A foamed support structure and a water heater

Abstract

The utility model discloses a foaming support structure and water heater belongs to water heater technical field, foaming support structure includes: support main part, and the interval of support main part is provided with injection port and exhaust hole, and injection port is used for to the foaming cavity injection, and one end of exhaust hole is the air inlet end, and the other end is the air outlet end, and the air inlet end is communicated with the foaming cavity and exhaust hole is used for guiding the gas in the foaming cavity from the air inlet end to the air outlet end flow, along the air inlet end to the air outlet end direction, the flow area of exhaust hole gradually reduces. The water heater includes the foaming support structure. Through exhaust hole guide the gas in the foaming cavity from the air inlet end to the air outlet end flow, make the gas in the foaming cavity when injection can be discharged, avoid the cavity in the foaming cavity and be trapped gas cause cavity, along the air inlet end to the air outlet end direction, the flow area of exhaust hole gradually reduces, when the foaming material in the foaming cavity along exhaust hole overflow, because the flow area of air outlet end is small, reduces the overflow material while not affecting the exhaust.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of water heater technology, and in particular to a foaming support structure and a water heater. Background Technology

[0002] A water heater consists of an outer shell and an inner tank. The inner tank is located inside the outer shell, forming a foaming cavity between them. Typically, an insulation layer made of foamed material is placed within this cavity. During manufacturing, to prevent uneven expansion of the foamed material from causing the inner tank to tilt within the outer shell, leading to improper assembly, foam overflow, and other quality issues, a foam pad is usually placed inside the outer shell to support and position the inner tank. When foaming material is injected into the foaming cavity, air accumulates as the material flows, making it difficult to expel and causing air entrapment. Cavities appear at these air-entrapped locations, reducing the insulation performance. Utility Model Content

[0003] This utility model provides a foaming support structure and a water heater to solve the technical problem in the prior art where trapped air in the foaming cavity causes the cavity to become hollow and affect the heat preservation performance.

[0004] Based on the above concept, the technical solution adopted by this utility model is as follows:

[0005] A foamed support structure, comprising:

[0006] The support body has an injection port and an exhaust port spaced apart on it. The injection port is used to inject material into the foaming cavity. One end of the exhaust port is an air inlet and the other end is an air outlet. The air inlet is connected to the foaming cavity and the exhaust port is used to guide the gas in the foaming cavity to flow from the air inlet to the air outlet. Along the direction from the air inlet to the air outlet, the flow area of ​​the exhaust port gradually decreases.

[0007] Preferably, the vent hole is a conical hole.

[0008] Preferably, the air outlet is a round hole with a diameter of 2.5mm-3.5mm.

[0009] Preferably, the support body includes a bottom support portion and a side support portion, the side support portion is arranged circumferentially around the bottom support portion and forms an accommodating cavity with the bottom support portion, and the injection port and the vent hole are both located in the bottom support portion.

[0010] Preferably, the bottom support is rectangular, and the injection port and the vent are located at two opposite corners of the bottom support.

[0011] Alternatively, the bottom support portion is circular, and the injection port and the vent are distributed at both ends of the bottom support portion in the diametrical direction.

[0012] Preferably, the bottom support portion forms a first support surface on the side away from the foaming cavity, the air outlet is disposed on the first support surface, a protective protrusion is provided on the first support surface, and the injection port passes through the protective protrusion.

[0013] Preferably, a first clearance groove is recessed on the first support surface, and a first clearance opening is provided on the side support corresponding to the position of the first clearance groove.

[0014] Preferably, the support body has a second clearance opening at its center, and the injection port and the vent are distributed on opposite sides of the second clearance opening.

[0015] A water heater includes an outer shell, an inner tank, and a foaming support structure as described above. The inner tank is disposed inside the outer shell, and a foaming cavity is formed between the inner tank and the outer shell. The support body is disposed inside the outer shell and located at the port of the foaming cavity. The support body abuts against the inner tank. The filling port and the vent are both connected to the foaming cavity.

[0016] Preferably, the water heater further includes a positioning component, which is disposed on the side of the support body away from the foaming cavity. The support body is inserted into the positioning component, and the positioning component is snapped into the outer shell.

