Water softener and dish washing machine

Abstract

The utility model discloses a water softener which comprises a body provided with a resin cavity and a saline water cavity which are mutually independent, and the upper end of a first communication channel is provided with a first communication hole communicated with the saline water cavity; the lower end of the second communication channel communicates with the resin cavity; the lower end of the third communication channel communicates with the lower end of the first communication channel, and the upper end of the third communication channel communicates with the upper end of the second communication channel. Wherein a first partition plate is arranged in the third communication channel, the third communication channel is divided into an upper channel and a lower channel by the first partition plate, a fifth communication hole is formed in the first partition plate, a floater is arranged in the upper channel, and the floater can open or close the fifth communication hole. Therefore, the flowing path of saline water flowing from the saline water cavity to the resin cavity can be prolonged, and sufficient mixing of salt and water is facilitated. In addition, by arranging the floater, the risk that water and resin in the resin cavity directly flow back into the saline water cavity can be reduced. In addition, the utility model further discloses the dish washing machine with the water softener.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The utility model relates to the technical field of dishwashers, in particular to a water softener and a dishwasher. Background Art

[0002] Dishwashers are typically equipped with a water softener. This system uses resin to absorb calcium and magnesium ions in water, thereby softening the water, reducing water hardness, and improving dishwashing efficiency. However, as the amount of calcium and magnesium ions absorbed by the resin increases, its adsorption capacity weakens. At this point, the resin needs to be regenerated with salt water to restore its ability to absorb calcium and magnesium ions.

[0003] Specifically, a water softener typically includes a main body with interconnected resin and brine chambers. The main body also features a water inlet, which communicates with the resin and brine chambers, and a water outlet, which communicates with the resin chamber. A solenoid valve is also located at the water inlet. When softening water is required, the solenoid valve controls the connection between the water inlet and the resin chamber. When regenerating the resin in the resin chamber, the solenoid valve controls the connection between the water inlet and the brine chamber.

[0004] However, in the above-described structure, when the solenoid valve controls the water inlet to switch from communicating with the resin chamber to communicating with the brine chamber, the brine chamber and the resin chamber are directly connected, causing water in the resin chamber to easily flow back into the brine chamber. During this process, the resin in the resin chamber may also follow the water flow into the brine chamber, resulting in a decrease in the resin content in the resin chamber, which in turn may affect the softening effect of the water softener. Furthermore, when regenerating the resin in the resin chamber, the water at the water inlet enters the brine chamber and flows directly into the resin chamber. This process can lead to insufficient mixing of the water and salt in the brine chamber, resulting in uneven brine concentrations. Therefore, the resin cannot be uniformly regenerated throughout the resin chamber. Furthermore, brine with a higher concentration can damage the resin, while brine with a lower concentration will not regenerate effectively, affecting the subsequent softening ability of the resin. Utility Model Content

[0005] The present invention aims to solve at least one of the technical problems existing in the prior art. To this end, the present invention provides a water softener that can reduce the risk of resin and water flowing back from the resin chamber into the brine chamber during resin regeneration and can make the water and brine mix more evenly.

[0006] According to an embodiment of the utility model, the water softener comprises: a body, provided with a resin chamber and a brine chamber independent of each other, the body further provided with a drainage channel connected to the resin chamber and a salt filling port connected to the brine chamber; a main water inlet channel, provided in the body and having a main water inlet hole extending outward to the outside of the body, the main water inlet channel being connected with a first water inlet channel and a second water inlet channel, the first water inlet channel extending downward to the bottom of the resin chamber and being connected to the resin chamber, the second water inlet channel extending downward to the bottom of the brine chamber and being connected to the brine chamber; a solenoid valve provided in the body and capable of controlling one of the first water inlet channel and the second water inlet channel to be connected to the main water inlet channel and the other to be isolated from the main water inlet channel; a first communicating channel provided in the body and arranged in an up-down direction, the upper end of the first communicating channel having a first communicating hole connected to the brine chamber; A second communicating channel is provided in the main body and arranged along the up-down direction, and the lower end of the second communicating channel has a second communicating hole connected with the lower end of the resin cavity; a third communicating channel is provided in the main body and arranged along the up-down direction, the lower end of the third communicating channel has a third communicating hole connected with the lower end of the first communicating channel, and the upper end of the third communicating channel has a fourth communicating hole connected with the upper end of the second communicating channel; wherein, a first partition is provided in the third communicating channel, and the first partition divides the third communicating channel into an upper channel and a lower channel, the third communicating hole is connected with the lower end of the lower channel, and the fourth communicating hole is connected with the upper end of the upper channel, and the first partition is provided with a fifth communicating hole connecting the upper channel and the lower channel, and a float is provided in the upper channel, and the float can close the fifth communicating hole under the action of gravity, or the float can open the fifth communicating hole under the action of buoyancy.

