Water softener, humidifying device using the same, and method for regenerating water softening resin column

Abstract

The present invention provides a water softener, a humidifying device using the same, and a method for regenerating a water softening resin column. The water softener includes: a water storage bucket in which a water storage space is formed; a movable partition that is movably located in the water storage space and divides the water storage space into a hard water area and a soft water area; a water softening resin column having a hard water inlet and a soft water outlet, and the soft water outlet is communicated with the soft water area; a pumping component having a pump inlet and a pump outlet, wherein the pump inlet is communicated with the hard water area through a first pipeline, and the pump outlet is communicated with the hard water inlet through a second pipeline; and a water injection structure communicated with the hard water area. When the water softener operates to produce soft water, the movable partition moves from the soft water area to the hard water area. Through the movable partition that moves with the volume change of hard water and soft water, the water softener actually allows the hard water area and the soft water area to alternately use the space, there is no waste of space in the hard water area that is idle after softening in the prior art, saving equipment space and having a relatively high soft water efficiency.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention belongs to the technical field of water softener design, and particularly relates to a water softener, a humidifying device using the same, and a method for regenerating a water softening resin column. Background Art

[0002] Some ultrasonic humidifiers are equipped with a water softener to provide softened water treated by water softening resin, with the aim of using tap water instead of pure water with a certain cost. The scale formed by the precipitation of calcium and magnesium ions in tap water will seriously affect the atomization efficiency of the atomization sheet of the humidifier. A low-cost and compactly configured humidifier enables the ultrasonic humidifier to directly use tap water, which has better economy. It should be noted that the water softener configured with the humidifier is different from a general water softener. Specifically, a general water softener is a continuous water softener, and the water directly enters the equipment that needs to use softened water after passing through the water softening resin column. However, the purpose of the water softener used in conjunction with the humidifier is to produce a certain volume of softened water for storage for the humidifier to use. The softening speed of the water softener is at least 1 L / min, but the water consumption of a household humidifier is 0.2 - 0.6 L / h. Therefore, a simple water softener is required to store a sufficient amount of softened water, which can soften, for example, 10 L of water at a time to meet the long-term use of a humidifier.

[0003] Generally, a water softener configured with a humidifier usually includes a water pump, a water softening resin column (chamber), a hard water area, and a soft water area. The hard water area stores tap water, and the water pump pumps the hard water in the hard water area to the water softening resin column. After being softened, it enters the soft water area and waits to be called by the humidifier. The problem with this structure is that the hard water area is idle after the water softening treatment, wasting the equipment space. If the water storage area of the water softener does not distinguish between the hard water area and the soft water area, that is, the hard water and the soft water share a water storage area, and the softened hard water still enters the hard water area, then the water to be softened needs to circulate through the water softening resin column many times for softening. Calculations show that in the ideal state, after the same-time softening cycle, the hardness is about 64% lower than that of partitioned softening (the hardness reduction of partitioned softening is 100%), which is obviously too inefficient. Summary of the Invention

[0004] Therefore, the present invention provides a water softener, a humidifying device using the same, and a method for regenerating a water softening resin column, which can solve the technical problems in the prior art that the volume of the hard water area and the soft water area in the water storage area of the water softener is fixed, resulting in the idle space of the hard water area after the softening treatment, wasting the equipment space, or the sharing of the hard water area and the soft water area leading to too low softening efficiency.

[0005] To solve the above problems, the present invention provides a water softener, comprising:

[0006] A water storage bucket, in which a water storage space is formed;

[0007] A movable partition is movably located within the water storage space, and the movable partition divides the water storage space into a hard water area and a soft water area;

[0008] A soft water resin column having a hard water inlet and a soft water outlet, and the soft water outlet communicates with the soft water area;

[0009] A pumping component having a pump inlet and a pump outlet. Among them, the pump inlet communicates with the hard water area through a first pipeline, and the pump outlet communicates with the hard water inlet through a second pipeline;

[0010] A water injection structure communicates with the hard water area.

[0011] In some embodiments,

[0012] A first seal is provided between the outer edge of the movable partition and the wall of the water storage space.

[0013] In some embodiments,

[0014] The movable partition has a flow-through hole, and a cover is detachably connected to the flow-through hole. The cover has a soft water state in which the hard water area and the soft water area are isolated from each other and a resin regeneration state in which the hard water area and the soft water area communicate; and / or, the top of the water storage bucket has a top opening, and a detachably connected cover is provided on the top opening.

