water softener

Abstract

The application discloses a water softener and relates to the technical field of water softeners, wherein the water softener comprises a main tank, a salt tank and a salt valve, the main tank is provided with a water softening cavity, a water inlet and a water outlet which are communicated with the water softening cavity; the salt tank is provided with a salt cavity which is communicated with the water softening cavity; the salt valve is communicated with the salt cavity and the water softening cavity, and the salt valve is configured to make water in the water softening cavity flow to the salt cavity through the salt valve in a water making mode; the technical scheme provided by the application can simplify the overall structure of the water softener.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of water softener technology, and particularly to a water softener. Background Technology

[0002] A water softener is a device used to soften water by removing hardness ions such as calcium and magnesium, thus reducing scale formation. In related technologies, water softeners typically have a dedicated water supply branch and control valve to replenish the brine tank, obtaining a specific concentration of brine. This results in a relatively complex structure and high cost. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The main objective of this invention is to propose a water softener that simplifies the overall structure of the water softener.

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

[0005] The main tank is equipped with a soft water chamber, an inlet and an outlet connecting the soft water chamber;

[0006] A salt tank, equipped with a salt cavity connected to the soft water cavity;

[0007] A salt valve connects the salt chamber and the soft water chamber. The salt valve is configured such that, in water production mode, water in the soft water chamber flows through the salt valve to the salt chamber.

[0008] In one embodiment, the main tank includes a resin tank and a water circuit plate disposed above the resin tank. The resin tank has a resin cavity and a water inlet communicating with the top of the resin cavity. The water circuit plate has a water passage cavity communicating with the water inlet and the water outlet. The soft water cavity includes the resin cavity and the water passage cavity. The salt valve communicates with the water passage cavity.

[0009] In one embodiment, the water softener further includes an upper water distributor located at the water inlet, the water passage cavity includes a connecting cavity located above the upper water distributor, and the water circuit board is further provided with a water supply outlet connecting to the connecting cavity, the water supply outlet connecting to the salt valve.

[0010] In one embodiment, the water passage cavity further includes a water inlet, a water passage channel, and a water outlet. The water inlet is connected to the water passage channel through the water inlet, the water passage channel is connected to the water inlet through the water outlet, and the water outlet is connected to the water replenishment outlet through the connecting cavity. The water outlet is located at the middle of the water inlet.

[0011] In one embodiment, the water circuit board includes a cover and a pipe body disposed on the cover. The cover opening of the cover faces downward and is connected to the water inlet. The water passage and water outlet are disposed on the pipe body. The connecting cavity is formed between the pipe body and the cover wall of the cover. The water supply outlet is disposed on the top wall of the cover.

[0012] In one embodiment, the pipe body includes a first pipe segment disposed inside the cover, the lower end face of the first pipe segment is provided with the water outlet, the first pipe segment extends along the length direction of the water inlet, and / or, the water outlet extends along the length direction of the water inlet.

[0013] In one embodiment, the salt valve includes:

[0014] The base includes a water injection channel, a water inlet and a water outlet connecting the water injection channel, wherein the water inlet is connected to the soft water chamber and the water outlet is connected to the salt tank; and

[0015] The floating element includes a connected float and a valve plug, wherein when the float rises to a first sealing position, the valve plug seals against the edge of the water injection outlet to block the communication between the water injection channel and the water injection outlet.

[0016] In one embodiment, the salt valve further includes a flow-limiting structure disposed at the water inlet, the flow-limiting structure being used to regulate the water flow rate into the water inlet channel.

[0017] In one embodiment, the flow-limiting structure includes a flow-limiting plate capable of elastic deformation, the flow-limiting plate having a flow-limiting hole, and the water inlet being connected to the water injection channel through the flow-limiting hole.

[0018] In one embodiment, the water injection outlet is provided with an outlet sealing ring, and at the first sealing position, the valve plug is sealed to the outlet sealing ring.

[0019] In one embodiment, the float has a cylindrical body with its opening facing downwards. The cylindrical body is arranged around the outer periphery of the base and forms a water passage space with the peripheral side of the base. A buoyancy cavity is constructed above the inner cavity of the cylindrical body.

[0020] In one embodiment, the bottom of the cylinder body is provided with a water passage notch that communicates with the water passage space, and at the first sealing position, the upper edge of the water passage notch is lower than the upper edge of the water injection outlet.

[0021] In one embodiment, the salt valve is configured as a solenoid valve.

[0022] In one embodiment, the salt tank includes a tank body and a salt grid. The salt grid is disposed in the tank body to divide the inner cavity of the tank body into a placement cavity and a salt cavity. The placement cavity communicates with the salt cavity through the grid holes of the salt grid. The salt valve is disposed in the placement cavity.

[0023] In one embodiment, the salt grid includes a first partition and a second partition connected to each other. The first partition extends vertically, and the second partition extends laterally and is provided with the grid holes. The mounting cavity includes a receiving cavity section and a lower channel section that are connected to each other. The receiving cavity section is located on the side of the first partition away from the second partition, and the lower channel section is located below the second partition. The salt cavity is located on the side of the first partition close to the second partition.

[0024] In the technical solution of this invention, the water in the soft water chamber flows to the salt chamber through the salt valve, so as to simultaneously replenish water to the salt tank in the water production mode. In this way, the salt valve serves as the control valve in the water replenishment circuit, and part or all of the structure of the soft water chamber is reused as part of the water replenishment circuit of the salt tank. At this time, the water replenishment process of the salt tank does not need to rely on the additional water replenishment branch and its control valve, which can simplify the overall structure of the water softener and effectively reduce costs. Attached Figure Description

[0025] 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.

