Flow regulating valve, household appliance control method, and household appliance

Abstract

The present invention discloses a flow control valve, a control method for a household appliance, and the household appliance. The flow control valve includes a valve body, a first adjustment component, a second adjustment component, and a detection component. The valve body includes a valve seat and a rotatable valve stem disposed on the valve seat. The first adjustment component drives the valve stem to rotate. The second adjustment component drives the valve stem to rotate. The detection component is configured to detect the state of the first adjustment component and output a control signal for controlling the second adjustment component when the second adjustment component is in an adjustment state. The flow control valve, while having the first and second adjustment components, also has the characteristic of high flow control accuracy.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of household appliances, and in particular to a flow regulating valve, a control method for a household appliance, and the household appliance. Background Art

[0002] The flow of gas and liquid in household appliances such as gas stoves, gas water heaters, and electric water heaters is controlled by flow control valves. In related art, flow control valves have a first adjustment component and a second adjustment component, each of which independently adjusts the valve's opening, thereby regulating the flow rate. However, when used, these flow control valves are prone to conflict due to simultaneous adjustment of the first and second adjustment components, affecting the accuracy of flow control. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The main purpose of the present invention is to provide a flow regulating valve having a first regulating component and a second regulating component and having high flow regulating accuracy.

[0004] To achieve the above-mentioned purpose, the flow control valve proposed in the present invention comprises:

[0005] A valve body, comprising a valve seat and a rotatable valve stem disposed on the valve seat; and

[0006] A first adjusting component, a second adjusting component and a detection component are arranged on the valve seat. The first adjusting component and the second adjusting component can both drive the valve stem to rotate. The detection component is used to detect the state of the first adjusting component and output a control signal for controlling the second adjusting component when the second adjusting component is in an adjusting state.

[0007] In one embodiment, the detection assembly includes a detection switch and a first trigger structure and a second trigger structure capable of intermittently triggering the detection switch;

[0008] When the second adjustment component is in the adjustment state, the first trigger structure and the second trigger structure trigger the detection switch simultaneously each time;

[0009] When the second regulating component is in the regulating state, if the first regulating component enters the regulating state, there is a situation where the first trigger structure and the second trigger structure trigger the detection switch alternately.

[0010] In one embodiment, the first trigger structure and the second trigger structure are both rotatably disposed on the valve seat;

[0011] When the second adjustment component is in the adjustment state, the first trigger structure and the second trigger structure rotate synchronously;

[0012] When the second adjusting component is in the adjusting state, if the first adjusting component enters the adjusting state, the first triggering structure rotates relative to the second triggering structure.

[0013] In one embodiment, a plurality of first triggering parts are provided around the first triggering structure, and the plurality of first triggering parts can intermittently trigger the detection switch;

[0014] The second trigger structure is provided with a plurality of second trigger parts in a circumferential direction, and the plurality of second trigger parts can intermittently trigger the detection switch;

[0015] When the second adjustment assembly is in an adjustment state, each first trigger portion and one second trigger portion are correspondingly arranged in the length direction of the valve stem and constitute a trigger member, and the plurality of trigger members intermittently trigger the detection switch;

[0016] When the second adjustment component is in the adjustment state, if the first adjustment component enters the adjustment state, there is a situation where the first trigger part and the second trigger part trigger the detection switch alternately.

[0017] In one embodiment, when the first adjustment component is in the adjustment state, the first trigger structure rotates, and the second trigger structure does not rotate.

[0018] In one embodiment, the second adjustment assembly includes a motor, a first gear rotatably mounted on an output shaft of the motor, and a second gear fixedly connected to the valve stem and capable of meshing with the first gear;

[0019] The second trigger structure is fixed on the output shaft, and the first trigger structure is fixed on the first gear and is located between the second trigger structure and the first gear;

[0020] When the first gear is engaged with the second gear, the second trigger structure has a first position and a second position. In the first position, the motor can drive the first gear to rotate freely through the second trigger structure. In the second position, the first adjustment component can drive the first gear to rotate freely through the second gear.

[0021] In one embodiment, a first protrusion is provided on a side of the second trigger structure close to the first gear, and a second protrusion is provided on a side of the first gear close to the second trigger structure;

[0022] At the first position, the first protrusion is in contact with the second protrusion in the circumferential direction of the output shaft. At the second position, the first protrusion is spaced apart from the second protrusion in the circumferential direction of the output shaft.

[0023] The present invention further provides a method for controlling a household appliance, wherein the household appliance includes a flow regulating valve, the flow regulating valve including a valve body with a valve stem, a first regulating assembly and a second regulating assembly for driving the valve stem to rotate, and a detection assembly for detecting a state of the first regulating assembly. The method for controlling the household appliance includes the following steps:

[0024] When the second regulating component is in the regulating state, obtaining a state signal of the first regulating component detected by the detecting component;

[0025] When it is determined according to the detected state signal of the first regulating component that the first regulating component enters the regulating state, the second regulating component is controlled to exit the regulating state.

[0026] In one embodiment, the detection component includes a detection switch, a first trigger structure and a second trigger structure capable of intermittently triggering the detection switch. When the second adjustment component is in the adjustment state, the first trigger structure and the second trigger structure trigger the detection switch simultaneously each time. When the second adjustment component is in the adjustment state, if the first adjustment component enters the adjustment state, the first trigger structure and the second trigger structure alternately trigger the detection switch.

[0027] The step of obtaining the status signal of the first regulating component detected by the detection component comprises the following steps:

[0028] Obtaining a first time period between the first triggering and the second triggering of the detection switch, and obtaining a second time period between the second triggering and the third triggering of the detection switch;

[0029] The step of determining that the first regulating component enters the regulating state according to the detected state signal of the first regulating component comprises the following steps:

[0030] comparing the first time period with the second time period;

[0031] When the first time period is different from the second time period, it is determined that the first regulating component enters the regulating state.

[0032] In one embodiment, the following steps are further included:

[0033] When the household appliance starts working, the second regulating component is controlled to enter the regulating state, and the second regulating component intelligently regulates the rotation of the valve stem according to the target flow.

[0034] In one embodiment, the flow regulating valve further includes a switch;

[0035] Before the step of controlling the second regulating component to enter the regulating state, the method further includes the following steps:

[0036] Controlling the first regulating component to enter the regulating state, and causing the valve stem to rotate from the closed position to a preset angle to reach a preset flow position, triggering the switching switch of the flow regulating valve, so that the second regulating component enters the pre-regulating state;

[0037] The second regulating component is controlled to enter the regulating state from the pre-regulating state.

[0038] In one embodiment, before the step of controlling the second regulating component to enter the regulating state, the following steps are further included:

[0039] Determine the current flow rate of the flow control valve;

[0040] After the step of controlling the second regulating component to enter the regulating state, the method further includes the following steps:

[0041] The second regulating component intelligently regulates the rotation of the valve stem according to the current flow rate and the target flow rate.

[0042] The present invention also provides a household appliance, comprising the above-mentioned flow regulating valve and a controller electrically connected to the detection component and the second regulating component;

[0043] When the first regulating component enters the regulating state, the detecting component outputs a control signal, and the controller controls the second regulating component to exit the regulating state according to the control signal.

