A system for detecting water full and automatically stopping water outlet to enter heating and refrigeration mode

Abstract

The application relates to the technical field of water dispenser control, and discloses a system for detecting water fullness, automatically stopping water from flowing into a heating and refrigeration mode, which comprises a cold tank and a hot tank, a cold water inlet pipe and a cold water outlet pipe are arranged on the cold tank, a cold water inlet electromagnetic valve is arranged on the cold water inlet pipe, a cold flowmeter is arranged on the cold water outlet pipe, a hot water inlet pipe and a hot water outlet pipe are arranged on the hot tank, a hot water inlet electromagnetic valve is arranged on the hot water inlet pipe, a hot flowmeter is arranged on the hot water outlet pipe, the cold flowmeter and the hot flowmeter are used for detecting water flow signals, and the cold water inlet electromagnetic valve, the cold flowmeter, the hot water inlet electromagnetic valve and the hot flowmeter are electrically connected with a same control board. The flowmeter for detecting the water level is arranged on the water outlet pipe outside the tank body, and the water inlet electromagnetic valve and the flowmeter are electrically connected with the control board, so that the installation and maintenance difficulty is simplified, the effects of automatic water replenishment, heating and refrigeration are achieved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the technical field of water dispenser control, and in particular to a system that automatically stops dispensing water and enters heating and cooling mode after detecting that the water is full. Background Technology

[0002] Water dispensers, a common office and household appliance, primarily function by heating and cooling water through internal hot and cold water tanks to provide hot and cold water instantly. To achieve this, the device requires a certain amount of water to be added to the hot and cold water tanks during startup or operation, and automatically stops adding water once full, then activates the heating or cooling module.

[0003] In existing technologies, accurately and reliably determining whether a water tank is "full" is crucial for achieving automated control. Currently, the solutions commonly used in the industry mainly fall into two categories: 1. A detection scheme based on liquid level sensors is currently the mainstream technical approach. Specifically, a liquid level sensor, such as high and low water level electrode probes, is installed inside the water tank. The working principle is as follows: when the water level in the tank is lower than the low water level probe, the sensor sends a signal to the control system to open the water inlet valve to replenish water; when the water level rises to contact the high water level probe, the sensor sends another signal to close the water inlet valve and stop water replenishment.

[0004] However, this solution has inherent technical drawbacks, namely, installation complexity. The sensor probe must be directly installed inside the water tank, requiring not only precise drilling into the tank wall but also a complex sealing structure to prevent leakage, increasing the difficulty and cost of the manufacturing process. Secondly, maintenance is inconvenient and reliability is low. The probe is in direct contact with water for extended periods, especially in hot tanks, making it highly susceptible to insulation failure due to scale buildup or corrosion due to electrochemical effects, leading to sensor misjudgments or permanent damage. In case of malfunction, maintenance personnel must empty and disassemble the water tank for repair, a cumbersome process with high maintenance costs.

[0005] 2. Judgment scheme based on manual observation: This is a relatively basic auxiliary method, which relies on the user to observe whether water is overflowing from the overflow port of the water tank to determine whether the water tank is full, and then manually shut off the water inlet or wait for the equipment to enter the next process.

[0006] This solution has a low level of intelligence, relies entirely on user operation, has a poor user experience, cannot guarantee reliability, and poses a risk of water overflow or dry burning due to user negligence, which is a serious safety hazard.

[0007] In summary, while existing liquid level sensor solutions achieve basic automatic control, they have significant shortcomings in terms of installation process, long-term reliability, and maintainability; manual judgment solutions are even more outdated. Therefore, there is an urgent need in this field for a new water level detection and control solution that combines simple structure, high reliability, and convenient maintenance. Utility Model Content

[0008] To improve the reliability and automation of water dispenser full water detection, this application provides a system that automatically stops dispensing water and enters heating and cooling mode after detecting that the dispenser is full.

