Gas water heating equipment and combination of gas water heating equipment and gateway

Abstract

The utility model provides gas water heating equipment and a combination of the gas water heating equipment and a gateway. The gas water heating equipment comprises a shell, a combustor which is accommodated in the shell and is used for combusting a mixture of gas and air, a heat exchanger which is used for absorbing heat generated by the combustor and transmitting the heat to water flow passing through the heat exchanger, and a socket. The shell comprises a plurality of panels which are spliced together; the socket is arranged on one of the panels and comprises a plugging part exposed out of one of the panels, a body integrally connected with the plugging part and located in the shell, a plurality of terminal grooves arranged in the body and extending to penetrate through the plugging part, and a plurality of conductive terminals correspondingly accommodated in the terminal grooves. The electrical connection between the gateway and the gas water heating equipment can be realized through the socket arranged on the panel.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to gas-fired water heating equipment, specifically to the connection mechanism between the gas-fired water heating equipment and the gateway.

[0002] This disclosure also relates to the combination of the aforementioned gas-fired water heating equipment and gateway. Background Technology

[0003] With the development of IoT technology, modern household gas water heaters can wirelessly communicate with users' terminal devices, such as mobile phones. This allows users to control appliances or check their status without a dedicated remote control. Typically, wireless communication modules, such as Bluetooth or Wi-Fi (based on the IEEE 802.11 standard), can be added to the device to enable communication between the device and the user terminal. However, this significantly increases manufacturing costs, adding extra cost for users who don't need internet connectivity. Therefore, a gateway can also be used. A gateway is a device that enables networking between different household appliances and between the home network and external networks. Users can purchase additional gateways to connect their appliances. Thus, for those skilled in the art, how to interconnect existing devices with a gateway becomes a pressing technical problem. Utility Model Content

[0004] To overcome the problems existing in the related technologies, this disclosure provides a gas-fired water heater that can be connected to a gateway, and a combination of the device and the gateway.

[0005] A first aspect of this disclosure provides a gas-fired water heater, comprising a housing, a burner housed within the housing for burning a mixture of gas and air, a heat exchanger for absorbing heat generated by the burner and transferring the heat to water flowing through it, and a socket. The housing includes a plurality of panels joined together; the socket is disposed on one of the plurality of panels and includes a plug portion exposed outside one of the plurality of panels, a body integrally connected to the plug portion and located within the housing, a plurality of terminal slots disposed within the body and extending through the plug portion, and a plurality of conductive terminals correspondingly housed within the terminal slots.

[0006] In some embodiments, the periphery of the socket insertion portion extends beyond the periphery of the socket body; one of the aforementioned panels is provided with a receiving hole for the socket body to pass through, the outer periphery of which is smaller than the outer periphery of the socket insertion portion.

[0007] In some embodiments, a pair of elastic cantilever arms are provided on opposite sides of the socket body; the fixed end of each elastic cantilever arm is connected to the body, and its free end extends outward at an angle toward the socket insertion portion.

[0008] In some embodiments, the opposite sides of the receiving hole protrude to form a pair of receiving grooves for the corresponding passage of the aforementioned pair of elastic cantilever arms.

[0009] In some embodiments, a gap is formed between the free end of the flexible cantilever and the plug portion; when the socket is installed on the housing, one of the aforementioned panels is engaged within the gap.

[0010] In some embodiments, a recessed region is formed on one of the aforementioned panels, and a receiving hole is formed in the recessed region, the shape and size of which are equivalent to the shape and size of the socket connection portion.

[0011] In some embodiments, the aforementioned panels include a top plate, a bottom plate, and a side plate disposed between the top plate and the bottom plate, wherein one of the aforementioned panels is the bottom plate; the gas-fired water heater also includes an inlet pipe and an outlet pipe extending out of the bottom plate.

[0012] In some embodiments, the aforementioned terminal slots are respectively formed with a plurality of sockets on the socket insertion portion, and at least two of the plurality of sockets are different in shape and / or size.

[0013] In some embodiments, the gas water heater further includes a control circuit board disposed within the housing; the socket further includes wires connected to a plurality of conductive terminals, the other end of which is connected to the control circuit board.

[0014] Another aspect of this disclosure provides a combination of a gas-fired water heater and a gateway, comprising the aforementioned gas-fired water heater and gateway. The gateway is box-shaped and removably connected to the housing of the gas-fired water heater, and is electrically connected to a socket via a cable connector.

