom of the lower coupler, and a clamping ring located at the bottom of the mounting hole is detachably connected to the pipe body, and the clamping ring abuts against the outer peripheral side of the bottom of the mounting hole to prevent the lower water inlet pipe from escaping upward from the lower coupler.

[0021] Preferably, the thick-walled section and the thin-walled section transition smoothly, and at least one drainage hole is located at the junction of the thick-walled section and the thin-walled section. The drainage hole is fan-shaped, i.e., the width of the drainage hole gradually increases from the inside to the outside. The thick-walled section and the thin-walled section transition smoothly, and there are no sharp corners at the junction of the thick-walled section and the thin-walled section, so that water droplets are prevented from adhering to the junction. The area of the drainage hole can be increased without affecting the structure and strength of the lower coupler.

[0022] Therefore, the present invention has the following beneficial effects: the lower coupler of the present invention is provided with a drainage hole, so that water can be drained from the lower coupler, thereby preventing water from accumulating in the lower coupler; the lower coupling groove includes a wide area and a narrow area, the wide area facilitates drainage and prevents water from adhering to the coupling groove, and when the upper and lower couplers are mated, the narrow area restricts the position of the upper coupler, ensuring that the input conductor and the output conductor can be in close contact; the output conductor is arranged in the installation groove of the thick-walled section, thereby increasing the creepage distance of the output conductor and improving safety; when the upper and lower couplers are separated, the power is first turned off and then the upper and lower water inlet pipes are separated, thereby preventing water from overflowing from the lower water inlet pipe. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0023] Figure 1 is a perspective view of the upper coupler and the lower coupler in the first embodiment in an unassembled state;

[0024] Figure 2 is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of the lower coupler in Example 1;

[0025] Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of the upper coupler and the lower coupler in the assembled state in the first embodiment;

[0026] Figure 4 For Example 1 Figure 3 A magnified view of part A;

[0027] Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view of the upper coupler and the lower coupler during separation in Example 1;

[0028] Figure 6 For Example 1 Figure 5 A magnified view of part B;

[0029] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the assembly of the lower water inlet pipe and the elastic member in Example 1;

[0030] Figure 8 is a three-dimensional diagram of the snap ring in Example 1;

[0031] Figure 9 This is a diagram showing the combined state of the lower coupler and the lower water inlet pipe of the present invention;

[0032] Figure 10 It is a three-dimensional diagram of the lower coupler of the present invention.

[0033] In the figure: 100, upper coupler; 110, conductive ring; 200, upper water inlet pipe; 300, lower coupler; 310, lower coupling ring; 311, mounting groove; 312, thick-walled section; 313, thin-walled section; 314, wide area; 315, narrow area; 316, drainage hole; 317, separating ring; 318, first strong electric area; 319, second strong electric area; 320, conductive spring; 321, free end; 322, pushing protrusion; 323, fixed end; 330, mounting hole; 400, lower water inlet pipe; 410, pipe body; 411, slot; 420, annular rib; 430, snap ring; 431, opening; 500, elastic member. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0034] The present invention will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments.

[0035] exist Figures 1-10 In the embodiment 1 shown, a coupler includes an upper coupler 100 and a lower coupler 300. The upper coupler 100 is arranged at the bottom of the kettle body, and the lower coupler 300 is arranged on the kettle body. The lower coupler includes:

[0036] Multiple lower coupling rings 310 , wherein the wall thickness of each lower coupling ring 310 varies along the circumferential direction to form a thick-walled section 312 and a thin-walled section 313 , and the thick-walled sections 312 of the multiple lower coupling rings 310 are distributed on the lower coupler 300 in a staggered manner;

[0037] A lower coupling groove is formed between two adjacent lower coupling rings 310 , and the width of a single lower coupling groove varies along the circumferential direction to form a wide area 314 and a narrow area 315 ;

[0038] a drainage hole 316 , the drainage hole 316 being disposed at the bottom of the lower coupling groove and located in the wide area 314 ; an output conductor, the output conductor being disposed in the thick-walled section 312 to increase the creepage distance of the output conductor, and the output conductors located in the lower coupling groove being located in the narrow area 315 ;

[0039] When the upper coupler 100 is mated with the lower coupler 300 , the thick-walled section 312 limits the upper coupler 100 so that the output conductor is in close contact with the upper coupler 100 .

