Soft water valves and soft water machines

Abstract

A water softener valve (100) and a water softener are disclosed. The water softener valve includes: a valve body (10) having a valve cavity (11), an inlet channel (12), an outlet channel (13), a first water passage (14), and a second water passage (15), the first water passage and the second water passage being used to communicate with a resin tank (200); a valve core assembly including a plunger (21) disposed in the valve cavity, the plunger having a hollow channel (211) and the plunger having a first position and a second position, through which the softened water path and the direct water supply path can be switched; a water path plate (30) disposed on the outside of the valve body, the water path plate having a first interface (31), a second interface (32), and a third interface (33), the water path plate having multiple water paths required to realize the regeneration function; and a control valve assembly disposed on the water path plate for controlling the switching of the multiple water paths in the water path plate. This soft water valve can shorten the plunger's travel distance, reduce the number of dwell positions, and lower the requirements for manufacturing precision and motion control precision.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of water treatment technology, and in particular to a water softener valve and a water softener. Background Technology

[0002] Water softeners typically use ion exchange resin technology to remove calcium and magnesium ions from water, thereby reducing scale buildup and improving the bathing and washing experience. However, after a period of use, the ion exchange resin becomes saturated with calcium and magnesium ions and needs to be regenerated using a concentrated sodium chloride solution to restore its performance. Therefore, water softeners usually need to switch between normal operation and regeneration modes. The regeneration mode typically includes multiple procedures such as water injection, salt dissolution, salt absorption, backwashing, and forward or reverse washing, requiring switching between multiple water paths. The softening valve is the core component of the water softener, enabling the switching of multiple water paths to achieve different functional modes. However, traditional softening valves mostly use plunger movement to switch between all water paths in normal and regeneration modes. This results in long plunger travel distances, numerous stop positions, high requirements for manufacturing precision and motion control precision, and a tendency to malfunction, leading to low operational reliability. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The main objective of this invention is to propose a soft water valve that aims to shorten the plunger's travel distance, reduce dwell positions, lower the requirements for manufacturing precision and motion control precision, reduce the failure rate, and improve operational reliability.

[0004] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides a soft water valve comprising:

[0005] The valve body is provided with a valve cavity, and an inlet channel, an outlet channel, a first water passage channel and a second water passage channel, all of which are connected to the valve cavity. The first water passage channel and the second water passage channel are respectively used to communicate with the resin tank.

[0006] The valve core assembly includes a plunger movably disposed within the valve cavity, the plunger having a hollow channel, the plunger having a first position and a second position, wherein in the first position, the water inlet channel, the first water passage channel, the resin tank, the second water passage channel and the water outlet channel are connected, and in the second position, the water inlet channel, the hollow channel and the water outlet channel are connected;

[0007] A water channel plate, disposed on the outside of the valve body, is provided with a first interface, a second interface, and a third interface. The first interface communicates with the first water passage, the second interface communicates with the second water passage, and the third interface communicates with the water outlet passage. Multiple water channels are formed within the water channel plate.

[0008] A control valve assembly is located on the water circuit board and is used to control the switching of multiple water circuits within the water circuit board.

[0009] In one embodiment, the valve core assembly further includes a first sealing ring, a second sealing ring, a third sealing ring, and a fourth sealing ring that are axially spaced around the periphery of the plunger; in the first position, the second sealing ring and the fourth sealing ring are in sealing engagement with the plunger, and in the second position, the first sealing ring and the third sealing ring are in sealing engagement with the plunger.

[0010] In one embodiment, the water circuit board is further provided with a brine inlet and a drain outlet. The water circuit board is provided with a raw water channel, a brine inlet, a confluence channel, and a drain outlet. The brine inlet is used to communicate with the outlet of the brine tank. The input end of the brine inlet is connected to the brine inlet. The input end of the raw water channel is connected to the third interface. The output end of the brine inlet merges with the output end of the raw water channel and is connected to the second interface via the confluence channel. The drain outlet connects the first interface with the drain outlet.

[0011] In one embodiment, the salt absorption channel is equipped with a water pump, which is used to extract the solution in the salt tank and transport it along the salt absorption channel.

[0012] In one embodiment, the water pump is an adjustable speed water pump.

[0013] In one embodiment, the brine suction channel is provided with a one-way valve located on the output side of the water pump, and the one-way valve is used to restrict the backflow of liquid toward the water pump.

[0014] In one embodiment, the raw water channel is equipped with a flow-limiting valve.

[0015] In one embodiment, the water circuit board is further provided with a water inlet and a water inlet channel. The water inlet is used to communicate with the water inlet of the salt tank, and the water inlet channel connects the raw water channel to the water inlet. The control valve assembly includes a first control valve disposed in the raw water channel and a second control valve disposed in the water inlet channel. The first control valve is used to open or close the raw water channel, and the second control valve is used to open or close the water inlet channel.

[0016] In one embodiment, the water circuit board is further provided with a connecting channel that connects the confluence channel to the raw water channel. The control component further includes a third control valve disposed in the connecting channel and a fourth control valve disposed in the drainage channel. The third control valve is used to open or close the connecting channel, and the fourth control valve is used to open or close the drainage channel.

[0017] In one embodiment, the first control valve, the second control valve, the third control valve, and the fourth control valve are all solenoid valves.

[0018] In one embodiment, the brine suction channel is equipped with a water pump. When the plunger is in the first position and the water pump, the first control valve, the second control valve, the third control valve, and the fourth control valve are all closed, the water inlet channel, the first water passage channel, the second water passage channel, and the water outlet channel are connected to form a softened water circuit.

[0019] In one embodiment, the brine suction channel is equipped with a water pump. When the plunger is in the second position and the water pump, the first control valve, the second control valve, the third control valve, and the fourth control valve are all closed, the water inlet channel, the hollow channel, and the water outlet channel are connected to form a direct water supply path.

[0020] In one embodiment, the brine suction channel is equipped with a water pump. When the plunger is in the first position or the second position, the first control valve and the second control valve are both open, and the water pump, the third control valve and the fourth control valve are all closed, the inlet channel, the outlet channel, the raw water channel and the injection channel are connected to form an injection water circuit.

