Flow regulator and water heater containing it

Abstract

This invention provides a flow stabilizing valve and a water heater incorporating the same. The flow stabilizing valve includes a valve body with an inlet and an outlet that communicate with each other. A first elastic plate and a second elastic plate are provided between the inlet and the outlet. One of the first and second elastic plates has a protrusion, and the other has an insertion hole corresponding to the protrusion. A connecting member is also provided within the valve body, and the outer edges of the first and second elastic plates are connected to the connecting member. A first limiting member is provided on the side of the second elastic plate near the outlet. Under water pressure, the first elastic plate can bend towards the outlet; the second elastic plate slides towards the outlet and presses against the first limiting member. The flow stabilizing valve of this invention quickly adjusts the relative position between the protrusion and the insertion hole by rapidly shortening or widening the distance between the first and second elastic plates, thereby quickly adjusting the flow-stopping area and enabling the flow stabilizing valve to function promptly.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a flow regulator and a water heater containing the same. Background Technology

[0002] With the increasing number of high-rise buildings, water pressure conditions in homes are becoming more complex. In some communities, excessive water pressure can affect the water supply to water heaters, impacting their normal operation and potentially causing the inlet pipes to burst, leading to personal injury and property damage. In other cases, large fluctuations in water pressure cause constant fluctuations in water flow, which in turn cause fluctuations in the hot water temperature. All of this results in a very poor user experience.

[0003] To control water flow, a flow regulator is typically installed on the inlet pipe of a water heater to stabilize the flow. This valve has a flow-stopping orifice for liquid flow. By controlling the amount of liquid allowed to pass through the orifice per unit time under varying inlet pressures, the output flow rate is controlled. However, when water pressure fluctuates drastically due to sudden increases or decreases, the orifice may not adjust quickly to the preset state, resulting in ineffective and untimely control of the water flow and a failure to maintain a stable flow. Consequently, the water flow control effect is poor. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to overcome the defects of the existing flow stabilizing valves, which cannot play a timely role in stabilizing the flow and have poor effect on controlling the water flow. The present invention provides a flow stabilizing valve and a water heater containing the same.

[0005] The present invention solves the above-mentioned technical problems through the following technical solution:

[0006] The present invention provides a flow stabilizing valve, the flow stabilizing valve including a valve body, the valve body having an inlet and an outlet that are interconnected, a first elastic plate and a second elastic plate arranged sequentially along the water flow direction between the inlet and the outlet, one of the first elastic plate and the second elastic plate having a protrusion, and the other having an insertion hole corresponding to the protrusion, the two sides of the insertion hole being connected to the inlet and the outlet respectively;

[0007] The valve body is also provided with a connector, the outer radial side of the connector abuts against the inner peripheral wall of the valve body, and the outer edges of the first elastic sheet and the outer edges of the second elastic sheet are respectively connected to the connector;

[0008] The second elastic sheet has a first limiting member on the side near the water outlet. Under water pressure, the first elastic sheet can bend towards the water outlet; the second elastic sheet slides towards the water outlet and presses against the first limiting member, so that the second elastic sheet can bend towards the water inlet.

[0009] In this solution, the aforementioned structural form is adopted. By quickly shortening or widening the distance between the first and second elastic plates, the relative position between the protrusion and the insertion hole is quickly adjusted, thereby rapidly adjusting the area of ​​the first flow gap. Even when the water pressure fluctuates drastically due to a sudden increase or decrease, the opening of the flow stabilizing valve can be quickly adjusted, thus improving the response speed of the flow stabilizing valve. This allows the flow stabilizing valve to play a timely role in stabilizing the flow, enhancing the flow control effect. Consequently, it effectively improves the problem of hot water temperature fluctuation caused by water flow fluctuations, greatly enhancing the user experience.

[0010] Preferably, in the initial state, the first elastic sheet bends away from the outlet, and the second elastic sheet bends away from the inlet.

[0011] In this solution, the above-mentioned structure is adopted. In the initial state, the distance between the first elastic sheet and the second elastic sheet is relatively large, which realizes that the distance between the protrusion and the insertion hole is relatively large. This can effectively prevent the protrusion from moving into the insertion hole in the initial state, thereby increasing the adjustment range of the first flow gap and preventing the flow regulator valve from being blocked in the initial state.

[0012] Preferably, the outer edge of the first elastic sheet abuts against the outer edge of the second elastic sheet.

[0013] In this solution, the above-mentioned structural form is adopted to shorten the distance between the first elastic plate and the second elastic plate, thereby enhancing the structural compactness of the flow stabilizing valve.

[0014] Preferably, the inner wall of the valve body is provided with a second limiting member, which is located on the side of the first elastic sheet near the water inlet. Under water pressure, the first elastic sheet slides between the second limiting member and the water outlet.

