Boiler and coffee maker

Abstract

The utility model relates to a kind of boiler and coffee machine, including aluminium shell, water pipe, heating pipe and the water pipe are spiral configuration along the first direction disc, and the heating pipe is located in the inner diameter area of spiral water pipe;The number of retaining bracket is at least one, and each the bracket has the clamping groove of being clamped in the water pipe, and the end of each the bracket away from the clamping groove is in the inner diameter area of water pipe It is collectively enclosed to form the positioning space for the heating pipe placed therein.The utility model has solved the technical pain point that heating pipe and water pipe are easy to be positioned deviation in the existing aluminium shell casting process.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of coffee machine technology, and in particular to a boiler and a coffee machine. Background Technology

[0002] When brewing coffee, a coffee machine uses pressure to force hot water at around 90°C through the extruded coffee grounds, extracting aromatic substances such as coffee resins from the coffee grounds and allowing them to fully mix with the hot water before flowing into the cup. The entire process is a comprehensive physical and chemical change and must be completed within 18 to 28 seconds to avoid the production of unpleasant flavors.

[0003] Existing coffee machine heating systems consist of a water pipe, a heating element, an aluminum shell, and a temperature probe. The water pipe and heating element are centered and shaped within the aluminum shell using a mold. The temperature probe extends into the aluminum shell, close to the water pipe and heating element for sensitive temperature detection. The water pipe outlet is welded with a threaded stainless steel connector. The drawbacks of this structure are: First, relying entirely on the mold size for centering means that when molten aluminum enters the mold, pressure can cause the water pipe and heating element to shift. After die-casting, they cannot be perfectly centered within the aluminum shell. Consequently, the aluminum shell is not heated evenly, leading to inconsistent temperature readings from the sensor across batches, affecting the taste of the coffee.

[0004] It is precisely because of the aforementioned technical defect—the problem of misalignment of the heating tubes and water pipes during aluminum shell casting—that a utility model patent with authorization announcement number CN204336683U was developed. This patent addresses the technical defect of misalignment of the heating tubes and water pipes during aluminum shell casting by incorporating several positioning clips inside the aluminum shell for positioning the heating tubes and water pipes. Utility Model Content

[0005] Therefore, it is necessary to address the technical deficiencies in the existing technology by providing a boiler that can solve the positioning misalignment of the heating tubes and water pipes during the manufacturing of the aluminum shell.

[0006] Another objective of this invention is to provide a coffee machine that uses the aforementioned boiler.

[0007] The first aspect of this utility model provides a boiler, comprising:

[0008] Aluminum casing;

[0009] water pipe;

[0010] The heating element and the water pipe are both spiral structures that spiral in a first direction, and the heating element is located in the inner diameter region of the spiral water pipe.

[0011] The support is at least one, and each support has a slot for engaging the water pipe. The end of each support away from the slot is located in the inner diameter region of the water pipe and together they enclose a positioning space for placing the heating pipe therein.

[0012] The water pipe, heating pipe, and retaining bracket are all embedded in the aluminum shell, and the two ends of the water pipe and heating pipe extend out of the aluminum shell respectively.

[0013] In one embodiment, the number of slots on each of the brackets is adapted to the number of spiral turns of the spiral water pipe.

[0014] In one embodiment, the cross-sectional shape of the slot is an arc shape adapted to the outer wall of the water pipe.

[0015] In one embodiment, the bracket forms a support portion in the body portion between every two slots, each support portion corresponding to the number of adjacent turns of the spiral water pipe.

[0016] In one embodiment, the diameter of the heating element is larger than the diameter of the water pipe.

[0017] In one embodiment, the gap between the positioning space and the outer diameter of the spiral heating tube is no greater than 1 mm.

[0018] In one embodiment, the spiral water pipe and heating pipe have the same spiral direction, and their spiral axes are coaxial with the central axis of the aluminum shell.

[0019] In one embodiment, the aluminum shell has a plurality of heat dissipation slots located at positions corresponding to the water pipe and the heating pipe, wherein any one of the heat dissipation slots is configured for insertion of the probe end of a temperature probe.

[0020] In one embodiment, the supports are connected into a single structure by connecting ribs located in the inner diameter region of the water pipe.

[0021] As a second aspect, the present invention also provides a coffee machine, including a boiler provided in the first aspect.

