Water valve control device and air conditioning unit

Abstract

The application discloses a water valve control device and an air conditioning unit, the water valve control device comprises a driving circuit connected with a water valve, a driving chip for providing a control signal to the driving circuit to drive the water valve to be closed, and a power module for supplying power to the driving chip and the driving circuit, and further comprises a power-off automatic closing module connected with the driving circuit and the water valve, the power-off automatic closing module can close the water valve when the power module is powered off. Compared with the prior art, the application can automatically close the water valve when the power module is abnormally powered off, thereby avoiding damage to the air conditioning unit, meanwhile, the application adopts a capacitor to drive the water valve, without the need of a driving chip and a driving circuit for control, with low requirement for external environment and rapid response.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of air conditioning, and in particular to a water valve control device and an air conditioning unit. Background Technology

[0002] The water valve in the indoor unit of an air conditioner is usually controlled by the main control board of the indoor unit. The function of the water valve is to connect and close the water passage between the indoor unit and the outdoor unit. When an indoor unit is shut down, the water valve needs to be closed. If an indoor unit is damaged or suddenly loses power, causing the main control board to lose power, it will be unable to control the water valve to close, leaving the water valve in a normally open state. Meanwhile, the outdoor unit is still working, and cold water will continue to flow through the indoor unit. At the same time, the indoor unit cannot exchange heat with the room, which may cause condensation in the indoor unit. This wastes electricity, affects the service life of the air conditioner, and may even cause safety hazards.

[0003] Therefore, how to design a water valve control device and air conditioning unit that can shut off the water valve even when the main control board loses power is a technical problem that the industry urgently needs to solve. Summary of the Invention

[0004] In view of the problem in the prior art that the water valve cannot be controlled to close when the main control board loses power, thus causing safety hazards, the present invention proposes a water valve control device and an air conditioning unit.

[0005] The technical solution of the present invention is to propose a water valve control device, including a drive circuit connected to the water valve, a drive chip that provides control signals to the drive circuit to drive the water valve to close, and a power supply module that supplies power to the drive chip and the drive circuit. It also includes an automatic power-off shut-off module connected to the drive circuit and the water valve, wherein the automatic power-off shut-off module can shut off the water valve when the power supply module is de-energized.

[0006] Furthermore, the driving circuit includes a first output terminal connected to a first input terminal of the water valve and a second output terminal connected to a second input terminal of the water valve, and the water valve opens when the first output terminal outputs a high level and the second output terminal outputs a low level.

[0007] The water valve closes when the first output terminal outputs a low level and the second output terminal outputs a high level.

[0008] Furthermore, the automatic shut-off module after power failure includes a first control circuit connected to the first input terminal of the water valve and a second control circuit connected to the second input terminal of the water valve, and when the power module is powered on, both the first control circuit and the second control circuit are in an open circuit state.

[0009] When the power module is powered off, the first control circuit outputs a low-level signal, and the second control circuit outputs a high-level signal.

[0010] Furthermore, the first control circuit includes: a switching transistor Q1 and a resistor R2;

[0011] The first end of the switching transistor Q1 is connected between the first input end of the water valve and the first output end of the drive circuit, the second end is connected in series with the resistor R2 and then connected to the output end of the power module, and the third end is grounded.

[0012] Furthermore, when the power module is powered on, the switching transistor Q1 is turned off, and the level at the first input terminal of the water valve is the same as the level at the first output terminal of the drive circuit.

[0013] When the power module is powered off, the switch Q1 is turned on, and the level at the first input terminal of the water valve is low.

[0014] Furthermore, the second control circuit includes: a switching transistor Q2, a resistor R1, a resistor R3, a capacitor C1, a capacitor C2, and a diode D1;

[0015] One end of resistor R3 is connected between the first output terminal of the drive circuit and the first input terminal of the water valve, and the other end is connected to the positive terminal of diode D1. The negative terminal of diode D1 is connected to one end of capacitor C1, and the other end of capacitor C1 is connected between the second output terminal of the drive circuit and the second input terminal of the water valve. The first end of switch Q2 is connected between the negative terminal of diode D1 and capacitor C1, the second end is connected in series with resistor R1 and then connected to the output terminal of the power module, and the third end is connected between the second output terminal of the drive circuit and the second input terminal of the water valve. Capacitor C2 is connected in parallel across capacitor C1.

[0016] Furthermore, when the power module is powered on, the switching transistor Q2 is turned off, and the level at the second input terminal of the water valve is the same as the level at the second output terminal of the drive circuit;

[0017] When the power module is powered off, the switch Q2 is turned on, and the level at the second input terminal of the water valve is high.

