Sensing device and water heater

Abstract

This application relates to a sensing device and a water heater. The sensing device includes: a rod body erected inside the cavity of an appliance, the bottom of the rod body being connected to the appliance, and liquid being present inside the cavity to form a liquid surface; a buoyancy member slidably connected to the rod body, capable of moving along the rod body following the liquid surface; and a sensing element disposed at the top of the rod body, the sensing element being able to sense the buoyancy member when it rises to a preset height, and outputting a feedback signal. In this application, the buoyancy member rises and falls synchronously with the liquid surface based on density difference, and its position change directly reflects the liquid level. By sensing the position of the buoyancy member, the start and stop of the appliance can be controlled according to the liquid level inside the appliance, effectively preventing dry burning, extending the life of the heating element, and reducing maintenance and energy costs.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of detection technology, and in particular to sensing devices and water heaters. Background Technology

[0002] A water heater is a device that heats water using energy sources such as electricity, gas, solar energy, or air source heat pumps. Its core function is to provide a stable supply of hot water for homes or industries. Based on the energy type and heating method, water heaters can be categorized into electric water heaters, gas water heaters, solar water heaters, and air source heat pump water heaters. Electric water heaters, in particular, convert electrical energy into heat energy through heating elements (usually made of metal) to heat the water stored in the inner tank.

[0003] When the water level is insufficient, the heating element is prone to dry burning if heating is started. Current methods typically use a thermostat for monitoring, usually located in a blind tube near the heating element. When the temperature exceeds a preset value, it indicates the heating element is in an abnormal heating state, the thermostat disconnects, and heating stops. The main drawback of this method is that there is a distance between the blind tube and the heating element, and heat takes time to transfer through the air to the temperature sensing element. This results in a lag in detection and power-off. By this time, the heating element may have already dry-burned, albeit not severely, and heating has not yet stopped. Therefore, this lag can damage the heating element and reduce the lifespan of the appliance. Utility Model Content

[0004] Therefore, it is necessary to provide a highly secure and timely sensing device and water heater to address the aforementioned technical problems.

[0005] On one hand, this application provides a sensing device, the sensing device comprising:

[0006] A rod body is used to be installed inside the cavity of an electrical appliance, the bottom of the rod body is connected to the electrical appliance, and the cavity is filled with liquid to form a liquid surface;

[0007] A buoyancy component is slidably connected to the rod, and the buoyancy component can move along the rod following the liquid surface; and

[0008] A sensing element is disposed at the top of the rod. The sensing element is used to sense the buoyancy component when the buoyancy component rises to a preset height, so as to output a feedback signal.

[0009] In the aforementioned sensing device, when the appliance is an electric water heater, the buoyancy component rises and falls synchronously with the liquid level. Its positional change directly reflects the liquid level. When the buoyancy component rises to a preset height, the sensing element outputs a feedback signal. The electric water heater can then control whether the heating element starts heating based on this feedback signal. It can be understood that when the buoyancy component rises to the preset height, the liquid level in the electric water heater submerges the heating element. At this point, controlling the heating element to start heating prevents it from dry-burning. By sensing the position of the buoyancy component, the starting and stopping of the heating element can be controlled according to the liquid level in the appliance. The detection process is faster and more timely, effectively preventing the heating element from dry-burning and improving safety. This utility model provides a hardware device that, when applied to an electric water heater, can effectively prevent the heating element from dry-burning.

[0010] In one embodiment, the sensing element is a magnetic sensing element, and the buoyancy member has a magnetic part inside.

[0011] In one embodiment, a heating tube is provided inside the cavity, and the ratio of the preset height to the height of the heating tube is 1-1.2.

[0012] In one embodiment, the rod includes a main body and a top cap, the buoyancy member is slidably connected to the main body, the top cap is detachably connected to the main body, and the sensing element is disposed inside the top cap.

[0013] In one embodiment, the top cap has a mounting cavity for mounting the sensing element, and a sealing layer is provided inside the mounting cavity and between the top cap and the main body.