[0007] The water softener according to the embodiment of the utility model has at least the following beneficial effects:

[0008] In the water softener of the present invention, the brine chamber and the resin chamber are not directly connected, but rather connected through the first, third, and second connecting channels. When the resin needs to be regenerated, brine first accumulates in the brine chamber, then flows sequentially through the first, third, and second connecting channels, and finally flows to the bottom of the resin chamber. During this process, as brine accumulates in the brine chamber, water flowing from the main water inlet can mix more evenly with the brine in the brine chamber. The provision of the first, third, and second connecting channels can extend the flow path of brine from the brine chamber to the resin chamber, facilitating sufficient mixing of brine and water, resulting in more uniform mixing. In addition, after brine flows from the first connecting channel to the third connecting channel, it first accumulates in the lower channel of the third connecting channel. When brine accumulates in the lower channel but does not reach the upper channel, the float closes the fifth connecting hole under its own gravity. At this time, neither water nor resin in the resin chamber can flow into the lower channel through the second connecting channel, thereby reducing the risk of water and resin in the resin chamber directly flowing back into the brine chamber.

[0009] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the inner wall of the brine chamber is provided with a second partition extending to be connected to the outer periphery of the first connecting hole, a fourth connecting channel is provided between the second partition and the top plate of the brine chamber, the fourth connecting channel is connected to the first connecting hole, and the second partition is provided with a plurality of sixth connecting holes connecting the fourth connecting channel and the brine chamber.

[0010] According to some embodiments of the present invention, at least one first rib is provided between the second partition and the inner wall of the brine chamber.

[0011] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the drainage channel is arranged in the up-down direction, and the upper end of the drainage channel is connected to the upper end of the resin cavity, and the lower end of the drainage channel is provided with a drainage hole.

[0012] According to some embodiments of the present invention, an upper filter plate and a lower filter plate are provided in the resin cavity, and the upper filter plate and the lower filter plate divide the resin cavity into an upper cavity, a middle cavity and a lower cavity. The upper cavity is located above the upper filter plate and is connected to the drainage channel, the middle cavity is located between the upper filter plate and the lower filter plate and is used to store resin, and the lower cavity is located below the lower filter plate and is connected to the second connecting hole and the first water inlet channel.

[0013] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the main body includes an upper shell, a middle shell and a lower shell, and the resin chamber and the brine chamber are both formed by the upper shell, the middle shell and the lower shell being mutually enclosed and defined; the lower shell is provided with a lower protrusion extending upward, the lower filter plate is integrally connected to the middle shell and abuts against the lower protrusion, and the lower cavity is located between the lower filter plate and the lower shell; the upper shell is provided with an upper protrusion extending downward, the middle shell is provided with an abutment, the upper filter plate is clamped between the upper protrusion and the abutment, and the upper cavity is located between the upper filter plate and the upper shell.

[0014] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the upper filter plate is provided with a limiting structure corresponding to the abutting portion, the limiting structure is connected to the outer periphery of the upper filter plate and extends downward, and the limiting structure is provided with a limiting groove, the limiting structure is in contact with the inner wall of the resin cavity and the abutting portion is embedded in the limiting groove.

[0015] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the upper end of the first water inlet channel has a first water inlet hole connected to the main water inlet channel, and the upper end of the second water inlet channel has a second water inlet hole connected to the main water inlet channel; the first water inlet hole and the second water inlet hole are arranged at intervals along the front-to-back direction of the body, the solenoid valve has a valve core and a valve stem, the valve stem is passed through the first water inlet hole, the valve core is located between the first water inlet hole and the second water inlet hole and is connected to the valve stem, the valve stem can drive the valve core to move back and forth in the front-to-back direction and control one of the first water inlet hole and the second water inlet hole to be opened and the other to be closed.

[0016] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the main water inlet channel is arranged above the brine chamber and at least partially arranged along the front-to-back direction, the main water inlet channel has an extension portion extending outward to the outside of the main body, the main water inlet hole is opened on the upper side wall of the extension portion, and at least one second rib is provided between the lower side wall of the extension portion and the front side wall of the main body; the first water inlet hole and the second water inlet hole are both located at the rear end of the main water inlet channel.

[0017] A dishwasher according to an embodiment of the present invention is provided with the water softener according to any one of the above embodiments.