[0018] Furthermore, the switching transistors Q1 and Q2 are PNP transistors.

[0019] Furthermore, the water valve is a one-way two-way valve with a rated voltage of 5V and a rated power of 0.2W to 0.3W. The output voltage of the power supply module is 5V, and the voltage of the high-level signal output by the drive circuit is 5V and the voltage of the low-level signal is 0V.

[0020] The present invention also proposes an air conditioning unit, which includes a water valve for connecting and closing the water passage between the indoor unit and the outdoor unit of the air conditioner, and a water valve control device for controlling the on / off state of the water valve, wherein the water valve control device adopts the aforementioned water valve control device.

[0021] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has at least the following beneficial effects:

[0022] 1. This invention, through the setting of an automatic power-off module, can drive the water valve to automatically close when the power module experiences an abnormal power failure, thereby protecting the air conditioning unit, saving energy, and improving safety;

[0023] 2. The circuit structure of this invention is simple and the cost is low;

[0024] 3. This invention directly drives the water valve through capacitor discharge, eliminating the need for control by a driver chip and driver circuit. It has low requirements for the external environment and responds quickly.

[0025] 4. This invention requires no modification to the water valve, is compatible with the same type of water valve, and has high versatility. Attached Figure Description

[0026] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0027] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall connection of the present invention;

[0028] Figure 2 This is a connection diagram of the automatic shutdown module in the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0029] To make the technical problems to be solved, the technical solutions, and the beneficial effects of the present invention clearer, the present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are merely illustrative of the present invention and are not intended to limit the present invention.

[0030] Therefore, a feature pointed out in this specification is used to describe one feature of one embodiment of the invention, and does not imply that every embodiment of the invention must have the described feature. Furthermore, it should be noted that this specification describes many features. Although certain features may be combined to illustrate possible system designs, these features may also be used in other combinations not explicitly stated. Therefore, unless otherwise stated, the described combinations are not intended to be limiting.

[0031] The principles and structure of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments.

[0032] The water valve in an air conditioner's indoor unit is typically controlled by the main control board. The valve's function is to connect and close the water passage between the indoor and outdoor units. When an indoor unit is shut down, the water valve needs to be closed. However, if an indoor unit malfunctions or experiences a sudden power outage, causing the main control board to lose power and fail to close the valve, it remains open. Meanwhile, the outdoor unit continues to operate, resulting in a continuous flow of cold water through the indoor unit. Simultaneously, the indoor unit cannot exchange heat with the indoor air, potentially causing condensation. This wastes energy, shortens the air conditioner's lifespan, and may even pose a safety hazard. The present invention addresses this by incorporating an automatic power-off shut-off module for the water valve. This module automatically closes the valve when the power module experiences an abnormal power outage, causing the main control board to lose power, thus preventing safety hazards.

[0033] Please see Figure 1 The water valve control device disclosed in this invention includes a driver chip, a driver circuit, a power module, and an automatic shut-off module in case of power failure, wherein the driver circuit is directly connected to the water valve and is used to control the opening or closing of the water valve.

[0034] The driver chip is used to receive instructions from the controller of the air conditioning unit and send corresponding control signals to the drive circuit, thereby controlling the opening and closing of the water valve;

[0035] The power module is used to supply power to the driver chip and the driver circuit respectively, so as to ensure that the driver circuit can properly control the on and off state of the water valve;

[0036] The automatic shut-off module is connected to the water valve. It can control the water valve to close when the power module is powered off and the drive chip and drive circuit are not working, thereby avoiding safety hazards in the air conditioning unit.

[0037] like Figure 1 In this circuit, the triggering action of the automatic shut-off module is controlled by the power supply module. When the power supply module is powered on normally, the automatic shut-off module will be in an open circuit state, which will affect the normal operation of the circuit. In this case, the automatic shut-off module can draw power from the output signal of the drive circuit and charge itself. The automatic shut-off module will only be activated when the power supply module is abnormally powered off, releasing the electrical energy provided by the drive circuit to drive the water valve to close.

[0038] In this invention, the automatic shutdown module upon power failure is composed of pure hardware circuits, which do not require chip control, resulting in high reliability. Furthermore, the entire circuit structure is simple and inexpensive.

[0039] Furthermore, the driving circuit described in this invention includes a first output terminal connected to a first input terminal of the water valve and a second output terminal connected to a second input terminal of the water valve, and controls the water valve to open when the first output terminal is at a high level and the second output terminal is at a low level.

