Heating module, preparation method thereof and liquid heating equipment

Abstract

The invention relates to the field of heating electric appliances, and discloses a heating module suitable for liquid heating equipment, the heating module comprises a heating body and a cover plate, one side of the heating body is provided with a heating layer, and the heating layer is made of a thick film heating material; a flow guide groove is formed in the other side of the heating body, and the cover plate and the flow guide groove define a medium channel allowing working media to flow. The heating plate and the water path plate are integrated into an integrated structure, the problem that in the prior art, the heating plate and the water path plate are of a mutually independent structure, and consistency is poor due to deformation is solved, the reinforcing ribs are formed on the side walls of the flow guide grooves, the structural strength of the heating body is enhanced, the deformation resistance of the heating body is improved, and the service life of the heating body is prolonged. The heating controllable degree of the heating module is improved; meanwhile, the working medium flows along the specified direction, so that the purpose of gradually heating the working medium is achieved, and the temperature control precision of the heating module is improved. The invention further provides a preparation method of the heating module suitable for the liquid heating equipment and the liquid heating equipment.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of heating appliances and peripheral supporting facilities thereof, in particular to a heating module and a preparation method thereof, and liquid heating equipment. Background Art

[0002] A flat-plate heater is a device that converts electricity or other forms of energy into heat and transfers this heat across a flat surface. Flat-plate heaters are widely used, meeting diverse heating needs in industrial production, household life, healthcare, laboratories, and other fields. Their large heating surface ensures uniform heating across the surface of the object being heated, preventing localized overheating or overcooling. This makes them particularly popular across various industries.

[0003] Conventional flat-plate heaters consist of a thick-film heating material silk-screened onto a metal plate with two flat surfaces. When used in devices that heat water or other liquids, such as water boilers and milk frothers, the thick-film heating material is typically silk-screened onto a thinner plate to maximize heat transfer efficiency. The metal plate is then mounted on a waterway plate, with the non-silk-screened surface in contact with the water within. The waterway plate is equipped with flow channels that specify the direction of water flow, achieving the technical effect of gradually heating the water as it passes through the channels. The thick-film heating plate and the waterway plate are independent.

[0004] During the sintering process, the metal plate will arch and deform toward the screen printing surface due to the different shrinkage coefficients of the metal and thick film materials, as well as the different heating and cooling efficiencies. The amount of deformation is uncontrollable, and the deformation varies between different production batches and during the hot and cold states of the heating element. Therefore, during operation, water cannot flow completely through the designed flow path of the waterway plate in the specified direction, but instead some water flows through the deformed gaps. The different deformation amounts lead to different amounts of water flowing through the deformed gaps, resulting in poor batch production consistency, impossibility of mass production, and the inability to accurately control the outlet water temperature.

[0005] Furthermore, because thick film materials require high-temperature sintering for proper operation, a relatively rough carbonized layer forms on the metal plate during the sintering process, which easily accumulates scale during water heating. This scale can block waterways, reduce thermal conductivity, and cause dry-burning, significantly shortening the machine's lifespan and, in severe cases, even causing a fire. Summary of the Invention

[0006] The purpose of the present invention is to provide a heating module and its preparation method and liquid heating equipment to solve the problems existing in the above-mentioned related technologies, improve the structural consistency of the heating element, and at the same time improve the temperature control accuracy of the heating module and extend the service life of the equipment.

[0007] To achieve the above object, the present invention provides the following solutions:

[0008] The present invention provides a heating module suitable for liquid heating equipment, comprising:

[0009] The heating element has a plate-like structure, a heating layer is provided on one side of the heating element, the heating layer is made of a thick-film heating material, and the heating layer can be electrically connected to an external power supply; a guide groove is provided on the other side of the heating element, the guide groove is U-shaped with an open top, and the side walls of the guide groove form reinforcing ribs;

[0010] A cover plate is connected to the heating element and is located on one side of the guide groove. The cover plate and the guide groove form a medium channel that allows the working medium to flow.

[0011] Preferably, the heating element is made of metal, and the thickness of the heating element is not less than 6 mm.

