Shower and control method thereof

Abstract

The invention discloses a shower and a control method thereof. The shower is provided with an electric control valve, a temperature sensing element and a control panel, wherein the electric control valve is used for controlling a cold water discharging channel to discharge cold water in advance; the temperature sensing element is used for sensing the water temperature in a water flow channel of the shower; the control method comprises the following steps that S1, after a control panel receives a cold water pre-drainage instruction, the control panel controls an electric control valve to be opened and controls the electric control valve to be closed after the water temperature sensed by a temperature sensing element reaches a first preset temperature; and S2, when the water temperature sensed by the temperature sensing element is smaller than or equal to 0 DEG C, the control panel controls the electric control valve to be opened by a preset opening degree or intermittently opened until the water temperature sensed by the temperature sensing element is larger than or equal to a second preset temperature, the electric control valve is controlled to be closed again, and the second preset temperature is larger than 0 DEG C. The shower not only has a cold water discharging function, but also has an anti-icing function, and an existing shower structure with the cold water discharging function can be directly adopted.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of shower technology, and in particular to a control method for a shower, and a shower using the control method. Background Technology

[0002] Existing shower controllers typically include a hot water inlet, a cold water inlet, at least one outlet, a hot water channel, a cold water channel, and a mixing channel. The hot water channel connects the hot water inlet to the hot inlet of the mixing valve, the cold water channel connects the cold water inlet to the cold inlet of the mixing valve, and the mixing channel connects the mixing outlet and the outlet of the mixing valve. In some northern regions during winter, water temperatures often drop below zero, causing the internal pipes of the shower (hot water channel, cold water channel, and mixing channel) or the external water supply pipes of the shower to freeze. Icing can easily damage the internal structure of the shower or crack the external water supply pipes. To prevent freezing and cracking, existing technologies typically employ deformable structures inside the showerhead to absorb the expansion of water when it freezes, thus preventing cracking. For example, Chinese Utility Model Patent Publication No. CN222341076U discloses a showerhead with anti-freezing and cracking features multiple anti-freezing and cracking mechanisms 11 in the horizontal and vertical directions within the water outlet channel 4. These mechanisms 11 can adaptively absorb or release water pressure within the water outlet channel 4, preventing the water inside from freezing and bursting the water outlet channel 4 in cold environments, thus avoiding potential risks such as freezing and cracking of the main body and product leakage, thereby reducing unnecessary economic losses. However, using the anti-freezing and cracking mechanism 11 requires modifications to the internal structure of the showerhead, and it can only prevent the showerhead from freezing and cracking, not prevent it from freezing in advance. Once frozen, the user still cannot use the showerhead normally.

[0003] In addition, some existing showers have a pre-cooling function, which involves installing a cooling channel and a solenoid valve to control the opening and closing of the cooling channel. By controlling the opening of the solenoid valve, residual cold water in the shower's water supply pipe or inside the shower can be discharged through the cooling channel, preventing users from experiencing a poor shower experience by having cold water flowing out. However, the cooling structure of existing showers is only used for discharging cold water, and its function is relatively simple. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The present invention aims to improve the prior art and provide a control method for a shower, which not only has the function of draining cold water, but also has the function of preventing icing, thus enriching the functions, enhancing the added value of the product, and can directly adopt the existing shower structure with the function of draining cold water without the need for structural modification.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention adopts the following technical solution: A method for controlling a shower, the shower comprising an electrically controlled valve for controlling the pre-discharge of cold water from the cooling channel, a temperature sensing element for sensing the water temperature in the shower's water flow channel, and a control board electrically connected to the temperature sensing element and the electrically controlled valve; the control method includes the following steps: Pre-draining cooling step S1: When the control board receives the instruction to pre-drain the cooling water, the control board controls the electric control valve to open, and controls the electric control valve to close after the water temperature sensed by the temperature sensing element reaches the first preset temperature. Anti-icing step S2: When the water temperature sensed by the temperature sensing element is less than or equal to 0°C, the control board controls the electric control valve to open to a preset opening degree or open intermittently until the water temperature sensed by the temperature sensing element is greater than or equal to a second preset temperature, then controls the electric control valve to close again, and the second preset temperature is greater than 0°C. There is no distinction in the order of steps S1 and S2.