[0014] In one embodiment, the main body includes a rod and a seat, the diameter of the seat being larger than the diameter of the rod, and the buoyancy member being slidably connected to the rod.

[0015] In one embodiment, the main body has a wire passage cavity at its center, and the wire passage cavity is provided with a line connecting the sensing element. The wire passage cavity is connected to the drain port of the electrical appliance.

[0016] In one embodiment, the bottom of the rod is detachably connected to the electrical appliance, and the rod is perpendicular to the surface connected to the electrical appliance.

[0017] In one embodiment, the electrical appliance is provided with a drain outlet and a plug, the rod is inserted through the drain outlet, the plug is connected to the bottom end of the rod, and a sealing gasket is provided between the rod and the plug.

[0018] On one hand, this application provides a water heater, including:

[0019] Inner liner;

[0020] Heating element installed in the inner tank; and

[0021] The aforementioned sensing device is located within the inner liner, and the height of the sensing element of the sensing device is higher than or equal to the height of the heating tube.

[0022] The aforementioned water heater, by incorporating the aforementioned sensing device, can effectively prevent dry burning, extend the lifespan of the heating element, and reduce maintenance and energy costs. Attached Figure Description

[0023] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the inner liner and sensing device in one embodiment of this application.

[0024] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a sensing device in one embodiment of this application.

[0025] Figure 3 This is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of a sensing device according to an embodiment of this application.

[0026] Figure 4 for Figure 1 A magnified view of the structure at point A in the middle.

[0027] Explanation of icon numbers:

[0028] 1. Inner liner; 2. Cavity; 3. Drain outlet; 4. Plug; 41. Annular edge; 100. Sensing device; 110. Rod; 111. Main body; 1111. Rod section; 1112. Seat section; 112. Top cap; 1121. Platform section; 1122. Mounting cavity; 113. Wire passage cavity; 114. Round hole; 115. Sealing gasket; 120. Buoyancy component; 121. Magnetic part; 130. Sensing element. Detailed Implementation

[0029] 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.

[0030] 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.

[0031] 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.

[0032] 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.

[0033] 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.

[0034] 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.

[0035] See Figure 2-4 , Figure 2-4 A schematic diagram of a sensing device 100 according to an embodiment of this application is shown. The sensing device 100 provided in this embodiment includes a rod 110, a buoyancy member 120, and a sensing element 130. The rod 110 is disposed within the cavity 2 of an electrical appliance, with its bottom connected to the appliance. Liquid is disposed within the cavity 2 to form a liquid surface. The buoyancy member 120 is slidably connected to the rod 110 and can move along the rod 110 following the liquid surface. The sensing element 130 is disposed at the top of the rod 110. When the buoyancy member 120 rises to a preset height, the sensing element 130 can sense the buoyancy member and output a feedback signal.

[0036] See Figure 1 As shown, this application also provides a water heater (not shown), which includes: an inner tank 1, a heating element disposed in the inner tank 1 and the aforementioned sensing device 100. The sensing device 100 is disposed in the inner tank 1, and the height of the sensing element 130 of the sensing device is higher than or equal to the height of the heating element. In this embodiment, the height of the sensing element 130 of the sensing device is higher than the height of the heating element.

[0037] In the aforementioned sensing device 100 and water heater, when the appliance is an electric water heater, the buoyancy element 120 rises and falls synchronously with the liquid level. Its position change directly reflects the liquid level height. When the buoyancy element 120 rises to a preset height, the sensing element 130 outputs a feedback signal. The electric water heater can control whether the heating element starts heating based on this feedback signal. It can be understood that when the buoyancy element 120 rises to the preset height, the liquid level inside the electric water heater submerges the heating element. At this time, controlling the heating element to start heating prevents dry burning. By sensing the position of the buoyancy element 120, the start and stop of the appliance can be controlled according to the liquid level inside the appliance. The detection process is faster and more timely, effectively preventing the heating element from dry burning.

