A water level detection structure and a water purifier

Abstract

This utility model provides a water level detection structure and a water purifier, belonging to the technical field of water purifiers. The water level detection structure includes a connecting pipe disposed on one side of the ice tank, with its bottom connected to the bottom of the ice tank. The connecting pipe includes at least one test pipe section arranged along the height direction of the ice tank, and a water level sensor is installed at the top of the test pipe section. This water level detection structure forms a communicating vessel with the interior of the ice tank through the external connecting pipe, and then uses the water level sensor to detect the water level height in the connecting pipe, thereby realizing the water level detection inside the ice tank. This structure is convenient to use and can effectively reduce the difficulty of water level detection inside the ice tank.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of water purifier technology, and in particular to a water level detection structure and a water purifier. Background Technology

[0002] Still-drinking fountains are widely used due to their convenience and practicality. The ice tank, a key component of these fountains, plays a crucial role in cooling and storing cold water, ensuring a stable supply and maintaining the appropriate beverage temperature. Currently, most still-drinking fountains on the market use a one-piece ice tank design. While this design meets basic cooling and water storage needs to some extent, it presents challenges for water level detection. Because the ice tank is a single unit with a relatively closed internal structure, traditional water level detection methods cannot accurately and intuitively perceive the real-time water level. This prevents users from promptly knowing the water level, potentially leading to situations where water runs out unnoticed, affecting the user experience; or frequent refills are made when no refill is needed, resulting in water waste and operational inconvenience. Although engineers have conducted various studies to address this issue, the one-piece ice tank design has limited the effectiveness of existing methods. Current detection methods either lack sufficient accuracy or are complex and costly to install, hindering widespread application in practical products.

[0003] Therefore, there is an urgent need for a technology that can effectively and conveniently detect the water level in an integrated ice chamber to overcome the shortcomings of existing technologies. Summary of the Invention

[0004] To overcome the problems existing in related technologies, one of the objectives of this utility model is to provide a water level detection structure. This water level detection structure forms a communicating vessel with the inside of the ice chamber through an external connecting pipe. Then, a water level sensor is used to detect the water level height in the connecting pipe, thereby realizing the water level detection inside the ice chamber. This structure is easy to use and can effectively reduce the difficulty of water level detection inside the ice chamber.

[0005] A water level detection structure, comprising:

[0006] A connecting pipe is disposed on one side of the ice chamber, and the bottom of the connecting pipe is connected to the bottom of the ice chamber;

[0007] The connecting pipe includes at least one test pipe section arranged along the height direction of the ice bladder, and a water level sensor is provided at the top of the test pipe section.

[0008] In a preferred embodiment of this invention, the connecting pipe further includes a connecting pipe section, one end of which is connected to the bottom of the test pipe section, and the other end of which is connected to the bottom of the ice chamber.

[0009] In a preferred embodiment of this invention, a quick-release connector is provided at the connection between the connecting pipe section and the ice bladder. The quick-release connector includes a quick-connect pipe, and locking rings are provided at both opposite ends of the quick-connect pipe. The two locking rings are respectively connected to the connecting pipe section and the ice bladder. A sealing ring is also provided between the inner wall of the locking ring and the outer wall of the quick-connect pipe.

[0010] In a preferred embodiment of this utility model, an auxiliary fastener is further included. The auxiliary fastener is disposed on the water level sensor and has a snap-fit ​​position that snaps into one side of the water level sensor.

[0011] The auxiliary fastener is also provided with several connection holes.

[0012] The second objective of this utility model is to provide a water purifier, which includes a main body and a water level detection structure as described above. The main body is provided with an ice tank, the connecting pipe is provided on one side of the ice tank, and the water level sensor is provided on the connecting pipe.

[0013] In a preferred embodiment of this utility model, an air inlet pipe is further provided on the ice bladder, one end of the air inlet pipe is connected to the ice bladder, and the other end is provided with a filter body, wherein a filter structure is provided in the filter body;

[0014] A connecting connector is provided on one side of the filter body. The connecting connector is connected to one end of the air inlet pipe, and the other end of the air inlet pipe is connected to the ice tank of the water purifier.

[0015] In a preferred embodiment of this invention, the filter body includes a first housing and a second housing that are interlocked with each other, and a receiving cavity is formed between the first housing and the second housing, and the filter structure is disposed in the receiving cavity.

[0016] In a preferred embodiment of this utility model, the second housing is provided with a plurality of air inlets, which are arranged along the circumference of the second housing on the side wall of the second housing.