[0044] The states of the first regulating assembly of the flow control valve include a regulating state and a non-regulating state. When the second regulating assembly is in the regulating state, if the detection assembly detects that the first regulating assembly has entered the regulating state, the first and second regulating assemblies simultaneously adjust the valve stem, and the detection assembly outputs a first control signal. If the detection assembly detects that the first regulating assembly has not entered the regulating state, the second regulating assembly adjusts the valve stem while the first regulating assembly does not, and the detection assembly outputs a second control signal. Thus, a controller electrically connected to the detection assembly and the second regulating assembly can determine the state of the first regulating assembly based on the first and second control signals. When it determines that the first regulating assembly has not entered the regulating state, the controller controls the second regulating assembly to continue regulating. When it determines that the first regulating assembly has entered the regulating state, the controller controls the second regulating assembly to exit regulation, that is, to stop regulating. This prevents adjustment confusion caused by the first and second regulating assemblies simultaneously adjusting the valve stem, thereby preventing conflicts between the adjustments of the first and second regulating assemblies, thereby ensuring regulation accuracy. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0045] In order to more clearly illustrate the embodiments of the present invention or the technical solutions in the prior art, the following briefly introduces the drawings required for use in the embodiments or the description of the prior art. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on the structures shown in these drawings without paying any creative work.

[0046] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of a flow control valve according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0047] Figure 2 for Figure 1 The flow control valve is shown in a partially exploded view after the mounting box is removed;

[0048] Figure 3 for Figure 1 A partially exploded view of the flow control valve is shown;

[0049] Figure 4 for Figure 3 A partially exploded view of the flow control valve is shown;

[0050] Figure 5 for Figure 4 A partial enlarged view of the

[0051] Figure 6 for Figure 5 A partial enlarged view of the

[0052] Figure 7 for Figure 5 A structural diagram from another perspective;

[0053] Figure 8 for Figure 5 A schematic structural diagram of the first protrusion and the second protrusion in the initial state;

[0054] Figure 9 for Figure 8 Schematic diagram of the structure after the second protrusion in the figure is driven by the first protrusion and rotates 270° clockwise;

[0055] Figure 10 for Figure 1 Schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of the valve stem, the opening switch and the switching switch;

[0056] Figure 11 for Figure 10 A schematic diagram of a three-dimensional structure from another perspective;

[0057] Figure 12 Flowchart of a method for controlling a household appliance according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0058] Description of Figure Numbers:

[0059] Label name Label name 10 Flow control valve 200 valve seat 300 valve stem 400 First adjustment component 500 Second adjustment component 600 Detection components 610 Detection switch 620 First trigger structure 630 Second trigger structure 622 First trigger part 632 Second trigger part 510 motor 520 First gear 530 Second gear 512 output shaft 630a First bulge 520a Second bulge 514 Ontology 700 Turn on the switch 310 Paragraph 1 320 Second paragraph 800 Toggle switch 330 Paragraph 3

[0060] The purpose, features and advantages of the present invention will be further described with reference to the accompanying drawings and in conjunction with the embodiments. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0061] The following will clearly and completely describe the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only part of the embodiments of the present invention, not all of the embodiments. All other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field based on the embodiments of the present invention without making any creative efforts shall fall within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0062] It should be noted that if the embodiments of the present invention involve directional indications (such as up, down, left, right, front, back, etc.), the directional indications are only used to explain the relative position relationship, movement status, etc. between the various components under a certain specific posture (as shown in the accompanying drawings). If the specific posture changes, the directional indications will also change accordingly.

[0063] In addition, if there are descriptions involving "first", "second", etc. 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 number of the indicated technical features. Therefore, the features defined as "first" and "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of such features. In addition, if the meaning of "and / or" appearing in the full text is to include three parallel schemes, taking "A and / or B" as an example, it includes scheme A, or scheme B, or a scheme in which A and B are satisfied at the same time. In addition, the technical solutions between the various embodiments can be combined with each other, but it must be based on the ability of ordinary technicians in this field to implement. When the combination of technical solutions is mutually contradictory or cannot be implemented, it should be deemed that such a combination of technical solutions does not exist and is not within the scope of protection required by the present invention.

[0064] The present invention provides a flow regulating valve.

[0065] In the embodiment of the present invention, Figures 1-4 As shown, the flow control valve 10 includes a valve body (including a valve seat 200 and a valve stem 300 ), a first adjustment assembly 400 , a second adjustment assembly 500 and a detection assembly 600 .

[0066] The valve stem 300 is rotatably mounted on the valve seat 200, meaning that the valve stem 300 is rotatable relative to the valve seat 200. Rotation of the valve stem 300 relative to the valve seat 200 adjusts the opening of the valve core of the flow control valve 10, thereby regulating the flow rate. In this embodiment, the valve body of the flow control valve 10 is a ball valve or a plug valve.

[0067] In this embodiment, the valve stem 300 can rotate within a first angle range. For household appliances such as gas stoves, gas water heaters, and electric water heaters, the difference between the upper limit and the lower limit of the first angle range is usually less than 360°, that is, the valve stem 300 of household appliances such as gas stoves, gas water heaters, and electric water heaters cannot usually rotate 360°. Specifically, in this embodiment, the lower limit of the first angle range is 0°, and the upper limit of the first angle range is less than or equal to 270°. More specifically, in this embodiment, the upper limit of the first angle range is not less than 180°. In this way, the wide range of flow rate regulation of household appliances such as gas stoves, gas water heaters, and electric water heaters can be met.

[0068] The first adjustment assembly 400 is disposed on the valve seat 200 and is capable of driving the valve stem 300 to rotate. Specifically, in this embodiment, the first adjustment assembly 400 is capable of driving the valve stem 300 to rotate within a first angular range. It will be appreciated that in other embodiments, the first adjustment assembly 400 is capable of driving the valve stem 300 to rotate within a second angular range, wherein the lower limit of the second angular range is the same as the lower limit of the first angular range, but the upper limit of the second angular range is different from the upper limit of the first angular range.

[0069] The second adjustment assembly 500 is disposed on the valve seat 200 and is capable of driving the valve stem 300 to rotate. Specifically, in this embodiment, the second adjustment assembly 500 is capable of driving the valve stem 300 to rotate within a first angular range. It will be appreciated that in other embodiments, the second adjustment assembly 500 is capable of driving the valve stem 300 to rotate within a third angular range, wherein the lower limit of the third angular range is the same as the lower limit of the first angular range, but the upper limit of the third angular range is different from the upper limit of the first angular range. The upper limit of the third angular range may be the same as or different from the upper limit of the second angular range.

[0070] The detection assembly 600 is provided on the valve seat 200 and is used to detect the state of the first adjustment assembly 400 and output a control signal for controlling the second adjustment assembly 500 when the second adjustment assembly 500 is in the adjustment state.