[0021] In one embodiment, the brine suction channel is equipped with a water pump. When the plunger is in the first position or the second position, the water pump, the second control valve, and the third control valve are all open, and the first control valve and the fourth control valve are all closed; the brine suction channel, the confluence channel, the connecting channel, the raw water channel, and the water injection channel are connected to form a dissolved salt water circuit.

[0022] In one embodiment, the brine suction channel is equipped with a water pump. When the plunger is in the first position or the second position, the first control valve, the third control valve, and the fourth control valve are all open, and the water pump and the second control valve are all closed, the inlet channel, the raw water channel, the connecting channel, the confluence channel, and the drainage channel are connected to form a backwash water path.

[0023] In one embodiment, the brine suction channel is equipped with a water pump. When the plunger is in the second position, the water pump, the first control valve, and the fourth control valve are all open, and the second control valve and the third control valve are all closed; the water inlet channel, the raw water channel, the brine suction channel, the confluence channel, and the drainage channel are connected to form a regenerated water circuit.

[0024] In one embodiment, the brine suction channel is equipped with a water pump. When the plunger is in the second position, the first control valve and the fourth control valve are both open, and the water pump, the second control valve, and the third control valve are all closed, the water inlet channel, the raw water channel, the confluence channel, and the drainage channel are connected to form a backwash water path.

[0025] In one embodiment, the soft water valve further includes a drive mechanism connected to the plunger drive for driving the plunger to switch between the first position and the second position.

[0026] The present invention also proposes a water softener, including the water softener valve as described above.

[0027] The technical solution of this invention utilizes structural partitioning. The valve body and valve core assembly work together to facilitate water circuit switching during normal operation and direct water supply, while the water circuit board and control valve assembly work together to facilitate water circuit switching during regeneration. Thus, compared to traditional soft water valves where the plunger needs to remain in multiple positions, the plunger in this technical solution only needs two positions. This simplifies the structure of the valve body and valve core assembly, shortens the plunger's travel distance, and reduces the number of dwell positions, thereby lowering manufacturing precision requirements and motion control precision requirements, and reducing the failure rate. Furthermore, the structural partitioning, which layers the water circuit, significantly improves the soft water valve's performance in terms of production assembly, cost control, maintainability, and reliability. Attached Figure Description

[0028] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention or the prior art, 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 the structures shown in these drawings without creative effort.

[0029] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an embodiment of the soft water valve of the present invention;

[0030] Figure 2 for Figure 1 Side view of a medium-soft water valve;

[0031] Figure 3 for Figure 1 Top view of a medium-soft water valve;

[0032] Figure 4 for Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the internal structure of a medium-soft water valve when the plunger is in the first position;

[0033] Figure 5 for Figure 1A schematic diagram of the internal structure of a medium-soft water valve when the plunger is in the second position;

[0034] Figure 6 for Figure 3 A schematic diagram of the structure of a medium-soft water valve after omitting the control valve assembly;

[0035] Figure 7 for Figure 3 Internal structure diagram of the water supply system;

[0036] Figure 8 for Figure 7 Schematic diagram of the water injection system of the water supply system;

[0037] Figure 9 for Figure 7 Schematic diagram of the dissolved salt water circuit of the water circuit board;

[0038] Figure 10 for Figure 7 Schematic diagram of the backflushing water channel of the middle water circuit plate;

[0039] Figure 11 for Figure 7 Schematic diagram of the reclaimed water circuit of the greywater circuit board;

[0040] Figure 12 for Figure 7 Schematic diagram of the backwash water circuit of the middle water circuit board;

[0041] Figure 13 This is a schematic diagram of the water circuit system of an embodiment of the water softener of the present invention.

[0042] Explanation of icon numbers:

[0043] label name label name 100 Soft water valve 33 Third interface 10 Valve body 34 Salt intake 11 valve chamber 35 Drain 12 Water inlet channel 36 Water injection port 121 Inlet 301 raw water channel 13 Water outlet channel 302 Salt absorption channel 131 water inlet 303 Convergence Channel 14 First water passage 304 Drainage channel 15 Second water passage 305 Water injection channel 16 First water inlet 306 Connection Channel 17 Second water outlet 41 water pump 18 Third water outlet 42 First control valve 19 End cap 43 Second control valve 21 plunger 44 Third control valve 211 Hollow Channel 45 Fourth control valve 22 First sealing ring 46 one-way valve 23 Second sealing ring 47 Flow limiting valve 24 Third sealing ring 200 Resin tank 25 Fourth sealing ring 201 Ion exchange resin 30 Water circuit board 300 Salt box 31 First Interface 301 Salt grains 32 Second interface

[0044] The realization of the objective, functional features and advantages of the present invention will be further explained in conjunction with the embodiments and with reference to the accompanying drawings. Detailed Implementation

[0045] The technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of the present invention, and not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0046] It should be noted that if the embodiments of the present invention involve directional indicators (such as up, down, left, right, front, back, etc.), the directional indicators are only used to explain the relative positional relationship and movement of the components in a certain specific posture (as shown in the figure). If the specific posture changes, the directional indicators will also change accordingly.

[0047] Furthermore, if the embodiments of this invention involve descriptions such as "first" or "second," these descriptions are for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying their relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Therefore, a feature defined with "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of those features. Additionally, if the word "and / or" appears throughout the text, it means including three parallel solutions; for example, "A and / or B" includes solution A, solution B, or a solution that simultaneously satisfies A and B. Furthermore, the technical solutions of the various embodiments can be combined with each other, but this must be based on the ability of those skilled in the art to implement them. When the combination of technical solutions is contradictory or impossible to implement, it should be considered that such a combination of technical solutions does not exist and is not within the scope of protection claimed by this invention.

