A gas water heater and a water inflow regulating valve thereof

Abstract

The utility model discloses a kind of gas water heater and its water inlet flow regulating valve, water inlet flow regulating valve includes valve body, valve body is equipped with water inlet and water outlet, with valve cavity intercommunication, water inlet is provided with water flow monitoring device, including vortex tube subassembly and hall sensor, vortex tube subassembly is set on the inner wall of water inlet, hall sensor is fixedly installed on the outer wall of valve body;Temperature sensor is fixedly installed on valve body, and its temperature sensing probe is inserted into the inside of valve cavity.The water inlet flow regulating valve integrated of the utility model water flow monitoring device and temperature sensor, constitute flow and temperature double parameter sensing system, by simultaneously collecting water inlet flow and water inlet temperature signal, synergic regulation gas supply, improve the combustion efficiency and energy-saving level of gas water heater.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of gas water heater technology, specifically to a gas water heater and its inlet flow regulating valve. Background Technology

[0002] A gas water heater's inlet flow regulating valve is used to automatically adjust the inlet water flow according to changes in external water demand. Chinese utility model patent CN 211693540 U discloses a water regulating device and a gas water heater, in which a flow detection component is installed at the inlet inside the casing. By detecting the inlet water flow in real time, it controls the action of a solenoid valve, achieving precise adjustment of the outlet water flow. However, the above solution only meets comfort requirements. The current development trend of gas water heaters has shifted towards energy saving and high efficiency. For example, the inlet water temperature differs in summer and winter, and the above solution does not coordinate the gas supply control according to different inlet water temperatures and flow rates, thus lacking in energy saving and efficiency. Utility Model Content

[0003] To address the aforementioned deficiencies, the technical problem to be solved by this utility model is to provide a gas water heater and its inlet flow regulating valve, so as to solve the problems of insufficient energy saving and high efficiency in the existing technology.

[0004] Therefore, this application proposes an inlet flow regulating valve for a gas water heater, including a valve body, wherein the valve body has an inlet and an outlet arranged perpendicularly to each other, the inlet and the outlet communicating with a valve cavity, and one end of the valve body opposite to the outlet is open, forming an open end, and a servo motor is fixedly installed on the outer end face of the open end, and further includes:

[0005] A water flow monitoring device includes a vortex tube assembly and a Hall sensor used in conjunction with the vortex tube assembly. The vortex tube assembly is disposed on the inner wall of the water inlet, and the Hall sensor is fixedly installed on the outer wall of the valve body.

[0006] A temperature sensor is fixed on the valve body, and the temperature sensor probe extends into the valve cavity.

[0007] Based on the above technical solution, this utility model integrates a water flow monitoring device and a temperature sensor to form a dual-parameter sensing system for flow and temperature. By simultaneously collecting inlet water flow and inlet water temperature signals, it coordinates and adjusts the gas supply, significantly improving the combustion efficiency and energy-saving level of the gas water heater.

[0008] In a preferred embodiment, the vortex tube assembly is mounted on the inner wall of the inlet via a positioning retaining ring. The inner wall of the inlet of the valve body includes, from bottom to top, an inlet portion, a positioning portion, a mating portion, and a limiting portion. The diameters of the inlet portion, the positioning portion, the mating portion, and the limiting portion decrease sequentially. An annular groove is provided in the middle of the inner wall of the positioning portion. The vortex tube assembly is mounted on the mating portion, and its upper end is limited by the limiting portion. The positioning retaining ring is mounted in the annular groove to support the lower end of the vortex tube assembly.

[0009] Furthermore, the positioning ring includes a sleeve, the upper end of the inner wall of the sleeve is provided with an annular flange, and the inner wall of the annular flange is symmetrically provided with a plurality of semi-circular notches; the outer wall of the positioning ring is frustoconical from bottom to top, and the upper end is provided with a rounded corner structure, and the bottom of the vortex assembly is supported on the annular flange.

[0010] In a preferred embodiment of the above technical solution, the height of the annular groove is greater than the height of the positioning ring.

