Liquid heater

Abstract

The liquid heater comprises a kettle body and a kettle cover, the kettle body is provided with a fixing base, the kettle cover is provided with a rotating support, the kettle cover is rotationally connected to the fixing base through the rotating support so as to open or close a top opening of the kettle body, one of the rotating support and the fixing base is provided with a rotating shaft, the rotating shaft is sleeved with a shaft sleeve, and the rotating shaft and the shaft sleeve are relatively static. The other one of the rotating support and the fixing base is provided with a rotating hole matched with the rotating shaft and a damping piece matched with the shaft sleeve, the shaft sleeve is provided with a plurality of first meshing teeth in the circumferential direction of the shaft sleeve, the damping piece is provided with a plurality of second meshing teeth in the circumferential direction of the damping piece, and a meshing groove allowing the first meshing teeth to be embedded therein is formed between every two adjacent second meshing teeth. Damping force comes from mechanical extrusion and sliding friction between the tooth surfaces of the first meshing teeth and the second meshing teeth, and the first meshing teeth and the second meshing teeth are not prone to deformation in the high-temperature and high-humidity environment, so that damping force fluctuation in the using process can be avoided, and it is ensured that cover opening and closing resistance is stable for a long time.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application belongs to the field of household appliance technology, specifically relating to a liquid heater. Background Technology

[0002] Existing liquid heaters, taking electric kettles as an example, mostly achieve lid opening through a lid opening and closing mechanism. When opening the lid, the torque of the torsion spring connected to the lid's pivot is used to achieve automatic opening. When closing the lid, the torque of the torsion spring on the lid's pivot is used to reduce the noise caused by the rapid impact between the lid and the kettle body. Although this lid opening and closing mechanism is convenient to use, in actual application, the water condensed on the lower surface of the lid will be splashed out due to the fast opening speed of the lid, which reduces the user experience.

[0003] To address the drawback of the relatively fast opening speed of existing electric kettles, various technologies have been disclosed in the prior art that reduce the opening speed by adding damping structures.

[0004] For example, patent document CN01420038819.2 discloses an electric kettle, including: a kettle body, which is a cavity with an open top; a kettle lid, which is rotatably mounted on the kettle body and can open or close the opening of the kettle body; a damping plate is provided on the kettle body, and a damping silicone plug is provided on the kettle lid. The damping silicone plug abuts against the damping plate along the rotation axis of the kettle lid, so that when the kettle lid rotates relative to the kettle body, friction is generated between the damping silicone plug and the damping plate, and the friction can reduce the rotation speed of the kettle lid. The damping force generated by the damping silicone plug and damping plate in this technical solution has the following drawbacks: Long-term friction between the damping silicone plug and the damping plate easily leads to material wear, causing the damping force to gradually weaken or even lose its damping effect; the inherent characteristics of electric kettles mean the damping silicone plug is constantly exposed to high temperature and humidity, which accelerates its aging and shortens its lifespan; due to the structural properties of the damping silicone plug, its environmental adaptability is poor, especially when using the kettle in extremely cold or frigid regions, where the damping silicone plug may harden due to ambient temperature, leading to a sharp increase in opening resistance and affecting damping stability; furthermore, if the assembly tolerance between the damping silicone plug and the damping plate is too large, the damping effect will be weak or nonexistent; if the interference fit between the damping silicone plug and the damping plate is too large, the resistance will be high, making it difficult to open the lid. Therefore, to maintain stable contact between the damping silicone plug and the damping plate, the contact pressure needs to be precisely controlled, which increases the difficulty of processing and assembly.

[0005] For example, patent document CN201420041792.2 discloses an electric kettle, including: a kettle body, which includes a main body and a handle, the main body being a cavity with an open top; a kettle lid, which is rotatably mounted on the kettle body and can open the opening of the main body or close the opening of the main body; a damping shaft and a damping silicone ring, one end of the damping shaft being connected to the kettle lid and the other end being connected to the kettle body, the damping silicone ring being sleeved on one end of the damping shaft, and the damping shaft contacting the damping silicone ring and pressing the damping component; when the kettle lid rotates, friction is generated between the damping silicone ring and the damping shaft, and the friction can reduce the rotation speed of the kettle lid. The damping silicone ring and damping shaft in this technical solution have the following drawbacks: The damping silicone ring, when exposed to high-temperature steam for extended periods, is prone to hardening, embrittlement, or permanent deformation, leading to frictional attenuation or even complete failure, thus losing its damping function. Furthermore, the damping silicone ring itself has poor environmental adaptability; in cold environments, its elasticity decreases, causing a sharp increase in damping force, potentially resulting in opening resistance exceeding user expectations. The frictional force in this technical solution relies entirely on the circumferential clamping force between the damping shaft and the damping silicone ring. If assembly tolerances are not strictly controlled, insufficient clamping force may lead to damping failure, or excessive clamping force may cause difficulty in opening the cover. Moreover, poor coaxiality between the damping shaft and the damping silicone ring during assembly can cause excessive wear or jamming on one side of the damping silicone ring, affecting its service life. Therefore, this technical solution places extremely high demands on the machining accuracy of both the damping shaft and the damping silicone ring, as well as their assembly accuracy, significantly increasing costs. Utility Model Content

[0006] This application provides a liquid heater to solve the technical problems of existing silicone damping solutions, which have poor environmental adaptability and cannot adapt to various application environments, silicone parts are prone to deformation during use, resulting in weakening or even disappearance of damping effect, and the assembly tolerance requirements between damping parts and silicone parts are high during assembly.