[0012] Preferably, the heating element is further connected to an inlet pipe and an outlet pipe, and the inlet pipe and the outlet pipe are respectively connected to two ends of the medium channel.

[0013] Preferably, the guide groove is a serpentine structure.

[0014] Preferably, the guide grooves are in multiple groups.

[0015] The present invention also provides a method for preparing the above-mentioned heating module suitable for liquid heating equipment, wherein the heating layer is processed on one side of the heating element by screen printing; and the guide groove is processed on the other side of the heating element by machining.

[0016] Preferably, the heating layer is prepared by multi-layer printing;

[0017] First, four first insulating layers are printed on the heating element; then a conductor pad layer is printed on the top of the first insulating layer, and the conductor pad layer can be used to weld the power supply terminal; a resistive heating layer is printed on the top of the conductor pad layer; finally, a second insulating layer is printed on the top of the resistive heating layer.

[0018] Preferably, the thickness of the first insulating layer and the second insulating layer ranges from 10 μm to 30 μm; the thickness of the conductor pad layer and the resistive heating layer ranges from 30 μm to 50 μm.

[0019] Preferably, the sintering temperature range of the heating layer is 600°C to 950°C.

[0020] The present invention also provides a liquid heating device, comprising the above-mentioned heating module suitable for liquid heating.

[0021] Compared with the related art, the present invention has achieved the following technical effects: the heating module of the present invention suitable for liquid heating equipment includes a heating element and a cover plate, the heating element is a plate-shaped structure, a heating layer is provided on one side of the heating element, the heating layer is made of a thick film heating material, and the heating layer can be electrically connected to an external power supply; a guide groove is provided on the other side of the heating element, the guide groove is U-shaped with an open top, and the side walls of the guide groove form reinforcing ribs; the cover plate is connected to the heating element and is located on one side of the guide groove, and the cover plate and the guide groove form a medium channel that allows the working medium to flow.

[0022] The heating module suitable for liquid heating equipment of the present invention has a heating layer on one side of the heating element and a guide groove on the other side. When the heating layer is working, the working medium flows along the medium channel, and the heating layer transfers heat to the working medium by using the heating element to heat the medium. The present invention integrates the heating plate and the waterway plate into an integrated structure, which solves the problem of poor consistency caused by the deformation amount in the prior art where the heating plate and the waterway plate adopt independent structures. The side walls of the guide groove form reinforcing ribs, which further enhance the structural strength of the heating element and improve the deformation resistance of the heating element. This alleviates the deformation problem of the heating element when preparing the heating layer as much as possible, avoids the adverse consequences caused by the deformation of the heating element, and improves the heating controllability of the heating module. At the same time, the guide groove guides the working medium, so that the working medium flows in a specified direction to achieve the purpose of gradually heating the working medium, which is conducive to improving the temperature control accuracy of the heating module.

[0023] The present invention also provides a method for preparing a heating module suitable for liquid heating equipment. After screen printing is used to form a heating layer on one side of the heating element, a guide groove is machined on the other side of the heating element. The guide groove is machined after the heating layer is prepared. Compared to the prior art method, which forms a rough carbonized layer on the surface of the metal plate during sintering, the guide groove of the present invention has a relatively smooth surface, which prolongs the time it takes for scaling to form, reduces the risk of scaling, and extends the service life of the heating module.

[0024] The present invention also provides a liquid heating device, comprising the above-mentioned heating module suitable for the liquid heating device. Naturally, the liquid heating device of the present invention can also achieve the above-mentioned beneficial effects. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0025] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention or related technologies, the following briefly introduces the drawings required for use in the embodiments. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without paying any creative work.

[0026] Figure 1This is an axonometric diagram of a heating module applicable to a liquid heating device disclosed in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0027] Figure 2 This is a schematic front view of a heating module applicable to a liquid heating device disclosed in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0028] Figure 3 A schematic side view of a heating module applicable to a liquid heating device disclosed in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0029] Figure 4 This is a disassembly diagram of a heating module suitable for liquid heating equipment disclosed in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0030] In the figure: 1. heating element; 2. cover plate; 3. guide groove; 4. medium channel; 5. reinforcing rib; 6. inlet pipe; 7. outlet pipe. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0031] The following will clearly and completely describe the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only part of the embodiments of the present invention, not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without making creative efforts are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0032] The purpose of the present invention is to provide a heating module and its preparation method and liquid heating equipment to solve the problems existing in the above-mentioned related technologies, improve the structural consistency of the heating element, and at the same time improve the temperature control accuracy of the heating module and extend the service life of the equipment.