[0011] In the above technical solution, preferably, a valve sleeve is provided inside the valve cavity, the output shaft of the servo motor is connected to a transmission mechanism, the transmission mechanism includes a transmission shaft and a shaft seat, the shaft seat is fixedly provided at the open end, the transmission shaft and the shaft seat are threadedly engaged to form a threaded transmission pair, the valve sleeve is in the shape of a circular sleeve, and an inner chamfer is provided on the end face away from the outlet, the transmission shaft is provided with an annular shoulder, and an outer chamfer matching the inner chamfer is provided on the side of the annular shoulder facing the valve sleeve.

[0012] In the above technical solution, preferably, the valve sleeve is circular with a guide sleeve at its center. The guide sleeve is connected and fixed to the inner wall of the valve sleeve through a strip-shaped rib to form a flow channel. The end of the drive shaft facing the outlet is provided with a guide shaft, which is slidably fitted inside the guide sleeve.

[0013] Furthermore, a first sealing ring is provided between the bearing seat and the inner wall of the open end.

[0014] In the above technical solution, preferably, two second sealing rings arranged in parallel are provided between the mating surfaces of the drive shaft and the axial inner hole of the bearing seat, and a third sealing ring is added to the end face of the bearing seat facing the outlet. The third sealing ring is sleeved on the outer circumference of the drive shaft and forms an end face sealing structure with the end face of the bearing seat.

[0015] In the above technical solution, preferably, an annular limiting flange is provided on the inner wall of the water outlet, and the valve sleeve is fixed against the annular limiting flange.

[0016] This utility model also provides a gas water heater, including a housing and a control board and a gas proportional valve disposed within the housing. The water inlet pipe of the housing is equipped with the aforementioned inlet flow regulating valve; a water flow monitoring device detects the inlet flow rate in real time; and a temperature sensor detects the inlet water temperature in real time. The control board controls the opening degree of the gas proportional valve based on the inlet flow rate and the inlet water temperature.

[0017] As can be seen from the above technical solution, the water inlet flow regulating valve of this utility model integrates a water flow monitoring device and a temperature sensor to form a dual-parameter sensing system of flow and temperature. By simultaneously collecting the inlet water flow and inlet water temperature signals, it coordinates the gas supply and improves the combustion efficiency and energy-saving level of the gas water heater. Attached Figure Description

[0018] 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 of this utility model or the prior art will be briefly introduced and explained 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 these drawings without creative effort.

[0019] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the inlet flow regulating valve for a gas water heater provided by this utility model;

[0020] Figure 2 for Figure 1 A cross-sectional view of the inlet flow regulating valve of the gas water heater shown.

[0021] Figure 3 for Figure 2 Enlarged view of part A in the image;

[0022] Figure 4 for Figure 1 The rear view of the inlet flow regulating valve of the gas water heater shown.

[0023] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the valve sleeve in this utility model;

[0024] Figure 6 for Figure 5 A schematic diagram of the valve sleeve in the rear view direction;

[0025] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the positioning ring in this utility model;

[0026] Figure 8 for Figure 7 The top view of the positioning ring shown;

[0027] Figure 9 for Figure 8 AA section view in the middle;

[0028] Figure 10 This is a cross-sectional view of the valve body in this utility model;

[0029] Figure 11 for Figure 2 Enlarged view of part B in the image;

[0030] Figure 12 for Figure 10 Enlarged view of section C in the image.

[0031] Figures 1-12 The correspondence between the parts is as follows:

[0032] Valve body 10, valve sleeve 20, servo motor 30, vortex tube assembly 50, Hall sensor 60, positioning retaining ring 70, temperature sensor 80.