[0071] The first adjustment assembly 400 can be in an adjustment state or not. When the second adjustment assembly 500 is in the adjustment state, if the detection assembly 600 detects that the first adjustment assembly 400 has entered the adjustment state, the first adjustment assembly 400 and the second adjustment assembly 500 simultaneously adjust the valve stem 300, and the detection assembly 600 outputs a first control signal. If the detection assembly 600 detects that the first adjustment assembly 400 has not entered the adjustment state, the second adjustment assembly 500 adjusts the valve stem 300 while the first adjustment assembly 400 does not adjust the valve stem 300, and the detection assembly 600 outputs a second control signal.

[0072] Thus, the controllers of the electrical connection detection component 600 and the second adjustment component 500 can determine the state of the first adjustment component 400 based on the first control signal and the second control signal. When it is determined that the first adjustment component 400 has not entered the adjustment state, the controller controls the second adjustment component 500 to continue adjustment. When it is determined that the first adjustment component 400 has entered the adjustment state, the controller can control the second adjustment component 500 to exit the adjustment state, that is, the controller can control the second adjustment component 500 to stop adjustment. In this way, it can avoid the situation where the first adjustment component 400 and the second adjustment component 500 are adjusting the valve stem 300 at the same time, thereby avoiding the situation where the adjustment of the first adjustment component 400 and the adjustment of the second adjustment component 500 conflict, thereby ensuring the accuracy of the adjustment.

[0073] In this embodiment, the controller is a controller of a household appliance, and in this case, the flow regulating valve 10 may not include a controller. It is understood that in other embodiments, the controller may also be a controller of the flow regulating valve 10, and in this case, the flow regulating valve 10 includes a controller.

[0074] It should be noted that, in this embodiment, the control signal output by the detection component 600 is used to control the second adjustment component 500, that is, the second adjustment component 500 is an intelligent adjustment component (including components such as motors that can achieve intelligent control).

[0075] In some embodiments, both the first adjustment component 400 and the second adjustment component 500 are intelligent adjustment components (including components such as motors that can achieve intelligent control). In this way, when the second adjustment component 500 is in the adjustment state, it is very convenient for the detection component 600 to detect the state of the first adjustment component 400 and output a control signal for controlling the second adjustment component 500. For example, the motor of the first adjustment component 400 and the motor of the second adjustment component 500 are both electrically connected to the detection component 600. When the second adjustment component 500 is in the adjustment state, if the detection component 600 detects the operating signal of the motor of the first adjustment component 400, it is determined that the first adjustment component 400 has entered the adjustment state.

[0076] When both the first adjustment assembly 400 and the second adjustment assembly 500 are intelligent adjustment assemblies, the first adjustment assembly 400 and the second adjustment assembly 500 may be identical or different. In this embodiment, the first adjustment assembly 400 and the second adjustment assembly 500 are identical, and both the first adjustment assembly 400 and the second adjustment assembly 500 include a motor disposed on the valve seat 200, a first gear fixedly mounted on the output shaft of the motor, and a second gear fixedly mounted on the valve stem 300, and the first gear and the second gear are capable of meshing.

[0077] In some embodiments, one of the first adjustment component 400 and the second adjustment component 500 is an intelligent adjustment component, and the other is a manual adjustment component. In this way, the flow control valve 10 can achieve both manual adjustment and intelligent adjustment. The flow control valve 10 with a manual adjustment component can achieve manual adjustment, which is usually not prone to failure, but there is a problem of inconvenience in use. The flow control valve 10 with an intelligent adjustment component can achieve intelligent adjustment and is very easy to use, but it is prone to failure (for example, motor failure, power outage, etc.) and cannot be used normally. The flow control valve 10 that can achieve both manual adjustment and intelligent adjustment can solve both the problem of ease of use and the problem of normal use when a failure occurs.

[0078] In this embodiment, the first adjustment component 400 is a manual adjustment component, and the second adjustment component 500 is an intelligent adjustment component.

[0079] In some embodiments, the first adjustment assembly 400 is located in the extension direction of the valve stem 300 and is connected to the end of the valve stem 300. Taking a gas stove as an example, the first adjustment assembly 400 is installed on the gas stove panel and connected to the end of the valve stem 300. In this case, the first adjustment assembly 400 can be a knob of the gas stove. In some embodiments, the first adjustment assembly 400 includes one end of the valve stem 300. Taking a gas stove as an example, the valve stem 300 is installed on the gas stove panel. In this case, the end of the valve stem 300 can be a knob of the gas stove.

[0080] In this embodiment, if Figure 2-Figure 5As shown, the detection assembly 600 includes a detection switch 610, a first trigger structure 620, and a second trigger structure 630. The detection switch 610 is disposed on the valve seat 200. The first trigger structure 620 is disposed on the valve seat 200 and can intermittently trigger the detection switch 610. The second trigger structure 630 is disposed on the valve seat 200 and can intermittently trigger the detection switch 610. When the second adjustment assembly 500 is in the adjustment state (at this time, the first adjustment assembly 400 has not entered the adjustment state), the first trigger structure 620 and the second trigger structure 630 trigger the detection switch 610 simultaneously each time. In other words, when the second adjustment assembly 500 is in the adjustment state, the detection switch 610 may be intermittently triggered multiple times, and each triggering of the detection switch 610 is accomplished by the first trigger structure 620 and the second trigger structure 630. When the second adjustment assembly 500 is in the adjustment state, if the first adjustment assembly 400 enters the adjustment state, the first trigger structure 620 and the second trigger structure 630 may alternately trigger the detection switch 610. In this way, the state of the first regulating component 400 can be determined according to the time period between two adjacent triggering of the detection switch 610 (detailed analysis will be provided later).

[0081] In this embodiment, the first trigger structure 620 and the second trigger structure 630 are both rotatably disposed on the valve seat 200 , that is, the first trigger structure 620 can rotate relative to the valve seat 200 , and the second trigger structure 630 can also rotate relative to the valve seat 200 .

[0082] Among them, when the second adjustment component 500 is in the adjustment state (at this time, the first adjustment component 400 has not entered the adjustment state), the first trigger structure 620 and the second trigger structure 630 rotate synchronously. During the process of the first trigger structure 620 and the second trigger structure 630 rotating synchronously, the first trigger structure 620 and the second trigger structure 630 trigger the detection switch 610 at the same time each time.

[0083] When the second adjustment component 500 is in the adjustment state, if the first adjustment component 400 enters the adjustment state, the first trigger structure 620 rotates relative to the second trigger structure 630, and the first trigger structure 620 and the second trigger structure 630 alternately trigger the detection switch 610.

[0084] In this embodiment, the detection switch 610 is a microswitch. Microswitches include normally closed microswitches and normally open microswitches. A normally closed microswitches generates a trigger signal when they are opened at a certain moment, while a normally open microswitches generates a trigger signal when they are closed at a certain moment. Specifically, in this embodiment, the microswitch is a normally open microswitches.

[0085] In this embodiment, the first trigger structure 620 includes a plurality of first trigger portions 622, which are arranged at intervals along the circumference of the first trigger structure 620. During the rotation of the first trigger structure 620, the plurality of first trigger portions 622 can intermittently trigger the detection switch 610.

[0086] The second trigger structure 630 includes a plurality of second trigger parts 632 , which are arranged at intervals along the circumference of the second trigger structure 630 . During the rotation of the second trigger structure 630 , the plurality of second trigger parts 632 can intermittently trigger the detection switch 610 .