[0022] Beneficial effects: The boiler and coffee machine containing the boiler provided by this utility model solve the technical pain point of easy misalignment of heating tube and water pipe during aluminum shell casting process, and achieve multi-dimensional optimization in heat exchange efficiency, manufacturing cost, structural compactness and usage stability. Attached Figure Description

[0023] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the boiler in Embodiment 1 of this utility model;

[0024] Figure 2 This is a top view of the overall structure of the boiler in Embodiment 1 of this utility model;

[0025] Figure 3 This is a partial structural diagram of the boiler in Embodiment 1 of this utility model;

[0026] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of another part of the boiler structure in Embodiment 1 of this utility model;

[0027] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the retaining bracket in Embodiment 1 of this utility model;

[0028] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the internal cross-section of a boiler in one embodiment;

[0029] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the support bracket in Embodiment 2 of this utility model.

[0030] Marked in the image:

[0031] 10. Aluminum casing; 101. Heat dissipation tank;

[0032] 20. Water pipes;

[0033] 30. Heating element;

[0034] 40. Retaining bracket; 401. Slot; 402. Support; 403. Connecting rib;

[0035] S1, Inner diameter area; S2, Positioning space. Detailed Implementation

[0036] To better understand the above-mentioned objectives, features, and advantages of the present invention, the present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments. It should be noted that, unless otherwise specified, the embodiments and features described in these embodiments can be combined with each other.

[0037] Many specific details are set forth in the following description in order to provide a full understanding of the invention. However, the invention may also be practiced in other ways different from those described herein, and therefore the scope of protection of the invention is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed below.

[0038] The following description, with reference to the accompanying drawings, illustrates some embodiments of the boilers of this utility model.

[0039] Example 1

[0040] Please refer to Figure 1-6As shown, this is one embodiment of the present invention, wherein the first aspect provides a boiler, including: an aluminum shell 10, a water pipe 20, a heating pipe 30, and a retaining bracket 40;

[0041] Both the heating tube 30 and the water pipe 20 are spiral structures that spiral along the first direction, and the heating tube 30 is located in the inner diameter region S1 of the spiral water pipe 20.

[0042] There is at least one retaining bracket 40, and each retaining bracket 40 has a slot 401 that is engaged with the water pipe 20. The end of each retaining bracket 40 away from the slot 401 is located in the inner diameter region S1 of the water pipe 20, and together they enclose a positioning space S2 in which the heating pipe 30 is placed.

[0043] The water pipe 20, heating pipe 30, and retaining bracket 40 are all embedded in the aluminum shell 10, and the two ends of the water pipe 20 and heating pipe 30 extend out of the aluminum shell 10 respectively.

[0044] The boiler provided in this embodiment has a positioning space S2 formed by multiple retaining supports 40, in which the heating tube 30 is placed. Firstly, when the aluminum shell 10 is integrally formed using a casting process, the positioning space S2 formed by the multiple retaining supports 40 provides radial constraint on the heating tube 30, preventing potential positioning misalignment of the spiral water pipe 20 and the spiral heating tube 30. Secondly, compared to the technical solution with authorization announcement number CN204336683U, the positioning space S2 formed by the multiple retaining supports 40, through optimized layout and structural design, significantly reduces the number of retaining supports 40 used. This reduces material costs and assembly difficulty while maintaining positioning effectiveness, thereby effectively reducing the overall manufacturing cost of the boiler.

[0045] More specifically, the spiral structure of the heating tube 30 and water pipe 20, with the heating tube 30 located within the inner diameter region S1 of the water pipe 20, increases the heat conduction area. Compared to a conventional straight pipe structure, the spiral design increases the length of the heating tube 30 and water pipe 20 within a limited space, demonstrating a scientific and rational layout that results in a compact structure. This further expands the heat conduction area and improves heat exchange performance. This spiral design allows the boiler to generate more heat energy while consuming the same amount of energy during operation, improving energy utilization and reducing energy consumption and operating costs. Simultaneously, efficient heat exchange also helps prevent heat loss, improving the boiler's operational stability and reliability.

[0046] It is worth noting that the first direction is the height direction of the aluminum shell 10.

[0047] As one embodiment of this application, the number of slots 401 on each retaining bracket 40 is adapted to the number of spiral turns of the spiral water pipe 20.

[0048] For example, in this embodiment, the water pipe 20 has 5 spiral turns. It should be understood that the number of slots 401 is adaptively set to 5 to ensure that each turn of the water pipe 20 can be accurately positioned, preventing the water pipe 20 from shaking or shifting during operation, thereby ensuring the stability and safety of the water pipe 20 layout. For water pipes 20 with fewer spiral turns, the number of slots 401 on the retaining bracket 40 can be appropriately reduced. This satisfies positioning requirements while avoiding unnecessary structural redundancy, further reducing manufacturing costs. Through this adaptive design, the retaining bracket 40 can better cooperate with the spiral water pipe 20, making the entire boiler structure more stable. In practical applications, the adapted number of slots 401 can also improve assembly efficiency, allowing workers to more quickly and accurately insert the water pipe 20 into the slots 401 during installation, reducing installation time and labor costs.