[0026] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a structure of an embodiment of the water softener provided by the present invention;

[0027] Figure 2 for Figure 1 A top view of a water softener;

[0028] Figure 3 for Figure 2 A sectional view of a medium-sized water softener cut along section line AA;

[0029] Figure 4 for Figure 1 Explosion diagram of the salt tank and water circuit board;

[0030] Figure 5 for Figure 4 Schematic diagram of the water supply system;

[0031] Figure 6 for Figure 5 Cross-sectional view of the water supply slab;

[0032] Figure 7 for Figure 4 Cross-sectional view of the salt tank;

[0033] Figure 8 for Figure 1 Cross-sectional view of the resin tank;

[0034] Figure 9 for Figure 3 A schematic diagram of the explosion of the salt valve;

[0035] Figure 10 This is a cross-sectional view of the salt valve, where the floating element is supported by the outlet seal ring.

[0036] Figure 11 This is a cross-sectional view of the salt valve, where the valve plug is in sealing fit with the edge of the water inlet.

[0037] Figure 12 for Figure 9 A schematic diagram of the structure of the buoy.

[0038] Explanation of icon numbers:

[0039] 10. Main tank; 111. Soft water chamber; 112. Inlet; 113. Outlet; 12. Resin tank; 121. Resin chamber; 122. Inlet; 123. Mounting steps; 13. Water circuit board; 131. Water passage chamber; 132. Water supply outlet; 14. Cover; 15. Pipe body; 151. First pipe section; 161. Water inlet; 162. Water passage; 163. Water outlet; 164. Connecting chamber;

[0040] 20. Salt tank; 21. Tank body; 22. Salt grid; 221. Grid hole; 231. First partition; 232. Second partition; 24. Reservoir cavity; 241. Receiving cavity section; 242. Lower channel section; 25. Salt cavity; 26. Mounting column; 261. Water injection hole; 27. Mounting guide rib;

[0041] 30. Salt valve; 301. Water passage space; 302. Buoyancy chamber; 31. Base; 311. Water injection channel; 312. Water injection inlet; 313. Water injection outlet; 32. Floating component; 321. Float; 322. Cylinder body; 323. Water passage notch; 324. Valve plug; 325. Sealing cone surface; 326. Mounting protrusion; 33. Outlet sealing ring;

[0042] 40. Flow limiting structure; 41. Flow limiting plate; 411. Flow limiting hole; 42. Fixing base; 421. Receiving groove; 422. Water passage hole;

[0043] 50. Water distributor; 60. Adapter; 61. Adapter channel.

[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 indications (such as up, down, left, right, front, back, etc.), the directional indications are only used to explain the relative positional relationship and movement of the components in a specific posture. If the specific posture changes, the directional indications 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. Thus, a feature defined with "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of those features. Additionally, the use of "and / or" or "and / or" throughout the text includes three parallel solutions. For example, "A and / or B" includes solution A, solution B, or a solution where both A and B are satisfied simultaneously. 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] A water softener is a device used to soften water by removing hardness ions such as calcium and magnesium, thus reducing scale formation. In related technologies, water softeners typically have a dedicated water supply branch and control valve to replenish the brine tank, obtaining a specific concentration of brine. This results in a relatively complex structure and high cost.

[0049] To address this technical problem, the present invention proposes a water softener.

[0050] Please see Figures 1 to 12In one embodiment of the present invention, the water softener includes a main tank 10, a brine tank 20, and a brine valve 30. The main tank 10 is provided with a softened water chamber 111, an inlet 112 and an outlet 113 connecting the softened water chamber 111. The brine tank 20 is provided with a brine chamber 25 connecting the softened water chamber 111. The brine valve 30 connects the brine chamber 25 and the softened water chamber 111. The brine valve 30 is configured such that, in water production mode, water in the softened water chamber 111 flows to the brine chamber 25 through the brine valve 30. In this way, water is replenished to the brine tank 20 within the water softener.

[0051] In the technical solution of the present invention, the water in the soft water chamber 111 flows to the salt chamber 25 through the salt valve 30, so as to simultaneously replenish water to the salt tank 20 in the water production mode. In this way, the salt valve 30 serves as a control valve on the water replenishment path, and reuses part or all of the structure of the soft water chamber 111 as part of the water replenishment path of the salt tank 20. At this time, the water replenishment process of the salt tank 20 does not need to rely on an additional water replenishment branch and its control valve, which can simplify the overall structure of the water softener and effectively reduce costs.

[0052] Specifically, the water softener includes a brine tank 20, a main tank 10, and a brine valve 30. The main tank 10 can be used to store resin granules. In the water production mode of the water softener, the resin granules can soften the water flowing into the main tank 10, and the resulting soft water can meet the user's water needs. Since the soft water chamber 111 of the main tank 10 is connected to the brine chamber 25 of the brine tank 20, and the reused brine valve 30 serves as the control valve for the connection between the soft water chamber 111 and the brine chamber 25, during the process of replenishing water to the soft water chamber 111, some water can flow into the brine chamber 25 through the brine valve 30. That is, the water replenishment process of the brine tank 20 is part of the water production process. The process operates in water mode, which effectively simplifies the water circuit within the water softener, thereby simplifying its overall structure and reducing costs. The water added to the brine tank 20 is either raw water or a mixture of raw and softened water. When the water flow is raw water, softened water loss is reduced, ensuring a normal supply. When the water flow is a mixture of raw and softened water, because the softened water does not contain calcium or magnesium ions under the action of resin particles, it will not compete with the salt when dissolving the salt blocks. This means that a near-saturated brine concentration can be uniformly and quickly formed in the brine tank 20, thereby improving resin regeneration efficiency and ensuring stable operation of the water softener in regeneration mode. Specifically, the raw water is untreated external water, such as tap water.