[0018] The dishwasher according to the embodiment of the present invention has at least the following beneficial effects:

[0019] In the dishwasher of the embodiment of the present invention, by adopting the water softener of any of the above-mentioned embodiments, when the resin needs to be regenerated, the salt water first accumulates in the salt water chamber, then flows sequentially through the first connecting channel, the third connecting channel, and the second connecting channel, and finally flows to the bottom of the resin chamber. This structure can extend the flow path of the salt water from the salt water chamber to the resin chamber, which is conducive to the thorough mixing of the salt and water, so that the salt and water can be mixed more evenly, thereby making the concentration of the salt water flowing to each part of the resin chamber more uniform, and can more evenly regenerate the resin in each part. In addition, when the water softener regenerates the resin, the water and resin in the resin chamber are unlikely to directly flow back into the salt water chamber, reducing the risk of reducing the resin content in the resin chamber, thereby ensuring the softening effect of the water softener on water.

[0020] Additional aspects and advantages of the present invention will be given in part in the following description and will become apparent from the following description or learned through practice of the present invention. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0021] The above and / or additional aspects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent and readily understood from the description of the embodiments in conjunction with the following drawings, in which:

[0022] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of a water softener according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0023] Figure 2 Another schematic diagram of a water softener according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0024] Figure 3 This is an exploded schematic diagram of a water softener according to an embodiment of the present utility model;

[0025] Figure 4 A schematic cross-sectional view of a water softener according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0026] Figure 5 Another cross-sectional schematic diagram of the water softener according to an embodiment of the present utility model;

[0027] Figure 6 Another cross-sectional schematic diagram of the water softener according to an embodiment of the present utility model;

[0028] Figure 7 Another cross-sectional schematic diagram of the water softener according to an embodiment of the present utility model;

[0029] Figure 8 Another cross-sectional schematic diagram of the water softener according to an embodiment of the present utility model;

[0030] Figure 9 This is another cross-sectional schematic diagram of the water softener according to an embodiment of the present utility model.

[0031] Reference numerals:

[0032] Main body 100, upper shell 110, upper protrusion 111, middle shell 120, abutment portion 121, lower shell 130, lower protrusion 131;

[0033] Resin chamber 200, upper cavity 210, middle cavity 220, lower cavity 230, upper filter plate 240, limiting portion 241, limiting groove 242, lower filter plate 250;

[0034] Brine chamber 300, salt adding port 310, second partition 320, sixth communication hole 321, fourth communication channel 330, first rib 340;

[0035] The main water inlet channel 400, the main water inlet hole 401, the extension portion 402, the first water inlet channel 410, the first water inlet hole 411, the second water inlet channel 420, the second water inlet hole 421, and the second rib 430;

[0036] Solenoid valve 500, valve stem 510, valve core 520;

[0037] First communication channel 600, first communication hole 601, second communication channel 610, second communication hole 611, third communication channel 620, third communication hole 621, fourth communication hole 622, upper channel 623, lower channel 624, first partition 630, fifth communication hole 631, float 640;

[0038] Drain channel 700 and drain hole 710 . DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0039] The following describes embodiments of the present invention in detail. Examples of the embodiments are shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein the same or similar reference numerals throughout represent the same or similar elements or elements having the same or similar functions. The embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings are exemplary and are intended only to explain the present invention and are not to be construed as limiting the present invention.

[0040] In the description of the present invention, it should be understood that descriptions involving orientations, such as up, down, front, back, left, right, etc., indicating orientations or positional relationships, are based on the orientations or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing the present invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they cannot be understood as limitations on the present invention.

[0041] In the description of this utility model, "several" means one or more, "many" means more than two, "greater than," "less than," and "exceed" are understood to exclude the number itself, while "above," "below," and "within" are understood to include the number itself. The use of "first" and "second" in the description is solely for the purpose of distinguishing technical features and is not to be construed as indicating or implying relative importance, implicitly specifying the number of the indicated technical features, or implicitly specifying the order of the indicated technical features.

[0042] In the description of the present invention, unless otherwise clearly defined, terms such as setting, installing, and connecting should be understood in a broad sense, and technicians in the relevant technical field can reasonably determine the specific meanings of the above terms in the present invention based on the specific content of the technical solution.