[0006] In some preferred or optional implementations, a timer is provided to provide a signal of the duration of cold water pre-drainage to the control board. If the water temperature sensed by the temperature sensing element has not reached the first preset temperature, but the water discharge time has reached the preset value, the control board controls the electronically controlled valve to close.

[0007] In some preferred or optional embodiments, the electrically controlled valve employs a motor and a switching valve, such that the output shaft of the motor is driven by the valve stem of the switching valve. When the water temperature sensed by the temperature sensing element is less than or equal to 0°C, the control board controls the motor to drive the valve stem to rotate by a preset angle so that the electrically controlled valve opens to a preset opening degree. Alternatively, the control board intermittently controls the motor to drive the valve stem to intermittently open the switching valve.

[0008] In some preferred or optional embodiments, the preset angle by which the control board controls the motor to rotate the valve stem changes dynamically with the temperature sensing element; the lower the temperature sensed, the larger the preset angle.

[0009] In some preferred or optional embodiments, a manual drive is provided that engages with the valve stem.

[0010] In some preferred or optional embodiments, the electrically controlled valve is a solenoid valve, and when the water temperature sensed by the temperature sensing element is less than or equal to 0°C, the control board controls the solenoid valve to open intermittently.

[0011] In some preferred or optional embodiments, during the process of the control board controlling the solenoid valve to open intermittently, the intermittent duration changes dynamically with the temperature sensed by the temperature sensing element; the lower the sensed temperature, the shorter the intermittent duration.

[0012] In some preferred or optional implementations, a manual control valve is provided upstream or downstream of the solenoid valve to control the opening and closing of the cooling channel.

[0013] In some preferred or optional implementations, in the pre-draining step S1, the instruction to pre-drain the cold water is issued via a remote control switch, a draining switch installed on the shower, or a smart terminal.

[0014] Furthermore, the present invention also provides a shower, including a temperature sensing element, a control board, a shower body, and a mixing valve disposed on the shower body. The shower body is provided with a hot water inlet, a cold water inlet, at least one outlet, a hot water channel, a cold water channel, and a mixing water channel. The hot water channel connects the hot water inlet to the hot inlet of the mixing valve, the cold water channel connects the cold water inlet to the cold inlet of the mixing valve, and the mixing water channel connects the mixing outlet of the mixing valve to the outlet. The shower also includes a cold exhaust channel and an electrically controlled valve for controlling the opening and closing of the cold exhaust channel. The cold exhaust channel is connected to the mixing water channel or to the hot water channel. The control board is electrically connected to the electrically controlled valve to control the opening and closing of the electrically controlled valve. The shower employs any of the above-described shower control methods.

[0015] In some preferred or optional embodiments, the mixing valve is a normally open mixing valve; the temperature sensing element is installed in the hot water channel, the mixing water channel, or the cooling exhaust channel of the shower to sense the water temperature in the hot water channel, the mixing water channel, or the cooling exhaust channel.

[0016] By adopting the above technical solution, the present invention can achieve at least the following technical effects: The control method of this invention includes the following steps: when the control board receives a command to pre-drain cold water, the control board controls the electric control valve to open; and after the temperature sensing element detects that the water temperature in the shower's water flow channel has reached a first preset temperature, the control board controls the electric control valve to close. When the water temperature sensed by the temperature sensing element is less than or equal to 0°C, the control board controls the electric control valve to open to a preset degree or open intermittently until the water temperature sensed by the temperature sensing element is greater than or equal to a second preset temperature, at which point the control board controls the electric control valve to close again, and the second preset temperature is greater than 0°C. This control method not only has a cold water drainage function but also an anti-icing function, enriching its functionality and enhancing the product's added value. Furthermore, it can directly utilize existing shower structures with cold water drainage functions without structural modifications, fully leveraging the existing shower's cold water drainage structure to achieve the anti-icing function—a multi-benefit approach that is easily implemented. Attached Figure Description

[0017] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention, the accompanying drawings used in the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. It should be understood that the following drawings only show some embodiments of the present invention and should not be regarded as a limitation of the scope. For those skilled in the art, other related drawings can be obtained from these drawings without creative effort.

