Water outlet control method of water drinking equipment and water drinking equipment

Abstract

The invention relates to a water drinking equipment and a water outlet control method thereof.The water drinking equipment comprises a pipeline and a water pump arranged on the pipeline, and the water outlet control method of the water drinking equipment comprises the steps that PWM signals are adopted to control the working voltage of the water pump, and the relation between the duty ratios of different PWM signals and the actual water outlet flow of the water drinking equipment is tested in advance; establishing a relational expression between the duty ratio of the PWM signal and the water outlet flow; and before the drinking equipment discharges water, the target water outlet flow of the drinking equipment is substituted into the relational expression, that is, the target duty ratio of the PWM signal is obtained through calculation, the duty ratio of the PWM signal is adjusted to the target duty ratio, and the water pump is controlled to work. The quantitative water outlet control method has the advantages that quantitative water outlet can be achieved without additionally adding parts, the accuracy rate of the quantitative water outlet control method is better, it can be guaranteed that the water outlet amounts of different drinking water devices are consistent, and the use experience feeling of a user is improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of drinking water equipment technology, and in particular to a method for controlling the water output of a drinking water equipment and a drinking water equipment. Background Technology

[0002] To meet users' quantitative water demand, some existing drinking water devices have added a quantitative water dispensing function. Users can set the water dispensing volume of the drinking water device. Currently, the quantitative water dispensing is achieved by detecting the water flow rate through a flow meter or flow sensor and calculating the total water dispensing volume based on the dispensing time to control the automatic termination of water dispensing.

[0003] For example, Chinese invention patent application number CN201310521116.5 (publication number CN104545453A) discloses a multi-functional water dispenser. This multi-functional water dispenser includes a main body and a flow meter located at the water outlet of the main body. Although this multi-functional water dispenser can achieve quantitative water dispensing through the flow meter, it has the following limitations: First, the flow detection components such as flow meters and flow sensors vary under different usage environments, leading to inconsistent water output from different dispensers. For example, when setting the same amount of water for one cup, some dispensers may dispense less than the set amount, while others may dispense more. Furthermore, the aforementioned multi-functional water dispenser requires additional flow meters and flow sensors, increasing the cost. Second, the performance of the water pump in the dispenser may degrade after prolonged use, resulting in inconsistent water output from the same dispenser at different times. Therefore, further improvements to the existing technology are needed. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The first technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a water output control method for drinking water devices that can ensure consistent water output from different drinking water devices, in contrast to the above-mentioned prior art.

[0005] The second technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a water output control method for a drinking water device that can ensure that the water output of the same drinking water device is consistent at different times, in contrast to the above-mentioned prior art.

[0006] The third technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a drinking water device that applies the above-mentioned water outlet control method.

[0007] The technical solution adopted by the present invention to solve the first technical problem mentioned above is: a water outlet control method for a drinking water device, wherein the drinking water device includes a pipeline and a water pump installed on the pipeline, characterized in that: the working voltage of the water pump is controlled by a PWM signal, and the relationship between different PWM signal duty cycles and the actual water outlet flow rate of the drinking water device is tested in advance to establish a relationship between the PWM signal duty cycle and the water outlet flow rate;

[0008] Before the water dispenser dispenses water, the target water flow rate of the dispenser is substituted into the formula to calculate the target duty cycle of the PWM signal. The duty cycle of the PWM signal is then adjusted to the target duty cycle to control the water pump to work.

[0009] To meet users' demand for hot water, a heating element is also installed on the pipeline downstream of the water pump. That is, the target water flow rate of the above-mentioned drinking water equipment is calculated based on the inlet water temperature of the heating element, the set outlet water temperature of the heating element, and the heating power.

[0010] Preferably, the calculation formula for the target water flow rate L, the inlet water temperature T0 of the heating element, the set outlet water temperature T1 of the heating element, and the heating power P is as follows:

[0011] P = (T1 - T0) * L * 4.2 / 60.

[0012] To ensure that the water temperature of the drinking water equipment meets the user's needs, the duty cycle of the PWM signal is finely adjusted according to the PID algorithm during the water dispensing process, so as to control the water temperature of the drinking water equipment to be equal to the set water temperature of the heating element.

[0013] To achieve a fixed water output, during the water dispensing process of the drinking water equipment, the total accumulated water output V2 is counted, and it is determined whether V2 is greater than or equal to the user-set fixed water output V1. If so, the water pump is shut off and the process ends; otherwise, the water pump is controlled to continue operating, and the total accumulated water output V2 is counted again.

[0014] Preferably, the accumulated total outflow V2 is calculated according to the following formula:

[0015]

[0016] Where t1 is the current water dispensing time of the drinking water equipment, and f(t) is the water dispensing flow rate of the drinking water equipment at time t.