[0040] The upper coupler 100 includes an upper coupling ring and an input conductor. An upper coupling slot is formed between two adjacent upper coupling rings. The input conductor is a static contact piece arranged on the ring wall of the upper coupling ring or the wall of the lower coupling slot. In this embodiment, it is a conductive ring 110. The output conductor is a metal movable contact piece. In this embodiment, it is a conductive spring 320. When the upper and lower couplers are matched, the input conductor and the output conductor are in contact and energized.

[0041] like Figure 9 and Figure 10 As shown, a drainage hole 316 is further provided at the bottom of the lower coupling groove. When excess water accumulates in the lower coupling groove, the excess water can be drained away in time from the drainage hole. The wall thickness of the lower coupling ring 310 is different, so the width of the lower coupling groove formed by the two adjacent lower coupling rings 310 is also different in the circumferential direction. The wide area 314 can prevent water from adhering to the groove wall due to surface tension and being unable to be drained. The drainage hole 316 is arranged in the wide area 314, so that water can be drained away more smoothly. The narrow area 315 can limit the movement of the upper coupler, and the output conductor is arranged in the narrow area 315, so that the output conductor can be more tightly connected to the upper coupler 100. The thick-walled sections 312 are arranged on the lower coupler 300, so that when the upper and lower couplers are matched, the lower coupler 300 can limit the upper coupler 100 in multiple directions and angles, further preventing the upper coupler 100 from shaking when the upper and lower couplers 300 are matched.

[0042] The lower coupling ring 310 partially bulges outward to form the thick-walled section 312, while the remaining portion forms the thin-walled section 313. Mounting slots 311 are provided on both the inner and outer walls of the thick-walled section 312, and the output conductor is positioned within these mounting slots 311. The lower coupler 300 comprises, from the inside out, a first lower coupling ring, a separator ring, a third lower coupling ring, and a fourth lower coupling ring. The ring walls of the third and fourth lower coupling rings bulge inward to form the thick-walled section 312. The ring wall of the first lower coupling ring bulges outward to form the thick-walled section 312. A narrow zone 315 is formed between the thick-walled section 312 of the fourth lower coupling ring and the outer wall of the third lower coupling ring. The narrow zone 315 is formed between the thick-walled section 312 of the third lower coupling ring and the outer wall of the separator ring. The narrow zone 315 is formed between the thick-walled section 312 of the first lower coupling ring and the inner wall of the separator ring.

[0043] The thick-walled section 312 is provided with a mounting groove 311, and the output conductor is located in the mounting groove 311. The two radially adjacent thick-walled sections 312 partially overlap, and a strong electric zone and a weak electric zone are formed between the two radially adjacent thick-walled sections 312; the lower coupler 300 includes a first lower coupling ring, a third lower coupling ring and a separator ring 317, and the output conductor includes a live wire end and a neutral wire end. The live wire end and the neutral wire end are respectively arranged in the first lower coupling ring and the third lower coupling ring, and the strong electric zone is formed between the live wire end and the neutral wire end. The separator ring 317 is arranged between the first lower coupling ring and the third lower coupling ring, and the separator ring 317 separates the strong electric zone into a first strong electric zone 318 and a second strong electric zone 319 that are isolated from each other.

