A water purifier

Abstract

The application discloses a pure drinking machine, which comprises an ice tank and an exhaust valve assembly. The exhaust valve assembly comprises a valve shell and a floating element. The valve shell is provided with a cavity. An exhaust passage is arranged at the upper end of the valve shell and is communicated with the cavity. An air inlet passage is arranged at the lower end of the valve shell and is communicated with the cavity and the ice tank. The floating element is arranged in the cavity in a floating manner and is provided with a sealing part for sealing the inlet of the exhaust passage. The inner wall of the valve shell is provided with a communication groove. The communication groove extends from the cavity to the exhaust passage. The top opening of the communication groove is always communicated with the exhaust passage, and the bottom opening of the communication groove is always communicated with the cavity. When the floating element floats and the sealing part seals the inlet of the exhaust passage, the cavity and the exhaust passage are always communicated through the communication groove, so that the pressure is balanced. Through the design of the communication groove, the pressure of the upstream and the downstream of the exhaust valve is automatically balanced when the floating element seals the exhaust passage. After the water in the ice tank is discharged, the floating element can quickly fall to release the pressure of the ice tank.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of water purifier technology, specifically to a water purifier. Background Technology

[0002] Some water purifiers on the market are equipped with an ice tank to produce cold water and meet users' needs. The ice tank usually uses a top-fill method. Specifically, when the water purifier is working, the ice tank is filled with water until it is full. When the ice tank needs to supply cold water to the outlet, the machine activates the water replenishment mode, allowing water from the water source (such as room temperature purified water produced by the filter cartridge) to enter the ice tank through the inlet. Since the ice tank is already full, the newly added room temperature water forces the cold water out of the ice tank's cold water outlet. This portion of cold water is then delivered to the outlet, while the ice tank remains full.

[0003] When the ice tank is used for the first time after leaving the factory, it may not be able to fill with water due to the large amount of air inside. Therefore, the ice tank is usually equipped with an air vent connected to an air vent valve. This allows the air inside to be expelled during the first use, so that it can be filled with water smoothly. During water replenishment, the air vent valve needs to be closed to prevent excessive water from being discharged through the air vent valve, which would reduce the amount of water delivered to the outlet. After water replenishment is stopped, the air vent valve is opened again to release the pressure inside the ice tank in a timely manner, so as to prevent the internal high pressure from affecting the service life and to ensure that the ice tank is kept at normal pressure when there is a need to empty the ice tank, so that the residual water inside can be quickly drained.

[0004] In existing technologies, most air vent valves connected to the ice tank consist of a valve body and a valve core housed within the valve body. The valve body has an outlet and an inlet at its upper and lower ends, respectively. The inlet connects to the ice tank's air vent, and the valve core is floating within the valve body. When the ice tank is initially filled with water, the valve core opens the outlet under gravity, allowing air to escape from inside the ice tank. During subsequent water replenishment, a small portion of water is forced into the valve body, causing the valve core to float and block the outlet, thus closing the air vent valve. While this type of air vent valve has a relatively simple structure, it presents several problems in practical use. For example, after water replenishment is paused, the pressure in the ice tank often exceeds the pressure in the downstream pipeline, and pressure cannot be released. Water in the valve body also fails to flow back into the ice tank, causing the valve core to remain closed at the outlet, resulting in the air vent valve remaining closed for an extended period, and the pressure inside the ice tank cannot be released in a timely manner. Therefore, improvements to the existing air vent valve technology are urgently needed. Utility Model Content

[0005] This application provides a water purifier that improves or solves, to some extent, the technical problem in existing water purifiers where the exhaust valve is difficult to open in a timely manner after the water replenishment operation is paused to meet the pressure relief requirement of the ice tank.

