Electric flow regulating valve for water heater

Abstract

The utility model discloses an electric flow regulating valve of water heater, including valve body, valve sleeve and servo motor, the water inlet and the water outlet of mutually perpendicular are equipped with to valve body, and the water outlet opposite one end is open end, and servo motor is fixed in the open end outer end surface, valve sleeve is fixed in the inside of valve body, and servo motor connects transmission mechanism and valve sleeve cooperation, transmission mechanism includes transmission shaft and axle seat, and axle seat is fixed in the open end, and transmission shaft and axle seat screw thread cooperation form screw thread transmission pair, valve sleeve is round and is set up internally chamfer away from the water outlet one end, and transmission shaft sets up annular shaft shoulder, and is equipped with the outer chamfer of matching with internally chamfer to the side of valve sleeve. The utility model discloses the screw thread transmission pair transmission mode, has realized smooth, accurate linear displacement, has improved the resolution and response accuracy of flow regulation significantly, has improved the bath comfort degree.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of regulating valve technology, specifically to an electric flow regulating valve for a water heater. Background Technology

[0002] Currently, water heaters are usually equipped with a flow regulating valve at the water inlet, which is used to automatically adjust the inlet water flow according to changes in external water usage, so as to achieve the function of constant temperature water output.

[0003] Among them, Chinese utility model patent CN 202302045 U discloses an internal electric water flow regulating valve. This valve uses a micro asynchronous motor to rotate the valve sleeve according to the user-set water flow rate, changing the overlap area between the valve sleeve's through-hole and the inlet pipe's hole, thereby regulating the water flow at the outlet. However, this method of adjusting the connection area between the through-hole and the pipe hole by rotating the valve sleeve results in low flow regulation accuracy, making it difficult to achieve a fast and precise flow response, thus affecting the dynamic performance and reaction speed of the constant temperature control. Utility Model Content

[0004] To address the aforementioned deficiencies, the technical problem to be solved by this utility model is to provide an electric flow regulating valve for water heaters, thereby solving the problem of low flow regulation accuracy in the prior art.

[0005] Therefore, this application proposes an electric flow regulating valve for a water heater, including a valve body, a valve sleeve, and a servo motor. The valve body has a water inlet and an outlet that are perpendicular to each other, with the end opposite to the outlet being open, forming an open end. The servo motor is fixedly installed on the outer end face of the open end. The valve sleeve has a circular sleeve structure and is fixedly installed inside the valve body. The servo motor is connected to a transmission mechanism, which includes a transmission shaft and a bearing seat. The bearing seat is fixed inside the open end, and the transmission shaft and bearing seat are connected by a threaded engagement to form a threaded transmission pair. The end face of the valve sleeve away from the outlet has an inner chamfer, and the transmission shaft has an annular shoulder. The side of the annular shoulder facing the valve sleeve has an outer chamfer that matches the inner chamfer, forming a conical surface fit structure. Precise flow control is achieved by adjusting the annular gap between the two.

[0006] Based on the above technical solution, this utility model adopts a threaded transmission pair to achieve smooth and precise linear displacement, significantly improving the resolution and response accuracy of flow regulation and enhancing bathing comfort.

[0007] In a preferred embodiment, 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 via a strip-shaped rib, forming a flow channel. A guide shaft is provided at the end of the drive shaft facing the outlet, and the guide shaft slides within the guide sleeve, forming a guiding fit structure. This design effectively improves the axial straightness of the drive shaft during reciprocating motion, ensuring smooth and stable operation, avoiding jamming or wear caused by uneven load, and enhancing system reliability.

[0008] Furthermore, two parallel second sealing rings are provided between the axial inner bore mating surfaces of the drive shaft and the bearing seat. Simultaneously, a third sealing ring is added to the end face of the bearing seat facing the water outlet. This third sealing ring is fitted around the outer circumference of the drive shaft and forms an end-face sealing structure with the end face of the bearing seat. This multi-seal design effectively prevents water from entering the internal area of ​​the transmission components, preventing impurities in the water from precipitating and depositing on the inner wall of the bearing seat. This avoids wear of the second sealing rings due to increased friction during repeated long-term sliding, ultimately significantly extending the seal life, reducing the risk of leakage, and improving product durability and safety.

[0009] Furthermore, in a preferred embodiment of the above technical solution, the valve body integrates a water flow monitoring device, including a vortex tube assembly and a Hall sensor that works in conjunction with the vortex tube assembly and is correspondingly installed on the outer wall of the valve body. The vortex tube assembly is fixedly disposed on the inner wall of the water inlet, and the Hall sensor is fixedly installed on the outer wall of the valve body.

[0010] In the above technical solution, preferably, a first sealing ring is provided between the shaft seat and the inner wall of the open end of the valve body to ensure that there is no leakage at the shaft seat installation part and improve the overall sealing reliability.