[0087] When the second adjustment assembly 500 is in the adjustment state (at this time, the first adjustment assembly 400 is not in the adjustment state), the first trigger structure 620 and the second trigger structure 630 rotate synchronously. During the synchronous rotation of the first trigger structure 620 and the second trigger structure 630, multiple first trigger portions 622 and multiple second trigger portions 632 are arranged one-to-one along the length (vertical direction) of the valve stem 300. That is, each first trigger portion 622 is corresponding to a second trigger portion 632 along the length (vertical direction) of the valve stem 300, and each first trigger portion 622 and the corresponding second trigger portion 632 constitute a trigger element. During the synchronous rotation of the first trigger structure 620 and the second trigger structure 630, the multiple trigger elements can intermittently trigger the detection switch 610. That is, when the second adjustment assembly 500 is in the adjustment state, when the first trigger portion 622 of the first trigger structure 620 triggers the detection switch 610, the second trigger portion 632 of the second trigger structure 630 also triggers the detection switch 610. Thus, when the second regulating assembly 500 is in the regulating state (at this time, the first regulating assembly 400 is not in the regulating state), the flow rate can also be determined by the detection switch 610, the first trigger structure 620, and the second trigger structure 630. In this case, the time period between two adjacent triggerings of the detection switch 610 is T1.

[0088] If the first adjusting assembly 400 suddenly enters the adjustment state while the second adjusting assembly 500 is in the adjustment state, the first trigger structure 620 will rotate relative to the second trigger structure 630. That is, if the first adjusting assembly 400 suddenly enters the adjustment state while the second adjusting assembly 500 is in the adjustment state, the first trigger structure 620 and the second trigger structure 630 will rotate asynchronously. In this case, the first trigger portion 622 of the first trigger structure 620 and the second trigger portion 632 of the second trigger structure 630 will alternately trigger the detection switch 610. The time period between two consecutive triggerings of the detection switch 610 is T2, which is different from the time period T1 and is generally shorter than the time period T1.

[0089] In the flow control valve 10 described above, when the second control assembly 500 is in the control state (at this time, the first control assembly 400 has not entered the control state), the time period T1 between two adjacent triggerings of the detection switch 610 can be recorded first, and then the time period T2 between two adjacent triggerings of the detection switch 610 can be obtained in real time. If the time period T1 is the same as the time period T2, the first control assembly 400 has not entered the control state; if the time period T1 is different from the time period T2, the first control assembly 400 has entered the control state.

[0090] In this embodiment, the plurality of first triggering portions 622 and the plurality of second triggering portions 632 are arranged at equal intervals, and the spacing between two adjacent first triggering portions 622 is the same as the spacing between two adjacent second triggering portions 632. In this manner, whether the first adjustment component 400 enters the adjustment state when the second adjustment component 500 is in the adjustment state can be determined based on whether the time period T1 is the same as or different from the time period T2.

[0091] It is understood that in other embodiments, the plurality of first triggering portions 622 and the plurality of second triggering portions 632 may also be arranged at unequal intervals. In this case, whether the first adjusting component 400 enters the adjustment state when the second adjusting component 500 is in the adjustment state can be determined based on the variation pattern of the time period T1 and the time period T2.

[0092] For example, multiple first triggering units 622 are divided into multiple groups, each group comprising three first triggering units 622. The spacing between two adjacent first triggering units 622 within a group is smaller than the spacing between two adjacent groups. When the second adjustment component 500 is in the adjustment state (at this time, the first adjustment component 400 is not in the adjustment state), the time period T3 between two adjacent groups is recorded, and the time period T4 within the group is recorded, with T3 and T4 being different. When the second adjustment component 500 is in the adjustment state (at this time, the first adjustment component 400 is not in the adjustment state), the periodic variation pattern may be T3, T3, T4, T3, T3, T4, etc. When the second adjustment component 500 is in the adjustment state, if the first adjustment component 400 suddenly enters the adjustment state, the periodic variation pattern may be T3, T5, T6, etc. In this way, if T3 and T3 cannot be continuously obtained, it can be considered that the first adjustment component 400 has suddenly entered the adjustment state; if T3, T3, and T4 cannot be continuously obtained, it can also be considered that the first adjustment component 400 has suddenly entered the adjustment state.

[0093] In this embodiment, the spacing between two adjacent first triggering portions 622 is greater than the spacing between two adjacent teeth of the first gear 520, and the number of first triggering portions 622 is greater than or equal to eight. This prevents the spacing between two adjacent first triggering portions 622 from being too small or too large, thereby ensuring that the triggering frequency of the detection switch 610 is moderate, neither too fast nor too slow. Specifically, in this embodiment, the number of first triggering portions 622 is greater than or equal to ten and less than or equal to twenty.

[0094] In this embodiment, both the first trigger structure 620 and the second trigger structure 630 are incomplete gears. The pitch circle diameter of the incomplete gears is smaller than the pitch circle diameter of the first gear 520. Thus, while still meeting the requirements for triggering the detection switch 610, the first trigger structure 620 and the second trigger structure 630 can be made smaller, thereby facilitating a smaller flow control valve 10.

[0095] In this embodiment, when the first regulating assembly 400 is in the regulating state (at this time, the second regulating assembly 500 is not in the regulating state), the first trigger structure 620 rotates, while the second trigger structure 630 does not rotate. In other words, in this embodiment, the first regulating assembly 400 can drive the first trigger structure 620 to rotate, but cannot drive the second trigger structure 630 to rotate. The second regulating assembly 500 can drive the first trigger structure 620 and the second trigger structure 630 to rotate synchronously. Thus, when the first regulating assembly 400 is in the regulating state (at this time, the second regulating assembly 500 is not in the regulating state), the flow rate can be determined using the detection switch 610 and the first trigger structure 620.

[0096] When the second adjustment assembly 500 is in the adjustment state, controlling the rotation speed of the first trigger structure 620 to be greater than the rotation speed of the second trigger structure 630, or controlling the rotation speed of the first trigger structure 620 to be less than the rotation speed of the second trigger structure 630, can both achieve the rotation of the first trigger structure 620 relative to the second trigger structure 630, that is, achieve asynchronous rotation of the first trigger structure 620 and the second trigger structure 630. In actual application, when the first adjustment assembly 400 is a manual adjustment assembly and the second adjustment assembly 500 is an intelligent adjustment assembly, if the first adjustment assembly 400 suddenly enters the adjustment state while the second adjustment assembly 500 is in the adjustment state, the rotation speed of the first trigger structure 620 will be greater than the rotation speed of the second trigger structure 630.

[0097] In this embodiment, the first adjustment assembly 400 and the second adjustment assembly 500 can both drive the valve stem 300 to rotate within a first angular range without interfering with each other. That is, the first adjustment assembly 400 can drive the valve stem 300 to rotate within the first angular range, and the second adjustment assembly 500 can also drive the valve stem 300 to rotate within the first angular range. Furthermore, when the first adjustment assembly 400 drives the valve stem 300 to rotate within the first angular range, the second adjustment assembly 500 does not interfere with the first adjustment assembly 400 driving the valve stem 300 to rotate within the first angular range. Similarly, when the second adjustment assembly 500 drives the valve stem 300 to rotate within the first angular range, the first adjustment assembly 400 does not interfere with the second adjustment assembly 500 driving the valve stem 300 to rotate within the first angular range. This ensures smooth adjustment of both the first adjustment assembly 400 and the second adjustment assembly 500.