[0017] The filtration structure includes a plurality of filter layers disposed in the first housing and a filter cylinder disposed in the second housing;

[0018] Along the radial direction of the filter cylinder, a pre-filtration layer, a nanofiber filtration layer, and an activated carbon filtration layer are arranged from the outside to the inside of the filter cylinder. A flow zone is formed in the middle of the filter cylinder, and the flow zone is connected to the first shell.

[0019] The filter layer in the first housing includes an antibacterial and deodorizing layer and a high-efficiency HEPA filter layer.

[0020] In a preferred embodiment of this utility model, a water outlet is provided on the front side of the main body, and a guide rail is also provided on the main body, with the water outlet slidably mounted on the guide rail.

[0021] The beneficial effects of this utility model are as follows:

[0022] This utility model provides a water level detection structure, which includes a connecting pipe disposed on one side of an ice chamber, with its bottom connected to the bottom of the ice chamber. The connecting pipe includes at least one test pipe section arranged along the height direction of the ice chamber, and a water level sensor is installed at the top of the test pipe section. During use, the water inside the ice chamber and the water in the connecting pipe form a communicating vessel. When the water level inside the ice chamber changes, the water level in the connecting pipe also changes accordingly. The water level sensor can detect the water level in the connecting pipe in real time and transmit the signal to the control system, thereby realizing the detection of the water level inside the ice chamber. Utilizing the principle of communicating vessels, the water level in the connecting pipe is kept consistent with the water level inside the ice chamber. The water level sensor only needs to detect the water level in the connecting pipe to determine the water level inside the ice chamber, eliminating the need for direct detection inside the closed ice chamber, greatly simplifying the detection process and improving convenience. This detection structure also avoids the detection difficulties caused by the closed structure inside the ice chamber. Shifting the detection point to the external connecting pipe makes water level detection more intuitive and easier, effectively reducing the difficulty of detecting the water level inside the ice chamber.

[0023] This application also provides a water purifier including the above-mentioned water level detection structure, wherein the water level of the ice tank of the water purifier can be accurately measured, thereby enabling the user to know the water volume in the ice tank in a timely manner and ensuring that the water purifier can be used normally. Attached Figure Description

[0024] Figure 1 This is a first perspective view of the water level detection structure provided in the embodiments of this utility model, installed on a water purifier;

[0025] Figure 2 yes Figure 1 A magnified view of a section at point A in the middle;

[0026] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the quick-release connector provided in an embodiment of this utility model;

[0027] Figure 4 This is a second perspective view of the water level detection structure provided in the embodiments of this utility model, installed on a water purifier;

[0028] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the filter body provided in an embodiment of this utility model;

[0029] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the connecting joint provided in an embodiment of this utility model;

[0030] Figure 7 This is a perspective view of a water purifier provided in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0031] Figure label:

[0032] 1. Filter body; 11. First housing; 12. Second housing; 121. Air inlet; 13. Connecting connector; 131. Plug connector; 132. Ring; 2. Air inlet pipe; 3. Ice chamber; 4. Main body; 3. Connecting rod assembly; 4. Door; 41. Guide rail; 5. Water outlet; 6. Filter structure; 61. Filter cartridge; 611. Pre-filtration layer; 612. Nanofiber filtration layer; 613. Activated carbon filtration layer; 621. Antibacterial and deodorizing layer; 622. High-efficiency HEPA filter layer; 7. Connecting pipe; 71. Test pipe section; 72. Connecting pipe section; 8. Water level sensor; 81. Auxiliary fasteners; 811. Connecting hole; 9. Quick-release connector; 91. Quick-connect pipe; 92. Locking ring; 93. Sealing ring. Detailed Implementation

[0033] Preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. While preferred embodiments of the present invention are shown in the drawings, it should be understood that the present invention may be implemented in various forms and should not be limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided so that the present invention will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the present invention to those skilled in the art.

[0034] Most ice tanks in commercially available still-drinking machines currently use a one-piece design. While this structure meets the basic needs of refrigeration and water storage to some extent, it presents inconveniences in terms of water level detection. Because the ice tank is a single unit, its internal structure is relatively closed, making it difficult to intuitively and accurately perceive the real-time water level inside using traditional methods. This results in users not being able to promptly know the amount of water remaining in the ice tank. In actual use, this can lead to situations where the water has run out without being noticed, affecting the normal user experience; or frequent refilling when no refill is needed due to the inability to accurately determine the level, causing water waste and operational inconvenience. Although relevant technical personnel have conducted various studies to solve this technical problem, none have achieved ideal results due to the limitations of the one-piece ice tank structure. Existing detection methods either lack sufficient accuracy or are complex to install and too costly, making them difficult to widely apply in actual products.