[0017] To address the second technical problem mentioned above, preferably, before the water dispenser operates, the following step is included: calibrating the parameters of the water pump. This prevents deviations between the pump's duty cycle and the actual water flow rate of the water dispenser after prolonged use.

[0018] Preferably, the pipeline is also equipped with a water tank located upstream of the water pump, and the specific process for calibrating the parameters of the water pump is as follows:

[0019] Step 1: Check the water level in the water tank;

[0020] Step 2: Determine if the water level in the tank is high. If so, shut off the water inlet to the tank, clear the accumulated water flow from the current drinking water device, and proceed to Step 3. If not, control the water inlet to the tank and proceed to Step 1.

[0021] Step 3: Control the water pump to work. Record the cumulative water consumption Q1 of the water dispenser in the first time period according to the duty cycle of the water pump's PWM signal and the water output time. Then record the current cumulative water output Q of the water dispenser, Q = Q1. Determine whether the water level in the water tank is low. If yes, proceed to step 7; otherwise, proceed to step 4.

[0022] Step 4: Record the cumulative water consumption Q2 of the water dispenser in the second time period, update the current cumulative water output Q of the water dispenser, Q = Q1 + Q2, and determine whether the water level in the water tank is low. If yes, proceed to step 7; otherwise, proceed to step 5.

[0023] Step 5: Following the same method as in Step 4, record the cumulative water consumption Q of the water dispenser during the nth time period. n Update the current cumulative water output Q of the drinking water equipment, Q = Q1 + Q 2+ …Q n n is a positive integer;

[0024] Step 6: Determine if the water level in the water tank is low. If yes, proceed to Step 7; otherwise, record the cumulative water consumption of the drinking water equipment in the next time period and update the current cumulative water output Q of the drinking water equipment.

[0025] Step 7: Determine whether the current cumulative water output Q is equal to Qf, where Qf is the water volume between the low and high water levels in the tank. If yes, no calibration of the water pump parameters is required, and the process ends. If no, the water pump parameters are calibrated based on the difference between the current cumulative water output Q and Qf.

[0026] Specifically, the process of calibrating the parameters of the water pump in step 7 is as follows:

[0027] Calibration factor = A|Q-Qf|, where A is the magnification factor.

[0028] The technical solution adopted by the present invention to solve the third technical problem mentioned above is: a drinking water device, characterized in that: it applies the water outlet control method described above.

[0029] Compared with the prior art, the advantages of the present invention are as follows: By testing the relationship between different PWM signal duty cycles and the actual water flow of the drinking water device in advance, and establishing the relationship between the PWM signal duty cycle and the water flow, the target water flow of the drinking water device can be substituted into the relationship to obtain the target duty cycle of the PWM signal. Thus, the target duty cycle of the PWM signal controls the water pump to work. Therefore, this method does not require additional flow meter, flow sensor or other flow detection components to achieve quantitative water output. Moreover, the accuracy of this quantitative water output control method is better, which can ensure that the water output of different drinking water devices is consistent and improve the user experience. Attached Figure Description

[0030] Figure 1 This is a water circuit diagram of the drinking water device in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0031] Figure 2 This is a flowchart of the water outlet control method of the drinking water device in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0032] Figure 3 This is a flowchart of a method for controlling the quantitative water output of a drinking water device in an embodiment of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0033] The present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments.

[0034] like Figure 1 As shown, the drinking water device in this embodiment includes a pipeline 1, a water tank 2, a heating element 3, and a filter assembly. The pipeline 1 has an inlet end 11 and an outlet end 12. The water tank 2 is in fluid communication with the pipeline 1, and the outlet end of the water tank 2 is in fluid communication with the pipeline 1 through a pipe 4. The heating element 3 is disposed on the pipe 4, and a water pump 41 is also disposed on the pipe 4. In this embodiment, the heating element 3 can be an instant heating tube, and the filter assembly is located upstream of the connection between the water tank 2 and the pipeline 1. The drinking water device in this embodiment is a water dispenser or a water purifier.

[0035] The pipeline 1 is also equipped with a sterilization module 5 located between the filter element assembly and the water tank 2. The sterilization module 5 is an ultraviolet sterilization module. In this embodiment, the filter element assembly includes a pre-filter 61, a reverse osmosis membrane 62, and a post-filter 63 arranged in sequence. A booster pump 7 is also provided between the pre-filter 61 and the reverse osmosis membrane 62. The pipeline 1 is also equipped with an inlet valve 81, a normal temperature drain valve 82 located downstream of the sterilization module 5, and a purified water valve 83 located between the sterilization module 5 and the inlet of the water tank 2. The output end of the pipeline 1 is fluidly connected to the output end of the pipeline 4 so that the drinking water equipment shares the same drain outlet. In addition, the reverse osmosis membrane 62 is also connected to a wastewater pipe 9 and a wastewater valve 91 located on the wastewater pipe 9. The water tank 2 is fluidly connected to the wastewater pipe 9 through a drain pipe 10, and a drain pump 101 is provided on the drain pipe 10.

