Flow guide structure and water tank

Abstract

The application discloses a flow guide structure and a water tank, and relates to the technical field of water tanks. The flow guide structure is applied to the water tank. The water tank comprises a tank body and a first pipe joint arranged on the tank body. The flow guide structure is connected to the first pipe joint. The flow guide structure comprises a flow guide pipe and a sealing piece. The flow guide pipe is used for connecting the water tank. The sealing piece comprises a sealing sheet. The sealing sheet is arranged around the flow guide pipe. The sealing sheet is configured to seal the gap between the flow guide pipe and the first pipe joint through elastic deformation. By arranging the sealing sheet, the accuracy requirement of the sealing piece can be reduced by using the elastic deformation of the sealing sheet. In this way, the flow guide pipe can be assembled to the first pipe joint, the sealing function can be realized, and the risk of leakage of the tank body is reduced.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of water tank technology, specifically to a flow guiding structure and a water tank. Background Technology

[0002] In related technologies, water tanks typically have guide pipes at their inlet and outlet. These guide pipes connect to pipe fittings within the water tank, and a water-proof plug seals the connection between the guide pipe and the pipe fitting. When used at the inlet, the guide pipe directs water into the tank; when used at the outlet, it allows heated water to exit for use by the user. Currently, due to limitations in manufacturing precision, the water-proof plug and pipe fitting cannot be perfectly matched. A plug that is too large is difficult to assemble, while a plug that is too small poses a risk of leakage. Utility Model Content

[0003] The embodiments of this application provide a flow guiding structure and a water tank, which can at least partially solve the above-mentioned technical problems.

[0004] In a first aspect, embodiments of this application provide a flow guiding structure applied to a water tank, the water tank including a tank body and a first pipe joint disposed on the tank body, the flow guiding structure being connected to the first pipe joint, the flow guiding structure including a flow guiding pipe and a sealing element, the flow guiding pipe being used to communicate with the water tank; the sealing element including a sealing sheet, the sealing sheet being disposed around the flow guiding pipe, the sealing sheet being configured to seal the gap between the flow guiding pipe and the first pipe joint by elastic deformation.

[0005] In one possible implementation, a plurality of sealing plates are provided, and the plurality of sealing plates are spaced apart along the axial direction of the guide tube.

[0006] In one possible implementation, the seal further includes a sealing sleeve fitted over the flow guide tube, and the sealing sheet is connected to and surrounds the sealing sleeve.

[0007] In one possible implementation, the seal is fixedly connected to the guide tube.

[0008] In one possible implementation, the outer wall of the guide tube is provided with a first corrugated section extending along its axial direction, and the inner wall of the seal is provided with a second corrugated section that mates with the first corrugated section.

[0009] In one possible implementation, the seal is made of an insulating material.

[0010] In one possible implementation, the guide pipe is used to introduce water into the tank, the guide pipe has a water inlet hole, and the pipe wall of the guide pipe is provided with a turbulence hole communicating with the water tank, the diameter of the turbulence hole being smaller than the diameter of the water inlet hole.

[0011] In one possible implementation, the end of the guide tube away from the water inlet is closed.

[0012] Secondly, embodiments of this application provide a water tank, including a tank body, a first pipe connector, and a flow guiding structure provided in any embodiment of the first aspect, wherein the first pipe connector is disposed in the tank body and the flow guiding structure is connected to the first pipe connector.

[0013] In one possible implementation, the water tank further includes a heating element and a second pipe connector, the heating element being connected to the second pipe connector, the tank body having a through hole through which the heating element passes, and the second pipe connector being located outside the through hole.

[0014] In one possible implementation, the water tank further includes a heating element and a second pipe connector, the second pipe connector being disposed in the tank body, the heating element being connected to the second pipe connector, a stepped groove being provided at one end of the second pipe connector away from the tank body, and the heating element being provided with a flange portion that mates with the stepped groove, the flange portion abutting against the stepped groove.