[0015] In this solution, the above-mentioned structural form is adopted. The second limiting member is set near the water outlet and limits the first elastic plate to prevent the first and second elastic plates from falling out of the valve body during the movement of the valve body under water pressure fluctuations.

[0016] Preferably, the first elastic sheet has the insertion hole, and the second elastic sheet has the protrusion that protrudes toward the first elastic sheet;

[0017] Located on the outer periphery of the protrusion, the second elastic sheet is also provided with a plurality of first throttling holes, the two sides of which are respectively connected to the insertion hole and the outlet.

[0018] In this solution, the above-mentioned structure is adopted. When the water pressure increases, both the first flow gap and the first throttling orifice narrow, so that the flow stabilizing valve can maintain a good flow stabilizing function even under large water pressure fluctuations.

[0019] Preferably, the first elastic sheet has a first end, wherein the distance between the first end and the outlet is the longest, and the first end is located in the middle of the first elastic sheet;

[0020] The second elastic sheet has a second end, and the distance between the second end and the outlet is the shortest. The second end is located in the middle of the second elastic sheet, and a plurality of the first throttling holes are evenly spaced along the circumferential direction of the second elastic sheet.

[0021] In this scheme, the above-mentioned structural form is adopted. Along the circumferential direction of the second elastic sheet, the narrowing speed or opening speed of several first throttling orifices is approximately the same, and the throttling speed in each direction is consistent. This makes the water output of the flow stabilizing valve more uniform and stable, which is conducive to the stable operation of the flow stabilizing valve.

[0022] Preferably, the insertion hole is located in the middle of the first end portion, and the protrusion is located in the middle of the second end portion.

[0023] In this solution, the above-mentioned structural form is adopted. In the initial state, the distance between the middle part of the first elastic plate and the middle part of the second elastic plate is the farthest, and the distance between the protrusion and the insertion hole is the largest. This can effectively prevent the protrusion from moving into the insertion hole, thereby increasing the adjustment range of the first flow gap.

[0024] Preferably, the second elastic sheet is further provided with a second throttling hole, the two sides of the second throttling hole are respectively connected to the insertion hole and the outlet, and the second throttling hole is closer to the outer edge of the second elastic sheet than the first throttling hole;

[0025] Along the circumferential direction of the second elastic sheet, the width of the second slit in the second throttling orifice is greater than the width of the first slit in the first throttling orifice.

[0026] In this design, employing the aforementioned structural form, when water pressure fluctuates, in addition to adjusting the area of ​​the first flow gap by moving the protruding part into or out of the insertion hole, the first throttling orifice gradually narrows or expands to change the water flow area. Furthermore, the water flow can be controlled by the second throttling orifice being blocked by the first elastic plate, further enabling the flow stabilizing valve to maintain good flow stabilization even under large water pressure fluctuations. Moreover, compared to the first throttling orifice, the first throttling orifice is a narrow slit, while the second throttling orifice is a wide slit and positioned near the outer edge of the second elastic plate. This allows for a large flow rate to pass through even at lower water pressures, making the flow stabilizing valve less prone to clogging.

[0027] Preferably, in the radial direction of the second elastic sheet, along the direction close to the outer edge of the second elastic sheet, the width of the second hole gradually increases.

[0028] In this solution, the above-mentioned structural form is adopted, which allows for a relatively large water flow rate when the water pressure is low, further preventing the flow stabilizing valve from clogging.

[0029] Preferably, the second throttling orifice corresponds one-to-one with the first throttling orifice, and the first throttling orifice and the second throttling orifice are connected by a transition section to form an irregularly shaped orifice.

[0030] In this solution, the above-mentioned structural form is adopted, and a transition section is set between the first throttling hole and the second throttling hole to reduce stress, prevent the hole wall of the irregular hole from cracking during the deformation of the second elastic sheet, and extend the service life of the second elastic sheet.

[0031] Preferably, one end of the valve body is open to form the water inlet, and the other end of the valve body is provided with an end plate connected to the inner peripheral wall of the valve body. The end plate is provided with the water outlet, which includes a first water outlet hole, which is located near the outer edge of the end plate.

[0032] In this solution, by adopting the above-mentioned structural form, when the water pressure is low, the water flow can flow into the first outlet hole through the second throttling hole near the outer edge of the second elastic plate, thus maintaining smooth water flow.

[0033] Preferably, the end plate has a protrusion on the side near the second elastic sheet to form the first limiting member, the first limiting member corresponding to the end of the second elastic sheet near the outlet.

[0034] In this solution, the above-mentioned structural form is adopted, and the first limiting member is directly set on the end plate, which helps to improve the rationality of the spatial layout and eliminates the need to set additional installation space for the first limiting member on the inner wall of the valve body.

[0035] Preferably, the outlet further includes a second outlet hole, which penetrates the outer wall of the end plate and the side wall of the first limiting member near the second elastic sheet, and the first throttling hole communicates with the outlet hole.