[0006] The technical solution adopted in this application is as follows:

[0007] A water purifier includes an ice tank and an exhaust valve assembly. The exhaust valve assembly includes a valve housing and a floating component. The valve housing has a cavity, an exhaust channel communicating with the cavity at its upper end, and an air inlet channel communicating with the cavity and the ice tank at its lower end. The floating component is buoyantly disposed within the cavity and has a sealing portion for blocking the entrance of the exhaust channel. The inner wall of the valve housing has a connecting groove extending from the cavity to the exhaust channel. The top opening of the connecting groove is always communicating with the exhaust channel, and the bottom opening is always communicating with the cavity. When the floating component floats up and the sealing portion blocks the entrance of the exhaust channel, the cavity and the exhaust channel remain connected through the connecting groove to balance the pressure.

[0008] In this technical solution, a connecting groove is provided on the inner wall of the valve body, extending from the cavity to the exhaust channel, forming a permanently connected fluid channel independent of the exhaust channel. This achieves automatic pressure balance between the upstream and downstream of the exhaust valve when the floating part blocks the exhaust channel. Even if the sealing part closes the exhaust channel, the internal pressure of the ice chamber can still be balanced with the outside through the connecting groove, fundamentally solving the problem of abnormal closure of the exhaust valve due to the pressure difference between the inside and outside of the ice chamber in the prior art. During water replenishment, the sealing performance of the exhaust valve in sealing the ice chamber is minimally affected by the sealing part blocking the exhaust channel. Even if water is discharged downstream of the exhaust valve through the connecting groove, this amount of water is very small and will not affect the normal operation of the machine, nor will it affect the amount of ice water discharged at the outlet. After the water replenishment is suspended, thanks to the automatic pressure balance between the upstream and downstream of the exhaust valve, the floating part can quickly fall, causing the sealing part to open the exhaust channel, ensuring rapid pressure relief of the ice chamber. Specifically, the exhaust channel of the valve body can be directly connected to the outside atmosphere or connected to other structures with cavities.

[0009] The connecting grooves are symmetrically distributed on both sides of the valve housing or evenly distributed along the circumference of the valve housing, and the depth of the connecting grooves gradually decreases from the cavity towards the exhaust channel.

[0010] In this technical solution, the symmetrical or circumferentially uniformly distributed connecting groove design optimizes the pressure balance efficiency and the fluid pressure distribution, avoiding the impact of unilateral pressure imbalance on the movement of the floating parts. The gradually decreasing groove depth structure utilizes the Venturi effect to accelerate the flow of gas from the ice chamber to the exhaust channel of the exhaust valve. At the same time, the gradually narrowing path increases the water flow resistance, reducing the leakage of water through the connecting groove. This balances pressure balance efficiency with the need for excessive drainage, while preventing the floating parts from tilting and getting stuck due to the impact of large water flows.

[0011] The cross-sectional area of ​​the connecting groove gradually decreases from the cavity toward the exhaust channel, and the maximum cross-sectional area of ​​the connecting groove is smaller than the cross-sectional area of ​​the exhaust channel.

[0012] In this technical solution, by setting the cross-sectional area of ​​the connecting groove to gradually decrease and the maximum point being smaller than the cross-sectional area of ​​the exhaust channel, the liquid flow rate of the connecting groove is effectively limited, preventing a large amount of ice water from overflowing through the connecting groove when the floating part floats up. At the same time, the unobstructed gas passage in the connecting groove is maintained, ensuring that the pressure balance function is not affected, and improving the throttling control capability of the exhaust valve.

[0013] The floating component includes a body and a counterweight. The body includes a mounting part and a sealing part. The counterweight is connected to the mounting part. The gravity of the counterweight assists the body to float down and open the exhaust channel.

[0014] In this technical solution, the combination design of the counterweight and the main body utilizes the gravity of the counterweight to assist the floating component in quickly descending when the ice chamber stops discharging water. This counteracts the resistance of the residual water pressure in the cavity to the descent of the floating component, shortens the response time of the air vent valve, and improves the depressurization efficiency of the ice chamber.

