Water softening valve and water softener

Abstract

The invention discloses a water softening valve and a water softening machine, and relates to the technical field of water softening machines, a valve body of the water softening valve is provided with a valve cavity, a grating assembly comprises a plurality of supporting baffle rings arranged at intervals, the outer peripheries of the multiple supporting baffle rings abut against the inner circumferential face of the valve cavity, and a water passing cavity is formed between every two adjacent supporting baffle rings; the piston is connected to the inner peripheries of the supporting baffle rings in an inserted mode and comprises a first piston body and a second piston body which are connected, the diameter of the first piston body is larger than that of the second piston body, the first piston body is provided with a water passing channel with the two ends communicated, and a first water passing ring groove is formed in the periphery of the first piston body. A second water passing ring groove is formed in the periphery of the second piston body, and the supporting baffle ring abuts against the piston to block communication between the corresponding water passing cavities. In the process that the piston moves in the axial direction of the valve cavity, the first piston body is at least connected with the inner peripheries of the two supporting baffle rings in an abutting mode. According to the technical scheme, the sealing performance of the soft water valve can be improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of water softeners, in particular to a water softener valve and a water softener. Background Art

[0002] A water softener can soften water, thereby improving the user's water quality experience and saving detergent and water. The core component of a water softener is the water softener valve. A water softener valve typically has multiple water path modes, with a piston moving within the valve chamber to switch between these modes. However, existing technologies suffer from an inadequate structural design of the water softener valve, resulting in unstable movement of the piston within the valve chamber. This affects the valve's sealing performance and can lead to water cross-flow or leakage between water paths. This not only affects the softening effect but can also cause equipment leakage. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The main purpose of the present invention is to provide a soft water valve and a water softener, aiming to improve the sealing performance of the soft water valve.

[0004] To achieve the above-mentioned purpose, the soft water valve proposed by the present invention comprises:

[0005] a valve body, including a valve cavity;

[0006] a grille assembly disposed in the valve cavity, the grille assembly comprising a plurality of spaced support rings, the outer peripheries of the plurality of support rings abutting against the inner periphery of the valve cavity, and a water passage cavity being formed between two adjacent support rings; and

[0007] A piston is inserted into the inner periphery of the plurality of support retaining rings, the piston comprising a first piston body and a second piston body connected to each other, the diameter of the first piston body being larger than the diameter of the second piston body, the first piston body being provided with a water passage extending through both ends, the outer periphery of the first piston body being provided with a first water passage ring groove, the outer periphery of the second piston body being provided with a second water passage ring groove, the inner periphery of the support retaining ring being in contact with the outer periphery of the piston to block the communication between the corresponding water passage cavities;

[0008] The soft water valve has multiple water path modes, and the piston moves axially along the valve cavity to switch the multiple water path modes. In the process of switching the multiple water path modes, the first piston body abuts against the inner circumferences of at least two support rings.

[0009] In one embodiment, the plurality of support retaining rings include a first support retaining ring, a second support retaining ring, a third support retaining ring, a fourth support retaining ring, a fifth support retaining ring, a sixth support retaining ring, and a seventh support retaining ring arranged in sequence, and the inner diameters of the sixth support retaining ring and the seventh support retaining ring are smaller than the inner diameters of the first support retaining ring, the second support retaining ring, the third support retaining ring, the fourth support retaining ring, and the fifth support retaining ring;

[0010] The first piston body abuts against the inner circumference of at least two of the first support retaining ring, the second support retaining ring, the third support retaining ring, the fourth support retaining ring and the fifth support retaining ring, and the second piston body abuts against the inner circumference of the sixth support retaining ring and / or the seventh support retaining ring.

[0011] In one embodiment, the plurality of water channel modes include a water production mode. In the water production mode, the first piston body abuts against the first support baffle ring, the third support baffle ring and the fourth support baffle ring, the first water flow ring groove faces the second support baffle ring, and the second piston body abuts against the sixth support baffle ring and the seventh support baffle ring.

[0012] In one embodiment, the multiple water channel modes include a water injection mode. In the water injection mode, the first piston body abuts against the first support baffle ring, the third support baffle ring and the fourth support baffle ring, the first water flow ring groove faces the second support baffle ring, the second piston body abuts against the seventh support baffle ring, and the second water flow ring groove faces the sixth support baffle ring.

[0013] In one embodiment, the multiple water channel modes include a forward washing mode. In the forward washing mode, the first piston body abuts against the third support baffle ring and the fifth support baffle ring, the first water ring groove faces the fourth support baffle ring, and the second piston body abuts against the sixth support baffle ring and the seventh support baffle ring.

[0014] In one embodiment, the multiple water channel modes include a backwash mode. In the backwash mode, the first piston body abuts against the second support baffle ring and the fourth support baffle ring, the first water ring groove faces the third support baffle ring, and the second piston body abuts against the sixth support baffle ring and the seventh support baffle ring.

[0015] In one embodiment, the multiple water channel modes include a downstream regeneration mode. In the downstream regeneration mode, the first piston body abuts against the second support baffle ring, the fourth support baffle ring and the fifth support baffle ring, the first water flow ring groove faces the third support baffle ring, the second piston body abuts against the sixth support baffle ring, and the second water flow ring groove faces the seventh support baffle ring.

[0016] In one embodiment, the multiple water channel modes include a countercurrent regeneration mode. In the countercurrent regeneration mode, the first piston body abuts against the second support baffle ring, the third support baffle ring and the fifth support baffle ring, the first water flow ring groove faces the fourth support baffle ring, the second piston body abuts against the sixth support baffle ring, and the second water flow ring groove faces the seventh support baffle ring.

[0017] In one embodiment, the difference between the diameter of the first piston body and the diameter of the second piston body is greater than or equal to 5 mm; and / or,

[0018] The ratio of the length of the second piston body to the length of the first piston body is greater than or equal to 4 / 5 and less than or equal to 8 / 9.

[0019] In one embodiment, the diameter of the first piston body is greater than or equal to 32 mm.

[0020] In one embodiment, at least an outer circumference of an end portion of the first piston body has a chamfer or a rounded corner.

[0021] In one embodiment, an adapter plate is provided at the end of the first piston body, and a water hole communicating with the water passage is provided on the adapter plate, and the second piston body is clamped to the adapter plate.

[0022] In one embodiment, a clamping hole is provided on the adapter plate, and a fracture connected to the water hole is provided on a part of the periphery of the clamping hole, and a limiting ring groove is provided on the peripheral side of the second piston body facing the first piston body. The second piston body penetrates the water hole, and the limiting ring groove is clamped into the clamping hole through the fracture.

[0023] In one embodiment, the piston further includes a retaining ring, an end portion of the first piston body is provided with a mounting groove, and a peripheral wall of the mounting groove is provided with a snap ring groove, the adapter plate is mounted in the mounting groove, and an outer peripheral edge of the retaining ring is snapped into the snap ring groove to prevent the adapter plate from falling out of the mounting groove; or,

[0024] The adapter plate is threadedly connected to the first piston body; or,

[0025] The adapter plate and the first piston body are integrally formed.

[0026] In one embodiment, the adapter plate has a plurality of water holes;

[0027] The plurality of water holes are arranged at intervals along the circumference of the adapter plate; the plurality of water holes include a first water hole and a second water hole, and the first water hole and the second water hole are alternately arranged along the circumference of the adapter plate.

[0028] In one embodiment, the grille assembly includes a plurality of grille units sequentially spliced ​​and arranged along the axial direction of the valve cavity, and an outer sealing ring groove for mounting an outer sealing ring is formed between two adjacent grille units; the grille assembly has a pre-installed state, in which a widened gap can be formed between two adjacent grille units, and the width of the widened gap is smaller than the cross-sectional diameter of the outer sealing ring;

[0029] The soft water valve also includes a drive mounting seat that covers the valve cavity opening; when the valve cavity opening is in an open state, the grille assembly is installed to the valve cavity in the pre-installed state, and the widened gap widens the outer sealing ring groove to provide a larger deformation space for the outer sealing ring; when the drive mounting seat covers the valve cavity opening, the drive mounting seat abuts the grille assembly to eliminate the widened gap, so that the outer sealing ring abuts against the cavity wall of the valve cavity.

[0030] In one embodiment, the valve body includes a valve body and a valve base that are spliced ​​together, the valve base is provided with a soft tank interface, the valve body is provided with a first dividing rib on one side close to the valve base, which cooperates with the grille assembly to separate a plurality of the water flow chambers, and the valve base is provided with a second dividing rib corresponding to each first dividing rib, the first dividing rib has a first rib surface and a second rib surface that are opposite in the radial direction of the valve cavity, the grille assembly is sealed and abutted against the first rib surface, and the second dividing rib is fixedly connected to the second rib surface.

[0031] The present invention also provides a water softener, comprising the above-mentioned water softening valve.

