Water outlet automatic height-adjusting waterway system and purified drinking machine
By introducing an automatic water outlet height adjustment system into the water purifier, using reciprocating drive components and reversing valves for hydraulic adjustment, and combining this with sensors to detect the container height, the problems of low adjustment accuracy and poor safety of the water outlet unit in the water purifier are solved, achieving efficient and intelligent water outlet control.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Utility models(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- KEMFLO (NANJING) ENVIRONMENTAL TECHNOLOGY CO LTD
- Filing Date
- 2025-06-06
- Publication Date
- 2026-06-05
AI Technical Summary
Existing water purifiers suffer from problems such as low precision of mechanical height adjustment, poor safety, and lack of intelligent sensing systems, resulting in a poor user experience.
The system employs an automatic water outlet height adjustment mechanism, utilizing reciprocating drive components and directional valves to automatically adjust the height of the water outlet components. Combined with pressure sensors and flow regulating valves, precise control is achieved through hydraulic adjustment, and intelligent operation is realized by using sensors to detect the container height.
It achieves high-precision automatic adjustment of the water outlet component, improves user safety and convenience, simplifies the structure, reduces noise, and enhances the intelligence of the water purifier.
Smart Images
Figure CN224320531U_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] This application relates to the field of water purification technology, and in particular to water circuit systems and water purifiers with automatic water outlet height adjustment. Background Technology
[0002] As the global water purification equipment market continues to expand, water purifiers have evolved from simple water filtering tools into crucial components of the smart home ecosystem. Driven by the wave of smart technology, consumer demand for water purification equipment has transcended basic drinking water safety, rapidly evolving towards intelligent interaction, convenient operation, and a user-friendly experience. However, current mainstream products still exhibit significant technological gaps in user experience, particularly in the human-computer interaction design of the water outlet unit, which urgently requires innovation.
[0003] The mechanical interaction design of traditional water purifiers has revealed significant limitations. Most commercially available products still use a fixed-height water outlet design, with only a small number of high-end models equipped with a manual adjustment device. This mechanical structure not only restricts the water-filling posture (users need to frequently bend over or elevate the container), but also poses safety hazards. In typical usage scenarios, users need to simultaneously perform multiple tasks such as container positioning, switch operation, and water level monitoring, which strongly conflicts with modern people's frequent mobile device usage habits. In summary, the shortcomings of existing technologies are mainly reflected in three aspects: First, mechanical height adjustment relies on physical adjustment, resulting in low adjustment accuracy and a lack of memory function; second, the touch switch design does not consider scenarios where one hand is used or the operation cannot be canceled, and if the cup is low, water may splash, potentially scalding the user if it is boiling water; third, the lack of a smart sensing system means that dynamic tracking of the container's posture is not achieved. Utility Model Content
[0004] Therefore, it is necessary to provide a water system and water purifier that automatically adjusts the water output, has high safety, and provides a good user experience, addressing the aforementioned technical problems.
[0005] A water system with automatic water outlet height adjustment, the water system comprising:
[0006] The water outlet assembly is capable of reciprocating along a first direction; and
[0007] An adjustment assembly is connected to the water outlet assembly. The adjustment assembly includes a reciprocating drive and a reversing valve communicating with the reciprocating drive. The reciprocating drive has a first chamber and a second chamber. The reversing valve has a first circuit communicating with the first chamber and a second circuit communicating with the second chamber.
[0008] The regulating component has a first state and a second state; when the regulating component is in the first state, the first circuit supplies liquid to the first chamber, the second chamber discharges liquid to the second circuit, and the regulating component controls the water outlet component to rise along the first direction; when the regulating component is in the second state, the first chamber discharges liquid to the first circuit, the second circuit supplies liquid to the second chamber, and the regulating component controls the water outlet component to descend along the first direction.