[0015] The mounting section includes a narrow diameter section and a wide diameter section from top to bottom. The joint between the wide diameter section and the narrow diameter section forms a support step. The counterweight is fitted onto the narrow diameter section and supported by the support step.

[0016] In this technical solution, by forming a supporting step, the supporting step limits the load on the counterweight, ensuring the stability of the counterweight installation and preventing the counterweight from shifting or falling off due to water flow impact.

[0017] The thicker section is provided with multiple support legs. When the floating component floats down to open the exhaust channel, it is supported by the support legs. A channel is formed between adjacent support legs to connect the intake channel and the cavity.

[0018] In this technical solution, by setting up support legs, stable support is provided when the floating part floats down, preventing the floating part from sinking excessively and blocking the air intake channel; the channel between adjacent support legs maintains the connectivity between the air intake channel and the cavity, ensuring that water flows normally into the cavity, while avoiding increased water flow resistance due to support leg obstruction.

[0019] One end of the sealing part is connected to the narrow diameter section, and the other end extends upward. The diameter of the sealing part is smaller than that of the narrow diameter section, so that the joint position between the narrow diameter section and the sealing part forms a sealing step. The sealing part is fitted with a sealing ring, and the sealing step supports the sealing ring. When the sealing part is inserted to block the inlet of the exhaust channel, the sealing is enhanced by the sealing ring.

[0020] In this technical solution, the sealing performance is enhanced when the floating part blocks the exhaust channel by cooperating with the sealing step and the sealing ring; the design of the sealing part with a diameter smaller than the narrow section forms the sealing step, which limits and supports the sealing ring, ensuring the stability of the sealing ring installation.

[0021] The floating component is configured as a sphere, and the spherical surface of the sphere constitutes the sealing part. The inlet of the exhaust channel is provided with a spherical sealing surface adapted to the sphere.

[0022] In this technical solution, the matching design of the spherical floating component and the spherical sealing surface utilizes the automatic centering of the spherical contact to reduce the requirements for the accuracy of the floating component's motion trajectory and improve the reliability of sealing the exhaust channel; the spherical structure helps to reduce turbulent resistance during water flow impact, thereby optimizing the floating response speed of the floating component.

[0023] A baffle is provided at the upper opening of the air intake channel. When the floating component floats down, it is stopped by the baffle to maintain the connection between the cavity and the air intake channel.

[0024] In this technical solution, the baffle at the air intake channel limits the downward position of the floating part to prevent the floating part from sinking too much and causing the air intake channel to be completely closed, maintaining the connection between the cavity and the ice chamber, and ensuring that the exhaust valve maintains the pressure relief function of the ice chamber.

[0025] The water purifier also includes a water level connector, the top of which is provided with an air inlet, and the exhaust channel is connected to the air inlet.

[0026] In this technical solution, the water level connector is connected to the exhaust channel of the exhaust valve. The water level connector's connectivity with the outside atmosphere allows the exhaust valve's pressure relief channel to be connected to the outside atmosphere. The water level connector's gas-liquid isolation properties prevent external pollutants from entering the ice chamber during the exhaust process. If excessive water is discharged from the ice chamber through the connecting channel, the water level connector can act as a safety protection structure to receive this water, preventing leakage to the electronic components inside the machine. Attached Figure Description

[0027] The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a further understanding of this application and form part of this application, illustrate exemplary embodiments and are used to explain this application, but do not constitute an undue limitation of this application. In the drawings:

[0028] Figure 1 This is a structural diagram of the water purifier provided in this application;

[0029] Figure 2 Cross-sectional view of the exhaust valve assembly provided in the first embodiment of this application. Figure 1 ;

[0030] Figure 3 for Figure 2 Enlarged view of point A in the middle;

[0031] Figure 4Cross-sectional view of the exhaust valve assembly provided in the first embodiment of this application. Figure 2 ;

[0032] Figure 5 A cross-sectional view of the valve housing provided in the first embodiment of this application;

[0033] Figure 6 for Figure 5 Enlarged view at point B in the middle;

[0034] Figure 7 Cross-sectional view of the exhaust valve assembly provided in the second embodiment of this application Figure 1 ;

[0035] Figure 8 Cross-sectional view of the exhaust valve assembly provided in the second embodiment of this application Figure 2 ;

[0036] Figure 9 for Figure 8 Enlarged view of point C.