[0032] The technical solution of the present invention is to set a valve cavity on the valve body, and a grille assembly is set in the valve cavity, and the grille assembly includes a plurality of support retaining rings arranged at intervals, and the outer peripheries of the plurality of support retaining rings abut against the inner periphery of the valve cavity, and a water flow cavity is formed between two adjacent support retaining rings; the piston is inserted into the inner peripheries of the plurality of support retaining rings, and the piston includes a first piston body and a second piston body connected to each other, the diameter of the first piston body is larger than the diameter of the second piston body, and the first piston body is provided with a water flow channel with two ends through, the outer periphery of the first piston body is provided with a first water flow ring groove, and the outer periphery of the second piston body is provided with a second water flow ring groove, the inner periphery of the support retaining ring abuts against the outer periphery of the piston to block the conduction between the corresponding water flow cavities; the soft water valve has a plurality of water path modes, and the piston moves along the axial direction of the valve cavity to switch the plurality of water path modes.

[0033] In the process of switching multiple water path modes, the first piston body is in contact with the inner periphery of at least two of the support baffles, that is, during the movement of the piston, at least two support baffles jointly guide the piston, and because the support baffles in this solution are coaxially arranged, the possibility of the piston swinging or shaking during movement is effectively reduced, thereby ensuring the movement stability of the piston, thereby ensuring the sealing performance between the piston and the support baffles, reducing the possibility of water cross-linking and leakage between different water chambers, thereby ensuring the softening effect of the water softener and improving the reliability of the equipment. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0034] In order to more clearly illustrate the embodiments of the present invention or the technical solutions in the prior art, the following briefly introduces the drawings required for use in the embodiments or the description of the prior art. 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 the structures shown in these drawings without paying any creative work.

[0035] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the structure of a soft water valve according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0036] Figure 2 for Figure 1 Another angle diagram of the structure of the medium soft water valve;

[0037] Figure 3 for Figure 2 Cross-sectional view of the medium soft water valve along AA;

[0038] Figure 4 for Figure 1 Simplified structural diagram of the medium-soft water valve in water production mode;

[0039] Figure 5 for Figure 1 Simplified schematic diagram of the medium soft water valve in water injection mode;

[0040] Figure 6 for Figure 1 Simplified structural diagram of the medium soft water valve in forward wash mode;

[0041] Figure 7 for Figure 1 Simplified structural diagram of the medium soft water valve in backwash mode;

[0042] Figure 8 for Figure 1 Simplified structural diagram of the medium-soft water valve in downstream regeneration mode;

[0043] Figure 9 for Figure 1 Simplified schematic diagram of the medium-soft water valve in countercurrent regeneration mode;

[0044] Figure 10 for Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the structure of the middle piston at an angle;

[0045] Figure 11 for Figure 1 a cross-sectional view of the middle piston;

[0046] Figure 12 for Figure 1 Another perspective structural diagram of the middle piston;

[0047] Figure 13for Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the structure of the first piston body at an angle;

[0048] Figure 14 for Figure 1 a sectional view of the first piston body;

[0049] Figure 15 for Figure 1 Schematic diagram of the assembly structure of the first piston body and the adapter plate;

[0050] Figure 16 This is a schematic diagram of the assembly structure of the first piston body and the adapter plate in the soft water valve provided by the present invention;

[0051] Figure 17 for Figure 1 Another angle structural diagram of the medium soft water valve;

[0052] Figure 18 for Figure 17 Cross-sectional view of the medium soft water valve along BB;

[0053] Figure 19 for Figure 1 Schematic diagram of the structure of the middle valve body;

[0054] Figure 20 for Figure 19 Cross-sectional view of the medium soft water valve along CC;

[0055] Figure 21 for Figure 1 Schematic diagram of the structure of the middle valve body;

[0056] Figure 22 for Figure 1 Schematic diagram of the structure of the middle valve base;

[0057] Figure 23 for Figure 1 Schematic diagram of the structure of the middle grille assembly;

[0058] Figure 24 for Figure 23 A partial enlarged view of point A in the middle.

[0059] Description of Figure Numbers:

[0060] 1. Valve body;

[0061] 101, water inlet channel; 102, side wall channel; 103, sewage channel; 104, center channel; 105, water outlet channel; 106, water injection and salt absorption channel;

[0062] 11. Valve chamber; 111. Water passage chamber; 112. Water inlet chamber; 113. Sidewall chamber; 114. Sewage discharge chamber; 115. Central chamber; 116. Water outlet chamber; 117. Water injection and salt absorption chamber; 1171. First sub-chamber; 1172. Second sub-chamber; 1173. Salt absorption hole;

[0063] 12. First jet cavity; 13. Second jet cavity; 14. Bypass flow channel;

[0064] 15. Valve body; 151. First separating rib; 1511. First rib surface; 1512. Second rib surface;

[0065] 16. Valve base; 161. Soft tank interface; 162. Second separating rib;

[0066] 2. Grille assembly; 21. Grille unit; 211. Outer sealing ring groove; 212. Widening gap; 213. Snap-fit ​​hole; 214. Snap-fit ​​protrusion;

[0067] 22. Outer sealing ring; 23. Inner sealing ring; 24. Supporting retaining ring; 241. First supporting retaining ring; 242. Second supporting retaining ring; 243. Third supporting retaining ring; 244. Fourth supporting retaining ring; 245. Fifth supporting retaining ring; 246. Sixth supporting retaining ring; 247. Seventh supporting retaining ring;

[0068] 3. Piston; 31. First piston body; 311. Water channel; 312. First water ring groove; 313. Mounting countersunk groove; 314. Snap ring groove; 315. Chamfer; 32. Second piston body; 321. Second water ring groove; 322. Stop ring groove; 35. Adapter plate; 351. Water hole; 352. First water hole; 353. Second water hole; 354. Snap hole; 355. Fracture; 36. Retaining ring;

[0069] 5. Drive mounting bracket; 6. Flow meter; 200. Soft water tank; 300. Salt tank.

[0070] The purpose, features and advantages of the present invention will be further described with reference to the accompanying drawings and in conjunction with the embodiments. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0071] 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 any creative efforts shall fall within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0072] 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 position relationship, movement status, etc. between the components under a certain specific posture. If the specific posture changes, the directional indications will also change accordingly.

[0073] In addition, if there are descriptions involving "first", "second", etc. in the embodiments of the present invention, the descriptions of "first", "second", etc. are only for descriptive purposes and cannot be understood as indicating or suggesting their relative importance or implicitly indicating the number of the indicated technical features. Therefore, the features limited to "first" and "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of such features. In addition, if "and / or" or "and / or" appears in the full text, its meaning includes three parallel solutions. Taking "A and / or B" as an example, it includes solution A, solution B, or solutions that satisfy both A and B. In addition, the technical solutions between the various embodiments can be combined with each other, but it must be based on the ability of ordinary technicians in this field to implement. When the combination of technical solutions is mutually contradictory or cannot be implemented, it should be deemed that such a combination of technical solutions does not exist and is not within the scope of protection required by the present invention.

[0074] The present invention proposes a soft water valve for a water softener. As one of the core components of a water softener, the soft water valve often has multiple water path modes, such as water production mode, forward washing mode, backwash mode and softening regeneration mode (water injection mode and salt absorption regeneration mode), etc., so that the water softener has multiple working conditions.

[0075] See also Figures 1 to 4 In one embodiment of the present invention, the soft water valve comprises:

[0076] The valve body 1 includes a valve chamber 11;

[0077] a grille assembly 2 disposed in the valve cavity 11, the grille assembly 2 including a plurality of spaced support rings 24, the outer peripheries of the plurality of support rings 24 abutting against the inner periphery of the valve cavity 11, and forming a water passage cavity 111 between two adjacent support rings 24; and

[0078] The piston 3 is inserted into the inner periphery of the plurality of support retaining rings 24. The piston 3 includes a first piston body 31 and a second piston body 32 connected to each other. The diameter of the first piston body 31 is larger than that of the second piston body 32. The first piston body 31 is provided with a water passage 311 with both ends extending therethrough. The outer periphery of the first piston body 31 is provided with a first water passage annular groove 312, and the outer periphery of the second piston body 32 is provided with a second water passage annular groove 321. The inner periphery of the support retaining ring 24 abuts against the outer periphery of the piston 3 to block the communication between the corresponding water passage chambers 111.

[0079] The soft water valve has multiple water path modes, and the piston 3 moves axially along the valve chamber 11 to switch the multiple water path modes. In the process of switching the multiple water path modes, the first piston body 31 abuts against the inner periphery of at least two of the support rings 24.

[0080] Specifically, the water softener in this solution utilizes a piston-type 3-way water softener. This means that a valve chamber 11 is divided into multiple water passage chambers 111 by a grid assembly 2. The axial movement of the piston 3 within the valve chamber 11 controls the flow between the multiple water passage chambers 111, enabling the water softener to switch between multiple water passage modes. This piston-type 3-way water softener offers a higher flow rate and softening efficiency, making it easier to achieve the design goals of a small size, high flow rate, high water production, and high salt efficiency. Furthermore, this piston-type water softener has a long service life.

[0081] The valve cavity 11 in this solution can be cylindrical as a whole, or formed by splicing together multiple sections of cylinders to facilitate the installation of the grid assembly 2 and the piston 3. The valve body 1 can be formed by splicing together several components that are fastened by bolts and sealed with sealing rings and other structures on the mating surfaces; it can also be formed by connecting several components together by ultrasonic welding, which helps to form a more complex valve cavity 11 and each channel structure; furthermore, the valve body 1 can also be formed in one piece, such as by 3D printing technology, to adapt to small-batch production.