[0048] Water softeners typically use ion exchange resin technology to remove calcium and magnesium ions from water. After the ion exchange resin becomes saturated with calcium and magnesium ions, it is regenerated using a salt solution. Taking sodium-type ion exchange resin as an example, after it reaches saturation with calcium and magnesium ions, it is generally regenerated using a sodium chloride solution. The softening and regeneration processes specifically involve the following reactions:

[0049] Softening: 2R-SO3Na+Ca 2+ →(R-SO3)2Ca+2Na +

[0050] Regeneration: (R-SO3)2Ca + 2Na + →2R-SO3Na+Ca 2+

[0051] Existing water softeners generally include a softening valve, a brine tank, and a resin tank. The brine tank contains salt granules (such as sodium chloride granules), and the resin tank contains ion exchange resin. The softening valve is connected to the resin tank, and the inlet, outlet, outlet, and brine tank are all connected to the resin tank via the softening valve. The softening valve is the core component of the water softener's water circuit system. It controls the flow direction and the on / off state of the water circuits, enabling the water softener to perform functions such as normal operation, water injection and salt dissolution, salt absorption (regeneration), backwashing, backflushing, and forward flushing. Traditional water softeners mostly use plunger movement to switch between normal and regeneration modes, resulting in long plunger travel distances and numerous dwell positions. This places high demands on manufacturing and motion control precision, making it prone to malfunctions and resulting in low operational reliability.

[0052] This invention proposes a soft water valve 100.

[0053] Please refer to Figures 1 to 5In one embodiment of the present invention, the soft water valve 100 includes a valve body 10, a valve core assembly, a water circuit board 30, and a control valve assembly. The valve body 10 has a valve cavity 11, and an inlet channel 12, an outlet channel 13, a first water passage 14, and a second water passage 15, all communicating with the valve cavity 11. The first water passage 14 and the second water passage 15 are respectively used to communicate with a resin tank 200. The valve core assembly includes a plunger 21 movably disposed within the valve cavity 11. The plunger 21 has a hollow channel 211 and has a first position and a second position. In the first position, the inlet channel 12, the first water passage 14, the resin tank 200, the second water passage 15, and the outlet channel 13 are connected. 3. In the second position, the water inlet channel 12, the hollow channel 211, and the water outlet channel 13 are connected; the water circuit plate 30 is disposed on the outside of the valve body 10, and the water circuit plate 30 is provided with a first interface 31, a second interface 32, and a third interface 33. The first interface 31 is connected to the first water passage 14, the second interface 32 is connected to the second water passage 15, and the third interface 33 is connected to the water outlet channel 13. Multiple water passages are formed within the water circuit plate 30; the control valve assembly is disposed on the water circuit plate 30 and is used to control the switching of the multiple water passages within the water circuit plate 30.

[0054] Specifically, such as Figure 1 and Figure 4As shown, the valve body 10 includes a valve body extending laterally, and the valve body internally forms a valve cavity 11, a water inlet channel 12, and a water outlet channel 13. The valve cavity 11 extends laterally, with one end closed and the other end open, and an end cap 19 at the open end of the valve cavity 11. The water inlet channel 12 is arranged parallel to one side of the valve cavity 11, and an inlet 121 is formed at the end of the water inlet channel 12 away from the end cap 19. The inlet 121 can be used to connect to an external tap water pipe, and the inner peripheral wall of the end of the water inlet channel 12 near the end cap 19 has a first communication port communicating with the valve cavity 11. The water outlet channel 13 is located on the side of the valve cavity 11 away from the water inlet channel 12. A water inlet 131 is formed at the end of the water outlet channel 13 away from the end cap 19. The water inlet 131 can be used to connect to an external faucet or other water-using equipment. A second communication port communicating with the valve cavity 11 is provided on the inner peripheral wall of the end of the water outlet channel 13 near the end cap 19. The first and second communication ports are respectively located near opposite ends of the valve cavity 11. Arranging the water inlet 121 and the water inlet 131 on the same side of the valve body 10 results in a more regular overall layout. The valve body 10 also includes a connector extending downwards from the bottom of the valve body. The outer peripheral surface of the connector is provided with external threads for connection with the resin tank 200. The connector internally forms a first water passage 14 and a second water passage 15. The first water passage 14 surrounds the periphery of the second water passage 15, extending downwards and communicating with the water inlet of the resin tank 200. The second water passage 15 extends downwards and communicates with the water outlet of the resin tank 200.

[0055] The valve core assembly includes a plunger 21 movably disposed within the valve cavity 11. The plunger 21 may include a plunger head and a plunger rod disposed at one end of the plunger head. The plunger head is located within the valve cavity 11, and the plunger rod extends through the center of the end cap 19. By applying a certain external force to the plunger rod, the plunger head can be switched between a first position and a second position. (Please refer to...) Figure 4 and Figure 13 When the water softener is running normally, the plunger 21 is switched to the first position. At this time, the inlet channel 12, the first water passage 14, the resin tank 200, the second water passage 15, and the outlet channel 13 are connected to form a softened water circuit. Raw water flows into the valve chamber 11 from the inlet channel 12, and then enters the resin tank 200 through the first water passage 14, where it comes into contact with the ion exchange resin 201. The ion exchange resin 201 replaces the calcium and magnesium ions in the raw water, thereby forming softened water. The softened water in the resin tank 200 then flows out to the valve chamber 11 through the second water passage 15, and is then output through the outlet channel 13 to provide softened water to the user. Figure 5As shown, when softened water is not needed, when the plunger 21 is switched to the second position, the plunger 21 can block the port of the first water passage 14. At this time, the raw water will not enter the resin tank 200 for softening after flowing into the valve chamber 11 from the inlet channel 12. Instead, it will flow to the outlet channel 13 through the hollow channel 211 of the plunger 21, directly providing raw water to the user.

[0056] The water circuit board 30 is disposed on the upper side of the valve body 10. Specifically, the water circuit board 30 may comprise two plates joined together. The lower plate has a first interface 31, a second interface 32, and a third interface 33 extending through its thickness. The valve body 10, on the side closest to the water circuit board 30, has a first water inlet 16, a second water inlet 17, and a third water inlet 18. The first interface 31 communicates with the first water passage 14 via the first water inlet 16; the second interface 32 communicates with the second water passage 15 via the second water inlet 17; and the third interface 33 communicates with the outlet water passage 13 via the third water inlet 18. The two plates of the water circuit board 30 form multiple water passages required for the regeneration function, such as an injection water passage, a dissolved salt water passage, a regeneration water passage, a backwash water passage, and a backwash water passage. Since the third interface 33 is connected to the outlet channel 13 via the third water inlet 18, the raw water delivered by the inlet channel 12 can be supplied to the water circuit board 30 through the third interface 33 regardless of whether the plunger 21 is in the first or second position. The control valve assembly is located on the upper side of the water circuit board 30. The control valve assembly can control the switching of multiple water circuits in the water circuit board 30 to achieve the regeneration function.