[0035] Based on this, this application provides a water level detection structure.

[0036] Example 1

[0037] like Figures 1-6 As shown, this embodiment provides a water level detection structure, including:

[0038] A connecting pipe is disposed on one side of the ice chamber, and the bottom of the connecting pipe is connected to the bottom of the ice chamber;

[0039] The connecting pipe includes at least one test pipe section arranged along the height direction of the ice bladder, and a water level sensor is provided at the top of the test pipe section.

[0040] Specifically, the water level sensor is a photoelectric water level sensor, electrically connected to the water purifier's control system via wires. A cooling device is located on the left side of the ice chamber to cool the water inside. The connecting pipe is made of food-grade plastic, and the height of the test section is the same as the height of the ice chamber. In practical applications, the water in the ice chamber and the water in the connecting pipe form a communicating vessel. When the water level in the ice chamber changes, the water level in the connecting pipe also changes accordingly. The water level sensor can detect the water level in the connecting pipe in real time and transmit the signal to the control system, thereby realizing the detection of the water level in the ice chamber.

[0041] The aforementioned water level detection structure includes a connecting pipe disposed on one side of an ice chamber, with its bottom connected to the bottom of the ice chamber. The connecting pipe includes at least one test pipe section arranged along the height of the ice chamber, and a water level sensor is mounted on the top of the test pipe section. During use, this water level detection structure forms a communicating vessel structure with the ice chamber through the external connecting pipe. Utilizing the principle of communicating vessels, the water level inside the connecting pipe is kept consistent with the water level inside the ice chamber. The water level sensor only needs to detect the water level inside the connecting pipe to determine the water level inside the ice chamber, eliminating the need for direct detection inside the sealed ice chamber, greatly simplifying the detection process and improving convenience.

[0042] This structure changes the traditional method of directly inspecting the inside of an integrated ice chamber, avoiding the difficulties caused by the closed structure of the ice chamber. By shifting the inspection point to an external connecting pipe, water level detection becomes more intuitive and easier, effectively reducing the difficulty of detecting the water level inside the ice chamber.

[0043] Furthermore, the connecting pipe also includes a connecting pipe section, one end of which is connected to the bottom of the test pipe section, and the other end of which is connected to the bottom of the ice chamber.

[0044] Furthermore, a quick-release connector is provided at the connection between the connecting pipe section and the ice liner. The quick-release connector includes a quick-connect pipe, and locking rings are provided at both opposite ends of the quick-connect pipe. The two locking rings are respectively connected to the connecting pipe section and the ice liner. A sealing ring is also provided between the inner wall of the locking ring and the outer wall of the quick-connect pipe.

[0045] Furthermore, it also includes auxiliary fasteners, which are disposed on the water level sensor and have snap-fit ​​positions that snap onto one side of the water level sensor; the auxiliary fasteners also have a plurality of connection holes.

[0046] The locking position of the auxiliary fastener is compatible with the housing of the water level sensor. The auxiliary fastener securely fixes the water level sensor to the main body of the water purifier, thereby ensuring the stable installation of the water level sensor, preventing loosening and displacement due to long-term operation, and ensuring the accuracy of the detection position.

[0047] Example 2

[0048] like Figures 1-7 As shown, this embodiment provides a water purifier, including a main body and a water level detection structure as described above. The main body is provided with an ice tank, the connecting pipe is provided on one side of the ice tank, and the water level sensor is provided on the connecting pipe.

[0049] Specifically, the ice chamber is also provided with an air inlet pipe, one end of which is connected to the ice chamber and the other end is provided with a filter body, which is provided with a filter structure.

[0050] A connecting connector is provided on one side of the filter body. The connecting connector is connected to one end of the air inlet pipe, and the other end of the air inlet pipe is connected to the ice tank of the water purifier.

[0051] The water purifier claimed in this embodiment can accurately measure the water level in the ice tank and effectively filter the air entering the ice tank through a filtration structure, thereby improving the cleanliness of the ice tank and reducing bacterial growth.

[0052] In one embodiment, the filter body includes a first housing and a second housing that are interlocked with each other, forming a receiving cavity between the first housing and the second housing, and the filter structure is disposed in the receiving cavity.

[0053] Furthermore, the second housing is provided with a plurality of air inlets, which are arranged circumferentially on the side wall of the second housing.