[0044] The output conductor includes a live wire terminal, a neutral wire terminal, a ground wire terminal and three signal wire terminals. The live wire terminal is arranged in the mounting groove 311 on the outer wall of the first lower coupling ring, and the neutral wire terminal is arranged in the mounting groove 311 on the inner wall of the third lower coupling ring. A strong electric zone is formed between the live wire terminal and the neutral wire terminal. The ground wire terminal is arranged on the outer wall of the fourth lower coupling ring. The three signal terminals are respectively arranged on the inner side of the first lower coupling ring, the outer side of the third lower coupling ring and the inner side of the fourth lower coupling ring. The weak electric zone is formed between the signal terminal of the first lower coupling ring and the signal terminal of the fourth lower coupling ring. The strong electric zone is located on the inner side of the lower coupler 300, which can effectively avoid user contact and is safer to use. A separator ring 317 is provided between the first lower coupling ring and the third lower coupling ring. The separator ring separates the strong electric zone The first high-voltage zone 318 and the second high-voltage zone 319 are divided into two parts. The first high-voltage zone 318 is the area between the live wire end and the separation ring 317, and the second high-voltage zone 319 is the area between the neutral wire end and the separation ring 317. The presence of the separation ring 317 prevents the live wire end and the neutral wire end from being directly connected. Specifically, when there is residual water in the lower coupling ring, the residual water connects the live wire end and the neutral wire end together. When the upper and lower couplers are in conjunction, the live wire end and the neutral wire end are directly connected by the residual water, resulting in a short circuit. The first high-voltage zone 318 and the second high-voltage zone 319 are isolated from each other. Even if there is residual water in the lower coupling ring, the live wire end and the neutral wire end cannot be directly connected. When the upper and lower couplers are in conjunction, the separation ring 317 isolates the live wire end and the neutral wire end, forcing the current to creep to the upper coupler 100 and pass through the upper coupler 100 for conduction.

[0045] The fourth lower coupling ring is provided with two thick-walled sections 312, one long and one short. The long section is arranged opposite the short section, with the mounting slot on the long section facing outward and the other facing inward. The third lower coupling ring is provided with a thick-walled section 312, adjacent to an outward-facing mounting slot 311 and an inward-facing mounting slot 311. The first lower coupling ring is provided with a thick-walled section 312, adjacent to an outward-facing mounting slot 311 and an inward-facing mounting slot 311. The thick-walled sections 312 on the first, third, and fourth lower coupling rings do not completely overlap. Using the top surface of the lower coupler 300 as the reference plane and the center of the lower coupler 300 as the origin, thick-walled sections 312 are provided in the first, second, third, and fourth quadrants.

[0046] The output conductor is a movable contact piece, with a protrusion at the end thereof protruding from the mounting slot 311. The movable contact pieces located within the lower coupling slot are all located within the narrow region 315. The movable contact piece is located within the mounting slot 311 and is capable of elastic deformation, such that it deforms toward the bottom wall of the mounting slot 311 when the upper and lower couplers are engaged, and returns to a reset state away from the bottom wall of the mounting slot 311 when the upper and lower couplers are separated.

[0047] The upper coupler 100 includes an upper water inlet pipe 200, an upper coupling groove, and an input conductor arranged on the side wall of the upper coupling groove. The lower coupler 300 also includes a lower water inlet pipe 400 connected to the water pump. When the upper coupler 100 and the lower coupler 300 are matched, the input conductor abuts against the thick-walled section 312, the upper and lower water inlet pipes are plugged into each other, and the input conductor and the output conductor are in contact and conductive. During the separation process of the upper coupler 100 and the lower coupler 300, the lower water inlet pipe 400 pushes the output conductor to separate from the input conductor, and then the lower water inlet pipe 400 is disconnected from the upper water inlet pipe 200.

[0048] The lower water inlet pipe 400 is slidably connected to the center of the lower coupler 300 via an elastic member 500. The lower water inlet pipe 400 includes a tube body 410 and a limiting protrusion on the tube body. The output conductor is provided with a push protrusion 322. When the upper coupler 100 and the lower coupler 300 are engaged, the lower water inlet pipe 400 compresses the elastic member 500. The limiting protrusion is located below the pushing protrusion 322, and the input and output conductors are in contact and conductive. During the separation of the upper coupler 100 and the lower coupler 300, the lower water inlet pipe 400 moves upward under the action of the elastic member 500. The limiting protrusion pushes up the pushing protrusion 322, and the input and output conductors are separated. The pushing protrusion 322 is provided on the output conductor closest to the lower water inlet pipe 400.

[0049] The limiting protrusion is an annular rib 420 surrounding the outer circumference of the tube body 410, and the elastic member 500 is sleeved on the outer circumference of the tube body 410. The upper end of the elastic member 500 is against the annular rib 420, and the lower end of the elastic member 500 is against the bottom of the lower coupler 300.