[0033] Water inlet 11, water outlet 12, annular flange 13, water inlet part 14, positioning part 15, mating part 16, limiting part 17, annular groove 18;

[0034] Guide sleeve 21, strip edge 22, inner chamfer 23;

[0035] Drive shaft 41, shaft seat 42, first sealing ring 43, second sealing ring 45, third sealing ring 46;

[0036] Guide shaft 411, annular shoulder 412, outer chamfer 413;

[0037] Sleeve 71, annular flange 72, semi-circular notch 73;

[0038] Mounting hole 101, fixing hole 102, pressure plate 103. Detailed Implementation

[0039] 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 embodiments described below 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.

[0040] To provide a clearer explanation and description of the technical solution and implementation method of this utility model, several preferred specific embodiments for implementing the technical solution of this utility model are introduced below.

[0041] It should be noted that the directional terms such as "inner" and "outer", "front" and "back" and "left" and "right" in this article are based on the product's usage status. Obviously, the use of these directional terms does not limit the scope of protection of this solution.

[0042] like Figure 1 , Figure 2 As shown, the present invention provides a gas water heater inlet flow regulating valve, including a valve body 10, a valve sleeve 20 and a servo motor 30.

[0043] The valve body 10 has an inlet 11 and an outlet 12, which are perpendicular to each other and communicate with the valve cavity of the valve body 10. One end of the valve body 10 opposite to the outlet 12 is open, forming an open end, and the servo motor 30 is fixedly mounted on the outer end face of the open end. Preferably, the outer end face of the open end has a mounting flange or threaded connection structure to facilitate quick positioning and fastening of the servo motor 30.

[0044] The valve body 10 integrates a water flow monitoring device, including a vortex tube assembly 50 and a Hall sensor 60 used in conjunction with the vortex tube assembly 50. The vortex tube assembly 50 is disposed on the inner wall of the inlet 11, and the Hall sensor 60 is fixedly installed on the outer wall of the valve body 10. Based on the positional relationship between the Hall sensor 60 and the corresponding vortex tube assembly 50, the device senses changes in the magnetic field generated by the impeller rotation and detects the inlet water flow signal in real time. The Hall sensor 60 is electrically connected to the control board of the gas water heater, dynamically adjusting the opening of the gas supply valve according to the actual inlet water flow to fully utilize gas performance, improve combustion efficiency, and achieve energy-saving operation.

[0045] The vortex tube assembly 50 is an existing product, axially positioned on the inner wall of the inlet 11 by a positioning retainer 70. For example... Figure 6 , Figure 7 , Figure 8 As shown, the positioning ring 70 includes a sleeve 71. The upper end of the inner wall of the sleeve 71 is provided with an annular flange 72. The inner wall of the annular flange 72 is symmetrically provided with a plurality of semi-circular notches 73. For example, in this embodiment, four semi-circular notches 73 are provided, so that the positioning ring 70 can undergo elastic deformation during installation, which facilitates pressing the positioning ring 70 into the installation position and achieving reliable positioning.

[0046] like Figure 9 , Figure 10As shown, the inner wall of the inlet 11 of the valve body 10 includes, from bottom to top, an inlet portion 14, a positioning portion 15, a mating portion 16, and a limiting portion 17, with the diameters of the inlet portion 14, positioning portion 15, mating portion 16, and limiting portion 17 decreasing sequentially. An annular groove 18 is provided in the middle of the inner wall of the positioning portion 15. The outer wall of the positioning retaining ring 70 is frustoconical from bottom to top, with a rounded corner structure at the upper end, further facilitating the smooth entry of the positioning retaining ring 70 into the annular groove 18 of the positioning portion 15 during assembly.

[0047] The vortex tube assembly 50 is disposed in the mating part 16, and its upper end is axially limited by the limiting part 17. The positioning retaining ring 70 is disposed in the annular groove 18 of the positioning part 15, and the annular flange 72 supports the bottom of the vortex tube assembly 50 upward. In this embodiment, the height of the annular groove 18 is greater than the height of the positioning retaining ring 70, so that the vortex tube assembly 50 can float slightly axially when impacted by water flow, avoiding wear or jamming of components due to rigid contact and improving service life.