[0043] Reference Figures 1 to 9One embodiment of the present invention provides a water softener, comprising a main body 100, a main water inlet channel 400, a solenoid valve 500, a first connecting channel 600, a second connecting channel 610, and a third connecting channel 620. The main body 100 is provided with a resin chamber 200 and a brine chamber 300, each of which is independent of the other. The main body 100 is also provided with a drainage channel 700 communicating with the resin chamber 200 and a salt inlet 310 communicating with the brine chamber 300. The main water inlet channel 400 is disposed in the main body 100 and has a main water inlet hole 401 extending outwardly from the main body 100. The main water inlet channel 400 is connected to a first water inlet channel 410 and a second water inlet channel 420. The first water inlet channel 410 extends downward to the bottom of the resin chamber 200 and communicates with the resin chamber 200. The second water inlet channel 420 extends downward to the bottom of the brine chamber 300 and communicates with the brine chamber 300. The solenoid valve 500 is provided in the main body 100 and is capable of controlling whether one of the first and second water inlet channels 410 and 420 is connected to the main water inlet channel 400 and isolated from the main water inlet channel 400. A first communication channel 600 is provided in the main body 100 and arranged in a vertical direction. The upper end of the first communication channel 600 has a first communication hole 601 that communicates with the saline chamber 300. A second communication channel 610 is provided in the main body 100 and arranged in a vertical direction. The lower end of the second communication channel 610 has a second communication hole 611 that communicates with the lower end of the resin chamber 200. A third communication channel 620 is provided in the main body 100 and arranged in a vertical direction. The lower end of the third communication channel 620 has a third communication hole 621 that communicates with the lower end of the first communication channel 600, and the upper end of the third communication channel 620 has a fourth communication hole 622 that communicates with the upper end of the second communication channel 610. Among them, a first partition 630 is provided in the third connecting channel 620, and the first partition 630 divides the third connecting channel 620 into an upper channel 623 and a lower channel 624. The third connecting hole 621 is connected to the lower end of the lower channel 624, and the fourth connecting hole 622 is connected to the upper end of the upper channel 623. The first partition 630 is provided with a fifth connecting hole 631 connecting the upper channel 623 and the lower channel 624. A float 640 is provided in the upper channel 623. The float 640 can close the fifth connecting hole 631 under the action of gravity, or the float 640 can open the fifth connecting hole 631 under the action of buoyancy.

[0044] In the water softener of the embodiment of the present invention, when water needs to be softened, the first water inlet channel 410 can be controlled to be connected to the main water inlet channel 400 through the solenoid valve 500. At this time, the water flowing in from the main water inlet hole 401 can flow to the bottom of the resin cavity 200 through the main water inlet channel 400 and the first water inlet channel 410. The resin in the resin cavity 200 can absorb calcium and magnesium ions in the water, thereby softening the water quality and reducing the hardness of the water, which is beneficial to improving the cleaning rate of the tableware. When the adsorption capacity of the resin in the resin chamber 200 is weakened and needs to be regenerated, the first water inlet channel 410 can be controlled by the solenoid valve 500 to be isolated and disconnected from the main water inlet channel 400, and the second water inlet channel 420 can be controlled to be connected to the main water inlet channel 400. At this time, the water flowing in from the main water inlet hole 401 can flow to the bottom of the brine chamber 300 through the main water inlet channel 400 and the second water inlet channel 420, and mix with the salt in the brine chamber 300 to form brine. The brine accumulates in the brine chamber 300 and the liquid level gradually rises. When the liquid level of the brine rises to the first connecting hole 601 of the first connecting channel 600, the brine can flow into the first connecting channel 600 through the first connecting hole 601 and flow along the first connecting channel 60 0 flows downward to the third communicating hole 621, and then flows into the third communicating channel 620 through the third communicating hole 621. As the brine accumulates in the third communicating channel 620, the level of the brine gradually rises. When the brine accumulates from the lower channel 624 of the third communicating channel 620 to the upper channel 623, the float 640 can open the fifth communicating hole 631 under the action of buoyancy. At this time, the brine can flow into the upper channel 623 through the fifth communicating hole 631 and into the second communicating channel 610 through the fourth communicating hole 622. At this time, the brine can flow downward along the second communicating channel 610 to the second communicating hole 611 and flow through the second communicating hole 611 to the bottom of the resin chamber 200, thereby regenerating the resin in the resin chamber 200.

[0045] With the water softener of the present invention, the brine chamber 300 and the resin chamber 200 are not directly connected, but are connected via the first connecting channel 600, the third connecting channel 620, and the second connecting channel 610. When the resin needs to be regenerated, brine first accumulates in the brine chamber 300, then flows through the first connecting channel 600, the third connecting channel 620, and the second connecting channel 610 in sequence, and finally flows to the bottom of the resin chamber 200. During this process, as brine accumulates in the brine chamber 300, water flowing in from the main water inlet 401 can be more evenly mixed with the brine in the brine chamber 300. The provision of the first connecting channel 600, the third connecting channel 620, and the second connecting channel 610 can extend the flow path of brine from the brine chamber 300 to the resin chamber 200, which is conducive to sufficient mixing of salt and water, so that the salt and water can be mixed more evenly, thereby making the concentration of brine flowing into the resin chamber 200 more uniform, and enabling more uniform regeneration of the resin in each location. Furthermore, after the saltwater flows from the first connecting channel 600 to the third connecting channel 620, it first accumulates in the lower channel 624 of the third connecting channel 620. When the saltwater accumulates in the lower channel 624 but does not reach the upper channel 623, the float 640 closes the fifth connecting hole 631 under its own weight. At this point, neither the water nor the resin in the resin chamber 200 can flow through the second connecting channel 610 into the lower channel 624, thereby reducing the risk of the water and resin in the resin chamber 200 directly flowing back into the saltwater chamber 300. Only when the saltwater accumulates from the lower channel 624 to the upper channel 623, allowing the float 640 to open the fifth connecting hole 631 under the buoyancy of the float, can the saltwater flow through the fifth connecting hole 631 into the upper channel 623 and then flow downward through the second connecting channel 610 to the bottom of the resin chamber 200, thereby regenerating the resin in the resin chamber 200.