[0040] When the first output terminal is at a low level and the second output terminal is at a high level, the water valve is closed.

[0041] Please see Figure 2 The first output terminal of the drive circuit is terminal A, and the second output terminal is terminal B. The water valve is a one-way two-way valve with a rated voltage of 5V and a rated power of 0.2W-0.3W. The port connected to terminal A of the drive circuit is the first input terminal, and the port connected to terminal B of the drive circuit is the second input terminal. The working principle of the one-way two-way valve is as follows: when the first input terminal receives a 5V voltage and the second input terminal receives a 0V voltage, the one-way two-way valve rotates forward; conversely, when the first input terminal receives a 0V voltage and the second input terminal receives a 5V voltage, the one-way two-way valve rotates in reverse. By controlling the forward and reverse rotation of the one-way two-way valve, the opening and closing of the one-way two-way valve can be controlled.

[0042] Furthermore, to match the control of the first and second input terminals of the water valve by the automatic shut-off circuit in case of power failure, the automatic shut-off circuit in this invention includes a first control circuit and a second control circuit. The first control circuit is connected to the first input terminal of the water valve, and the second control circuit is connected to the second input terminal of the water valve. They are used to control the level changes of the first and second input terminals of the water valve, respectively, so as to realize the shut-off control of the water valve in the case of power failure.

[0043] The specific control logic is as follows: when the power module is powered on normally, the driver chip and driver circuit work normally. At this time, both the first control circuit and the second control circuit are in the open circuit state and do not participate in the control of the water valve opening and closing state.

[0044] When the power module experiences an abnormal power outage, the driver chip and driver circuit cease to function. At this time, the first control circuit and the second control circuit activate. Simultaneously, the first control circuit pulls the level of the first input terminal of the water valve down to a low level, while the second control circuit provides a high-level signal to the second input terminal of the water valve. Based on the working principle of the water valve described earlier, when the first input terminal of the water valve is at a low level and the second input terminal is at a high level, the water valve will reverse and close. This setting method avoids the safety hazards that may arise when the water valve remains open and the outdoor unit is still operating during an abnormal power outage.

[0045] Please see Figure 2 In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the first control circuit includes: a switching transistor Q1 and a resistor R2;

[0046] Among them, the first end of the switching transistor Q1 is connected between the first input end of the water valve and the first output end of the drive circuit, the second end is connected to the output end of the power module after being connected in series with resistor R2, and the third end is grounded.

[0047] Among them, the switching transistor Q1 is a PNP transistor, with its first terminal being the emitter, the second terminal being the base, and the third terminal being the collector. After the above connection method, the conduction state of the switching transistor Q1 can be determined by the output level of the power supply module. When the power supply module is powered on normally, it will output a high-level signal to the resistor R2. At this time, the base of the transistor Q1 is a high-level signal, the transistor Q1 is cut off, the first control circuit is in an open circuit state, and the drive circuit works normally. The first input terminal of the water valve is directly connected to the first output terminal of the drive circuit, and the level of the first input terminal of the water valve is the level of the first output terminal of the drive circuit.

[0048] When the power module is powered off, it has no power output. That is, the base of transistor Q1 obtains a low-level signal from the power module through resistor R2. At this time, transistor Q1 is turned on. Since the resistance of transistor Q1 is extremely low, after transistor Q1 is turned on, the first input terminal of the water valve is directly connected to ground through transistor Q1. At this time, regardless of whether the output level of the first output terminal of the drive circuit is a high-level or low-level signal, the level of the first input terminal of the water valve will be pulled down to a low level.

[0049] Please see Figure 2 The second control circuit includes: a switching transistor Q2, a resistor R1, a resistor R3, a capacitor C1, a capacitor C2, and a diode D1;

[0050] Among them, one end of resistor R3 is connected between the first output terminal of the drive circuit and the first input terminal of the water valve, and the other end is connected to the positive terminal of diode D1. The negative terminal of diode D1 is connected to one end of capacitor C1, and the other end of capacitor C1 is connected between the second output terminal of the drive circuit and the second input terminal of the water valve. The first end of switch Q2 is connected between the negative terminal of diode D1 and capacitor C1, the second end is connected to the output terminal of the power module after being connected in series with resistor R1, and the third end is connected between the second output terminal of the drive circuit and the second input terminal of the water valve. Capacitor C2 is connected in parallel across capacitor C1.