[0036] In this solution, the above-mentioned structure is adopted to ensure that water can flow out from the first throttling hole and the second water outlet hole in sequence during the process of the first elastic sheet and the second water outlet hole fitting together, so that the flow stabilizing valve will not be directly blocked even when the water pressure is high.

[0037] Preferably, the outer diameter of the protrusion gradually decreases along the direction close to the water inlet.

[0038] In this solution, the above-mentioned structure is adopted. When the water pressure increases, the outer diameter of the part of the protrusion that extends into the insertion hole gradually increases, further and rapidly reducing the cross-sectional area of ​​the first flow gap. Conversely, when the water pressure decreases, the response sensitivity of the flow stabilizing valve is further improved.

[0039] The present invention also provides a water heater, which includes the flow regulating valve as described above.

[0040] The positive and progressive effects of this invention are as follows:

[0041] The flow stabilizing valve in this invention quickly adjusts the relative position between the protrusion and the insertion hole by rapidly shortening or widening the distance between the first and second elastic plates, thereby quickly adjusting the area of ​​the first flow gap. Even when the water pressure fluctuates drastically due to a sudden increase or decrease, the opening of the flow stabilizing valve can be quickly adjusted, thus improving the response speed of the flow stabilizing valve and enabling it to stabilize the flow in a timely manner, enhancing the flow control effect. This effectively improves the problem of hot water temperature fluctuation caused by water flow fluctuations, greatly enhancing the user experience. Attached Figure Description

[0042] Figure 1 This is an exploded view of the flow stabilizing valve according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

[0043] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the flow stabilizing valve according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

[0044] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the initial state of the flow stabilizing valve according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

[0045] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the first and second elastic plates of the flow stabilizing valve in a preferred embodiment of the present invention when they are brought close together.

[0046] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the first elastic sheet according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

[0047] Figure 6 This is a bottom view of the second elastic sheet according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

[0048] Figure 7 This is a top view of the second elastic sheet according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

[0049] Figure 8 This is a front view of the second elastic sheet according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

[0050] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the valve body according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

[0051] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures:

[0052] Valve body 1

[0053] Inlet 11

[0054] Outlet 12

[0055] First water outlet 121

[0056] Second water outlet 122

[0057] First elastic sheet 13

[0058] Insertion hole 131

[0059] First end 132

[0060] Second elastic sheet 14

[0061] Protrusion 141

[0062] Irregular hole 142

[0063] First flow orifice 1421

[0064] Second flow orifice 1422

[0065] Transition section 1423

[0066] Second end 143

[0067] First limiting component 15

[0068] Second limiting component 16

[0069] Connector 17

[0070] Mounting slot 171

[0071] End plate 18 Detailed Implementation

[0072] The present invention will be described more clearly and completely below by way of embodiments and in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, but the present invention is not limited to the scope of the following embodiments.

[0073] Please also refer to Figures 1 to 4 This embodiment provides a flow stabilizing valve, which includes a valve body 1. The valve body 1 has an inlet 11 and an outlet 12 that are interconnected. A first elastic plate 13 and a second elastic plate 14 are arranged sequentially along the water flow direction between the inlet 11 and the outlet 12. Figure 3 The dotted line with arrows indicates the direction of water flow. The first elastic plate 13 is closer to the inlet 11 than the second elastic plate 14, meaning that the water flows through the first elastic plate 13 and then through the second elastic plate 14. One of the first elastic plate 13 and the second elastic plate 14 has a protrusion 141, and the other has an insertion hole 131 corresponding to the protrusion 141. The two sides of the insertion hole 131 are connected to the inlet 11 and the outlet 12, respectively. In other words, the first elastic plate 13 has a protrusion 141, and the second elastic plate 14 has an insertion hole 131. The first elastic plate 13 also has a hole for water to pass through; or, the first elastic plate 13 has an insertion hole 131, and the second elastic plate 14 has a protrusion 141. The second elastic plate 14 also has a hole for water to pass through. The valve body 1 is also provided with a connector 17. The radial outer side of the connector 17 abuts against the inner peripheral wall of the valve body 1. The outer edges of the first elastic plate 13 and the outer edges of the second elastic plate 14 are respectively connected to the connector 17. The second elastic plate 14 is provided with a first limiting member 15 on the side near the outlet 12. Under water pressure, the first elastic plate 13 can bend towards the outlet 12; the second elastic plate 14 can slide towards the outlet 12 and press against the first limiting member 15, so that the second elastic plate 14 bends towards the inlet 11.