[0050] The bottom of the lower coupler 300 is provided with a mounting hole 330 for the tube body 410 to pass through. The tube body 410 is detachably connected to a clamping ring 430 located at the bottom of the mounting hole 330. The clamping ring 430 abuts against the outer peripheral side of the bottom of the mounting hole 330 to prevent the lower water inlet pipe 400 from escaping upward from the lower coupler 300.

[0051] The thick-walled section 312 and the thin-walled section 313 transition smoothly, and at least one drainage hole 316 is located at the junction of the thick-walled section 312 and the thin-walled section 313. The smooth transition between the thick-walled section 312 and the thin-walled section 313 prevents sharp corners or distinct edges at the junction of the thick-walled section 312 and the thin-walled section 313, thereby reducing the risk of water droplets adhering to the corner. The drainage hole 316 is fan-shaped, meaning that its width gradually increases from the inside to the outside.

[0052] The coupler of the present application can be used in a water dispenser. An upper coupler 100 is provided at the bottom of the kettle body, and a static contact piece is provided on the upper coupler 100. The upper water inlet pipe 200 in the upper coupler 100 is connected to the interior of the kettle body. A lower coupler 300 is provided on the top of the body for placing the kettle body, and a dynamic contact piece is provided on the lower coupler. A lower water inlet pipe 400 connected to the water pump is also passed through the lower water inlet pipe 400. The lower water inlet pipe 400 is slidably connected to the lower coupler 300 through an elastic member 500, and the elastic member 500 is preferably a spring.

[0053] When the kettle body is completely installed on the machine body, that is, the upper coupler 100 and the lower coupler 300 are in the assembled state, the upper coupler 100 squeezes the lower water inlet pipe 400 downward, and the elastic member 500 is in a compressed state under the squeezing of the lower water inlet pipe 400. At the same time, the upper water inlet pipe 200 is plugged into the lower water inlet pipe 400 to connect the upper water pipe 200 and the lower water inlet pipe 400. At this time, the moving contact piece and the static contact piece are electrically connected to energize the water pump, and the energized water pump works so that the water in the water tank flows through the water pump, the lower water inlet pipe 400 and the upper water inlet pipe 200 in sequence to enter the interior of the kettle body to realize water supply.

[0054] In the process of lifting the kettle body upward, the upper coupler 100 moves upward away from the lower coupler 300, and the lower water inlet pipe 400 slides upward first under the elastic force of the elastic member 500. While maintaining the plugged state with the upper water inlet pipe 200, the lower water inlet pipe 400 pushes the movable contact piece away from the static contact piece, so that the water pump is powered off and stops supplying water to the lower water inlet pipe 400. At this time, the residual water flow in the lower water inlet pipe 400 will be introduced into the kettle body through the upper water inlet pipe 200 under the action of instantaneous pressure to evacuate the lower water inlet pipe 400. Then, when the lower water inlet pipe 400 stops moving upward, the upper coupler 100 drives the upper water inlet pipe 200 to continue moving upward, so that the upper water inlet pipe 200 is disengaged from the lower water inlet pipe 400.

[0055] In the process of the upper coupler 100 moving upward away from the lower coupler 300 of the present invention, the lower water inlet pipe 400 first moves upward under the push of the elastic member 500 and pushes the movable contact piece away from the static contact piece, so that the water pump is powered off and stops supplying water to the lower water inlet pipe 400. Then, the upper coupler 100 drives the upper water inlet pipe 200 to continue to move upward until the lower water inlet pipe 400 stops moving upward, at which point the upper water inlet pipe 200 is disengaged from the lower water inlet pipe 400. That is, during the process of separating the upper coupler 100 from the lower coupler 300, the lower water inlet pipe 400 first pushes away the moving contact piece electrically connected to the static contact piece to cut off the power to the water pump and stop supplying water, and then separates from the upper water inlet pipe 200. When the water pump is powered off, the residual water flow in the lower water inlet pipe 400 will be introduced into the kettle body through the upper water inlet pipe 200 to evacuate the lower water inlet pipe 400, preventing the lower water inlet pipe 400 from overflowing with water after being disconnected, causing strong electrical conduction and causing a circuit short circuit, thereby ensuring the dryness of the base and improving the user experience.