[0053] It should be noted that the water softeners protected by this invention include, but are not limited to, central water softeners and point-of-use water softeners. Point-of-use water softeners primarily provide soft water to localized or individual water-using devices or water outlets to improve the water quality delivered to these devices or outlets, reduce the impact of hard water on equipment structures, people, or clothing, and enhance the comfort of localized water use. Specifically, water-using devices include, but are not limited to, water heaters, washing machines, or humidifiers, and water outlets include, but are not limited to, showerheads, faucets, etc. For example, a point-of-use water softener used in a bathroom can ensure that the water from the showerhead is soft water, thereby improving the user's water comfort. For ease of explanation, this invention will use a point-of-use water softener applied in a bathroom as an example for illustration.

[0054] Please see Figure 1 and Figure 3 In an embodiment of the present invention, the main tank 10 includes a resin tank 12 and a water circuit plate 13 disposed above the resin tank 12. The resin tank 12 is provided with a resin cavity 121 and a water inlet 122 connected to the top of the resin cavity 121. The water circuit plate 13 is provided with a water passage cavity 131 connecting the water inlet 122 and the water inlet 112. The soft water cavity 111 includes the resin cavity 121 and the water passage cavity 131. The salt valve 30 is connected to the water passage cavity 131. Thus, the salt valve 30 and the water circuit plate 13 are both disposed above the resin tank 12. When the main tank 10 is full of water, that is, when both the resin tank 12 and the water passage cavity 131 of the soft water cavity 111 are full of water, the raw water enters the water passage cavity 131 through the water inlet 112. Most of the raw water will flow directly to the salt valve 30, effectively preventing too much soft water from entering the salt tank 20 with the raw water, thereby ensuring a stable and reliable soft water supply for the water softener.

[0055] Specifically, there are two water replenishment processes for the water softener. First, after the regeneration mode ends, i.e. when the resin tank 12 is empty, the raw water entering the water passage 131 of the water circuit board 13 will only flow towards the resin chamber 121 of the resin tank 12. As the water level in the resin tank 12 rises, the air inside the tank is expelled. The resin particles soften the raw water entering the resin chamber 121 to form soft water. Only after the resin chamber 121 and the water passage 131 are filled with water will the water flow through the salt valve 30 to the salt chamber 25 of the salt tank 20. That is, there is a time difference between the water production process and the water replenishment process, ensuring that the raw water will only flow into the resin tank 12 first when the tank is empty, which can reduce the problem of low water output from the resin tank 12 caused by diversion. Second, during daily use, i.e. when the resin tank 12 is full of water, the raw water entering the water passage 131 will flow downward to the resin chamber 121 and upward to the salt chamber 25 at the same time. When the resin is close to or has already become saturated, in the regeneration mode of the water softener, the brine in the brine tank 20 can flow into the resin tank 12, allowing the resin to regain its ability to soften water, and then flow out of the resin tank 12. At this time, there is no water in the resin tank 12, and it is an empty tank.

[0056] The inlet 112 can be integrated into the resin tank 12. When both the inlet 112 and the outlet 113 are located at the bottom of the resin tank 12, the water inlet channel of the integrated water circuit board 13 connecting the inlet 112 extends from the bottom to the top of the resin tank 12 and is located on the side of the resin cavity 121. In this way, the water circuit board 13 is located above the resin tank 12, connecting the inlet 122 and the water inlet channel. This not only makes reasonable use of the space above the resin tank 12, but also allows water to enter the water passage 131 and then enter the resin cavity 121 by gravity for softening treatment. This simplifies the complexity of water flow treatment, reduces operating costs, and reduces the risk of downtime due to failure of the power equipment driving the water flow, thus improving the reliability of the water softener. However, this design is not limited to this. In other embodiments, the inlet 112 is integrated into the water circuit board 13.

[0057] Please see Figure 3 and Figure 8 In an embodiment of the present invention, the water softener further includes an upper water distributor 50 disposed at the inlet 122, the water passage chamber 131 includes a connecting chamber 164 located above the upper water distributor 50, and the water circuit board 13 is also provided with a water replenishment outlet 132 connecting the connecting chamber 164. The water replenishment outlet 132 is connected to the salt valve 30. Thus, the upper water distributor 50 plays a separating role, separating the water passage chamber 131 and the resin chamber 121. On the one hand, it effectively reduces the possibility of resin particles entering the connecting chamber 164 from the inlet 122. On the other hand, it can reduce the amount of soft water formed flowing back into the connecting chamber 164 and following the raw water through the water replenishment outlet 132 to the salt tank 20, thereby increasing the output of soft water flowing out of the soft water chamber 111 through the outlet 113 and meeting the user's soft water needs.

[0058] Specifically, the inner wall of the inlet 122 is provided with an installation step 123, so that the upper water distributor 50 is fixed in the resin tank 12 via the installation step 123. A sealing ring is fixed on the outer circumference of the upper water distributor 50. The sealing ring seals and presses against the inner wall of the inlet 122, which can prevent water from flowing out of the resin tank 12 through the assembly gap between the upper water distributor 50 and the inlet 122. The water softener is also provided with a lower water distributor, which connects the outlet 113 and the resin chamber 121. While playing a role in uniformly distributing water, it also reduces the possibility of resin particles detaching from the resin tank 12 through the outlet 113.