[0082] As will be appreciated, to facilitate installation of the grille assembly 2, one axial end of the valve cavity 11 is provided with a cavity opening, through which the grille assembly 2 is inserted into the valve cavity 11, thereby securing the grille assembly 2 within the valve cavity 11. The outer periphery of the grille assembly 2 seals against the inner circumference of the valve cavity 11, thereby dividing the valve cavity 11 axially into a plurality of water passage chambers 111. To ensure the sealed contact between the grille assembly 2 and the inner circumference of the valve cavity 11, an outer sealing ring 22 is provided between the outer periphery of the grille assembly 2 and the inner circumference of the valve cavity 11, thereby reducing the possibility of water seepage between the multiple water passage chambers 111.

[0083] See also Figure 3 、 Figure 20 and Figure 23The grille assembly 2 includes a plurality of grille units 21, and the connection between two grille units 21 forms a support ring 24 for separating the water flow chamber 111. The plurality of grille units 21 can be integrally formed or separately formed and then assembled to form an integral structure. The piston 3 is inserted into the inner periphery of the plurality of support rings 24 and seals against the support rings 24, thereby cutting off the communication between the two water flow chambers 111 on either side of the support ring 24. The piston 3 has multiple water flow levels, including a first water flow ring groove 312, a second water flow ring groove 321, and a water flow step. When the piston 3 moves to a certain position, the water flow level of the piston 3 is set toward a support ring 24, thereby forming a water flow gap between the inner periphery of the support ring 24 and the water flow level of the piston 3, achieving communication between the water flow chambers 111 on the adjacent sides of the support ring 24. The movement of the piston 3 controls the communication between different water flow chambers 111, thereby controlling the direction of water flow and forming a corresponding waterway.

[0084] And in the process of switching multiple water path modes, the first piston body 31 is in contact with the inner circumference of at least two of the support baffle rings 24, that is, in the movement of the piston 3, at least two support baffle rings 24 jointly guide the piston 3, and because the support baffle rings 24 in this solution are all coaxially arranged, the possibility of the piston 3 swinging or shaking during the movement is effectively reduced, thereby ensuring the movement stability of the piston 3, thereby ensuring the sealing performance between the piston 3 and the support baffle rings 24, reducing the possibility of water cross-linking and leakage between different water flow chambers 111, thereby ensuring the softening effect of the water softener and improving the reliability of the equipment.

[0085] See also Figure 3 and Figure 20 , a plurality of water passage chambers 111 are provided, including a water inlet chamber 112, a side wall chamber 113, a sewage chamber 114, a central chamber 115, a water outlet chamber 116 and a water injection and salt absorption chamber 117, wherein the water inlet chamber 112 can be communicated with the water inlet channel 101, and the water inlet channel 101 is used to communicate with the external water inlet pipe to allow external hard water to enter the soft water valve; the side wall chamber 113 is connected to the soft water tank 200 through the side wall channel 102; the sewage chamber 114 is connected to the external sewage through the sewage channel 103 The central cavity 115 is connected to the soft water tank 200 through the central channel 104; the water outlet cavity 116 is connected to the external water outlet pipe through the water outlet channel 105, so as to discharge the produced soft water; the water injection and salt absorption cavity 117 is connected to the salt tank 300 through the water injection and salt absorption channel 106, so as to realize water injection into the salt tank 300 and pass the salt water in the salt tank 300 into the soft water tank 200, so as to realize the regeneration of the soft water medium in the soft water tank 200.

[0086] That is, the water inlet chamber 112 and the water outlet chamber 116 are both connected to the external pipeline, but are not connected to the soft water tank 200, while the side wall chamber 113 and the central chamber 115 are both connected to the soft water tank 200. Therefore, the water inlet chamber 112 and the water outlet chamber 116 can be connected to the soft water tank 200 with the help of the side wall chamber 113 and the central chamber 115. Therefore, the side wall chamber 113 is adjacent to the water inlet chamber 112, so that the water inlet chamber 112 is connected to the soft water tank 200 through the side wall chamber 113, and the two are adjacent to each other, thereby narrowing the flow path of external hard water flowing into the soft water tank 200, thereby simplifying the water path in the soft water valve; the central chamber 115 is adjacent to the water outlet chamber 116, so that the water outlet chamber 116 is connected to the soft water tank 200 through the central chamber 115, and the two are adjacent to each other, thereby narrowing the flow path of soft water flowing out of the soft water tank 200, thereby simplifying the water path in the soft water valve.

[0087] When the softened soft water in the soft water tank 200 flows out of the soft water valve, part of the soft water can flow into the water absorption and salt injection chamber, thereby injecting water into the salt tank 300. Therefore, the water injection and salt absorption chamber 117 is adjacent to the side of the water outlet chamber 116 away from the central chamber 115, so that when the soft water flows through the water outlet chamber 116, part of the soft water can flow directly from the water outlet chamber 116 to the water injection and salt absorption chamber 117. Compared with the water injection and salt absorption chamber 117 being separated from the water outlet chamber 116 and the two being connected by a special flow channel, this solution can effectively shorten the flow path of the soft water flowing into the salt tank 300, thereby further optimizing the water path of the soft water valve, and no additional special flow channel is required, which helps to reduce the volume of the soft water valve.

[0088] Optionally, the water inlet chamber 112, the sidewall chamber 113, the sewage chamber 114, the central chamber 115, the water outlet chamber 116, and the water injection and salt absorption chamber 117 are arranged in sequence. This arrangement can take into account multiple water path modes, making the water flow paths in multiple water path modes shorter, reducing the possibility of the water flow path bypassing and flowing out of the valve chamber 11 (for example, in a certain water path mode, when water flows from one chamber to another, it needs to cross multiple chambers along the axial direction of the valve chamber 11 to reach it, and then cross multiple chambers in the opposite direction to flow out of the soft water valve). This improves the rationality of the arrangement of the multiple water flow chambers 111, simplifies the water flow path, and also helps to reduce the overall volume of the soft water valve. In other embodiments, the water inlet chamber 112, the sidewall chamber 113, the sewage chamber 114, the central chamber 115, the water outlet chamber 116, and the water injection and salt absorption chamber 117 can also be arranged in another order, as long as the multiple water path modes of the soft water valve can be achieved.

[0089] Furthermore, because the water injection and salt absorption chamber 117 is only used to inject water into the brine tank 300 or inject salt water into the soft water tank 200, the required water flow rate is smaller than that of the water inlet chamber 112 and the water outlet chamber 116. Therefore, the volume of the water injection and salt absorption chamber 117 can be appropriately reduced, thereby reducing the inner diameter of the valve cavity 11 at the water injection and salt absorption chamber 117, and further reducing the volume of the valve body 1. Therefore, the water inlet chamber 112 is located on the side of the valve cavity 11 near the cavity opening, and the water injection and salt absorption chamber 117 is located on the side away from the cavity opening, thereby facilitating the installation of the grid assembly 2 on the valve cavity 11. As a result, the inner diameter of the grid unit 21 at the water injection and salt absorption chamber 117 is smaller than the inner diameter of the remaining grid units 21.

[0090] To accommodate the grille assembly 2, in one embodiment, the piston 3 includes a first piston body 31 and a second piston body 32 connected to each other. The diameter of the first piston body 31 is larger than that of the second piston body 32. The first piston body 31 defines a water passage 311 extending through both ends. A first water passage annular groove 312 is defined on the outer circumference of the first piston body 31, while a second water passage annular groove 321 is defined on the outer circumference of the second piston body 32. Specifically, the second piston body 32 is configured to engage with the grille unit 21 at the water injection and salt absorption chamber 117, while the first piston body 31 is configured to engage with other grille units 21. Because the diameter of the first piston body 31 is larger than that of the second piston body 32, a water passage step is formed at the junction of the first and second piston bodies 31 and 32, thereby connecting the multiple water passage chambers 111. Furthermore, the water passage 311 and the first water passage annular groove 312 are defined on the first piston body 31, while the second water passage annular groove 321 is defined on the second piston body 32, thereby enabling switching between multiple water passage modes. Compared with using a piston 3 with equal inner diameter and opening three water grooves on the piston 3, in actual design, not only the relative positions of the three water grooves need to be taken into consideration, but also the sizes of the three water grooves need to be designed separately. The design is more complicated and it is difficult to open the water channel 311. Therefore, this solution helps to reduce the design difficulty of the piston 3, thereby simplifying the structure of the piston 3.

[0091] In one embodiment, the plurality of support retaining rings 24 include a first support retaining ring 241, a second support retaining ring 242, a third support retaining ring 243, a fourth support retaining ring 244, a fifth support retaining ring 245, a sixth support retaining ring 246, and a seventh support retaining ring 247 arranged in sequence, and the plurality of water passage chambers 111 include a water inlet chamber 112, a side wall chamber 113, a sewage discharge chamber 114, a central chamber 115, a water outlet chamber 116, and a water injection and salt absorption chamber 117 in sequence. The water inlet chamber 112 is formed between the first support baffle ring 241 and the second support baffle ring 242, the side wall chamber 113 is formed between the second support baffle ring 242 and the third support baffle ring 243, the sewage discharge chamber 114 is formed between the third support baffle ring 243 and the fourth support baffle ring 244, the central chamber 115 is formed between the fourth support baffle ring 244 and the fifth support baffle ring 245, the water outlet chamber 116 is formed between the fifth support baffle ring 245 and the sixth support baffle ring 246, and the water injection and salt absorption chamber 117 is formed between the sixth support baffle ring 246 and the seventh support baffle ring 247.

