Drinking water device
By introducing a cooling module and a heating module into the water dispenser, combined with an auxiliary pump module, the problem of insufficient cooling capacity in existing equipment during continuous hot water production is solved, achieving more efficient hot water preparation and improving the user experience.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Utility models(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- GUANGDONG LIZI TECH CO LTD
- Filing Date
- 2025-06-19
- Publication Date
- 2026-06-26
AI Technical Summary
When users need to continuously dispense a large amount of hot water, the existing water dispensers are limited by the amount of water they can cool, and thus cannot continuously cool the water to generate the heat needed to heat it. As a result, users cannot receive the expected amount of hot water, which affects the user experience.
By introducing a cooling module and a heating module into the water supply equipment, the cooling module absorbs heat from the cold water circuit and the heating module heats the water in the hot water circuit. Combined with an auxiliary pump module, the water in the hot water circuit is pumped to the cooling module or the cold water circuit, thereby enhancing the cooling capacity of the cooling module and thus improving the heating capacity.
It enables the continuous production of more or hotter water according to user demand, improving the heating capacity of the water dispenser and enhancing the user experience.
Smart Images
Figure CN224403420U_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] This utility model relates to the field of water treatment technology, and in particular to a drinking water device. Background Technology
[0002] Water dispensers are a type of household appliance that is increasingly favored by individuals and families. They can preheat or cool water in the device according to the user's water usage requirements and maintain it at a set temperature, greatly facilitating drinking water needs in many scenarios.
[0003] Water dispensers generate heat during the cooling process, which can then be used to heat the water. Thus, in addition to providing cold water, the dispensers can also provide hot water. Currently, some water dispensers, when users need a continuous supply of a large amount of hot water, cannot sustain the cooling capacity of their chillers to generate enough heat for heating, resulting in users not receiving the desired amount of hot water and negatively impacting the user experience. Utility Model Content
[0004] This application provides a water purification device aimed at solving the technical problem of poor heating capacity in existing drinking water equipment.
[0005] According to a first aspect of this application, one embodiment provides a drinking water device, including a cold water path, a cooling unit having a cooling module and a heating module, a hot water path, and an auxiliary pump module. The cold water path is thermally connected to the cooling module so that the cooling module absorbs heat from the water in the cold water path. The hot water path is thermally connected to the heating module so that the water in the hot water path absorbs heat generated by the heating module to prepare hot water. The hot water path connects to the cold water path and / or contacts the cooling module through the auxiliary pump module, so that water from the hot water path is pumped to the cold water path and / or the cooling module.
[0006] In one embodiment, the cooling unit includes a semiconductor heat exchanger, which includes the cooling module and the heating module.
[0007] In one embodiment, the drinking water device further includes a cold water tank; the cold water path flows through the cold water tank, and the cooling module is thermally connected to the cold water tank.
[0008] In one embodiment, the cooling module is thermally connected to the cold water tank by at least partially contacting the water in the cold water tank, so that the cooling module directly absorbs the heat of the water in the cold water tank.
[0009] In one embodiment, the cold water tank is divided into a cooling zone that is directly thermally connected to the cooling module and a cold storage zone that is controllably connected to the cooling zone. The hot water circuit is connected to the cooling zone through the auxiliary pump module.
[0010] In one embodiment, the drinking water device further includes a control module; before the auxiliary pump module pumps water into the cooling zone, the control module controls at least a portion of the water located within the cooling zone to be discharged from the cold water path.
[0011] In one embodiment, the drinking water device further includes a hot water tank; the hot water path flows through the hot water tank.
[0012] In one embodiment, the cooling unit further includes a heat exchange component that is thermally connected to the heating module to help dissipate heat; the heat exchange component has a heat dissipation channel through which the hot water also flows.
[0013] In one embodiment, the cold water tank includes only a cooling zone that is directly thermally connected to the cooling module, and the hot water path is connected to the cooling zone through the auxiliary pump module.