[0015] The technical solutions provided by one or more embodiments of this disclosure may include the following beneficial effects: an electrical connection between the gateway and the gas water heater can be realized via a socket installed on the panel; the addition of a socket does not cause a significant increase in equipment cost, but can increase the network adaptability of the equipment, so that users with network needs can meet their needs by purchasing a matching gateway accessory. Attached Figure Description

[0016] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this disclosure or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of this disclosure. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0017] Figure 1This is a plan view of a combination of a gas-fired water heater and a gateway in one embodiment of the present disclosure, wherein the front panel of the device has been removed to show its internal structure;

[0018] Figure 2 yes Figure 1 A bottom-view plan view of the combination of gas-fired water heater and gateway shown;

[0019] Figure 3 yes Figure 1 The diagram shows a three-dimensional representation of a gas-fired water heater, with one side panel removed.

[0020] Figure 4 yes Figure 1 The diagram shows a three-dimensional representation of the combination of a gas-fired water heater and a gateway, with the gateway and socket removed to clearly show their structure and connections.

[0021] Figure 5 yes Figure 4 A three-dimensional schematic diagram of the socket shown;

[0022] Figure 6 yes Figure 5 A top view of the socket shown;

[0023] Figure 7 yes Figure 3 The diagram shows an exploded three-dimensional view of the water flow sensor and water pump components. Detailed Implementation

[0024] The embodiments shown will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, these embodiments do not represent all embodiments consistent with this disclosure, and any structural, methodological, or functional modifications made by those skilled in the art based on these embodiments are included within the scope of protection claimed in the appended claims.

[0025] Gas-fired water heating equipment uses combustible gases as fuel, such as natural gas, city gas, liquefied petroleum gas, and biogas, to provide heat to meet users' living needs. Examples include gas water heaters that provide domestic hot water, or gas boilers that can provide both domestic hot water and heating.

[0026] like Figure 1The gas water heater and gateway combination 100 shown in one embodiment of this disclosure includes a gas water heater 1, which includes a housing 10, a burner assembly, a heat exchanger 13, and a flue gas exhaust device 14 housed within the housing 10. The housing 10 may be assembled from several panels to form a receiving space therein to accommodate the various components. The housing 10 includes a top plate, a bottom plate 11, and a side plate disposed between the top plate and the bottom plate, wherein one side plate is a back plate 101, which faces the wall when the gas water heater 1 is installed on the wall. The gas water heater 1 also includes an inlet pipe 111, an outlet pipe 112, and a gas supply pipe 113 extending from the bottom plate 11.

[0027] The burner assembly typically includes a gas distributor and a burner 12. A gas valve 15 is disposed on the gas supply line 113 and typically includes an integrated gas valve and a gas proportional valve. Both the gas valve and the gas proportional valve can be electrically controlled valves; the gas valve is used to connect or disconnect the gas supply passage, and the gas proportional valve is used to control the amount of gas supplied to the gas distributor. In some embodiments, the burner 12 includes a plurality of combustion units arranged side by side along a longitudinal direction. Each combustion unit is flat and plate-shaped, typically vertically fixed in the burner frame, with an air inlet at the bottom, a plurality of flame holes at the top, and a gas-air mixing passage connecting the air inlet and the flame holes. Gas supplied via the gas valve 15 enters the air inlet of each combustion unit through the gas distributor, mixes with simultaneously entering primary air in the gas-air mixing passage, and is delivered to the flame holes located at the top of the burner plate for combustion to generate hot flue gas. The burner assembly also includes an ignition device for igniting the gas-air mixture and a flame detection device for detecting the presence of a flame. In some embodiments, the ignition device includes a pair of ignition electrodes extending above the burner hole of the combustion unit. The flame detection device includes a flame detection electrode extending above the burner hole of the combustion unit.

[0028] The heat generated by the combustion of the burner 12 passes through the heat exchanger 13. The heat exchanger 13 is typically positioned above the burner 12. In some embodiments, the heat exchanger may be a finned tube heat exchanger, wherein multiple fins are provided within the heat exchanger housing, and a hot water suction pipe 131 meanders through these fins, with its two ends connected to a cold water pipe 115 located upstream in the water flow direction and a hot water pipe 116 located downstream in the water flow direction, respectively. The heat generated by the combustion of the gas-air mixture is absorbed by the fins and further transferred to the water flowing through the hot water suction pipe 131. The heated water is then output through the hot water pipe 116 and the outlet pipe 112 connected to the hot water pipe 116, thereby providing users with domestic hot water for drinking, bathing, and other purposes.