[0009] In one embodiment, the regulating assembly further includes an inlet pipe and an outlet pipe, and the reversing valve includes an A port connected to the first chamber, a B port connected to the second chamber, a P port connected to the inlet pipe, and a T port connected to the outlet pipe; in the first state, the A port and the P port are connected to form the first circuit, and the B port and the T port are connected to form the second circuit; in the second state, the A port and the T port are connected to form the first circuit, and the B port and the P port are connected to form the second circuit.
[0010] In one embodiment, the inlet line is equipped with a booster pump and a pressure sensor, the pressure sensor being used to detect the pressure in the inlet line to control the stop of the booster pump.
[0011] In one embodiment, a flow regulating valve is provided on the inlet pipeline, which is used to regulate the flow rate of the inlet pipeline.
[0012] In one embodiment, the outlet of the drain line is connected to the inlet line via a return line, so that the drained liquid mixes with the inlet liquid and is then supplied to the reversing valve.
[0013] In one embodiment, the water outlet assembly includes a transmission member slidably connected to an external front panel assembly, and a reciprocating drive member disposed on the front panel assembly. The reciprocating drive member includes a piston that isolates the first chamber and the second chamber, and the piston is throttle connected to the transmission member.
[0014] In one embodiment, the water outlet component further includes a sensor for detecting whether there is a water receiving container below the water outlet component and for detecting the distance between the water receiving container and the water outlet component.
[0015] A water purifier, comprising:
[0016] Front panel components;
[0017] The water system described above has its water outlet component movably mounted on the front panel component.
[0018] In one embodiment, the front panel assembly includes:
[0019] A sliding region, wherein the water outlet assembly is slidably disposed in the sliding region; and
[0020] A water receiving area is provided, which is equipped with a container placement rack and is located below the sliding area.
[0021] In one embodiment, the water outlet component includes a sensor, and the water purifier includes a controller. The sensor is used to detect whether there is a water receiving container below the water outlet component and to detect the distance between the water receiving container and the water outlet component. The controller is used to receive feedback from the sensor to control the adjustment component to be in a first state or a second state.
[0022] The aforementioned water system and water purifier with automatic water outlet height adjustment achieve height adjustment of the water outlet component by setting an adjustment component. It adopts hydraulic adjustment with reciprocating drive components, rather than manual mechanical adjustment and non-pure electric drive, which has high adjustment accuracy and avoids the high noise defects of pure electric drive. It eliminates the need for manual adjustment by the user, ensuring user safety. The reciprocating drive component has a chamber design, which can generate power in two directions at the same time, simplifying the overall structure, reducing noise, improving power output efficiency, and reducing ineffective liquid circulation through bidirectional operation. At the same time, this application can be easily integrated into the automatic control system of the water purifier, enhancing the product's competitiveness and intelligence. Attached Figure Description
[0023] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a water system and a water purifier according to an embodiment of this application.
[0024] Explanation of icon numbers:
[0025] 1. Water purifier; 2. Water receiving container; 10. Water system; 11. Water outlet assembly; 100. Reciprocating drive; 110. First chamber; 120. Second chamber; 130. Piston; 200. Reversing valve; 300. Inlet pipe; 310. Booster pump; 320. Solenoid valve; 330. Pressure sensor; 340. Flow regulating valve; 400. Drain pipe; 410. Check valve; 12. Front panel assembly. Detailed Implementation
[0026] To make the above-mentioned objectives, features, and advantages of this application more apparent and understandable, the specific embodiments of this application are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Many specific details are set forth in the following description to provide a thorough understanding of this application. However, this application can be implemented in many other ways different from those described herein, and those skilled in the art can make similar modifications without departing from the spirit of this application. Therefore, this application is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed below.
[0027] In the description of this application, it should be understood that if terms such as "center", "longitudinal", "lateral", "length", "width", "thickness", "upper", "lower", "front", "rear", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer", "clockwise", "counterclockwise", "axial", "radial", "circumferential" appear, these terms 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.
