Pipe joint and water heater

Abstract

A pipe joint (2000) and a water heater. The pipe joint (2000) comprises a main body portion (2200) and a boss portion (2100) arranged on the main body portion (2200), wherein the boss portion (2100) is adapted to be inserted into a water heater inner container (1000), and the main body portion (2200) is adapted to abut against an outer surface (1300) of the water heater inner container (1000); the boss portion (2100) has an end surface (2130) and a first inner wall surface (2110); and a first curved surface (2140) is provided between the end surface (2130) and the first inner wall surface (2110). A step structure is formed by the cooperation of the boss portion (2100) and the main body portion (2200), which facilitates insertion and positioning with respect to the water heater inner container (1000); by providing the first curved surface (2140) on the boss portion (2100) and adjacent to the first inner wall surface (2110) and the end surface (2130), when a raw material is applied on an inner surface (1400) of the water heater inner container (1000) and the inner wall surface (2001) of the pipe joint (2000) to form a plastic layer (4000), the first curved surface (2140) can avoid obstructions to the flow of the raw material, thereby facilitating the flow of the raw material, such that the thickness of the plastic layer (4000) formed in the pipe joint (2000) is more uniform, thus better covering the inner wall surface (2001) of the pipe joint (2000), ensuring the protection of the pipe joint (2000), and preventing water leakage.

Description

Pipe joints and water heaters

[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0002] This application claims priority to the Chinese patent application filed with the China Patent Office on August 3, 2023, with application number 202322101899.3 and application name “Pipe Connector and Water Heater”, the entire contents of which are incorporated by reference into this application. Technical Field

[0003] The present application relates to the technical field of water heaters, and in particular to a pipe joint and a water heater. Background Art

[0004] In order to prevent corrosion, a protective layer is applied to the inner surface of the water heater tank. Since water needs to flow in and out of the water heater tank through a pipe joint, the inner wall surface of the corresponding pipe joint also needs to be coated with a protective layer. In related technologies, the raw materials required for coating the protective layer flow in a molten state. When the raw materials enter the pipe joint from the water heater tank, poor flow is likely to occur, resulting in bubbles or uneven thickness in the protective layer formed inside the joint.

[0005] Application Contents

[0006] The present application aims to solve one of the technical problems in the related art at least to a certain extent. To this end, the present application proposes a pipe joint.

[0007] To achieve the above-mentioned purpose, the present application discloses a pipe joint, which includes a main body and a boss portion provided on the main body, the boss portion is suitable for being inserted into the inner tank of a water heater, the main body is suitable for abutting the outer surface of the inner tank of the water heater, the boss portion has an end face and a first inner wall surface, and a first curved surface is provided between the end face and the first inner wall surface.

[0008] In some embodiments of the present application, the first curved surface is an arc surface.

[0009] In some embodiments of the present application, the radius of the first curved surface is R1, satisfying 0.5 mm ≤ R1 ≤ 2 mm.

[0010] In some embodiments of the present application, the boss portion is higher than the inner surface of the water heater inner tank.

[0011] In some embodiments of the present application, the boss portion has a first outer wall surface, and a second curved surface is provided between the end surface and the first outer wall surface.

[0012] In some embodiments of the present application, the second curved surface is an arc surface.

[0013] In some embodiments of the present application, the radius of the second curved surface is R2, satisfying 0.5 mm ≤ R2 ≤ 2 mm.

[0014] In some embodiments of the present application, the main body has a second inner wall surface, and the second inner wall surface is provided with a groove.

[0015] In some embodiments of the present application, the groove extends along the circumference of the second inner wall surface.

[0016] In some embodiments of the present application, the groove comprises a plurality of grooves, and the plurality of grooves are arranged at intervals along the axial direction of the main body.

[0017] In some embodiments of the present application, the groove is provided below 1 / 2 of the height of the main body.

[0018] In some embodiments of the present application, the boss portion is surrounded by a first opening, the main body portion is surrounded by a second opening, and the groove is adjacent to and communicates with the second opening.