[0092] Since the inner diameter of the grid unit 21 at the water injection and salt absorption chamber 117 is smaller than the inner diameters of the other grid units 21, the inner diameters of the sixth support retaining ring 246 and the seventh support retaining ring 247 are smaller than the inner diameters of the first support retaining ring 241, the second support retaining ring 242, the third support retaining ring 243, the fourth support retaining ring 244, and the fifth support retaining ring 245.

[0093] The first piston body 31 abuts the inner circumference of at least two of the first support ring 241, the second support ring 242, the third support ring 243, the fourth support ring 244, and the fifth support ring 245. This means that the water inlet chamber 112, the sidewall chamber 113, the sewage discharge chamber 114, the central chamber 115, and the water outlet chamber 116 are all controlled on and off by the first piston body 31, and the first piston 3 abuts at least two support rings 24. The second piston body 32 abuts the inner circumference of the sixth support ring 246 and / or the seventh support ring 247. This means that the water injection and salt absorption chamber 117 is controlled on and off by the second piston body 32, and the second piston body 32 abuts at least one support ring 24. This means that during movement, the piston 3 abuts at least three support rings 24, thereby further improving the smoothness of the piston 3's movement and ensuring the sealing performance of the soft water valve.

[0094] Among them, see Figure 17The water inlet channel 101 can be connected to the water inlet pipe via a quick-connect connector, the water outlet channel 105 can be connected to the water outlet pipe via a quick-connect connector, and the sewage channel 103 can be connected to the sewage pipe via a quick-connect connector. The water injection and salt absorption channel 106 can be connected to the water injection and salt absorption pipe via a quick-connect connector, and the end of the water injection and salt absorption pipe away from the water injection and salt absorption channel 106 is connected to the salt tank 300 via a quick-connect connector. The side wall channel 102 and the center channel 104 can both communicate with the soft water tank 200 via the soft tank interface 161. Therefore, the side wall channel 102 and the center channel 104 are spaced apart at the soft tank interface 161. To facilitate monitoring of the water consumption and water flow of the water softener, a flow meter 6 can be installed in the water outlet channel 105 to facilitate monitoring the normal operation of the water softener.

[0095] See also Figure 3 、 Figure 4 and Figure 18 In an embodiment of the present invention, in one implementation, the plurality of water channel modes include a water production mode. In the water production mode, the first piston body 31 abuts against the first support baffle ring 241, the third support baffle ring 243 and the fourth support baffle ring 244, the first water flow ring groove 312 faces the second support baffle ring 242, and the second piston body 32 abuts against the sixth support baffle ring 246 and the seventh support baffle ring 247.

[0096] Specifically, in the water production mode, the piston 3 moves to the water production position. At this time, the first water flow ring groove 312 faces the second support baffle ring 242, so that the water inlet chamber 112 is connected to the side wall chamber 113 through the first water flow ring groove 312; the outer periphery of the first piston body 31 abuts against the inner periphery of the first support baffle ring 241, the third support baffle ring 243 and the fourth support baffle ring 244, respectively, thereby blocking the connection between the water inlet chamber 112 and the water flow channel 311, the connection between the side wall chamber 113 and the sewage discharge chamber 114, and the connection between the central chamber 115 and the sewage discharge chamber 114; the connection between the first piston body 31 and the second piston body 32 faces the central chamber 115, so that the central chamber 115 is connected to the water outlet chamber 116. At this time, the second water-passing ring groove 321 faces the water outlet cavity 116 , and the outer peripheral surface of the end of the second piston body 32 away from the first piston body 31 abuts against the sixth support ring 246 and the seventh support ring 247 respectively, thereby blocking the water injection and salt absorption cavity 117 .

[0097] See also Figure 4 , Figure 4This is a simplified schematic diagram of the softening valve in water production mode. The arrows in the figure indicate the direction of water flow within the softening valve in this mode. Therefore, in this mode, the water flow path is as follows: external water flows through the water inlet channel 101 into the water inlet chamber 112, then flows sequentially into the sidewall chamber 113 and the sidewall channel 102, and then into the softening tank 200 for softening. The softened water flows through the central channel 104 into the central chamber 115, then through the central chamber 115, sequentially through the water outlet chamber 116 and the water outlet channel 105, and finally out of the softening valve, completing normal water production.

[0098] See also Figure 3 、 Figure 5 and Figure 18 In an embodiment of the present invention, in one embodiment, the plurality of water channel modes include a water injection mode. In the water injection mode, the first piston body 31 abuts against the first support baffle ring 241, the third support baffle ring 243 and the fourth support baffle ring 244, the first water flow ring groove 312 faces the second support baffle ring 242, the second piston body 32 abuts against the seventh support baffle ring 247, and the second water flow ring groove 321 faces the sixth support baffle ring 246.

[0099] Specifically, in the water injection mode, the piston 3 moves to the water injection position. At this time, the first water flow groove 312 faces the second support baffle ring 242, so that the water inlet chamber 112 is connected to the side wall chamber 113 through the first water flow groove 312; and the outer periphery of the first piston body 31 abuts against the inner periphery of the first support baffle ring 241, the third support baffle ring 243 and the fourth support baffle ring 244, respectively, thereby blocking the connection between the water inlet chamber 112 and the water flow channel 311, the connection between the side wall chamber 113 and the sewage discharge chamber 114, and the connection between the central chamber 115 and the sewage discharge chamber 114; the connection between the first piston body 31 and the second piston body 32 faces the central chamber 115, so that the central chamber 115 is connected to the water outlet chamber 116 through the connection between the first piston body 31 and the second piston body 32. At this time, the second water-passing ring groove 321 faces the sixth supporting baffle ring 246, so that the water outlet chamber 116 is connected to the water injection and salt absorption chamber 117 through the second water-passing ring groove 321, and the outer peripheral surface of the end of the second piston body 32 away from the first piston body 31 abuts against the seventh supporting baffle ring 247, thereby blocking the side of the water injection and salt absorption chamber 117 away from the water outlet chamber 116 (that is, blocking the connection between the water injection and salt absorption chamber 117 and the bypass channel 14).

[0100] See also Figure 5 , Figure 5The simplified schematic diagram of the water softening valve in water injection mode shows the direction of water flow indicated by the arrows. In this mode, the water flow path is as follows: External water flows through the water inlet channel 101 into the water inlet chamber 112, then sequentially flows into the sidewall chamber 113 and the sidewall channel 102, and then into the soft water tank 200 for softening. The softened water flows through the central channel 104 into the central chamber 115, and then through the central chamber 115 into the water outlet chamber 116. Within the water outlet chamber 116, the softened water is divided into two parts: one part flows through the water outlet channel 105 and out of the water softening valve for normal soft water production, while the other part flows into the water injection and salt absorption chamber 117, and then flows through the water injection and salt absorption chamber 117 to the brine tank 300, thereby filling the brine tank 300 with water.

[0101] See also Figure 3 、 Figure 6 and Figure 18 In an embodiment of the present invention, the multiple water channel modes include a forward washing mode. In the forward washing mode, the first piston body 31 abuts against the third support baffle ring 243 and the fifth support baffle ring 245, the first water flow ring groove 312 faces the fourth support baffle ring 244, and the second piston body 32 abuts against the sixth support baffle ring 246 and the seventh support baffle ring 247.

[0102] Specifically, in the forward washing mode, the piston 3 moves to the forward washing position. At this time, the first piston body 31 abuts against the third support baffle ring 243 and the fifth support baffle ring 245 respectively, thereby blocking the communication between the side wall cavity 113 and the sewage discharge cavity 114, and the communication between the water outlet cavity 116 and the central cavity 115. Since the first piston body 31 does not abut against the first support baffle ring 241 and the second support baffle ring 242, the water inlet cavity 112 is directly connected to the side wall cavity 113 and the water passage 311 respectively; the first water passage ring groove 312 faces the fourth support baffle ring 244, so that the central cavity 115 passes through the first support baffle ring 243. The first water-passing ring groove 312 is connected to the sewage discharge chamber 114, and the connection between the first piston body 31 and the second piston body 32 faces the water outlet chamber 116, so that the water outlet chamber 116 is connected to the water-passing channel 311, thereby making the water inlet chamber 112 and the water outlet chamber 116 connected through the water-passing channel 311, and the second water-passing ring groove 321 is located on the side of the seventh support baffle ring 247 away from the sixth support baffle ring 246, so that the outer periphery of the end of the second piston body 32 close to the first piston body 31 respectively abuts against the sixth support baffle ring 246 and the seventh support baffle ring 247, thereby blocking the water injection and salt absorption chamber 117.