[0074] In this embodiment, the two sides of the insertion hole 131 are connected to the water inlet 11 and the water outlet 12 respectively, and the water flow through the insertion hole 131 serves as the first flow gap. When the water pressure exceeds the force required for the first elastic sheet 13 and the second elastic sheet 14 to deform, as the water pressure increases, the water pressure pushes the first elastic sheet 13 and the second elastic sheet 14, which are connected together by the connector 17, to slide together towards the outlet 12. During this process, the water pressure pushes the first elastic sheet 13 to bend towards the outlet 12; and the water pressure drives the second elastic sheet 14 to move towards the outlet 12 to press against the first limiting member 15. Since the part of the second elastic sheet 14 that abuts against the first limiting member 15 is limited by the first limiting member 15, the part of the second elastic sheet 14 that does not abut against the first limiting member 15 can continue to move towards the outlet 12, causing the second elastic sheet 14 to bend towards the inlet 11, driving the connector 17 connected to the outer edge of the second elastic sheet 14 to slide towards the outlet 12, thereby pulling the first elastic sheet 13 installed on the connector 17 to slide towards the outlet 12. That is, during the process of the first elastic sheet 13 moving towards the second elastic sheet 14 under the action of water pressure, the first elastic sheet 13 can also be pulled towards the second elastic sheet 14 by the second elastic sheet 14 and bend towards the second elastic sheet 14. The second elastic sheet 14 bends towards the first elastic sheet 13, which can quickly shorten the distance between the first elastic sheet 13 and the second elastic sheet 14, thereby enabling the protrusion 141 to quickly move into the insertion hole 131 and quickly reduce the area of ​​the first flow gap. As the water pressure decreases, the first elastic plate 13 and the second elastic plate 14 gradually return to their initial state due to their elasticity. That is, the first elastic plate 13 gradually bends away from the outlet 12, and the second elastic plate 14 gradually bends towards the outlet 12. During the deformation of the second elastic plate 14, the outer edge of the second elastic plate 14 pushes the connector 17 to slide towards the inlet 11, thereby pushing the first elastic plate 13 to slide away from the outlet 12. In other words, as the first elastic plate 13 moves away from the second elastic plate 14, it bends away from the second elastic plate 14, and the second elastic plate 14 bends away from the second elastic plate 14. This can quickly widen the distance between the first elastic plate 13 and the second elastic plate 14, thereby enabling the protrusion 141 to quickly move out of the insertion hole 131 and rapidly increase the area of ​​the first flow gap.By quickly shortening or widening the distance between the first elastic plate 13 and the second elastic plate 14, the relative position between the protrusion 141 and the insertion hole 131 can be quickly adjusted to adjust the area of ​​the first flow gap. Even when the water pressure suddenly rises or falls, causing drastic fluctuations, the opening of the flow stabilizing valve can be quickly adjusted, thereby improving the response speed of the flow stabilizing valve so that it can play a timely role in stabilizing the flow and enhancing the flow control effect. This effectively improves the problem of hot water temperature fluctuations caused by water flow fluctuations, greatly enhancing the user experience.

[0075] In this embodiment, the valve body 1 is a cylindrical component, and the corresponding first elastic plate 13 and second elastic plate 14 are disc-shaped. In other embodiments, the valve body 1 may also be a prism, with the shapes of the first elastic plate 13 and second elastic plate 14 adapted accordingly. A mounting groove 171 is formed on the radially inner side of the connector 17, and the outer edges of the first elastic plate 13 and second elastic plate 14 are embedded in the mounting groove 171.

[0076] In this embodiment, the connector 17 uses an elastic washer. Under water pressure, the first elastic sheet 13 and the second elastic sheet 14 need to deform. The elastic washer can adapt to the deformation of the first elastic sheet 13 and the second elastic sheet 14, changing its shape without constraining the deformation of the first elastic sheet 13 and the second elastic sheet 14, thus further improving the response speed of the flow control valve. Furthermore, since the portion of the mounting groove 171 that abuts against the first elastic sheet 13 and the second elastic sheet 14 needs to be repeatedly bent during the deformation process, fatigue damage to the elastic washer can be reduced, extending its service life. The elastic washer can be made of rubber.

[0077] In this embodiment, please refer to Figure 3 and Figure 4 To understand this, in the initial state, the first elastic plate 13 bends away from the outlet 12, and the second elastic plate 14 bends away from the inlet 11. When the water pressure increases, the first elastic plate 13 bends towards the outlet 12 to gradually flatten, and the second elastic plate 14 bends towards the inlet 11 to gradually flatten, with the first and second elastic plates 13 and 14 gradually fitting together from their outer edges towards the center. Conversely, when the water pressure decreases, the first and second elastic plates 13 and 14 gradually return to their original shape due to their own elasticity. In the initial state, the distance between the first and second elastic plates 13 and 14 is relatively large, resulting in a larger distance between the protrusion 141 and the insertion hole 131. This effectively prevents the protrusion 141 from moving into the insertion hole 131 in the initial state, thereby increasing the adjustment range of the first flow gap and preventing the flow regulator from becoming blocked in the initial state.