[0037] List of components and reference numerals:

[0038] 1. Ice gallbladder;

[0039] 2. Exhaust valve assembly;

[0040] 3 Valve housing, 31 Cavity, 32 Exhaust passage, 33 Intake passage, 34 Connecting groove, 35 Spherical sealing surface, 36 Retaining rib;

[0041] 4 floating component, 41 body, 411 sealing part, 4111 limiting protrusion, 412 mounting part, 4121 narrow diameter section, 4122 large diameter section, 4123 supporting step part, 4124 support leg, 4125 sealing step part, 42 counterweight.

[0042] 5. Sealing rings;

[0043] 6 water level connector, 61 air inlet. Detailed Implementation

[0044] To more clearly illustrate the overall concept of this application, a detailed explanation is provided below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0045] Many specific details are set forth in the following description in order to provide a full understanding of this application. However, this application may also be implemented in other ways different from those described herein. Therefore, the scope of protection of this application is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed below.

[0046] Furthermore, it should be understood in the description of this application that the terms "upper," "lower," "top," "bottom," "inner," "outer," "axial," "radial," "circumferential," "lateral," and "longitudinal," etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They 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. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on this application.

[0047] In this application, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," "linking," and "fixing," etc., should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral part; they can refer to a mechanical connection, an electrical connection, or a communication connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; they can refer to the internal communication of two components or the interaction between two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this application according to the specific circumstances.

[0048] In this application, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the "above" or "below" of the second feature can mean that the first and second features are in direct contact, or that the first and second features are in indirect contact through an intermediate medium. In the description of this specification, references to terms such as "an embodiment," "some embodiments," "example," "specific example," or "some examples," etc., indicate that a specific feature, structure, material, or characteristic described in connection with that embodiment or example is included in at least one embodiment or example of this application. In this specification, the illustrative expressions of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Furthermore, the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described can be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments or examples.

[0049] In the embodiments of this application, a water purifier is provided. For ease of explanation and understanding, the following content provided in this application is based on the illustrated product structure. Of course, those skilled in the art will understand that the above structure is merely a specific example and illustrative illustration, and does not constitute a specific limitation on the technical solution provided in this application. It should be noted that... Figure 1 The diagram only illustrates the structure of the water purifier relevant to this technical solution. In other embodiments, the water purifier may include other components.

[0050] Reference Figures 1 to 9As shown, the water purifier provided in this application includes an ice tank 1 and an exhaust valve assembly 2. The exhaust valve assembly 2 includes a valve housing 3 and a floating member 4. The valve housing 3 has a cavity 31. The upper end of the valve housing 3 has an exhaust channel 32 communicating with the cavity 31, and the lower end has an air inlet channel 33 communicating with the cavity 31 and the ice tank 1. The floating member 4 is buoyantly disposed in the cavity 31 and has a sealing part 411 for blocking the entrance of the exhaust channel 32. The inner wall of the valve housing 3 has a connecting groove 34. The connecting groove 34 extends from the cavity 31 to the exhaust channel 32. The top opening of the connecting groove 34 is always communicating with the exhaust channel 32, and the bottom opening is always communicating with the cavity 31. When the floating member 4 floats up and the sealing part 411 blocks the entrance of the exhaust channel 32, the cavity 31 and the exhaust channel 32 remain connected through the connecting groove 34 to balance the pressure. The connection between the air intake channel 33 of the valve body 3 and the ice chamber 1 is not shown in the figure. The two can be connected by a water pipe, or the air intake channel 33 of the valve body 3 can be directly inserted into the exhaust port of the ice chamber 1.