[0028] Furthermore, where the terms "first" and "second" appear, these terms are for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Thus, a feature defined with "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of that feature. In the description of this application, where the term "multiple" appears, "multiple" means at least two, such as two, three, etc., unless otherwise explicitly specified.
[0029] In this application, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," "joining," 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 or an electrical 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, unless otherwise expressly limited. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this application based on the specific circumstances.
[0030] In this application, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the use of descriptions such as "above" or "below" the second feature indicates that the first and second features are in direct contact or indirect contact via an intermediate medium. Furthermore, "above," "on top of," and "over" the second feature can mean that the first feature is directly above or diagonally above the second feature, or simply that the first feature is at a higher horizontal level than the second feature. Similarly, "below," "below," and "under" the second feature can mean that the first feature is directly below or diagonally below the second feature, or simply that the first feature is at a lower horizontal level than the second feature.
[0031] It should be noted that if an element is referred to as being "fixed to" or "set on" another element, it can be directly on the other element or there may be an intervening element. If an element is considered to be "connected to" another element, it can be directly connected to the other element or there may be an intervening element. If so, the terms "vertical," "horizontal," "upper," "lower," "left," "right," and similar expressions used in this application are for illustrative purposes only and do not represent the only possible implementation.
[0032] See Figure 1 , Figure 1 A schematic diagram of a water system 10 according to an embodiment of this application is shown. The water system 10, which provides automatic water outlet height adjustment according to an embodiment of this application, includes a water outlet component 11 and an adjustment component. The water outlet component 11 is capable of reciprocating along a first direction, defined as the direction towards or away from the water receiving container 2. The adjustment component is connected to the water outlet component 11. The adjustment component includes a reciprocating drive 100 and a reversing valve 200 communicating with the reciprocating drive 100. The reciprocating drive 100 has a first chamber 110 and a second chamber 120. The reversing valve 200 has a first circuit communicating with the first chamber 110 and a second circuit communicating with the second chamber 120. The regulating component has a first state and a second state; when the regulating component is in the first state, the first circuit supplies liquid to the first chamber 110, the second chamber 120 discharges liquid to the second circuit, and the regulating component controls the water outlet component 11 to rise along the first direction; when the regulating component is in the second state, the first chamber 110 discharges liquid to the first circuit, the second circuit supplies liquid to the second chamber 120, and the regulating component controls the water outlet component 11 to descend along the first direction.
[0033] This application also provides a water purifier 1, which includes a front panel assembly 12 and the aforementioned water system 10, wherein the water outlet assembly 11 of the water system 10 is movably disposed on the front panel assembly 12.
[0034] The aforementioned water system 10 with automatic water outlet height adjustment and the water purifier 1 achieve height adjustment of the water outlet component 11 by setting an adjustment component. It adopts hydraulic adjustment of the reciprocating drive component 100, rather than manual mechanical adjustment and non-pure electric drive. The adjustment accuracy is high while avoiding the high noise defects of pure electric drive. It does not require manual adjustment by the user, ensuring user safety. The reciprocating drive component 100 has a chamber design, which can generate power in two directions at the same time, simplifying the overall structure, reducing noise, improving power output efficiency, and reducing ineffective liquid circulation through bidirectional operation. At the same time, this application is easy to integrate into the automatic control system of the water purifier 1, enhancing the product's competitiveness and intelligence.
[0035] Specifically, the first and second circuits are non-fixed flow direction pipelines. When the regulating component is in different operating states (first state or second state), the reversing valve 200 switches the internal flow path to form different first and second circuits, enabling the first and second circuits to have corresponding functions in the first and second states respectively. Specifically, the reversing valve 200 is an electro-hydraulic valve.