[0051] Among them, the switching transistor Q2 is a PNP transistor, with its first terminal being the emitter, the second terminal being the base, and the third terminal being the collector. The working principle of the second control circuit is as follows: when the power module is powered on normally, when it is necessary to control the water valve to open, the first output terminal of the drive circuit outputs a high-level signal and the second output terminal outputs a low-level signal. At this time, the resistor R3, diode D1, capacitor C1, and capacitor C2 will form a loop, which can obtain electrical energy from the first output terminal of the drive circuit and charge it. The saturation voltage of the capacitor is the voltage output by the first output terminal of the drive circuit. That is, the voltage on capacitor C1 and capacitor C2 will eventually rise to the 5V voltage that can drive the water valve to work. According to the capacitor charging principle, the end of capacitor C1 and capacitor C2 connected to the first output terminal of the drive circuit is the positive terminal and the other end is the negative terminal.

[0052] When it is necessary to control the water valve to close, the first output terminal of the drive circuit outputs a low-level signal and the second output terminal outputs a high-level signal. At this time, due to the reverse cutoff characteristic of diode D1, resistor R3, diode D1, capacitor C1, and capacitor C2 will not form a circuit, and the electrical energy in capacitor C1 and capacitor C2 will not be released.

[0053] Meanwhile, as the power module is powered on normally, it sends a high-level signal to resistor R1, and the base of transistor Q2 is at a high level. At this time, transistor Q2 is cut off, and the upper ends of capacitors C1 and C2 are also cut off, so power cannot be supplied to the second input terminal of the water valve through transistor Q2. That is, when the power module is powered on normally, the second control circuit will participate in the circuit control. At this time, the second input terminal of the water valve is directly connected to the second output terminal of the drive circuit, that is, the level of the second output terminal of the water valve is the level of the second output terminal of the drive circuit.

[0054] When the power module experiences an abnormal power outage, the base of transistor Q2 receives a low-level signal from the power module through resistor R1, causing transistor Q2 to conduct. At this time, the upper ends of capacitors C1 and C2 can release electrical energy to the water valve through transistor Q2. The released voltage is the capacitor voltage of 5V. At this time, the level of the second input terminal of the water valve will become a high-level signal of 5V, while the level of the first input terminal of the water valve will be a low-level signal. That is, the water valve will reverse and close the water valve.

[0055] In other words, by combining the first and second control circuits, the water valve can automatically close in the event of an abnormal power outage of the power module, thus avoiding potential safety hazards. In this invention, capacitors C1 and C2 can be small capacitors (a few microfarads), which have a fast charging response speed, low cost, and can effectively control the water valve's closing action.

[0056] Similarly, under normal power module operation, the water valve can also be closed using transistors Q1 and Q2. This is achieved by the power module outputting a low-level signal to the base of transistors Q1 and Q2, which in turn turns on the transistors, causing capacitors C1 and C2 to discharge and close the water valve. This solution controls the water valve without the need for a driver chip, resulting in a short response time. It also ensures that capacitors C1 and C2 are not charged when the water valve is closed, extending capacitor life and improving electrical safety.

[0057] In summary, the overall workflow of this invention is as follows:

[0058] When the power module is powered on normally, both the first control circuit and the second control circuit are in an open circuit state. In this case, the level of the first input terminal of the water valve is completely controlled by the first output terminal of the drive circuit, and the level of the second input terminal is completely controlled by the second output terminal of the drive circuit. That is, the water valve is opened and closed by the drive circuit. At the same time, capacitors C1 and C2 are charged in this case.

[0059] When the power module experiences an abnormal power failure, the drive circuit loses power and cannot provide a voltage level to the first and second input terminals of the water valve. At this time, capacitors C1 and C2 begin to discharge, outputting a high-level signal to the second input terminal of the water valve through the second control circuit, and pulling the voltage level of the first input terminal of the water valve low through the first control circuit. At this time, the current flow in the circuit is: capacitors C1 and C2, transistor Q2, water valve, transistor Q1, and ground. Simultaneously, the water valve begins to reverse and close, completing the self-closing action when the power module is powered off.

[0060] It should be pointed out that, Figure 2 The first and second control circuits in the embodiments are merely preferred embodiments of the present invention. They only need to ensure that the level of the first input terminal of the water valve is pulled low and the level of the second input terminal is pulled high when the power module is powered off, and both should be within the protection scope of the present invention.