[0018] Figure 1 This is an overall assembly diagram of the shower unit according to the first embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 This is an exploded view of the shower unit according to the first embodiment of the present invention; Figure 3 This is one of the partial exploded views of the shower unit according to the first embodiment of the present invention; Figure 4 This is a second partial exploded view of the shower unit according to the first embodiment of the present invention; Figure 5 This is one of the cross-sectional views of the shower unit according to the first embodiment of the present invention (showing a complete hot water flow channel and a complete cold water flow channel, wherein the dashed line with arrows indicates the water flow path for draining cold water). Figure 6 This is a second cross-sectional view of the shower unit according to the first embodiment of the present invention (showing a portion of the hot water channel, a portion of the cold water channel, and a mixing water channel, wherein the dashed line with arrows indicates the water flow path for discharging cold water, and the solid line with arrows indicates the water flow path for the outlet of the mixing water channel). Figure 7 This is an internal assembly diagram of the shower unit according to the second embodiment of the present invention; Figure 8 This is a cross-sectional view of the shower unit according to the second embodiment of the present invention (the dashed line with arrows indicates the water flow path for draining cold water). Figure 9 This is a cross-sectional view of a shower unit according to the third embodiment of the present invention (showing a portion of the hot water channel, a portion of the cold water channel, and a mixing water channel; the dashed line with arrows indicates the water flow path for draining cold water).

[0019] The attached figures are labeled as follows: 10-Shower body; 11-Hot water inlet; 12-Cold water inlet; 13-Outlet; 14-Hot water channel; 15-Cold water channel; 16-Mixing water channel; 20 - Mixing valve; 21 - Hot inlet; 22 - Cold inlet; 23 - Mixing outlet; 30 - Cooling aisle; 40-Electrically controlled valve; 41-Motor; 411-Output shaft; 412-Motor mounting base; 42-Switch valve; 421-Valve stem; 422-Valve body; 43-Solenoid valve; 50 - Manual drive component; 51 - Socket; 52 - Handle 60 - Manual control valve; 70 - Shower housing; 71 - Perforation; 80-Water distribution valve. Detailed Implementation

[0020] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of the present invention clearer, the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of the present invention, not all of them. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention. Therefore, the following detailed description of the embodiments of the present invention provided in the accompanying drawings is not intended to limit the scope of the claimed invention, but merely to represent selected embodiments of the invention. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0021] The terms “top,” “bottom,” “upper,” “lower,” “left,” “right,” “front,” “back,” and similar expressions used in this document are for illustrative purposes only. The terms “first,” “second,” etc., are only used to distinguish different objects and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or the quantity, specific order, or primary or secondary relationship of the indicated technical features. The term “several” means one or more, and “multiple” means two or more, unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0022] First embodiment (the electrically controlled valve uses a motor, and the cold exhaust channel is connected to the hot water flow channel). Please refer to Figures 1 to 6The shower provided in the first preferred embodiment of the present invention includes a temperature sensing element (not shown), a control board (not shown), a shower body 10, and a mixing valve 20 disposed on the shower body 10. The shower body 10 is provided with a hot water inlet 11, a cold water inlet 12, at least one outlet 13, a hot water channel 14, a cold water channel 15, and a mixing water channel 16. The hot water channel 14 connects the hot water inlet 11 to the hot inlet 21 of the mixing valve 20, the cold water channel 15 connects the cold water inlet 12 to the cold inlet 22 of the mixing valve 20, and the mixing water channel 16 connects the mixing outlet 23 of the mixing valve 20 and the outlet 13. The shower also includes a cold exhaust channel 30 and an electrically controlled valve 40 for controlling the opening and closing of the cold exhaust channel 30. The cold exhaust channel 30 is connected to the hot water channel 14 or the mixing water channel 16, and the control board is electrically connected to the electrically controlled valve 40 to control the opening and closing of the electrically controlled valve 40. The electrically controlled valve 40 is used to control the pre-discharge of cold water into the cooling channel, and the temperature sensing element is used to sense the water temperature in the water flow channel of the shower. The control board is electrically connected to the temperature sensing element and the electrically controlled valve 40 respectively. The temperature sensing element can be installed in the hot water flow channel 14, the mixing water flow channel 16, or the cooling channel 30 of the shower to sense the water temperature in the hot water flow channel 14, the mixing water flow channel 16, or the cooling channel 30.