[0036] The reversing valve 200 is a two-position four-way reversing valve or a three-position four-way reversing valve, having four inlet / outlet ports. In one embodiment, the regulating assembly further includes an inlet pipe 300 and a drain pipe 400. The reversing valve 200 includes an A port connected to the first chamber 110, a B port connected to the second chamber 120, a P port connected to the inlet pipe 300, and a T port connected to the drain pipe 400. In the first state, the A port and the P port are connected to form the first circuit, and the B port and the T port are connected to form the second circuit. In the second state, the A port and the T port are connected to form the first circuit, and the B port and the P port are connected to form the second circuit.
[0037] Specifically, when the regulating component is in the first state, the A port and the P port are connected to form the first circuit, the liquid inlet pipe 300 supplies liquid to the first circuit through the P port, and then the first circuit supplies liquid to the first chamber 110 through the pipe; the B port and the T port are connected to form the second circuit, the second chamber 120 discharges liquid to the second circuit, and then the discharged liquid from the second circuit is discharged from the water system 10 through the discharge pipe 400; thus, the volume of the first chamber 110 increases while the volume of the second chamber 120 decreases, and then the regulating component controls the water outlet component 11 to rise along the first direction. When the regulating component is in the second state, port A and port T are connected to form the first circuit, the first chamber 110 discharges liquid into the first circuit, and then the liquid discharged from the first circuit is discharged from the water system 10 through the discharge pipe 400; port B and port P are connected to form the second circuit, the liquid pipe supplies liquid to the second circuit through port P, and the second circuit supplies liquid to the second chamber 120; thus, the volume of the first chamber 110 decreases while the volume of the second chamber 120 increases, and the regulating component controls the water outlet component 11 to descend along the first direction.
[0038] When the reversing valve 200 is a three-position four-way reversing valve 200, the regulating component also has a third state, corresponding to the third position of the reversing valve 200, where the P port and T port are connected, while the A port and B port are closed, the water circuit is in a self-locking state, and the reciprocating drive 100 is in a hovering state.
[0039] Furthermore, the reversing valve 200 is either a two-position four-way solenoid reversing valve 200 or a three-position four-way solenoid reversing valve 200. The reversing valve 200 includes two energized terminals, namely terminal a and terminal b. When terminal a is energized, the P port inlet is connected to the A port, and the T port outlet is connected to the B port. When terminal b is energized, the P port inlet is connected to the B port, and the T port outlet is connected to the A port. When the reversing valve 200 is a three-position four-way solenoid reversing valve 200, when the regulating component is in the third state, neither terminal a nor terminal b is energized.
[0040] In one embodiment, the water outlet assembly 11 includes a sensor, and the water purifier 1 includes a controller. The sensor is used to detect whether there is a water container 2 below the water outlet assembly 11 and to detect the distance between the water container 2 and the water outlet assembly 11. The controller is used to receive feedback from the sensor to control the adjustment assembly to be in a first state or a second state. Specifically, the sensor can be one or more of a photoelectric sensor, an ultrasonic sensor, a laser sensor, an infrared sensor, and a radar sensor. The adjustment assembly can select the first state or the second state based on the signal fed back by the sensor, that is, to select whether the water outlet assembly 11 rises or falls to match the height of the water container 2. The water outlet assembly 11 has an initial state, which corresponds to the highest position of the water outlet assembly 11. After each water dispensing operation, the water outlet assembly 11 automatically returns to its initial state, rises to the top, and stands ready. Through controller program control, the water outlet assembly 11 can automatically rise and fall according to the height of the container, realizing the automation and intelligence of the water purifier 1, and also facilitating mobile phone control and customization of the water inlet assembly height via wireless signal.
[0041] In one embodiment, the inlet pipe 300 is equipped with a booster pump 310 and a pressure sensor 330. The pressure sensor 330 is used to detect the pressure in the inlet pipe 300 to control the booster pump 310 to stop. Specifically, the booster pump 310 can be linked with a sensor. When a water receiving container 2 is detected below the water outlet assembly 11, the booster pump 310 starts working, or it can be started under the active control of the user. The pressure sensor 330 detects the liquid pressure in the inlet pipe 300. When the pressure in the first chamber 110 or the second chamber 120 in the reciprocating drive 100 reaches its limit value, the pressure in the inlet pipe 300 reaches its limit value, and a feedback signal is sent to stop the booster pump 310 from working.