[0057] The technical solution of this invention utilizes structural partitioning. The valve body 10 and valve core assembly cooperate to meet the water circuit switching during normal operation and direct water supply, while the water circuit board 30 and control valve assembly cooperate to meet the water circuit switching during regeneration. Thus, compared to traditional soft water valves where the plunger needs to remain in multiple positions, the soft water valve in this solution only requires two positions. This simplifies the structure of the valve body 10 and valve core assembly, shortens the running distance of the plunger 21, reduces the number of dwell positions, and consequently lowers the requirements for manufacturing precision and motion control precision, reducing the failure rate. Furthermore, by partitioning the structure and setting up the water circuit in layers, the soft water valve 100 experiences significant improvements in production assembly, cost control, maintainability, and reliability.

[0058] Furthermore, in traditional water softener valves 100, the plunger has multiple stopping positions, requiring numerous sealing rings. During plunger movement, these sealing rings of different sizes and specifications repeatedly rub against each other, leading to a high probability of seal wear and a significant risk of leakage. In contrast, the plunger 21 of the water softener valve 100 of this invention has fewer stopping positions and a relatively shorter stroke, requiring fewer sealing rings. This reduces the probability of seal wear and lowers the risk of leakage.

[0059] Please refer to Figure 4 and Figure 5 In one embodiment, the valve core assembly further includes a first sealing ring 22, a second sealing ring 23, a third sealing ring 24, and a fourth sealing ring 25 that are axially spaced around the plunger 21; in the first position, the second sealing ring 23 and the fourth sealing ring 25 are in a sealing engagement with the plunger 21, and in the second position, the first sealing ring 22 and the third sealing ring 24 are in a sealing engagement with the plunger 21.

[0060] Specifically, the first connection port between the water inlet channel 12 and the valve chamber 11 is located between the end cap 19 and the first sealing ring 22; the port of the first water passage 14 is located between the first sealing ring 22 and the second sealing ring 23; the port of the second water passage 15 is located between the second sealing ring 23 and the third sealing ring 24; and the second connection port between the water outlet channel 13 and the valve chamber 11 is located between the third sealing ring 24 and the fourth sealing ring 25. The plunger 21 includes a plunger rod and a plunger head. The plunger head includes a first end, a connecting part, and a second end connected in sequence. The first end is connected to the plunger rod, and the outer circumferential surface of the connecting part is provided with an annular groove. Figure 4 As shown, when the plunger 21 is in the first position, the second sealing ring 23 is in sealing engagement with the first end of the plunger head, the fourth sealing ring 25 is in sealing engagement with the second end of the plunger head, and the third sealing ring 24 is spaced apart around the periphery of the connecting part to conduct the softened water passage. Figure 5 As shown, when the plunger 21 is in the second position, the first sealing ring 22 is in sealing engagement with the first end, and the third sealing ring 24 is in sealing engagement with the second end, thereby opening the direct water supply path. This soft water valve 100 uses a relatively small number of sealing rings, thus reducing the likelihood of seal wear, lowering the risk of leakage, and improving operational reliability.

[0061] Please refer to Figures 6 to 10 In one embodiment, the water circuit board 30 is further provided with a brine inlet 34 and a drain outlet 35. The water circuit board 30 is provided with a raw water channel 301, a brine inlet 302, a confluence channel 303 and a drain outlet 304. The brine inlet 34 is used to communicate with the outlet of the brine tank 300. The input end of the brine inlet 302 is connected to the brine inlet 34. The input end of the raw water channel 301 is connected to the third interface 33. The output end of the brine inlet 302 merges with the output end of the raw water channel 301 and is connected to the second interface 32 via the confluence channel 303. The drain outlet 304 connects the first interface 31 and the drain outlet 35.

[0062] Specifically, such as Figure 11As shown, in regeneration mode, brine in the brine tank 300 can be extracted using a conventional jet injector structure or by installing a water pump 41 on the brine suction channel 302. The brine in the brine tank 300 enters the brine suction channel 302 through the brine suction port 34, and then is transported towards the confluence channel 303 via the brine suction channel 302. Raw water (i.e., tap water) is transported to the drainage channel 304 through the inlet channel 12 in the valve body 10, and then flows into the raw water channel 301 in the water circuit board 30 through the third interface 33, and then flows towards the confluence channel 303 via the raw water channel 301. 3. Transportation: After the brine is mixed with tap water, it forms regenerated brine. The regenerated brine is transported to the second interface 32 through the manifold 303, enters the valve chamber 11 through the second interface 32, and then enters the resin tank 200 through the second water passage 15. The regenerated brine comes into contact with the ion exchange resin 201 in the resin tank 200 for regeneration. The regenerated wastewater enters the valve chamber 11 through the first water passage 14, and then enters the drainage channel 304 in the water circuit board 30 through the first interface 31. Finally, it is transported to the drain outlet 35 through the drainage channel 304 for discharge.

[0063] In one embodiment, the brine suction channel 302 is equipped with a water pump 41, which is used to extract the solution from the brine tank 300 and transport it along the brine suction channel 302. Compared with traditional jet injectors, using the water pump 41 to extract the brine from the brine tank 300 ensures that the brine flow rate is not affected by external tap water pressure, thereby ensuring stable regeneration solution concentration and flow rate, and making the regeneration performance stable and controllable.