[0059] And such Figure 2As shown, the water softener also includes an adapter 60, which is sealed between the brine tank 20 and the water circuit board 13, and has an adapter channel 61. The adapter channel 61 connects the water inlet 261 of the brine tank 20 and the water supply outlet 132, ensuring that there is no leakage at the connection between the water supply outlet 132 and the water inlet 261, and also ensuring reliable communication between the water supply outlet 132 and the water inlet 261. However, this design is not limited to this. In other embodiments, a sealing ring is directly provided between the brine tank 20 and the water circuit board 13 at the connection between the water supply outlet 132 and the water inlet 261.

[0060] Please see Figures 5 to 6 In an embodiment of the present invention, the water passage cavity 131 further includes a water inlet 161, a water passage channel 162, and a water outlet 163. The water inlet 112 is connected to the water passage channel 162 through the water inlet 161. The water passage channel 162 is connected to the water inlet 122 through the water outlet 163. The water outlet 163 is connected to the water replenishment outlet 132 through the connecting cavity 164. The water outlet 163 is disposed at the middle of the water inlet 122. By centrally positioning the water outlet 163, on the one hand, the water flowing out of the water outlet 163 can flow more evenly to the upper water distributor 50, improving the uniform water distribution effect of the upper water distributor 50. On the other hand, the water outlet 163 is far from the water inlet and close to the water replenishment outlet 132 through its central positioning, which can effectively shorten the path length from the water outlet 163 to the water replenishment outlet 132, allowing more raw water to flow directly to the water replenishment outlet 132 and reducing the amount of soft water accompanying its flow. In addition, the water passage 162 is not directly connected to the water replenishment outlet 132, which can prevent the raw water flowing into the water circuit board 13 from being diverted to the water replenishment outlet 132 when the resin tank 12 is empty. This ensures that the raw water will preferentially flow into the resin tank 12 when the tank is empty, reducing the problem of low water output from the resin tank 12 caused by diversion.

[0061] Specifically, in an embodiment of the present invention, the water circuit board 13 includes a cover 14 and a pipe 15 disposed on the cover 14. The cover opening of the cover 14 faces downward and is connected to the water inlet 122. The water passage 162 and the water outlet 163 are disposed on the pipe 15. The connecting cavity 164 is formed between the pipe 15 and the cover wall of the cover 14. The water replenishment outlet 132 is disposed on the top wall of the cover 14. It can be understood that the cover 14 and the resin tank 12 can be fixed by welding. Specifically, hot plate welding or other processing methods can be used according to the materials of the water circuit board 13 and the resin tank 12 to fix the water circuit board 13 and the resin tank 12 into a whole, thereby improving the connection strength and connection stability of the water circuit board 13 and the resin tank 12.

[0062] A cover 14 is positioned above the resin tank 12, such that the cover 14 and the upper end of the resin tank 12 enclose a water passage cavity 131. A pipe 15 is installed inside the cover 14, such that the cover wall of the cover 14, the pipe 15, and the upper end of the resin tank 12 together enclose a communicating cavity 164. A water passage 162 and a water outlet 163 are formed on the pipe 15 to guide water flow along the water passage 162 and into the flow cavity through the water outlet 163. When the water outlet 163... When the inlet 122 is positioned in the middle, it ensures that the water flow to the upper distributor 50 is more evenly distributed within the upper distributor 50. In order to reduce the amount of soft water entering the brine tank 20, the water supply outlet 132 is located on the top wall of the cover 14. Thus, after the connecting cavity 164 is full of water, that is, after the water flow prioritizes and fills the resin cavity 121 to meet the user's soft water needs, the water in the water passage cavity 131 will enter the brine cavity 25 through the brine valve 30 from the water supply outlet 132 to prepare for resin regeneration.

[0063] Please see Figure 6 In an embodiment of the present invention, the pipe body 15 includes a first pipe section 151 disposed inside the cover 14. The lower end face of the first pipe section 151 is provided with the water outlet 163. The first pipe section 151 extends along the length direction of the water inlet 122, and / or the water outlet 163 extends along the length direction of the water inlet 122. It can be understood that the water passage 162 in the first pipe section 151 extends along the length direction of the water inlet 122. The water passage 162 is connected to the water inlet 112 through the water inlet 161, so that the water flowing in through the water inlet 161 can flow along the water passage 162 in the first pipe section 151. Water flows through channel 162 to outlet 163, which is formed on the lower end face of the first pipe section 151, i.e., outlet 163 is directly opposite inlet 122, shortening the path length of water flow to inlet 122. At this time, the upper end face of the first pipe section 151 can be connected to the top wall of the cover 14, or the first pipe section 151 is formed on the top wall of the cover 14, or the top wall of the cover 14 has a downwardly recessed reinforcing groove to improve the load-bearing reliability of the water circuit board 13 on the salt tank 20. At the same time, the bottom of the reinforcing groove is connected to the upper end face of the first pipe section 151, thus ensuring the connection reliability between the first pipe section 151 and the cover 14.

[0064] The water outlet 163 extends along the length of the inlet 122 to increase the cross-sectional area of ​​the water outlet 163 on the first pipe section 151. It also aligns with the flow direction of the water in the water passage 162, which helps to improve the efficiency of the water flow through the water outlet 163 to the connecting cavity 164.