[0023] In this embodiment, the cooling channel 30 is connected to the hot water flow channel 14.

[0024] The method for controlling a shower includes the following steps: Pre-draining cold water step S1: When the control board receives the instruction to pre-drain cold water, the control board controls the electric control valve 40 to open, and controls the electric control valve 40 to close after the temperature sensing element detects that the water temperature in the shower water flow channel (which can be the hot water flow channel 14, the mixed water flow channel 16, or the cold water discharge channel 30) has reached the first preset temperature. Anti-icing step S2: When the water temperature sensed by the temperature sensing element is less than or equal to 0°C, the control board controls the electric control valve 40 to open to a preset degree or open intermittently until the water temperature sensed by the temperature sensing element is greater than or equal to the second preset temperature, and then controls the electric control valve 40 to close again, wherein the second preset temperature is greater than 0°C. There is no distinction in the order of steps S1 and S2.

[0025] This control method not only has the function of draining cold water, but also has the function of preventing icing, making it more feature-rich and increasing the added value of the product. It can directly adopt the existing shower structure with the function of draining cold water without structural modification, making full use of the existing shower structure to achieve the function of preventing icing, achieving multiple benefits in one go, and it is easy to implement.

[0026] In this embodiment, the mixing valve 20 preferably adopts a normally open mixing valve as used in the prior art. In the normal state when the shower is not in use, the hot water channel 14 and cold water channel 15 of the normally open mixing valve 20 are both connected to the mixing water channel 16. The mixing valve 20 has a temperature adjustment function but does not have a function to cut off the water flow. Thus, during the pre-draining of cold water, or during the process of draining cold water to prevent freezing, residual cold water in the hot water channel 14, the hot water supply pipe connected to the hot water channel 14, the cold water channel 15, the cold water supply pipe connected to the cold water channel 15, and the mixing water channel 16 can all be discharged through the cold water discharge channel 30 (e.g., Figure 5 and Figure 6 (The dashed line with arrows indicates the path of the cold water flow). Of course, it is understood that in some other embodiments, the mixing valve 20 can also be a normally closed mixing valve in the prior art. In the normal state when the shower is not in use, the hot water flow channel 14 and the cold water flow channel 15 of the mixing valve 20 are disconnected from the mixing water flow channel 16. The mixing valve 20 has the function of adjusting the temperature and stopping the water flow. At this time, only the residual cold water in the hot water flow channel 14 and the hot water supply pipe connected to the hot water flow channel 14 can be discharged through the cold water discharge channel 30.

[0027] In some preferred embodiments, a timer (not shown) is provided to provide a signal of the cold water pre-discharge duration to the control board. If the water temperature sensed by the temperature sensor has not reached the first preset temperature, but the water discharge time has reached the preset value, the control board controls the electronically controlled valve 40 to close. This design avoids the problem of continuous cold water discharge and water waste caused by abnormal situations such as a water heater malfunction preventing normal water heating. This makes the system more intelligent and user-friendly.

[0028] In this embodiment, the electrically controlled valve 40 employs a motor 41 and a switching valve 42, with the output shaft 411 of the motor 41 engaging with the valve stem 421 of the switching valve 42. When the water temperature sensed by the temperature sensing element is less than or equal to 0°C, the control board controls the motor 41 to rotate the valve stem 421 by a preset angle, causing the electrically controlled valve 40 to open to a preset degree. The electrically controlled valve 40 uses a combination of the motor 41 and the switching valve 42. The motor 41 can steplessly control the opening degree of the switching valve 42. Preferably, the opening degree of the switching valve 42 is kept as small as possible while ensuring that the water flow does not freeze, in order to reduce water waste. This minimum opening degree can be obtained through actual testing based on different ambient temperatures.