[0056] In this embodiment, the static contact is a conductive ring 110 mounted on the upper coupler, and the dynamic contact is a conductive spring 320 mounted on the lower coupler. The conductive spring 320 includes a free end 321 and a fixed end 323 secured to the lower coupler. When the upper coupler is plugged into the lower coupler, the free end 321 of the conductive spring 320 abuts against the outer wall of the conductive ring 110, electrically connecting the two. By using the conductive spring 320 as the dynamic contact, the inherent elastic force of the conductive spring 320 strengthens the connection between the dynamic and static contacts, ensuring stable water supply to the water pump. Furthermore, the flexible nature of the conductive spring 320 facilitates the lower water inlet pipe's ability to quickly separate the end of the conductive spring 320 from the conductive ring 110, resulting in more sensitive operation. The protrusion is provided on the free end.

[0057] In this embodiment, a pushing protrusion 322 is provided in the middle of the conductive spring piece 320 located on the innermost side of the lower coupler 300, and the pushing protrusion 322 protrudes toward the lower water inlet pipe 400. During the upward movement of the lower water inlet pipe 400, the lower water inlet pipe 400 pushes the end of the conductive spring piece 320 away from the conductive ring 110 by pushing the pushing protrusion 322. By providing the pushing protrusion 322 in the middle of the conductive spring piece 320, the lower water inlet pipe 400 can push the pushing protrusion 322 outward when passing through the middle of the conductive spring piece 320, so that the end of the conductive spring piece 320 is away from the conductive ring 110. Because the displacement of the end of the conductive spring piece 320 is much greater than the displacement distance of the pushing protrusion 322, the movement of the pushing protrusion 322 over a smaller distance can drive the end of the conductive spring piece 320 away from the conductive ring 110, so that the pushing effect of the lower water inlet pipe 400 is better. Preferably, the pushing protrusion 322 is integrally arranged with the conductive spring piece 320, and the middle part of the conductive spring piece 320 is bent and protruded toward the lower water inlet pipe 400 to form the pushing protrusion 322, which is convenient for production and processing and reduces production costs. The longitudinal section of the pushing protrusion 322 is preferably semicircular. When the lower water inlet pipe 400 passes over the pushing protrusion 322 from bottom to top, it can slide along the semicircular pushing protrusion 322 and push the pushing protrusion 322, so that the lower water inlet pipe 400 can push the pushing protrusion 322 more smoothly, save users more effort, and improve the user experience.

[0058] like Figure 7 As shown, in this embodiment, the lower water inlet pipe 400 includes a tube body 410 and a limiting protrusion provided on the outer wall of the tube body 410. When the movable contact piece is electrically connected to the static contact piece, the limiting protrusion is located below the pushing protrusion 322. When the lower water inlet pipe 400 moves upward, the lower water inlet pipe 400 pushes the conductive spring 320 to separate from the conductive ring 110 via the limiting protrusion. By providing the limiting protrusion, the lower water inlet pipe can push the pushing protrusion 322 on the conductive spring 320 via the limiting protrusion, facilitating rapid separation of the conductive spring 320 from the conductive ring 110 and achieving a better pushing effect.

[0059] The limiting protrusion in this embodiment can be formed by bending the outer wall of the tube body 410, or it can be a protrusion fixed on the outer wall of the tube body 410. Preferably, the limiting protrusion in this embodiment is an annular rib 420 surrounding the outer peripheral side of the tube body 410, and the lower coupler 300 is provided with a mounting hole 330 for the tube body 410 to pass through. The elastic member 500 is sleeved on the outer peripheral side of the tube body 410, and the upper end of the elastic member 500 is against the annular rib 420, and the lower end of the elastic member 500 is against the outer peripheral side of the top of the mounting hole 330. By setting the limiting protrusion as an annular rib 420, there is no need to align the limiting protrusion with the pushing protrusion 322 when installing the lower water inlet pipe 400. Even if the lower water inlet pipe 400 is rotated, the annular rib 420 can always push the pushing protrusion 322 when passing through the pushing protrusion 322, thereby reducing assembly accuracy and improving assembly efficiency. By sleeve-arranging the elastic member 500 on the tube body 410, the elastic member 500 can be limited in the horizontal direction. While the annular rib 420 is used to push the pushing protrusion 322, it can also limit the elastic member 500 in the vertical direction, ensuring that the elastic member 500 is always located at the lower end of the lower water inlet pipe 400 to push the lower water inlet pipe 400, that is, ensuring that during the upward movement of the upper coupler 100, before the water pump is powered off, the upper water inlet pipe 200 and the lower water inlet pipe 400 will not be disengaged, thereby preventing the lower water inlet pipe 400 from overflowing.