[0098] In this embodiment, the second adjustment assembly 500 includes a motor 510, a first gear 520, and a second gear 530. The motor 510 is mounted on the valve seat 200. The first gear 520 is rotatably mounted on the output shaft 512 of the motor 510. The second gear 530 is fixedly connected to the valve stem 300 and can mesh with the first gear 520. The second trigger structure 630 is fixed to the output shaft 512 of the motor 510. The first trigger structure 620 is fixed to the first gear 520 and is located between the second trigger structure 630 and the first gear 520. The motor 510 can drive the first gear 520 to rotate freely via the second trigger structure 630. The first adjustment assembly 400 can drive the first gear 510 to rotate freely via the second gear 530. In other words, the second trigger structure 630 does not interfere with the first adjustment assembly 400 driving the first gear 510 to rotate via the second gear 530.

[0099] The motor 510 can drive the first gear 520 to rotate freely via the second trigger structure 630, thereby driving the first gear 520 to rotate the second gear 530 fixed to the valve stem 300, and further driving the valve stem 300 to rotate, thereby achieving intelligent flow control. When manually adjusting the flow, the first adjustment assembly 400 is manually rotated, and the valve stem 300 can drive the second gear 530 to rotate, which in turn drives the first gear 520 to rotate. During the process of the valve stem 300 moving from the lower limit of the first angular range to the upper limit of the first angular range, and during the process of the valve stem 300 moving from the upper limit of the first angular range to the lower limit of the first angular range, the first gear 520 will not be unable to rotate due to interference from the second trigger structure 630. In other words, the second trigger structure 630 will not interfere with the adjustment of the first adjustment assembly 400. The above structure not only realizes intelligent and manual adjustment, but also determines whether manual adjustment is activated during intelligent adjustment, avoiding conflict between intelligent and manual adjustment. In addition, the above structure is simple, reliable, and easy to install.

[0100] In this embodiment, when the first gear 520 is engaged with the second gear 530, the second trigger structure 630 has a first position and a second position. In the first position, the motor 510 can drive the first gear 520 to rotate freely through the second trigger structure 630. In the second position, the first adjustment component 400 can drive the first gear 520 to rotate freely through the second gear 530.

[0101] In the first position, the motor 510 can drive the first gear 520 to rotate freely through the second trigger structure 630, so that the first gear 520 can drive the second gear 530 fixed on the valve stem 300 to rotate freely, and then drive the valve stem 300 to rotate, thereby realizing intelligent regulation of the flow rate, and in the process of the valve stem 300 moving from the lower limit value of the first angle range to the upper limit value of the first angle range and in the process of the valve stem 300 moving from the upper limit value of the first angle range to the lower limit value of the first angle range, the first adjustment component (manual adjustment) 400 will not interfere with the adjustment of the second adjustment component (intelligent adjustment component) 500.

[0102] In the second position, the second trigger structure 630 does not interfere with the first adjusting component 400 driving the first gear 520 to rotate through the second gear 530, that is, when manually adjusting the flow, manually rotating the valve stem 300 can drive the second gear 530 to rotate freely, and the second gear 530 can drive the first gear 520 to rotate freely. In the process of the valve stem 300 moving from the lower limit value of the first angle range to the upper limit value of the first angle range and in the process of the valve stem 300 moving from the upper limit value of the first angle range to the lower limit value of the first angle range, the first gear 520 will not be unable to rotate freely due to the interference of the second trigger structure 630, that is, the second adjusting component 500 will not interfere with the adjustment of the first adjusting component 400.

[0103] Moreover, the above-mentioned second adjustment component (intelligent adjustment component) 500 cooperates with the first adjustment component (manual adjustment component) 400, and there is no need to set up additional fluid pipelines, which reduces the difficulty of the installation process and the risk of air leakage, and does not affect the original installation process and fluid pipeline installation process of the household appliance.

[0104] In this embodiment, the first gear 520, the first trigger structure 620, and the second trigger structure 630 are all sleeved on the output shaft 512 of the motor 510, and the first trigger structure 620 and the second trigger structure 630 are both located between the first gear 520 and the body 514 of the motor 510. This facilitates the stable rotation of the first gear 520 driven by the motor 510 via the second trigger structure 630, and prevents the detection switch 610, which cooperates with the first trigger structure 620 and the second trigger structure 630, from being positioned too high.

[0105] In this embodiment, if Figure 6 and Figure 7 As shown, the second trigger structure 630 and the first gear 520 are both sleeved on the output shaft 512 of the motor 510. A first protrusion 630a is provided on the side of the second trigger structure 630 close to the first gear 520. A second protrusion 520a is provided on the side of the first gear 520 close to the second trigger structure 630. In the first position, the first protrusion 630a and the second protrusion 520a are in contact with each other in the circumferential direction of the output shaft 512. In the second position, the first protrusion 630a and the second protrusion 520a are spaced apart in the circumferential direction of the output shaft 512. In this way, it is not only convenient to achieve the flow adjustment of the first adjustment component (manual adjustment component) 400 and the second adjustment component (intelligent adjustment component) 500, but also convenient to achieve the first adjustment component 400 and the second adjustment component 500 without interfering with each other.

[0106] In this embodiment, the second trigger structure 630 is mounted on the output shaft 512 of the motor 510 through a central through hole, such as a D-shaped hole, a hexagonal hole, or a U-shaped hole. The shape of the outer wall of the output shaft 512 matches the shape of the central through hole. That is, when the central through hole is a D-shaped hole, the outer wall of the output shaft 512 has a D-shaped outer wall. This facilitates the second trigger structure 630 to be fixed to the output shaft 512 of the motor 510 so as to rotate synchronously with the output shaft 512 of the motor 510. It will be understood that in other embodiments, the shape of the outer wall of the output shaft 512 may not match the central through hole. In this case, the second trigger structure 630 can be fixed to the output shaft 512 of the motor 510 by welding, gluing, or other methods.

[0107] In this embodiment, the first gear 520 is sleeved onto the output shaft 512 of the motor 510 through a circular hole. This facilitates the rotation of the first gear 520 relative to the output shaft 512, thereby facilitating the second trigger structure 630 to drive the first gear 520 to rotate on the output shaft 512. In this embodiment, the first gear 520 is sleeved onto the output shaft 512 of the motor 510 through the circular hole, and the friction between the first gear 520 and the output shaft 512 of the motor 510 is less than the driving force applied to the first gear 520 by the motor 510 via the second trigger structure 630. This not only allows the first gear 520 to be disposed on the output shaft 512 of the motor 510, but also allows the first gear 520 to rotate relative to the output shaft 512 of the motor 510.