[0019] The present application also discloses a water heater, which includes the above-mentioned pipe joint, a water heater liner and a plastic layer, wherein the plastic layer is provided on the inner surface of the water heater liner and the inner wall surface of the pipe joint.

[0020] In some embodiments of the present application, the pipe joint is welded to the outer surface of the water heater inner tank along its circumference.

[0021] The technical solution of the present application forms a step structure through the cooperation of the boss portion and the main body portion, which is convenient for plugging and positioning with the water heater inner tank. By providing a first curved surface on the boss portion adjacent to the first inner wall surface and the end surface, when the raw material is coated on the inner surface of the water heater inner tank and the inner wall surface of the pipe joint to form a plastic layer, the first curved surface can avoid obstruction to the flow of the raw material, facilitate the flow of the raw material, and make the thickness of the plastic layer formed in the pipe joint more uniform, thereby better covering the inner wall surface of the pipe joint, ensuring protection of the pipe joint, and preventing water leakage.

[0022] Other advantages of the present application will be given in part in the description below, and in part will become apparent from the description below, or will be understood through the practice of the present application. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0023] In order to more clearly illustrate the embodiments of the present application or the technical solutions in the prior art, the following briefly introduces the drawings required for use in the embodiments or the description of the prior art. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present application. For ordinary technicians in this field, other designs can be obtained based on the structures shown in these drawings without paying any creative work.

[0024] FIG1 is a schematic diagram of the assembly of a water heater tank, pipe joints, and joint accessories (including three pipe joints and three joint accessories) in some embodiments;

[0025] FIG2 is a schematic diagram of the assembly of the water heater tank and pipe joints (including three pipe joints) in some embodiments;

[0026] FIG3 is a cross-sectional view of the assembly of the water heater tank and the pipe joint in some embodiments;

[0027] FIG4 is a cross-sectional view of the water heater inner tank, pipe joints, and plastic layer in some embodiments;

[0028] FIG5 is a cross-sectional view of a pipe joint in some embodiments;

[0029] FIG6 is an enlarged view of the portion marked A in FIG5 .

[0030] Explanation of the accompanying drawings: Water heater inner tank 1000, water storage chamber 1100, mounting hole 1200, outer surface 1300, inner surface 1400; Pipe joint 2000, inner wall surface 2001, first opening 2002, second opening 2003, boss portion 2100, first inner wall surface 2110, first outer wall surface 2120, end face 2130, first curved surface 2140, second curved surface 2150, main body 2200, second inner wall surface 2210, groove 2211, second outer wall surface 2220; Joint accessories 3000; Plastic layer 4000.

[0031] The realization of the objectives, functional features and advantages of this application will be further explained in conjunction with embodiments and with reference to the accompanying drawings. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0032] The following will be combined with the drawings in the embodiments of this application to clearly and completely describe the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application. Obviously, the embodiments described are only part of the embodiments of this application, not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of this application, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without making creative efforts are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0033] It should be noted that all directional indications in the embodiments of the present application (such as up, down, left, right, front, back, etc.) are only used to explain the relative position relationship, movement status, etc. between the various components under a certain specific posture (as shown in the accompanying drawings). If the specific posture changes, the directional indication will also change accordingly.

[0034] In this application, unless otherwise specified or limited, the terms "connection" and "fixation" should be understood in a broad sense. For example, "fixation" can mean fixed connection, detachable connection, or integration; mechanical connection or electrical connection; direct connection or indirect connection through an intermediate medium; internal communication between two elements or interaction between two elements, unless otherwise specified. For those skilled in the art, the specific meanings of the above terms in this application can be understood according to specific circumstances.

[0035] In addition, the descriptions of "first", "second", etc. in this application are for descriptive purposes only and should not be understood as indicating or implying their relative importance or implicitly indicating the number of the technical features indicated. Therefore, the features defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of such features. In addition, the technical solutions between the various embodiments can be combined with each other, but this must be based on the fact that they can be implemented by ordinary technicians in this field. When the combination of technical solutions is contradictory or cannot be implemented, it should be deemed that such combination of technical solutions does not exist and is not within the scope of protection required by this application.