[0029] In other embodiments, when the water temperature sensed by the temperature sensing element is less than or equal to 0°C, the control board can intermittently control the motor 41 to drive the valve stem 421 to intermittently open the switching valve 42. Here, "intermittently opening" means that the switching valve 42 opens for a period of time, then closes, and then opens again after a period of time, repeating this opening and closing cycle. Preferably, during the intermittent opening of the switching valve 42 controlled by the control board, the intermittent duration dynamically changes with the temperature sensed by the temperature sensing element; the lower the sensed temperature, the shorter the intermittent duration. The relationship between the sensed temperature and the intermittent duration can be obtained through actual testing. This dynamic adjustment of the intermittent duration further minimizes water waste while ensuring that the water flow does not freeze.

[0030] Preferably, the preset angle by which the control board controls the motor 41 to rotate the valve stem 421 dynamically changes with the temperature sensed by the temperature sensing element; the lower the sensed temperature, the larger the preset angle. The relationship between the sensed temperature and the preset angle can be obtained through actual testing. This dynamic adjustment of the preset angle further minimizes water waste while ensuring that the water flow does not freeze, making the control more intelligent and flexible.

[0031] In some preferred embodiments, a manual drive unit 50 may also be provided, which engages with the valve stem 421. This allows the manual drive unit 50 to directly cut off the cooling water passage 30 when the motor 41 or the switching valve 42 fails and leaks, or when the cooling water drainage and anti-icing functions are no longer desired. This avoids leakage and allows for early termination of cooling water drainage or direct cancellation of the cooling water drainage or anti-icing functions as needed. This provides users with more diverse usage options.

[0032] In this embodiment, preferably, the manual drive component 50 is a handle 50, which includes a sleeve portion 51 and a handle portion 52. The sleeve portion 51 is fitted outside the valve stem 421 to drive the valve stem 421 to rotate, and the handle portion 52 is driven by hand. An external spline is provided on the outer peripheral wall of the valve stem 421, and corresponding internal splines are provided in the output shaft 411 of the motor 41 and the handle portion 52 of the handle 50, thereby realizing the linkage between the motor 41 and the manual drive component 50 and the switch valve 42, and the structure is simple and compact.

[0033] In this embodiment, the switching valve 42 further includes a valve housing 422 and a valve core (not shown) disposed within the valve housing 422. The valve core includes a fixed plate (not shown) and a movable plate (not shown) that fit tightly together. The fixed plate has a first water passage hole (not shown), and the movable plate has a second water passage hole (not shown). The valve stem 421 extends into the valve housing 422 and rotates in a transmission cooperation with the movable plate. That is, when the valve stem 421 rotates, it can drive the movable plate to rotate. When the movable plate rotates to the point where the second water passage hole corresponds to the first water passage hole on the fixed plate, water flows through the cooling channel 30; when the movable plate rotates to the point where the second water passage hole is misaligned with the first water passage hole on the fixed plate, water is cut off from the cooling channel 30. The switching valve 42 using a fixed plate and a movable plate is a known structure and will not be described in detail here. Of course, the switching valve 42 can also adopt other known valve structures. For example, the rotary-controlled switching valve 42 (which uses a rotating valve stem) of this embodiment can be changed to a press-controlled switching valve (which uses an axially moving valve stem. In this case, a lead screw can be set to convert the rotational motion of the motor output shaft 411 into the axial extension and retraction motion of the lead screw to press the switching valve).

[0034] In this embodiment, a motor mounting base 412 for mounting the motor 41 is also included. The motor mounting base 412 is fixedly connected to the shower body 10 by means of screw connection, snap connection or welding connection, so that the overall structure is more compact.

[0035] In this embodiment, there are four water outlets 13, and a water distribution valve 80 is installed at each of the four water outlets 13. The water distribution valve 80 controls the opening and closing of each water outlet 13 to control whether the mixing water channel 16 is connected to or not connected to each water outlet 13. The four water outlets 13 can be connected to a handheld shower head, a top shower head, a side shower head, and a bottom water outlet, respectively.