[0065] Please see Figure 3 , Figures 9 to 12 In an embodiment of the present invention, the salt valve 30 includes:

[0066] The base 31 is provided with a water injection channel 311, a water injection inlet 312 and a water injection outlet 313 connecting the water injection channel 311, the water injection inlet 312 being connected to the soft water chamber 111, and the water injection outlet 313 being connected to the salt tank 20; and

[0067] The floating component 32 includes a float 321 and a valve plug 324 connected to each other. When the float 321 rises to the first sealing position, the valve plug 324 seals against the edge of the water injection outlet 313 to block the communication between the water injection channel 311 and the water injection outlet 313.

[0068] Understandably, the salt valve 30 includes a base 31 and a floating element 32. The floating element 32 can move upward and downward relative to the base 31. Water flowing through the water supply outlet 132 of the soft water chamber 111 can enter the water supply channel 311 through the water inlet 312 and flow out through the water supply outlet 313 to inject into the salt tank 20, which can fully dissolve the salt blocks in the salt tank 20 to form saturated brine and ensure the regeneration efficiency of the resin in the water softener. Specifically, when the buoyancy in the salt valve 30 is less than the total weight of the floating element 32, the water flows continuously through the water supply outlet 313 of the salt valve 30 and replenishes the salt tank 20. When the buoyancy in the salt valve 30 is greater than the total weight of the floating element 32, the float 321 floats to the first sealing position and causes the moving parts to move together. The valve plug 324 seals against the edge of the water outlet 313, blocking the connection between the water outlet 313 and the water channel 311. This prevents water from flowing through the water outlet 313 and stops the replenishment of water to the brine tank 20. In this way, compared with using electric drive to control the water volume, the brine valve 30 precisely controls the water volume entering the brine tank 20, realizing automatic replenishment and control of the water flow and ensuring a constant water volume entering the brine tank 20. This not only ensures the stable operation of the water softener's replenishment process, but also fully dissolves the salt block through a quantitative water volume, forming a stable concentration of saturated brine, thereby ensuring the stable operation of the water softener's regeneration mode. Furthermore, since no additional sensors or complex control systems are required, the maintenance difficulty and cost are reduced.

[0069] The float 321 and the valve plug 324 can be set separately, and the connection methods between the two include but are not limited to threaded connection, interference fit, and snap-fit ​​connection; the float 321 and the valve plug 324 can be set as one piece. In this case, the valve plug 324 includes a connecting rod and a sealing part. The connecting rod of the valve plug 324 is set as one piece with the float 321, and the sealing part of the valve plug 324 is detachably connected to the connecting rod.

[0070] Optionally, in an embodiment of the present invention, the salt valve 30 further includes a flow-limiting structure 40 disposed at the water inlet 312. The flow-limiting structure 40 is used to regulate the water flow rate into the water inlet channel 311, thereby stabilizing the flow velocity and flow rate of the water. In this way, on the one hand, it can prevent the valve plug 324 from being directly pushed up by the high-pressure water flow and accidentally blocking the water outlet 313, ensuring a stable water volume entering the salt tank 20, thereby ensuring the stability of the water replenishment mode. On the other hand, a stable water volume is conducive to the more complete dissolution of salt blocks in the salt tank 20, promoting a stable concentration of brine and improving the regeneration effect of the resin.

[0071] Furthermore, due to the combination of the flow-limiting structure 40 and the floating element 32, by controlling the water inlet time at the water softener inlet 112, it is not necessary to install a corresponding water level sensor in the brine tank 20. The volume of water entering the brine tank 20 can be calculated by the water inlet time of the water softener and the flow rate at the flow-limiting structure 40. It can also be determined whether the water level in the brine tank 20 meets the standard, and the control valve at the water inlet 112 can be closed in time. The structure is simplified and the control is simple and convenient. However, this design is not limited to this. In other embodiments, the flow-limiting structure 40 is located at the water supply outlet 132.

[0072] Optionally, in an embodiment of the present invention, the flow-limiting structure 40 includes a flow-limiting plate 41 capable of elastic deformation. The flow-limiting plate 41 is provided with a flow-limiting hole 411. The water inlet 312 is connected to the water injection channel 311 through the flow-limiting hole 411. Thus, by using the flow-limiting hole 411, a stable pressure difference can be formed on both sides of the flow-limiting hole 411, thereby controlling the flow rate by controlling the pressure difference. Combined with the elastic deformation capability of the flow-limiting plate 41, it can stabilize the flow velocity and flow rate of the water flowing through the flow-limiting hole 411, effectively reducing the possibility that the water flow will directly impact the valve plug 324 due to its high speed and large flow rate, and directly rise to the pressure of the water injection outlet 313, thereby improving the control effect of the salt valve 30 on the water flow. In this embodiment, the flow-limiting plate 41 is specifically configured as a rubber sheet. Of course, other flow-limiting plates 41 capable of elastic deformation are also applicable and are not limited here.