[0015] The beneficial effects of the embodiments of this application are as follows:

[0016] In the embodiments of this application, by setting a sealing sheet, the elastic deformation of the sealing sheet can reduce the precision requirements of the sealing element. In this way, it is not only easier to assemble the guide pipe to the first pipe joint, but also to achieve the sealing function and reduce the risk of leakage of the box. Attached Figure Description

[0017] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application, the accompanying drawings used in the description of the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the accompanying drawings described below are only some embodiments of this application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0018] Figure 1 Schematic diagrams of the flow guiding structure provided in some embodiments of this application;

[0019] Figure 2 Cross-sectional views of the flow guiding structure provided for some embodiments of this application;

[0020] Figure 3 Schematic diagrams of the flow guiding structure provided in other embodiments of this application;

[0021] Figure 4 Schematic diagrams of the structure of the water tank provided for some embodiments of this application;

[0022] Figure 5 for Figure 4Enlarged view of section A in the middle;

[0023] Figure 6 for Figure 4 Enlarged view of section B in the middle.

[0024] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures:

[0025] 100-Water Tank;

[0026] 10-Flow guiding structure;

[0027] 11-Guide pipe; 111-Inlet hole; 112-Break hole; 113-First corrugated section;

[0028] 12-Seal; 121-Sealing plate; 122-Sealing sleeve; 123-Second corrugated section;

[0029] 20 - First pipe fitting;

[0030] 30 - Second pipe fitting; 31 - Stepped groove;

[0031] 40 - Box body; 41 - Through hole;

[0032] 50 - Heating element; 51 - First flange; 52 - Second flange. Detailed Implementation

[0033] The technical solutions of the embodiments of this application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of this application, and not all of them. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of this application without creative effort are within the protection scope of this application.

[0034] Figure 1 Schematic diagram of the flow guiding structure 10 provided for some embodiments of this application; Figure 2 A cross-sectional view of the flow guiding structure 10 provided for some embodiments of this application; Figure 3 Schematic diagram of the flow guiding structure 10 provided for other embodiments of this application; Figure 4 Schematic diagrams of the structure of the water tank 100 provided for some embodiments of this application; Figure 5 for Figure 4 Enlarged view of part A in the middle.

[0035] Reference Figures 1 to 3 and in conjunction with reference Figure 4 and Figure 5 The embodiments of this application provide a flow guiding structure 10. The flow guiding structure 10 is applied to a water tank 100, which includes a tank body 40 and a first pipe joint 20 disposed on the tank body 40.

[0036] The flow guiding structure 10 is connected to the first pipe connector 20. The side of the first pipe connector 20 facing away from the inside of the housing 40 is the insertion side, and the flow guiding structure 10 is inserted into the first pipe connector 20 from the insertion side.

[0037] The flow guiding structure 10 includes a flow guiding pipe 11 and a sealing element 12. The flow guiding pipe 11 is used to connect to the water tank 100. The flow guiding structure 10 provided in this embodiment can be applied alone to the water inlet of the tank 40, or alone to the water outlet of the tank 40, or simultaneously to both the water inlet and the water outlet of the tank 40. If the flow guiding structure 10 is provided at the water inlet of the tank 40, water can be introduced into the tank 40; if the flow guiding structure 10 is provided at the water outlet of the water tank 100, hot water can be discharged from the tank 40 for use by the water user.

[0038] In one example, the flow guiding structure 10 is disposed at the water inlet, having a first opening and a second opening opposite each other along the axial direction, wherein the first opening is connected to the water source and the second opening is connected to the interior of the housing 40.

[0039] In another example, the flow guiding structure 10 is provided at the water outlet, which has a first opening and a second opening opposite each other along the axial direction, wherein the first opening is connected to the water supply end through a pipe, and the second opening is connected to the interior of the housing 40.

[0040] The seal 12 includes a sealing plate 121 disposed around the flow guide 11, and the sealing plate 121 is configured to seal the gap between the flow guide 11 and the first pipe joint 20 by elastic deformation.

[0041] It is understood that the sealing plate 121 is located between the outer wall of the guide tube 11 and the inner wall of the first pipe joint 20. The sealing plate 121 can be connected to the guide tube 11 first. During the assembly process, the sealing plate 121 is adaptively deformed and abuts against the inner wall of the first pipe joint 20 by external pressure or mechanical device, thereby realizing the installation and sealing of the guide tube 11.