[0078] In this embodiment, as Figure 3 and Figure 4 As shown, the outer edge of the first elastic sheet 13 abuts against the outer edge of the second elastic sheet 14. The outer edge of the surface of the first elastic sheet 13 closest to the second elastic sheet 14 abuts against the outer edge of the surface of the second elastic sheet 14 closest to the first elastic sheet 13, shortening the distance between the first elastic sheet 13 and the second elastic sheet 14 and enhancing the structural compactness of the flow control valve.

[0079] In other embodiments, the outer edges of the first elastic piece 13 and the second elastic piece 14 may also be spaced apart, that is, two spaced mounting grooves 171 are opened on the radially inner side of the connector 17, and the first elastic piece 13 and the second elastic piece 14 are respectively embedded in the two mounting grooves 171.

[0080] In this embodiment, as Figure 3 , Figure 4 and Figure 9 As shown, a second limiting member 16 is provided on the inner wall of the valve body 1. The second limiting member 16 is located on the side of the first elastic plate 13 near the inlet 11. Under water pressure, the first elastic plate 13 slides between the second limiting member 16 and the outlet 12. The second limiting member 16 is located near the outlet 12 and limits the first elastic plate 13 to prevent the first elastic plate 13 and the second elastic plate 14 from falling out of the valve body 1 during movement within the valve body 1 under water pressure fluctuations. Specifically, when the water pressure increases, the first elastic plate 13 slides relative to the valve body towards the outlet 12; when the water pressure decreases, the first elastic plate 13 slides relative to the valve body away from the outlet 12 and is limited by the second limiting member 16.

[0081] The second limiting member 16 is an extension block extending from the inner wall of the valve body 1 towards the center of the valve body 1. The side of the extension block closest to the first elastic plate 13 is flat, which reduces the gap between the first elastic plate 13 and the second limiting member 16 when the first elastic plate 13 is limited by water pressure, enhancing the compactness of the structure. Along the axial direction of the valve body 1, the cross-section of the second limiting member 16 is triangular. In this embodiment, there are four second limiting members 16, evenly spaced along the circumferential direction of the valve body 1 on the inner wall of the valve body 1. In other embodiments, the number of second limiting members 16 can also be other suitable numbers.

[0082] In other embodiments, the second limiting member 16 is an annular component fixed to the inner wall of the valve body 1.

[0083] In this embodiment, as Figure 1 , Figure 3 and Figure 4As shown, the first elastic plate 13 has an insertion hole 131, and the second elastic plate 14 has a protrusion 141 protruding towards the first elastic plate 13; located on the outer periphery of the protrusion 141, the second elastic plate 14 also has a plurality of first throttling holes 1421, the two sides of the first throttling holes 1421 being connected to the insertion hole 131 and the outlet 12 respectively. According to Figure 3 Understanding the water flow direction shown, the water flows sequentially through the inlet 11, the insertion hole 131, and the first throttling hole 1421, before exiting from the outlet 12. When the water pressure increases, the first elastic plate 13 and the second elastic plate 14 gradually come together from their outer edges towards the center. Simultaneously, the protrusion 141 moves into the insertion hole 131 to reduce the area of ​​the first flow gap. As the second elastic plate 14 gradually flattens, the width of the first throttling hole 1421 decreases along its circumferential direction, causing the first throttling hole 1421 to gradually narrow, further reducing the water flow area. Therefore, it can be seen that when the water pressure increases, both the first flow gap and the first throttling hole 1421 narrow, allowing the flow stabilizing valve to maintain good flow stabilization even under large water pressure fluctuations.

[0084] Specifically, the middle part of the second elastic sheet 14 is bent towards the water inlet 11 to form a protrusion 141, which reduces the weight of the second elastic sheet 14 and makes it easier for the second elastic sheet 14 to deform.

[0085] In another embodiment, the protrusion 141 is provided on the first elastic sheet 13, and the first elastic sheet 13 is also provided with an opening around the protrusion 141. The second elastic sheet 14 is provided with an insertion hole 131. The water flows through the inlet 11 and the opening in sequence to flow to the insertion hole 131 and the first throttling hole 1421 respectively, and then flows out from the outlet 12.

[0086] In this embodiment, as Figure 3 and Figure 4As shown, the first elastic plate 13 has a first end 132, and the distance between the first end 132 and the outlet 12 is the longest, with the first end 132 located in the middle of the first elastic plate 13. The second elastic plate 14 has a second end 143, and the distance between the second end 143 and the outlet 12 is the shortest, with the second end 143 located in the middle of the second elastic plate 14. A plurality of first throttling holes 1421 are evenly spaced along the circumferential direction of the second elastic plate 14. When the water pressure increases, the first elastic plate 13 and the second elastic plate 14 gradually come together from the outer edge to the center; when the water pressure decreases, the first elastic plate 13 and the second elastic plate 14 gradually separate from the center to the outer edge. Along the circumferential direction of the second elastic plate 14, the narrowing speed or opening speed of the plurality of first throttling holes 1421 is approximately the same, and the throttling speed in each direction is consistent, thereby making the water output of the flow stabilizing valve more uniform and stable, which is beneficial to the stable operation of the flow stabilizing valve. Specifically, as the second elastic sheet 14 slides toward the outlet 12, the second end 143 abuts against the first limiting member 15.