[0017] The beneficial effects of this utility model are:

[0018] The foaming support structure proposed in this utility model has an injection port and an exhaust port spaced apart on the support body. The injection port is used to inject material into the foaming cavity. One end of the exhaust port is the air inlet, and the other end is the air outlet. The air inlet is connected to the foaming cavity, and the exhaust port is used to guide the gas in the foaming cavity from the air inlet to the air outlet, so that the gas in the foaming cavity can be discharged during injection, avoiding air trapping in the foaming cavity and causing voids. Along the direction from the air inlet to the air outlet, the flow area of ​​the exhaust port gradually decreases. When the foaming material in the foaming cavity overflows along the exhaust port, the flow area at the air outlet is small, which reduces the overflow without affecting the exhaust. As foaming material is continuously injected into the injection port, the foaming material overflows from the exhaust port, that is, from the air outlet. It can be judged that the foaming cavity is full of foaming material. Therefore, the overflow through the exhaust port makes the injection of material in the foaming cavity visible, thereby judging whether the foaming cavity is full, so as to prevent excessive injection leading to excessive overflow or insufficient injection affecting the heat preservation effect. Attached Figure Description

[0019] Figure 1 This is a partial structural schematic diagram of the water heater provided in this embodiment of the utility model;

[0020] Figure 2 This is a top view of the water heater provided in this embodiment of the utility model;

[0021] Figure 3 yes Figure 2 Sectional view along axis AA;

[0022] Figure 4 yes Figure 3 Enlarged view of point D;

[0023] Figure 5 yes Figure 2 BB-direction sectional view;

[0024] Figure 6 yes Figure 2 CC-direction sectional view;

[0025] Figure 7 This is an exploded view of the water heater provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0026] Figure 8 This is a first structural schematic diagram of the foamed support structure provided in this embodiment of the utility model;

[0027] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the second structure of the foamed support structure provided in this embodiment of the utility model.

[0028] In the picture:

[0029] 10. Outer shell; 101. Receiving cavity; 11. Slot; 12. Housing; 13. Base plate;

[0030] 20. Inner liner; 21. Gallbladder opening; 22. Convex edge;

[0031] 30. Foamed support structure; 31. Support body; 301. Injection port; 302. Exhaust port; 3021. Air inlet; 3022. Air outlet; 303. Receiving cavity; 304. Second clearance opening; 305. Arc-shaped surface; 306. Positioning groove; 311. Bottom support part; 3111. First support surface; 3112. First clearance groove; 312. Side support part; 3121. First clearance opening; 313. Protective boss;

[0032] 40. Flange;

[0033] 50. Positioning component; 51. Edge protrusion; 52. Positioning bracket;

[0034] 100. Foaming cavity. Detailed Implementation

[0035] The embodiments of this utility model are described in detail below. Examples of the embodiments are shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein the same or similar reference numerals denote the same or similar elements or elements having the same or similar functions throughout. The embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings are exemplary and intended to explain this utility model, and should not be construed as limiting this utility model.

[0036] In the description of this utility model, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "connected," "linked," and "fixed" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral part; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; they can refer to the internal communication of two components or the interaction between two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this utility model based on the specific circumstances.

[0037] In this invention, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, "above" or "below" the second feature can include direct contact between the first and second features, or contact between the first and second features through another feature between them. Furthermore, "above," "over," and "on top" of the second feature includes the first feature directly above or diagonally above the second feature, or simply indicates that the first feature is at a higher horizontal level than the second feature. "Below," "below," and "under" the second feature includes the first feature directly below or diagonally below the second feature, or simply indicates that the first feature is at a lower horizontal level than the second feature.

[0038] The technical solution of this utility model will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments.

[0039] See Figures 1 to 9 This embodiment provides a water heater, including an outer shell 10, an inner tank 20, and a foaming support structure 30. The inner tank 20 is disposed inside the outer shell 10, and a foaming cavity 100 is formed between the inner tank 20 and the outer shell 10. The foaming support structure 30 is disposed inside the outer shell 10 and located at the port of the foaming cavity 100. The foaming support structure 30 abuts against the inner tank 20 and provides support for the inner tank 20 to prevent the inner tank 20 from tilting in the outer shell 10.

[0040] The foaming support structure 30 includes a support body 31. The support body 31 is provided with an injection port 301 and an exhaust port 302 at intervals. The injection port 301 is used to inject material into the foaming cavity 100. One end of the exhaust port 302 is an air inlet 3021 and the other end is an air outlet 3022. The air inlet 3021 is connected to the foaming cavity 100 and the exhaust port 302 is used to guide the gas in the foaming cavity 100 to flow from the air inlet 3021 to the air outlet 3022. Along the direction from the air inlet 3021 to the air outlet 3022, the flow area of ​​the exhaust port 302 gradually decreases.