[0048] like Figure 3 As shown, a temperature sensor 80 is also fixedly installed on the valve body 10. The temperature sensor 80's temperature probe extends into the valve cavity to monitor the inlet water temperature in real time and transmit the temperature signal to the control board of the gas water heater.

[0049] like Figure 9 , Figure 11 As shown, a mounting hole 101 is provided on the top surface of the valve body 10. The mounting hole 101 is a stepped hole, and the temperature sensor 80 is placed inside the mounting hole 101, with the temperature sensing probe of the temperature sensor 80 extending into the valve cavity. A fixing hole 102 is provided on the side of the mounting hole 101. A pressure hole adapted to the upper end of the temperature sensor 80 is provided on the pressure plate 103. The upper end of the temperature sensor 80 passes through the pressure hole on the pressure plate 103. The pressure plate 103 is connected to the fixing hole 102 by bolts, pressing and fixing the temperature sensor 80 in the mounting hole 101. A sealing ring is provided between the temperature sensor 80 and the mounting hole 101 to ensure good electrical insulation and long-term sealing reliability in high-temperature and high-pressure water environments.

[0050] The inlet flow regulating valve provided in this application integrates a water flow monitoring device and a temperature sensor, forming a dual-parameter sensing system for flow and temperature. The control board simultaneously collects inlet flow and inlet temperature signals to coordinate and adjust the gas supply, significantly improving the combustion efficiency and energy-saving level of the gas water heater.

[0051] The valve sleeve 20 is disposed inside the valve body 10 and is coaxially arranged with the outlet 12. The output shaft of the servo motor 30 is connected to a transmission mechanism to achieve precise control of the axial position of the valve sleeve 20 by the servo motor 30, thereby adjusting the opening of the water flow channel. In some embodiments, the valve sleeve 20 is made of corrosion-resistant and wear-resistant engineering plastics or stainless steel to ensure dimensional stability and sealing performance under long-term operation.

[0052] The transmission mechanism includes a transmission shaft 41 and a bearing 42. The bearing 42 is fixedly mounted at the open end, and a first sealing ring 43 is provided between the two to ensure static sealing performance between the bearing 42 and the valve body 10. The bearing 42 has an axial inner hole at its center, and the end of the axial inner hole away from the outlet 12 has an internal thread.

[0053] The end of the drive shaft 41 furthest from the outlet 12 is provided with an external thread that matches the internal thread. The drive shaft 41 and the bearing seat 42 form a threaded transmission pair through the engagement of the external and internal threads, thereby converting the rotational motion of the servo motor 30 into the linear reciprocating motion of the drive shaft 41. The end of the drive shaft 41 furthest from the outlet 12 passes through the bearing seat 42 and is connected to the output shaft of the servo motor 30.

[0054] Combined Figure 4 , Figure 5 As shown, the valve sleeve 20 is circular, with a guide sleeve 21 at its center. The guide sleeve 21 is connected and fixed to the inner wall of the valve sleeve 20 through a strip rib 22, forming a flow channel. A guide shaft 411 is provided at the end of the drive shaft 41 facing the outlet 12. The guide shaft 411 is slidably fitted inside the guide sleeve 21, effectively improving the linear accuracy of the drive shaft 41 during axial movement, ensuring smooth and stable movement, and avoiding jamming due to uneven load. Preferably, the guide shaft 411 and the guide sleeve 21 are clearance-fitted, with the fit tolerance controlled within the range of 0.02 to 0.05 mm, balancing guiding accuracy and assembly convenience.

[0055] An annular limiting flange 13 is provided on the inner wall of the outlet 12, and the valve sleeve 20 is fixed against the annular limiting flange 13. An inner chamfer 23 is provided on the end face of the valve sleeve 20 away from the outlet 12, and an annular shoulder 412 is provided on the drive shaft 41. The side of the annular shoulder 412 facing the valve sleeve 20 has an outer chamfer 413 that matches the inner chamfer 23. When the drive shaft 41 moves axially under threaded drive, the annular shoulder 412 moves closer to or further away from the valve sleeve 20, changing the size of the annular gap between the inner chamfer 23 and the outer chamfer 413, thereby achieving flow regulation. This conical mating structure enables fine flow control at small openings and improves the regulation sensitivity under low flow conditions.