[0036] The first aspect of the present application discloses a pipe joint 2000 , which will be described in detail below in conjunction with a water heater.

[0037] In some embodiments of the present application, in combination with Figures 1 to 6, the pipe connector 2000 includes a boss portion 2100 and a main body portion 2200. The boss portion 2100 is arranged on the main body portion 2200. When the pipe connector 2000 is installed in the water heater inner tank 1000, the boss portion 2100 needs to be inserted into the water heater inner tank 1000, and the main body portion 2200 needs to abut against the outer surface 1300 of the water heater inner tank 1000. The boss portion 2100 has a first inner wall surface 2110 and an end surface 2130. A first curved surface 2140 is arranged between the first inner wall surface 2110 and the end surface 2130. The boss portion 2100 and the main body portion 2200 cooperate to form a step structure, which facilitates the insertion and positioning with the water heater inner tank 1000. By providing a first curved surface 2140 on the boss portion 2100 adjacent to the first inner wall surface 2110 and the end surface 2130, when the raw material is coated on the inner surface 1400 of the water heater inner tank 1000 and the inner wall surface 2001 of the pipe joint 2000 to form the plastic layer 4000, the first curved surface 2140 can avoid obstructing the flow of the raw material, facilitate the flow of the raw material, and make the thickness of the plastic layer 4000 formed in the pipe joint 2000 more uniform, thereby better covering the inner wall surface 2001 of the pipe joint 2000, ensuring protection of the pipe joint 2000 and preventing water leakage.

[0038] Specifically, water heaters include gas water heaters and electric water heaters. Gas water heaters heat water by burning gas, while electric water heaters heat water by applying electricity. This article will use electric water heaters as an example. The water heater's inner tank 1000 has a water storage chamber 1100 for storing a certain amount of water. The inner tank 1000 is equipped with a heater, which heats the water in the water storage chamber 1100. It is understood that the water in the water storage chamber 1100 needs to be introduced from the outside and discharged to the outside after heating. Generally, water inlet and outlet connections are achieved by the water heater through a water inlet connector and a water outlet connector. The water inlet connector is installed on the inner tank 1000 and communicates with the water storage chamber 1100. The water inlet connector is connected to an external water source, such as a municipal water supply, via a pipeline. The municipal water supply pipes water through the water inlet connector to the water storage chamber 1100 until the water level in the water storage chamber 1100 reaches a predetermined level. Similar to the water inlet joint, the water outlet joint must also be installed on the water heater inner tank 1000 and communicate with the water storage chamber 1100. The water outlet joint needs to be connected to a sprinkler, such as a shower head, through a pipe. The water in the water storage chamber 1100 is output through the water outlet joint. Water inlet and outlet are achieved through the water inlet joint and the water outlet joint. The water inlet joint and the water outlet joint are referred to as the pipe joint 2000. It can be understood that the pipe joint 2000 is a joint that enables water flow. The pipe joint 2000 is not limited to the aforementioned water inlet joint and water outlet joint. The pipe joint 2000 can also be a joint for installing a drain valve. The drain valve is a type of joint accessory 3000. As long as it is connected to the pipe joint 2000, it can be regarded as a joint accessory 3000. For example, the joint accessory can also be integrated with an inlet pipe, an outlet pipe, etc.