[0073] Specifically, the flow-limiting structure 40 also includes a fixing base 42. The fixing base 42 has a receiving groove 421 on its end face near the water injection channel 311. The bottom of the receiving groove 421 has a water passage hole 422 with a diameter larger than the flow-limiting hole 411. The flow-limiting plate 41 is located in the receiving groove 421, and the flow-limiting hole 411 communicates with the water passage hole 422. This allows the water entering the water injection inlet 312 to pass sequentially through the water passage hole 422 and the flow-limiting hole 411, and then flow towards the water injection channel 311. Since the diameter of the water passage hole 422 is larger than the diameter of the flow-limiting hole 411, the water passage hole 422 acts as a buffer transition hole, which can slow down the flow towards the flow-limiting hole 411. The impact force of the water flow is mitigated by the flow-limiting orifice 411 on the flow-limiting plate 41, which, along with its elastic deformation capability, further buffers the water flow, stabilizing the flow velocity and flow rate. This allows the water to enter the water injection channel 311 and flow out through the water injection outlet 313, steadily replenishing the brine tank 20 with minimal water level fluctuations. When the pressure is sufficient to lift the floating member 32 to the first sealing position, the valve plug 324 of the floating member 32 presses against the edge of the water injection outlet 313, preventing further water flow and thus stopping the replenishment of the brine tank 20, achieving precise control of the water injection volume. The fixing base 42 can be installed on the water injection inlet 312 by bonding, interference fit, or plug-in connection.

[0074] Please see Figure 12 In an embodiment of the present invention, the water injection outlet 313 is provided with an outlet sealing ring 33. At the first sealing position, the valve plug 324 is sealed to the outlet sealing ring 33. Thus, by providing the outlet sealing ring 33 at the water injection outlet 313, when the valve plug 324 moves with the float 321 to the first sealing position, the valve plug 324 and the outlet sealing ring 33 seal against each other, thereby blocking the water injection outlet 313, thereby blocking the communication between the water injection channel 311 and the water injection outlet 313, and stopping the water replenishment operation to the brine tank 20.

[0075] Specifically, the valve plug 324 is provided with a sealing cone surface 325 that is gradually expanded in the direction from top to bottom. The sealing cone surface 325 abuts against the lower end face of the outlet sealing ring 33 at the first sealing position, thereby enhancing the sealing effect of the valve plug 324 on the water injection outlet 313. In other embodiments, the sealing cone surface 325 can be replaced by a sealing step surface.

[0076] Please see Figures 10 to 11In an embodiment of the present invention, the float 321 has a cylindrical body 322 with its opening facing downwards. The cylindrical body 322 is arranged around the outer periphery of the base 31 and forms a water passage space 301 with the peripheral side of the base 31. A buoyancy cavity 302 is constructed above the inner cavity of the cylindrical body 322. Thus, on the one hand, since the cylindrical body 322 covers the outer periphery of the base 31, the base 31 can guide the cylindrical body 322, facilitating the smooth and accurate up-and-down movement of the float 321, thereby driving the valve plug 324 connected to the float 321 to move smoothly. The cylinder moves up and down smoothly and accurately to reliably seal the water outlet 313. On the other hand, the cylinder body 322 surrounds the outer periphery of the base 31, and the cylinder body 322 and the peripheral side of the base 31 are spaced apart to form a water passage space 301 connecting the water outlet 313 and the salt tank 20. Understandably, water flows through the water passage space 301 of the salt valve 30 into the salt tank 20, causing the water level in the salt tank 20 to gradually rise. When the water level in the salt tank 20 overflows the outlet of the water passage space 301 and reaches the upper edge of the outlet, the water in the salt tank 20 stops flowing at that point. A water seal is formed at the opening, meaning the air inside the cylinder body 322 is sealed between the cylinder body 322 and the base 31. Specifically, based on the characteristics of air, the air creates a buoyancy cavity 302 above the inner cavity of the cylinder body 322, which can provide buoyancy to the floating component 32. Specifically, before the buoyancy cavity 302 is formed inside the cylinder body 322, water always flows from the water inlet 313 to the water passage space 301 and replenishes the salt tank 20. When the water level in the salt tank 20 exceeds the upper edge of the outlet connecting the water passage space 301 to the salt tank 20, the water in the salt tank 20 forms a water seal at that outlet, making... An air gap is sealed between the floating component 32 and the base 31, providing buoyancy to the floating component 32. As water continues to flow into the water passage space 301 through the water inlet 313, the floating component 32 will rise relative to the base 31 as the water volume increases due to the presence of the buoyancy chamber 302. When the floating component 32 moves to the first sealing position, the valve plug 324 can seal with the outlet sealing ring 33 at the water inlet 313, thereby sealing the water inlet 313 and stopping the continued water injection into the water passage space 301, ensuring strict control of the water volume of the salt tank 20.

[0077] Specifically, in an embodiment of the present invention, the inner side of the top wall of the cylindrical body 322 is provided with a mounting protrusion 326. The peripheral side of the mounting protrusion 326 is spaced apart from the side wall of the cylindrical body 322. When the float 321 descends to the second sealing position, the lower end face of the mounting protrusion 326 abuts against the outlet sealing ring 33, which enables the base 31 to support the floating member 32, constrains the descent range of the floating member 32, and can also block the connection between the water injection outlet 313 and the salt tank 20 to a certain extent, preventing the water in the salt tank 20 from overflowing out of the salt tank 20 through the salt valve 30, thus ensuring the amount of brine in the salt tank 20. The spaced arrangement between the peripheral side of the mounting protrusion 326 and the side wall of the cylindrical body 322 ensures that the air sealed between the base 31 and the float 321 is at least concentrated between the peripheral side of the mounting protrusion 326 and the side wall of the cylindrical body 322, thus ensuring the formation of the buoyancy cavity 302.