[0007] The technical solution adopted in this application is as follows:

[0008] A liquid heater includes a kettle body and a kettle lid. The kettle body has a fixed base, and the kettle lid has a rotating bracket. The kettle lid is rotatably connected to the fixed base via the rotating bracket to open or close the top opening of the kettle body. One of the rotating bracket and the fixed base has a rotating shaft, and a bushing is fitted over the rotating shaft. The rotating shaft and the bushing are stationary relative to each other. The other of the rotating bracket and the fixed base has a rotating hole adapted to the rotating shaft and a damping element adapted to the bushing. The bushing has a plurality of first meshing teeth along its circumference, and the damping element has a plurality of second meshing teeth along its circumference. A meshing groove is formed between two adjacent second meshing teeth for the first meshing teeth to be inserted. When the kettle lid rotates, the first meshing teeth and the second meshing teeth mesh with each other to generate a damping force on the kettle lid.

[0009] This application utilizes the meshing of the first meshing tooth on the bushing and the second meshing tooth on the damping component to generate a damping force on the rotating lid, thereby reducing the opening and closing speed. Unlike the silicone damping in the prior art, the damping force in this application originates from the mechanical compression and sliding friction between the tooth surfaces of the first and second meshing teeth. The high temperature and humidity environment generated during the use of the liquid heater has a low interference with the friction coefficient between the tooth surfaces, and the tooth structure of the first and second meshing teeth is not easily deformed in high temperature and humidity environments. Therefore, this application can avoid damping force fluctuations during use and ensure long-term stability of the opening and closing resistance. Furthermore, the first and second meshing teeth can maintain structural stability in both high and low temperature external environments, avoiding hardening, expansion, or contraction caused by extreme temperatures. This ensures the stability and reliability of the fit between the two, significantly improving the environmental adaptability of this application. In addition, the clearance fit between the first and second meshing teeth can compensate for certain assembly tolerances, reducing the requirements for assembly precision, resulting in a high assembly error tolerance, which helps to reduce processing costs and improve assembly efficiency.

[0010] The rotating shaft of the liquid heater is an extremely thin shaft. Such a thin shaft is prone to bending or breakage due to stress concentration during frequent rotation. This application addresses this by using a bushing around the shaft, effectively increasing its effective diameter and significantly improving the bending and torsional strength of the entire rotating component (shaft and bushing) during lid rotation. This application also designs a first meshing tooth on the bushing that engages with the second meshing tooth of the damping element. This reduces the machining difficulty of the shaft and avoids the risk of breakage due to excessive localized stress on the thin shaft, ensuring the stability and reliability of damping. Furthermore, the bushing in this application is directly fitted onto the outside of the shaft, achieving engagement with the damping element through radial expansion rather than axial extension. This allows for damping functionality within a limited space, reducing space occupation and achieving a compact structural layout.

[0011] The bushing has a first meshing surface with the first meshing tooth and a first clearance surface connected to the first meshing surface. The damping member has a second meshing surface with the second meshing tooth and a second clearance surface connected to the second meshing surface. There is a clearance gap between the first clearance surface and the second clearance surface.

[0012] If the bushing has first meshing teeth along its 360° circumference and the damping component has second meshing teeth along its 360° circumference, it will increase the manufacturing cost of the bushing and damping component, and also lead to excessive damping force during the lid's rotation, affecting the user experience. This technical solution provides a first clearance surface on the bushing and a second clearance surface on the damping component, with a clearance gap between the two surfaces. This ensures that damping is generated only through mechanical compression and sliding friction between the first and second meshing teeth, guaranteeing appropriate damping force during lid rotation. Furthermore, the clearance gap provides necessary space for the installation of the bushing and damping component, making them easier to align and install during assembly, reducing assembly difficulty.

[0013] The damping element is a hollow structure, and the bushing is built into the damping element. The damping element has an inlet that penetrates the side wall of the damping element radially, and the bushing is inserted into the damping element through the inlet.

[0014] This technical solution integrates the bushing into the damping component, simplifying the fit design between the bushing and the rotating shaft, as well as between the rotating shaft and the fixed base, thus reducing the complexity of the structural design. By providing a radial inlet on the damping component, the bushing is inserted through this inlet. During assembly, precise axial alignment of the bushing and damping component is unnecessary. The inlet design allows for a certain axial positional deviation during installation, which can be easily corrected by fine-tuning the axial alignment of the first and second meshing teeth. This reduces the precision requirements for the machining of the bushing and damping component and significantly lowers the assembly difficulty. Especially in the confined installation space between the fixed base and the rotating support, this technical solution reduces the assembly difficulty of the bushing and saves assembly time.