[0015] In some embodiments,

[0016] The movable partition is horizontally placed within the water storage space, the hard water area and the soft water area are arranged vertically, and the hard water area is below the soft water area.

[0017] In some embodiments,

[0018] The water injection structure is a pipe body, the pipe body is vertically arranged within the water storage space through the movable partition, and there is a second seal between the movable partition and the pipe wall of the pipe body; and / or,

[0019] The soft water resin column is vertically arranged within the water storage space through the movable partition, and there is a third seal between the movable partition and the outer wall of the soft water resin column.

[0020] In some embodiments,

[0021] The water injection structure and / or the soft water resin column are suspended on the bottom wall of the water storage space.

[0022] In some embodiments,

[0023] The first pipeline and / or the second pipeline passes through the hollow pipe of the water injection structure.

[0024] In some embodiments,

[0025] a receiving cavity is constructed at the bottom of the water storage bucket, the receiving cavity is in the lower area of the hard water area, and the pumping component is assembled in the receiving cavity.

[0026] The present invention also provides a humidifying device including the water softener described above.

[0027] The present invention also provides a method for regenerating a water softening resin column of the water softener as described above, including the following steps:

[0028] Switch the cover to the resin regeneration state;

[0029] Add regenerated brine into the water storage space;

[0030] Control the operation of the pumping component.

[0031] A water softener provided by the present invention, a humidifying device using the same, and a method for regenerating a water softening resin column. A movable partition is arranged in the water storage bucket to divide the water storage space into a hard water area and a soft water area. When hard water (such as tap water) is injected into the water storage space, the hard water enters the hard water area through the water injection structure. At this time, there is no water in the soft water area. As the volume of water in the hard water area increases, the movable partition moves synchronously towards the soft water area, occupying the accommodation space of the soft water area. When soft water is being produced, the hard water flows out of the hard water area into the soft water area under the pumping action of the pumping component, and the movable partition correspondingly moves from the soft water area towards the hard water area. Through this movable partition that moves with the changes in the volumes of hard water and soft water, the water softener actually allows the hard water area and the soft water area to alternately use the space, eliminating the waste of idle space in the hard water area after softening in the prior art, thereby achieving the purpose of saving equipment space. At the same time, due to the mixing and softening of non-hard water and soft water, the softening efficiency is relatively high. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0032] Figure 1 is a schematic structural diagram of a water softener in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0033] Figure 2 is another schematic structural diagram of a water softener in an embodiment of the present invention, and the arrows in the figure show the flow direction of softened water entering the soft water area.

[0034] The reference numerals are shown as:

[0035] 1. Water storage bucket; 11. Hard water area; 12. Soft water area; 13. Accommodation cavity; 2. Movable partition; 21. First seal; 22. Flow-through hole; 23. Sealing cover; 24. Spacer support; 3. Soft water resin column; 31. Hard water inlet; 32. Soft water outlet; 33. Third seal; 4. Pumping component; 5. Water injection structure; 51. Second seal; 52. Water injection port; 53. Water outlet; 6. Cover; 7. Caster wheel. Detailed implementation manners

[0036] To make the objectives, technical solutions and advantages of the present invention clearer, the technical solutions of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below in conjunction with specific embodiments of the present invention and the corresponding drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of the present invention, rather than all the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without creative efforts fall within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0037] It should be noted that the terms "first", "second", etc. in the specification and claims of the present invention and the above drawings are used to distinguish similar objects, and do not necessarily need to be used to describe a specific order or sequence. It should be understood that such data can be interchanged under appropriate circumstances so that the embodiments of the present invention described here can be implemented in an order other than those illustrated or described here.

[0038] Referring to Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, according to an embodiment of the present invention, a water softener is provided, including:

[0039] A water storage bucket 1, in which a water storage space is formed for storing hard water before softening and soft water after softening; a movable partition 2, which is movably located in the water storage space, and the movable partition 2 divides the water storage space into a hard water area 11 and a soft water area 12. It can be understood that the hard water area 11 and the soft water area 12 are not connected to each other during the softening process; a soft water resin column 3, which has a hard water inlet 31 and a soft water outlet 32, and the soft water outlet 32 is connected to the soft water area 12. The soft water resin column 3 can be a conventional soft water resin column, and the present invention does not make special limitations on it; a pumping component 4, which has a pump inlet and a pump outlet. Among them, the pump inlet is connected to the hard water area 11 through a first pipeline, and the pump outlet is connected to the hard water inlet 31 through a second pipeline, so as to pump the hard water in the hard water area 11 into the soft water resin column 3 for softening, and then make the softened soft water enter the soft water area 12 for storage; a water injection structure 5, which is connected to the hard water area 11. As a component connecting the hard water area 11 to the outside, it has a water injection port 52 and a water outlet 53. The user adds hard water (such as tap water) into it through the water injection port 52, and this part of hard water directly enters the hard water area 11 through the water outlet 53 to realize hard water storage.