[0108] In this embodiment, the second gear 530 is mounted on the valve stem 300 via a central through-hole, such as a D-shaped hole, a hexagonal hole, or a U-shaped hole sleeve. The outer wall of the valve stem 300 is shaped to match the shape of the central through-hole. Specifically, when the central through-hole is a D-shaped hole, the outer wall of the valve stem 300 has a D-shaped outer wall. This facilitates the second gear 530 to be secured to the valve stem 300, rotating synchronously with the valve stem 300. It will be appreciated that in other embodiments, the outer wall of the valve stem 300 may not be shaped to match the central through-hole. In this case, the second gear 530 may be secured to the valve stem 300 via welding, gluing, or other methods.

[0109] In this embodiment, the rotation direction of the first gear 520 is opposite to that of the second gear 530, and the pitch circle diameter of the first gear 520 is approximately the same as that of the second gear 530. This means that the transmission ratio between the first gear 520 and the second gear 530 is approximately 1. Thus, if the first gear 520 rotates clockwise by a first angle, the second gear 530 meshing with the first gear 520 will rotate counterclockwise by the first angle. This facilitates control of the first adjustment assembly 400 and the second adjustment assembly 500 so that they do not interfere with each other. It will be appreciated that in other embodiments, the transmission ratio between the first gear 520 and the second gear 530 may be greater than or less than 1.

[0110] In this embodiment, during manual flow adjustment, when the valve stem 300 rotates in a first direction (e.g., counterclockwise) and moves from the lower limit of the first angular range to the upper limit of the first angular range, the second protrusion 520a can rotate in a second direction (opposite to the first direction, e.g., clockwise) and move from the lower limit of the second angular range to the upper limit of the second angular range. The upper limit of the second angular range is the same as the upper limit of the first angular range (the same numerical value).

[0111] In the second position, the first protrusion 630a is located within a third angular range, wherein the lower limit of the third angular range is the same as the upper limit of the second angular range. The lower limit of the second angular range is 0° in the second direction, and the upper limit of the third angular range is 360° in the second direction. Specifically, in this embodiment, the lower limit of the first angular range is 0° in the first direction, the upper limit of the first angular range is 270° in the first direction, and the lower limit of the third angular range is the same as the upper limit of the second angular range, namely 270° in the second direction.

[0112] In this embodiment, a gas stove is taken as an example for specific description:

[0113] The valve stem 200 can rotate within the range of 0°-270°. Figure 8As shown, in the initial position, the first protrusion 630a is located between 270° and 360°, and the second protrusion 520a is located at 0° (ie, 360°). At this time, the first protrusion 630a and the second protrusion 520a are spaced apart in the circumferential direction of the output shaft 512.

[0114] When the intelligent adjustment is started, the motor 510 drives the first protrusion 630a to rotate clockwise by the second angle, and then the second protrusion 520a contacts the first protrusion 630a in the circumferential direction of the output shaft 512, forming a gear engaging structure, so that the motor 510 can drive the first gear 520 (second protrusion 520a) to rotate clockwise through the second trigger structure 630 (first protrusion 630a). Figure 8 and Figure 9 As shown, when the second protrusion 520a rotates clockwise from the 0° position to the 270° position, that is, after the first gear 520 rotates clockwise 270°, the second gear 530 and the valve stem 300 rotate counterclockwise 270°, that is, the second gear 530 and the valve stem 300 rotate counterclockwise from the 0° position to the 270° position. At this time, if the second gear 530 and the valve stem 300 need to rotate from the 270° position to the 0° position, that is, the second gear 530 and the valve stem 300 need to rotate clockwise 270°:

[0115] The motor 510 can be reversed to rotate the first protrusion 630a counterclockwise by 270° + the second angle, returning it to its initial position (between 270° and 360°). The second protrusion 520a can then be manually adjusted to rotate counterclockwise by 270°, thereby rotating it from the 270° position to the 0° position. Since the first protrusion 630a has returned to its initial position, the first protrusion 630a and the second protrusion 520a remain spaced apart circumferentially from each other during manual adjustment, preventing interference.

[0116] Alternatively, the motor 510 can be reversed, driving the first protrusion 630a to rotate counterclockwise 360°, rotating to the other side of the second protrusion 520a and contacting it. Then, the motor 510 can be intelligently adjusted, with the first protrusion 630a driving the second protrusion 520a to rotate counterclockwise 270° via the first protrusion 630a, thereby rotating the 270° position to the 0° position. Finally, the motor 510 can be reversed again, driving the first protrusion 630a to rotate clockwise 360° minus the second angle, before returning to the initial position (between 270° and 360°).

[0117] In this embodiment, if Figure 1-Figure 5As shown, the valve seat 200 includes a mounting box 210. The mounting box 210 includes a box body 212 and a box cover 214. The box body 212 is mounted on the valve stem 300. The second adjustment component (intelligent adjustment component) 500 and the detection switch 610 are both located within the box body 212. The box cover 214 is mounted on the valve stem 300 and closes the open end of the box body 212. The valve stem 300 is rotatable relative to the mounting box 210. The installation of the mounting box 210 can effectively protect the second adjustment component (intelligent adjustment component) 500 and the detection switch 610.

[0118] In this embodiment, if Figure 4 、 Figure 10 and Figure 11 As shown, the flow control valve 10 also includes a start switch 700. The start switch 700 is disposed on the valve seat 200. The valve stem 300 has a flow-off position. When the valve stem 300 is in the flow-off position, it is considered that no flow is passing through the flow control valve 10. In the flow-off position, the valve stem 300 is movable along its length to have a closed position and an activated position. Taking a gas stove as an example, the start switch 700 is the ignition switch of the gas stove. The closed position is the ignition off position, and the activated position is the ignition position.

[0119] In the closed position, the second gear 530 is spaced from the first gear 520 along the length of the valve stem 300. In the activated position, the second gear 530 meshes with the first gear 510, and the valve stem 300 triggers the activation switch 700, thereby energizing the controller of the household appliance and, consequently, the motor 510, the detection switch 610, and the like (at this time, the motor 510 does not rotate). Specifically, pressing downward on the valve stem 300 can switch the valve stem 300 from the closed position to the activated position, and removing the downward pressure on the valve stem 300 (at this time, the valve stem 300 remains in the flow-closing position and does not rotate) can switch the valve stem 300 from the activated position to the closed position.

[0120] Specifically, in this embodiment, the valve stem 300 has a first section 310 and a second section 320. The second section 320 is located below the first section 310, and its outer diameter is smaller than that of the first section 310. In the closed position, the contact portion 710 of the starter switch 700 faces and is spaced apart from the outer wall of the second section 320. In the activated position, the contact portion 710 of the starter switch 700 faces and contacts the outer wall of the first section 310. By having first and second sections 310 320 with different outer diameters, the starter switch 700 is easily triggered.

[0121] It will be appreciated that in other embodiments, the valve stem 300 has a first section 310 and a second section 320. The second section 320 is located below the first section 310, and the outer diameter of the second section 320 is larger than the outer diameter of the first section 310. In the closed position, the contact portion 710 of the start switch 700 faces and contacts the outer wall of the second section 320; in the activated position, the contact portion 710 of the start switch 700 faces and is spaced apart from the outer wall of the first section 310.