[0046] Reference Figures 1 to 9 In some embodiments, the inner wall of the brine chamber 300 is provided with a second partition 320 extending to connect with the outer periphery of the first connecting hole 601, and a fourth connecting channel 330 is provided between the second partition 320 and the top plate of the brine chamber 300. The fourth connecting channel 330 is connected to the first connecting hole 601, and the second partition 320 is provided with a plurality of sixth connecting holes 321 connecting the fourth connecting channel 330 and the brine chamber 300.

[0047] By adopting the above structure, when the resin in the resin chamber 200 needs to be regenerated, water flowing in through the main water inlet 401 can flow into the brine chamber 300 and mix with the salt in the brine chamber 300 to form brine. As the water continues to flow in, brine accumulates in the brine chamber 300 and the liquid level gradually rises. During this process, the brine can flow through the sixth connecting hole 321 to the top of the second partition 320 and enter the fourth connecting channel 330, and then flow into the first connecting channel 600 through the first connecting hole 601. The sixth connecting hole 321 can act as a filter to filter the brine entering the fourth connecting channel 330, making the brine entering the resin chamber 200 cleaner.

[0048] It is understandable that, referring to Figure 7 The sixth communicating hole 321 can be specifically set as a bar-shaped through hole. Of course, in addition to this, the sixth communicating hole 321 can also be set as a circular through hole or a square through hole, etc. The present invention does not specifically limit the shape of the sixth communicating hole 321.

[0049] Reference Figure 6 and Figure 7 In some embodiments, at least one first rib 340 is provided between the second partition 320 and the inner wall of the brine chamber 300 .

[0050] By adopting the above structure, the provision of the first rib 340 can enhance the structural strength of the body 100 and improve the structural stability of the water softener.

[0051] It is understandable that, referring to Figure 6 and Figure 7 , first ribs 340 may be provided on both sides of the partition, thereby better enhancing the structural strength of the main body 100 .

[0052] Reference Figures 1 to 4 In some embodiments, the drainage channel 700 is arranged in the up-down direction, and the upper end of the drainage channel 700 is connected to the upper end of the resin cavity 200 , and the lower end of the drainage channel 700 is provided with a drainage hole 710 .

[0053] By adopting the above structure, the upper end of the drainage channel 700 is connected to the upper end of the resin chamber 200. Therefore, when it is necessary to soften the water, the first water inlet channel 410 is controlled to be connected to the main water inlet channel 400 by the solenoid valve 500. At this time, the water flowing in from the main water inlet hole 401 can flow to the bottom of the resin chamber 200 through the main water inlet channel 400 and the first water inlet channel 410. As the external water continues to flow in, the water will continue to accumulate from bottom to top in the resin chamber 200, thereby allowing the resin in the resin chamber 200 to fully soften the water. When the water in the resin chamber 200 accumulates upward to the upper end of the drainage channel 700, it can be discharged through the drainage channel 700. Similarly, when the resin in the resin chamber 200 needs to be regenerated, the solenoid valve 500 is used to control the second water inlet channel 420 to be connected to the main water inlet channel 400. At this time, the water flowing in from the main water inlet hole 401 can flow to the bottom of the brine chamber 300 through the main water inlet channel 400 and the second water inlet channel 420, and then flow through the first connecting channel 600, the third connecting channel 620 and the second connecting channel 610 in turn, and finally flow to the bottom of the resin chamber 200. As the brine continues to flow in, the brine will continue to accumulate from bottom to top in the resin chamber 200, thereby allowing the resin in the resin chamber 200 to fully contact with the brine, which is beneficial to the regeneration of the resin. When the brine in the resin chamber 200 accumulates upward to the upper end of the drainage channel 700, it can be discharged through the drainage channel 700.

[0054] Reference Figures 3 to 9 In some embodiments, an upper filter plate 240 and a lower filter plate 250 are provided in the resin chamber 200. The upper filter plate 240 and the lower filter plate 250 divide the resin chamber 200 into an upper cavity 210, a middle cavity 220 and a lower cavity 230. The upper cavity 210 is located above the upper filter plate 240 and is connected to the drainage channel 700. The middle cavity 220 is located between the upper filter plate 240 and the lower filter plate 250 and is used to store resin. The lower cavity 230 is located below the lower filter plate 250 and is connected to the second connecting hole 611 and the first water inlet channel 410.