[0049] It is worth noting that the number of spiral turns of the water pipe 20 and the number of slots 401 mentioned above are not limited to these. When the spiral water pipe 20 has a large number of spiral turns, the number of slots 401 on the retaining bracket 40 increases accordingly; while for the water pipe 20 with a small number of spiral turns, the number of slots 401 on the retaining bracket 40 can be appropriately reduced. Therefore, this embodiment will not be described in detail here, and those skilled in the art can set the number of turns of the water pipe 20 and adaptively increase / decrease the number of slots 401 according to actual needs.

[0050] As one embodiment of this application, the cross-sectional shape of the slot 401 is an arc shape adapted to the outer wall of the water pipe 20.

[0051] Specifically, the arc design allows the water pipe 20 to be better secured in the slot 401 of the retaining bracket 40.

[0052] As one embodiment of this application, the retaining bracket 40 forms a support in the body portion between every two slots 401, and each support portion 402 corresponds one-to-one with the number of adjacent turns of the spiral water pipe 20.

[0053] Specifically, the support 402 provides stable support for the water pipe 20 between each adjacent coil. On one hand, when the aluminum shell 10 is integrally formed through casting, the support 402 prevents the spiral water pipe 20 from undergoing compressive deformation in the first direction. That is, each support 402 helps to evenly distribute the pressure of the molten aluminum on the water pipe 20, ensuring the overall stability of the structure. On the other hand, during installation, the correspondence between the support 402 and adjacent coils facilitates accurate assembly by workers, improving installation efficiency and accuracy.

[0054] In one embodiment of this application, the diameter of the heating tube 30 is larger than the diameter of the water tube 20.

[0055] Specifically, from the perspective of heat transfer efficiency, the larger diameter heating pipe 30 can accommodate more heating medium or generate a larger heating area, thus generating more heat per unit time. When heat is transferred to the relatively smaller diameter water pipe 20, due to the smaller diameter of the water pipe 20, the contact area between the internal water flow and the pipe wall is relatively large, which allows for faster and more complete absorption of the heat transferred from the heating pipe 30, thereby improving the overall heat exchange efficiency and enabling the water to be heated to the required temperature in a shorter time.

[0056] Secondly, from the perspective of cost and maintenance, the large diameter of the heating element 30 means that its service life may be relatively long, reducing the cost and maintenance workload of frequently replacing the heating element 30.

[0057] As one embodiment of this application, the gap between the positioning space S2 and the outer diameter of the spiral heating tube 30 is no greater than 1 mm.

[0058] Specifically, from an installation perspective, the smaller gap makes the installation of the heating element 30 more stable within the positioning space S2, reducing the shaking and displacement of the heating element 30 during installation and ensuring the accuracy and stability of the installation. When the aluminum shell 10 is integrally formed using a casting process, the small gap allows the relative position between the heating element 30 and the positioning space S2 to remain relatively fixed, avoiding displacement caused by the impact of molten aluminum.

[0059] Furthermore, from a heat transfer perspective, a smaller gap helps improve heat transfer efficiency. This is because when the gap is smaller, the heat generated by the heating element 30 can be transferred to the surrounding structure more quickly, reducing heat loss within the gap and allowing the water to be heated faster, while also reducing energy consumption.

[0060] As one embodiment of this application, the spiral water pipe 20 and the heating pipe 30 have the same spiral direction, and their spiral axes are coaxial with the central axis of the aluminum shell 10.

[0061] Specifically, when the spiral water pipe 20 and heating pipe 30 have the same spiral direction and their spiral axes are coaxial with the central axis of the aluminum shell 10, the water flow path within the water pipe 20 better matches the heat field distribution generated by the heating pipe 30. The water flow can evenly receive the heat radiated by the heating pipe 30 along the spiral path of the water pipe 20, avoiding localized overheating or undercooling, thus allowing the water to be heated more evenly and improving the quality and stability of the hot water. From the perspective of space utilization and structural compactness, the coaxial design with the same spiral direction makes the entire heating device more compact and rational in structure. Within the limited space of the aluminum shell 10, the water pipe 20 and heating pipe 30 can be arranged in an orderly manner, reducing the size of the device and facilitating the miniaturization and integration of the boiler. This is of great significance for applications with high space requirements, such as coffee machines, small household water heaters, and portable heating devices.