[0042] For example, the sealing piece 121 is a sealing ring.

[0043] The sealing sheet 121 can be made of elastic material (such as rubber, polytetrafluoroethylene, etc.) or metal material.

[0044] In this embodiment, by providing a sealing sheet 121, the elastic deformation of the sealing sheet 121 can reduce the precision requirements of the sealing element 12. In this way, it is convenient to assemble the guide pipe 11 to the first pipe joint 20, and the sealing function can be achieved, reducing the risk of leakage of the housing 40.

[0045] In some embodiments, a plurality of sealing plates 121 are provided, and the plurality of sealing plates 121 are spaced apart along the axial direction of the guide tube 11. By providing a plurality of sealing plates 121, the risk of leakage of the housing 40 can be reduced.

[0046] Reference Figure 1 In some embodiments, the distance between two adjacent sealing pieces 121 is W, satisfying: 3mm ≤ W ≤ 4mm. If the distance between two adjacent sealing pieces 121 is greater than 3mm, it can provide sufficient deformation space for the sealing pieces 121, thereby facilitating the assembly of the guide tube 11; if it is less than 4mm, it can reduce the risk of leakage in the housing 40; when the distance between two adjacent sealing pieces 121 is between 3mm and 4mm, both the deformation effect and sealing function of the sealing pieces 121 can be taken into account.

[0047] For example, W can be 3mm, 3.2mm, 3.4mm, 3.6mm, 3.7mm, 3.9mm, 4mm and any value in between.

[0048] In some embodiments, the seal 12 further includes a sealing sleeve 122, which is sleeved on the guide tube 11, and a sealing sheet 121 is connected to the sealing sleeve 122 and surrounds the sealing sleeve 122.

[0049] It is understandable that when multiple sealing plates 121 are provided, all sealing plates 121 are connected to the sealing sleeve 122.

[0050] In some embodiments, the sealing sheet 121 and the sealing sleeve 122 are integrally formed.

[0051] In some embodiments, the seal 12 is a rubber component.

[0052] In some embodiments, the dimension of the sealing sheet 121 protruding radially along the sealing sleeve 122 is H, satisfying: 3mm≤H≤4mm.

[0053] It can be understood that the dimension of the sealing plate 121 protruding radially along the sealing sleeve 122 is the difference between the outer diameter and the inner diameter of the sealing plate 121.

[0054] For example, H can be 3mm, 3.2mm, 3.4mm, 3.6mm, 3.8mm, 4mm and any value in between.

[0055] In some embodiments, the seal 12 is fixedly connected to the guide tube 11.

[0056] In this embodiment, the sealing element 12 is fixedly connected to the guide pipe 11, which not only avoids displacement of the sealing element 12 relative to the guide pipe 11 during the assembly process, but also allows the two to be assembled in advance to form a prefabricated part, which can be directly installed into the first pipe joint 20.

[0057] Reference Figure 2 In some embodiments, the outer wall of the guide tube 11 is provided with a first corrugated section 113 extending along its axial direction, and the inner wall of the seal 12 is provided with a second corrugated section 123 that mates with the first corrugated section 113. The mate of the first corrugated section 113 and the second corrugated section 123 can improve the connection strength between the guide tube 11 and the seal 12.

[0058] It can be understood that the first corrugated segment 113 is a texture with varying heights set on the outer wall of the guide tube 11.

[0059] In some embodiments, the seal 12 is made of insulating material.

[0060] Typically, the first pipe joint 20 and the guide pipe 11 are metal parts, which pose a risk of short circuit. The sealing element 12 is made of insulating material, which can reduce the risk of short circuit between the first pipe joint 20 and the guide pipe 11.

[0061] Of course, in other embodiments, the inner wall of the first pipe joint 20 may also be provided with an insulating coating to prevent the first pipe joint 20 from short-circuiting with the guide pipe 11.

[0062] Reference Figure 1 In some embodiments, the guide pipe 11 is used to guide water into the tank 40. The guide pipe 11 has a water inlet hole 111 and the pipe wall of the guide pipe 11 is provided with a turbulence hole 112 that communicates with the water tank 100. The diameter of the turbulence hole 112 is smaller than the diameter of the water inlet hole 111.