[0029] In some embodiments, a fan 16 may be disposed below the burner 12 to drive airflow, thereby providing the air required for combustion and causing the flue gas generated by combustion to be collected by the smoke hood of the smoke exhaust device 14, and then discharged through the smoke exhaust pipe (not shown) connected to the smoke hood. A water flow detection device 17 and a water pump 18 assembly are disposed in the water circuit. In this embodiment, the assembly may be connected between the inlet pipe 111 and the cold water pipe 115. The water pump 18 can be used for preheating circulation with zero cold water function, and can also be used to increase water pressure to achieve a pressurization function. The water flow detection device 17 is connected to the inlet pipe 111 for detecting water flow. It may include a rotor assembly with a magnet and a Hall element. When water flows through the detection device, the rotor assembly is rotated, thereby utilizing the Hall effect of the Hall element to measure magnetic physical quantities. In some embodiments, the water flow monitoring device 17 also includes a valve mechanism, which can be used to adjust the water flow by a drive mechanism, such as a stepper motor. The construction of the water flow detection device 17 and the water pump 18 assembly will be described in detail later. The housing 10 also includes a control circuit board 19 for detecting and controlling the operation of various components and circuit devices within the gas water heater. In some embodiments, the control circuit board 19 is equipped with a control circuit comprising a processor, a memory, and several electronic components connected in a specific wiring configuration.

[0030] Reference Figure 2 , Figures 4 to 6 As shown, gateway 2 is a device that enables networking between different home appliances within a household, as well as interconnection between the home's internal network and external networks. It is packaged in a rectangular box and typically has power and data transmission ports (not shown) on one side. Gateway 2 is usually purchased as an accessory for users with networking needs; therefore, it is typically removably connected to the housing 10 of the gas water heater. In some embodiments, magnets may be installed inside the gateway housing, and the housing panel is typically made of metal, allowing the gateway to be magnetically attached to any position on the housing. Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the gateway 2 is attached to the base plate 11 of the device. To achieve electrical connection between the gas water heater 1 and the gateway 2, a socket 20 is also provided on one of the panels of the housing 10. In this embodiment, the socket 20 is located on the base plate 11.

[0031] The socket 20 includes a plug portion 21 exposed outside the base plate 11, a body 22 integrally connected to the plug portion and located within the housing 10, a plurality of terminal slots disposed within the body 22 and extending through the plug portion 21, and a plurality of conductive terminals correspondingly housed within the terminal slots. The terminal slots correspondingly form a plurality of sockets 211 on the plug portion 21, at least two of which have different shapes and / or sizes to distinguish different uses such as power supply and data transmission. In some embodiments, the plug portion 21 is in the shape of a cover plate, with its periphery extending beyond the periphery of the socket body 22; the base plate 11 has a receiving hole 118 for the socket body 22 to pass through, the outer periphery of which is equivalent to the outer periphery of the body 11 to allow the body 22 to pass smoothly, but smaller than the outer periphery of the plug portion 21 so that the plug portion 21 can cover the receiving hole 118. In this embodiment, a recessed area 117 is also formed on the base plate 11, and the aforementioned receiving hole 118 is formed in the recessed area 117. The shape and size of the recessed area 117 are equivalent to the shape and size of the socket insertion part 21. Thus, when the insertion part 21 covers the receiving hole 118, the insertion part 21 is just received in the recessed area 117, thereby keeping it flush with the base plate 11.

[0032] In some embodiments, a pair of elastic cantilever arms 221 are provided on opposite sides of the socket body 22. The fixed end of each elastic cantilever arm 221 is connected to the body 22, and its free end extends outward at an angle toward the insertion portion 21. A pair of receiving grooves 119 are formed on opposite sides of the receiving hole 118 on the base plate 11 to allow the aforementioned pair of elastic cantilever arms 221 to pass through. Furthermore, a gap 222 is formed between the free end of the elastic cantilever arm 221 and the insertion portion 21. During installation, the socket body 22 is vertically inserted into the receiving hole 118 from the base plate 11. Simultaneously, the elastic cantilever 221 passes vertically through the receiving groove 119 and is compressed by the edge of the receiving groove 119, causing its free end to shift laterally. When the body 22 is fully inserted, the insertion part 21 is received in the recessed area 117 to cover the receiving hole 118. At this point, the elastic cantilever 221 is fully inside the housing, and its free end springs back to its original position. Thus, the portion of the base plate 11 near the edge of the receiving groove 119 is engaged in the gap 222. That is, the free end of the elastic cantilever 221 abuts against the base plate 11, reliably fixing the socket 20 to the housing 10. When it is necessary to remove the socket 20 from the housing 10, simply press the free end of the elastic cantilever 221 to allow it to enter and pass through the receiving groove 119, thereby smoothly pulling the socket 20 out of the base plate 11.