[0033] In order to make the above-mentioned objects, features and advantages of the present invention more obvious and easy to understand, the present invention is further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments.

[0034] Example 1

[0035] This embodiment provides a heating module suitable for liquid heating equipment. Figure 1-Figure 4 , including a heating element 1 and a cover plate 2. The heating element 1 is a plate-shaped structure. A heating layer is provided on one side of the heating element 1. The heating layer is made of a thick-film heating material and can be electrically connected to an external power supply; a guide groove 3 is provided on the other side of the heating element 1. The guide groove 3 is a U-shape with an open top, and a reinforcing rib 5 is formed on the side wall of the guide groove 3; the cover plate 2 is connected to the heating element 1 and is located on one side of the guide groove 3. The cover plate 2 and the guide groove 3 form a medium channel 4 that allows the working medium to flow.

[0036] The heating module suitable for liquid heating equipment of the present invention has a heating layer provided on one side of the heating element 1 and a guide groove 3 provided on the other side. When the heating layer is working, the working medium flows along the medium channel 4, and the heating layer transfers heat to the working medium by using the heating element 1 to achieve medium heating. The present invention integrates the heating plate and the waterway plate into an integrated structure, which solves the problem of poor consistency caused by the deformation amount in the prior art where the heating plate and the waterway plate adopt independent structures. The side walls of the guide groove 3 form reinforcing ribs 5, which further enhance the structural strength of the heating element 1 and improve the deformation resistance of the heating element 1, thereby alleviating the deformation problem of the heating element 1 when preparing the heating layer as much as possible, avoiding the adverse consequences caused by the deformation of the heating element 1, and improving the heating controllability of the heating module. At the same time, the guide groove 3 guides the working medium, so that the working medium flows in a specified direction to achieve the purpose of gradually heating the working medium, which is conducive to improving the temperature control accuracy of the heating module.

[0037] Among them, the heating element 1 is made of metal material, and the thickness of the heating element 1 is not less than 6mm. The heating element 1 of the present invention adopts a metal plate with a relatively large thickness, which provides a stable structural foundation for preparing the heating layer and processing the guide groove 3. Moreover, in the prior art, the heating plate and the waterway plate adopt independent structures, and the heating plate adopts a thin plate, which will be deformed after sintering. In the later use process, the deformation will increase due to repeated heating and cooling. In severe cases, it will cause the thick film to crack or the resistance circuit to be open, resulting in failure of the heating function. The heating element 1 of the present invention adopts a thick plate. In the process of sintering to prepare the heating layer, the structural strength of the heating element 1 is relatively high, which is conducive to offsetting the deformation of the metal plate caused by the different shrinkage coefficients of the metal material and the thick film material and the different heating and cooling efficiencies during the sintering process of the heating layer, thereby ensuring the structural stability and heating reliability of the heating module.

[0038] In order to ensure the smooth circulation of the working medium, the heating element 1 is also connected to an inlet pipe 6 and an outlet pipe 7, and the inlet pipe 6 and the outlet pipe 7 are respectively connected to the two ends of the medium channel 4. The working medium is input into the medium channel 4 through the inlet pipe 6. In the process of flowing along the medium channel 4, the working medium exchanges heat with the heating element 1 and is heated. The heated working medium flows out through the outlet pipe 7.

[0039] In this embodiment, the guide groove 3 has a serpentine structure, which provides the medium channel 4 with multiple continuous bends. The working medium flows along the medium channel 4, extending the flow path of the working medium and improving the heating efficiency of the working medium. In other embodiments of the present invention, the guide groove 3 can also be configured as other shapes, such as strips or arcs. In addition, the width and depth of the guide groove 3 can be set according to the actual circulation requirements of the working medium, and can also be configured in sections with different widths and depths to meet different specific working conditions and improve the flexibility and adaptability of the heating module.