[0014] According to the drinking water equipment of the above embodiment, the water in the hot water circuit is at a higher temperature because it is thermally connected to the heating module. After the water at a higher temperature is pumped to the cold water circuit and / or the cooling module by the auxiliary pump module, the temperature of the water in the cold water circuit used to be cooled by the cooling module and / or the cooling module is increased, thereby enabling the cooling unit to continuously or even increase its power to cool, thereby generating more heat and improving the heating capacity. Attached Figure Description
[0015] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this utility model or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of this utility model. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on the structures shown in these drawings without creative effort.
[0016] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the drinking water equipment provided in Embodiment 1 of this utility model.
[0017] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the drinking water equipment provided in Embodiment 2 of this utility model.
[0018] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the drinking water equipment provided in Embodiment 3 of this utility model.
[0019] Explanation of icon numbers:
[0020] 100 / 100b / 100c, Drinking water equipment; 101, Cold water outlet; 102, Hot water outlet; 103, Wastewater outlet; 104, Water inlet; 10, Cooling unit; 12, Semiconductor cooling chip; 12a, Cooling module; 12b, Heating module; 14, Heat exchange component; 30, Cold water circuit; 32, Cold water tank; 32a, Cooling zone; 32b, Cold storage zone; 33, Insulation board; 34, Cold water pump; 50, Hot water circuit; 52, Hot water tank; 70, Auxiliary pump module; 90, Control module.
[0021] The realization of the purpose, functional features and advantages of this utility model will be further explained in conjunction with the embodiments and with reference to the accompanying drawings. Detailed Implementation
[0022] The technical solutions of the present utility model will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings of the embodiments. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present utility model, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present utility model, all other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without creative effort are within the protection scope of the present utility model.
[0023] It should be noted that all directional indicators (such as up, down, left, right, front, back, etc.) in this utility model embodiment are only used to explain the relative positional relationship and movement of each component in a certain specific posture. If the specific posture changes, the directional indicator will also change accordingly.
[0024] It should also be noted that when a component is described as "fixed to" or "set on" another component, it can be directly on the other component or there may be an intervening component present. When a component is described as "connected to" another component, it can be directly connected to the other component or there may be an intervening component present.
[0025] Furthermore, the use of terms such as "first" and "second" in this utility model is for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying their relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Therefore, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of that feature. Additionally, the technical solutions of the various embodiments can be combined with each other, but only on the basis of being achievable by those skilled in the art. When the combination of technical solutions is contradictory or impossible to implement, such a combination of technical solutions should be considered non-existent and not within the scope of protection claimed by this utility model.
[0026] In this invention, even if the specification does not mention a control component for responding to user operations or controlling the device of this invention based on a set program, those skilled in the art should understand that the device of this invention includes the aforementioned control component. This control component can be a control circuit built around a chip with control functions, such as a microcontroller / microprocessor / central processing unit, and peripheral functional modules such as those for sensing user operations / external environment, equipped with necessary storage modules for storing control instructions, and can run based on languages such as C / C++ / JAVA.
[0027] Currently, some water dispensers, when users need to continuously dispense a large amount of hot water, cannot continuously cool the water due to the limited capacity of the chiller, thus failing to generate enough heat to heat the water. This results in users not receiving the expected amount of hot water, affecting the user experience.