[0056] Two parallel second sealing rings 45 are provided between the mating surfaces of the drive shaft 41 and the axial inner hole of the bearing seat 42 to prevent water in the valve chamber from seeping into the servo motor 30 along the drive shaft 41, thus avoiding electrical short circuits or motor damage and improving safety and service life. Preferably, the second sealing rings 45 are made of fluororubber or hydrogenated nitrile rubber, which have excellent heat resistance, aging resistance and resistance to compression set.

[0057] In traditional designs, the two second sealing rings 45 are typically positioned close to the external threads with a small gap. While this enhances the sealing of the threaded connection area, an unavoidable clearance exists between the drive shaft 41 and the bearing seat 42 on the side facing the outlet 12, allowing water to seep into the valve chamber. Especially when the gas water heater is not used for an extended period or the incoming water quality is poor, impurities in the water easily precipitate and deposit on the inner wall of the bearing seat 42, forming particulate matter. This causes the second sealing rings 45 to wear more rapidly during repeated sliding, ultimately leading to leakage.

[0058] To address the aforementioned deficiencies, this application adds a third sealing ring 46 to the end face of the shaft seat 42 facing the outlet 12. The third sealing ring 46 is fitted around the outer circumference of the drive shaft 41 and forms an end-face sealing structure with the end face of the shaft seat 42. This effectively prevents water from entering the area between the mating surfaces of the drive shaft 41 and the axial inner hole of the shaft seat 42, effectively blocking water intrusion into the valve cavity, maintaining the cleanliness and smoothness of the inner wall of the shaft seat 42, and improving the reliability and durability of the moving parts. Preferably, the third sealing ring 46 is an O-ring or a lip seal, with a compression designed to be 15%–25%, ensuring a good initial sealing effect and moderate friction.

[0059] The gas water heater provided by this utility model includes a shell and a control board and a gas proportional valve disposed in the shell. The water inlet pipe of the shell is provided with the aforementioned water inlet flow regulating valve. A water flow monitoring device detects the water inlet flow in real time, and a temperature sensor detects the water inlet temperature in real time. The control board controls the opening degree of the gas proportional valve according to the water inlet flow and water inlet temperature, thereby adjusting the gas supply and improving the combustion efficiency and energy saving level of the gas water heater.

[0060] In summary, the inlet flow regulating valve for gas water heaters provided by this utility model has the following advantages compared with the prior art:

[0061] First, the inlet flow regulating valve integrates a water flow monitoring device and a temperature sensor, forming a dual-parameter sensing system for flow and temperature. By simultaneously collecting inlet flow and inlet temperature signals, it coordinates the gas supply, significantly improving the combustion efficiency and energy-saving level of the gas water heater.

[0062] Secondly, the transmission structure consisting of a threaded drive pair and a guide shaft enables precise linear adjustment of the valve sleeve, thereby accurately controlling the water flow and providing a comfortable bathing experience.

[0063] Third, by optimizing the sealing structure design, a third sealing ring is added on the basis of the original second sealing ring to form a multi-level protection system, which effectively prevents water vapor from entering the motor cavity and extends the service life.

[0064] Finally, it should be noted that the terms "comprising," "including," or any other variations thereof as used herein are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements includes not only those elements but also other elements not expressly listed, or elements inherent to such a process, method, article, or apparatus. Without further limitation, an element defined by the phrase "comprising one..." does not exclude the presence of other identical elements in the process, method, article, or apparatus that includes said element.

[0065] This utility model is not limited to the above-described preferred embodiments. Anyone should know that structural changes made under the guidance of this utility model, and any technical solutions that are the same as or similar to this utility model, fall within the protection scope of this utility model.