[0015] The extension length of the inlet along the axial direction of the damping member is less than the extension length of the second meshing tooth along the axial direction of the damping member. An inlet step is formed on the inner side of the inlet that is adjacent to the second clearance surface. The inlet step has an inlet surface that is inclined from the inner side of the inlet towards the second clearance surface.

[0016] As one of the main load-bearing components during the rotation of the kettle lid, the structural strength of the damping element affects its stability. In this technical solution, the short extension length of the inlet along the axial direction of the damping element helps maintain the overall structural strength of the damping element and avoids weakening its mechanical performance due to an excessively long inlet, thus effectively ensuring the service life of the damping element. Because of the short length of the inlet, an inlet step is formed between the inlet and the second clearance surface opposite it. This inlet step, as a guiding structure, guides the bushing to change its radial movement to axial sliding along the damping element when it reaches the inlet step position during the assembly process. This allows the first meshing tooth to slide smoothly along the meshing groove, enabling the bushing to smoothly enter the damping element, reducing assembly difficulty and improving assembly efficiency. Furthermore, the inclined design of the inlet surface forms a progressive guide channel, guiding the bushing to smoothly slide into the damping element along a preset path, ensuring precise alignment of the first and second meshing teeth and preventing misalignment and jamming.

[0017] The central angle corresponding to the coverage surface of all the first meshing teeth along the circumference of the bushing is α, and α satisfies: α≤180°.

[0018] This technical solution optimizes the coverage area of ​​the first meshing tooth along the circumference of the bushing, reducing the machining difficulty and cost of the bushing. Furthermore, the relatively small coverage area ensures that the first and second meshing teeth can enter and exit the meshing state more quickly during engagement, reducing adjustment time and enabling stable opening and closing of the lid under damping force. In addition, since the coverage area of ​​the first meshing tooth does not exceed half a circumference, the assembly of the bushing and damping component only requires alignment within half a circumference, reducing the accuracy requirements for alignment.

[0019] The rotating shaft and the bushing are mounted on the rotating bracket. The rotating bracket is provided with a coupling part. There are two bushings, which are located on two opposite sides of the coupling part. The coupling part is provided with a through hole for the rotating shaft to pass through.

[0020] If a bushing is installed on only one side of the shaft, the shaft of the liquid heater is an extremely thin shaft with a large length-to-diameter ratio. Single-point support is prone to bending deformation under stress or rapid rotation, affecting the shaft's service life. If an integral bushing is installed along the shaft's axial direction, it increases cost and leads to excessive damping force, negatively impacting the user experience. This technical solution places two bushings on opposite sides of the coupling. After the shaft passes through the coupling, each end is fixed by a bushing. The two bushings provide two independent support points for the shaft, forming a support structure similar to a simply supported beam. This reduces the risk of shaft bending and evenly distributes the radial load and torque transmitted by the shaft, minimizing deformation or uneven wear caused by unilateral stress on the bushings.

[0021] The coupling is provided with a clearance notch, and the rotating shaft is fitted with an elastic element for assisting in opening the lid. The clearance notch is provided with an opening for the elastic element to extend out and abut against the lid.

[0022] To reduce the force required for manual opening and the range of manual operation, existing technologies generally incorporate elastic elements (such as torsion springs) to assist in opening the cover. This technical solution sets bushings at both ends of the rotating shaft, with a coupling between the two bushings. Therefore, the placement of the elastic element directly affects the assembly and movement space requirements of the rotating bracket. This technical solution utilizes the coupling's own volume to accommodate the elastic element by providing a clearance notch on the coupling, allowing it to extend from this notch. This avoids the elastic element needing additional axial space. By extending the elastic element non-axially, the function of assisting in opening the cover can be achieved within a limited space, reducing space occupation and achieving a compact structural layout.

[0023] The rotating shaft and the shaft sleeve are mounted on the rotating bracket. The fixed base is provided with two oppositely arranged brackets. The damping element and the rotating hole are provided on the brackets. The damping element and the rotating hole are arranged coaxially.

[0024] In this technical solution, two brackets are symmetrically distributed on both sides of the fixed base, forming a movement space between the two brackets for the rotating support to rotate. This achieves a compact structural layout, and the two brackets form a stable portal frame structure, evenly distributing the radial load and torque transmitted by the rotating shaft during the rotation of the rotating support, avoiding stress concentration or deformation caused by unilateral support. The damping element is arranged coaxially with the rotating hole, ensuring that the rotating shaft, bushing, and damping element are coaxial, preventing the damping force from generating excess torque on the rotating shaft, ensuring that the rotating shaft always moves along the preset axis during rotation, and also avoiding the additional torque caused by eccentric force on the bracket, thus improving the overall structural stability.

[0025] The bracket is provided with a fixing part, the rotating hole is provided in the fixing part, the two fixing parts are located on the opposite side of the two damping members, and the damping members and the fixing parts are integrally formed.

[0026] In this technical solution, the two fixing parts are located on the opposite sides of the two damping components, which can make full use of the space on both sides of the bracket and avoid interference with the functional areas of the damping components. The fixing parts and damping components are integrally molded, which can eliminate the weak connection points of the split design and improve the overall bending and torsional resistance of the bracket. Moreover, the integral molding can ensure that the rotating hole of the fixing part and the inner hole of the damping component can be machined in one clamping, eliminating the coaxiality error caused by the split assembly and ensuring the consistency of the rotation axis of the rotating shaft.