[0040] In this technical solution, a movable partition 2 is arranged in the water storage bucket 1 to divide the water storage space into a hard water area 11 and a soft water area 12. When hard water (such as tap water) is injected into the water storage space, the hard water enters the hard water area 11 through the water injection structure 5. At this time, there is no water in the soft water area 12. As the volume of water in the hard water area 11 increases, the partition 2 moves synchronously towards the soft water area 12, occupying the accommodation space of the soft water area 12. When soft water is being produced, the hard water flows out of the hard water area 11 and into the soft water area 12 under the pumping action of the pumping component 4, and the partition 2 moves correspondingly from the soft water area 12 towards the hard water area 11. Through the movable partition 2 that moves with the changes in the volumes of hard water and soft water, the water softener actually allows the hard water area and the soft water area to alternately use the space, eliminating the waste of idle space in the hard water area after softening in the prior art, thereby achieving the purpose of saving equipment space. At the same time, due to the non-mixing softening of hard water and soft water, the softening efficiency is relatively high.

[0041] In some embodiments,

[0042] A first seal 21 is arranged between the outer edge of the movable partition 2 and the wall of the water storage space. For example, the first seal 21 is a rubber sealing ring, which is sleeved on the outer edge of the movable partition 2 and can move synchronously with the movable partition 2 to ensure the complete sealing between the hard water area 11 and the soft water area 12 during the movement of the movable partition 2. In a preferred embodiment, the aforementioned first seal 21 is made of wear-resistant rubber.

[0043] In some embodiments, the movable partition 2 is provided with a flow-through hole 22, and a cover 23 is detachably connected to the flow-through hole 22. The cover 23 has a soft water state that isolates the hard water area 11 and the soft water area 12 from each other and a resin regeneration state that connects the hard water area 11 and the soft water area 12. Thus, different operating conditions of the water softener of the present invention can be achieved by switching the position state of the cover 23. Specifically, when soft water is being produced, the cover 23 is in the soft water state, and at this time, the soft water area 12 and the hard water area 11 are completely independent and not connected. When the soft water resin column 3 needs to be regenerated, the cover 23 is in the resin regeneration state, and at this time, the soft water area 12 and the hard water area 11 are connected. At this time, a certain amount of regenerating brine (concentrated brine) can be used to repeatedly circulate and regenerate the soft water resin column 3, saving costs while greatly improving the regeneration efficiency, and the regeneration process is extremely simple, without the need to repeatedly add regenerating brine or discharge waste water. The aforementioned cover can be made of a hard material and is hinged adjacent to the flow-through hole 22, as Figure 1 shown; the aforementioned cover can also be a rubber cover, which is buckled on the aforementioned flow-through hole 22, as Figure 2 shown.

[0044] In some embodiments, the top of the water storage bucket 1 has a top opening, and a cover 6 is detachably connected to the top opening. Specifically, the diameter of the top opening is generally the same as the caliber of the water storage space. Users can perform necessary operations on the internal components through this top opening, and the cover 6 can block the top opening, improving the aesthetics of the water softener while preventing external debris from entering the interior of the water softener.

[0045] The specific layout of the aforementioned hard water area 11 and soft water area 12 can be diverse. For example, they can be arranged left and right, or up and down, and the corresponding movable partition 2 is arranged to be adapted thereto. In a preferred embodiment, the movable partition 2 is horizontally placed in the water storage space, so that the hard water area 11 and the soft water area 12 are arranged up and down. In this way, the floor area occupied by the water storage bucket 1 can be saved. More preferably, the hard water area 11 is located below the soft water area 12. In this way, during the water softening process, the volume change of the soft water area 12 does not need to overcome the water gravity of the hard water area 11, which can make the operating power selection of the pumping component 4 smaller, and thus can save costs while reducing the space occupied by the device.