[0041] The gas in the foaming cavity 100 is guided to flow from the air inlet 3021 to the air outlet 3022 through the vent 302, so that the gas in the foaming cavity 100 can be discharged during the injection, avoiding trapped air in the foaming cavity 100 and causing an empty cavity. Along the direction from the air inlet 3021 to the air outlet 3022, the flow area of ​​the vent 302 gradually decreases. When the foaming material in the foaming cavity 100 overflows along the vent 302, the overflow is reduced without affecting the venting due to the small flow area of ​​the air outlet 3022. As foaming material is continuously injected into the injection port 301, the foaming material overflows from the vent 302, that is, from the air outlet 3022. It can be judged that the foaming cavity 100 is full of foaming material. Therefore, the overflow through the vent 302 makes the injection of material in the foaming cavity 100 visible, thereby judging whether the foaming cavity 100 is full, so as to prevent excessive injection leading to excessive overflow or insufficient injection affecting the heat preservation effect.

[0042] In the water heater, the support body 31 is located inside the outer shell 10 and at the port of the foaming cavity 100. The support body 31 abuts against the inner tank 20. The filling port 301 and the vent 302 are both connected to the foaming cavity 100.

[0043] In some embodiments, one vent hole 302 is provided. In some embodiments, two or more vent holes 302 are provided. When multiple vent holes 302 are provided on a support body 31, the flow area of ​​each vent hole 302 can be reduced to prevent excessive overflow.

[0044] Along the direction from the air inlet 3021 to the air outlet 3022, the flow area of ​​the exhaust port 302 gradually decreases. For example, the exhaust port 302 is a conical hole, which facilitates processing and production. For example, the foam support structure 30 is an EPS foam component, i.e., polystyrene material. Polystyrene has certain strength and thermal insulation properties, which can provide cushioning and support for the inner liner 20. The foam support structure 30 can be integrally molded using a mold, and the exhaust port 302 is formed simultaneously during the integral molding process.

[0045] The size of the vent end 3022 can be set according to actual needs. In some embodiments, the vent end 3022 is a circular hole with a diameter of 2.5mm-3.5mm. A smaller diameter of the vent end 3022 reduces overflow. For example, the diameter of the vent end 3022 is 2.5mm, 2.6mm, 2.7mm, 2.8mm, 2.9mm, 3.0mm, 3.1mm, 3.2mm, 3.3mm, 3.4mm, or 3.5mm.

[0046] The size of the air intake end 3021 can be set according to actual needs. In some embodiments, the air intake end 3021 is a circular hole with a diameter of 5mm-7mm to ensure exhaust efficiency. For example, the diameter of the air intake end 3021 is 5mm, 5.2mm, 5.5mm, 5.8mm, 6.0mm, 6.2mm, 6.5mm, 6.8mm, or 7.0mm.

[0047] The support body 31 includes a bottom support portion 311 and a side support portion 312. The side support portion 312 is arranged circumferentially around the bottom support portion 311 and together with the bottom support portion 311 forms an accommodating cavity 303. The injection port 301 and the vent 302 are both located on the bottom support portion 311. The cooperation between the bottom support portion 311 and the side support portion 312 ensures the structural strength of the support body 31, thereby guaranteeing the support effect.

[0048] On the water heater, the bottom support 311 abuts against the inner tank 20, and the side support 312 connects to the outer casing 10 for easy installation. The cooperation between the bottom support 311 and the side support 312 ensures that the inner tank 20 is stably positioned within the outer casing 10. The cavity 303 formed by the bottom support 311 and the side support 312 facilitates the placement of the water heater's electrical components.

[0049] In this embodiment, the bottom support portion 311 is rectangular, and the injection port 301 and the vent port 302 are located at two opposite corners of the bottom support portion 311. This arrangement ensures that the injection port 301 and the vent port 302 are as far apart as possible. When material is injected into the foaming cavity 100 through the injection port 301, the gas inside the foaming cavity 100 is compressed by the foaming material and moves away from the injection port 301. Therefore, keeping the injection port 301 and the vent port 302 as far apart as possible facilitates gas discharge. Since the bottom support portion 311 is rectangular, it has four corners, with the two opposite corners being the two corners connected by the diagonals of the rectangle.

[0050] In other embodiments, the bottom support portion 311 is circular, and the injection port 301 and the vent 302 are distributed at both ends of the bottom support portion 311 in the diameter direction, so that the injection port 301 and the vent 302 are as far apart as possible.

[0051] A first support surface 3111 is formed on the side of the bottom support portion 311 away from the foaming cavity 100. An air outlet 3022 is disposed on the first support surface 3111. A protective boss 313 is provided on the first support surface 3111, and the injection port 301 passes through the protective boss 313. By providing the protective boss 313, the port of the injection port 301 is higher than the air outlet 3022. On the one hand, this prevents the foaming material spilled from the injection port 301 from contaminating the first support surface 3111. On the other hand, it prevents the injection port 301 from overflowing when the air outlet 3022 of the vent 302 overflows.