[0028] Example 1
[0029] Reference Figure 1 This utility model, in its first embodiment, illustrates a drinking water device 100, including a cooling unit 10, a cold water path 30, a hot water path 50, and an auxiliary pump module 70. The cooling unit 10 is used to lower the water temperature in the cold water path 30. This cooling unit 10 includes a cooling module 12a and a heating module 12b. During operation, the cooling module 12a absorbs heat to achieve cooling, while the heat generated during cooling is dissipated through the heating module 12b, ensuring the continuous and stable operation of the cooling unit 10. The cold water path 30 is thermally connected to the cooling module 12a, which absorbs heat from the water in the cold water path 30. The hot water path 50 is thermally connected to the heating module 12b, whereby the water absorbs heat generated by the heating module 12b, thus producing water at a relatively high temperature (hereinafter referred to as hot water). The water in both the cold water path 30 and the hot water path 50 originates from the inlet 104. When the user drinks, cold water is discharged through the cold water outlet 101, and hot water is discharged through the hot water outlet 102. Of course, in another implementation, this hot or cold water can also be discharged through a wastewater outlet (not shown in the figure). For example, if the hot or cold water has been stored for too long, it can be discharged through the wastewater outlet to be prepared again.
[0030] The hot water path 50 contacts the cooling module 12a via the auxiliary pump module 70, pumping water from the hot water path 50 to the cooling module 12a. Since the hot water in the hot water path 50 is relatively hot, absorbing heat from the heating module 12b, the hot water, after being pumped by the auxiliary pump module 70, comes into contact with the cooling module 12a, causing the temperature of the cooling module 12a to rise. The heated cooling module 12a therefore needs to increase its cooling power to dissipate more heat from the heating module 12b. This allows for the production of more or hotter hot water. The water heated by the cooling module 12a can be directly discharged from the drinking water equipment 100 through the wastewater outlet 103.
[0031] There are several ways in which the hot water path 50 contacts the cooling module 12a. For example, the cooling module 12a may have hollow channels inside, and the water from the hot water path 50 may be directly pumped into these channels by the auxiliary pump module 70, and then discharged through the wastewater outlet 103. Alternatively, the drinking water device 100 may have a pipe connected to the wastewater outlet 103, and part of the cooling module 12a may be housed within this pipe. The water from the hot water path 50 may be pumped by the auxiliary pump module 70 into this pipe to contact the portion of the heating module 12b, and then discharged into the wastewater outlet 103. Of course, there are other implementation methods, which will not be elaborated on here.
[0032] The cold water path 30 or the hot water path 50 is defined by physical components such as housings and / or pipes installed within the drinking water equipment 100. Specifically, cavities are formed within the housings, and channels are formed within the pipes. Through combinations between spaces within the housings, between housings, between housings and pipes, and between pipes, flow paths are formed within cavities, between cavities, between cavities and channels, and between channels. These flow paths constitute the cold water path 30 or the hot water path 50. In actual implementations, the housings and / or pipes constituting the cold water path 30 or the hot water path 50 can have different combinations, and the specific physical components can also have different structural designs. However, for the purposes of this invention, the specific structural design and / or combination schemes of these physical components are not the focus of this invention. It should also be understood that, under the inventive concept of this utility model, regardless of the specific structural design and / or combination scheme of these physical components such as boxes and / or pipes, the cold water circuit 30 or hot water circuit 50 formed therefrom are all within the inventive concept of this utility model.
[0033] The drinking water device 100 may also include a hot water tank 52 through which the hot water path 50 flows. This allows for a larger volume of water to be stored in the hot water tank 52, which in turn facilitates the dissipation of heat generated by the heating module 12b, thereby improving heat dissipation. It should be noted that in other embodiments, the hot water path 50 may consist solely of a pipe, through which hot water is discharged via the hot water outlet 102.
[0034] The heating module 12b is thermally connected to the hot water tank 52 by at least partially contacting the water therein, so that the heat emitted by the heating module 12b is absorbed by the water in the hot water tank 52. For example, the heating module 12b extends at least partially into the hot water tank 52 and is in contact with the water stored therein. However, it should be understood that the heating module 12b can also be in close contact with the hot water tank 52 to dissipate heat from the water passing through it. The part of the hot water tank 52 in close contact with the heating module 12b is made of a material with high thermal conductivity, such as aluminum alloy or stainless steel, to ensure that the heat from the heating module 12b can be quickly transferred to the interior of the hot water tank 52. The aforementioned close contact can be that the cooling module 12a directly contacts the cold water tank 32, or it can be that a thermally conductive material, such as thermally conductive silicone, is applied between the heating module 12b and the cold water tank 32 to further facilitate contact between the two.