[0039] Generally speaking, the pipe connector 2000 and the water heater inner tank 1000 are manufactured separately, and then the pipe connector 2000 and the water heater inner tank 1000 are connected together. In order to facilitate the assembly and connection of the pipe connector 2000 and the water heater inner tank 1000. In this embodiment, the pipe connector 2000 has a main body 2200 and a boss 2100. The boss 2100 is arranged on the main body 2200. The boss 2100 and the main body 2200 together form an inner wall surface 2001 of the pipe connector 2000. The inner wall surface 2001 of the pipe connector 2000 is surrounded by a water channel, wherein the radial dimension of the boss 2100 is smaller than the radial dimension of the main body 2200. In this way, the boss 2100 and the main body 2200 cooperate to form a step structure. The water heater inner tank 1000 has an installation The mounting hole 1200 is connected to the water storage chamber 1100. When the pipe connector 2000 is installed on the water heater inner tank 1000, the boss portion 2100 is inserted into the mounting hole 1200 (that is, inserted into the water heater inner tank 1000). When the boss portion 2100 is inserted into the mounting hole 1200 to the predetermined position, the main body 2200 will abut against the outer surface 1300 of the water heater inner tank 1000, thus forming the initial positioning and installation of the pipe connector 2000 and the water heater inner tank 1000, laying the foundation for subsequent further tightening. In addition, the boss portion 2100 is inserted into the mounting hole 1200 from the outside to the inside, leaving more space outside the water heater inner tank 1000 for installation operations, making it more convenient to connect the pipe connector 2000 and the water heater inner tank 1000.

[0040] The water heater liner 1000 can be made of plastic or metal. While plastic water heater liner 1000 has advantages such as low cost and corrosion resistance, it also suffers from aging and a short lifespan. In contrast, metal water heater liner 1000 is less susceptible to aging and has a longer lifespan, but is more expensive and less corrosion-resistant. To prevent corrosion of the metal water heater liner 1000, a polymer (raw material) is coated on the inner surface 1400 of the water heater liner 1000 to form a plastic layer 4000. The plastic layer 4000 protects the water heater liner 1000. The pipe connector 2000 is also typically made of metal, so a polymer is also coated on the inner wall 2001 of the pipe connector 2000 to form a plastic layer 4000 to protect the pipe connector 2000. The metal water heater inner tank 1000 has high structural strength, ensuring pressure-bearing performance, while achieving excellent anti-corrosion performance through the plastic layer 4000.

[0041] It is worth noting that the plastic layer 4000 can be coated on the inner surface 1400 of the water heater inner tank 1000 and the inner wall surface 2001 of the pipe joint 2000 through a rotational molding process. During the rotational molding process, the polymer is melted by heat and is coated and adhered to the inner surface 1400 of the water heater inner tank 1000 under the action of gravity. The molten polymer will flow from the inner surface 1400 of the water heater inner tank 1000 to the inner wall surface 2001 of the pipe joint 2000, and finally form the plastic layer 4000 after cooling and shaping.

[0042] When the molten polymer flows from the inner surface 1400 of the water heater inner tank 1000 to the inner wall 2001 of the pipe connector 2000, it needs to undergo a significant change in direction. Since the boss portion 2100 is inserted into the mounting hole 1200, if the first inner wall 2110 and the end face 2130 of the boss portion 2100 form a right angle, the flow of the molten polymer would be hindered, resulting in an uneven thickness distribution of the plastic layer 4000 formed by the polymer flowing to the inner wall 2001 of the pipe connector 2000, and even the generation of bubbles, which is not conducive to protecting the pipe connector 2000. Therefore, in this embodiment, a first curved surface 2140 is designed between the end face 2130 and the first inner wall 2110. The transition through the first curved surface 2140 facilitates the flow of the polymer, thereby facilitating the flow of the polymer to the inner wall of the pipe connector 2000, resulting in a uniform thickness distribution of the formed plastic layer 4000 and preventing the generation of bubbles. It is understandable that, in addition to the rotational molding process, the plastic layer 4000 can also be prepared by coating through other processes, which will not be described in detail here.

[0043] In some embodiments of the present application, as shown in FIG6 , first curved surface 2140 is designed as an arc surface. Thus, when the molten polymer flows through first curved surface 2140, the force exerted by first curved surface 2140 on the polymer is perpendicular to first curved surface 2140. This ensures a more stable flow of the polymer through first curved surface 2140 and prevents flow interruption. Furthermore, the radius of first curved surface 2140 is R1, which needs to satisfy 0.5 mm ≤ R1 ≤ 2 mm. For example, R1 is 0.5 mm, 1 mm, 1.5 mm, or 2 mm. Preferably, R1 is 1 mm, achieving a better flow-guiding effect on the molten polymer.