[0027] The maximum rotation angle between the bushing and the damping element is greater than the opening angle of the lid.

[0028] If the maximum rotation angle between the bushing and the damping component is less than the opening angle of the lid, in certain special circumstances, such as when the user operates too forcefully, causing the lid to open beyond the preset angle, or when the lid needs to be forcibly rotated beyond the preset angle due to obstruction by foreign objects, the small rotation angle between the bushing and the damping component will cause the damping to fail during the over-travel rotation of the lid. This will result in the lid opening rapidly within the over-travel angle range, causing the condensed water accumulated on the lid to be flung out. This technical solution sets the maximum rotation angle between the bushing and the damping component to be greater than the opening angle of the lid, which can reserve a margin beyond the actual opening requirements. This ensures that when the lid is fully opened within the preset travel range, there is still room for rotation between the bushing and the damping component. Even if the lid is opened beyond the travel range, the rotation margin between the bushing and the damping component can provide damping force for the lid to continue opening, avoiding the lid "bouncing" phenomenon caused by the sudden loss of damping at the end of the travel range. Attached Figure Description

[0029] The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a further understanding of this application and form part of this application, illustrate exemplary embodiments and are used to explain this application, but do not constitute an undue limitation of this application. In the drawings:

[0030] Figure 1 This is a cross-sectional view of a liquid heater according to one embodiment of this application;

[0031] Figure 2 This is an exploded cross-sectional view of a liquid heater according to one embodiment of this application;

[0032] Figure 3 This is a perspective view of a rotating bracket according to one embodiment of this application;

[0033] Figure 4 This is a side view of the rotating bracket according to one embodiment of this application;

[0034] Figure 5 for Figure 4 Enlarged view of part A;

[0035] Figure 6 This is a perspective view of the fixing base according to one embodiment of this application;

[0036] Figure 7 This is a cross-sectional view of the fixing seat according to one embodiment of this application.

[0037] in,

[0038] 1. Teapot lid;

[0039] 2. Kettle body; 21. Kettle body; 22. Handle; 23. Lid opening button; 24. Button bracket;

[0040] 3. Rotating bracket; 31. Rotating shaft; 32. Elastic element; 33. Coupling part; 331. Clearance notch; 34. Bushing; 341. First meshing tooth; 342. First clearance surface;

[0041] 4. Fixing base; 41. Damping component; 411. Second meshing tooth; 412. Second clearance surface; 413. Inlet; 414. Inlet step; 42. Bracket; 43. Fixing part; 431. Rotary hole. Detailed Implementation

[0042] To more clearly illustrate the overall concept of this application, a detailed explanation is provided below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0043] Many specific details are set forth in the following description to provide a thorough understanding of this application. However, this application may also be implemented in other ways different from those described herein. Therefore, the scope of protection of this application is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed below. It should be noted that, unless otherwise specified, the embodiments of this application and the features thereof can be combined with each other.

[0044] Furthermore, it should be understood in the description of this application that the terms "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer", "axial", "radial", "circumferential", etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing this application and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of this application.

[0045] In this application, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," "linking," and "fixing," etc., should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral part; they can refer to a mechanical connection, an electrical connection, or a communication connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; they can refer to the internal communication of two components or the interaction between two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this application according to the specific circumstances.

[0046] In this application, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the "above" or "below" of the second feature can mean that the first and second features are in direct contact, or that the first and second features are in indirect contact through an intermediate medium. In the description of this specification, references to terms such as "an embodiment," "some embodiments," "example," "specific example," or "some examples," etc., indicate that a specific feature, structure, material, or characteristic described in connection with that embodiment or example is included in at least one embodiment or example of this application. In this specification, the illustrative expressions of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Furthermore, the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described can be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments or examples.

[0047] like Figure 1 , Figure 2 , Figure 3 and Figure 6 As shown, a liquid heater includes a pot body 2 and a pot lid 1. The pot body 2 is provided with a fixed base 4, and the pot lid 1 is provided with a rotating bracket 3. The pot lid 1 is rotatably connected to the fixed base 4 through the rotating bracket 3 to open or close the top opening of the pot body 2. The rotating bracket 3 is provided with a rotating shaft 31, and a bushing 34 is fitted over the rotating shaft 31. The rotating shaft 31 and the bushing 34 are relatively stationary. The fixed base 4 is provided with a rotating hole 431 adapted to the rotating shaft 31 and a damping element 41 adapted to the bushing 34. The bushing 34 is provided with a plurality of first meshing teeth 341 along its circumference, and the damping element 41 is provided with a plurality of second meshing teeth 411 along its circumference. A meshing groove is formed between two adjacent second meshing teeth 411 for the first meshing teeth 341 to be inserted. When the pot lid 1 rotates, the first meshing teeth 341 and the second meshing teeth 411 mesh with each other to generate a damping force on the pot lid 1. Of course, it can also be done in reverse: the rotating shaft 31 and the bushing 34 are placed on the fixed base 4, and the rotating hole 431 and the damping element 41 adapted to the bushing 34 are placed on the rotating bracket 3.