[0009] The system provided in this application, which automatically stops water dispensing and enters heating and cooling mode after detecting that the water tank is full, adopts the following technical solution: A system that automatically stops water dispensing and enters heating and cooling mode after detecting that the tank is full includes a cold tank and a hot tank. The cold tank is equipped with a cold water inlet pipe and a cold water outlet pipe. The cold water inlet pipe is equipped with a cold water inlet solenoid valve, and the cold water outlet pipe is equipped with a cold flow meter. The hot tank is equipped with a hot water inlet pipe and a hot water outlet pipe. The hot water inlet pipe is equipped with a hot water inlet solenoid valve, and the hot water outlet pipe is equipped with a heat flow meter. Both the cold flow meter and the heat flow meter are used to detect water flow signals. The cold water inlet solenoid valve, the cold flow meter, the hot water inlet solenoid valve, and the heat flow meter are all electrically connected to the same control board.

[0010] By adopting the above technical solution, when the water dispenser is powered on, the control board first opens the cold water inlet solenoid valve and the hot water inlet solenoid valve, thereby replenishing water to the cold tank and the hot tank respectively. When the cold tank and the hot tank are full, water overflows into the cold water outlet pipe and the hot water outlet pipe. Then, the cold flow meter and the hot flow meter detect the water flow and transmit a full water signal to the control board, causing the control board to close the cold water inlet solenoid valve and the hot water inlet solenoid valve. At the same time, the control board controls the cold tank to start the cooling function and the hot tank to start the heating function. By indirectly determining the full water status through the flow meters, the control board can automatically close the inlet valve and start the heating or cooling function accordingly, realizing full automation from water replenishment to temperature control, without manual intervention, providing a good user experience and low safety risks.

[0011] Optionally, the cold water outlet pipe is located at the bottom of the cold tank, and the top of the cold tank is provided with an exhaust pipe. The other end of the exhaust pipe is connected to the inlet of the cold flow meter. The hot water outlet pipe is located at the top of the hot tank. The cold water outlet pipe is provided with a cold water solenoid valve, and the hot water outlet pipe is provided with a hot water solenoid valve. Both the cold water solenoid valve and the hot water solenoid valve are electrically connected to the control board.

[0012] By adopting the above technical solution, during water replenishment, the cold water outlet solenoid valve is closed and the hot water outlet solenoid valve is open. After the water enters the cold tank, it forces the air in the cold tank into the exhaust pipe, thereby venting the gas in the cold tank and ensuring that the water can enter the cold tank normally without being easily squeezed out by the gas inside the tank. Once the cold tank is full, the water enters the cold water outlet pipe from the exhaust pipe, flowing through the cold flow meter. The cold flow meter then sends a full water signal to the control board, which then closes the cold water inlet solenoid valve, activating the cold tank's cooling function. During cooling, the cold water outlet solenoid valve is closed, creating a sealed environment inside the cold tank, thus ensuring good cooling performance. When users need to use cold water, they simply operate the control board to open the cold water outlet solenoid valve and the cold water faucet. Because the cold water outlet pipe is located at the bottom of the cold tank, and the water at the bottom of the cold tank is usually at a lower temperature, the cold water flowing out of the cold water outlet pipe is also at a lower temperature, further ensuring the cooling effect of the cold tank. Simultaneously, water enters the heating tank. Since the hot water outlet pipe is located at the top of the tank, it provides a channel for air to escape. Therefore, while adding water, air in the tank can be directly expelled through the hot water outlet pipe at the top. Once the tank is full, the heat flow meter sends a full signal to the control board, causing the control board to close both the hot water inlet and outlet solenoid valves. Then, the heating function of the tank is activated. The closure of the hot water inlet and outlet solenoid valves creates a sealed environment inside the tank, ensuring effective heating. When users need hot water, they simply operate the control board to open the hot water outlet solenoid valve and the hot water faucet, making it convenient to use.

[0013] Optionally, the cold flow meter is installed on the cold water outlet pipe outside the cold tank, and the heat flow meter is installed on the hot water outlet pipe outside the hot tank.