[0054] The filter body of this application includes a first housing and a second housing that are interlocked with each other. The two are quickly assembled using an annular groove and snap-fit ​​structure, and a sealing strip is provided at the interlocking point to prevent leakage of unfiltered air. After assembly, the first and second housings form a central accommodating cavity, within which the filter structure is housed. The sidewall of the second housing has multiple strip-shaped air inlets evenly arranged circumferentially, and the outer side of each inlet is covered with a dustproof mesh, which can initially intercept hair and large dust particles, preventing clogging of the air inlets.

[0055] Furthermore, the filtration structure includes a plurality of filter layers disposed in the first housing and a filter cylinder disposed in the second housing;

[0056] Along the radial direction of the filter cylinder, a pre-filtration layer, a nanofiber filtration layer, and an activated carbon filtration layer are arranged from the outside to the inside of the filter cylinder. A flow zone is formed in the middle of the filter cylinder, and the flow zone is connected to the first shell.

[0057] The filter layer in the first housing includes an antibacterial and deodorizing layer and a high-efficiency HEPA filter layer.

[0058] The filter cartridge is a hollow cylinder with a pre-filtration layer, a nanofiber filter layer, and an activated carbon filter layer arranged radially from the outside to the inside. The pre-filtration layer is made of polyester fiber and can filter particulate impurities larger than 5μm; the nanofiber filter layer is treated with an electrostatic electret process, achieving a filtration efficiency of 99.97% for particles as small as 0.3μm; the activated carbon filter layer uses coconut shell activated carbon, which has a well-developed pore structure and can adsorb harmful gases such as formaldehyde and odors. A flow zone is formed in the middle of the filter cartridge, through which air enters the first shell after passing through the three layers of filtration.

[0059] An antibacterial and deodorizing layer and a high-efficiency HEPA filter layer are sequentially arranged along the airflow direction inside the first housing. The antibacterial and deodorizing layer is coated with a titanium dioxide photocatalytic coating, which can decompose bacterial cell walls under natural light; the high-efficiency HEPA filter layer uses ultra-fine glass fiber, with a filtration efficiency of over 99.99% for 0.1μm particles, ensuring that the air entering the water storage tank meets food-grade cleanliness standards.

[0060] Furthermore, the connecting joint includes a plug and a ring, the ring being disposed around the plug, the plug being inserted into the air intake pipe, and the ring being threadedly connected to the outer wall of the air intake pipe.

[0061] The connector in this embodiment is a hollow cylinder made of food-grade PP material, with annular ridges on the inner wall, and the surface of the ridges is covered with a non-slip silicone layer. The outer diameter of the connector is interference-fitted with the inner diameter of the air intake pipe (tolerance ±0.1mm). When inserted into the air intake pipe, the ridges can puncture tiny air bubbles on the inner wall of the pipe, forming a mechanical locking effect to prevent axial detachment.

[0062] The ring is fitted around the plug, with a right-hand fine thread (1mm pitch) machined on the inner wall and anti-slip knurling on the outer wall. The ring and plug are positioned by a guide groove to ensure that the axis is aligned when the threads are engaged. When the ring rotates clockwise, its inner thread pushes the outer wall of the intake pipe inward, forming a double fixing structure of "mechanical engagement + radial compression" with the protrusion of the plug.

[0063] The design of the connection joint in this application ensures that the connection between the filter device and the air intake pipe remains secure, preventing unfiltered air from directly entering the water system due to loosening of the joint.

[0064] More preferably, a water outlet is provided on the front side of the main body, and a guide rail is also provided on the main body, with the water outlet slidably mounted on the guide rail.

[0065] Furthermore, the water purifier of this application features a sliding outlet design along a guide rail, breaking the height limitations of traditional fixed outlets. Actual testing shows it can accommodate water from 100mm short cups to 300mm tall kettles. Users do not need to tilt containers when filling water, avoiding splashing caused by water flow (traditional fixed outlets have a splash rate of approximately 15%), thus improving water filling efficiency by 40%. Even better, the guide rail can have a built-in damper, providing a smooth sliding experience (damping force 8-12N) and self-locking at any position to prevent accidental slippage.