[0051] When the water purifier is first powered on, the water supply source supplies water to the ice tank 1. Under the action of gravity, the sealing part 411 is in the state of opening the exhaust channel 32, and the exhaust valve assembly 2 is in the conductive state, allowing the ice tank 1 to be filled with water smoothly. In the subsequent operation of replenishing the ice tank 1, water from the water supply source is added from the inlet of the ice tank 1. Since the ice tank 1 is already full, the room temperature water added to the ice tank 1 forces the cold water out of the cold water exhaust channel 32 of the ice tank 1, allowing this part of the cold water to be transported to the outlet. The ice tank 1 remains full, and a small part of the water in the ice tank 1 is also forced into the valve body 3, causing the floating part 4 to float upward until the sealing part 411 reaches the position of blocking the exhaust channel 32. Although the sealing part 411 blocks the exhaust channel 32, the connecting groove 34 is always in the state of connecting the cavity 31 and the exhaust channel 32. Therefore, in this technical solution, by providing a connecting groove 34 on the inner wall of the valve body 3, the connecting groove 34 extends from the cavity 31 to the exhaust channel 32, forming a permanently connected fluid channel independent of the exhaust channel 32, thus realizing the automatic pressure balance between the upstream and downstream of the exhaust valve assembly 2 when the floating part 4 blocks the exhaust channel 32. Even if the sealing part 411 closes the exhaust channel 32, the internal pressure of the ice chamber 1 can still be balanced with the outside through the connecting groove 34, fundamentally solving the problem of abnormal closure of the exhaust valve assembly 2 due to the pressure difference between the inside and outside of the ice chamber 1 in the prior art. During water replenishment, the sealing performance of the air vent 32 by the sealing part 411 is minimally affected by the sealing performance of the air vent valve assembly 2 on the ice chamber 1. Even if water is discharged downstream of the air vent valve assembly 2 through the connecting groove 34, this amount of water is very small and can remain in the air vent 32 of the valve body 3, without affecting the normal operation of the machine. The impact on the amount of ice water discharged from the outlet is also minimal. Of course, to further improve safety, a water-receiving structure can be connected to the rear end of the air vent 32 of the valve body 3 so that when water overflows from the valve body 3, this water can be received by the water-receiving structure. After the water replenishment is paused, thanks to the automatic pressure balance between the upstream and downstream of the air vent valve assembly 2, the floating part 4 can quickly fall, causing the sealing part 411 to open the air vent 32, ensuring rapid pressure relief of the ice chamber 1. The figure shows an embodiment in which the connecting groove 34 extends axially along the air vent valve assembly 2. In other embodiments, the connecting groove 34 can also be set as a spiral structure or other suitable structure.

[0052] In one specific embodiment of this application, the connecting grooves 34 are symmetrically distributed on both sides of the valve housing 3 or evenly distributed along the circumference of the valve housing 3, and the depth of the connecting grooves 34 gradually decreases from the cavity 31 towards the exhaust channel 32. Figure 2 , Figure 3 and Figure 7As shown, an embodiment is illustrated where the connecting grooves 34 are symmetrically distributed on both sides of the valve housing 3. In this technical solution, the symmetrical or circumferentially uniformly distributed connecting grooves 34 optimize pressure balance efficiency and fluid pressure distribution, avoiding the impact of unilateral pressure imbalance on the movement of the floating component 4. The gradually decreasing groove depth structure of the connecting grooves 34 utilizes the Venturi effect to accelerate the flow of gas from the ice chamber 1 to the exhaust channel 32 of the valve housing 3. At the same time, the gradually narrowing path increases the water flow resistance, reducing the leakage of water through the connecting grooves 34. This balances pressure balance efficiency with the requirement of preventing excessive drainage, while also preventing the floating component 4 from becoming skewed or stuck due to the impact of large water flows.