[0087] In this embodiment, as Figure 5 and Figure 6 As shown, the insertion hole 131 is located in the middle of the first end 132, and the protrusion 141 is located in the middle of the second end 143. In the initial state, the distance between the middle of the first elastic piece 13 and the middle of the second elastic piece 14 is the farthest, and the distance between the protrusion 141 and the insertion hole 131 is the largest, which can effectively prevent the protrusion 141 from moving into the insertion hole 131, thereby increasing the adjustment range of the first flow gap.

[0088] In this embodiment, as Figures 6 to 8 As shown, a second throttling orifice 1422 is also provided on the second elastic plate 14. The two sides of the second throttling orifice 1422 are connected to the insertion hole 131 and the outlet 12, respectively. The second throttling orifice 1422 is closer to the outer edge of the second elastic plate 14 than the first throttling orifice 1421. Along the circumferential direction of the second elastic plate 14, the width of the second slit in the second throttling orifice 1422 is greater than the width of the first slit in the first throttling orifice 1421. In other words, when the first slit and the second slit are of equal width, the width of the first slit is smaller than the width of the second slit. When the widths of the first slit and the second slit are unequal, the slope of the sides of the second throttling orifice 1422 is greater than the slope of the sides of the first throttling orifice 1421.

[0089] When the water pressure increases, the first elastic plate 13 and the second elastic plate 14 gradually come together from the outer edge to the center, and the second throttling orifice 1422 located on the outer side is gradually blocked by the first elastic plate 13, gradually reducing the water flow through the second throttling orifice 1422. Conversely, when the water pressure decreases, the first elastic plate 13 and the second elastic plate 14 gradually separate, and the second throttling orifice 1422 gradually separates from the first elastic plate 13, increasing the water flow through the second throttling orifice 1422. Therefore, when the water pressure fluctuates, in addition to adjusting the area of ​​the first flow gap by moving the protrusion 141 into or out of the insertion hole 131, the first throttling orifice 1421 will gradually narrow or expand to change the water flow area. Furthermore, the water flow can be controlled by the second throttling orifice 1422 being blocked by the first elastic plate 13, further enabling the flow stabilizing valve to maintain a good flow stabilizing function even under large water pressure fluctuations. In addition, compared with the first throttling orifice 1421, the second throttling orifice 1422 is a narrow slit section, while the second throttling orifice 1422 is a wide slit section and is located near the outer edge of the second elastic plate 14, so that a large flow can pass through when the water pressure is low, making the flow stabilizing valve less prone to clogging.

[0090] In this embodiment, as Figure 6 As shown, in the radial direction of the second elastic plate 14, the width of the second orifice gradually increases towards the outer edge of the second elastic plate 14. Since the deformation of the second elastic plate 14 is non-linear with the applied force, the initial deformation requires less force and the deformation is rapid; as the force increases linearly, the deformation becomes slower. Therefore, the width of the portion of the second throttling orifice 1422 near the outer edge of the second elastic plate 14 is larger, resulting in a relatively larger water flow rate when the water pressure is low, further preventing the flow regulator valve from clogging.

[0091] In this embodiment, as Figure 5 As shown, the second throttling orifice 1422 corresponds one-to-one with the first throttling orifice 1421, and the first throttling orifice 1421 and the second throttling orifice 1422 are connected by a transition section 1423 to form an irregularly shaped orifice 142. The transition section 1423 is provided between the first throttling orifice 1421 and the second throttling orifice 1422 to reduce stress, prevent the orifice wall of the irregularly shaped orifice 142 from cracking during the deformation of the second elastic sheet 14, and extend the service life of the second elastic sheet 14.

[0092] Specifically, along the direction close to the transition section 1423, the width of the first slot of the first throttling orifice 1421 transitions from large to small, and the width of the second slot of the second throttling orifice 1422 transitions from large to small. When the second elastic plate 14 is flattened by water pressure, the transition section 1423 can be completely closed, but the two side walls will not interfere with each other, so as to ensure that even when the second elastic plate 14 is flattened, water always flows through the first throttling orifice 1421, avoiding blockage of the flow stabilizing valve.