[0052] The size of the injection port 301 can be set according to actual needs. In some embodiments, the injection port 301 is a circular hole with a diameter of 25mm-40mm. For example, the diameter of the injection port 301 is 25mm, 28mm, 30mm, 32mm, 35mm, 38mm, or 40mm.

[0053] In some embodiments, the ratio of the diameter of the vent end 3022 to the diameter of the injection port 301 is greater than or equal to 0.05 and less than or equal to 0.2, so that a smaller vent hole 302 can achieve the venting effect. For example, the ratio of the diameter of the vent end 3022 to the diameter of the injection port 301 is equal to 0.05, 0.1, 0.15, or 0.2. For example, the diameter of the injection port 301 is 35 mm, and the diameter of the vent end 3022 is 3.2 mm.

[0054] A first clearance groove 3112 is recessed on the first support surface 3111, and a first clearance opening 3121 is provided on the side support part 312 corresponding to the position of the first clearance groove 3112. The first clearance groove 3112 facilitates the installation of electrical components of the water heater, such as adjustment knobs. The first clearance opening 3121 allows the electrical components to be connected to the outer casing 10.

[0055] In this embodiment, the first clearance groove 3112 is disposed on one side of the vent 302. The bottom support portion 311 is rectangular, and the first clearance groove 3112 is disposed at the middle part of one edge of the bottom support portion 311.

[0056] The support body 31 has a second clearance opening 304 at its center. The injection port 301 and the vent 302 are distributed on opposite sides of the second clearance opening 304 so that the injection port 301 and the vent 302 are as far apart as possible. When the material is injected into the foaming cavity 100 through the injection port 301, the gas in the foaming cavity 100 is squeezed by the foaming material and moves away from the injection port 301. Therefore, keeping the injection port 301 and the vent 302 as far apart as possible makes it easier for the gas to be discharged.

[0057] One end of the inner tank 20 is provided with a tank opening 21. The second clearance opening 304 of the supporting body 31 serves to avoid the tank opening 21, and the tank opening 21 is located within the second clearance opening 304. The water heater also includes a flange 40, with a raised edge 22 formed at the tank opening 21. The flange 40 is connected to the raised edge 22 and is located within the second clearance opening 304. The edge of the flange 40 can abut against the inner wall of the second clearance opening 304 to limit the movement of the supporting body 31. The end of the inner tank 20 away from the tank opening 21 is a closed end. Other support structures can be provided between the closed end and the outer shell 10, which are not limited here.

[0058] The side of the support body 31 near the foaming cavity 100 forms an arc-shaped surface 305 around the second clearance opening 304. The arc-shaped surface 305 can abut against the inner liner 20 to play a sealing role and prevent material from overflowing from the gap between the support body 31 and the inner liner 20.

[0059] In this embodiment, the foam support structure 30 is a one-piece molded structure, which is convenient for processing and production.

[0060] The water heater also includes a positioning component 50, which is located on the side of the support body 31 away from the foaming chamber 100. The support body 31 is inserted into the positioning component 50, and the positioning component 50 is snapped into the outer shell 10. By setting the positioning component 50, the foaming support structure 30 can be stably installed onto the outer shell 10. The insertion of the support body 31 into the positioning component 50 and the snapping of the positioning component 50 into the outer shell 10 increase the contact area and ensure more stable installation.

[0061] For example, both the support body 31 and the positioning member 50 have a positioning protrusion and a positioning slot, respectively. The positioning protrusion is inserted into the positioning slot to achieve the connection between the support body 31 and the positioning member 50. For example, the support body 31 has a positioning protrusion, and the positioning member 50 has a positioning slot, with the positioning protrusion inserted into the positioning slot. For example, the positioning protrusion is located on the side of the side support portion 312 away from the bottom support portion 311, and multiple positioning protrusions are provided, spaced circumferentially around the side support portion 312. The positioning slot can penetrate the positioning member 50, or the positioning slot can be located on the side of the positioning member 50 closer to the foaming cavity 100.

[0062] The positioning element 50 has an edge protrusion 51 on its edge, and the end of the outer shell 10 is bent to form a groove 11, with the edge protrusion 51 engaging with the groove 11. During installation, the foam support structure 30 is placed at one end of the inner liner 20, and the positioning element 50 is placed on one side of the support body 31, so that the positioning protrusion is inserted into the positioning slot. Pressing down on the positioning element 50 causes the edge protrusion 51 to engage with the groove 11, and under the action of the downward pressure, the support body 31 and the inner liner 20 are pressed together.