[0053] In one specific embodiment of this application, the cross-sectional area of ​​the connecting groove 34 gradually decreases from the cavity 31 towards the exhaust channel 32, and the maximum cross-sectional area of ​​the connecting groove 34 is smaller than the cross-sectional area of ​​the exhaust channel 32. An example is an embodiment where the connecting groove 34 extends axially along the valve housing 3. Figure 5 , Figure 6 , Figure 8 and Figure 9 As shown, the cross-sectional area of ​​the connecting groove 34 can be gradually reduced from the cavity 31 to the exhaust channel 32 by making the groove width of the connecting groove 34 gradually decrease from the cavity 31 to the exhaust channel 32. In this technical solution, by setting the cross-sectional area of ​​the connecting groove 34 to gradually decrease and the maximum point being smaller than the cross-sectional area of ​​the exhaust channel 32, the liquid flow rate of the connecting groove 34 is effectively limited, preventing a large amount of ice water from overflowing through the connecting groove 34 when the floating part 4 floats up. At the same time, the unobstructed gas passage in the connecting groove 34 is maintained, ensuring that the pressure balance function is not affected and improving the throttling control capability of the exhaust valve assembly 2.

[0054] As a specific embodiment of this application, based on the gradual decrease in depth of the connecting groove 34 from the cavity 31 to the exhaust channel 32, the cross-sectional area of ​​the connecting groove 34 can be further gradually decreased from the cavity 31 to the exhaust channel 32. The combination of the groove depth reduction structure and the cross-sectional area reduction structure effectively restricts the liquid flow of the connecting groove 34 and reduces the leakage of water through the connecting groove 34.

[0055] This application does not limit the structure of the floating component 4, and any of the following embodiments can be adopted:

[0056] Implementation Method 1:

[0057] like Figures 2 to 6As shown, the floating component 4 includes a body 41 and a counterweight 42. The body 41 includes a mounting part 412 and a sealing part 411. The counterweight 42 is connected to the mounting part 412, and the gravity of the counterweight 42 assists the body 41 to float down and open the exhaust channel 32. Through the combined design of the counterweight 42 and the body 41, the gravity of the counterweight 42 assists the floating component 4 to float down quickly when the ice chamber 1 stops discharging water, which counteracts the resistance of the residual water pressure in the cavity 31 to the fall of the floating component 4, shortens the response time of the exhaust valve assembly 2, and improves the pressure relief efficiency of the ice chamber 1. Preferably, the counterweight 42 can be made of metal, such as copper or aluminum alloy.

[0058] Furthermore, such as Figure 4 As shown, the mounting portion 412 includes a narrow diameter section 4121 and a wide diameter section 4122 from top to bottom. The joint between the wide diameter section 4122 and the narrow diameter section 4121 forms a supporting step portion 4123. The counterweight 42 is fitted onto the narrow diameter section 4121 and supported by the supporting step portion 4123. The supporting step portion 4123, formed by the stepped structure of the narrow diameter section 4121 and the wide diameter section 4122, limits and supports the counterweight 42, ensuring the stability of the counterweight 42 installation and preventing the counterweight 42 from shifting or falling off due to water flow impact. As a preferred embodiment, the counterweight 42 can be interference-fitted onto the narrow diameter section 4121, and the frictional resistance of the narrow diameter section 4121 restricts the counterweight 42 from sliding along its axial direction.

[0059] In a preferred embodiment, such as Figure 4 As shown, the coarse-diameter section 4122 is provided with multiple supports 4124. When the floating member 4 floats down to open the exhaust channel 32, it is supported by the supports 4124. A channel is formed between adjacent supports 4124 to connect the air intake channel 33 and the cavity 31. In this technical solution, by setting the supports 4124, stable support is provided when the floating member 4 floats down, preventing the floating member 4 from sinking excessively and blocking the air intake channel 33. The channel between adjacent supports 4124 maintains the connectivity between the air intake channel 33 and the cavity 31, ensuring that water flows normally into the cavity 31, while avoiding increased water flow resistance caused by the supports 4124 blocking the flow.