[0055] By adopting the above structure, the upper filter plate 240 and the lower filter plate 250 divide the resin chamber 200 into the upper chamber 210, the middle chamber 220, and the lower chamber 230. During the water softening process, the lower filter plate 250 can filter the water flowing into the first water inlet channel 410, making the water entering the middle chamber 220 cleaner and protecting the resin in the middle chamber 220. The upper filter plate 240 can filter the water flowing from the middle chamber 220 to the upper chamber 210, making the water discharged from the drainage channel 700 cleaner, which is conducive to improving the cleaning efficiency of dishes. During the resin regeneration process in the resin chamber 200, the lower filter plate 250 can filter the salt water flowing into the second connecting hole 611, making the salt water entering the middle chamber 220 even cleaner.

[0056] Reference Figures 1 to 9 In some embodiments, the body 100 includes an upper shell 110, a middle shell 120, and a lower shell 130. The resin chamber 200 and the brine chamber 300 are each formed by the upper shell 110, the middle shell 120, and the lower shell 130. The lower shell 130 has an upwardly extending lower protrusion 131. The lower filter plate 250 is integrally connected to the middle shell 120 and abuts against the lower protrusion 131. The lower chamber 230 is located between the lower filter plate 250 and the lower shell 130. The upper shell 110 has a downwardly extending upper protrusion 111. The middle shell 120 has an abutment 121. The upper filter plate 240 is sandwiched between the upper protrusion 111 and the abutment 121. The upper chamber 210 is located between the upper filter plate 240 and the upper shell 110.

[0057] The above-described structure divides the main body 100 into an upper shell 110, a middle shell 120, and a lower shell 130, facilitating the layout of the resin chamber 200, the brine chamber 300, and the various flow channels within the water softener. The upwardly extending lower protrusion 131 provided on the lower shell 130 facilitates the positioning of the middle shell 120 and the lower shell 130. The downwardly extending upper protrusion 111 provided on the upper shell 110 and the abutment 121 provided on the middle shell 120 facilitate the installation of the upper filter plate 240 and the positioning of the upper shell 110 and the middle shell 120.

[0058] It is understood that welding can be used to connect the upper housing 110 and the middle housing 120, and the middle housing 120 and the lower housing 130, thereby ensuring the sealing of the water softener. Of course, in addition to this, snap-fitting or other connection methods can also be used between the upper housing 110 and the middle housing 120, and the middle housing 120 and the lower housing 130, and the sealing of the water softener can also be ensured by using a sealing ring, which is not specifically limited in this utility model.

[0059] Reference Figures 1 to 9In some embodiments, the upper filter plate 240 is provided with a limiting structure corresponding to the abutting portion 121. The limiting structure is connected to the outer periphery of the upper filter plate 240 and extends downward, and the limiting structure is provided with a limiting groove 242. The limiting structure is in contact with the inner wall of the resin cavity 200 and the abutting portion 121 is embedded in the limiting groove 242.

[0060] By adopting the above structure, a limiting portion 241 corresponding to the abutting portion 121 is provided on the filter plate. The limiting structure fits against the inner wall of the resin cavity 200, thereby enabling the installation of the upper filter plate 240 to be more secure and stable. The abutting portion 121 is embedded in the limiting groove 242, which is conducive to positioning the installation of the upper filter plate 240.

[0061] It is understandable that there may be multiple abutting portions 121 , in which case all abutting portions 121 are arranged at intervals along the circumference of the resin cavity 200 , thereby enabling the installation of the upper filter plate 240 to be more secure and stable.

[0062] Reference Figures 1 to 9 In some embodiments, the upper end of the first water inlet channel 410 has a first water inlet hole 411 connected to the main water inlet channel 400, and the upper end of the second water inlet channel 420 has a second water inlet hole 421 connected to the main water inlet channel 400. The first water inlet hole 411 and the second water inlet hole 421 are spaced apart in the front-to-back direction of the body 100. The solenoid valve 500 includes a valve core 520 and a valve stem 510. The valve stem 510 passes through the first water inlet hole 411. The valve core 520 is located between the first water inlet hole 411 and the second water inlet hole 421 and is connected to the valve stem 510. The valve stem 510 can drive the valve core 520 to move back and forth in the front-to-back direction and control one of the first water inlet hole 411 and the second water inlet hole 421 to open and the other to close.