[0062] As one embodiment of this application, the aluminum shell 10 has a plurality of heat dissipation grooves 101 located at the positions corresponding to the water pipe 20 and the heating pipe 30, wherein any one of the heat dissipation grooves 101 is configured to allow the probe end of a temperature probe (not shown in the figure) to be inserted.

[0063] Specifically, the temperature probe can accurately measure the temperature around the water pipe 20 and the heating pipe 30 by inserting it into the heat dissipation groove 101. The temperature probe can also measure the water temperature inside the water pipe 20 and the temperature of the heating pipe 30 when it is working.

[0064] It is worth noting that the temperature probe can be a product that is already widely used in the market. For example, the temperature probe with patent authorization announcement number CN204336683U can also be used. In this utility model, the structure and working principle of the temperature probe will not be described in detail.

[0065] In a second aspect of this embodiment, a coffee machine is also provided, including a boiler using the boiler provided in the first aspect.

[0066]

Example 2

[0067] Please refer to the example below. Figure 7 As shown, this is Embodiment 2 of the present invention. Since this embodiment is similar to Embodiment 1 described above, the similarities with Embodiment 1 will not be repeated. The differences between this embodiment and Embodiment 1 (such as the structure of the retaining bracket 40) are roughly described as follows:

[0068] In this embodiment, each retaining bracket 40 is connected into an integral structure by a connecting rib 403, which is located in the inner diameter region S1 of the water pipe 20.

[0069] Specifically, the retaining bracket 40 in this embodiment replaces the retaining bracket 40 in the first embodiment described above. This integrated structure design is more stable than the retaining bracket 40 in the first embodiment described above, and can better support and fix the water pipe 20.

[0070] Secondly, the connecting rib 403 is located in the inner diameter area S1 of the water pipe 20, which avoids interference with other components and ensures the compactness and rationality of the internal structure of the coffee machine.

[0071] Furthermore, the unibody structure also improves production efficiency and reduces production costs, as it allows for one-time molding during manufacturing, reducing assembly steps. In addition, the unibody structure enhances the overall stability and durability of the structure, extending the lifespan of related components in the coffee machine.

[0072] 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.

[0073] The embodiments described above are merely illustrative of several implementations of this utility model, and while the descriptions are relatively specific and detailed, they should not be construed as limiting the scope of the utility model patent. It should be noted that those skilled in the art can make various modifications and improvements without departing from the concept of this utility model, and these all fall within the protection scope of this utility model. Therefore, the protection scope of this utility model patent should be determined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A boiler, characterized in that, include: Aluminum casing; water pipe; The heating element and the water pipe are both spiral structures that spiral in a first direction, and the heating element is located in the inner diameter region of the spiral water pipe. The support is at least one, and each support has a slot for engaging the water pipe. The end of each support away from the slot is located in the inner diameter region of the water pipe and together they enclose a positioning space for placing the heating pipe therein. The water pipe, heating pipe, and retaining bracket are all embedded in the aluminum shell, and the two ends of the water pipe and heating pipe extend out of the aluminum shell respectively.

2. The boiler according to claim 1, characterized in that, The number of slots on each of the brackets is adapted to the number of spiral turns of the spiral water pipe.

3. The boiler according to claim 1, characterized in that, The cross-sectional shape of the slot is an arc shape that fits the outer wall of the water pipe.

4. The boiler according to claim 2, characterized in that, The bracket forms a support portion in the body portion located between every two slots, with each support portion corresponding to the number of adjacent turns of the spiral water pipe.

5. The boiler according to claim 1, characterized in that, The diameter of the heating element is larger than the diameter of the water pipe.

6. The boiler according to claim 1, characterized in that, The gap between the positioning space and the outer diameter of the spiral heating tube is no greater than 1 mm.

7. The boiler according to claim 1, characterized in that, The spiral water pipe and heating pipe have the same spiral direction, and their spiral axes are coaxial with the central axis of the aluminum shell.

8. The boiler according to claim 1, characterized in that, The aluminum shell has several heat dissipation slots located at the positions corresponding to the water pipe and the heating pipe, wherein any one of the heat dissipation slots is configured to allow the probe end of the temperature probe to be inserted.

9. The boiler according to claim 1, characterized in that, The brackets are connected into a single structure by connecting ribs, which are located in the inner diameter region of the water pipe.

10. A coffee machine, characterized in that: Including the boiler as described in any one of claims 1-9.

Images