[0014] By adopting the above technical solution, firstly, there is no need to precisely drill holes or install sealing structures on the water tank body, greatly simplifying the production process and reducing manufacturing costs. Secondly, during maintenance, it can be operated directly on the pipeline without emptying or disassembling the water tank, significantly improving maintenance convenience. The flow meter is not immersed in stagnant water in the tank for extended periods, effectively avoiding sensor malfunctions caused by scale buildup and electrochemical corrosion, resulting in higher long-term stability and reliability of the system.

[0015] Optionally, the heat flow meter is located on the side of the hot water solenoid valve away from the hot tank, and the cold flow meter is located on the side of the cold water solenoid valve away from the cold tank.

[0016] By adopting the above technical solution, this position can ensure that the water flow detected by the flow meter is water that has actually flowed out of the full tank through the outlet valve, thereby accurately triggering the full water signal, reducing the interference caused by local water flow due to possible gas or vibration in front of the valve, and ensuring that the signal received by the control board can truly reflect the full water status of the hot or cold tank, thus making the start-up timing of the heating or cooling function more accurate.

[0017] Optionally, the exhaust pipe is equipped with a normally closed solenoid valve, which is used to vent the air in the cold tank, and the normally closed solenoid valve is electrically connected to the control board.

[0018] By adopting the above technical solution, when water replenishment begins, the control board opens the normally closed solenoid valve, connecting the vent pipe to the cold water outlet pipe and the cold tank. This allows air to be expelled from the cold tank as water enters, ensuring a smooth and rapid flow of water to fill the tank and pass through the flow meter. This guarantees that the flow meter can reliably detect the full water signal, reducing the possibility of detection delays or failures caused by air compression. Once the cold tank is full, the control board, upon receiving the full water signal, closes both the normally closed solenoid valve and the cold water inlet solenoid valve, deactivating the vent pipe from connecting the cold water outlet pipe and the cold tank. This seals the entire cold tank, resulting in excellent cooling performance.

[0019] Optionally, the cold water outlet pipe is also equipped with a UV sterilizer.

[0020] By adopting the above technical solution, cold water, without high-temperature heating, is prone to bacterial growth during long-term storage. The UV sterilizer can perform instantaneous sterilization on the cold water before it is discharged, effectively mitigating potential hygiene and safety hazards in the cold tank water circuit and improving the hygienic quality of drinking water. Furthermore, the UV sterilizer is installed on the outlet pipe, without affecting the tank's structure.

[0021] Optionally, both the cold water inlet solenoid valve and the hot water inlet solenoid valve are equipped with timers. The timers are used to detect the water replenishment duration and are electrically connected to the control board.

[0022] By adopting the above technical solution, when the flow meter fails to send a stop signal due to a malfunction or the water tank leaks, the control board can forcibly close the inlet solenoid valve after the water replenishment time exceeds the preset safe time. This effectively reduces the possibility of serious accidents such as continuous water replenishment, overflow, or even leakage caused by system malfunction, greatly improves the safety protection level of the system, and provides a failure protection mechanism.

[0023] Optionally, both the cold tank and the hot tank are equipped with pressure sensors at the bottom. The pressure sensors are used to detect the gravity of the water inside the tank and are electrically connected to the control board.

[0024] By adopting the above technical solution, the pressure sensor indirectly measures the water level by detecting the gravity of the water. When the gravity of the water in the tank reaches the preset full-water state, the pressure sensor sends a pressure signal indicating that the water level is full to the control board, providing an independent verification signal for the flow meter's judgment. The control board can compare the full-water signal and the pressure signal from the flow meter; operation is only executed when they match, thus improving the accuracy of decision-making. When the full-water signal is abnormal but the pressure signal is normal, the system can continue to operate safely or provide a more accurate fault alarm, thereby alerting the flow meter to a fault and improving the system's intelligence and fault tolerance.