[0103] See also Figure 6 , Figure 6This is a simplified schematic diagram of the soft water valve in forward flush mode. The arrows in the figure indicate the direction of water flow through the soft water valve in forward flush mode. Therefore, in forward flush mode, the water flow path is as follows: external hard water flows into the water inlet chamber 112 through the water inlet channel 101. The hard water in the water inlet chamber 112 is divided into two parts. One part flows through the water flow channel 311 to the water outlet chamber 116 and exits the soft water valve through the water outlet channel 105. The other part flows into the side wall chamber 113 and flows into the soft water tank 200 through the side wall channel 102 to clean the soft water tank 200. The cleaned wastewater then flows through the central channel 104, the central chamber 115, the sewage chamber 114, and the sewage channel 103 in sequence to exit the soft water valve, completing the forward flush of the soft water tank 200.

[0104] At this time, since the unsoftened hard water flows directly from the water inlet chamber 112 to the water outlet chamber 116 and then flows out of the softening valve, a switch structure can be set at the water outlet channel 105 to facilitate the user to choose whether to discharge the unsoftened hard water from the water softener.

[0105] See also Figure 3 、 Figure 7 and Figure 18 In an embodiment of the present invention, the multiple water channel modes include a backwash mode. In the backwash mode, the first piston body 31 abuts against the second support baffle ring 242 and the fourth support baffle ring 244, the first water ring groove 312 faces the third support baffle ring 243, and the second piston body 32 abuts against the sixth support baffle ring 246 and the seventh support baffle ring 247.

[0106] Specifically, in backwash mode, the piston 3 moves to the backwash position. At this point, the first piston body 31 abuts the second support ring 242 and the fourth support ring 244, respectively, thereby blocking the connection between the water inlet chamber 112 and the sidewall chamber 113, and the connection between the sewage chamber 114 and the central chamber 115. The first water flow annular groove 312 faces the third support ring 243, allowing the sidewall chamber 113 to communicate with the sewage chamber 114 through the first water flow annular groove 312. The connection between the first piston body 31 and the second piston body 32 faces the central chamber 115, thereby connecting the sidewall chamber 113 to the water outlet chamber 116, and the water flow channel 311 to the water outlet chamber 116. And because the first piston body 31 does not abut against the first support baffle ring 241 to conduct the water inlet chamber 112 and the water flow channel 311, the water inlet chamber 112 and the water outlet chamber 116 are connected through the water flow channel 311, and the second water flow ring groove 321 faces the water injection and salt absorption chamber 117, so that the second piston body 32 abuts against the sixth support baffle ring 246 and the seventh support baffle ring 247 on the opposite sides of the second water flow ring groove 321, thereby blocking the water injection and salt absorption chamber 117.

[0107] See also Figure 7 , Figure 7 This is a simplified schematic diagram of the soft water valve in backwash mode. The arrows in the figure indicate the direction of water flow in the backwash mode. Therefore, in backwash mode, the water flow path is as follows: external hard water flows into the water inlet chamber 112 through the water inlet channel 101, flows to the water outlet chamber 116 through the water passage 311, and is divided into two parts within the water outlet chamber 116. One part is discharged from the soft water valve through the water outlet channel 105; the other part flows back to the central chamber 115 and flows into the soft water tank 200 through the central channel 104 to clean the soft water tank 200. The cleaned wastewater then flows out of the soft water valve through the side wall channel 102, the side wall chamber 113, the sewage chamber 114, and the sewage channel 103, completing the backwash of the soft water valve.

[0108] At this time, since the unsoftened hard water flows directly from the water inlet chamber 112 to the water outlet chamber 116 and then flows out of the softening valve, a switch structure can be set at the water outlet channel 105 to facilitate the user to choose whether to discharge the unsoftened hard water from the water softener.

[0109] In one embodiment, see Figure 3 、 Figure 19 and Figure 21 The soft water valve is also provided with a first jet chamber 12 and a second jet chamber 13, and a bypass channel 14 connecting the first jet chamber 12 and the second jet chamber 13. The bypass channel 14 can also be connected to the water injection and salt absorption chamber 117. The first jet chamber 12 is respectively connected to the water inlet chamber 112 and the side wall channel 102, and the second jet chamber 13 is respectively connected to the water outlet chamber 116 and the central channel 104. The soft water valve also includes an ejector, and the ejector is selectively installed in the first jet chamber 12 and the second jet chamber 13.

[0110] Specifically, the first jet chamber 12 is respectively connected to the water inlet chamber 112, the side wall chamber 113 and the bypass channel 14. When the water flow in the water inlet chamber 112 flows to the first jet chamber 12, it can trigger the ejector in the first jet chamber 12 to produce a siphon effect, thereby sucking the salt water in the bypass channel 14 into the first jet chamber 12, and then sucking it into the side wall chamber 113, and then discharged to the soft water tank 200 to achieve the downstream regeneration of the soft water medium therein; the second jet chamber 13 is respectively connected to the water outlet chamber 116, the central chamber 115 and the bypass channel 14. When the water flow in the water inlet chamber 112 flows to the second jet chamber 13, it can trigger the ejector in the second jet chamber 13 to produce a siphon effect, thereby sucking the salt water in the bypass channel 14 into the second jet chamber 13, and then sucking it into the central chamber 115, and then discharged to the soft water tank 200 to achieve the countercurrent regeneration of the soft water medium therein.

[0111] It is understandable that, in actual use, only one of the first jet chamber 12 and the second jet chamber 13 needs to be retained. Therefore, the ejector is installed in one of the first jet chamber 12 and the second jet chamber 13, and the other can be blocked with a plug, thereby facilitating the user to select either a forward or reverse regeneration valve according to actual conditions. Furthermore, the valve body 1 in this solution can be used in conjunction with both the forward and reverse regeneration valves. Therefore, in actual production, both forward and reverse regeneration valves can be implemented by producing the same valve body 1, thereby helping to reduce the processing cost of the water softener.

[0112] See also Figure 3 、 Figure 8 、 Figure 18 and Figure 21 In an embodiment of the present invention, the multiple water channel modes include a downstream regeneration mode. In the downstream regeneration mode, the first piston body 31 abuts against the second support baffle ring 242, the fourth support baffle ring 244 and the fifth support baffle ring 245, the first water flow ring groove 312 faces the third support baffle ring 243, the second piston body 32 abuts against the sixth support baffle ring 246, and the second water flow ring groove 321 faces the seventh support baffle ring 247.

[0113] Specifically, in the downstream regeneration mode, the piston 3 moves to the downstream regeneration position. At this time, the first piston body 31 abuts the second support ring 242, the third support ring 243, and the fifth support ring 245, respectively, thereby blocking the communication between the water inlet chamber 112 and the sidewall chamber 113, the communication between the sidewall chamber 113 and the sewage chamber 114, and the communication between the central chamber 115 and the water outlet chamber 116. The first water flow annular groove 312 faces the fourth support ring 244, allowing the central chamber 115 to communicate with the sewage chamber 114 through the first water flow annular groove 312. The first piston body 31 does not abut against the first support baffle ring 241, so that the water inlet chamber 112 is connected to the water flow channel 311, and the connection between the first piston body 31 and the second piston body 32 faces the water outlet chamber 116, so that the water outlet chamber 116 is connected to the water flow channel 311, that is, even if the water inlet chamber 112 and the water outlet chamber 116 are connected through the water flow channel 311, the second piston body 32 abuts against the sixth support baffle ring 246, thereby blocking the connection between the water outlet chamber 116 and the water injection and salt absorption chamber 117, and the second water flow ring groove 321 faces the seventh support baffle ring 247, so that the water injection and salt absorption chamber 117 is connected to the bypass channel 14.

[0114] See also Figure 8 , Figure 8This is a simplified structural diagram of the soft water valve in the downstream regeneration mode. The direction indicated by the arrow in the figure is the direction of water flow in the downstream regeneration mode. Therefore, in the downstream regeneration mode, the flow path of the water flow is as follows: the salt water in the salt tank 300 flows into the bypass channel 14 through the water injection and salt absorption channel 106 and the water injection and salt absorption chamber 117 in sequence; at the same time, the external hard water flows into the water inlet chamber 112 through the water inlet channel 101, and the water flow in the water flow chamber 111 is divided into two parts, one part flows to the water outlet chamber 116 through the water flow channel 311, and is discharged from the soft water valve through the water outlet channel 105; the other part flows to the first jet chamber 12 , to trigger the ejector in the first jet chamber 12 to produce a siphon effect, thereby sucking the salt water in the bypass flow channel 14 into the first jet chamber 12, and then flowing to the side wall chamber 113, and entering the soft water tank 200 through the side wall channel 102, so as to regenerate the soft water medium in the soft water tank 200, and the regenerated wastewater is discharged from the soft water valve in sequence through the central channel 104, the central cavity 115, the sewage chamber 114 and the sewage channel 103, thereby realizing the downstream regeneration of the soft water valve.

[0115] See also Figure 3 、 Figure 9 、 Figure 18 and Figure 21 In an embodiment of the present invention, the multiple water channel modes include a countercurrent regeneration mode. In the countercurrent regeneration mode, the first piston body 31 abuts against the second support baffle ring 242, the third support baffle ring 243 and the fifth support baffle ring 245, the first water flow ring groove 312 faces the fourth support baffle ring 244, the second piston body 32 abuts against the sixth support baffle ring 246, and the second water flow ring groove 321 faces the seventh support baffle ring 247.