[0036] In this embodiment, a shower housing 70 is also included. The shower body 10, control board, cooling channel 30, electric control valve 40, and manual drive component 50 are all installed inside the shower housing 70. The bottom wall of the shower housing 70 has a through hole 71 for the handle 52 of the manual drive component 50 to protrude from the shower housing 70. The shower housing 70 is also provided with a power supply (not shown), which is used to provide power to the control board.

[0037] Preferably, in the pre-draining step S1, the command to pre-drain the cold water can be issued via a remote control switch (not shown), a draining switch (not shown) installed on the shower, or a smart terminal such as a mobile phone, tablet, or smart speaker. When using a smart terminal, an APP can be installed on the smart terminal or voice control can be performed via the smart terminal. The shower can be equipped with a Bluetooth module to communicate with the smart terminal.

[0038] The specific working process of this embodiment is briefly described as follows: In the pre-draining step S1, when the remote control switch, the draining switch, or the smart terminal issues a pre-draining water command, the control board receives the command and controls the output shaft 411 of the motor 41 to rotate by a preset angle. The output shaft 411 then drives the valve stem 421 to rotate by a preset angle, thereby causing the switch valve 42 to open to a preset opening for draining the cold water. When the water temperature sensed by the temperature sensing element reaches the first preset temperature (e.g., 30°C), the control board then controls the output shaft 411 of the motor 41 to reverse by a preset angle, thereby driving the valve stem 421 to close the switch valve 42 and end the draining of the cold water. During the draining process, the valve stem 421 can be turned by rotating the manual drive component 50 to close the switch valve 42 in advance, thereby ending the draining of the cold water in advance.

[0039] In the anti-icing step S2, when the water temperature sensed by the temperature sensing element is less than or equal to 0℃, the control board controls the switch valve 42 to open to a preset angle (this preset angle can be the same as or different from the preset angle in the pre-draining step S1) according to the sensing signal of the temperature sensing element. This continues until the water temperature sensed by the temperature sensing element is greater than or equal to a second preset temperature. Then, the switch valve 42 is closed again, ending the anti-icing step. The second preset temperature is designed to be greater than 0℃, such as 1℃, 2℃, 4℃, 6℃, 8℃, etc. During the anti-icing draining process, the switch valve 42 can be closed prematurely by rotating the manual drive component 50 to drive the valve stem 421, thus ending the anti-icing step earlier. Second embodiment (the electrically controlled valve is a solenoid valve, and the cold exhaust channel is connected to the hot water flow channel). Please refer to Figure 7 and Figure 8 The shower provided in the second preferred embodiment of the present invention differs from the above embodiment in that, in the above embodiment, the electric control valve 40 adopts a combination of a motor 41 and a switching valve 42, while in this embodiment, the electric control valve 40 adopts a solenoid valve 43.

[0040] The shower control method in this embodiment includes the following steps: Pre-draining cold water step S1: When the control board receives the instruction to pre-drain cold water, the control board controls the electric control valve 40 to open, and controls the electric control valve 40 to close after the temperature sensing element detects that the water temperature in the shower water flow channel (which can be the hot water flow channel 14, the mixed water flow channel 16, or the cold water discharge channel 30) has reached the first preset temperature. Anti-icing step S2: When the water temperature sensed by the temperature sensing element is less than or equal to 0°C, the control board controls the electric control valve 40 to open intermittently until the water temperature sensed by the temperature sensing element is greater than or equal to the second preset temperature, and then controls the electric control valve 40 to close again, wherein the second preset temperature is greater than 0°C. There is no distinction in the order of steps S1 and S2.

[0041] Similar to the first embodiment, this embodiment also connects the cooling channel 30 to the hot water channel 14, and the mixing valve 20 is preferably a normally open mixing valve in the prior art. As described in the first embodiment above, it can be understood that in some other embodiments, the mixing valve 20 may also be a normally closed mixing valve in the prior art.