Claims

1. A water inlet flow regulating valve for a gas water heater, comprising a valve body, wherein the valve body has a water inlet and a water outlet arranged perpendicularly to each other, the water inlet and the water outlet communicating with a valve cavity, and one end of the valve body opposite to the water outlet being open to form an open end, wherein a servo motor is fixedly mounted on the outer end face of the open end, characterized in that, Also includes: A water flow monitoring device includes a vortex tube assembly and a Hall sensor used in conjunction with the vortex tube assembly. The vortex tube assembly is disposed on the inner wall of the water inlet, and the Hall sensor is fixedly installed on the outer wall of the valve body. A temperature sensor is fixed on the valve body, and the temperature sensor probe extends into the valve cavity.

2. The inlet flow regulating valve for a gas water heater according to claim 1, characterized in that, The vortex tube assembly is mounted on the inner wall of the inlet via a positioning retaining ring. The inner wall of the inlet of the valve body includes, from bottom to top, an inlet section, a positioning section, a mating section, and a limiting section. The diameters of the inlet section, the positioning section, the mating section, and the limiting section decrease sequentially. An annular groove is provided in the middle of the inner wall of the positioning section. The vortex tube assembly is mounted on the mating section, and its upper end is limited by the limiting section. The positioning retaining ring is mounted in the annular groove to support the lower end of the vortex tube assembly.

3. The inlet flow regulating valve for a gas water heater according to claim 2, characterized in that, The positioning ring includes a sleeve, the upper end of the inner wall of the sleeve is provided with an annular flange, and the inner wall of the annular flange is symmetrically provided with a plurality of semi-circular notches; the outer wall of the positioning ring is frustoconical from bottom to top, and the upper end is provided with a rounded corner structure; the bottom of the vortex assembly is supported on the annular flange.

4. The inlet flow regulating valve for a gas water heater according to claim 2, characterized in that, The height of the annular groove is greater than the height of the positioning ring.

5. The inlet flow regulating valve for a gas water heater according to claim 1, characterized in that, A valve sleeve is provided inside the valve cavity. The output shaft of the servo motor is connected to a transmission mechanism. The transmission mechanism includes a transmission shaft and a shaft seat. The shaft seat is fixedly installed at the open end. The transmission shaft and the shaft seat are threaded together to form a threaded transmission pair. The valve sleeve is circular. An inner chamfer is provided on the end face away from the outlet. An annular shoulder is provided on the transmission shaft. An outer chamfer matching the inner chamfer is provided on the side of the annular shoulder facing the valve sleeve.

6. The inlet flow regulating valve for a gas water heater according to claim 5, characterized in that, The valve sleeve is circular with a guide sleeve at its center. The guide sleeve is connected and fixed to the inner wall of the valve sleeve through a strip-shaped rib to form a flow channel. The drive shaft has a guide shaft at one end facing the water outlet, and the guide shaft is slidably fitted inside the guide sleeve.

7. The inlet flow regulating valve for a gas water heater according to claim 5, characterized in that, A first sealing ring is provided between the bearing seat and the inner wall of the open end.

8. The inlet flow regulating valve for a gas water heater according to claim 7, characterized in that, Two second sealing rings arranged side by side are provided between the mating surfaces of the drive shaft and the axial inner hole of the bearing seat. A third sealing ring is added to the end face of the bearing seat facing the water outlet. The third sealing ring is sleeved on the outer circumference of the drive shaft and forms an end face sealing structure with the end face of the bearing seat.

9. The inlet flow regulating valve for a gas water heater according to claim 5, characterized in that, The inner wall of the outlet is provided with an annular limiting flange, and the valve sleeve is fixed against the annular limiting flange.

10. A gas water heater, comprising a housing and a control panel and a gas proportional valve disposed within the housing, characterized in that, The water inlet pipe of the housing is provided with a water inlet flow regulating valve as described in any one of claims 1 to 9, the water flow monitoring device detects the water inlet flow in real time, the temperature sensor detects the water inlet temperature in real time, and the control board controls the opening degree of the gas proportional valve according to the water inlet flow and the water inlet temperature.

Images