[0035] The cooling unit 10 may include a thermoelectric cooler 12, which includes the cooling module 12a and the heating module 12b. The thermoelectric cooler can rapidly respond to changes in current, achieving rapid cooling. Furthermore, the thermoelectric cooler has a compact structure, small size, and light weight, making it a preferred material for the cooling component 22. Of course, in other embodiments, the cooling unit 10 may also achieve cooling in other ways, such as through methods known in the field of refrigeration, such as using a compressor.
[0036] Example 2
[0037] Please combine Figure 2This utility model provides a drinking water device 100b, including a cooling unit 10, a cold water path 30, a hot water path 50, and an auxiliary pump module 70. The cooling unit 10 includes a cooling module 12a and a heating module 12b. The cooling unit 10 may also include a thermoelectric cooler 12, which is equipped with the cooling module 12a and the heating module 12b. The cold water path 30 is thermally connected to the cooling module 12a, allowing the cooling module 12a to absorb heat from the water in the cold water path 30. The hot water path 50 is thermally connected to the heating module 12b, allowing the water in the hot water path 50 to absorb heat generated by the heating module 12b to prepare hot water. The water in both the cold water path 30 and the hot water path 50 can originate from the inlet 104. When a user needs to drink, cold water can be obtained by discharging through the cold water outlet 101, and hot water can be obtained by discharging through the hot water outlet 102.
[0038] The drinking water device 100 may further include a cold water tank 32 through which the cold water path 30 flows. Thus, the prepared cold water can be at least partially stored in the cold water tank 32. Since the cold water tank 32 can store a relatively large amount of cold water, a large quantity of cold water can be discharged at once through the cold water outlet 101 when needed. It should be noted that in other embodiments, the cold water path 30 may consist solely of a pipe, in which case the pipe discharges cold water through the cold water outlet 101.
[0039] The cooling module 12a is thermally connected to the cold water tank 32 by at least partially contacting the water within it, thereby absorbing heat from the water. For example, the cooling module 12a may extend at least partially into the cold water tank 32 and contact the water stored therein. However, it should be understood that the cooling module 12a may also be in close contact with the cold water tank 32 to absorb heat from the water passing through it, thus producing cold water. The portion of the cold water tank 32 in contact with the cooling module 12a is made of a highly thermally conductive material, such as aluminum alloy or stainless steel, to ensure that the heat absorption capacity of the cooling module 12a can be quickly and effectively transferred to the interior of the cold water tank 32. Simultaneously, the surface of the cold water tank 32 may undergo special heat insulation treatment to reduce the impact of external heat on the cold water and maintain its low temperature. This heat insulation treatment may involve wrapping with multiple layers of composite materials or coating the outer wall of the cold water tank 32 with a highly reflective heat-insulating coating to effectively reflect external heat and reduce heat transfer efficiency. The aforementioned close contact can be either the cooling module 12a directly contacting the cold water tank 32, or a thermally conductive material, such as thermally conductive silicone, can be applied between the cooling module 12a and the cold water tank 32 to facilitate contact between the two.
[0040] The cold water tank 32 contains only a cooling zone 32a directly connected to the cooling module 12a via thermal conductivity. The hot water path 30 is connected to the cooling zone 32a via the auxiliary pump module 70. That is, the cold water tank 32 contains only a single cavity, which constitutes the cooling zone 32a. When the hot water in the hot water path 30 is directly pumped into the cooling zone 32a by the auxiliary pump module 70, it mixes with the cold water in the cooling zone 32a, thereby raising the water temperature in the cooling zone 32a. To lower the water temperature in the cooling zone, the cooling module 12a needs to increase its cooling power, thus dissipating more heat from the heating module 12b. In this way, more or hotter hot water can be produced.