[0042] Similarly, a timer (not shown) can be provided to send a signal of the cold water pre-discharge duration to the control board. If the water temperature sensed by the temperature sensor has not reached the first preset temperature, but the water discharge time has reached the preset value, the control board controls the electronic control valve 40 to close. This design avoids the problem of continuous cold water discharge when the water temperature sensed by the temperature sensor fails to reach the first preset value due to abnormal situations such as water heater malfunctions preventing normal water heating, thus avoiding water waste. This design is more intelligent and user-friendly.

[0043] In this embodiment, when the water temperature sensed by the temperature sensing element is less than or equal to 0°C, the control board controls the solenoid valve 43 to open intermittently. Here, "intermittently opening" means that the solenoid valve 43 opens for a period of time, then closes, and then opens again after closing for a period of time, and so on, repeatedly opening and closing.

[0044] Preferably, during the intermittent opening of the solenoid valve 43 controlled by the control panel, the intermittent duration dynamically changes with the temperature sensed by the temperature sensing element; the lower the sensed temperature, the shorter the intermittent duration. The relationship between the sensed temperature and the intermittent duration can be obtained through actual testing. This dynamic adjustment of the intermittent duration further minimizes water waste while ensuring that the water flow does not freeze.

[0045] In some embodiments, a manual control valve 60 is preferably provided upstream or downstream of the solenoid valve 43 to control the opening and closing of the cooling water discharge channel 30. This allows the cooling water discharge channel 30 to be directly shut off via the manual control valve 60 when the solenoid valve 43 fails and leaks, or when the cooling water discharge and anti-icing functions are no longer desired. This avoids leakage and allows for early termination of cooling water discharge or cancellation of anti-icing actions as needed. This provides users with more diverse usage options. The solenoid valve 43 and the manual control valve 60 can utilize existing known structures.

[0046] Preferably, in the pre-draining step S1, the command to pre-drain the cold water can be issued via a remote control switch (not shown), a draining switch (not shown) installed on the shower, or a smart terminal such as a mobile phone, tablet, or smart speaker. When using a smart terminal, an APP can be installed on the smart terminal or voice control can be performed via the smart terminal. The shower can be equipped with a Bluetooth module to communicate with the smart terminal.

[0047] The specific working process of this embodiment is briefly described as follows: In the pre-draining step S1, when the remote control switch, the draining switch, or the smart terminal issues a pre-draining water command, the control board receives the pre-draining water command and controls the solenoid valve 43 to open to drain the water. When the water temperature sensed by the temperature sensing element reaches the first preset temperature (e.g., 30°C), the control board then controls the solenoid valve 43 to close, ending the draining of the water. During the draining process, the draining of the water can be ended in advance by manually closing the hand control valve 60.

[0048] In the anti-icing step S2, when the water temperature sensed by the temperature sensing element is less than or equal to 0°C, the control board controls the solenoid valve 43 to open intermittently according to the sensing signal from the temperature sensing element. This continues until the water temperature sensed by the temperature sensing element is greater than or equal to a second preset temperature, at which point the solenoid valve 43 is closed again, ending the anti-icing step. The second preset temperature is designed to be greater than 0°C, for example, 1°C, 2°C, 4°C, 6°C, 8°C, etc. During the anti-icing cooling water drainage process, the cooling water drainage channel 30 can be shut off in advance via the manual control valve 60, thereby ending the anti-icing step ahead of time. The third embodiment (the electrically controlled valve uses a motor, and the cooling exhaust channel is connected to the mixing water channel). Please refer to Figure 9 The shower provided in the third preferred embodiment of the present invention differs from that in the first embodiment, where the cold exhaust channel 30 is connected to the hot water flow channel 14, in this embodiment, the cold exhaust channel 30 is connected to the mixing water flow channel 16. The shower control method in this embodiment is the same as that in the first embodiment, and will not be described again here.

[0049] It is understood that the mixing valves of the first and second embodiments can be normally open or normally closed mixing valves in the prior art, while the mixing valve of this embodiment can only be a normally open mixing valve.