[0011] In the above technical solution, preferably, the inner wall of the outlet is provided with an annular flange, and the valve sleeve abuts against the annular flange to achieve axial positioning and fixation. The structure is simple and reliable, and easy to assemble and maintain.

[0012] As can be seen from the above technical solution, this utility model achieves high-precision continuous flow regulation through a precise threaded transmission pair and conical surface mating structure, realizing accurate regulation of water flow, significantly improving the regulation sensitivity and control accuracy under low flow conditions, and meeting the stringent requirements of high-end water heaters for constant temperature and stable flow. Attached Figure Description

[0013] 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.

[0014] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the electric flow regulating valve for the water heater provided by this utility model;

[0015] Figure 2 for Figure 1 A cross-sectional view of the electric flow regulating valve of the water heater shown.

[0016] Figure 3 for Figure 2 Enlarged view of part A in the image;

[0017] Figure 4 for Figure 1 Rear view of the electric flow regulating valve of the water heater shown;

[0018] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the valve sleeve in this utility model;

[0019] Figure 6 for Figure 5 A schematic diagram of the valve sleeve in the rear view direction.

[0020] Figures 1-6 The correspondence between the parts is as follows:

[0021] Valve body 10, valve sleeve 20, servo motor 30, vortex tube assembly 50, Hall sensor 60, temperature sensor 70;

[0022] Inlet 11, outlet 12, annular flange 13;

[0023] Guide sleeve 21, strip edge 22, inner chamfer 23;

[0024] Drive shaft 41, shaft seat 42, first sealing ring 43, second sealing ring 45, third sealing ring 46;

[0025] Guide shaft 411, annular shoulder 412, outer chamfer 413. Detailed Implementation

[0026] 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.

[0027] 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.

[0028] 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.

[0029] like Figure 1 , Figure 2 As shown, the present invention provides an electric flow regulating valve for a water heater, comprising a valve body 10, a valve sleeve 20, and a servo motor 30.

[0030] 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.

[0031] 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 the transmission mechanism, which cooperates with the valve sleeve 20 to adjust 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.

[0032] 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.

[0033] 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.

[0034] 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.

[0035] An annular flange 13 is provided on the inner wall of the outlet 12, and the valve sleeve 20 is fixed against the annular 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 allows for fine flow control at small openings, improving the regulation sensitivity under low flow conditions.

[0036] 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.

[0037] 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 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 down more quickly during repeated sliding, ultimately leading to leakage.

[0038] 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.

[0039] Furthermore, such as Figure 2 , Figure 3 As shown, the valve body 10 in this application integrates a water flow monitoring device, including a vortex assembly 50 and a Hall sensor 60 used in conjunction with the vortex assembly 50. The vortex assembly 50 is fixedly installed 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. The Hall sensor 60, based on its position relative to the corresponding vortex assembly 50, senses changes in the magnetic field generated by the impeller rotation, thereby detecting the inlet water flow signal in real time. The Hall sensor 60 is electrically connected to the control board of the water heater to dynamically adjust the opening of the gas supply valve according to the actual inlet water flow, fully utilizing gas performance, improving combustion efficiency, and achieving energy-saving operation. In some embodiments, the vortex assembly 50 includes a flow guide housing, a rotor support, and a magnetic impeller. When the impeller rotates, it drives the built-in magnet to rotate, generating an alternating magnetic field. The Hall sensor 60 captures the pulse signal and converts it into a flow rate value.

[0040] In summary, the electric flow regulating valve for water heaters provided by this utility model has the following advantages compared with the prior art:

[0041] First, 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.

[0042] Secondly, 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.

[0043] 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.

[0044] 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. An electric flow regulating valve for a water heater, comprising a valve body, a valve sleeve, and a servo motor, wherein the valve body has an inlet and an outlet arranged perpendicularly to each other, and one end of the valve body opposite to the outlet is open, forming an open end, and the servo motor is fixedly mounted on the outer end face of the open end, characterized in that, The valve sleeve is fixedly installed inside the valve body. The servo motor is connected to the 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.

2. The electric flow regulating valve for a water heater according to claim 1, 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.

3. The electric flow regulating valve for a water heater according to claim 1, characterized in that, A first sealing ring is provided between the bearing seat and the inner wall of the open end.

4. The electric flow regulating valve for a water heater according to claim 3, 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.

5. The electric flow regulating valve for a water heater according to claim 1, characterized in that, The valve body integrates a water flow monitoring device, including a vortex tube assembly and a Hall sensor used in conjunction with the vortex tube assembly. The vortex tube assembly is fixedly installed on the inner wall of the water inlet, and the Hall sensor is fixedly installed on the outer wall of the valve body.

6. The electric flow regulating valve for a water heater according to claim 1, characterized in that, The inner wall of the outlet is provided with an annular flange, and the valve sleeve is fixed against the annular flange.

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