[0060] A snap ring 430 is detachably connected to the tube body 410 and is located at the lower part of the mounting hole 330. When the lower water inlet pipe 400 moves upward under the elastic force of the elastic member 500, the snap ring 430 moves upward together with the tube body 410 until the top surface of the snap ring 430 abuts against the outer peripheral side of the bottom of the mounting hole 330 to prevent the lower water inlet pipe 400 from continuing to move upward. By setting the limiting protrusion and the snap ring 430, the lower water inlet pipe 400 can only move up and down within a limited height, preventing the lower water inlet pipe 400 from falling out of the mounting hole 330.

[0061] A slot 411 is provided on the outer circumference of the tube body 410. Figure 8 As shown, the snap ring 430 is provided with an opening 431. The snap ring 430 is inserted into the side of the slot 411 through the opening 431, so that the inner ring of the snap ring 430 is engaged with the slot 411. The top and bottom surfaces of the snap ring 430 respectively abut against the inner wall of the slot 411 to prevent the snap ring 430 from moving along the axial direction of the tube body 410. This ensures that the lower water inlet pipe 400 is stopped at an appropriate height under the limit of the snap ring 430, ensuring the user's experience. Of course, there can be multiple slots 411, so that the staff can choose to install the snap ring 430 in any slot 411 according to the different sizes and models of the lower coupler 300, so that the lower water inlet pipe 400 can adapt to different types of lower couplers 300, and have a wider range of applications.

[0062] like Figure 3 and Figure 4As shown, when the upper coupler 100 and the lower coupler 300 are in the assembled state, the free end 321 of the upper portion of the conductive spring 320 abuts against the outer wall of the conductive ring 110, and the upper coupler 100 presses the lower water inlet pipe 400 downward, so that the annular rib 420 around the pipe body 410 is located below the pushing protrusion 322. Figure 5 and Figure 6 As shown, when the upper coupler 100 moves upward, the lower water inlet pipe 400 moves upward under the push of the elastic member 500. The tube body 410 drives the annular rib 420 upward at the same time. When the annular rib 420 passes over the pushing protrusion 322 in the middle of the conductive spring 320, it pushes the pushing protrusion 322 outward, causing the conductive spring 320 to deform, causing the free end 321 of the conductive spring 320 to separate from the conductive ring 110. After the lower water inlet pipe passes over the pushing protrusion 322, the retaining ring 430 abuts against the outer circumference of the bottom of the mounting hole 330, preventing the lower water inlet pipe 400 from moving further upward. At this time, the upper water inlet pipe 200 on the upper coupler 100 continues to move upward and disengages from the lower water inlet pipe 400.

[0063] The creepage distance mentioned in this application is the distance that the output conductor radially breaks through the air to the bottom wall of the mounting groove, then climbs along the bottom wall of the mounting groove to the side wall of the mounting groove, and then climbs along the side wall of the mounting groove through the ring wall of the lower coupling ring or the groove wall of the lower coupling groove to the top of the lower coupler. Since the wall thickness of the lower coupling ring is increased, the creepage distance is increased and the safety is improved.

Claims

1. A coupler comprising an upper coupler and a lower coupler, characterized in that: The lower coupler comprises: A plurality of lower coupling rings, wherein the wall thickness of each lower coupling ring varies along the circumferential direction to form a thick-walled section and a thin-walled section, and the thick-walled sections of the plurality of lower coupling rings are distributed on the lower coupler in a staggered manner; A lower coupling groove is formed between two adjacent lower coupling rings, wherein the width of a single lower coupling groove varies along the circumferential direction to form a wide area and a narrow area; a drainage hole, the drainage hole being arranged at the bottom of the lower coupling groove and located in the wide area; an output conductor, wherein the output conductor is arranged in the thick-walled section to increase a creepage distance of the output conductor, and the output conductors located in the lower coupling slot are all located in the narrow area; When the upper coupler is mated with the lower coupler, the thick-walled section limits the upper coupler so that the output conductor is in close contact with the upper coupler.