[0044] In some embodiments of the present application, as shown in FIG. 3 , the boss portion 2100 is designed to be higher than the inner surface 1400 of the water heater inner tank 1000 , thereby better achieving positioning and installation between the pipe connector 2000 and the water heater inner tank 1000 . It can be understood that the so-called higher than is a reference along the axial direction of the pipe connector 2000. Higher than means that the boss portion 2100 needs to protrude into the water storage chamber 1100, and there is a height difference between the boss portion 2100 and the inner surface 1400 of the water heater inner tank 1000. In this way, when the pipe connector 2000 and the water heater inner tank 1000 are installed, the boss portion 2100 is inserted into the mounting hole 1200 to form a better mutual locking, so that the pipe connector 2000 is not easy to shake, especially when the pipe connector 2000 and the water heater inner tank 1000 are fixed together by welding, the boss portion 2100 is higher than the inner surface 1400 of the water heater inner tank 1000, which makes the entire pipe connector 2000 more stable during the welding process and reduces the probability of poor welding.

[0045] In some embodiments of the present application, as shown in conjunction with Figures 3, 5, and 6, the boss portion 2100 has a first outer wall surface 2120, and a second curved surface 2150 is provided between the first outer wall surface 2120 and the end surface 2130. When the molten polymer flows from the inner surface 1400 of the water heater inner tank 1000 to the inner wall surface 2001 of the pipe connector 2000, because the boss portion 2100 is higher than the inner surface 1400 of the water heater inner tank 1000, the second curved surface 2150 is provided between the first outer wall surface 2120 and the end surface 2130. The transition through the second curved surface 2150 facilitates the flow of the polymer, prevents the formation of bubbles at the junction of the pipe connector 2000 and the water heater inner tank 1000, and thus makes the thickness of the plastic layer 4000 at the junction of the pipe connector 2000 and the water heater inner tank 1000 more uniform, thereby providing better protection against water seepage.

[0046] In some embodiments of the present application, as shown in FIG6 , similar to the first curved surface 2140, the second curved surface 2150 is also designed as an arc surface. Thus, when the molten polymer flows through the second curved surface 2150, the force exerted by the second curved surface 2150 on the polymer is perpendicular to the second curved surface 2150. This makes the polymer flow more stable and less likely to be interrupted when flowing through the second curved surface 2150. Furthermore, the radius of the second curved surface 2150 is R2, and R2 needs to satisfy 0.5mm≤R2≤2mm. For example, R2 is 0.5mm, 1mm, 1.5mm, or 2mm. Preferably, R2 is 1mm, to achieve a better flow-guiding effect on the molten polymer.

[0047] In some embodiments of the present application, as shown in Figures 4 and 5, the main body 2200 has a second inner wall surface 2210, and a groove 2211 is provided on the second inner wall surface 2210. The setting of the groove 2211 enhances the bonding strength between the second inner wall surface 2210 and the plastic layer 4000, thereby preventing the plastic layer 4000 from falling off.

[0048] Specifically, the connection between the pipe connector 2000 and the fitting 3000 is achieved through the main body 2200. For example, the outer wall of the main body 2200 is defined as a second outer wall 2220. The second outer wall 2220 is provided with external threads. The fitting 3000 can be screwed to the main body 2200, thereby achieving water circulation. Along the axial direction of the pipe connector 2000 and in the direction away from the boss 2100, the temperature of the main body 2200 decreases. This is because the boss 2100 is located in the water storage chamber 1100 and is relatively hot due to the influence of the water temperature. The end of the main body 2200 away from the boss 2100 is located outside the water storage chamber 1100 and has a relatively low temperature. Furthermore, during the cycle of water heating and cooling, the plastic layer 4000 is easily affected by temperature changes and easily shrinks and separates from the inner wall 2001 of the pipe connector 2000. To this end, in this embodiment, a groove 2211 is provided on the second inner wall 2210 of the main body 2200. The groove 2211 is a space recessed relative to the second inner wall 2210. Molten polymer flows through the second inner wall 2210 and fills the groove 2211. During the molding process of the plastic layer, the polymer is trapped in the groove 2211, thereby enhancing the bonding strength between the plastic layer 4000 and the second inner wall 2210 and preventing the plastic layer 4000 from separating from the second inner wall 2210. For example, the groove 2211 is open toward the central axis of the main body 2200. The depth of the groove 2211 can be designed to be 0.5 mm to 1 mm, preferably 0.7 mm, and the opening width of the groove 2211 can be designed to be 1 mm to 3 mm, preferably 2 mm.