[0033] Several conductive terminals of the socket 20 are also connected to wires 23. The other end of the wires 23 can be directly connected to the control circuit board 19, or it can be plugged into the control circuit board 19 via connectors 24. Thus, the socket 20 can obtain power from the control circuit board 19, and the control circuit board 19 can transmit data through the socket 20. In addition, the gateway 2 is connected to the socket 20 via a cable connector 25, thereby achieving an electrical connection with the control circuit board 19 through the socket 20 to obtain power and communicate data with the control circuit board 19. In other embodiments, the socket 20 can also be installed on other panels. The electrical connection between the gateway and the gas water heater can be achieved through the socket installed on the panel; the addition of a socket does not cause a significant increase in equipment cost, but it can increase the network adaptability of the equipment. Thus, for users with network needs, their needs can be met by purchasing a matching gateway accessory.

[0034] Reference Figure 3 and Figure 7 As shown, the water flow detection device 17 is fixedly mounted on the base plate 11. It has a longitudinally extending tube body, with a first water inlet pipe 171 formed at one end of the tube body. A first water outlet pipe 172 protruding perpendicularly from the tube body is also provided on the tube body. In some embodiments, a stepper motor 174 is also provided at the other end of the tube body, which can cooperate with a valve mechanism (not shown) disposed within the tube body to adjust the water flow rate. The water pump 18 is fixedly mounted on the back plate 101 and has a housing. The housing has a second water inlet pipe 181 and a second water outlet pipe 184. In some embodiments, the second water inlet pipe 181 and the second water outlet pipe 184 are arranged perpendicularly to each other, such that the water outlet direction of the water pump 18 is parallel to the water inlet direction of the water flow detection device 17. The first water inlet pipe 171 of the water flow detection device 17 is connected to the water inlet pipe 111, and the second water outlet pipe 184 of the water pump 18 is connected to the cold water pipe 115.

[0035] The first outlet pipe 172 of the water flow detection device 17 and the second inlet pipe 181 of the water pump 18 are directly connected. In some embodiments, the first outlet pipe 172 has a first boss 173 formed at its end, and the second inlet pipe 181 has a second boss 183 formed thereon. The first boss 173 and the second boss 183 both protrude radially relative to the main body of the first outlet pipe 172 and the second boss 183, respectively. The first boss 173 and the second boss 183 abut against each other, forming a water flow channel inside. Furthermore, the second inlet pipe 181 also includes a protrusion 182 extending from the second boss 183, which can extend into and be received within the first outlet pipe 172. The protrusion 182 has an annular groove 1821 near its end, and a sealing ring 35 is correspondingly received in the annular groove 1821 to abut against the pipe wall when the protrusion 182 extends into the first outlet pipe 172 to achieve a seal. Thus, driven by the water pump 18, water flows into the first inlet pipe 171 of the water flow detection device 17, enters the water pump via the protrusion 182 received in the first outlet pipe 172, and is then discharged into the cold water pipe 115 through the second outlet pipe 184. The gas-fired water heater also includes a clip 30, which has a pair of resilient engaging arms 31. Each resilient engaging arm 31 has a connecting portion connected to the other resilient engaging arm, an arcuate engaging portion extending from the connecting portion, and an end that bends and extends outward from the engaging portion. At least on the engaging portion, a groove 32 is formed to receive the first boss 173 and the second boss 183 abutting together. During assembly, the first boss 173 and the second boss 183 abut together, and the ends of the pair of elastic locking arms 31 abut against the first and second bosses 173 and 183 radially and slide further, so that the pair of locking arms 32 first open and then spring back to make the arc-shaped locking part clamp the first water outlet part 172 and the second water inlet part 181. At the same time, the first and second bosses 173 and 183 are inserted into the locking groove 32 radially, thereby fixing the water flow detection device 17 and the water pump 18 together.

[0036] By rationally arranging the positions of the water flow detection device and the water pump within the casing, the outlet of the water flow detection device and the inlet of the water pump can be directly connected without the need for an additional intermediate connecting pipe between them. This improves the integration of the water circuit components, facilitates the compactness and thinness of the equipment, reduces manufacturing costs, and makes assembly easier.