[0093] More specifically, such as Figure 6 and Figure 7 As shown, the irregularly shaped holes 142 extend along the radial direction of the second elastic sheet 14. When the water pressure fluctuates, the first elastic sheet 13 and the second elastic sheet 14 move closer together from the edge to the center or separate from the center to the edge. The second elastic sheet 14 deforms along its radial direction, making the irregularly shaped holes 142 deform uniformly. This results in a more uniform and stable water output from the flow regulator, which is beneficial for the stable operation of the flow regulator. In this embodiment, there are six irregularly shaped holes 142, which are evenly spaced along the circumferential direction of the second elastic sheet 14 on the outer periphery of the protrusion 141. In other embodiments, the number of irregularly shaped holes 142 can also be other suitable numbers.

[0094] In this embodiment, as Figure 3 and Figure 4 As shown, the outer diameter of the protrusion 141 gradually decreases along the direction close to the inlet 11. When the water pressure increases, the outer diameter of the part of the protrusion 141 that extends into the insertion hole 131 gradually increases, further rapidly reducing the cross-sectional area of ​​the first flow gap. Conversely, when the water pressure decreases, the opposite occurs, further improving the responsiveness of the flow regulator.

[0095] In this embodiment, as Figure 9 As shown, one end of the valve body 1 is open to form a water inlet 11. The water flow through the water inlet 11 acts directly and evenly on the side of the first elastic plate 13 near the water inlet 11, allowing the first elastic plate 13 to deform evenly and enhancing the reliability of water flow regulation. The other end of the valve body 1 is provided with an end plate 18 connected to the inner peripheral wall of the valve body 1. An outlet 12 is provided on the end plate 18, including a first water outlet hole 121, which is located near the outer edge of the end plate 18. When the water pressure is low, the water flow can flow into the first water outlet hole 121 through the second throttling hole 1422 near the outer edge of the second elastic plate 14, thus maintaining smooth water flow.

[0096] Specifically, there are four first water outlet holes 121, which are evenly spaced along the circumferential direction of the end plate 18. The first water outlet holes 121 are oblong-shaped holes. In addition, in other embodiments, other suitable numbers and shapes of the first water outlet holes 121 can be selected.

[0097] In this embodiment, as Figure 2 and Figure 9As shown, the end plate 18 has a protruding block on the side near the second elastic sheet 14 to form a first limiting member 15. The first limiting member 15 corresponds to the end of the second elastic sheet 14 near the outlet 12 (i.e., the second end 143), so that when the first limiting member 15 applies pressure to the second elastic sheet 14, it ensures that the second elastic sheet 14 will deform. In addition, the first limiting member 15 is directly set on the end plate 18, which is conducive to improving the rationality of the spatial layout, and there is no need to set additional installation space for the first limiting member 15 on the inner wall of the valve body 1.

[0098] In other embodiments, the first limiting member 15 may also be detachably connected to the inner wall of the valve body 1, as long as the first limiting member 15 is fixed relative to the inner wall of the valve body 1.

[0099] The outlet 12 also includes a second outlet hole 122, which penetrates the outer wall of the end plate 18 and the side wall of the first limiting member 15 near the second elastic sheet 14. The first throttling hole 1421 communicates with the second outlet hole 122. Please refer to... Figure 3 and Figure 4 To understand the flow pattern, water flows sequentially from the inlet 11 and the insertion hole 131 to the second elastic plate 14, and then flows out through the irregularly shaped holes 142 from the first outlet 121 and the second outlet 122 respectively. Since the first throttling hole 1421 is connected to the second outlet 122, water can still flow out sequentially from both the first elastic plate 131 and the second outlet 122 while the first elastic plate 131 and the second outlet 122 are in contact with each other, ensuring that the flow control valve will not be directly blocked even under high water pressure. In this embodiment, the second outlet 122 is a circular hole. Of course, in other embodiments, the second outlet 122 can also adopt other suitable shapes.

[0100] In specific implementation, the first elastic sheet 13 and the second elastic sheet 14 are elastic metal discs. In the initial state, as... Figure 3 As shown, the center distance between the first elastic sheet 13 and the second elastic sheet 14 is the largest, and the protrusion 141 has not moved into the insertion hole 131; when the water pressure increases, as Figure 4As shown, water pressure drives the first elastic plate 13 and the second elastic plate 14 to quickly adhere from the edge to the center. The protrusion 141 gradually moves into the insertion hole 131, and the second throttling hole 1422 is gradually blocked by the first elastic plate 13. The first throttling hole 1421 gradually narrows itself, thus triple-suppressing the increase in water flow. Conversely, when the water pressure decreases, the first elastic plate 13 and the second elastic plate 14 gradually return to their initial state due to their elasticity. That is, the first elastic plate 13 gradually bends away from the outlet 12, and the second elastic plate 14 gradually... As the second elastic plate 14 deforms, it gradually bends towards the outlet 12. During this process, the outer edge of the second elastic plate 14 pushes the connector 17 to slide towards the inlet 11, which in turn pushes the first elastic plate 13 to slide away from the outlet 12. The protrusion 141 can quickly move out of the insertion hole 131. The second throttling hole 1422 gradually separates from the first elastic plate 13, and the first throttling hole 1421 gradually expands to its initial state, thereby increasing the cross-sectional area of ​​the water flow channel to achieve the effect of stabilizing the flow.