[0061] In other embodiments of the present invention, a relay can be used instead of transistors Q1 and Q2. This relay can be a normally closed relay, which is in a conducting state when power is off and in an open state when power is on. This design allows the power module to send a high-level signal to the normally closed relay when power is on, causing it to disconnect and preventing capacitors C1 and C2 from discharging. When the power module experiences an abnormal power failure, the normally closed relay receives a low-level signal and becomes conducting. Capacitors C1 and C2 then output a high-level signal to the second input terminal of the water valve. Simultaneously, the level at the first input terminal of the water valve is pulled low by the first control circuit, causing the water valve to reverse and close, achieving the same effect as transistor control.

[0062] The present invention also proposes an air conditioning unit, which includes a water valve for connecting and closing the water passage between the indoor unit and the outdoor unit of the air conditioner, and a water valve control device for controlling the on / off state of the water valve. Specifically, the water valve control device adopts the aforementioned water valve control device.

[0063] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has at least the following beneficial effects:

[0064] 1. This invention, through the setting of an automatic power-off module, can drive the water valve to automatically close when the power module experiences an abnormal power failure, thereby protecting the air conditioning unit, saving energy, and improving safety;

[0065] 2. The circuit structure of this invention is simple and the cost is low;

[0066] 3. This invention directly drives the water valve through capacitor discharge, eliminating the need for control by a driver chip and driver circuit. It has low requirements for the external environment and responds quickly.

[0067] 4. This invention requires no modification to the water valve, is compatible with the same type of water valve, and has high versatility.

[0068] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the present invention. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, and improvements made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A water valve control device, comprising a drive circuit connected to a water valve, a drive chip providing control signals to the drive circuit to drive the water valve to close, and a power supply module supplying power to the drive chip and the drive circuit, characterized in that, It also includes a power-off automatic shut-off module connected to the drive circuit and the water valve, which can shut off the water valve when the power module is powered off; The automatic shut-off module after power failure includes a first control circuit connected to the first input terminal of the water valve and a second control circuit connected to the second input terminal of the water valve. When the power module is powered on, both the first control circuit and the second control circuit are in an open circuit state. When the power module is powered off, the first control circuit outputs a low-level signal, and the second control circuit outputs a high-level signal. The first control circuit includes: a switching transistor Q1 and a resistor R2; The first end of the switching transistor Q1 is connected between the first input end of the water valve and the first output end of the drive circuit, the second end is connected in series with the resistor R2 and then connected to the output end of the power module, and the third end is grounded. The second control circuit includes: a switching transistor Q2, a resistor R1, a resistor R3, a capacitor C1, a capacitor C2, and a diode D1; One end of resistor R3 is connected between the first output terminal of the drive circuit and the first input terminal of the water valve, and the other end is connected to the positive terminal of diode D1. The negative terminal of diode D1 is connected to one end of capacitor C1, and the other end of capacitor C1 is connected between the second output terminal of the drive circuit and the second input terminal of the water valve. The first end of switch Q2 is connected between the negative terminal of diode D1 and capacitor C1, the second end is connected in series with resistor R1 and then connected to the output terminal of the power module, and the third end is connected between the second output terminal of the drive circuit and the second input terminal of the water valve. Capacitor C2 is connected in parallel across capacitor C1.

2. The water valve control device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The driving circuit includes a first output terminal connected to a first input terminal of the water valve and a second output terminal connected to a second input terminal of the water valve. When the first output terminal outputs a high level and the second output terminal outputs a low level, the water valve is opened. The water valve closes when the first output terminal outputs a low level and the second output terminal outputs a high level.

3. The water valve control device according to claim 1, characterized in that, When the power module is powered on, the switching transistor Q1 is turned off, and the level at the first input terminal of the water valve is the same as the level at the first output terminal of the drive circuit. When the power module is powered off, the switch Q1 is turned on, and the level at the first input terminal of the water valve is low.

4. The water valve control device according to claim 1, characterized in that, When the power module is powered on, the switching transistor Q2 is turned off, and the level at the second input terminal of the water valve is the level at the second output terminal of the drive circuit. When the power module is powered off, the switch Q2 is turned on, and the level at the second input terminal of the water valve is high.

5. The water valve control device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The switching transistors Q1 and Q2 are PNP transistors.

6. The water valve control device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The water valve is a one-way two-way valve with a rated voltage of 5V and a rated power of 0.2W to 0.3W. The power supply module outputs a voltage of 5V, and the high-level signal output by the drive circuit is 5V and the low-level signal is 0V.

7. An air conditioning unit, comprising a water valve for connecting and closing the water passage between the indoor unit and the outdoor unit of the air conditioner, characterized in that, It also includes a water valve control device for controlling the on / off state of the water valve, wherein the water valve control device is the water valve control device as described in any one of claims 1 to 6.

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