[0025] In summary, this application includes at least one of the following beneficial technical effects: 1. By installing a cold flow meter on the cold water outlet pipe and a heat flow meter on the hot water outlet pipe, the installation and maintenance of the water level detection device are simplified. 2. Once the water is full, the flow meter automatically sends a full water signal to the control board, which then closes the cold water inlet solenoid valve and the hot water inlet solenoid valve and starts cooling and heating. This eliminates the need for the user to manually stop water replenishment or turn on the cooling and heating functions, resulting in a high degree of automation. 3. The normally closed solenoid valve opens when the cold tank is replenished with water, which facilitates the expulsion of air from the cold tank. This allows water to quickly fill the cold tank and flow through the cold flow meter, thus ensuring that the cold flow meter can reliably detect the full water signal. Attached Figure Description

[0026] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall system structure of Embodiment 1 of this application.

[0027] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the overall system structure of Embodiment 2 of this application.

[0028] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures: 1. Cold tank; 11. Exhaust pipe; 111. Normally closed solenoid valve; 12. Pressure sensor; 2. Hot tank; 3. Cold water inlet pipe; 31. Cold water inlet solenoid valve; 311. Timer; 4. Cold water outlet pipe; 41. Cold flow meter; 42. Cold water outlet solenoid valve; 43. UV sterilizer; 5. Hot water inlet pipe; 51. Hot water inlet solenoid valve; 6. Hot water outlet pipe; 61. Heat flow meter; 62. Hot water outlet solenoid valve. Detailed Implementation

[0029] The following is in conjunction with the appendix Figure 1-2 This application will be described in further detail.

[0030] This application discloses a system that automatically stops discharging water and enters heating and cooling mode after detecting that the water tank is full.

[0031] Example 1 Reference Figure 1A system that automatically stops water dispensing and enters heating and cooling mode after detecting that the water tank is full includes a cold tank 1, a hot tank 2, a cold water inlet pipe 3, a cold water outlet pipe 4, a hot water inlet pipe 5, and a hot water outlet pipe 6. The cold water inlet pipe 3 and the cold water outlet pipe 4 are connected to the cold tank 1, and the hot water inlet pipe 5 and the hot water outlet pipe 6 are connected to the hot tank 2.

[0032] Reference Figure 1 The cold water inlet pipe 3 is equipped with a cold water inlet solenoid valve 31, the cold water outlet pipe 4 is equipped with a cold flow meter 41, the hot water inlet pipe 5 is equipped with a hot water inlet solenoid valve 51, and the hot water outlet pipe 6 is equipped with a heat flow meter 61. The cold water inlet solenoid valve 31, the cold flow meter 41, the hot water inlet solenoid valve 51, and the heat flow meter 61 are all electrically connected to the same control board (not shown in the figure).

[0033] Reference Figure 1 The cold flow meter 41 and the hot flow meter 61 are used to detect water flow signals, achieving the effect of determining whether the water is full by detecting the water flow signals, and thus automatically stopping the water flow and entering the heating and cooling modes. This is because the control board can control the opening and closing of the cold water inlet solenoid valve 31 and the hot water inlet solenoid valve 51 based on the water flow signals detected by the cold flow meter 41 and the hot water inlet solenoid valve 61, thereby controlling the inlet and outlet of water.

[0034] Reference Figure 1 The cold water inlet pipe 3 is used to fill the cold tank 1 with water. One end of the pipe is connected to a water source, and the other end is connected to the cold tank 1. The cold water inlet pipe 3 can be made of common plastic pipes, such as PVC pipes. The cold water inlet solenoid valve 31 is installed on the cold water inlet pipe 3 and is used to control the inflow of cold water. The cold water inlet solenoid valve 31 is connected to the control board via an electrical signal. When the control board sends an open signal, the solenoid valve opens, and cold water flows into the cold tank 1; when the control board sends a close signal, the solenoid valve closes, stopping the inflow of cold water.