[0066] Unless otherwise specifically stated, the relative arrangement, numerical expressions, and values ​​of the components and steps described in these embodiments do not limit the scope of this application. It should also be understood that, for ease of description, the dimensions of the various parts shown in the drawings are not drawn to actual scale. Techniques, methods, and devices known to those skilled in the art may not be discussed in detail, but where appropriate, such techniques, methods, and devices should be considered part of the specification. In all examples shown and discussed herein, any specific values ​​should be interpreted as merely exemplary and not as limitations. Therefore, other examples of exemplary embodiments may have different values. It should be noted that similar reference numerals and letters in the following drawings denote similar items; therefore, once an item is defined in one drawing, it need not be further discussed in subsequent drawings. In the description of this application, it should be understood that the orientation or positional relationship indicated by directional terms such as "front, back, up, down, left, right", "horizontal, vertical, horizontal" and "top, bottom" is usually based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, and is only for the convenience of describing this application and simplifying the description. Unless otherwise stated, these directional terms 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 on the scope of protection of this application; the directional terms "inner" and "outer" refer to the inner and outer contours relative to the outline of each component itself.

[0067] For ease of description, spatial relative terms such as "above," "on top of," "on the upper surface of," "above," etc., are used herein to describe the spatial positional relationship of a device or feature as shown in the figures to other devices or features. It should be understood that spatial relative terms are intended to encompass different orientations in use or operation beyond the orientation of the device as described in the figures. For example, if the device in the figures were inverted, a device described as "above" or "on top of" other devices or structures would subsequently be positioned as "below" or "under" other devices or structures. Thus, the exemplary term "above" can include both "above" and "below." The device may also be positioned in other different ways (rotated 90 degrees or in other orientations), and the spatial relative descriptions used herein will be interpreted accordingly.

[0068] Furthermore, it should be noted that the use of terms such as "first" and "second" to define components is merely for the purpose of distinguishing the corresponding components. Unless otherwise stated, these terms have no special meaning and therefore should not be construed as limiting the scope of protection of this application. The above description is only a preferred embodiment of this utility model and is not intended to limit this utility model. For those skilled in the art, this utility model can have various modifications and variations. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of this utility model should be included within the scope of protection of this utility model.

Claims

1. A water level detecting structure characterized by comprising: include: A connecting pipe is disposed on one side of the ice chamber, and the bottom of the connecting pipe is connected to the bottom of the ice chamber; The connecting pipe includes at least one test pipe section arranged along the height direction of the ice bladder, and a water level sensor is provided at the top of the test pipe section.

2. The water level detection structure according to claim 1, characterized in that: The connecting pipe also includes a connecting pipe section, one end of which is connected to the bottom of the test pipe section and the other end of which is connected to the bottom of the ice chamber.

3. The water level detection structure according to claim 2, characterized in that: A quick-release connector is provided at the connection between the connecting pipe section and the ice liner. The quick-release connector includes a quick-connect pipe, and locking rings are provided at both opposite ends of the quick-connect pipe. The two locking rings are respectively connected to the connecting pipe section and the ice liner. A sealing ring is also provided between the inner wall of the locking ring and the outer wall of the quick-connect pipe.

4. The water level detection structure according to claim 1, characterized in that: It also includes auxiliary fasteners, which are disposed on the water level sensor and have snap-fit ​​positions that snap onto one side of the water level sensor. The auxiliary fastener is also provided with several connection holes.

5. A net pot machine characterized by: The device includes a main body and a water level detection structure as described in any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein an ice chamber is provided on the main body, a connecting pipe is provided on one side of the ice chamber, and the water level sensor is provided on the connecting pipe.

6. The water purifier according to claim 5, characterized in that: The ice chamber is also provided with an air inlet pipe, one end of which is connected to the ice chamber and the other end is provided with a filter body, which is provided with a filter structure. A connecting connector is provided on one side of the filter body. The connecting connector is connected to one end of the air inlet pipe, and the other end of the air inlet pipe is connected to the ice tank of the water purifier.

7. The water purifier according to claim 6, characterized in that: The filter body includes a first housing and a second housing that are interlocked with each other, forming a receiving cavity between the first housing and the second housing, and the filter structure is disposed in the receiving cavity.

8. The water purifier according to claim 7, characterized in that: The second housing is provided with a plurality of air inlets, which are arranged along the circumference of the second housing on the side wall of the second housing; The filtration structure includes a plurality of filter layers disposed in the first housing and a filter cylinder disposed in the second housing; Along the radial direction of the filter cylinder, a pre-filtration layer, a nanofiber filtration layer, and an activated carbon filtration layer are arranged from the outside to the inside of the filter cylinder. A flow zone is formed in the middle of the filter cylinder, and the flow zone is connected to the first shell. The filter layer in the first housing includes an antibacterial and deodorizing layer and a high-efficiency HEPA filter layer.

9. The water purifier according to claim 6, characterized in that: A water outlet is provided on the front side of the main body, and a guide rail is also provided on the main body, with the water outlet slidably mounted on the guide rail.

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