[0038] In one embodiment, the sensing element 130 is a magnetic sensing element 130, and the buoyancy member 120 has a magnetic part 121 inside. Specifically, the magnetic sensing element 130 is a sensor that converts changes in magnetic field into electrical signals. Its core principle is based on the interaction between the magnetic field and the material. The magnetic sensing element 130 can be a Hall effect sensor or a magnetoresistive sensor. After the magnetic part 121 inside the buoyancy member 120 reaches a certain position, the magnetic sensing element 130 can sense the change in magnetic field. When the magnetic field strength reaches a certain value, it can be determined that the distance of the buoyancy member 120 has reached a preset height, and then the sensed magnetic field is converted into a signal and transmitted to the controller of the electrical appliance.

[0039] Furthermore, the buoyancy component 120 is a hollow sphere or cylinder, with the hollow portion for the rod 110 to pass through. The solid portion of the buoyancy component 120 is provided with a magnetic part 121, which is a magnetic material, such as a magnet, embedded within the buoyancy component 120. The magnetic part 121 is axially symmetrical with respect to the rod 110 to avoid the influence of mass displacement on the movement of the buoyancy component 120. The material of the buoyancy component 120 can be polypropylene (PP), polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF), stainless steel (304 / 316L), titanium alloy (Ti-6Al-4V), glass fiber reinforced plastic (GFRP), carbon fiber composite material (CFRP), foam silicone, etc.

[0040] In one embodiment, the cavity 2 is provided with a heating tube (not shown), and the ratio of the preset height to the height of the heating tube is 1-1.2.

[0041] Specifically, if the appliance is a water heater, especially an electric water heater, then cavity 2 is the cavity 2 inside the inner tank 1. The heating element is located inside the inner tank 1, and has a certain height relative to the bottom of the rod 110 and the surface where it connects to the appliance (defined as the bottom wall of the inner tank 1). When the liquid level reaches the height of the heating element, the sensing element 130 can provide a feedback signal to start the heating element. Before this, the liquid level can be maintained at least above the height of the heating element to avoid dry burning. The sensing element 130 can provide a feedback signal to start the heating element.

[0042] Furthermore, the water heater includes a controller (not shown), which is mainly used to receive feedback signals and control the heating element to turn on and off. The heating element extends into the inner tank 1 to heat the water. In this embodiment, in order to improve the water heating efficiency, the heating element can be set to a spiral or serpentine shape, thereby increasing the contact area between the heating element and the water.

[0043] In one embodiment, the rod 110 includes a main body 111 and a top cap 112, the buoyancy member 120 is slidably connected to the main body 111, the top cap 112 is detachably connected to the main body 111, and the sensing element 130 is disposed inside the top cap 112.

[0044] Specifically, the main body 111 is rod-shaped, with its bottom connected to the bottom wall of the inner liner 1, and a top cap 112 on its top. The top cap 112 may be threaded and detachably connected to the top of the main body 111 via the thread, or the top cap 112 may be snap-fitted and detachably connected to the top of the main body 111 via the snap-fit.

[0045] In one embodiment, the top cap 112 is provided with a mounting cavity 1122 for mounting the sensing element 130, and a sealing layer is provided inside the mounting cavity 1122 and between the top cap 112 and the main body 111.

[0046] Specifically, the sealing layer is an adhesive sealing layer. After the sensing element 130 is positioned in the mounting cavity 1122, the adhesive sealing layer encloses and fills the mounting cavity 1122, achieving a sealing and connection effect. When the top cap 112 is connected to the main body 111, an adhesive sealing layer is placed in the gap between the top cap 112 and the main body 111 to strengthen the connection and achieve a seal. Preferably, the adhesive sealing layer can be one or more of silicone sealant, polyurethane sealant, acrylic sealant, butyl rubber sealant, epoxy resin sealant, and neoprene rubber sealant. The adhesive sealing layer can be a hot-melt material, allowing for separation and disassembly of the top cap 112 from the main body 111 and the sensing element 130 from the top cap 112 through heating.