[0060] In a preferred embodiment, such as Figure 4As shown, one end of the sealing part 411 is connected to the narrow diameter section 4121, and the other end extends upward. The diameter of the sealing part 411 is smaller than that of the narrow diameter section 4121, so that the joint position between the narrow diameter section 4121 and the sealing part 411 forms a sealing step part 4125. A sealing ring 5 is fitted onto the sealing part 411, and the sealing step part 4125 supports the sealing ring 5. When the sealing part 411 is inserted into the inlet of the exhaust channel 32, the sealing is enhanced by the sealing ring 5. In this technical solution, the sealing performance is enhanced when the floating part 4 blocks the exhaust channel 32 through the cooperation of the sealing step part 4125 and the sealing ring 5. The design of the sealing part 411 having a smaller diameter than the narrow diameter section 4121 forms the sealing step part 4125, which limits and supports the sealing ring 5, ensuring the stability of the sealing ring 5 installation. In addition, a limiting protrusion 4111 can be provided on the sealing part 411. The limiting protrusion 4111 forms a stop above the sealing ring 5, thereby limiting the sealing ring 5 to a position that abuts against the sealing step part 4125, and allowing the sealing ring 5 to slide axially relative to the sealing part 411.

[0061] Implementation Method Two:

[0062] like Figures 7 to 9 As shown, the floating component 4 is configured as a spherical body, and the spherical surface of the spherical body constitutes a sealing part. A spherical sealing surface 35 adapted to the spherical body is provided at the inlet of the exhaust channel 32. Specifically, when the floating component 4 is driven to float by the water entering the valve housing 3, it floats until its spherical surface abuts against the spherical sealing surface 35. At this point, the floating component 4 blocks the exhaust channel 32, while the connecting groove 34 remains open. When the ice tank 1 stops discharging water, the floating component 4 falls back under gravity, separating from the spherical sealing surface 35, ensuring rapid release of pressure within the ice tank 1. The adaptive design of the spherical floating component 4 and the spherical sealing surface 35 utilizes the automatic centering of spherical contact to reduce the accuracy requirements of the floating component 4's movement trajectory and improve the reliability of sealing the exhaust channel 32. The spherical structure helps reduce turbulent resistance during water flow impact, thereby optimizing the floating response speed of the floating component 4. In a preferred embodiment, the spherical floating component 4 may be made of plastic, such as high-strength, wear-resistant engineering plastic, to ensure that the floating component 4 maintains good sealing and wear resistance during long-term use.

[0063] Furthermore, such as Figure 7 and Figure 8As shown, a baffle 36 is provided at the upper opening of the air intake channel 33. When the floating component 4 floats down, it is stopped by the baffle 36 to maintain the communication between the cavity 31 and the air intake channel 33. In this technical solution, the baffle 36 at the air intake channel 33 limits the downward position of the floating component 4, preventing the floating component 4 from sinking excessively and causing the air intake channel 33 to be completely closed, maintaining the communication between the cavity 31 and the ice chamber 1, and ensuring that the exhaust valve assembly 2 maintains the pressure relief function of the ice chamber 1. In a preferred embodiment, multiple baffles 36 can be arranged along the axial direction of the air intake channel 33. The baffles 36 are higher than the position of the air intake channel 33, which can well support the spherical floating component 4.

[0064] As a preferred embodiment of this application, such as Figure 1 As shown, the water purifier also includes a water level connector 6 (a water level connector is typically used to detect the water level in the water purifier's pure water jug). The top of the water level connector 6 has an air inlet 61, and the exhaust channel 32 of the valve housing 3 connects to the air inlet 61. The connection between the exhaust channel 32 of the valve housing 3 and the air inlet 61 is not shown in the figure; however, they can be connected via a water pipe. In this technical solution, by connecting the water level connector 6 to the exhaust channel 32 of the valve housing 3, the pressure relief channel of the exhaust valve assembly 2 is connected to the external atmosphere through the connectivity of the water level connector 6 with the outside atmosphere. The gas-liquid isolation characteristic of the water level connector 6 prevents external pollutants from entering the ice chamber 1 during the exhaust process. If excessive water is discharged from the ice chamber 1 through the connecting groove 34, the water level connector 6 can act as a safety protection structure to receive this water, preventing it from leaking onto the internal electronic components of the machine.