[0041] The drinking water device 100 may also include a control module 90. Before the auxiliary pump module 70 pumps hot water into the cold water tank 32, the control module 90 controls the cold water tank 32 to discharge at least a portion of the water in the cold water tank 32 into the cold water path 30, for example, through the wastewater outlet 103b. Thus, because at least a portion of the relatively low-temperature water in the cold water path 30 is discharged in advance, the temperature of the water in the cold water path 30 can be raised even higher after the hot water in the hot water path 50 enters the cold water path 30, thereby further increasing the cooling demand and improving the heating effect.
[0042] Example 3
[0043] Please combine Figure 3 This utility model provides a drinking water device 100c, including a cooling unit 10, a cold water path 30, a hot water path 50, and an auxiliary pump module 70. The cooling unit 10 includes a thermoelectric cooler 12, which includes a cooling module 12a and a heating module 12b. The cold water path 30 is thermally connected to the cooling module 12a, allowing the cooling module 12a to absorb heat from the water in the cold water path 30. The hot water path 50 is thermally connected to the heating module 12b, allowing the water in the hot water path 50 to absorb heat generated by the heating module 12b to prepare hot water. The water in both the cold water path 30 and the hot water path 50 can originate from the inlet 104. When a user needs to drink, cold water can be obtained by discharging through the cold water outlet 101, and hot water can be obtained by discharging through the hot water outlet 102. The cooling unit 10 may also include a heat exchange component 14, which is thermally connected to the heating module 12b to aid in heat dissipation.
[0044] The drinking water device 100 may further include a cold water tank 32 through which the cold water path 30 flows. The cooling module 12a is thermally connected to the cold water tank 32 by at least partially contacting the water in the cold water tank 32, so that the cooling module 12a absorbs the heat of the water in the cold water tank 32. The thermal connection method between the cooling module 12a and the cold water tank 32, as well as the material of the cold water tank 32, can be the same as described in Embodiment 2, and will not be repeated here. The cold water tank 32 is divided into a cooling zone 32a that is directly thermally connected to the cooling module 12a and a cold storage zone 32b that is controllably connected to the cooling zone 32a. The hot water path 30 is connected to the cooling zone 32a through the auxiliary pump module 70. That is, the cold water tank 32 is divided into two chambers: a cooling zone 32a and a cold storage zone 32b. These two chambers are thermally insulated from each other, for example, by separating them with a reflective heat insulation plate 33 or by separating them with air. After the cooling module 12a cools the water in the cooling zone 32a, the prepared cold water is pumped by the cold water pump 34 to the cold storage zone 32b for storage, for user use. Since there is less water in the cooling zone 32a, the water in the hot water circuit 30, after being pumped to the cooling zone 32a by the auxiliary pump module 70, will not mix with the cold water in the cold storage zone 32b, thus the effect of raising the temperature of the mixed water is more obvious. At this time, the cooling module 12a will need to continue or increase its power to cool, thereby dissipating more heat, and thus producing more or hotter hot water.
[0045] The drinking water device 100 may also include a control module 90c. Before the auxiliary pump module 70 pumps hot water into the cold water tank 32, the control module 90 controls the discharge of at least a portion of the water stored in the cooling zone 32a from the cold water path 30, for example, through the wastewater outlet 103c. Thus, because at least a portion of the cold water in the cooling zone 32a is discharged in advance, the temperature of the water in the cold water path 30 can be raised higher after the hot water in the hot water path 50 enters the cold water path 30, thereby further increasing the cooling demand and improving the heating effect.
[0046] The auxiliary pump module 70 can employ a high-efficiency, low-noise miniature water pump, capable of precisely controlling water flow rate and velocity. The pump can be driven by a brushless DC motor, which not only extends its lifespan but also reduces energy consumption. The auxiliary pump module 70 is installed at the connection point between the hot water circuit 50 and the cold water circuit 30. An intelligent controller adjusts the pumping power according to the system's actual needs, ensuring a stable and efficient delivery of hot water to the cold water circuit 30.