[0078] Please see Figure 12 In an embodiment of the present invention, the bottom of the cylindrical body 322 is provided with a water passage notch 323 communicating with the water passage space 301. At the first sealing position, the upper edge of the water passage notch 323 is lower than the upper edge of the water injection outlet 313. Thus, regardless of the water level in the salt tank 20, for example, if the water level exceeds the water injection outlet 313, the brine will not flow back to the resin tank 12 through the water injection outlet 313. This is because the boundary of the buoyancy cavity 302 extends from the upper edge of the water passage notch 323 to the top wall of the cylindrical body 322. The air in the buoyancy cavity 302 can play a sealing role, effectively preventing brine from flowing into the water injection outlet 313 through the water passage space 301. In addition, the thickness of the air layer in the buoyancy cavity 302 is related to the position of the upper edge of the water passage notch 323. Therefore, by setting the water passage notch 323, it is convenient to adjust the mold structure of the cylindrical body 322. That is, only the position of the upper edge of the water passage notch 323 needs to be adjusted, thereby facilitating the adjustment of the air layer thickness in the later stages of the project to meet the design requirements.

[0079] Optionally, in an embodiment of the present invention, the salt valve 30 is configured as a solenoid valve. In this case, the water softener also includes a control device electrically connected to the solenoid valve and a corresponding water level detection device. Thus, under the control of the control device, the solenoid valve can control the flow of water, thereby controlling the amount of water entering the salt tank 20. However, this design is not limited to this. In other embodiments, the salt valve 30 is configured as an electric valve.

[0080] Please see Figures 3 to 4In an embodiment of the present invention, the salt tank 20 includes a tank body 21 and a salt grid 22. The salt grid 22 is disposed inside the tank body 21 to divide the inner cavity of the tank body 21 into a placement cavity 24 and a salt cavity 25. The placement cavity 24 is connected to the salt cavity 25 through the grid holes 221 of the salt grid 22. The salt valve 30 is disposed in the placement cavity 24. In this way, the salt valve 30 is separated from the salt block in the salt cavity 25, and the placement cavity 24 is connected to the salt cavity 25 through the grid holes 221 of the salt grid 22. This can ensure that the movement of the floating part 32 in the salt valve 30 is not affected by the salt block, improve the smoothness of the movement of the floating part 32, and also provide water flow to the salt cavity 25 to obtain saturated brine, thus ensuring the regeneration efficiency of the resin in the water softener.

[0081] Specifically, such as Figure 3 and Figure 7 As shown, the mounting cavity 24 is provided with a mounting post 26, and the base 31 of the salt valve 30 is mounted on the mounting post 26. The mounting post 26 is provided with a water injection hole 261 communicating with the water injection inlet 312. It can be understood that the base 31 of the salt valve 30 is provided with a water injection channel 311 and a water injection inlet 312. The mounting post 26 can be sealed and installed into the water injection inlet 312 through a claw assembly to realize the communication between the water injection inlet 312 and the water injection hole 261, ensuring that water flows through the salt valve 30 into the salt tank 20. Furthermore, when a flow-limiting structure 40 is provided in the water injection inlet 312, the upper end face of the mounting post 26 extending into the water injection inlet 312 can abut against the lower end face of the flow-limiting structure 40, which helps to improve the installation stability of the flow-limiting structure 40 in the water injection inlet 312. However, this design is not limited to this. In other embodiments, the mounting cavity 24 is provided with a mounting groove, the base 31 of the salt valve 30 is installed in the mounting groove, and the mounting groove is provided with a water injection hole 261 communicating with the water injection inlet 312.

[0082] Furthermore, such as Figure 7 As shown, the mounting cavity 24 is also provided with a mounting guide rib 27. The mounting guide rib 27 is used to guide the salt valve 30 to be installed on the mounting column 26. In this way, through the guiding effect of the mounting guide rib 27, the water inlet 312 of the salt valve 30 can be quickly aligned with the mounting column 26, thereby allowing the base 31 to be smoothly installed on the mounting column 26 and improving the assembly efficiency of the salt valve 30.

[0083] Please see Figure 4In an embodiment of the present invention, the salt grid 22 includes a first partition 231 and a second partition 232 connected to each other. The first partition 231 extends vertically, and the second partition 232 extends horizontally and is provided with the grid holes 221. The placement cavity 24 includes a receiving cavity section 241 and a lower channel section 242 connected to each other. The receiving cavity section 241 is located on the side of the first partition 231 away from the second partition 232, and the lower channel section 242 is located below the second partition 232. The salt cavity 25 is located on the side of the first partition 231 close to the second partition 232. In this way, the inner cavity of the box 21 is reasonably divided to ensure that the salt box 20 can hold more salt blocks, while ensuring the connection between the placement cavity 24 and the salt cavity 25, thereby obtaining saturated brine.

[0084] Understandably, since the first partition 231 extends vertically along the box body 21 and the second partition 232 extends horizontally along the box body 21, a support plate that abuts against the bottom of the box body 21 can be provided under the second partition 232. When the salt grid 22 is installed inside the box body 21, the inner cavity of the box body 21 can be divided into a placement cavity 24 and a salt cavity 25. The placement cavity 24 includes a receiving cavity section 241 and a lower channel section 242. The lower channel section 242 is laterally connected to the receiving cavity section 241 and is located below the second partition 232. The salt cavity 25 and the lower channel section 242 are connected through the grid hole 221. The salt valve 30 is installed in the receiving cavity section 241 to ensure reliable control of the amount of water entering the salt tank 20. Therefore, the water flowing out through the salt valve 30 needs to be controlled. Only after the lower channel section 242 is filled can the water enter the salt chamber 25 through the grid holes 221 of the lower channel section 242. Compared with the water flow directly entering the salt chamber 25 laterally from the receiving chamber section 241, the water flow evenly overflows the salt blocks in the salt chamber 25 from bottom to top, which can promote the salt blocks to suspend and move continuously. This can reduce local accumulation, increase the contact area between the salt blocks and water, improve the salt dissolution efficiency, and also promote the salt blocks to dissolve from the bottom of the salt chamber 25, reduce the retention of undissolved salt in the upper layer, and avoid the salt blocks from being compacted and hindering the water flow penetration, thereby improving the salt utilization rate in the salt chamber 25. This results in a stable concentration of saturated brine and achieves a more stable regeneration effect, that is, the resin in the resin tank 12 can be fully regenerated, thereby improving the softening efficiency of the water softener for raw water.