[0037] In the description of the above embodiments in this disclosure, the orientations or positional relationships indicated by terms such as "longitudinal," "lateral," "vertical," "radial," "circumferential," "horizontal," "length," "width," "thickness," "upper," "lower," "left," "right," "front," and "rear" are based on the orientations or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings and are only for the convenience and simplification of description. They 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 disclosure. In the above description, terms such as "several," "multiple," etc., mean at least two, such as two, three, etc., unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0038] In the foregoing disclosure, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "adjacent," "connected," "linked," and "fixed," 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 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, unless otherwise expressly limited. For those skilled in the art, the specific meaning of the above terms in this disclosure can be understood according to the specific circumstances.

[0039] In the above disclosure, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, "above" or "below" the second feature can mean that the first feature and the second feature are in direct contact, or that the first and second features are in indirect contact through an intermediate medium. Furthermore, "above," "on top of," or "over" the second feature can mean that the first feature is directly above or diagonally above the second feature, or simply indicates that the first feature is at a higher horizontal level than the second feature. "Below," "below," or "under" the second feature can mean that the first feature is directly below or diagonally below the second feature, or simply indicates that the first feature is at a lower horizontal level than the second feature.

[0040] It should be understood that although this specification describes embodiments, not every embodiment contains only one independent technical solution. This way of describing the specification is only for clarity. Those skilled in the art should regard the specification as a whole. The technical solutions in each embodiment can also be appropriately combined to form other embodiments that can be understood by those skilled in the art.

Claims

1. A gas-fired water heating apparatus, characterised in that: The gas water heater comprises a housing, a burner housed in the housing for burning a mixture of gas and air, a heat exchanger for absorbing heat generated by the burner and transferring the heat to a water flow passing through the heat exchanger, and a socket; the housing comprises a plurality of panels spliced together; the socket is provided on one of the plurality of panels and comprises a plug-in portion exposed outside the one of the plurality of panels, a body integrally connected with the plug-in portion and located in the housing, a plurality of terminal grooves provided in the body and extending through the plug-in portion, and a plurality of conductive terminals respectively housed in the terminal grooves.

2. Gas water heating apparatus according to claim 1, characterised in that: The four peripheral edges of the plug-in portion of the socket extend beyond the four peripheral edges of the body of the socket; the one of the plurality of panels is provided with a receiving hole through which the body of the socket passes, and the outer peripheral size of the receiving hole is smaller than the outer peripheral size of the plug-in portion of the socket.

3. Gas water heating apparatus according to claim 2, characterised in that: The body of the socket is provided with a pair of elastic cantilever arms on opposite sides thereof; the fixed end of each elastic cantilever arm is connected to the body, and the free end thereof extends obliquely outward toward the plug-in portion of the socket.

4. Gas water heating apparatus according to claim 3, characterised in that: The opposite sides of the receiving hole are outwardly convexly formed with a pair of receiving grooves through which the pair of elastic cantilever arms respectively pass.

5. Gas water heating apparatus according to claim 3 or 4, characterised in that: A gap is formed between the free end of each elastic cantilever arm and the plug-in portion of the socket; when the socket is mounted to the housing, the one of the plurality of panels is clamped in the gap.

6. The gas water heating apparatus according to claim 2, characterized by: The one of the plurality of panels is formed with a recessed area in which the receiving hole is formed, and the shape and size of the recessed area are equivalent to the shape and size of the plug-in portion of the socket.

7. The gas water heating apparatus according to claim 1, characterized by: The plurality of panels comprises a top panel, a bottom panel, and a side panel provided between the top panel and the bottom panel, and the one of the plurality of panels is the bottom panel; the gas water heater further comprises a water inlet pipe and a water outlet pipe extending out of the bottom panel.

8. The gas water heating apparatus according to claim 1, characterized by: The plurality of terminal grooves are respectively formed with a plurality of sockets on the plug-in portion of the socket, and at least two of the plurality of sockets are different in shape and / or size.

9. The gas water heating apparatus according to claim 1, characterized by: The gas water heater further comprises a control circuit board provided in the housing; the socket further comprises wires connected with the plurality of conductive terminals, and the other ends of the wires are connected to the control circuit board.

10. A combination of a gas water heating appliance and a gateway, characterised in that: The combination comprises The gas water heater according to any one of claims 1 to 9; A gateway in the form of a box removably connected to the housing of the gas water heater; In which The gateway is electrically connected with the socket through a cable connector.

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