[0046] In some embodiments,

[0047] The water injection structure 5 is a pipe body, and specifically, it can be in the structure as Figure 1 shown. This pipe body is arranged on the barrel body of the water storage bucket 1 and is correspondingly communicated with the area of the hard water area 11. At this time, since the water injection port 52 is externally placed, users can add hard water more conveniently; in another preferred embodiment, as Figure 2 shown, the pipe body vertically penetrates the movable partition 2 and is arranged in the water storage space. There is a second seal 51 between the movable partition 2 and the pipe wall of the pipe body. In this technical solution, the water injection structure 5 is placed in the water storage space, making the external structure of the water softener more streamlined and the structure more compact.

[0048] See Figure 1 shown. Its water softening resin column 3 can be externally placed outside the water storage bucket 1. As a more preferred embodiment, the water softening resin column 3 vertically penetrates the movable partition 2 and is arranged in the water storage space. There is a third seal 33 between the movable partition 2 and the outer wall of the water softening resin column 3, making the external structure of the water softener further streamlined and the structure more compact. The aforementioned second seal 51 and third seal 33 can also be realized by using a sealing rubber ring, which is connected to the hole wall of the corresponding through hole of the movable partition 2 to move synchronously with the movable partition 2.

[0049] See Figure 2As shown, in this embodiment, the water injection structure 5 and / or the soft water resin column 3 are suspended on the bottom wall of the water storage space, so that the water injection structure 5 and the soft water resin column 3 can be stably and reliably located in the water storage space. At the same time, the suspended installation method is beneficial to the pipeline connection at the soft water outlet 32 of the soft water resin column 3 and the smooth water outlet of the water outlet 53 of the water injection structure 5.

[0050] Further referring to Figure 2 As shown, in a preferred embodiment, the first pipeline and / or the second pipeline pass through the hollow pipe of the water injection structure 5, making the internal components of the water storage bucket 1 more neatly and reasonably arranged.

[0051] Figure 2 It is also shown in that a receiving cavity 13 is constructed at the bottom of the water storage bucket 1. The receiving cavity 13 is in the lower area of the hard water area 11. The pumping component 4 is assembled in the receiving cavity 13. The pumping component 4 can specifically be an electric water pump. The corresponding control components of the water softener can also be arranged in the receiving cavity 13, so that the control components can be protected. It should be particularly emphasized that the pumping component 4 in this technical solution is placed in the receiving cavity 13 and its upper part is the hard water area 11, so as to reduce the operating noise of the pumping component 4 through the isolation of the water body above it and improve the use comfort of the water softener.

[0052] The aforementioned receiving cavity 13 can be specifically realized by setting a base at the bottom of the water storage bucket 1. The receiving cavity 13 is constructed on the base, and the base and the water storage bucket 1 are detachably connected to form a reliable sealed connection. Multiple casters 7 can also be arranged at the bottom of the base to facilitate the portable and flexible displacement of the water softener.

[0053] Referring to Figure 1 As shown, in an embodiment, a plurality of spaced supports 24 are arranged on the bottom end surface of the movable partition 2. The height of the spaced supports 24 is not lower than the height of the water outlet 53 of the water injection structure 5 to ensure that the hard water added by the water injection structure 5 enters the hard water area 11. It should be noted that referring to Figure 2 As shown, since the water injection structure 5 and the soft water resin column 3 are built in the bottom plate of the water storage space and both have corresponding suspended installation structures, this structure will limit the lowest position of the movable partition 2 to be above the height of the water outlet 53.

[0054] According to an embodiment of the present invention, there is also provided a humidifying device, including the above-mentioned water softener, and this humidifying device is specifically an ultrasonic humidifier. Due to the adoption of the foregoing water softener of the present invention, a movable partition 2 is arranged in the water storage bucket 1 to divide the water storage space into a hard water area 11 and a soft water area 12. When injecting hard water (such as tap water) into the water storage space, the hard water enters the hard water area 11 through the water injection structure 5. At this time, there is no water in the soft water area 12. As the volume of water in the hard water area 11 increases, the partition 2 moves synchronously towards the soft water area 12, occupying the accommodation space of the soft water area 12. When running soft water, the hard water flows out of the hard water area 11 and into the soft water area 12 under the pumping action of the pumping component 4, and the partition 2 correspondingly moves from the soft water area 12 towards the hard water area 11. Through the movable partition 2 that moves with the change of the volume of hard water and soft water, the water softener actually allows the hard water area and the soft water area to alternately use the space, without the space waste of the hard water area being idle after softening in the prior art, thus achieving the purpose of saving equipment space. At the same time, due to the mixing and softening of non-hard water and soft water, the softening efficiency is relatively high.