[0064] To achieve adjustable regenerated solution concentration to meet different usage requirements, in one embodiment, the water pump 41 is an adjustable-speed water pump. Many types of adjustable-speed water pumps are available, as long as they can achieve self-priming and speed regulation. In one embodiment, the water pump 41 can be any of a diaphragm pump, vane pump, or plunger pump. Specifically, the regenerated solution refers to the brine formed by mixing the brine transported by the brine suction channel 302 with the tap water transported by the raw water channel 301. The regenerated solution concentration = (brine concentration in the brine tank 300 * water supply flow rate of the water pump 41) / (output flow rate of the raw water channel 302 + water supply flow rate of the water pump 41). When the speed of the water pump 41 is adjusted, the water supply flow rate of the water pump 41 can be adjusted, thereby achieving regenerated solution concentration adjustment to meet different usage requirements. For example, when the raw water hardness is constant, the lower the salt concentration of the regenerated solution, the higher the salt efficiency. Therefore, by lowering the salt concentration of the regenerated solution, the minimum salt usage can be achieved. This is suitable for application scenarios or product forms where the product volume is small, salt addition is convenient, salt addition frequency is high, and water consumption is low. Conversely, the higher the salt concentration of the regenerated solution, the higher the regeneration degree. Therefore, by increasing the salt concentration of the regenerated solution, a large amount of water can be used for each regeneration cycle. This is suitable for application scenarios or product forms where the product volume is large, salt addition is inconvenient, salt addition frequency is low, and water consumption is high. As another example, when the raw water hardness varies, the regeneration effect differs depending on the raw water hardness. For instance, with high hardness (>300 mg / L), increasing the salt concentration of the regenerated solution can achieve a higher regeneration effect. However, with low hardness (<150 mg / L), excessively high regenerated brine concentration will waste salt, so the salt concentration of the regenerated solution must be lowered.

[0065] Furthermore, to achieve automated control of regenerated liquid concentration adjustment, in one embodiment, the manifold 303 may be equipped with a salinity meter. The adjustable-speed water pump 41 and the salinity meter are electrically connected to the controller of the water softener. The salinity meter detects the salt concentration of the regenerated liquid passing through the manifold 303 and feeds back the detected current regenerated liquid concentration to the controller. The controller compares the current regenerated liquid concentration with the built-in target concentration of the regenerated liquid. If the target concentration is not reached, the controller controls the adjustable-speed water pump 41 to adjust its speed, thereby adjusting the water supply flow of the water pump 41. During the adjustment process, the salinity meter detects the regenerated liquid concentration in real time and feeds it back to the controller for comparison until the current regenerated liquid concentration reaches the target concentration. At this time, the controller controls the adjustable-speed water pump 41 to maintain the current speed, and the concentration of the regenerated liquid delivered to the resin tank 12 by the manifold 15 remains stable.

[0066] Please refer to Figure 6 and Figure 13In one embodiment, the brine suction channel 302 is equipped with a one-way valve 46, which is located on the output side of the water pump 41. The one-way valve 46 is used to restrict the backflow of liquid towards the water pump 41. By setting the one-way valve 46, the solution in the resin tank 200 can be prevented from entering the water pump 41 and then flowing back into the brine tank 300 through the manifold 303 and the brine suction channel 302, thus ensuring the operational reliability of the entire water system.

[0067] In one embodiment, the raw water channel 301 is equipped with a flow limiting valve 47. The flow limiting valve 47 can limit the flow rate of the liquid output through the raw water channel 301 to meet the flow rate required during regeneration. Furthermore, the flow limiting valve 47 is an adjustable flow valve, which can adjust the output flow rate of the raw water channel 301, thereby adjusting the concentration of the regenerated liquid.

[0068] Before regeneration, a certain amount of water is typically injected into the salt tank 300 to dissolve the salt particles 301 within. To enable automatic water injection, in one embodiment, such as... Figure 8 As shown, the water circuit board 30 is also provided with a water inlet 36 and a water inlet channel 305. The water inlet 36 is used to connect with the water inlet of the salt tank 300. The water inlet channel 305 connects the raw water channel 301 with the water inlet 36. The control valve assembly includes a first control valve 42 provided in the input channel and a second control valve 43 provided in the water inlet channel 305. The first control valve 42 is used to open or close the raw water channel 301, and the second control valve 43 is used to open or close the water inlet channel 305.

[0069] Specifically, in the water injection mode, both the first control valve 42 and the second control valve 43 are open. At this time, tap water enters the water injection channel 305 through the raw water channel 301, and then flows into the salt tank 300 through the water injection channel 305 and the water injection port 36 to inject a certain amount of water into the salt tank 300.

[0070] Traditional water softeners typically employ static salt dissolution, meaning that after water is added to the brine tank 300, the salt granules 301 dissolve over a prolonged period to form saturated brine. Static salt dissolution requires a long time and has low efficiency. To accelerate the dissolution process and achieve dynamic salt dissolution, further improvements are needed, such as... Figure 9As shown, in one embodiment, the water circuit board 30 is further provided with a connecting channel 306, which connects the confluence channel 303 and the raw water channel 301. The control component further includes a third control valve 44 disposed in the connecting channel 306 and a fourth control valve 45 disposed in the drainage channel 304. The third control valve 44 is used to open or close the connecting channel 306, and the fourth control valve 45 is used to open or close the drainage channel 304.

[0071] Specifically, such as Figure 13 As shown, the intersection of connecting channel 306 and raw water channel 301 is located between the upstream of flow limiting valve 47 and the downstream of first control valve 42. Salt tank 301, salt suction channel 302, confluence channel 303, connecting channel 306, raw water channel 301, water injection channel 305, and salt tank 301 are sequentially connected to form a salt dissolving circuit. After water injection is completed, the salt dissolving mode is entered. Water pump 41 is turned on, and both the second control valve 43 and the third control valve 44 are opened. The brine in salt tank 300 flows out from salt suction port 34 to salt suction channel 302, then through confluence channel 303, connecting channel 306, and raw water channel 301 to water injection channel 305, and then back into salt tank 300 through water injection port 36. This cycle repeats continuously, achieving dynamic salt dissolving and enabling the brine in salt tank 300 to quickly reach the preset concentration, effectively improving salt dissolving efficiency. To enable real-time monitoring of the brine concentration during the salt dissolving process, a salinity meter can be installed on the salt dissolving circuit. For example, a salinity meter can be installed on the manifold 303, located downstream of the junction of the connecting channel 44 and the manifold 303, ensuring that the salinity meter is on the salt dissolution circuit. During the salt dissolution process, the salinity meter monitors the concentration of the brine passing through the manifold 303 in real time. When the brine concentration reaches a preset value, such as a preset saturated brine concentration, it indicates that the salt dissolution is complete, and the water pump can be turned off to end the salt dissolution process. This ensures that the salt is dissolved to the preset concentration in the shortest possible time. Furthermore, during the regeneration process, the salinity meter on the manifold 303 can also monitor the concentration of the regenerated solution in real time.