[0063] Specifically, multiple turbulence holes 112 are provided, and the multiple turbulence holes 112 are arranged at intervals.

[0064] When the guide pipe 11 is installed at the water inlet of the tank 40, the cold water introduced by it can easily disturb the hot water inside the tank 40, resulting in unstable hot and cold water supply at the user end. However, in this embodiment, by setting the turbulence hole 112, the water flow into the tank 40 can be dispersed, thereby reducing the impact of the water flow on the hot water inside the tank 40 and improving the water supply stability at the user end.

[0065] In some embodiments, the end of the guide pipe 11 away from the water inlet 111 is closed. This arrangement ensures that the water flowing into the tank 40 enters the tank 40 through the turbulence hole 112, further reducing the impact of the water flow on the hot water inside the tank 40.

[0066] In one example, the end of the guide tube 11 away from the water inlet 111 can be flattened to seal it.

[0067] Reference Figure 3When the guide pipe 11 is installed at the outlet of the tank 40, the guide pipe 11 may not be equipped with the turbulence hole 112, and the inner end of the guide pipe 11 may not be closed.

[0068] Secondly, embodiments of this application provide a water tank 100, including a tank body 40, a first pipe connector 20, and a flow guiding structure 10 provided in any embodiment of the first aspect. The first pipe connector 20 is disposed on the tank body 40, and the flow guiding structure 10 is connected to the first pipe connector 20. Since the water tank 100 includes the flow guiding structure 10, the water tank 100 has all the beneficial effects of the flow guiding structure 10, which will not be elaborated here.

[0069] In some embodiments, the sealing element 12 further includes a sealing sleeve 122, which is fitted onto the guide tube 11. A sealing sheet 121 is disposed around the sealing sleeve 122. The distance between the outer wall of the sealing sleeve 122 and the inner wall of the first pipe joint 20 is L, satisfying: 2mm≤L≤3mm. This arrangement ensures that the gap between the first pipe joint 20 and the guide tube 11 is appropriate, which can both ensure that the guide structure 10 is easy to assemble and reduce the risk of leakage.

[0070] It is understandable that, in order to achieve a seal, the dimension H of the radial protrusion of the sealing piece 121 along the sealing sleeve 122 is slightly larger than the distance L between the outer wall of the sealing sleeve 122 and the inner wall of the first pipe joint 20.

[0071] For example, L can be 2mm, 2.2mm, 2.3mm, 2.5mm, 2.7mm, 2.9mm, 3mm, or any value between these values.

[0072] Reference Figure 6 , Figure 6 for Figure 4 In the enlarged view of part B, in some embodiments, the water tank 100 also includes a heating element 50 and a second pipe connector 30. The heating element 50 is connected to the second pipe connector 30. The tank body 40 is provided with a through hole 41. The heating element 50 passes through the through hole 41. The second pipe connector 30 is located outside the through hole 41.

[0073] It is understandable that the second pipe fitting 30 does not extend into the through hole 41.

[0074] For example, the end of the second pipe connector 30 near the housing 40 is flat to facilitate the connection of the second pipe connector 30 to the housing 40.

[0075] For example, the second pipe fitting 30 is welded to the housing 40.

[0076] The inner wall of the water tank 100 is typically coated with enamel powder to isolate water from the metal tank body 40 and prevent corrosion of the tank body 40. In related technologies, the second pipe connector 30 has a step at one end near the tank body 40, which extends into the through hole 41, causing iron leakage during enamel powder coating. Iron leakage refers to the inability to coat the wall of the through hole 41 with enamel powder because the second pipe connector 30 blocks the coating. In this embodiment, the second pipe connector 30 does not extend into the through hole 41, thus mitigating iron leakage.

[0077] In some embodiments, the water tank 100 further includes a heating element 50 and a second pipe connector 30. The second pipe connector 30 is disposed in the tank body 40, and the heating element 50 is connected to the second pipe connector 30. The end of the second pipe connector 30 facing away from the inside of the tank body 40 is provided with a stepped groove 31. The heating element 50 is provided with a flange portion that mates with the stepped groove 31, and the flange portion abuts against the stepped groove 31.