[0048] In one specific implementation, the kettle body 2 includes a kettle body 21 and a handle 22 located on one side of the kettle body 21, with a fixing seat 4 located on the upper part of the handle 22. The kettle lid 1 includes a top lid and a bottom lid, with a sandwich structure formed between the top lid and the bottom lid for one end of the rotating bracket 3 to extend into and be fixed, so that the kettle lid 1 rotates synchronously with the rotating bracket 3. The fixing method between the rotating bracket 3 and the kettle lid 1 can be snap-fit, screw connection, or adhesive, etc., and is not limited here.

[0049] This application generates a damping force on the rotating lid 1 through the meshing of the first meshing tooth 341 on the bushing 34 and the second meshing tooth 411 on the damping member 41, thereby reducing the opening and closing speed of the lid. Unlike the silicone damping in the prior art, the damping force in this application comes from the mechanical extrusion and sliding friction between the tooth surfaces of the first meshing tooth 341 and the second meshing tooth 411. The high temperature and humidity environment generated during the use of the liquid heater has a low interference with the friction coefficient between the tooth surfaces. Moreover, the tooth structure of the first meshing tooth 341 and the second meshing tooth 411 is not easily deformed in the high temperature and humidity environment. Therefore, this application can avoid the damping force fluctuation during use and ensure the long-term stability of the opening and closing resistance. Furthermore, the first meshing tooth 341 and the second meshing tooth 411 can maintain the structural stability in both high temperature and low temperature external environments, avoiding hardening, expansion or contraction caused by extreme temperatures. This ensures the stability and reliability of the fit between the two, greatly improving the environmental adaptability of this application. In addition, the clearance fit between the first meshing tooth 341 and the second meshing tooth 411 can compensate for certain assembly tolerances, reduce the requirements for assembly accuracy, and provide a high assembly fault tolerance rate, which helps to reduce processing costs and improve assembly efficiency.

[0050] The rotating shaft 31 of the liquid heater is an extremely thin shaft. During frequent rotation, this thin shaft is prone to bending or breakage due to stress concentration. This application addresses this by placing a bushing 34 over the rotating shaft 31, effectively increasing its effective diameter and significantly improving the bending and torsional strength of the entire rotating component (shaft 31 and bushing 34) during the rotation of the lid 1. This application designs a first meshing tooth 341 on the bushing 34 to engage with the second meshing tooth 411 of the damping element 41. This reduces the machining difficulty of the shaft 31 and avoids the risk of breakage due to excessive local stress on the thin shaft 31, ensuring the stability and reliability of the damping. Furthermore, the bushing 34 in this application is directly fitted onto the outside of the rotating shaft 31, achieving engagement with the damping element 41 through radial expansion rather than axial extension. This allows for damping functionality within a limited space, reducing space occupation and achieving a compact structural layout.

[0051] In this application, the distribution of the first meshing teeth 341 on the bushing 34 and the distribution of the second meshing teeth 411 on the damping member 41 can adopt any of the following embodiments:

[0052] Implementation Method 1: This implementation method is not illustrated. In this implementation method, the bushing is provided with first meshing teeth at all 360° of its circumference, and the damping element is provided with second meshing teeth at all 360° of its circumference.

[0053] Implementation Method 2: The bushing has a first meshing surface with first meshing teeth and a first clearance surface connected to the first meshing surface; the damping member has a second meshing surface with second meshing teeth and a second clearance surface connected to the second meshing surface; a clearance gap exists between the first clearance surface and the second clearance surface. For example... Figures 3 to 7 As shown, in a specific embodiment, the damping member 41 has a hollow structure, and the bushing 34 is built into the damping member 41. The outer surface of the bushing 34 is provided with a first engagement surface and a first clearance surface 342, and the inner surface of the damping member 41 is provided with a second engagement surface and a second clearance surface 412.

[0054] This second embodiment provides a first clearance surface 342 on the bushing 34 and a second clearance surface 412 on the damping member 41, with a clearance gap between the first clearance surface 342 and the second clearance surface 412. This ensures that damping is generated only through mechanical compression and sliding friction between the first meshing teeth 341 and the second meshing teeth 411, guaranteeing appropriate damping force during the rotation of the lid 1. Furthermore, the clearance gap provides necessary space for the installation of the bushing 34 and the damping member 41, making them easier to align and install during assembly, thus reducing assembly difficulty.

[0055] As a preferred embodiment of this second implementation method, such as Figure 4 and Figure 5 As shown, the central angle corresponding to the coverage area of ​​all first meshing teeth 341 along the circumference of the bushing 34 is α, where α satisfies: α≤180°. This embodiment optimizes the coverage range of the first meshing teeth 341 along the circumference of the bushing 34, reducing the processing difficulty and cost of the bushing 34. Furthermore, the relatively small coverage range ensures that the first meshing teeth 341 and the second meshing teeth 411 can enter and exit the meshing state more quickly during engagement, reducing adjustment time and enabling the lid 1 to open and close stably under damping force. In addition, since the coverage area of ​​the first meshing teeth 341 does not exceed half a circumference, the bushing 34 and damping component 41 only need to be aligned within half a circumference during assembly, reducing the accuracy requirements for alignment.