[0116] Specifically, in the reverse flow regeneration mode, the piston 3 moves to the reverse flow regeneration position. At this time, the first piston body 31 abuts the second support ring 242, the fourth support ring 244, and the fifth support ring 245, respectively, thereby blocking the communication between the water inlet chamber 112 and the side wall chamber 113, the communication between the central chamber 115 and the sewage chamber 114, and the communication between the central chamber 115 and the water outlet chamber 116. The first water flow annular groove 312 faces the third support ring 243, so that the side wall chamber 113 is connected to the sewage chamber 114 through the first water flow annular groove 312. The first piston body 31 does not abut against the first support baffle ring 241, so that the water inlet chamber 112 is connected to the water flow channel 311, and the connection between the first piston body 31 and the second piston body 32 faces the water outlet chamber 116, so that the water outlet chamber 116 is connected to the water flow channel 311, so that the water inlet chamber 112 and the water outlet chamber 116 are connected through the water flow channel 311, and the second piston body 32 abuts against the sixth support baffle ring 246, thereby blocking the connection between the water outlet chamber 116 and the water injection and salt absorption chamber 117, and the second water flow ring groove 321 faces the seventh support baffle ring 247, so that the water injection and salt absorption chamber 117 is connected to the bypass channel 14.

[0117] See also Figure 9 , Figure 9 This is a simplified structural diagram of the soft water valve in reverse regeneration mode. The direction indicated by the arrow in the figure is the direction of water flow in the reverse regeneration mode. Therefore, in the reverse regeneration mode, the flow path of the water flow is as follows: the salt water in the salt tank 300 flows into the bypass channel 14 through the water injection and salt absorption channel 106 and the water injection and salt absorption chamber 117 in sequence; at the same time, the external hard water flows into the water inlet chamber 112 through the water inlet channel 101 and flows to the water outlet chamber 116 through the water passage 311. The water flow in the water outlet chamber 116 is divided into two parts, one part is discharged from the soft water valve through the water outlet channel 105; the other part flows to the second jet chamber 13 , to trigger the ejector in the second jet chamber 13 to produce a siphon effect, thereby sucking the salt water in the bypass flow channel 14 into the second jet chamber 13, and then flowing to the central cavity 115, and entering the soft water tank 200 through the central channel 104, so as to regenerate the soft water medium in the soft water tank 200, and the regenerated wastewater is discharged from the soft water valve in sequence through the side wall channel 102, the side wall cavity 113, the sewage cavity 114 and the sewage channel 103, thereby realizing the countercurrent regeneration of the soft water valve.

[0118] Reference Figure 3 and Figure 21In one embodiment, the water injection and salt absorption chamber 117 is divided into a first sub-chamber 1171 and a second sub-chamber 1172 by the seventh support ring 247. The second sub-chamber 1172 is provided on a side of the first sub-chamber 1171 away from the water outlet chamber 116. The first sub-chamber 1171 can be communicated with the water outlet chamber 116 and the water injection and salt absorption channel 106 respectively, and the second sub-chamber 1172 can be communicated with the bypass channel 14. Thus, by controlling the communication between the first sub-chamber 1171 and the second sub-chamber 1172, the bypass channel 14 and the water injection and salt absorption channel 106 are connected. In the downstream regeneration mode or the upstream regeneration mode, the first sub-chamber 1171 and the second sub-chamber 1172 are communicated through the second water ring groove 321, and the salt water in the salt tank 300 flows into the bypass channel 14 in sequence through the water injection and salt absorption chamber 117. In order to facilitate the communication between the second sub-cavity 1172 and the bypass channel 14 , illustratively, at least one salt absorption hole 1173 communicating with the bypass channel 14 is opened in the cavity wall of the second sub-cavity 1172 .

[0119] In one embodiment, see Figure 10 and Figure 11 , the difference between the diameter of the first piston body 31 and the diameter of the second piston body 32 is greater than or equal to 5mm. Specifically, the diameter of the first piston body 31 is D1, and the diameter of the second piston body 32 is D2, D1-D2≥5mm, thereby magnifying the diameter difference between the first piston body 31 and the second piston body 32 to ensure the opening size between the outer diameter of the first piston body 31 and the grille assembly 2, that is, to achieve the cross-sectional area of ​​water flow to ensure the flux requirement, and the first piston body 31 is the main part of the piston 3, which is used to provide high driving force to ensure a fast response to the water path switching action, and the second piston body 32 realizes fine flow regulation to meet the precise control requirements of different regeneration modes, thereby shortening the water path switching time. Among them, the diameter difference between the first piston body 31 and the second piston body 32 can be 5mm, 6mm, 7mm, 8mm, 9mm, etc.

[0120] Furthermore, the diameter of the first piston body 31 is greater than or equal to 32 mm, that is, the inner diameter of the grille is greater than or equal to 32 mm, thereby realizing a high-throughput soft water valve, so that the cross-sectional area of ​​the water passage chamber 111 meets the required flow rate. The diameter D1 of the first piston body 31 can be 32 mm, 33 mm, 34 mm, 35 mm, 37 mm, 40 mm, 45 mm, 50 mm, etc.

[0121] In an embodiment of the present invention, the ratio of the length of the second piston body 32 to the length of the first piston body 31 is greater than or equal to 4 / 5 and less than or equal to 8 / 9. Specifically, the length of the first piston body 31 is L1, and the length of the second piston body 32 is L2. 4 / 5 ≤ L2 / L1 ≤ 8 / 9, thereby making the piston 3 more adaptable to waterway switching. The ratio of the length of the first piston body 31 to the length of the second piston body 32 can be 4 / 5, 5 / 6, 6 / 7, 7 / 8, or 8 / 9.

[0122] Reference Figure 13 and Figure 14 In one embodiment, at least the outer periphery of the end of the first piston body 31 has a chamfer 315 or a rounded corner. This forms a lead-in angle at the end of the first piston body 31, guiding the contact between the piston 3 and the inner sealing ring 23 of the support retaining ring 24 during the relative movement between the piston 3 and the grid assembly 2. This prevents the first piston body 31 from cutting the inner sealing ring 23 during axial movement, which could cause internal sealing failure.

[0123] See Figure 11 、 Figure 12 、 Figures 14 to 16 In one embodiment, an adapter plate 35 is provided at the end of the first piston body 31. The adapter plate 35 is provided with a water hole 351 that communicates with the water passage 311. The second piston body 32 is snap-fitted to the adapter plate 35. In other words, the first and second piston bodies 31, 32 are formed separately and snap-fitted together via the adapter plate 35. This facilitates both the processing and assembly of the piston 3. Because the drive module in this soft water valve drives the piston 3 axially to switch between multiple waterway modes, the drive module includes a drive rod connected to the piston 3. The drive rod connects to the first piston body 31, thereby achieving a transmission connection between the drive module and the piston 3. Therefore, an adapter plate 35 can be provided at each end of the first piston body 31. One of the two adapter plates 35 snaps into place with the second piston body 32, while the other snaps into place with the drive rod, thereby facilitating the transmission connection between the drive module and the piston 3. Furthermore, a water hole 351 communicating with the water passage 311 is provided on the adapter plate 35 , thereby achieving communication between both ends of the water passage 311 .

[0124] To facilitate the snap-fit ​​connection between the second piston body 32 and the adapter plate 35, in one embodiment, a snap-fit ​​hole 354 is provided on the adapter plate 35, and a portion of the periphery of the snap-fit ​​hole 354 is provided with a fracture 355 connected to the water hole 351. The second piston body 32 is provided with a limiting ring groove 322 on the peripheral side facing the first piston body 31. The second piston body 32 penetrates the water hole 351, and the limiting ring groove 322 is snapped into the snap-fit ​​hole 354 through the fracture 355. During actual installation, the second piston body 32 passes through the water hole 351 and is engaged with the engaging hole 354 via the cutout 355, thereby engaging the second piston body 32 with the adapter plate 35. This facilitates the engaging connection between the second piston body 32 and the first piston body 31. Furthermore, because the outer peripheral surface of the piston 3 can abut against the inner peripheral edge of the grille assembly 2 when installed in the valve body 1, the second piston body 32 is further limited in position, reducing the possibility of the second piston body 32 slipping out of the engaging hole 354 via the cutout 355. Furthermore, the engaging hole 354 is located at the axis of the adapter plate 35, thereby coaxially connecting the first piston body 31 and the second piston body 32, further ensuring the movement stability of both. The second piston body 32 is provided with a limiting ring groove 322 on the circumferential side facing the first piston body 31. The limiting ring groove 322 is used to engage with the clamping hole 354, so that the peripheral edge of the clamping hole 354 is clamped into the limiting ring groove 322, thereby further improving the clamping stability between the adapter plate 35 and the second piston body 32, and can limit the axial movement of the second piston body 32, thereby further ensuring the stable installation of the first piston body 31 and the second piston body 32, and ensuring the synchronous movement of the two.