[0050] The above are merely preferred embodiments of the present invention. The scope of protection of the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments. All technical solutions that fall within the scope of the present invention are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A method for controlling a shower, characterized in that, The shower unit is equipped with an electrically controlled valve for controlling the pre-discharge of cold water from the cooling channel, a temperature sensing element for sensing the water temperature in the shower unit's water flow channel, and a control board electrically connected to the temperature sensing element and the electrically controlled valve, respectively; the control method includes the following steps: Pre-draining cooling step S1: When the control board receives the instruction to pre-drain the cooling water, the control board controls the electric control valve to open, and controls the electric control valve to close after the water temperature sensed by the temperature sensing element reaches the first preset temperature. Anti-icing step S2: When the water temperature sensed by the temperature sensing element is less than or equal to 0°C, the control board controls the electric control valve to open to a preset opening degree or open intermittently until the water temperature sensed by the temperature sensing element is greater than or equal to a second preset temperature, then controls the electric control valve to close again, and the second preset temperature is greater than 0°C. There is no distinction in the order of steps S1 and S2.

2. The control method for a shower according to claim 1, characterized in that, A timer is provided to send the duration signal of cold water pre-drainage to the control board. If the water temperature sensed by the temperature sensing element has not reached the first preset temperature, but the water discharge time has reached the preset value, the control board controls the electronic control valve to close.

3. The control method for a shower according to claim 1, characterized in that, The electrically controlled valve employs a motor and a switching valve, with the output shaft of the motor engaging with the valve stem of the switching valve. When the water temperature sensed by the temperature sensing element is less than or equal to 0°C, the control board controls the motor to rotate the valve stem by a preset angle to open the electrically controlled valve to a preset opening degree. Alternatively, the control board intermittently controls the motor to drive the valve stem to intermittently open the switching valve.

4. The control method for a shower according to claim 3, characterized in that, The preset angle by which the motor drives the valve stem to rotate, controlled by the control board, dynamically changes with the temperature sensed by the temperature sensing element. The lower the sensed temperature, the larger the preset angle.

5. The control method for a shower according to claim 3, characterized in that, A manual drive is provided so that it engages with the valve stem.

6. The control method for a shower according to claim 1, characterized in that, The electrically controlled valve is a solenoid valve. When the water temperature sensed by the temperature sensing element is less than or equal to 0°C, the control board controls the solenoid valve to open intermittently.

7. The control method for a shower according to claim 6, characterized in that, During the process of the control board controlling the solenoid valve to open intermittently, the intermittent duration changes dynamically with the temperature sensing element; the lower the sensed temperature, the shorter the intermittent duration.

8. The control method for a shower according to claim 6, characterized in that, A manual control valve is installed upstream or downstream of the solenoid valve to control the opening and closing of the cooling channel.

9. The control method for a shower according to claim 1, characterized in that, In the pre-draining step S1, the command to pre-drain the cold water is issued via a remote control switch, a draining switch installed on the shower, or a smart terminal.

10. A shower unit, comprising a temperature sensing element, a control board, a shower body, and a mixing valve disposed on the shower body, the shower body having a hot water inlet, a cold water inlet, at least one outlet, a hot water channel, a cold water channel, and a mixing water channel, the hot water channel connecting the hot water inlet to the hot inlet of the mixing valve, the cold water channel connecting the cold water inlet to the cold inlet of the mixing valve, the mixing water channel connecting the mixing outlet of the mixing valve and the outlet, the shower unit further comprising a cold exhaust channel and an electrically controlled valve for controlling the opening and closing of the cold exhaust channel, the cold exhaust channel being connected to the mixing water channel or to the hot water channel, the control board being electrically connected to the electrically controlled valve to control the opening and closing of the electrically controlled valve, characterized in that... The control method for the shower as described in any one of claims 1-9 is adopted.

11. The showerhead according to claim 10, characterized in that, The mixing valve is a normally open mixing valve; the temperature sensing element is installed in the hot water channel, the mixing water channel, or the cooling exhaust channel of the shower to sense the water temperature in the hot water channel, the mixing water channel, or the cooling exhaust channel.

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