[0040] In practical applications, the guide grooves 3 can be set to multiple groups, and the multiple groups of guide grooves 3 can be connected in parallel with the inlet pipe 6 and the outlet pipe 7, or each medium channel 4 surrounded by the guide groove 3 and the cover plate 2 is equipped with a group of inlet pipe 6 and outlet pipe 7 to meet the heating requirements of different working media and further improve the flexibility and adaptability of the heating module.

[0041] Accordingly, in practical applications, the inlet pipe 6 and the outlet pipe 7 can be detachably connected to the heating element 1 for easy assembly and disassembly, and a sealed threaded connection method can be selected to ensure the sealing of the connection while being detachable.

[0042] The heating module suitable for liquid heating equipment of the present invention is provided with a heating layer and a guide groove 3 on both sides of the heating element 1, thereby integrating the heating plate and the waterway plate into an integral structure, solving the problem of poor consistency caused by deformation in the prior art in which the heating plate and the waterway plate adopt independent structures. The side walls of the guide groove 3 form reinforcing ribs 5, which further enhance the structural strength of the heating element 1, improve the deformation resistance of the heating element 1, alleviate the deformation problem of the heating element 1 when preparing the heating layer as much as possible, avoid the adverse consequences caused by the deformation of the heating element 1, and improve the heating controllability of the heating module. The present invention provides a heating layer on one side of the heating element 1, and after the heating layer is silk-screened, the guide groove 3 is processed on the other side of the heating element 1. Compared with the prior art in which a rough carbonized layer is formed on the surface of the metal plate during the sintering process, the surface of the guide groove 3 of the present invention is relatively smooth, which prolongs the scaling time, reduces the risk caused by scaling, and prolongs the service life of the heating module.

[0043] Example 2

[0044] This embodiment provides a heating module suitable for liquid heating equipment, including a heating element 1 and a cover plate 2. In this embodiment, the cover plate 2 is detachably connected to the heating element 1, and a sealing gasket is provided between the cover plate 2 and the heating element 1 to ensure the sealing of the medium channel 4 surrounded by the cover plate 2 and the guide groove 3.

[0045] The cover plate 2 and the heating element 1 are connected in a detachable manner, which is convenient for later disassembly and maintenance. In practical applications, a bolt connection method can be selected.

[0046] In addition, in order to ensure that the working medium flows along the direction of the medium channel 4 to achieve the heating effect of gradually heating the working medium, in this specific embodiment, the sealing gasket is arranged on the heating element 1 and is consistent with the shape of the guide groove 3. The sealing gasket is arranged on both sides of the opening of the guide groove 3. The cover plate 2 is connected to the heating element 1 to squeeze the sealing gasket to ensure the sealing of the medium channel 4, thereby ensuring the guiding effect of the medium channel 4 on the working medium and ensuring that the working medium flows along the direction of the medium channel 4.

[0047] The other structures of the heating module applicable to the liquid heating device of this embodiment are the same as those of the first embodiment and are not described again here.

[0048] Example 3

[0049] This embodiment provides a method for preparing a heating module suitable for liquid heating equipment according to embodiment 1 or embodiment 2, wherein a heating layer is processed on one side of the heating element 1 by screen printing, and a guide groove 3 is processed on the other side of the heating element 1 by machining.

[0050] The present invention's method for preparing a heating module suitable for liquid heating equipment first uses screen printing to form a heating layer on one side of a heating element 1, and then uses machining to form a guide groove 3 on the other side of the heating element 1. The guide groove 3 is machined after the heating layer is prepared. Compared to the prior art method, which forms a rough carbonized layer on the surface of the metal plate during the sintering process, the guide groove 3 of the present invention has a relatively smooth surface, which prolongs the time it takes for scaling to form, reduces the risk of scaling, and extends the service life of the heating module.

[0051] Specifically, the use of a multi-layer printing method to prepare the heating layer is beneficial to improving the printing preparation accuracy of the heating layer.