[0047] As can be seen from Embodiments 2 and 3, whether the cold water circuit 30 is connected to the cold water tank 32 through a single-chamber cooling zone 32a or through a multi-chamber connection, its essence is to connect to the cold water circuit 50, so as to pump water from the hot water circuit 30 to the cold water circuit 50, thereby increasing the heat output. It should be noted that, in addition to being pumped separately to the cold water circuit 50, the water in the hot water circuit 30 can also be simultaneously pumped to the cooling module 12a, that is, to simultaneously perform Embodiment 1.
[0048] According to the drinking water equipment of the above embodiment, the water in the hot water circuit is at a higher temperature because it is thermally connected to the heating module. After the water at a higher temperature is pumped to the cold water circuit and / or the cooling module by the auxiliary pump module, the temperature of the water in the cold water circuit used to be cooled by the cooling module and / or the cooling module is increased, thereby enabling the cooling unit to continuously or even increase its power to cool, thereby generating more heat and improving the heating capacity.
[0049] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present utility model and does not limit the patent scope of the present utility model. All equivalent structural transformations made under the inventive concept of the present utility model using the contents of the present utility model specification and drawings, or direct / indirect applications in other related technical fields, are included within the patent protection scope of the present utility model.
Claims
1. A drinking water device, comprising a cold water circuit and a cooling unit having a cooling module and a heating module, characterized in that, The drinking water equipment also includes a hot water circuit and an auxiliary pump module; The cold water circuit is thermally connected to the cooling module so that the cooling module absorbs the heat of the water located in the cold water circuit; The hot water circuit is thermally connected to the heating module so that the water in the hot water circuit absorbs the heat generated by the heating module to prepare hot water; The hot water circuit is connected to the cold water circuit and / or contacts the cooling module through the auxiliary pump module, so as to pump the water in the hot water circuit to the cold water circuit and / or the cooling module.
2. The drinking water equipment as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The cooling unit includes a semiconductor heat exchanger, which includes the cooling module and the heating module.
3. The drinking water equipment as described in claim 2, characterized in that, It also includes a cold water tank; the cold water path flows through the cold water tank, and the cooling module is thermally connected to the cold water tank.
4. The drinking water equipment as described in claim 3, characterized in that, The cooling module is thermally connected to the cold water tank by at least partial contact with the water in the cold water tank, so that the cooling module directly absorbs the heat of the water in the cold water tank.
5. The drinking water equipment as described in claim 3, characterized in that, The cold water tank is divided into a cooling zone that is directly thermally connected to the cooling module and a cold storage zone that is controllably connected to the cooling zone. The hot water circuit is connected to the cooling zone through the auxiliary pump module.
6. The drinking water equipment as described in claim 5, characterized in that, It also includes a control module; before the auxiliary pump module pumps water into the cooling zone, the control module controls at least a portion of the water in the cooling zone to be discharged from the cold water path.
7. The drinking water equipment as described in claim 2, characterized in that, It also includes a hot water tank; the hot water flow passes through the hot water tank.
8. The drinking water equipment as described in claim 7, characterized in that, The cooling unit also includes a heat exchange component that is thermally connected to the heating module to help dissipate heat; the heat exchange component has a heat dissipation channel through which the hot water flows.
9. The drinking water equipment as described in claim 3, characterized in that, The cold water tank contains only a cooling zone that is directly thermally connected to the cooling module, and the hot water circuit is connected to the cooling zone through the auxiliary pump module.
10. The drinking water equipment as described in claim 9, characterized in that, It also includes a control module; before the auxiliary pump module pumps water into the cold storage chamber, the control module controls the cold water tank to discharge at least part of the water located in the cooling zone from the cold water path.