[0035] Reference Figure 1 The cold water outlet pipe 4 is also equipped with a cold water outlet solenoid valve 42 to control the flow of cold water. The hot water outlet pipe 6 is equipped with a hot water outlet solenoid valve 62 to control the flow of hot water. Both the hot water outlet solenoid valve 62 and the cold water outlet solenoid valve 42 are electrically connected to the control board.

[0036] Reference Figure 1 The cold water outlet pipe 4 is used to discharge the cold water in the cold tank 1. One end of the pipe is connected to the bottom of the cold tank 1, which ensures that the cold water at the bottom of the cold tank 1 can be discharged first. The cold flow meter 41 is installed on the cold water outlet pipe 4 on the outside of the cold tank 1 and is located on the side of the cold water outlet solenoid valve 42 away from the cold tank 1. It is used to detect the outflow of water in the cold tank 1.

[0037] Reference Figure 1The cold flow meter 41 can be an electromagnetic flow meter, which has high measurement accuracy. The cold flow meter 41 transmits the detected water flow signal to the control board, and the control board determines whether the water in the cold tank 1 has reached the preset water volume based on the signal.

[0038] Reference Figure 1 The hot water inlet pipe 5 is used to fill the hot water tank 2 with water, and its structure and material are similar to those of the cold water inlet pipe 3. The hot water inlet solenoid valve 51 is installed on the hot water inlet pipe 5 to control the inflow of hot water, and its working principle and type are the same as those of the cold water inlet solenoid valve 31. The hot water outlet pipe 6 is used to discharge the hot water in the hot water tank 2, and one end of it is connected to the top of the hot water tank 2.

[0039] Reference Figure 1 The heat flow meter 61 is installed on the hot water outlet pipe 6 outside the hot water tank 2, and is located on the side of the hot water outlet solenoid valve 62 away from the hot water tank 2, so as to accurately detect the flow of hot water. The type and working principle of the heat flow meter 61 are the same as those of the cold flow meter 41.

[0040] Reference Figure 1 Cold tank 1 and hot tank 2 are used to store cold water and hot water respectively. They can be made of stainless steel, which has good corrosion resistance and heat preservation performance. The top of cold tank 1 is equipped with an exhaust pipe 11 for venting air from cold tank 1. One end of the exhaust pipe 11 is located at the top of cold tank 1, and the other end is connected to the inlet of cold flow meter 41.

[0041] Reference Figure 1 The exhaust pipe 11 is equipped with a normally closed solenoid valve 111, which is electrically connected to the control board. During water replenishment, the control board opens the normally closed solenoid valve 111 to facilitate the expulsion of air from the cold tank 1, ensuring that water can flow smoothly into the cold tank 1. The cold water outlet pipe 4 is also equipped with a UV sterilizer 43, which can sterilize the outflowing cold water and improve water quality.

[0042] The implementation principle of a system that automatically stops water discharge and switches to heating and cooling modes after detecting a full water level, according to an embodiment of this application, is as follows: The system detects water flow signals through a cold flow meter 41 and a heat flow meter 61. Based on the full water signal, the control board controls the opening and closing of the cold water inlet solenoid valve 31, the hot water inlet solenoid valve 51, the cold water outlet solenoid valve 42, the hot water outlet solenoid valve 62, and the normally closed solenoid valve 111, thereby achieving automatic water replenishment and automatic switching between heating and cooling modes. Compared with existing technologies, this system avoids the problems of complex installation, inconvenient maintenance, and low reliability of liquid level sensors. It also improves the level of intelligence, reduces manual operation, lowers safety hazards, and has the advantages of simple structure, high reliability, and convenient maintenance.

[0043] Example 2 Reference Figure 2The difference between this embodiment and Embodiment 1 is that both the cold water inlet solenoid valve 31 and the hot water inlet solenoid valve 51 are equipped with timers 311, and both the cold tank 1 and the hot tank 2 are equipped with pressure sensors 12. The timer 311 is used to detect the water replenishment time, which is the duration for which the cold water inlet solenoid valve 31 and the hot water inlet solenoid valve 51 are continuously open, and outputs the duration signal to the control board. The pressure sensor 12 is used to detect the gravity of the water in the tank and outputs the gravity signal to the control board.