[0049] In some embodiments of the present application, the groove 2211 is designed to extend along the circumference of the second inner wall surface 2210, thereby further strengthening the bonding strength between the plastic layer 4000 and the second inner wall surface 2210. For example, the groove 2211 is designed as an annular groove 2211. In this way, a certain restraining force can be applied to the plastic layer 4000 in the circumferential direction of the second inner wall surface 2210, further suppressing shrinkage and deformation of the plastic layer 4000.

[0050] As shown in FIG5 , in some embodiments of the present application, a plurality of grooves 2211 are provided, and the plurality of grooves 2211 are spaced apart along the axial direction of the main body 2200. It is understood that the plurality of grooves 2211 means two or more. Since the pipe connector 2000 needs to be connected to both the water heater inner tank 1000 and the connector fitting 3000, the pipe connector 2000 has a certain length along its axial direction. Accordingly, the plastic layer 4000 also needs to be formed by coating along the axial direction of the pipe connector 2000. To this end, by providing a plurality of spaced apart grooves 2211, the plastic layer 4000 and the second inner wall surface 2210 of the main body 2200 are effectively prevented from separating.

[0051] As shown in Figure 5, in some embodiments of the present application, the groove 2211 is set below 1 / 2 of the height of the main body 2200. This can not only achieve effective combination of the plastic layer 4000 and the second inner wall surface 2210 to prevent the plastic layer 4000 from detaching, but also effectively reduce the difficulty of processing and improve processing efficiency.

[0052] Specifically, the so-called height refers to the axial length of the pipe connector 2000. When the pipe connector 2000 and the water heater inner tank 1000 are assembled, the portion of the main body 2200 above 1 / 2 of its height abuts the water heater inner tank 1000, while the portion below 1 / 2 of its height is away from the water heater inner tank 1000. The groove 2211 is located below 1 / 2 of the height of the main body 2200. This is because the plastic layer 4000 is more susceptible to contraction due to alternating hot and cold temperatures the further away from the water heater inner tank 1000, while the plastic layer 4000 is less susceptible to contraction due to alternating hot and cold temperatures the closer to the water heater inner tank 1000. Therefore, locating the groove 2211 below 1 / 2 of the height of the main body 2200 effectively strengthens the bonding strength between the plastic layer 4000 and the second inner wall 2210 in this portion, eliminating the need to process the groove 2211 across the entire second inner wall 2210 of the main body 2200, thereby improving processing efficiency.

[0053] In some embodiments of the present application, in combination with Figures 1, 2, 3 and 5, the main body 2200 encloses a second opening 2003, the boss portion 2100 encloses a first opening 2002, the groove 2211 is adjacent to the second opening 2003, and the groove 2211 is connected to the second opening 2003. Specifically, since the boss portion 2100 needs to be inserted into the water heater inner tank 1000, the first port 2002 is connected to the water storage chamber 1100 (directly or indirectly), and the main body 2200 is used to connect to the joint accessory 3000, so the second port 2003 is connected to the joint accessory 3000 (directly or indirectly). It is precisely because of this that the plastic layer 4000 corresponding to the second port 2003 is farthest away from the water heater inner tank 1000 and is most affected by temperature changes. Therefore, one of the grooves 2211 can be designed to be adjacent to the second port 2003 and connected to the second port 2003, so that the plastic layer 4000 is better combined with the periphery of the second port 2003 to prevent the plastic layer 4000 and the end of the main body 2200 from separating and affecting the plastic layer 4000 corresponding to the entire pipe joint 2000.