[0047] Furthermore, the top cap 112 is T-shaped and includes a platform 1121 located on the side of the top cap 112 away from the main body 111. The platform 1121 is formed as the upper part of the T-shape, and the mounting cavity 1122 is located in the lower middle part of the T-shape, so that the sensing element 130 is located in the lower middle part of the T-shape.

[0048] In one embodiment, the main body 111 includes a rod portion 1111 and a seat portion 1112, the diameter of the seat portion 1112 being larger than the diameter of the rod portion 1111, and the buoyancy member 120 being slidably connected to the rod portion 1111.

[0049] Specifically, the rod portion 1111 defines most of the movement path of the buoyancy member 120. Since the diameter of the base portion is larger than the diameter of the rod portion 1111, a stepped surface is formed between the base portion 1112 and the rod portion 1111. This stepped surface defines the lower limit position of the movement of the buoyancy member 120. The position from the top of the rod 110 to the stepped surface accounts for less than 70% of the length of the rod 110. The lower middle part of the T-shaped cap 112 has the same diameter as the rod portion 1111, and the platform portion 1121 of the T-shaped cap 112 defines the upper limit position of the movement of the buoyancy member 120. The movement path of the buoyancy member 120 is formed between the platform portion 1121 of the T-shaped cap 112 and the stepped surface.

[0050] In one embodiment, the main body 111 has a wire passage cavity 113 at its center, and the wire passage cavity 113 is provided with a line connecting the sensing element 130. The wire passage cavity 113 is connected to the drain port 3 of the electrical appliance.

[0051] The wiring cavity 113 makes the main body 111 hollow. The wiring cavity 113 is arranged along the central axis of the main body 111, so that the central axis of the wiring cavity 113 coincides with the central axis of the main body 111. The wiring cavity 113 communicates with the mounting cavity 1122. The sensing element 130 is connected to the controller of the electrical appliance through a wire. The wire starts from the mounting cavity 1122 of the top cap 112, enters the wiring cavity 113, and is led out from the inner liner 1 through the drain port 3 to connect to the controller. Preferably, the main body 111 itself includes a shielding material, or the wiring cavity 113 is provided with a coating of shielding material to avoid signal interference to the circuit when the buoyancy member 120 with magnetic part 121 moves along the rod 110.

[0052] Specifically, the bottom of the rod 110 is directly connected to the drain outlet 3, thus connecting the cable passage cavity 113 to the drain outlet 3. Understandably, the cable passage cavity 113 can be connected to the drain outlet 3 via other pipes.

[0053] In one embodiment, the bottom of the rod 110 is detachably connected to the electrical appliance, and the rod 110 is perpendicular to the surface connected to the electrical appliance. Specifically, the bottom of the rod 110 is detachably connected to the bottom wall of the inner liner 1, and the rod 110 is perpendicular to the bottom wall of the inner liner 1. The detachable connection between the rod 110 and the bottom wall of the inner liner 1 can be achieved, for example, by providing an external thread at the bottom of the rod 110 and a threaded hole on the bottom wall of the inner liner 1.

[0054] In one embodiment, the electrical appliance is provided with a drain outlet 3 and a plug 4, the rod body 110 passes through the drain outlet 3, the plug 4 is connected to the bottom end of the rod body 110, and a sealing gasket 115 is provided between the rod body 110 and the plug 4.

[0055] Specifically, the drain outlet 3 includes a portion extending outward from the bottom wall of the inner liner 1, the bottom of the rod 110 passing through the bottom wall of the inner liner 1, and the edge of the bottom of the rod 110 being flush with the outer edge of the drain outlet 3. A plug 4 is disposed at the outer edge of the drain outlet 3 to seal the edge of the bottom of the rod 110 and the drain outlet 3 together.