2. A coupler according to claim 1, characterized in that: The thick-walled section is provided with a mounting groove, the output conductor is located in the mounting groove, two radially adjacent thick-walled sections partially overlap, and a strong current area and a weak current area are formed between the two radially adjacent thick-walled sections.

3. A coupler according to claim 2, characterized in that: The lower coupler includes a first lower coupling ring, a third lower coupling ring and a separator ring. The output conductor includes a live wire terminal and a neutral wire terminal. The live wire terminal and the neutral wire terminal are respectively arranged in the first lower coupling ring and the third lower coupling ring. The high-current zone is formed between the live wire terminal and the neutral wire terminal. The separator ring is arranged between the first lower coupling ring and the third lower coupling ring. The separator ring separates the high-current zone into a first high-current zone and a second high-current zone that are isolated from each other.

4. A coupler according to claim 3, characterized in that: The lower coupler also includes a fourth lower coupling ring. The ring walls of the third and fourth lower coupling rings both protrude inward to form the thick-walled section. The ring wall of the first lower coupling ring protrudes outward to form the thick-walled section. The narrow area is formed between the thick-walled section of the fourth lower coupling ring and the outer side wall of the third lower coupling ring. The narrow area is formed between the thick-walled section of the third lower coupling ring and the outer side wall of the separator ring. The narrow area is formed between the thick-walled section of the first lower coupling ring and the inner side wall of the separator ring.

5. A coupler according to claim 2, characterized in that: The output conductor is a moving contact piece, an end of the moving contact piece is provided with a convex point, and the convex point protrudes from the mounting groove. The moving contact pieces located in the lower coupling groove are all located in the narrow area.

6. A coupler according to claim 1, characterized in that: The upper coupler includes an upper water inlet pipe, an upper coupling groove, and an input conductor arranged on the side wall of the upper coupling groove. The lower coupler also includes a lower water inlet pipe connected to the water pump. When the upper coupler and the lower coupler are matched, the input conductor abuts against the thick-walled section, the upper and lower water inlet pipes are plugged into each other, and the input conductor and the output conductor are in contact and conductive. During the separation process of the upper coupler and the lower coupler, the lower water inlet pipe pushes the output conductor to separate from the input conductor, and then the lower water inlet pipe is disengaged from the upper water inlet pipe.

7. A coupler according to claim 6, characterized in that: The lower water inlet pipe is slidably connected to the center of the lower coupler through an elastic member, and the lower water inlet pipe includes a tube body and a limiting protrusion provided on the tube body. The output conductor is provided with a pushing protrusion. When the upper coupler and the lower coupler cooperate, the lower water inlet pipe compresses the elastic member, and the limiting protrusion is located below the pushing protrusion. The input conductor and the output conductor are in contact and conductive. During the separation process of the upper coupler and the lower coupler, the lower water inlet pipe moves upward under the action of the elastic member, the limiting protrusion pushes up the pushing protrusion, and the input conductor is separated from the output conductor.

8. A coupler according to claim 7, characterized in that: The limiting protrusion is an annular rib surrounding the outer circumference of the tube body, the elastic member is sleeved on the outer circumference of the tube body, the upper end of the elastic member is against the annular rib, and the lower end of the elastic member is against the bottom of the lower coupler.

9. A coupler according to claim 8, characterized in that: The bottom of the lower coupler is provided with a mounting hole for the pipe body to pass through, and the pipe body is detachably connected to a clamping ring located at the bottom of the mounting hole. The clamping ring abuts against the outer peripheral side of the bottom of the mounting hole to prevent the lower water inlet pipe from escaping from the lower coupler upward.

10. A coupler according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that: The thick-walled section and the thin-walled section transition smoothly, and at least one drainage hole is located at the junction of the thick-walled section and the thin-walled section. The drainage hole is fan-shaped, that is, the width of the drainage hole gradually increases from the inside to the outside.

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