[0044] The implementation principle of the system that automatically stops water flow and enters heating and cooling mode after detecting that the water is full in this embodiment of the application is as follows: After adding a timer 311 and a pressure sensor 12, the control board can further comprehensively judge the water full status based on the duration signal provided by the timer 311 and the gravity signal of the pressure sensor 12, combined with the signal of the flow meter. This improves the accuracy of detection and the reliability of the system, reduces the possibility of misjudgment when the flow meter is damaged, and enables users to detect water leakage in time, reducing the possibility of safety accidents caused by water leakage.

[0045] The above are all preferred embodiments of this application, and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of this application. Therefore, all equivalent changes made in accordance with the structure, shape and principle of this application should be covered within the scope of protection of this application.

Claims

1. A system that automatically stops water dispensing and enters heating and cooling mode after detecting that the tank is full, comprising a cold tank and a hot tank, characterized in that: The cold tank is equipped with a cold water inlet pipe and a cold water outlet pipe. The cold water inlet pipe is equipped with a cold water inlet solenoid valve, and the cold water outlet pipe is equipped with a cold flow meter. The hot tank is equipped with a hot water inlet pipe and a hot water outlet pipe. The hot water inlet pipe is equipped with a hot water inlet solenoid valve, and the hot water outlet pipe is equipped with a hot flow meter. Both the cold flow meter and the hot flow meter are used to detect water flow signals. The cold water inlet solenoid valve, the cold flow meter, the hot water inlet solenoid valve, and the hot flow meter are all electrically connected to the same control board.

2. The system according to claim 1, which automatically stops water dispensing and enters heating and cooling mode after detecting that the water tank is full, is characterized in that: The cold water outlet pipe is located at the bottom of the cold tank, and the top of the cold tank is equipped with an exhaust pipe. The other end of the exhaust pipe is connected to the inlet of the cold flow meter. The hot water outlet pipe is located at the top of the hot tank. The cold water outlet pipe is equipped with a cold water solenoid valve, and the hot water outlet pipe is equipped with a hot water solenoid valve. Both the cold water solenoid valve and the hot water solenoid valve are electrically connected to the control board.

3. The system according to claim 1, which automatically stops water dispensing and enters heating and cooling mode after detecting that the water tank is full, is characterized in that: The cold flow meter is installed on the cold water outlet pipe outside the cold tank, and the hot flow meter is installed on the hot water outlet pipe outside the hot tank.

4. The system according to claim 1, which automatically stops water dispensing and enters heating and cooling mode after detecting that the water tank is full, is characterized in that: The heat flow meter is installed on the side of the hot water solenoid valve away from the hot tank, and the cold flow meter is installed on the side of the cold water solenoid valve away from the cold tank.

5. The system according to claim 2 that automatically stops water dispensing and enters heating and cooling mode after detecting that the water tank is full, characterized in that: The exhaust pipe is equipped with a normally closed solenoid valve, which is used to vent the air in the cold tank. The normally closed solenoid valve is electrically connected to the control board.

6. The system according to claim 1, which automatically stops water dispensing and enters heating and cooling mode after detecting that the water tank is full, is characterized in that: The cold water outlet pipe is also equipped with a UV sterilizer.

7. The system according to claim 1, which automatically stops water dispensing and enters heating and cooling mode after detecting that the water tank is full, is characterized in that: Both the cold water inlet solenoid valve and the hot water inlet solenoid valve are equipped with timers. The timers are used to detect the water replenishment time and are electrically connected to the control board.

8. The system according to claim 1, which automatically stops water dispensing and enters heating and cooling mode after detecting that the water tank is full, is characterized in that: Both the cold tank and the hot tank are equipped with pressure sensors at the bottom. The pressure sensors are used to detect the gravity of the water inside the tank and are electrically connected to the control board.

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