[0122] In this embodiment, the start switch 700 is a microswitch. Microswitches include normally closed microswitches and normally open microswitches. A normally closed microswitches generates a trigger signal when they are opened at a certain moment, while a normally open microswitches generates a trigger signal when they are closed at a certain moment. Specifically, in this embodiment, the microswitches can be either normally open or normally closed.

[0123] In this embodiment, the flow control valve 10 further includes a switch 800. The switch 800 is disposed on the valve seat 200 and is electrically connected to the motor 510.

[0124] In this embodiment, the valve stem 300 has a flow-off position and a preset flow position after rotating a preset angle. When the valve stem 300 rotates to the preset flow position, the valve stem 300 triggers the switch 800, which controls the motor 510 through the controller of the household appliance to drive the second trigger structure 630 to rotate.

[0125] In some embodiments, when the switch 800 is triggered by the valve stem 300, the controller of the household appliance controls the motor 510 to enter the standby state. At this time, if the controller of the household appliance receives an external command (i.e., a command to start the automatic fire adjustment function), the automatic fire adjustment function is started, and the motor 510 in the standby state starts to rotate. Among them, the control button of the household appliance connected to the controller can provide external commands, the remote control of the household appliance connected to the controller can also provide external commands, and the mobile terminal connected to the controller can also provide external commands. In this way, the automatic fire adjustment function can be avoided from being accidentally turned on.

[0126] In some embodiments, when the switch 800 is triggered by the valve stem 300, the controller of the household appliance directly starts the automatic heat adjustment function and controls the motor 510 to start rotating. In this way, the automatic heat adjustment function can be turned on very conveniently.

[0127] In this embodiment, the preset flow rate setting is the appliance's minimum flow rate setting. For example, in a gas stove, the valve stem 300 can be rotated 180° counterclockwise from the flow-off setting to the minimum power setting. This makes it very easy for the user to determine the preset flow rate setting. Furthermore, using the minimum power setting as the starting point for intelligent adjustment can avoid burning food due to excessive power at the starting setting. It is understood that the preset flow rate setting can be any other setting.

[0128] In this embodiment, the valve stem 300 further comprises a third section 330. The third section 330 is located below the second section 320. A notch 332 is defined in the third section 330. When the valve stem 300 rotates from the flow-closing position to the preset flow position, the contact portion 810 of the switch 800 contacts the outer wall of the third section 330. When the valve stem 300 rotates to the preset flow position, the contact portion 810 of the switch 800 is located within the notch 332 and spaced from the inner wall of the notch 332. It will be appreciated that in other embodiments, when the valve stem 300 rotates from the flow-closing position to the preset flow position, the contact portion 810 of the switch 800 is located within the notch 332 and spaced from the inner wall of the notch 332. When the valve stem 300 rotates to the preset flow position, the contact portion 810 of the switch 800 contacts the outer wall of the third section 330.

[0129] Specifically, in this embodiment, the outer diameter of the third section 330 is greater than the outer diameter of the second section 320. This ensures that the valve stem 300 has greater structural strength. More specifically, in this embodiment, the outer diameter of the third section 330 is substantially the same as the outer diameter of the first section 310. It will be appreciated that in other embodiments, the outer diameter of the third section 330 may be equal to the outer diameter of the second section 320, in which case the third section 330 may be considered a portion of the second section 320.

[0130] Switch 800 is a microswitch. Microswitches include normally closed microswitches and normally open microswitches. A normally closed microswitches generates a trigger signal when they are opened at a certain moment, while a normally open microswitches generates a trigger signal when they are closed at a certain moment. Specifically, in this embodiment, the microswitches can be either normally open or normally closed.

[0131] like Figure 12 As shown, the present invention also provides a method for controlling a household appliance, which includes the following steps:

[0132] Step S110: When the second regulating component is in the regulating state, a state signal of the first regulating component detected by the detecting component is obtained.

[0133] Step S120 , when it is determined that the first regulating component has entered the regulating state according to the detected state signal of the first regulating component, the second regulating component is controlled to exit the regulating state.

[0134] The control method of the household appliance can avoid conflicts between the first regulating component and the second regulating component of the flow regulating valve, thereby ensuring the accuracy of the regulation.

[0135] In this embodiment, the step of obtaining the state signal of the first regulating component detected by the detecting component includes the following steps:

[0136] Step S112 , obtaining a first time period between the first triggering and the second triggering of the detection switch, and obtaining a second time period between the second triggering and the third triggering of the detection switch.

[0137] The step of determining that the first regulating component enters the regulating state according to the detected state signal of the first regulating component comprises the following steps:

[0138] Step S122: Compare the first time period with the second time period.

[0139] Step S124: When the first time period is different from the second time period, it is determined that the first regulating component enters the regulating state.

[0140] In this embodiment, the method for controlling a household appliance further includes the following steps:

[0141] In step S100, when the household appliance starts working, the second regulating component is controlled to enter a regulating state, and the second regulating component intelligently regulates the rotation of the valve stem according to the target flow.

[0142] In this embodiment, before the step of controlling the second regulating component to enter the regulating state, the following steps are further included:

[0143] The control valve stem triggers the start switch.

[0144] The valve stem triggers the start switch, which energizes the controller of the household appliance, thereby energizing the motor, detection switch, etc. (at this time, the motor does not rotate), completing the startup of the household appliance.

[0145] In some embodiments, before the step of controlling the second regulating component to enter the regulating state, the following steps are further included:

[0146] Step S102, controlling the first regulating component to enter the regulating state, and causing the valve stem to rotate from the closed position to a preset angle to reach a preset flow position, triggering the switching switch of the flow regulating valve, so that the second regulating component enters the pre-regulating state.

[0147] Step S104: controlling the second regulating component to enter the regulating state from the pre-regulating state.

[0148] In some embodiments, in step S104, the second adjustment component is controlled from the pre-adjustment state to the adjustment state by a mobile terminal or a remote controller. In some embodiments, in step S104, the second adjustment component is controlled from the pre-adjustment state to the adjustment state by a button on a control panel of the household appliance.

[0149] It is understood that in other embodiments, the above steps S102 and S104 can be omitted. In this case, the second adjustment component can be directly controlled to enter the adjustment state by using a mobile terminal, a remote control, a button on the control panel of the household appliance, etc. It is understood that in other embodiments, the above steps S102 and S104 can be omitted. In this case, the second adjustment component can be directly controlled to enter the adjustment state by switching a switch.

[0150] In some embodiments, before the step of controlling the second regulating component to enter the regulating state, the following steps are further included:

[0151] Determine the current flow rate of the flow control valve.

[0152] After the step of controlling the second regulating component to enter the regulating state, the method further includes the following steps:

[0153] The second regulating component intelligently regulates the rotation of the valve stem according to the current flow rate and the target flow rate.

[0154] In some embodiments, a user first adjusts flow using the first adjustment component, but after a period of time, the user needs to adjust flow using the second adjustment component. In this case, before controlling the second adjustment component to enter the adjustment state, it is necessary to first determine the current flow rate of the flow control valve. The second adjustment component is then directly controlled to enter the adjustment state using a button on a mobile terminal, remote control, or household appliance control panel. After the second adjustment component enters the adjustment state, it intelligently adjusts the valve stem rotation based on the current flow rate and the target flow rate. In this embodiment, the current flow rate can be determined based on the first trigger structure and the detection switch.