[0125] In one embodiment, the piston 3 further includes a retaining ring 36, the end of the first piston body 31 is provided with a mounting groove 313, and the peripheral wall of the mounting groove 313 is provided with a snap ring groove 314, the adapter plate 35 is installed in the mounting groove 313, and the outer peripheral edge of the retaining ring 36 is snapped into the snap ring groove 314 to prevent the adapter plate 35 from escaping from the mounting groove 313; that is, a mounting groove 313 is opened with the end of the water passage 311, thereby forming a limiting step at the end of the first piston body 31, and the adapter plate 35 is installed The adapter plate 35 is positioned in the mounting recess 313, and the edge of the adapter plate 35 abuts the limiting step, thereby limiting the inner position of the adapter plate 35. A snap ring groove 314 is provided on the peripheral wall of the mounting recess 313. This snap ring groove 314 is provided on the outer side of the adapter plate 35. The outer peripheral edge of the retaining ring 36 engages with the snap ring groove 314, thereby limiting the outer position of the adapter plate 35 and preventing the adapter plate 35 from escaping the mounting recess 313. Consequently, the mounting recess 313 and the retaining ring 36 jointly limit the adapter plate 35, allowing the adapter plate 35 to be secured to the first piston body 31. To facilitate installation, a partial cutout 355 is provided on the retaining ring 36, facilitating adjustment of its diameter during installation, thereby facilitating the engagement of its outer peripheral edge with the snap ring groove 314. This facilitates installation of the adapter plate 35 and ensures its installation stability.

[0126] In another embodiment, the adapter plate 35 is threadedly connected to the first piston body 31 .

[0127] In another embodiment, the adapter plate 35 and the first piston body 31 are integrally formed.

[0128] In one embodiment, referring to Figure 16 The adapter plate 35 has a plurality of water holes 351, and the plurality of water holes 351 are arranged at intervals along the circumference of the adapter plate 35. In other words, the plurality of water holes 351 can be of the same shape and size, and the plurality of water holes 351 are arranged at intervals along the circumference of the adapter plate 35.

[0129] In one embodiment, referring to Figure 15The adapter plate 35 has a plurality of first water holes 352. The plurality of water holes 351 include first water holes 352 and second water holes 353. The first water holes 352 and the second water holes 353 are arranged alternately along the circumference of the adapter plate 35. In other words, the plurality of water holes 351 can have the same shape and size, and water holes 351 of different shapes or sizes can be arranged alternately along the circumference of the adapter plate 35, thereby ensuring uniform flow of water through the adapter plate 35. In other words, in this embodiment, the specific shape and size of the water holes 351 are not limited; as long as they can ensure the flow of water through the water channel 311, their specific shape and size can be set according to actual flow requirements.

[0130] See also Figure 23 and Figure 24 In one embodiment, the grille assembly 2 includes a plurality of grille units 21 sequentially spliced ​​and arranged along the axial direction of the valve chamber 11, and an outer sealing ring groove 211 for installing the outer sealing ring 22 is spliced ​​between two adjacent grille units 21; the grille assembly 2 has a pre-installed state, in which a widened gap 212 can be formed between two adjacent grille units 21, and the width of the widened gap 212 is smaller than the cross-sectional diameter of the outer sealing ring 22;

[0131] The soft water valve also includes a drive mounting seat 5 that covers the cavity opening of the valve cavity 11; when the cavity opening of the valve cavity 11 is in an open state, the grille assembly 2 is installed to the valve cavity 11 in the pre-installed state, and the widened gap 212 widens the outer sealing ring groove 211 to provide a larger deformation space for the outer sealing ring 22; when the drive mounting seat 5 covers the cavity opening of the valve cavity 11, the drive mounting seat 5 abuts against the grille assembly 2 to eliminate the widened gap 212, so that the outer sealing ring 22 abuts against the cavity wall of the valve cavity 11.

[0132] Specifically, multiple grille units 21 are spliced ​​together in sequence. To facilitate the assembly of the soft water valve, during actual assembly, the grille units 21 are often spliced ​​together first, and then the grille assembly 2 is installed as a whole into the valve cavity 11. That is, the multiple grille units 21 and the outer sealing ring 22 are assembled first, and then the grille assembly 2 is installed into the valve cavity 11. Therefore, if the multiple grille units 21 are directly spliced ​​into place, the outer sealing ring 22 is clamped by the outer sealing ring groove 211. In order to ensure the sealing strength, the outer sealing ring 22 and the valve cavity 11 usually adopt an interference fit. As a result, when the grille assembly 2 is actually installed, the friction between the outer sealing ring 22 and the cavity wall of the valve cavity 11 is relatively large, making it difficult to insert the grille assembly 2 into the valve cavity 11. It is also easy to cause the outer sealing ring 22 to shift, which increases the difficulty of installing the grille assembly 2.

[0133] The grille assembly 2 in the present scheme is installed into the valve cavity 11 in a pre-installed state. The existence of the widened gap 212 can further increase the width of the outer sealing ring groove 211 along the axial direction of the valve cavity 11, thereby providing a larger deformation space for the outer sealing ring 22, thereby reducing the friction between the outer sealing ring 22 and the cavity wall of the valve cavity 11 during assembly, making it easier for the grille assembly 2 to be installed into the valve cavity 11, and reducing the probability of the outer sealing ring 22 falling out of the outer sealing ring groove 211; and the existence of the widened gap 212 can also further increase the radial depth of the outer sealing ring groove 211 along the valve cavity 11, thereby allowing more of the outer sealing ring 22 to be installed into the outer sealing ring groove 211, which helps to reduce the outer diameter of the grille assembly 2 at the outer sealing ring 22, thereby reducing the friction between the outer sealing ring 22 and the cavity wall of the valve cavity 11, thereby further facilitating the grille assembly 2 to be installed into the valve cavity 11. Furthermore, the width of the widened gap 212 is smaller than the cross-sectional diameter of the outer sealing ring 22 , thereby reducing the possibility of the outer sealing ring 22 being stuck in the widened gap 212 while reducing the difficulty of installing the grille assembly 2 .

[0134] When the drive mounting seat 5 covers the cavity opening of the valve cavity 11, the drive mounting seat 5 abuts against the grille assembly 2, so that under the pressing action of the drive mounting seat 5, the widened gap 212 is eliminated, and the depth and width of the outer sealing ring groove 211 are reduced, so that the two adjacent grille units 21 can clamp the sealing ring groove together, and the outer sealing ring 22 can be pressed against the cavity wall of the valve cavity 11, thereby facilitating the installation of the grille assembly 2 and ensuring the sealing strength between the grille assembly 2 and the cavity wall of the valve cavity 11.

[0135] The grille units 21 can be connected by snapping. For example, one of the two adjacent sides of two adjacent grille units 21 is provided with a snapping hole 213, and the other is provided with a snapping protrusion 214. In the pre-installed state, the snapping protrusion 214 is inserted into the snapping hole 213 and snapped to the edge of the snapping hole 213.

[0136] See also Figure 18 、 Figure 20 and Figure 22In one embodiment, the valve body 1 comprises a valve body 15 and a valve base 16, which are joined together. The soft tank interface 161 is provided on the valve base 16. The valve body 15 is provided with a first dividing rib 151 on one side near the valve base 16, which cooperates with the grille assembly 2 to separate the plurality of water passage chambers 111. The valve base 16 is provided with a second dividing rib 162 corresponding to each first dividing rib 151. The first dividing rib 151 has a first rib surface 1511 and a second rib surface 1512 that are radially opposed to each other within the valve chamber 11. The grille assembly 2 is in sealing contact with the first rib surface 1511, and the second dividing rib 162 is fixedly connected to the second rib surface 1512. Specifically, the valve body 1 is formed by joining the valve body 15 and the valve base 16, which together form the valve chamber 11 and the bypass channel 14, thereby facilitating the processing of the valve body 1.

[0137] The soft tank interface 161 is provided on the valve base 16 and is used to connect to the soft water tank 200. Therefore, the side wall channel 102 and the central channel 104 are both provided on the valve base 16. The water inlet channel 101, the water outlet channel 105, and the water injection and salt absorption channel 106 are formed in the valve body 15, thereby ensuring the circumferential continuity of the water inlet channel 101, the water outlet channel 105, and the water injection and salt absorption channel 106, thereby reducing the possibility of water leakage. Of course, in other embodiments, the water inlet channel 101, the water outlet channel 105 and the water injection and salt absorption channel 106 can be only partially arranged on the valve body 15, and the other part is formed by splicing the valve body 15 and the valve base 16 and / or arranged on the valve base 16; or, the water inlet channel 101, the water outlet channel 105 and the water injection and salt absorption channel 106 are all formed by splicing the valve body 15 and the valve base 16; or, the water inlet channel 101, the water outlet channel 105 and the water injection and salt absorption channel 106 are all arranged on the valve base 16.