[0054] The second aspect of the present application discloses a water heater, comprising a pipe connector 2000, a water heater liner 1000, and a plastic layer 4000 of the above-described embodiment. The plastic layer 4000 is disposed on the inner wall surface 2001 of the pipe connector 2000 and on the inner surface 1400 of the water heater liner 1000, providing protection for the pipe connector 2000 and the water heater liner 1000. The coordination of the pipe connector 2000, the water heater liner 1000, and the plastic layer 4000 is described above and will not be repeated here. It is understood that the pipe connector 2000 of the water heater of this embodiment adopts the technical solution of the above-described embodiment and therefore has at least the beneficial effects brought about by the technical solution of the above-described embodiment.

[0055] Furthermore, since the pipe connector 2000 is inserted into the mounting hole 1200 through the boss portion 2100, and the main body 2200 is in contact with the outer surface 1300 of the water heater inner tank 1000, based on this structure, welding is used to achieve the connection between the pipe connector 2000 and the water heater inner tank 1000. Specifically, at the intersection of the main body 2200 and the outer surface 1300 of the water heater inner tank 1000, the welding between the main body 2200 and the water heater inner tank 1000 is achieved along the circumference of the pipe connector 2000. In this way, not only is the operation convenient (there is sufficient operating space outside the water heater inner tank 1000), but welding debris will not be generated to enter the water storage chamber 1100.

[0056] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present application and does not limit the patent scope of the present application. All equivalent structural transformations made based on the contents of the present application specification and drawings, or direct / indirect application in other related technical fields, are included in the patent protection scope of the present application.

Claims

1. A pipe joint, wherein: The pipe joint includes a main body and a boss portion arranged on the main body, the boss portion is suitable for being inserted into the water heater inner tank, the main body is suitable for abutting against the outer surface of the water heater inner tank, the boss portion has an end face and a first inner wall surface, and a first curved surface is arranged between the end face and the first inner wall surface.

2. The pipe joint according to claim 1, wherein: The first curved surface is an arc surface.

3. The pipe joint according to claim 2, wherein: The radius of the first curved surface is R1, satisfying 0.5 mm ≤ R1 ≤ 2 mm.

4. The pipe joint according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein: The boss portion is higher than the inner surface of the water heater inner tank.

5. The pipe joint according to claim 4, wherein: The boss portion has a first outer wall surface, and a second curved surface is provided between the end surface and the first outer wall surface.

6. The pipe joint according to claim 4 or 5, wherein: The second curved surface is an arc surface.

7. The pipe joint according to any one of claims 4 to 6, wherein: The radius of the second curved surface is R2, satisfying 0.5 mm ≤ R2 ≤ 2 mm.

8. The pipe joint according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein: The main body has a second inner wall surface, and the second inner wall surface is provided with a groove.

9. The pipe joint according to claim 8, wherein: The groove extends along the circumference of the second inner wall surface; And / or, the groove comprises a plurality of grooves, and the plurality of grooves are arranged at intervals along the axial direction of the main body.

10. The pipe joint according to claim 8 or 9, wherein: The groove is arranged below 1 / 2 of the height of the main body.

11. The pipe joint according to any one of claims 8 to 10, wherein: The boss portion is surrounded by a first opening, the main body portion is surrounded by a second opening, and the groove is adjacent to the second opening and communicated with the second opening.

12. A water heater, wherein: It comprises the pipe joint according to any one of claims 1 to 11, a water heater inner tank and a plastic layer, wherein the plastic layer is arranged on the inner surface of the water heater inner tank and the inner wall surface of the pipe joint.

13. The water heater according to claim 12, wherein: The pipe joint is welded to the outer surface of the water heater inner tank along its circumference.

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