[0072] Furthermore, the water softener can switch between multiple functional modes by controlling the operating states of the water pump 41, the first control valve 42, the second control valve 43, the third control valve 44, and the fourth control valve 45. In the above embodiment, the first control valve 42, the second control valve 43, the third control valve 44, and the fourth control valve 45 can be solenoid valves, electric ball valves, mechanical ball valves, ceramic valves, etc., as long as they can realize the opening and closing of the water circuit. Optionally, the first control valve 42, the second control valve 43, the third control valve 44, and the fourth control valve 45 are all solenoid valves. The water circuit switching during regeneration is achieved by the water circuit board 30 cooperating with each solenoid valve, which simplifies the water circuit logic and facilitates control. Among them, the water circuit board 30 and the solenoid valves are mature components with high reliability.

[0073] Based on the above embodiments, the brine suction channel 302 is equipped with a water pump 41, and the control valve assembly includes a first control valve 42 located in the raw water channel 301, a second control valve 43 located in the water injection channel 305, a third control valve 44 located in the connecting channel 306, and a fourth control valve 45 located in the drainage channel 304. The soft water valve 100 can switch between the various water paths by switching the states of the plunger 21, the water pump 41, and the control valve assembly.

[0074] Specifically, when the plunger 21 is in the first position and the water pump 41, the first control valve 42, the second control valve 43, the third control valve 44, and the fourth control valve 45 are all closed, the inlet channel 12, the first water passage 14, the second water passage 15, and the outlet channel 13 are connected to form a softened water circuit. When the softened water valve 100 is used in the water softener, the softened water valve 100 is connected to the resin tank 200, the outlet end of the first water passage 14 is used to connect with the resin tank 200, and the inlet end of the second water passage 15 is used to connect with the resin tank 200. When the water softener is in softening mode, the raw water can be transported to the resin tank 200 through the softened water circuit for ion exchange to form softened water, and then the softened water is transported to the user's water inlet 131.

[0075] With the plunger 21 in the second position and the water pump 41, the first control valve 42, the second control valve 43, the third control valve 44, and the fourth control valve 45 all closed, the inlet channel 12, the hollow channel 211, and the outlet channel 13 are connected to form a direct water supply circuit. This direct water supply circuit allows unsoftened raw water to be directly delivered to the user's water inlet 131.

[0076] When the plunger 21 is in the first or second position, and both the first control valve 42 and the second control valve 43 are open, while the water pump 41, the third control valve 44, and the fourth control valve 45 are closed, the inlet channel 12, the outlet channel 13, the raw water channel 301, and the injection channel 305 are connected to form an injection water circuit. When the softening valve 100 is used in a water softener, the outlet end of the injection channel 305 is connected to the brine tank 300. When the water softener is in injection mode, a certain amount of water can be injected into the brine tank 300 through the injection water circuit.

[0077] When the plunger 21 is in the first or second position, and the water pump 41, the second control valve 43, and the third control valve 44 are all open, while the first control valve 42 and the fourth control valve 45 are all closed, the brine suction channel 302, the manifold channel 303, the connecting channel 306, the raw water channel 301, and the water injection channel are connected to form a dissolved salt circuit. When the softening valve 100 is used in a water softener, the inlet end of the brine suction channel 302 is connected to the brine tank 300, and the outlet end of the water injection channel 305 is connected to the brine tank, so that the two ends of the dissolved salt circuit are connected to the brine tank 300 to form a circulating brine dissolution loop. When the water softener is in brine dissolution mode, dynamic circulating brine dissolution can be achieved through the circulating brine dissolution loop. Compared with traditional static soaking brine dissolution, dynamic circulating brine dissolution can achieve saturation even when the volume of salt is less than that of water, thus saving salt to a certain extent.

[0078] When the plunger 21 is in the first or second position, and the first control valve 42, the third control valve 44, and the fourth control valve 45 are all open, while the water pump 41 and the second control valve 43 are all closed, the inlet channel 12, the raw water channel 301, the connecting channel 306, the manifold channel 303, and the drain channel 304 are connected to form a backwash water path. When the softened water valve 100 is used in a water softener, the outlet end of the manifold channel 303 is connected to the resin tank 200, and the inlet end of the drain channel 304 is connected to the resin tank 200. When the water softener is in backwash mode, the backwash water path can loosen and flush away the ion exchange resin 201 in the resin tank 200.

[0079] With the plunger 21 in the second position, and the water pump 41, the first control valve 42, and the fourth control valve 45 all open, while the second control valve 43 and the third control valve 44 are all closed, the inlet channel 12, the raw water channel 301, the brine suction channel 302, the manifold channel 303, and the drain channel 304 are connected to form a regenerated water circuit. When the softened water valve 100 is used in the water softener, the outlet end of the manifold channel 303 is connected to the resin tank 200, and the inlet end of the drain channel 304 is connected to the resin tank 200. When the water softener is in regeneration mode, brine can be transported to the resin tank 200 through the regeneration water circuit to regenerate the ion exchange resin 201 inside the resin tank 200.

[0080] With the plunger 21 in the second position, the first control valve 42 and the fourth control valve 45 both open, and the water pump 41, the second control valve 43, and the third control valve 44 all closed, the inlet channel 12, the raw water channel 301, the manifold channel 303, and the drain channel 304 are sequentially connected to form a backwash water path. When the soft water valve 100 is used in a water softener, the outlet end of the manifold channel 303 is connected to the resin tank 200, and the inlet end of the drain channel 304 is connected to the resin tank 200. When the water softener is in backwash mode, the residual brine in the resin tank 200 can be rinsed clean through the backwash water path.

[0081] In the above embodiments, the plunger 21 can be switched between the first position and the second position manually or automatically. To achieve more intelligent automated control, in one embodiment, the soft water valve 100 further includes a drive mechanism connected to the plunger 21, used to drive the plunger 21 to switch between the first position and the second position. Specifically, the drive mechanism can employ a gear and rack structure, a nut and screw structure, or other drive structures to achieve the reciprocating linear motion of the plunger 21 between the first position and the second position.