[0042] For example, the usage scenario of water system 10 and water purifier 1 is as follows: when water container 2 is placed on the water receiving rack directly below water outlet component 11, the sensor of water outlet component 11 detects the presence of water container 2. The sensor measures the height difference between the upper edge of water container 2 and the bottom of water outlet component 11 (or the sensor) through a program algorithm. The sensor feeds back the corresponding signal to the controller. The controller controls the start of booster pump 310 and controls the opening of the solenoid valve at end b of the three-position four-way solenoid valve. Water outlet component 11 is driven to move downward. During the movement of water outlet component 11, the sensor detects the distance in real time. Based on the feedback signal of the height of the upper edge of the container, the controller controls the reversing valve 200 to work so that water outlet component 11 stops after reaching a certain distance (such as the safety distance set in the controller).
[0043] In one embodiment, the inlet pipe 300 is equipped with a flow regulating valve 340, which is used to regulate the flow rate of the inlet pipe 300. Specifically, the flow regulating valve 340 controls the flow rate of the inlet pipe 300 to control the rate of liquid inflow or outflow into the first chamber 110 or the second chamber 120, thereby controlling the movement speed of the water outlet assembly 11. For example, the flow regulating valve 340 can be a pneumatic diaphragm regulating valve, an electric flow regulating valve, a proportional flow regulating valve, a pressure regulating valve, etc.
[0044] In one embodiment, the outlet of the drain line 400 is connected to the inlet line 300 via a return line, so that the drained liquid mixes with the inlet liquid and is then supplied to the reversing valve 200. Specifically, the water system 10 also includes a return line (not shown), which connects the outlet of the drain line 400 and the inlet of the inlet line 300. In particular, the return line connects upstream of the booster pump 310 on the inlet line 300, or connects between the booster pump 310 and the pressure sensor 330 on the inlet line 300. The return line may be equipped with a filter unit for filtering the liquid circulated through the reciprocating drive 100 and the reversing valve 200.
[0045] In one embodiment, the water outlet assembly 11 includes a transmission member that is slidably connected to an external front panel assembly 12. The reciprocating drive member 100 is disposed on the front panel assembly 12. The reciprocating drive member 100 includes a piston 130 that isolates the first chamber 110 and the second chamber 120. The piston 130 is pulsatorically connected to the transmission member.
[0046] Specifically, the reciprocating drive 100 is located on the back of the front panel assembly 12 opposite to the water outlet assembly 11, while the water outlet assembly 11 is located on the front of the front panel assembly 12. The water outlet assembly 11 is connected to a transmission component, which passes through the front panel assembly 12 and can move relative to the front panel assembly 12 under the drive of the piston 130. The transmission component can be a mechanical transmission structure such as a linkage. The piston 130 isolates the first chamber 110 and the second chamber 120 and can slide within the reciprocating drive 100. When the volume of the first chamber 110 and the second chamber 120 changes due to liquid injection or drainage, it drives the piston 130 to move, which in turn drives the transmission component to move, causing the water outlet assembly 11 to move along a first direction.
[0047] In one embodiment, the front panel assembly 12 includes: a sliding region, on which the water outlet assembly 11 is slidably disposed; and a water receiving region, the water receiving region having a container holder, the water receiving region being located below the sliding region. Specifically, the sliding region may define the length of the transmission member to define the range of motion of the water outlet assembly 11. The water outlet assembly 11 has a water outlet facing the water receiving region, the direction of which is described as "below".
[0048] In one embodiment, the drain line 400 is further provided with a one-way valve 410 to prevent backflow of the drained liquid. The inlet line 300 is further provided with a solenoid valve 320, which is located between the booster pump 310 and the pressure sensor 330, and is used to control the opening and closing of the inlet line 300.