[0085] The above description is merely an exemplary embodiment of the present invention and does not limit the patent scope of the present invention. Any equivalent structural transformations made using the contents of the present invention specification and drawings under the technical 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 water softener, characterized in that, include: The main tank is equipped with a soft water chamber, an inlet and an outlet connecting the soft water chamber; A salt tank, equipped with a salt cavity connected to the soft water cavity; A salt valve connects the salt chamber and the soft water chamber, and the salt valve is configured such that, in water production mode, water in the soft water chamber flows through the salt valve to the salt chamber. The main tank includes a resin tank and a water circuit board located above the resin tank. The resin tank has a resin cavity, an outlet connected to the resin cavity, and an inlet connected to the top of the resin cavity. The water circuit board has a water passage cavity connected to the inlet and the outlet. The soft water cavity includes the resin cavity and the water passage cavity. The salt tank is located above the water circuit board and is connected to the water passage cavity through the salt valve. When the resin tank is empty, the raw water entering the water circuit board first fills the soft water cavity and then flows to the salt cavity through the salt valve. When the resin tank is full, the raw water entering the water circuit board flows downward to the resin cavity and upward to the salt cavity simultaneously.

2. The water softener as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The water softener also includes an upper water distributor located at the water inlet, the water passage cavity includes a connecting cavity located above the upper water distributor, and the water circuit board is also provided with a water supply outlet connecting to the connecting cavity, the water supply outlet connecting to the salt valve.

3. The water softener as described in claim 2, characterized in that, The water passage cavity further includes a water inlet, a water passage channel, and a water outlet. The water inlet is connected to the water passage channel through the water inlet, the water passage channel is connected to the water inlet through the water outlet, and the water outlet is connected to the water replenishment outlet through the connecting cavity. The water outlet is located at the middle of the water inlet.

4. The water softener as described in claim 3, characterized in that, The water circuit board includes a cover and a pipe body disposed on the cover. The cover opening of the cover faces downward and is connected to the water inlet. The water passage and water outlet are disposed on the pipe body. The connecting cavity is formed between the pipe body and the cover wall of the cover. The water supply outlet is disposed on the top wall of the cover.

5. The water softener as described in claim 4, characterized in that, The pipe body includes a first pipe section disposed inside the cover, the lower end face of the first pipe section is provided with the water outlet, the first pipe section extends along the length direction of the water inlet, and / or the water outlet extends along the length direction of the water inlet.

6. The water softener as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The salt valve includes: The base includes a water injection channel, a water inlet and a water outlet connecting the water injection channel, wherein the water inlet is connected to the soft water chamber and the water outlet is connected to the salt tank; and The floating element includes a connected float and a valve plug, wherein when the float rises to a first sealing position, the valve plug seals against the edge of the water injection outlet to block the communication between the water injection channel and the water injection outlet.

7. The water softener as described in claim 6, characterized in that, The salt valve also includes a flow-limiting structure located at the water inlet, which is used to regulate the flow rate of water flowing into the water inlet channel.

8. The water softener as described in claim 7, characterized in that, The flow-limiting structure includes a flow-limiting plate that can elastically deform. The flow-limiting plate is provided with a flow-limiting hole, and the water inlet is connected to the water injection channel through the flow-limiting hole.

9. The water softener as described in claim 6, characterized in that, The water injection outlet is provided with an outlet sealing ring, and at the first sealing position, the valve plug is sealed to the outlet sealing ring.

10. The water softener as described in claim 6, characterized in that, The float has a cylindrical body with its opening facing downwards. The cylindrical body is arranged around the outer periphery of the base and forms a water passage space with the peripheral side of the base. A buoyancy cavity is constructed above the inner cavity of the cylindrical body.

11. The water softener as described in claim 10, characterized in that, The bottom of the cylinder body is provided with a water passage notch that connects to the water passage space. At the first sealing position, the upper edge of the water passage notch is lower than the upper edge of the water injection outlet.

12. The water softener as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The salt valve is configured as a solenoid valve.

13. The water softener as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The salt tank includes a tank body and a salt grid. The salt grid is disposed in the tank body to divide the inner cavity of the tank body into a placement cavity and a salt cavity. The placement cavity is connected to the salt cavity through the grid holes of the salt grid. The salt valve is disposed in the placement cavity.

14. The water softener as described in claim 13, characterized in that, The salt grid includes a first partition and a second partition connected to each other. The first partition extends vertically, and the second partition extends horizontally and is provided with the grid holes. The mounting cavity includes a receiving cavity section and a lower channel section that are connected to each other. The receiving cavity section is located on the side of the first partition away from the second partition, and the lower channel section is located below the second partition. The salt cavity is located on the side of the first partition close to the second partition.

Images