[0138] The valve body 15 and valve seat 16 are spliced ​​together to form the valve cavity 11, and the valve cavity 11 is used to install the grille assembly 2. Because the outer periphery of the grille assembly 2 abuts the inner periphery of the valve cavity 11, that is, the grille assembly 2 will exert a radially outward force on the cavity wall of the valve cavity 11. Therefore, if the valve body 15 and valve seat 16 are directly spliced ​​together, that is, the outer periphery of the grille assembly 2 partially abuts the valve body 15 and the other part abuts the valve seat 16, the grille assembly 2 will cause the valve body 15 and the valve seat to move away from each other. Over long-term use, this may cause water leakage in the valve cavity 11. Therefore, the valve body 15 is provided with a first dividing rib 151 on the side near the valve base 16 for separating the multiple water passage chambers 111, and the first rib surface 1511 of the dividing rib abuts against the grille assembly 2, so that the outer periphery of the grille assembly 2 only abuts against the valve body 15, thereby eliminating the impact of the abutment between the outer periphery of the grille assembly 2 and the inner periphery of the valve chamber 11 on the splicing of the valve body 15 and the valve base 16, thereby improving the service life of the soft water valve. In addition, the presence of the first dividing rib 151 can further increase the cross-sectional area of ​​the valve chamber 11, thereby increasing the water flow rate, so that the flux of the soft water valve is not less than 6m 3 / h, further realizing small volume and large flux.

[0139] The valve base 16 is provided with a second dividing rib 162 corresponding to each first dividing rib 151. The second dividing rib 162 is fixedly connected to the second rib surface 1512, thereby increasing the contact area between the valve base 16 and the valve body 15 and improving the connection stability between the two. The valve base 16 and the valve body 15 can be connected by welding.

[0140] The present invention also proposes a water softener, which includes a water softener valve. The specific structure of the water softener refers to the above embodiment. Since this water softener adopts all the technical solutions of all the above embodiments, it has at least all the beneficial effects brought by the technical solutions of the above embodiments, which will not be repeated here.

[0141] The above description is merely an exemplary embodiment of the present invention and does not limit the scope of the present invention. Any equivalent structural transformation made by utilizing the contents of the present invention description and drawings under the technical concept of the present invention, or directly / indirectly applied in other related technical fields, is included in the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A soft water valve, characterized in that: include: a valve body, including a valve cavity; A grille assembly is provided in the valve cavity, the grille assembly comprising a plurality of support baffle rings arranged at intervals, the outer peripheries of the plurality of support baffle rings abutting against the inner periphery of the valve cavity, and a water passage cavity is formed between two adjacent support baffle rings; as well as A piston is inserted into the inner periphery of the plurality of support retaining rings, the piston comprising a first piston body and a second piston body connected to each other, the diameter of the first piston body being larger than the diameter of the second piston body, the first piston body being provided with a water passage extending through both ends, the outer periphery of the first piston body being provided with a first water passage ring groove, the outer periphery of the second piston body being provided with a second water passage ring groove, the inner periphery of the support retaining ring being in contact with the outer periphery of the piston to block the communication between the corresponding water passage cavities; The soft water valve has multiple water path modes, and the piston moves axially along the valve cavity to switch the multiple water path modes. In the process of switching the multiple water path modes, the first piston body abuts against the inner circumferences of at least two support rings.

2. The soft water valve according to claim 1, characterized in that The plurality of support retaining rings include a first support retaining ring, a second support retaining ring, a third support retaining ring, a fourth support retaining ring, a fifth support retaining ring, a sixth support retaining ring, and a seventh support retaining ring arranged in sequence, and the inner diameters of the sixth support retaining ring and the seventh support retaining ring are smaller than the inner diameters of the first support retaining ring, the second support retaining ring, the third support retaining ring, the fourth support retaining ring, and the fifth support retaining ring; The first piston body abuts against the inner circumference of at least two of the first support retaining ring, the second support retaining ring, the third support retaining ring, the fourth support retaining ring and the fifth support retaining ring, and the second piston body abuts against the inner circumference of the sixth support retaining ring and / or the seventh support retaining ring.

3. The soft water valve according to claim 2, characterized in that The multiple water channel modes include a water production mode. In the water production mode, the first piston body abuts against the first support baffle ring, the third support baffle ring and the fourth support baffle ring, the first water ring groove faces the second support baffle ring, and the second piston body abuts against the sixth support baffle ring and the seventh support baffle ring.

4. The soft water valve according to claim 2, characterized in that The multiple water channel modes include a water injection mode. In the water injection mode, the first piston body abuts against the first support baffle ring, the third support baffle ring and the fourth support baffle ring, the first water flow ring groove faces the second support baffle ring, the second piston body abuts against the seventh support baffle ring, and the second water flow ring groove faces the sixth support baffle ring.

5. The soft water valve according to claim 2, characterized in that: The multiple water channel modes include a forward washing mode. In the forward washing mode, the first piston body abuts against the third support baffle ring and the fifth support baffle ring, the first water ring groove faces the fourth support baffle ring, and the second piston body abuts against the sixth support baffle ring and the seventh support baffle ring.

6. The soft water valve according to claim 2, characterized in that: The multiple water channel modes include a backwash mode. In the backwash mode, the first piston body abuts against the second support baffle ring and the fourth support baffle ring, the first water ring groove faces the third support baffle ring, and the second piston body abuts against the sixth support baffle ring and the seventh support baffle ring.

7. The soft water valve according to claim 2, characterized in that: The multiple water channel modes include a downstream regeneration mode. In the downstream regeneration mode, the first piston body abuts against the second support baffle ring, the fourth support baffle ring and the fifth support baffle ring, the first water flow ring groove faces the third support baffle ring, the second piston body abuts against the sixth support baffle ring, and the second water flow ring groove faces the seventh support baffle ring.

8. The soft water valve according to claim 2, characterized in that: The multiple water channel modes include a countercurrent regeneration mode. In the countercurrent regeneration mode, the first piston body abuts against the second support baffle ring, the third support baffle ring and the fifth support baffle ring, the first water flow ring groove faces the fourth support baffle ring, the second piston body abuts against the sixth support baffle ring, and the second water flow ring groove faces the seventh support baffle ring.

9. The soft water valve according to claim 1, characterized in that The difference between the diameter of the first piston body and the diameter of the second piston body is greater than or equal to 5 mm; and / or, The ratio of the length of the second piston body to the length of the first piston body is greater than or equal to 4 / 5 and less than or equal to 8 / 9.

10. The soft water valve according to claim 1, characterized in that The diameter of the first piston body is greater than or equal to 32 mm.

11. The soft water valve according to claim 1, wherein: At least the outer circumference of the end portion of the first piston body has a chamfer or a rounded corner.

12. The soft water valve according to claim 1, wherein: An adapter plate is provided at the end of the first piston body, and a water hole communicating with the water passage is provided on the adapter plate, and the second piston body is clamped on the adapter plate.

13. The soft water valve according to claim 12, characterized in that A clamping hole is provided on the adapter plate, and a fracture connecting to the water hole is provided on a part of the periphery of the clamping hole. A limiting ring groove is provided on the peripheral side of the second piston body facing the first piston body. The second piston body penetrates into the water hole, and the limiting ring groove is clamped into the clamping hole through the fracture.

14. The soft water valve according to claim 12, wherein: The piston further includes a retaining ring, an end portion of the first piston body is provided with a mounting groove, and a peripheral wall of the mounting groove is provided with a snap ring groove, the adapter plate is mounted in the mounting groove, and an outer peripheral edge of the retaining ring is snapped into the snap ring groove to prevent the adapter plate from escaping from the mounting groove; or, The adapter plate is threadedly connected to the first piston body; or, The adapter plate and the first piston body are integrally formed.

15. The soft water valve according to claim 12, wherein: The adapter plate has a plurality of water holes; The plurality of water holes are arranged at intervals along the circumference of the adapter plate; the plurality of water holes include a first water hole and a second water hole, and the first water hole and the second water hole are alternately arranged along the circumference of the adapter plate.

16. The soft water valve according to claim 1, wherein: The grille assembly includes a plurality of grille units sequentially spliced ​​and arranged along the axial direction of the valve cavity, with an outer sealing ring groove for mounting an outer sealing ring formed between two adjacent grille units; the grille assembly has a pre-installed state, in which a widened gap can be formed between two adjacent grille units, and the width of the widened gap is smaller than the cross-sectional diameter of the outer sealing ring; The soft water valve further includes a drive mounting seat for sealing the valve cavity opening; when the valve cavity opening is in an open state, the grille assembly is mounted to the valve cavity in the pre-installed state, and the widened gap widens the outer sealing ring groove to provide a larger deformation space for the outer sealing ring; When the drive mounting seat covers the cavity opening of the valve cavity, the drive mounting seat abuts against the grid assembly to eliminate the widened gap, so that the outer sealing ring abuts against the cavity wall of the valve cavity.

17. The water softening valve according to claim 1, wherein: The valve body includes a valve body and a valve base that are spliced ​​together. The valve base is provided with a soft tank interface. The valve body is provided with a first dividing rib on one side close to the valve base, which cooperates with the grille assembly to separate multiple water flow chambers. The valve base is provided with a second dividing rib corresponding to each of the first dividing ribs. The first dividing rib has a first rib surface and a second rib surface that are opposite to each other in the radial direction of the valve cavity. The grille assembly is sealed and abutted against the first rib surface, and the second dividing rib is fixedly connected to the second rib surface.

18. A water softener, characterized in that: The invention comprises a soft water valve according to any one of claims 1 to 17.

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