[0036] like Figure 2 As shown, the water output control method of the drinking water device in this embodiment is as follows: the working voltage of the water pump is controlled by a PWM signal. The relationship between different PWM signal duty cycles and the actual water output flow of the drinking water device is tested in advance to establish the relationship between the PWM signal duty cycle and the water output flow. Before the drinking water device outputs water, the target water output flow of the drinking water device is substituted into the relationship to calculate the target duty cycle of the PWM signal. The duty cycle of the PWM signal is then adjusted to the target duty cycle to control the water pump to work.

[0037] In this embodiment, the curve relationship between water flow rate and PWM signal duty cycle is plotted based on the test data, or the data correspondence is established by creating an array table, and the formula or array table information is input into the software code.

[0038] In this embodiment, when the user needs hot water from the water dispenser, the target water flow rate of the water dispenser is calculated based on the inlet water temperature of the heating element, the set outlet water temperature of the heating element, and the heating power. The calculation formulas for the target water flow rate L, the inlet water temperature T0 of the heating element, the set outlet water temperature T1 of the heating element, and the heating power P in this embodiment are as follows:

[0039] P = (T1 - T0) * L * 4.2 / 60.

[0040] In addition, during the water dispensing process of the water dispenser, the duty cycle of the PWM signal is finely adjusted according to the PID algorithm to control the water outlet temperature to be equal to the set water outlet temperature of the heating element. This PID algorithm is existing technology and will not be elaborated on here.

[0041] Other examples Figure 3 As shown, the water output control method in this embodiment also includes quantitative water output control, specifically: during the water output process of the drinking water equipment, the accumulated total output volume V2 is counted, and it is determined whether V2 is greater than or equal to the user-set quantitative total output volume V1. If so, the water pump is shut off, and the process ends; if not, the water pump is controlled to continue operating, and the accumulated total output volume V2 is counted again. In this embodiment, the accumulated total output volume V2 is calculated according to the following formula:

[0042]

[0043] Where t1 is the current water dispensing time of the drinking water equipment, and f(t) is the water dispensing flow rate of the drinking water equipment at time t.

[0044] In addition, due to prolonged use, the performance of the water pump will degrade, resulting in a deviation between the water pump control duty cycle and the actual water flow. Therefore, it is necessary to calibrate the relationship between the PWM signal duty cycle and the water flow to ensure that the water output of the same drinking water equipment is consistent at different times. Specifically, before the drinking water equipment is put into operation, the following steps are also included: calibrating the parameters of the water pump.

[0045] The specific process for calibrating the parameters of the water pump is as follows:

[0046] Step 1: Check the water level in the water tank;

[0047] Step 2: Determine if the water level in the tank is high. If so, shut off the water inlet to the tank, clear the accumulated water flow from the current drinking water device, and proceed to Step 3. If not, control the water inlet to the tank and proceed to Step 1.

[0048] Step 3: Control the water pump to work. Record the cumulative water consumption Q1 of the water dispenser in the first time period according to the duty cycle of the water pump's PWM signal and the water output time. Then record the current cumulative water output Q of the water dispenser, Q = Q1. Determine whether the water level in the water tank is low. If yes, proceed to step 7; otherwise, proceed to step 4.

[0049] Step 4: Record the cumulative water consumption Q2 of the water dispenser in the second time period, update the current cumulative water output Q of the water dispenser, Q = Q1 + Q2, and determine whether the water level in the water tank is low. If yes, proceed to step 7; otherwise, proceed to step 5.

[0050] Step 5: Following the same method as in Step 4, record the cumulative water consumption Q of the water dispenser during the nth time period. n Update the current cumulative water output Q of the drinking water equipment, Q = Q1 + Q 2+ …Q n n is a positive integer;

[0051] Step 6: Determine if the water level in the water tank is low. If yes, proceed to Step 7; otherwise, record the cumulative water consumption of the drinking water equipment in the next time period and update the current cumulative water output Q of the drinking water equipment.

[0052] Step 7: Determine whether the current cumulative water output Q is equal to Qf, where Qf is the water volume between the low and high water levels in the tank. If yes, no calibration of the water pump parameters is required, and the process ends. If no, the water pump parameters are calibrated based on the difference between the current cumulative water output Q and Qf. In this embodiment, the calibration coefficient = A|Q-Qf|, where A is the magnification factor. The water pump parameters can be calibrated using the calibration coefficient.

[0053] The specific calibration method is as follows:

[0054] The output will be included in the calculation the next time the water is dispensed in a quantitative manner. For example, the original output Qf = pump duty cycle * time integral; after calibration, output Qf = calibration coefficient * pump duty cycle * time integral.