[0063] In the above structure, when water softening is required, the valve stem 510 pushes the valve core 520 to move closer to the second water inlet hole 421 and blocks the second water inlet hole 421, allowing the main water inlet channel 400 to communicate with the first water inlet channel 410 and be isolated from the second water inlet channel 420. At this time, water in the main water inlet channel 400 can flow into the first water inlet channel 410 through the first water inlet hole 411 and flow along the first water inlet channel 410 to the bottom of the resin chamber 200. When resin regeneration is required, the valve stem 510 pushes the valve core 520 to move closer to the first water inlet hole 411 and blocks the first water inlet hole 411, allowing the main water inlet channel 400 to communicate with the second water inlet channel 420 and be isolated from the first water inlet channel 410. At this time, water in the main water inlet channel 400 can flow into the second water inlet channel 420 through the second water inlet hole 421 and flow along the second water inlet channel 420 to the bottom of the resin chamber 200. By adopting the above structure, the switching between the first water inlet channel 410 and the second water inlet channel 420 is more flexible and convenient.

[0064] Reference Figures 1 to 6 In some embodiments, the main water inlet channel 400 is arranged above the brine chamber 300 and is at least partially arranged in the front-to-back direction. The main water inlet channel 400 has an extension portion 402 extending outward to the outside of the main body 100. The main water inlet hole 401 is opened on the upper side wall of the extension portion 402. At least one second rib 430 is provided between the lower side wall of the extension portion 402 and the front side wall of the main body 100; the first water inlet hole 411 and the second water inlet hole 421 are both located at the rear end of the main water inlet channel 400.

[0065] By adopting this structure, the main water inlet channel 400 is at least partially arranged in the front-to-back direction, with the main water inlet hole 401 located at the front of the main body 100, and the first water inlet hole 411 and the second water inlet hole 421 both located at the rear end of the main water inlet channel 400. This facilitates the layout of the various flow channels within the water softener. The provision of the extension 402 facilitates the introduction of external water into the main water inlet channel 400, and the provision of the second rib 430 enhances the structural strength of the main body 100, making the water softener more solid and stable.

[0066] An embodiment of the present invention further provides a dishwasher, which is provided with the water softener according to any one of the above embodiments.

[0067] In the dishwasher of the present embodiment, by employing the water softener of any of the above-described embodiments, when resin regeneration is required, salt water first accumulates in the salt water chamber 300, then flows sequentially through the first connecting channel 600, the third connecting channel 620, and the second connecting channel 610, ultimately flowing to the bottom of the resin chamber 200. This structure can extend the flow path of salt water from the salt water chamber 300 to the resin chamber 200, facilitating a thorough mixing of salt and water, resulting in a more uniform mixing of salt and water. This, in turn, makes the concentration of salt water flowing to various locations within the resin chamber 200 more uniform, enabling more uniform regeneration of the resin at various locations. Furthermore, when the water softener is regenerating the resin, water and resin within the resin chamber 200 are less likely to flow directly back into the salt water chamber 300, reducing the risk of a reduction in the resin content within the resin chamber 200 and thereby ensuring the softening effect of the water softener.

[0068] The embodiments of the present invention are described in detail above with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments. Various changes can be made within the scope of knowledge possessed by ordinary technicians in the relevant technical field without departing from the purpose of the present invention.

Claims

1. A water softener, characterized in that: include: The body (100) is provided with a resin cavity (200) and a brine cavity (300) that are independent of each other. The body (100) is further provided with a drainage channel (700) connected to the resin cavity (200) and a salt addition port (310) connected to the brine cavity (300); a main water inlet channel (400) provided on the body (100) and having a main water inlet hole (401) extending outwardly to the outside of the body (100); the main water inlet channel (400) being connected to a first water inlet channel (410) and a second water inlet channel (420); the first water inlet channel (410) extending downwardly to the bottom of the resin cavity (200) and being in communication with the resin cavity (200); and the second water inlet channel (420) extending downwardly to the bottom of the brine cavity (300) and being in communication with the brine cavity (300); a solenoid valve (500) provided on the body (100) and capable of controlling one of the first water inlet channel (410) and the second water inlet channel (420) to be connected to the main water inlet channel (400) and the other to be isolated from the main water inlet channel (400); A first communication channel (600) is provided on the body (100) and arranged in the up-down direction, wherein the upper end of the first communication channel (600) has a first communication hole (601) communicating with the saline chamber (300); A second communication channel (610) is provided on the body (100) and arranged in the up-down direction, wherein the lower end of the second communication channel (610) has a second communication hole (611) that communicates with the lower end of the resin cavity (200); A third communication channel (620) is provided on the body (100) and arranged in the up-down direction, wherein the lower end of the third communication channel (620) has a third communication hole (621) communicating with the lower end of the first communication channel (600), and the upper end of the third communication channel (620) has a fourth communication hole (622) communicating with the upper end of the second communication channel (610); The third communicating channel (620) is provided with a first partition (630), the first partition (630) divides the third communicating channel (620) into an upper channel (623) and a lower channel (624), the third communicating hole (621) is communicated with the lower end of the lower channel (624), the fourth communicating hole (622) is communicated with the upper end of the upper channel (623), the first partition (630) is provided with a fifth communicating hole (631) communicating with the upper channel (623) and the lower channel (624), the upper channel (623) is provided with a float (640), the float (640) can close the fifth communicating hole (631) under the action of gravity, or the float (640) can open the fifth communicating hole (631) under the action of buoyancy.