[0052] In this specific embodiment, the heating layer is completed by seven screen printings. Specifically, first, four layers of the first insulating layer are printed on the heating element 1; then a conductor pad layer is printed on the top of the first insulating layer. The conductor pad layer can be used to weld the power supply terminal so that the subsequent heating layer can be connected to the external power supply; a resistive heating layer is printed on the top of the conductor pad layer; finally, a second insulating layer is printed on the top of the resistive heating layer to ensure the safety of the heating layer. It should be noted here that each silk-screened layer needs to be sintered at high temperature in a tunnel furnace.

[0053] The thickness of the first and second insulating layers ranges from 10μm to 30μm, while the thickness of the conductor pad layer and the resistive heating layer ranges from 30μm to 50μm. Layered screen printing facilitates precise control of the printing thickness of each layer, thereby ensuring the quality of the heating layer.

[0054] In addition, it should be noted that the sintering temperature range of the heating layer is 600° C. to 950° C. The heating element 1 of the present invention adopts a thick plate, which has a higher sintering temperature than the thin plate in the prior art.

[0055] Example 4

[0056] This embodiment provides a liquid heating device, including the heating module suitable for liquid heating according to the first or second embodiment.

[0057] The liquid heating device utilizes the heating module of the present invention to heat the working medium, which can make the working medium flow in a specified direction to achieve the purpose of gradually heating the working medium, and is conducive to accurately controlling the heating temperature of the working medium.

[0058] The liquid heating equipment of the present invention includes but is not limited to the following equipment: a water boiler, a warm water machine, a mother-infant milk maker, and a coffee machine.

[0059] The present invention uses specific examples to illustrate the principles and implementation methods of the present invention. The above examples are only intended to help understand the method and core concept of the present invention. At the same time, those skilled in the art will find that the specific implementation methods and application scopes may vary based on the concept of the present invention. In summary, the contents of this specification should not be construed as limiting the present invention.

Claims

1. A heating module suitable for liquid heating equipment, characterized in that: include: A heating element, the heating element being a plate-shaped structure, a heating layer being provided on one side of the heating element, the heating layer being made of a thick-film heating material, and the heating layer being electrically connected to an external power source; A guide groove is provided on the other side of the heating element. The guide groove is U-shaped with an open top, and the sidewalls of the guide groove form reinforcing ribs. A cover plate is connected to the heating element and is located on one side of the guide groove. The cover plate and the guide groove form a medium channel that allows the working medium to flow.

2. The heating module for liquid heating equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that: The heating element is made of metal and has a thickness of no less than 6 mm.

3. The heating module for liquid heating equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that: The heating element is further connected to an inlet pipe and an outlet pipe, and the inlet pipe and the outlet pipe are respectively connected to two ends of the medium channel.

4. The heating module for liquid heating equipment according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that: The guide groove is a serpentine structure.

5. The heating module for liquid heating equipment according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that: There are multiple groups of guide grooves.

6. A method for preparing a heating module suitable for liquid heating equipment according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that: The heating layer is processed on one side of the heating element by screen printing; and the guide groove is processed on the other side of the heating element by machining.

7. The method for preparing a heating module suitable for liquid heating equipment according to claim 6, characterized in that: The heating layer is prepared by a multi-layer printing method; First, four first insulating layers are printed on the heating element; then, a conductor pad layer is printed on top of the first insulating layer, and the conductor pad layer can be used for welding the power supply terminal; A resistance heating layer is printed on the top of the conductor pad layer; and finally a second insulation layer is printed on the top of the resistance heating layer.

8. The method for preparing a heating module suitable for liquid heating equipment according to claim 7, characterized in that: The thickness of the first insulating layer and the second insulating layer ranges from 10 μm to 30 μm; the thickness of the conductor pad layer and the resistive heating layer ranges from 30 μm to 50 μm.

9. The heating module for liquid heating equipment according to claim 7, characterized in that: The sintering temperature range of the heating layer is 600°C to 950°C.

10. A liquid heating device, characterized in that: The heating module comprises the heating module suitable for liquid heating equipment according to any one of claims 1 to 5.

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