[0056] Furthermore, α satisfies: 90°≤α≤120°, in order to further reduce the coverage area of ​​the first meshing tooth 341 on the bushing 34, reduce the amount of material used in the processing of the bushing 34, reduce weight and save costs, and further reserve space for the thermal expansion of the outer periphery of the bushing 34, avoid jamming or deformation problems caused by uneven expansion, and improve the environmental adaptability of the bushing 34.

[0057] In this application, the bushing 34 and the damping element 41 can be fitted together in any of the following embodiments:

[0058] Implementation Method 3: This implementation method is not illustrated. The bushing has a coupling section sleeved on the outside of the rotating shaft and a meshing section connected to the coupling section. The meshing section has a hollow structure. The damping element is built into the meshing section. That is, the inner surface of the meshing section is provided with a first meshing tooth, and the outer periphery of the damping element is provided with a second meshing tooth. During the rotation of the lid, the first meshing tooth and the second meshing tooth mesh to generate a damping force on the rotation of the lid.

[0059] As a preferred embodiment of this third implementation method, the coupling section and the meshing section are arranged coaxially, which makes the overall structure more compact and avoids improper torque caused by non-coaxial arrangement, thus preventing bending deformation of the shaft and other components.

[0060] This third embodiment does not limit the assembly method of the bushing and the damping element. In one embodiment, the damping element is inserted into the meshing section axially. In another embodiment, the meshing section has a guide groove that radially penetrates the side wall of the meshing section, and the damping element is inserted into the meshing section radially from the guide groove.

[0061] Implementation Method Four: (e.g.) Figure 6 and Figure 7 As shown, the damping element 41 has a hollow structure, and the bushing 34 is built into the damping element 41. The damping element 41 has an inlet 413 that runs radially through the side wall of the damping element 41, and the bushing 34 is inserted into the damping element 41 through the inlet 413.

[0062] In this fourth embodiment, the bushing 34 is built into the damping member 41, which simplifies the fit design between the bushing 34 and the rotating shaft 31, as well as between the rotating shaft 31 and the fixed seat 4, reducing the complexity of the structural design. By providing a radial inlet 413 on the damping member 41, the bushing 34 is inserted into the bushing 34 through the inlet 413. During assembly, there is no need for precise axial alignment of the bushing 34 and the damping member 41. That is, the design of the inlet 413 allows for a certain axial positional deviation of the bushing 34 during installation. The alignment of the first meshing tooth 341 and the second meshing tooth 411 can be completed by fine axial adjustment. This reduces the requirements for the machining accuracy of the bushing 34 and the damping member 41, and greatly reduces the assembly difficulty. Especially in the narrow installation space between the fixed seat 4 and the rotating bracket 3, the design of this fourth embodiment reduces the assembly difficulty of the bushing 34 and saves assembly time.

[0063] As a preferred embodiment of this fourth implementation method, such as Figure 6As shown, the extension length of the inlet 413 along the axial direction of the damping member 41 is less than the extension length of the second meshing tooth 411 along the axial direction of the damping member 41. An inlet step 414 is formed on the inner side of the inlet 413, adjacent to the second clearance surface 412. The inlet step 414 has an inlet surface that slopes from the inner side of the inlet 413 towards the second clearance surface 412. As one of the main load-bearing components during the rotation of the lid 1, the structural strength of the damping member 41 affects the stability of the damping. In this embodiment, the shorter extension length of the inlet 413 along the axial direction of the damping member 41 helps maintain the overall structural strength of the damping member 41, preventing its mechanical properties from being weakened due to an excessively long inlet 413, thereby effectively ensuring the service life of the damping member 41. Because the inlet 413 is relatively short, an inlet step 414 is formed between the inlet 413 and the second clearance surface 412 opposite to it. The inlet step 414, as a guiding structure, guides the bushing 34 to change its radial movement to axial sliding along the damping member 41 when it reaches the inlet step 414 during assembly. This allows the first meshing tooth 341 to slide smoothly along the meshing groove, enabling the bushing 34 to smoothly enter the damping member 41, reducing assembly difficulty and improving assembly efficiency. Furthermore, the inclined design of the inlet surface forms a progressive guide channel, guiding the bushing 34 to smoothly slide into the damping member 41 along a preset path, ensuring precise alignment of the first meshing tooth 341 and the second meshing tooth 411, and preventing misalignment and jamming.

[0064] Implementation Method 5: This implementation method is not illustrated. The damping component is a hollow structure, and the inner diameter of the damping component is larger than the outer diameter of the bushing, so that the bushing can be housed within the damping component. Unlike Implementation Method 4, the damping component in this implementation method does not have a radially penetrating inlet, but instead has an axial opening. During assembly, the first meshing tooth of the bushing is aligned with the meshing groove of the damping component, and the bushing is pushed into the damping component through the axial opening.

[0065] The specific location of the bushing 34 in this application can be any of the following embodiments:

[0066] Implementation Method Six: This implementation method six is ​​not illustrated. In this implementation method six, the bushing is disposed at one end of the rotating shaft.