[0082] The present invention also proposes a water softener, which includes a brine tank 300, a resin tank 200, and a water softener valve 100. The specific structure of the water softener valve 100 is as described in the above embodiments. Since the present water softener adopts all the technical solutions of all the above embodiments, it has at least all the beneficial effects brought about by the technical solutions of the above embodiments, which will not be described in detail here.

[0083] The following combination Figure 13The specific working process of the water circuit system of a water softener according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described. The water circuit system of the water softener includes a water softener valve 100, a resin tank 200, and a brine tank 300. Specifically, the water softener valve 100 includes a valve body 10, a valve core assembly, a water circuit board 30, and a control valve assembly. The valve body 10 has a valve cavity 11, an inlet channel 12, an outlet channel 13, a first water passage 14, and a second water passage 15, which are respectively used to communicate with the resin tank 200. The valve core assembly includes a plunger 21 movably disposed within the valve cavity 11, the plunger 21 having a hollow channel 211, and the plunger 21 having a first position and a second position. The water circuit board 30 is provided with a first interface 31, a second interface 32, a third interface 33, a brine suction port 34, a drain port 35, and a water injection port 36. The water circuit board 30 contains a raw water channel 301, a brine suction channel 302, a confluence channel 303, a drain channel 304, a water injection channel 305, and a connecting channel 306. The resin tank 200 contains ion exchange resin, and the brine tank 300 contains salt granules. The soft water valve 100 is connected to the resin tank 200 via a connector on the valve body 10. The water circuit board 30 of the soft water valve 100 is connected to the brine tank 300 via the brine suction port 34 and the water injection port 36.

[0084] like Figure 13 As shown, the input end of the brine suction channel 302 is connected to the outlet of the brine tank 300 via the brine suction port 34. The input end of the raw water channel 301 is connected to the third interface 33. The output end of the brine suction channel 302 merges with the output end of the raw water channel 301 and is connected to the second interface 32 via the confluence channel 303. The drainage channel 304 connects the first interface 31 with the drain port 35. The output end of the water injection channel is connected to the inlet of the brine tank 300 via the water injection port 36. The input section of the water injection channel 305 is connected to the raw water channel 301. The connecting channel 306 connects the confluence channel 303 with the raw water channel 301. The brine suction channel 302 is equipped with a water pump 41. The raw water channel 301 is equipped with a first control valve 42. The water injection channel 305 is equipped with a second control valve 43. The connecting channel 306 is equipped with a third control valve 44. The drainage channel 304 is equipped with a fourth control valve 45.

[0085] In normal operating mode, plunger 21 is in the first position, water pump 41 is off, and first control valve 42, second control valve 43, third control valve 44, and fourth control valve 45 are all closed. Figure 4 and Figure 13As shown, tap water enters the inlet channel 12 through the inlet 121, then passes through the valve chamber 11 and the first water passage 14 into the resin tank 200. After contacting the ion exchange resin 201 in the resin tank 200, softened water is formed. The softened water then enters the outlet channel 13 through the second water passage 15 and the valve chamber 11, and is delivered to the user's water inlet 131 to provide softened water to the user. The water inlet 131 can be used to connect to an external faucet or other water-using equipment.

[0086] In water injection mode, plunger 21 can be in either the first or second position, water pump 41 is off, first control valve 42 and second control valve 43 are both open, and third control valve 44 and fourth control valve 45 are both closed. Figure 8 and Figure 13 As shown, tap water enters the water inlet channel 12 through the water inlet 121, and is then transported to the water circuit board 30 through the third interface 33. It is then transported to the salt tank 300 through the raw water channel 301, the water injection channel 305 and the water injection port 36 to mix with the salt particles 301 in the salt tank 300.

[0087] In salt dissolving mode, plunger 21 can be in either the first or second position, water pump 41 is on, second control valve 43 and third control valve 44 are both open, and first control valve 42 and fourth control valve 45 are both closed. Figure 9 and Figure 13 As shown, the brine in the salt tank 300 flows out from the salt inlet 34 to the salt inlet channel 302, and then is transported to the water inlet channel 305 via the confluence channel 303, the connecting channel 306, and the raw water channel 301. It then flows back into the salt tank 300 via the water inlet 36. This cycle repeats continuously, achieving dynamic salt dissolution, which allows the brine in the salt tank 300 to quickly reach the preset concentration, effectively improving the salt dissolution efficiency.

[0088] In backflush mode, plunger 21 can be in either the first or second position, water pump 41 is off, first control valve 42, third control valve 44, and fourth control valve 45 are all open, and second control valve 43 is closed. Figure 10 and Figure 13 As shown, tap water enters the inlet channel 12 through the inlet 121, then is transported to the water circuit board 30 through the third interface 33, and then to the second interface 32 through the raw water channel 301, the connecting channel 306, and the confluence channel 303. From there, it is transported to the resin tank 200 through the second interface 32 and the second water passage 15, and finally to the drain channel 304 through the first water passage 14 and the first interface 31. The water is then discharged from the drain outlet 35 through the drain channel 304. The backwash mode can include pre-regeneration backwash and post-regeneration backwash.

[0089] In regeneration mode, plunger 21 is in the second position, water pump 41 is turned on, first control valve 42 and fourth control valve 45 are both open, and second control valve 43 and third control valve 44 are both closed. For example... Figure 11 and Figure 13 As shown, the water pump 41 extracts the brine from the brine tank 300 and transports it to the manifold 303 via the brine suction channel 302. Tap water enters the inlet channel 12 through the inlet 121, and is then transported to the water circuit board 30 via the third interface 33. It is then transported to the manifold 303 via the raw water channel 301. The brine and tap water are mixed to form a regenerated solution, which is then transported to the second interface 32 via the manifold 303. The regenerated solution is then transported to the resin tank 200 via the second interface 32 and the second water passage 15, where it contacts and regenerates the ion exchange resin 201 in the resin tank 200. The regenerated wastewater is then transported to the drainage channel 304 via the first water passage 14 and the first interface 31, and finally discharged from the drain outlet 35 via the drainage channel 304.