[0056] like Figure 4 As shown, furthermore, the bottom of the rod 110 is provided with an open circular hole 114, which communicates with the wire passage cavity 113. The diameter of the circular hole 114 is larger than the diameter of the wire passage cavity 113, so that a step is formed between the circular hole 114 and the wire passage cavity 113. The plug 4 includes two layers of annular edges 41. The outer annular edge 41 is fitted outside the outer edge of the drain port 3 and is detachably connected to the drain port 3, for example, by a threaded connection. The inner annular edge 41 abuts against the step and is detachably connected to the inside of the rod 110, for example, by a threaded connection. A sealing gasket 115 is provided between the inner annular edge 41 of the plug 4 and the step.

[0057] The water heater provided in this embodiment is an electric water heater. Exemplarily, the electric water heater also includes a shell, with an insulation layer disposed at the gap between the shell and the inner tank 1 to prevent heat loss from the inner tank 1. Common insulation materials for the insulation layer include asbestos, sponge, foam plastic, and polyurethane foam. In conventional technology, foaming is typically used to form the insulation layer to achieve good insulation performance. Exemplarily, the shell also includes a display device for displaying the water heater's temperature, operating status, etc. Exemplarily, the shell also includes an operating interface for the user to adjust the controller to change the required settings of relevant sensors (such as water temperature sensor and flow sensor), and for the user to directly control the start or stop of the heating element. Exemplarily, the outer shell of the electric water heater is generally made of plastic to meet the design requirements of aesthetics and diversity.

[0058] 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.

[0059] 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 sensing device, characterized in that, The sensing device (100) includes: A rod (110) is used to be installed in the cavity (2) of an electrical appliance. The bottom of the rod (110) is connected to the electrical appliance. The cavity (2) is filled with liquid to form a liquid surface. A buoyancy element (120) is slidably connected to the rod (110), and the buoyancy element (120) can move along the rod (110) following the liquid surface; and A sensing element (130) is disposed at the top of the rod (110). The sensing element (130) is used to sense the buoyancy member (120) when the buoyancy member (120) rises to a preset height, so as to output a feedback signal.

2. The sensing device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The sensing element (130) is a magnetic sensing element (130), and the buoyancy member (120) is provided with a magnetic part (121).

3. The sensing device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The cavity (2) is equipped with a heating tube, and the ratio of the preset height to the height of the heating tube is 1-1.

2.

4. The sensing device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The rod (110) includes a main body (111) and a top cap (112). The buoyancy component (120) is slidably connected to the main body (111), and the top cap (112) is detachably connected to the main body (111). The sensing element (130) is disposed inside the top cap (112).

5. The sensing device according to claim 4, characterized in that, The top cap (112) is provided with a mounting cavity (1122) for mounting the sensing element (130), and a sealing layer is provided inside the mounting cavity (1122) and between the top cap (112) and the main body (111).

6. The sensing device according to claim 4, characterized in that, The main body (111) includes a rod (1111) and a seat (1112), the diameter of the seat (1112) is larger than the diameter of the rod (1111), and the buoyancy member (120) is slidably connected to the rod (1111).

7. The sensing device according to claim 4, characterized in that, The main body (111) has a wire passage cavity (113) at its center. The wire passage cavity (113) is provided with a line connecting the sensing element (130). The wire passage cavity (113) is connected to the drain port (3) of the electrical appliance.

8. The sensing device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The bottom of the rod (110) is detachably connected to the electrical appliance, and the rod (110) is perpendicular to the surface connected to the electrical appliance.

9. The sensing device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The electrical appliance is provided with a drain outlet (3) and a plug (4). The rod (110) passes through the drain outlet (3). The plug (4) is connected to the bottom end of the rod (110). A sealing gasket (115) is provided between the rod (110) and the plug (4).

10. A water heater, characterized in that, include: Inner liner (1); Heating tubes are installed in the inner liner (1); and The sensing device (100) according to any one of claims 1-9, wherein the sensing device (100) is disposed in the inner liner (1), and the height of the sensing element (130) of the sensing device (100) is higher than or equal to the height of the heating tube.

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