[0063] A positioning groove 306 is provided on the side of the support body 31 away from the foaming cavity 100. The positioning component 50 includes a positioning frame 52, which is inserted into the positioning groove 306. The positioning frame 52 cooperates with the positioning groove 306 to facilitate the smooth installation of the positioning component 50.

[0064] The outer casing 10 includes a housing 12 and a base plate 13. The housing 12 is arranged circumferentially around the base plate 13, and the housing 12 and the base plate 13 form a receiving cavity 101, in which the inner liner 20 is located. In some embodiments, the housing 12 and the base plate 13 are detachably connected for easy maintenance. In some embodiments, the housing 12 and the base plate 13 are integrally formed.

[0065] The water heater also includes an inlet pipe and an outlet pipe, which pass through the outer casing 10 and communicate with the inner tank 20. In this embodiment, both the inlet and outlet pipes pass through the base plate 13 and are spaced apart. During foaming, a sealing structure can be provided between the inlet pipe and the outer casing 10 to prevent leakage, and a sealing structure can also be provided between the outlet pipe and the outer casing 10 to prevent leakage.

[0066] The aforementioned foam support structure 30, by providing vent holes 302, can prevent air from being trapped inside the foam cavity 100, thus preventing the formation of cavities. In addition to being applicable to water heaters, it can also be applied to other fields that require foam insulation, such as refrigerators and water dispensers.

[0067] The above embodiments merely illustrate the basic principles and characteristics of this utility model. This utility model is not limited to the above embodiments. Various changes and modifications can be made to this utility model without departing from its spirit and scope, and all such changes and modifications fall within the scope of the claimed utility model. The scope of protection of this utility model is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A foamed support structure, characterized in that, include: The support body (31) is provided with a material inlet (301) and an exhaust hole (302) spaced apart. The material inlet (301) is used to inject material into the foaming cavity (100). One end of the exhaust hole (302) is an air inlet (3021) and the other end is an air outlet (3022). The air inlet (3021) is connected to the foaming cavity (100) and the exhaust hole (302) is used to guide the gas in the foaming cavity (100) to flow from the air inlet (3021) to the air outlet (3022). Along the direction from the air inlet (3021) to the air outlet (3022), the flow area of ​​the exhaust hole (302) gradually decreases.

2. The foamed support structure according to claim 1, characterized in that, The exhaust port (302) is a conical hole.

3. The foamed support structure according to claim 1, characterized in that, The air outlet (3022) is a round hole and the diameter of the air outlet (3022) is 2.5mm-3.5mm.

4. The foamed support structure according to claim 1, characterized in that, The support body (31) includes a bottom support (311) and a side support (312). The side support (312) is arranged around the bottom support (311) and forms a receiving cavity (303) with the bottom support (311). The injection port (301) and the vent (302) are both located on the bottom support (311).

5. The foamed support structure according to claim 4, characterized in that, The bottom support (311) is rectangular, and the injection port (301) and the vent (302) are located at two opposite corners of the bottom support (311); Alternatively, the bottom support (311) is circular, and the injection port (301) and the vent (302) are distributed at both ends of the bottom support (311) in the diametrical direction.

6. The foamed support structure according to claim 4, characterized in that, The bottom support (311) forms a first support surface (3111) on the side away from the foaming cavity (100). The air outlet (3022) is disposed on the first support surface (3111). A protective boss (313) is provided on the first support surface (3111). The injection port (301) penetrates the protective boss (313).

7. The foamed support structure according to claim 6, characterized in that, The first support surface (3111) is recessed with a first clearance groove (3112), and the side support part (312) is provided with a first clearance opening (3121) at the position corresponding to the first clearance groove (3112).

8. The foamed support structure according to any one of claims 1-7, characterized in that, The support body (31) has a second clearance opening (304) at its center, and the injection port (301) and the vent (302) are located on opposite sides of the second clearance opening (304).

9. A water heater, characterized in that, The device includes an outer shell (10), an inner liner (20), and a foaming support structure as described in any one of claims 1-8. The inner liner (20) is disposed inside the outer shell (10), and the foaming cavity (100) is formed between the inner liner (20) and the outer shell (10). The support body (31) is disposed inside the outer shell (10) and located at the port of the foaming cavity (100). The support body (31) abuts against the inner liner (20), and the injection port (301) and the vent (302) are both connected to the foaming cavity (100).

10. The water heater according to claim 9, characterized in that, The water heater also includes a positioning element (50), which is located on the side of the support body (31) away from the foaming chamber (100). The support body (31) is inserted into the positioning element (50), and the positioning element (50) is snapped into the outer shell (10).

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