[0090] In backwash mode, plunger 21 is in the second position, water pump 41 is turned off, first control valve 42 and fourth control valve 45 are both open, and second control valve 43 and third control valve 44 are both closed. Figure 12 and Figure 13 As shown, tap water enters the water inlet channel 12 through the inlet 121, then is transported to the water circuit board 30 through the third interface 33, then is transported to the manifold channel 303 through the raw water channel 301, then to the resin tank 200 through the manifold channel 303, and finally to the drain outlet 35 through the drain channel 304 to rinse away the residual brine after regeneration.

[0091] The above description is merely an optional embodiment of the present invention and does not limit the patent scope of the present invention. All equivalent structural transformations made using the contents of the present invention's specification and drawings under the inventive concept of the present invention, or direct / indirect applications in other related technical fields, are included within the patent protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A soft water valve, characterized in that, include: The valve body is provided with a valve cavity, and an inlet channel, an outlet channel, a first water passage channel and a second water passage channel, both of which are connected to the valve cavity. The first water passage channel and the second water passage channel are both used to communicate with the resin tank. The valve core assembly includes a plunger movably disposed within the valve cavity, the plunger having a hollow channel, the plunger having a first position and a second position, wherein in the first position, the water inlet channel, the first water passage channel, the resin tank, the second water passage channel and the water outlet channel are connected, and in the second position, the water inlet channel, the hollow channel and the water outlet channel are connected; A water circuit board is disposed on the outside of the valve body. The water circuit board is provided with a first interface, a second interface and a third interface. The first interface is connected to the first water passage, the second interface is connected to the second water passage, and the third interface is connected to the water outlet passage. Multiple water passages are formed inside the water circuit board. as well as A control valve assembly is located on the water circuit board and is used to control the switching of multiple water circuits within the water circuit board; The water circuit board is also provided with a brine inlet and a drain outlet. The water circuit board is provided with a raw water channel, a brine inlet, a confluence channel and a drain outlet. The brine inlet is used to connect with the outlet of the brine tank. The input end of the brine inlet is connected with the brine inlet. The input end of the raw water channel is connected with the third interface. The output end of the brine inlet merges with the output end of the raw water channel and is connected to the second interface via the confluence channel. The drain outlet connects the first interface and the drain outlet. The water circuit board is also provided with a water inlet and a water inlet channel. The water inlet is used to connect with the water inlet of the salt tank, and the water inlet channel connects the raw water channel with the water inlet. The control valve assembly includes a first control valve provided in the raw water channel and a second control valve provided in the water inlet channel. The first control valve is used to open or close the raw water channel, and the second control valve is used to open or close the water inlet channel. The water circuit board is also provided with a connecting channel, which connects the confluence channel and the raw water channel. The control valve assembly also includes a third control valve located in the connecting channel and a fourth control valve located in the drainage channel. The third control valve is used to open or close the connecting channel, and the fourth control valve is used to open or close the drainage channel.

2. The soft water valve as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The valve core assembly further includes a first sealing ring, a second sealing ring, a third sealing ring, and a fourth sealing ring that are axially spaced around the periphery of the plunger; in the first position, the second sealing ring and the fourth sealing ring are in sealing engagement with the plunger, and in the second position, the first sealing ring and the third sealing ring are in sealing engagement with the plunger.

3. The soft water valve as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The salt absorption channel is equipped with a water pump, which is used to extract the solution in the salt tank and transport it along the salt absorption channel.

4. The soft water valve as described in claim 3, characterized in that, The water pump is an adjustable speed water pump.

5. The soft water valve as described in claim 3, characterized in that, The salt suction channel is equipped with a one-way valve, which is located on the output side of the water pump. The one-way valve is used to restrict the backflow of liquid toward the water pump.

6. The soft water valve as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The raw water channel is equipped with a flow limiting valve.

7. The soft water valve as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The first control valve, the second control valve, the third control valve, and the fourth control valve are all solenoid valves.

8. The soft water valve as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The brine suction channel is equipped with a water pump. When the plunger is in the first position and the water pump, the first control valve, the second control valve, the third control valve, and the fourth control valve are all closed, the inlet channel, the first water passage channel, the second water passage channel, and the outlet channel are connected to form a softened water circuit.

9. The soft water valve as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The brine suction channel is equipped with a water pump. When the plunger is in the second position and the water pump, the first control valve, the second control valve, the third control valve, and the fourth control valve are all closed, the water inlet channel, the hollow channel, and the water outlet channel are connected to form a direct water supply circuit.

10. The soft water valve as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The brine suction channel is equipped with a water pump. When the plunger is in the first position or the second position, the first control valve and the second control valve are both open, and the water pump, the third control valve and the fourth control valve are all closed, the inlet channel, the outlet channel, the raw water channel and the injection channel are connected to form an injection water circuit.

11. The soft water valve as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The brine suction channel is equipped with a water pump. When the plunger is in the first or second position, the water pump, the second control valve, and the third control valve are all open, and the first control valve and the fourth control valve are all closed; the brine suction channel, the confluence channel, the connecting channel, the raw water channel, and the water injection channel are connected to form a dissolved salt water circuit.

12. The soft water valve as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The brine suction channel is equipped with a water pump. When the plunger is in the first or second position, the first control valve, the third control valve, and the fourth control valve are all open, and the water pump and the second control valve are all closed, the inlet channel, the raw water channel, the connecting channel, the confluence channel, and the drainage channel are connected to form a backwash water path.

13. The soft water valve as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The brine suction channel is equipped with a water pump. When the plunger is in the second position, the water pump, the first control valve, and the fourth control valve are all open, and the second control valve and the third control valve are all closed; the water inlet channel, the raw water channel, the brine suction channel, the confluence channel, and the drainage channel are connected to form a regenerated water circuit.

14. The soft water valve as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The brine suction channel is equipped with a water pump. When the plunger is in the second position, the first control valve and the fourth control valve are both open, and the water pump, the second control valve and the third control valve are all closed, the inlet channel, the raw water channel, the confluence channel and the drain channel are connected to form a backwash water path.

15. The soft water valve as described in claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes a drive mechanism connected to the plunger drive, which is used to drive the plunger to switch between the first position and the second position.

16. A water softener, characterized in that, Includes the soft water valve as described in any one of claims 1 to 15.

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