[0078] For example, the stepped groove 31 includes two consecutive steps, and the heating element 50 is provided with a corresponding first flange portion 51 and a second flange portion 52. The first flange portion 51 abuts against one of the steps, and the second flange portion 52 abuts against the other step.

[0079] In some embodiments, a rubber ring may also be provided in the stepped groove 31, and the rubber ring surrounds the heating element 50.

[0080] In some embodiments, the heating element 50 is threadedly connected to the second pipe fitting 30.

[0081] Typically, a small gap between the heating element 50 and the second pipe connector 30 can lead to leakage, requiring an additional rubber ring for sealing and thread-locking adhesive applied between them. However, this sealing method makes disassembly of the heating element 50 difficult, increasing labor and after-sales costs. In this embodiment, by providing a stepped groove 31, the sealing area between the heating element 50 and the second pipe connector 30 can be increased, reducing the risk of leakage. Combined with the rubber ring seal, the adhesive application process can be eliminated, facilitating the installation and disassembly of the heating element 50, thereby reducing labor and after-sales costs.

[0082] In the description of this application, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Therefore, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more features. In the description of this application, "multiple" means two or more, unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0083] In the above embodiments, the descriptions of each embodiment have different focuses. For parts not described in detail in a certain embodiment, please refer to the relevant descriptions in other embodiments.

[0084] The embodiments, implementation methods, and related technical features of this application can be combined and substituted for each other without conflict.

[0085] The above are merely preferred embodiments of this application and are not intended to limit this application in any way. Any simple modifications, equivalent changes, and alterations made to the above embodiments based on the technical essence of this application without departing from the scope of the technical solution of this application shall still fall within the scope of the technical solution of this application.

Claims

1. A flow guiding structure, characterized in that, Applied to a water tank, the water tank includes a tank body and a first pipe connector disposed on the tank body, the flow guiding structure is connected to the first pipe connector, and the flow guiding structure includes: A guide pipe is used to connect the water tank; A seal includes a sealing sheet disposed around the flow guide tube, the sealing sheet being configured to seal the gap between the flow guide tube and the first pipe joint by elastic deformation.

2. The flow guiding structure according to claim 1, characterized in that, Multiple sealing plates are provided, and the multiple sealing plates are spaced apart along the axial direction of the guide tube.

3. The flow guiding structure according to claim 1, characterized in that, The sealing element also includes a sealing sleeve, which is fitted onto the guide tube, and the sealing sheet is connected to the sealing sleeve and surrounds the sealing sleeve.

4. The flow guiding structure according to claim 1, characterized in that, The sealing element is fixedly connected to the guide tube.

5. The flow guiding structure according to claim 4, characterized in that, The outer wall of the guide tube is provided with a first corrugated section extending along its axial direction, and the inner wall of the seal is provided with a second corrugated section that mates with the first corrugated section.

6. The flow guiding structure according to claim 5, characterized in that, The seal is made of insulating material.

7. The flow guiding structure according to any one of claims 1-6, characterized in that, The guide pipe is used to guide water into the tank. The guide pipe has a water inlet hole and the pipe wall is provided with a turbulence hole that connects to the water tank. The diameter of the turbulence hole is smaller than the diameter of the water inlet hole.

8. The flow guiding structure according to claim 7, characterized in that, The end of the guide tube away from the water inlet is closed.

9. A water tank, characterized in that, It includes a housing, a first pipe connector, and a flow guiding structure as described in any one of claims 1-8, wherein the first pipe connector is disposed in the housing, and the flow guiding structure is connected to the first pipe connector.

10. The water tank according to claim 9, characterized in that, The water tank also includes a heating element and a second pipe connector. The heating element is connected to the second pipe connector. The tank body is provided with a through hole. The heating element passes through the through hole, and the second pipe connector is located outside the through hole.

11. The water tank according to claim 9, characterized in that, The water tank also includes a heating element and a second pipe connector. The second pipe connector is disposed in the tank body, and the heating element is connected to the second pipe connector. A stepped groove is provided at one end of the second pipe connector away from the tank body. The heating element is provided with a flange portion that mates with the stepped groove, and the flange portion abuts against the stepped groove.

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