[0067] Implementation Method 7: This implementation method 7 is not illustrated. In this implementation method 7, an integral bushing is provided along the axial direction of the rotating shaft.

[0068] Implementation method eight: such as Figure 3 and Figure 4As shown, the rotating shaft 31 and bushing 34 are mounted on the rotating bracket 3. The rotating bracket 3 has a coupling portion 33, and two bushings 34 are provided, located on opposite sides of the coupling portion 33. The coupling portion 33 has a through hole for the rotating shaft 31 to pass through. If the bushing 34 is provided on only one side of the rotating shaft 31, because the rotating shaft 31 of the liquid heater is an extremely thin shaft with a large length-to-diameter ratio, single-point support is prone to bending deformation due to stress or rapid rotation, affecting the service life of the rotating shaft 31. If an integral bushing 34 is provided along the axial direction of the rotating shaft 31, it will increase costs and cause excessive damping force, affecting the user experience. In this embodiment, two bushings 34 are arranged on opposite sides of the coupling part 33. After the rotating shaft 31 passes through the coupling part 33, both ends of the rotating shaft 31 are fixed by a bushing 34. The two bushings 34 provide two independent support points for the rotating shaft 31, forming a support structure similar to a simply supported beam. This can reduce the risk of bending of the rotating shaft 31, and can evenly distribute the radial load and torque transmitted by the rotating shaft 31, reducing the deformation or uneven wear caused by the bushing 34 being subjected to force on one side.

[0069] As a preferred embodiment of this implementation method eight, such as Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, the coupling part 33 is provided with a clearance notch 331, and the rotating shaft 31 is fitted with an elastic member 32 for assisting in opening the lid. The clearance notch 331 is provided with an opening for the elastic member 32 to extend out and abut against the lid 1.

[0070] To reduce the force required for manual opening and the range of manual operation, existing technologies generally incorporate elastic elements (such as torsion springs) to assist in opening the cover. In this embodiment, bushings 34 are provided at both ends of the rotating shaft 31, and a coupling portion 33 is added between the two bushings 34. Therefore, the placement of the elastic element 32 directly affects the assembly and movement space requirements of the rotating bracket 3. This embodiment utilizes the volume of the coupling portion 33 by providing a clearance notch 331 on the coupling portion 33 and allowing the elastic element 32 to extend from the clearance notch 331. This fully utilizes the volume of the coupling portion 33 itself to accommodate the elastic element 32, avoiding the need for additional axial space. By extending the elastic element 32 non-axially, the function of assisting in opening the cover can be achieved within a limited space, reducing space occupation and realizing a compact structural layout.

[0071] In a specific implementation, such as Figure 1 and Figure 2As shown, the kettle body 2 is provided with a lid opening mechanism, which includes a lid opening button 23 and a button bracket 24. The button bracket 24 is rotatably connected to the fixed base 4. One end of the lid opening button 23 abuts against the button bracket 24 to drive one end of the button bracket 24 to move downward. The other end of the button bracket 24 abuts against the coupling part 33 so that when one end of the button bracket 24 moves downward, the other end flips upward to drive the rotating bracket 3 and the rotating shaft 31 to rotate through the coupling part 33.

[0072] As a preferred embodiment of this application, such as Figure 6 and Figure 7 As shown, the rotating shaft 31 and bushing 34 are mounted on the rotating support 3, and the fixed base 4 has two oppositely arranged brackets 42. The damping element 41 and the rotating hole 431 are mounted on the brackets 42, and the damping element 41 and the rotating hole 431 are arranged coaxially. In this embodiment, the two brackets 42 are symmetrically distributed on both sides of the fixed base 4 to form a movement space for the rotating support 3 to rotate between the two brackets 42, achieving a compact layout of the structure. Moreover, the two brackets 42 can form a stable portal frame structure, evenly distributing the radial load and torque transmitted by the rotating shaft 31 during the rotation of the rotating support 3, avoiding stress concentration or deformation caused by unilateral support. The coaxial arrangement of the damping element 41 and the rotating hole 431 can make the rotating shaft 31, bushing 34 and damping element 41 coaxial, avoiding the damping force from generating excess torque on the rotation of the rotating shaft 31, ensuring that the rotating shaft 31 always moves along the preset axis when rotating, and also avoiding the extra torque caused by the eccentric force on the bracket 42, thus improving the stability of the overall structure.

[0073] As a preferred embodiment of this implementation, such as Figure 6 As shown, the bracket 42 is provided with a fixing part 43, and a rotating hole 431 is provided in the fixing part 43. The two fixing parts 43 are located on the opposite sides of the two damping elements 41, and the damping elements 41 and the fixing parts 43 are integrally formed. In this embodiment, the two fixing parts 43 are located on the opposite sides of the two damping elements 41, which can make full use of the space on both sides of the bracket 42 and avoid interference with the functional areas of the damping elements 41. The fixing part 43 and the damping element 41 are integrally formed, which can eliminate the weak connection points of the split design and improve the overall bending and torsional resistance of the bracket 42. Moreover, the integral forming can ensure that the rotating hole 431 of the fixing part 43 and the inner hole of the damping element 41 can be processed in one clamping, eliminating the coaxiality error caused by the split assembly and ensuring the consistency of the rotation axis 31 of the rotating shaft 31.