[0101] This embodiment also provides a water heater, wherein the water circuit system of the water heater is provided with, as shown in the example Figures 1 to 4 The flow stabilizing valve shown is used to stabilize the water flow rate in the water circuit system of the water heater, reduce or avoid fluctuations in the hot water temperature, and improve the user's water experience.

[0102] While specific embodiments of the present invention have been described above, those skilled in the art should understand that these are merely illustrative examples, and the scope of protection of the present invention is defined by the appended claims. Those skilled in the art can make various changes or modifications to these embodiments without departing from the principles and essence of the present invention, but all such changes and modifications fall within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A flow regulating valve, characterized in that, The flow stabilizing valve includes a valve body with an inlet and an outlet that are interconnected. A first elastic plate and a second elastic plate are arranged sequentially along the water flow direction between the inlet and the outlet. One of the first and second elastic plates has a protrusion, and the other has an insertion hole corresponding to the protrusion. The two sides of the insertion hole are respectively connected to the inlet and the outlet. The insertion hole is used to allow water flow through as a first flow gap. The outer diameter of the protrusion gradually decreases along the direction closer to the inlet. The valve body is also provided with a connector, the outer radial side of the connector abuts against the inner peripheral wall of the valve body, and the outer edges of the first elastic sheet and the second elastic sheet are respectively connected to the connector; in the initial state, the first elastic sheet bends away from the outlet, and the second elastic sheet bends away from the inlet. The second elastic sheet is provided with a first limiting member on the side near the water outlet. Under water pressure, the first elastic sheet can bend towards the water outlet. The second elastic sheet slides towards the water outlet and presses against the first limiting member, so that the second elastic sheet can bend towards the water inlet. The protrusion moves into the insertion hole to reduce the area of ​​the first flow gap.

2. The flow regulating valve as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The outer edge of the first elastic sheet abuts against the outer edge of the second elastic sheet.

3. The flow regulating valve as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The valve body is provided with a second limiting member on its inner wall. The second limiting member is located on the side of the first elastic sheet near the water inlet. Under water pressure, the first elastic sheet slides between the second limiting member and the water outlet.

4. The flow regulating valve as described in claim 3, characterized in that, The first elastic sheet has the insertion hole, and the second elastic sheet has the protrusion that protrudes toward the first elastic sheet; Located on the outer periphery of the protrusion, the second elastic sheet is also provided with a plurality of first throttling holes, the two sides of which are respectively connected to the insertion hole and the outlet.

5. The flow regulating valve as described in claim 4, characterized in that, The first elastic sheet has a first end, and the distance between the first end and the water outlet is the longest, and the first end is located in the middle of the first elastic sheet; The second elastic sheet has a second end, and the distance between the second end and the outlet is the shortest. The second end is located in the middle of the second elastic sheet, and a plurality of the first throttling holes are evenly spaced along the circumferential direction of the second elastic sheet.

6. The flow regulating valve as described in claim 5, characterized in that, The insertion hole is located in the middle of the first end, and the protrusion is located in the middle of the second end.

7. The flow regulating valve as described in claim 4, characterized in that, The second elastic sheet is also provided with a second throttling hole, and the two sides of the second throttling hole are respectively connected to the insertion hole and the outlet. The second throttling hole is closer to the outer edge of the second elastic sheet than the first throttling hole. Along the circumferential direction of the second elastic sheet, the width of the second slit in the second throttling orifice is greater than the width of the first slit in the first throttling orifice.

8. The flow regulating valve as described in claim 7, characterized in that, In the radial direction of the second elastic sheet, along the direction close to the outer edge of the second elastic sheet, the width of the second hole gradually increases.

9. The flow regulating valve as described in claim 7, characterized in that, The second throttling orifice corresponds one-to-one with the first throttling orifice, and the first throttling orifice and the second throttling orifice are connected by a transition section to form an irregularly shaped orifice.

10. The flow regulating valve as described in claim 7, characterized in that, One end of the valve body is open to form the water inlet, and the other end of the valve body is provided with an end plate connected to the inner peripheral wall of the valve body. The end plate is provided with the water outlet, which includes a first water outlet hole, which is located near the outer edge of the end plate.

11. The flow regulating valve as described in claim 10, characterized in that, The end plate has a protrusion on the side near the second elastic sheet to form the first limiting member, which corresponds to the end of the second elastic sheet near the water outlet.

12. The flow regulating valve as described in claim 11, characterized in that, The outlet further includes a second outlet hole, which penetrates the outer wall of the end plate and the side wall of the first limiting member near the second elastic sheet. The first throttling hole is connected to the outlet hole.

13. A water heater, characterized in that, The water heater includes a flow regulating valve as described in any one of claims 1-12.

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