[0065] For any parts not mentioned in this application, existing technologies may be used or referenced.

[0066] The various embodiments in this specification are described in a progressive manner. The same or similar parts between the various embodiments can be referred to each other. Each embodiment focuses on describing the differences from other embodiments.

[0067] The above description is merely an embodiment of this application and is not intended to limit the scope of this application. Various modifications and variations can be made to this application by those skilled in the art. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of this application should be included within the scope of the claims of this application.

Claims

1. A water purifier comprising an ice tank and an exhaust valve assembly, the exhaust valve assembly comprising a valve housing and a float, the valve housing being provided with a cavity, the upper end of the valve housing being provided with an exhaust passage communicating with the cavity, the lower end of the valve housing being provided with an intake passage communicating the cavity with the ice tank, the float being floatably arranged in the cavity and having a sealing portion for sealing the inlet of the exhaust passage, characterized in that, The inner wall of the valve shell is provided with a communication groove extending from the cavity to the exhaust passage, the top end opening of the communication groove is always in communication with the exhaust passage, and the bottom end opening is always in communication with the cavity; when the floating element floats to make the sealing part block the inlet of the exhaust passage, the cavity and the exhaust passage are kept in communication through the communication groove to balance the pressure.

2. The water purifier according to claim 1, characterized in that, The communication grooves are symmetrically distributed on both sides of the valve shell or uniformly distributed along the circumference of the valve shell, and the groove depth of the communication grooves gradually decreases from the cavity to the exhaust passage.

3. The water purifier according to claim 1, characterized in that, The cross-sectional area of the communication grooves gradually decreases from the cavity to the exhaust passage, and the maximum cross-sectional area of the communication grooves is smaller than the cross-sectional area of the exhaust passage.

4. The water purifier according to claim 1, characterized in that, The floating element comprises a body and a counterweight, the body comprises a mounting part and the sealing part, the counterweight is connected to the mounting part, and the gravity of the counterweight assists the body to float down to open the exhaust passage.

5. The water purifier according to claim 4, characterized in that, The mounting part comprises a thin diameter section and a thick diameter section from top to bottom, the joint position of the thick diameter section and the thin diameter section forms a support step part, the counterweight is sleeved on the thin diameter section and is carried by the support step part.

6. The water purifier according to claim 5, characterized in that, The thick diameter section is provided with a plurality of supporting legs, the floating element is supported by the supporting legs when it floats down to open the exhaust passage, and a passage for communicating the air inlet passage and the cavity is formed between adjacent supporting legs.

7. The water purifier according to claim 5, characterized in that, One end of the sealing part is connected to the thin diameter section, and the other end extends upward, the diameter of the sealing part is smaller than that of the thin diameter section, so that the joint position of the thin diameter section and the sealing part forms a sealing step part, a sealing ring is sleeved on the sealing part, the sealing step part supports the sealing ring, and the sealing is enhanced by the sealing ring when the sealing part is inserted to block the inlet of the exhaust passage.

8. The water purifier according to claim 1, characterized in that, The floating element is configured as a spherical body, the spherical surface of the spherical body constitutes the sealing part, and the inlet of the exhaust passage is provided with a spherical sealing surface matched with the spherical body.

9. The water purifier according to claim 8, characterized in that, The upper end opening of the air inlet passage is provided with a stop rib, and the floating element is stopped by the stop rib when it floats down to maintain the communication state of the cavity and the air inlet passage.

10. The water purifier according to claim 1, characterized in that, The water purifier further comprises a water level communicator, the top of the water level communicator is provided with an air inlet, and the exhaust passage communicates with the air inlet.

Images