[0055] The term "fluid connectivity" as used in this invention refers to the spatial relationship between two components or parts (hereinafter referred to as the first part and the second part, respectively), that is, a fluid (gas, liquid, or a mixture of both) can flow from the first part along a flow path and / or be transported to the second part. This can be a direct connection between the first part and the second part, or an indirect connection between the first part and the second part through at least one third party. This third party can be a fluid channel such as a pipe, channel, conduit, guide, hole, or groove, or a chamber or combination thereof that allows fluid to flow through.

Claims

1. A water outlet control method of a water drinking device, the water drinking device comprising a pipe and a water pump provided on the pipe, characterized in that: The working voltage of the water pump is controlled by a PWM signal, and the relationship between the duty ratio of the PWM signal and the actual water flow of the water dispensing device is tested in advance to establish a relationship between the duty ratio of the PWM signal and the water flow. Before water is dispensed from the water dispensing device, the target duty ratio of the PWM signal is calculated by substituting the target water flow of the water dispensing device into the relationship, and the duty ratio of the PWM signal is adjusted to the target duty ratio to control the water pump to work.

2. The water outlet control method according to claim 1, characterized in that: The pipeline is further provided with a heating body downstream of the water pump, and the target water flow of the water dispensing device is calculated according to the inlet water temperature of the heating body, the set outlet water temperature of the heating body, and the heating power.

3. The water outlet control method according to claim 2, characterized in that: The calculation formula among the target water flow L, the inlet water temperature T0 of the heating body, the set outlet water temperature T1 of the heating body, and the heating power P is: P = (T1-T0)*L*4.2 / 60.

4. The water outlet control method according to claim 2, characterized in that: During the water dispensing process of the water dispensing device, the duty ratio of the PWM signal is fine-tuned according to a PID algorithm to control the outlet water temperature of the water dispensing device to be equal to the set outlet water temperature of the heating body.

5. The water outlet control method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that: During the water dispensing process of the water dispensing device, the total water volume V2 that has been accumulated is counted, and it is determined whether V2 is greater than or equal to the user-set fixed water volume V1. If yes, the water pump is turned off and the process ends. If no, the water pump is controlled to work, and the total water volume V2 that has been accumulated is continuously counted.

6. The water outlet control method according to claim 5, characterized in that: The total water volume V2 that has been accumulated is calculated according to the following calculation formula, and the calculation formula of V2 is: Wherein, t1 is the current water dispensing time of the water dispensing device, and f(t) is the water flow of the water dispensing device at the tth moment.

7. The water outlet control method of claim 5, wherein: Before the water dispensing device works, the parameters of the water pump are calibrated.

8. The water outlet control method of claim 7, wherein: The pipeline is further provided with a water tank upstream of the water pump, and the specific process of calibrating the parameters of the water pump is as follows: Step 1: detecting the water level in the water tank; Step 2: determining whether the water level in the water tank is at a high water level. If yes, the water inlet of the water tank is closed, the total water volume of the current water dispensing device that has been accumulated is cleared, and the process proceeds to step 3. If no, the water inlet of the water tank is controlled to be open, and the process proceeds to step 1; Step 3: controlling the water pump to work, recording the total water volume Q1 of the water dispensing device in the first time period according to the duty ratio of the PWM signal of the water pump and the water dispensing time, recording the total water volume Q of the current water dispensing device, Q = Q1, and determining whether the water level in the water tank is at a low water level. If yes, the process proceeds to step 7. If no, the process proceeds to step 4; Step 4: recording the total water volume Q2 of the water dispensing device in the second time period, updating the total water volume Q of the current water dispensing device, Q = Q1 + Q2, and determining whether the water level in the water tank is at a low water level. If yes, the process proceeds to step 7. If no, the process proceeds to step 5; Step 5, record the cumulative water consumption Q of the water dispensing device in the nth time period in the same way as in step 4 n , update the current cumulative water consumption Q of the water dispensing device, Q = Q1 + Q 2+ … Q n , n is a positive integer; Step 6: determining whether the water level in the water tank is at a low water level. If yes, the process proceeds to step 7. If no, the total water volume of the water dispensing device in the next time period is recorded again, and the total water volume Q of the current water dispensing device is updated. Step 7, judging whether the current cumulative water discharge Q is equal to Qf, Qf being the water volume between the low water level and the high water level in the water tank, if yes, no calibration of the parameters of the water pump is needed, and the process ends; if no, the parameters of the water pump are calibrated according to the difference between the current cumulative water discharge Q and Qf.

9. The water outlet control method according to claim 8, characterized in that: The specific process of calibrating the parameters of the water pump in step 7 is as follows: Calibration coefficient = A|Q-Qf|, A being the amplification factor.

10. A drinking water apparatus, characterized by: The water discharge control method is applied.

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