[0074] In this application, the maximum rotation angle between the bushing 34 and the damping element 41 can be less than or equal to the opening angle of the lid 1. However, considering certain special circumstances, such as excessive user operation causing the lid 1 to open beyond the preset angle, or the lid 1 needing to be forcibly rotated beyond the angle due to obstruction by foreign objects, a small rotation angle between the bushing 34 and the damping element 41 will cause the damping to fail during the overtravel rotation of the lid 1, resulting in the lid 1 opening rapidly within the overtravel angle range and splashing out the condensed water accumulated on the lid 1. Therefore, as a preferred embodiment of this application, the maximum rotation angle between the bushing 34 and the damping element 41 is greater than the opening angle of the lid 1. This setting allows for a margin beyond the actual opening requirements, ensuring that when the lid 1 is fully opened within the preset stroke range, there is still room for rotation between the bushing 34 and the damping component 41. Even if the lid 1 is opened beyond the stroke range, the rotation margin between the bushing 34 and the damping component 41 can provide damping force for the lid 1 to continue opening, avoiding the "bouncing" phenomenon of the lid 1 caused by the sudden loss of damping at the end of the stroke.

[0075] For any parts not mentioned in this application, existing technologies may be used or referenced.

[0076] The various embodiments in this specification are described in a progressive manner. The same or similar parts between the various embodiments can be referred to each other. Each embodiment focuses on describing the differences from other embodiments.

[0077] The above descriptions are merely embodiments of this application and are not intended to limit this application. The technical features or structures in the foregoing different embodiments can be arbitrarily combined to form other specific technical solutions as needed. For those skilled in the art, this application can have various modifications and variations. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principle of this application should be included within the scope of the claims of this application.

Claims

1. A liquid heater comprising a body and a lid, the body being provided with a fixed seat, the lid being provided with a rotating support, the lid being rotatably connected to the fixed seat by means of the rotating support to open or close a top opening of the body, characterized in that, One of the rotating support and the fixed seat is provided with a rotating shaft, the rotating shaft is provided with a shaft sleeve, the rotating shaft is opposite and static with the shaft sleeve, the other of the rotating support and the fixed seat is provided with a rotating hole matched with the rotating shaft and a damping member matched with the shaft sleeve, the shaft sleeve is provided with a plurality of first engaging teeth along the circumference of the shaft sleeve, the damping member is provided with a plurality of second engaging teeth along the circumference of the damping member, adjacent two second engaging teeth form an engaging groove for the first engaging teeth to be embedded, when the kettle cover rotates, the first engaging teeth and the second engaging teeth are engaged with each other to generate a damping force on the kettle cover.

2. The liquid heater according to claim 1, wherein The shaft sleeve has a first engaging surface provided with the first engaging teeth and a first avoiding surface connected with the first engaging surface, the damping member has a second engaging surface provided with the second engaging teeth and a second avoiding surface connected with the second engaging surface, and the first avoiding surface and the second avoiding surface have an avoiding gap therebetween.

3. The liquid heater according to claim 2, wherein The damping member is a hollow structure, the shaft sleeve is arranged in the damping member, the damping member is provided with a guide inlet penetrating through the side wall of the damping member in the radial direction, and the shaft sleeve is arranged in the damping member from the guide inlet.

4. The liquid heater according to claim 3, wherein The extension length of the guide inlet along the axial direction of the damping member is less than the extension length of the second engaging teeth along the axial direction of the damping member, the inner side of the guide inlet forms a guide step adjacent to the second avoiding surface, and the guide step is provided with a guide surface inclined from the inner side of the guide inlet to the second avoiding surface.

5. The liquid heater according to claim 1, wherein The central angle corresponding to the coverage of all the first engaging teeth along the circumference of the shaft sleeve is α, and α satisfies: α≤180°.

6. The liquid heater according to claim 1, wherein The rotating shaft and the shaft sleeve are arranged on the rotating support, the rotating support is provided with a shaft connecting portion, and the shaft sleeve is provided with two shaft sleeves located on two opposite sides of the shaft connecting portion.

7. The liquid heater according to claim 6, wherein The shaft connecting portion is provided with an avoiding notch, the rotating shaft is provided with an elastic member for assisting in opening the kettle cover, and the avoiding notch is provided with an opening for the elastic member to extend out to abut against the kettle cover.

8. The liquid heater according to claim 1, wherein The rotating shaft and the shaft sleeve are arranged on the rotating support, the fixed seat is provided with two brackets arranged oppositely, the damping member and the rotating hole are arranged on the brackets, and the damping member and the rotating hole are coaxially arranged.

9. The liquid heater according to claim 8, wherein The bracket is provided with a fixed portion, the rotating hole is arranged on the fixed portion, two fixed portions are located on the back side of two damping members, and the damping member and the fixed portion are an integral structure.

10. The liquid heater of claim 1, wherein: the maximum rotation angle between the shaft sleeve and the damping member is greater than the opening angle of the lid.

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