[0055] According to an embodiment of the present invention, there is also provided a method for regenerating the water softening resin column of the above-mentioned water softener, including the following steps:

[0056] Switch the cover 23 to the resin regeneration state;

[0057] Add regenerated brine into the water storage space, specifically, for example, through the top opening described above or the water injection port 52 of the water injection structure 5 described above. The aforementioned regenerated brine is a conventional substance in the industry, and the present invention does not make special limitations;

[0058] Control the operation of the pumping component 4.

[0059] In this technical solution, when it is necessary to regenerate the water softening resin column 3, the cover 23 is in the resin regeneration state. At this time, the soft water area 12 and the hard water area 11 are connected. A quantitative amount of regenerated brine (concentrated brine) is used to repeatedly circulate and regenerate the water softening resin column 3. While saving costs, the regeneration efficiency is greatly improved, and the regeneration process is extremely simple to operate, without the need to repeatedly add regenerated brine or discharge waste water.

[0060] In the description of this specification, the descriptions referring to terms such as "one embodiment", "some embodiments", "schematic embodiments", "examples", "specific examples", or "some examples" etc. mean that the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described in connection with the embodiment or example are included in at least one embodiment or example of the present invention. In this specification, the schematic expressions of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Moreover, the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described can be combined in a suitable manner in any one or more embodiments or examples.

[0061] Although embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, those of ordinary skill in the art can understand that various changes, modifications, substitutions, and variations can be made to these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the present invention. The scope of the present invention is defined by the claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A water softener, characterized in that, Comprising: A water storage bucket (1), within which a water storage space is formed; A movable partition (2), movably positioned within the water storage space, which divides the water storage space into a hard water area (11) and a soft water area (12); A soft water resin column (3), which has a hard water inlet (31) and a soft water outlet (32), and the soft water outlet (32) is communicated with the soft water area (12); A pumping component (4), which has a pump inlet and a pump outlet. Among them, the pump inlet is communicated with the hard water area (11) through a first pipeline, and the pump outlet is communicated with the hard water inlet (31) through a second pipeline; A water injection structure (5), communicated with the hard water area (11); The movable partition (2) is provided with a flow-through hole (22), and a cover (23) is detachably connected to the flow-through hole (22). The cover (23) has a soft water state in which the hard water area (11) and the soft water area (12) are isolated from each other and a resin regeneration state in which the hard water area (11) and the soft water area (12) are communicated.

2. The water softener according to claim 1, wherein: A first seal (21) is provided between the outer edge of the movable partition (2) and the wall of the water storage space.

3. The water softener according to claim 1, wherein: The top of the water storage bucket (1) has a top opening, and a cover (6) is detachably connected to the top opening.

4. The water softener according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein: The movable partition (2) is horizontally placed within the water storage space, the hard water area (11) and the soft water area (12) are arranged up and down, and the hard water area (11) is located below the soft water area (12).

5. The water softener according to claim 4, wherein: The water injection structure (5) is a pipe body, which is vertically arranged within the water storage space through the movable partition (2), and a second seal (51) is provided between the movable partition (2) and the pipe wall of the pipe body; and / or, The soft water resin column (3) is vertically arranged within the water storage space through the movable partition (2), and a third seal (33) is provided between the movable partition (2) and the outer wall of the soft water resin column (3).

6. The water softener according to claim 5, wherein: The water injection structure (5) and / or the soft water resin column (3) is suspended on the bottom wall of the water storage space.

7. The water softener according to claim 5, wherein: The first pipeline and / or the second pipeline passes through the hollow tube of the water injection structure (5).

8. The water softener according to claim 4, wherein: The bottom of the water storage bucket (1) is constructed with a receiving cavity (13), the receiving cavity (13) is in the area below the hard water area (11), and the pumping component (4) is assembled within the receiving cavity (13).

9. A humidifying device, characterized in that, Including the water softener according to any one of claims 1 to 8.

10. A method for regenerating the soft water resin column of a water softener according to any one of claims 3 to 8, characterized in that, Including the following steps: Switch the cover (23) to the resin regeneration state; Add regenerated brine into the water storage space; Control the operation of the pumping component (4).

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