[0155] In this embodiment, after the target flow rate is reached, the second regulating component is controlled to exit regulation.

[0156] The present invention also proposes a household appliance, which includes a flow regulating valve 10. The specific structure of the flow regulating valve 10 refers to the above embodiment. Since the household appliance adopts all the technical solutions of all the above embodiments, it has at least all the beneficial effects brought by the technical solutions of the above embodiments, which will not be repeated here.

[0157] Household appliances control the flow of gases and liquids through flow control valves 10. In some embodiments, the household appliance is a gas stove, in which case the flow control valve 10 can be used to control the flow of gas. In some embodiments, the household appliance is a gas water heater, in which case the flow control valve 10 can be used to control the flow of gas. In some embodiments, the household appliance is an electric water heater, in which case the flow control valve 10 can be used to control the flow of water.

[0158] The above descriptions are merely optional embodiments of the present invention and do not limit the patent scope of the present invention. All equivalent structural transformations made using the contents of the present description and drawings under the inventive concept of the present invention, or direct / indirect applications in other related technical fields, are included in the patent protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A flow control valve, characterized in that: include: A valve body, comprising a valve seat and a rotatable valve stem disposed on the valve seat; and A first adjusting assembly, a second adjusting assembly, and a detection assembly are provided on the valve seat, wherein the first adjusting assembly and the second adjusting assembly can both drive the valve stem to rotate. The detection assembly is used to detect the state of the first adjusting assembly and output a control signal for controlling the second adjusting assembly when the second adjusting assembly is in an adjusting state. The detection assembly includes a detection switch and a first trigger structure and a second trigger structure that can intermittently trigger the detection switch. When the second adjustment component is in the adjustment state, the first trigger structure and the second trigger structure trigger the detection switch simultaneously each time; When the second regulating component is in the regulating state, if the first regulating component enters the regulating state, there is a situation where the first trigger structure and the second trigger structure trigger the detection switch alternately.

2. The flow control valve according to claim 1, wherein: The first trigger structure and the second trigger structure are both rotatably disposed on the valve seat; When the second adjustment component is in the adjustment state, the first trigger structure and the second trigger structure rotate synchronously; When the second adjusting component is in the adjusting state, if the first adjusting component enters the adjusting state, the first triggering structure rotates relative to the second triggering structure.

3. The flow control valve according to claim 2, wherein: The first trigger structure is provided with a plurality of first trigger parts in a circumferential direction, and the plurality of first trigger parts can intermittently trigger the detection switch; The second trigger structure is provided with a plurality of second trigger parts in a circumferential direction, and the plurality of second trigger parts can intermittently trigger the detection switch; When the second adjustment assembly is in an adjustment state, each first trigger portion and one second trigger portion are correspondingly arranged in the length direction of the valve stem and constitute a trigger member, and the plurality of trigger members intermittently trigger the detection switch; When the second adjustment component is in the adjustment state, if the first adjustment component enters the adjustment state, there is a situation where the first trigger part and the second trigger part trigger the detection switch alternately.

4. The flow control valve according to claim 2, wherein: When the first adjustment component is in the adjustment state, the first trigger structure rotates, and the second trigger structure does not rotate.

5. The flow control valve according to claim 4, wherein: The second adjustment assembly includes a motor, a first gear rotatably mounted on an output shaft of the motor, and a second gear fixedly connected to the valve stem and capable of meshing with the first gear; The second trigger structure is fixed on the output shaft, and the first trigger structure is fixed on the first gear and is located between the second trigger structure and the first gear; When the first gear is engaged with the second gear, the second trigger structure has a first position and a second position. In the first position, the motor can drive the first gear to rotate freely through the second trigger structure. In the second position, the first adjustment component can drive the first gear to rotate freely through the second gear.

6. The flow control valve according to claim 5, wherein: A first protrusion is provided on a side of the second trigger structure close to the first gear, and a second protrusion is provided on a side of the first gear close to the second trigger structure; At the first position, the first protrusion is in contact with the second protrusion in the circumferential direction of the output shaft. At the second position, the first protrusion is spaced apart from the second protrusion in the circumferential direction of the output shaft.

7. A method for controlling a household appliance, characterized in that: The household appliance includes the flow regulating valve according to any one of claims 1 to 6, the flow regulating valve including a valve body with a valve stem, a first regulating assembly and a second regulating assembly for driving the valve stem to rotate, and a detection assembly for detecting a state of the first regulating assembly, and the control method of the household appliance includes the following steps: When the second regulating component is in the regulating state, obtaining a state signal of the first regulating component detected by the detecting component; When it is determined according to the detected state signal of the first regulating component that the first regulating component enters the regulating state, the second regulating component is controlled to exit the regulating state.

8. The method for controlling a household appliance according to claim 7, wherein: The detection component includes a detection switch, a first trigger structure and a second trigger structure capable of intermittently triggering the detection switch. When the second adjustment component is in the adjustment state, the first trigger structure and the second trigger structure trigger the detection switch simultaneously each time. When the second adjustment component is in the adjustment state, if the first adjustment component enters the adjustment state, the first trigger structure and the second trigger structure alternately trigger the detection switch. The step of obtaining the status signal of the first regulating component detected by the detection component comprises the following steps: Obtaining a first time period between the first triggering and the second triggering of the detection switch, and obtaining a second time period between the second triggering and the third triggering of the detection switch; The step of determining that the first regulating component enters the regulating state according to the detected state signal of the first regulating component comprises the following steps: comparing the first time period with the second time period; When the first time period is different from the second time period, it is determined that the first regulating component enters the regulating state.

9. The method for controlling a household appliance according to claim 7, wherein: The following steps are also included: When the household appliance starts working, the second regulating component is controlled to enter the regulating state, and the second regulating component intelligently regulates the rotation of the valve stem according to the target flow.

10. The control method of a household appliance according to claim 9, wherein: The flow regulating valve further includes a switching switch; Before the step of controlling the second regulating component to enter the regulating state, the method further includes the following steps: Controlling the first regulating component to enter the regulating state, and causing the valve stem to rotate from the closed position to a preset angle to reach a preset flow position, triggering the switching switch of the flow regulating valve, so that the second regulating component enters the pre-regulating state; The second regulating component is controlled to enter the regulating state from the pre-regulating state.

11. The method for controlling a household appliance according to claim 9, wherein: Before the step of controlling the second regulating component to enter the regulating state, the method further includes the following steps: Determine the current flow rate of the flow control valve; After the step of controlling the second regulating component to enter the regulating state, the method further includes the following steps: The second regulating component intelligently regulates the rotation of the valve stem according to the current flow rate and the target flow rate.

12. A household appliance, characterized in that: comprising the flow regulating valve according to any one of claims 1 to 6 and a controller electrically connected to the detection component and the second regulating component; When the first regulating component enters the regulating state, the detecting component outputs a control signal, and the controller controls the second regulating component to exit the regulating state according to the control signal.

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