[0049] The technical features of the above embodiments can be combined in any way. For the sake of brevity, not all possible combinations of the technical features in the above embodiments are described. However, as long as there is no contradiction in the combination of these technical features, they should be considered to be within the scope of this specification.
[0050] The embodiments described above are merely illustrative of several implementation methods of this application, and while the descriptions are relatively specific and detailed, they should not be construed as limiting the scope of the patent application. It should be noted that those skilled in the art can make various modifications and improvements without departing from the concept of this application, and these all fall within the protection scope of this application. Therefore, the protection scope of this patent application should be determined by the appended claims.
Claims
1. A water system with automatic water outlet height adjustment, characterized in that, The waterway system includes: The water outlet assembly is capable of reciprocating along a first direction; and An adjustment assembly is connected to the water outlet assembly. The adjustment assembly includes a reciprocating drive and a reversing valve communicating with the reciprocating drive. The reciprocating drive has a first chamber and a second chamber. The reversing valve has a first circuit communicating with the first chamber and a second circuit communicating with the second chamber. The regulating component has a first state and a second state; when the regulating component is in the first state, the first circuit supplies liquid to the first chamber, the second chamber discharges liquid to the second circuit, and the regulating component controls the water outlet component to rise along the first direction; when the regulating component is in the second state, the first chamber discharges liquid to the first circuit, the second circuit supplies liquid to the second chamber, and the regulating component controls the water outlet component to descend along the first direction.
2. The water system with automatic outlet height adjustment according to claim 1, characterized in that, The regulating assembly further includes an inlet pipe and an outlet pipe. The reversing valve includes an A port connected to the first chamber, a B port connected to the second chamber, a P port connected to the inlet pipe, and a T port connected to the outlet pipe. In the first state, the A port and the P port are connected to form the first circuit, and the B port and the T port are connected to form the second circuit. In the second state, the A port and the T port are connected to form the first circuit, and the B port and the P port are connected to form the second circuit.
3. The water system with automatic outlet height adjustment according to claim 2, characterized in that, The inlet pipeline is equipped with a booster pump and a pressure sensor. The pressure sensor is used to detect the pressure in the inlet pipeline to control the booster pump to stop.
4. The water system with automatic outlet height adjustment according to claim 2, characterized in that, The inlet pipe is equipped with a flow regulating valve, which is used to regulate the flow rate of the inlet pipe.
5. The water system with automatic outlet height adjustment according to claim 2, characterized in that, The outlet of the drain pipe is connected to the inlet pipe via a return pipe, so that the drained liquid mixes with the inlet liquid and is then supplied to the reversing valve.
6. The water system with automatic outlet height adjustment according to claim 1, characterized in that, The water outlet assembly includes a transmission component that is slidably connected to an external front panel assembly. A reciprocating drive component is disposed on the front panel assembly. The reciprocating drive component includes a piston that isolates the first chamber and the second chamber. The piston is pulsatorically connected to the transmission component.
7. The water system with automatic outlet height adjustment according to claim 1, characterized in that, The water outlet assembly also includes a sensor, which is used to detect whether there is a water receiving container below the water outlet assembly and to detect the distance between the water receiving container and the water outlet assembly.
8. A water purifier, characterized in that, include: Front panel components; The water system according to any one of claims 1-7, wherein the water outlet component of the water system is movably disposed on the front panel component.
9. The water purifier according to claim 8, characterized in that, The front panel assembly includes: A sliding region, wherein the water outlet assembly is slidably disposed in the sliding region; and A water receiving area is provided, which is equipped with a container placement rack and is located below the sliding area.
10. The water purifier according to claim 8, characterized in that, The water outlet component includes a sensor, and the water purifier includes a controller. The sensor is used to detect whether there is a water receiving container below the water outlet component and to detect the distance between the water receiving container and the water outlet component. The controller is used to receive feedback from the sensor to control the adjustment component to be in a first state or a second state.