2. The water softener according to claim 1, characterized in that The inner wall of the brine chamber (300) is provided with a second partition (320) extending to connect to the outer periphery of the first connecting hole (601), a fourth connecting channel (330) is provided between the second partition (320) and the top plate of the brine chamber (300), the fourth connecting channel (330) is connected to the first connecting hole (601), and the second partition (320) is provided with a plurality of sixth connecting holes (321) connecting the fourth connecting channel (330) and the brine chamber (300).

3. The water softener according to claim 2, characterized in that At least one first rib (340) is provided between the second partition (320) and the inner wall of the brine chamber (300).

4. The water softener according to claim 1, characterized in that The drainage channel (700) is arranged in the up-down direction, and the upper end of the drainage channel (700) is connected to the upper end of the resin cavity (200), and the lower end of the drainage channel (700) is provided with a drainage hole (710).

5. The water softener according to claim 4, characterized in that An upper filter plate (240) and a lower filter plate (250) are provided in the resin chamber (200). The upper filter plate (240) and the lower filter plate (250) divide the resin chamber (200) into an upper cavity (210), a middle cavity (220) and a lower cavity (230). The upper cavity (210) is located above the upper filter plate (240) and is connected to the drainage channel (700). The middle cavity (220) is located between the upper filter plate (240) and the lower filter plate (250) and is used to store resin. The lower cavity (230) is located below the lower filter plate (250) and is connected to the second communication hole (611) and the first water inlet channel (410).

6. The water softener according to claim 5, characterized in that The body (100) comprises an upper shell (110), a middle shell (120) and a lower shell (130); the resin chamber (200) and the saline chamber (300) are both formed by the upper shell (110), the middle shell (120) and the lower shell (130) being mutually enclosed and defined; The lower shell (130) is provided with a lower protrusion (131) extending upward, the lower filter plate (250) is integrally connected to the middle shell (120) and abuts against the lower protrusion (131), and the lower cavity (230) is located between the lower filter plate (250) and the lower shell (130); The upper shell (110) is provided with an upper protrusion (111) extending downward, the middle shell (120) is provided with an abutment portion (121), the upper filter plate (240) is sandwiched between the upper protrusion (111) and the abutment portion (121), and the upper cavity (210) is located between the upper filter plate (240) and the upper shell (110).

7. The water softener according to claim 6, characterized in that The upper filter plate (240) is provided with a limiting structure corresponding to the abutting portion (121), the limiting structure is connected to the outer periphery of the upper filter plate (240) and extends downward, and the limiting structure is provided with a limiting groove (242), the limiting structure is in contact with the inner wall of the resin cavity (200) and the abutting portion (121) is embedded in the limiting groove (242).

8. The water softener according to claim 1, characterized in that The upper end of the first water inlet channel (410) has a first water inlet hole (411) connected to the main water inlet channel (400), and the upper end of the second water inlet channel (420) has a second water inlet hole (421) connected to the main water inlet channel (400); The first water inlet hole (411) and the second water inlet hole (421) are arranged at intervals along the front-to-back direction of the body (100); the solenoid valve (500) comprises a valve core (520) and a valve stem (510); the valve stem (510) is passed through the first water inlet hole (411); the valve core (520) is located between the first water inlet hole (411) and the second water inlet hole (421) and is connected to the valve stem (510); the valve stem (510) can drive the valve core (520) to move back and forth along the front-to-back direction and control one of the first water inlet hole (411) and the second water inlet hole (421) to be opened and the other to be closed.

9. The water softener according to claim 8, characterized in that The main water inlet channel (400) is provided above the salt water chamber (300) and is at least partially arranged in the front-to-back direction. The main water inlet channel (400) has an extension portion (402) extending outward to the outside of the body (100); the main water inlet hole (401) is provided on the upper side wall of the extension portion (402); and at least one second rib (430) is provided between the lower side wall of the extension portion (402) and the front side wall of the body (100); The first water inlet hole (411) and the second water inlet hole (421) are both located at the rear end of the main water inlet channel (400).

10. A dishwasher, characterized in that A water softener according to any one of claims 1 to 9 is provided.

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