Flow restriction device and refrigeration apparatus

Abstract

A flow restriction device and a refrigeration apparatus. The flow restriction device comprises a body adapted to be connected to a water container, a flow restriction member located in the body and a fastener located in the body; the body is hollow to form a receiving cavity for accommodating the flow restriction member and the fastener; the flow restriction member is provided with a flow channel passing through the flow restriction member in a vertical direction for a water flow to pass through; the diameter of an inlet end of the flow channel located on the upper side is larger than the diameter of an outlet end thereof located on the lower side; the fastener is used for fastening a water pipe into the flow restriction device. According to the flow restriction device and the refrigeration apparatus, the flow restriction device can be quickly connected to a water pipe, and change the flow rate and flow velocity of water.

Description

Current limiting devices and refrigeration equipment

[0001] This application is based on the Chinese patent application with application number 202311681338.3 and application date December 8, 2023, and claims the priority of the Chinese patent application. The entire content of the above patent application is hereby introduced into this application as a reference. Technical Field

[0002] The present application relates to a current limiting device and a refrigeration device. Background Art

[0003] The main function of traditional refrigeration equipment is to refrigerate and freeze food. When a user needs cold water, they usually fill a kettle with water and place it inside the refrigeration unit. After the water cools, they remove the kettle and then put it back into the refrigeration unit after use. This is not only inconvenient, time-consuming, and labor-intensive, but also wastes energy if the cooled water is not used promptly.

[0004] As shown in Chinese Utility Model Patent Publication No. CN219199691U, embedding various kitchen appliances into refrigeration equipment is currently a development trend in high-end refrigeration equipment. While drinking water is a common feature of high-end refrigeration equipment, refrigeration equipment with water dispensers on the market typically uses a water tank to store water for future use. In refrigeration equipment with water dispensers, the kettle is mounted on the door. When the door is opened and closed, and the kettle is moved, the water in the kettle will splash out. Therefore, a structure is designed at the spout to increase the path for water to overflow and prevent it. This, in turn, can lead to high flow rates during automatic water filling, causing water to accumulate at the spout and overflow before reaching the kettle in time.

[0005] In view of this, it is necessary to improve the existing flow limiting device and refrigeration equipment to solve the above problems.

[0006] The reference to any prior art in the specification is not an acknowledgement or suggestion that the prior art forms part of the common general knowledge in any jurisdiction, or that it could reasonably be expected that the person skilled in the art would understand, consider relevant and / or combine with other prior art. Summary of the Invention

[0007] The purpose of the present application is to provide a flow limiting device and a refrigeration device that can quickly connect a water pipe and can change the flow rate and flow rate of water.

[0008] In order to achieve one of the above-mentioned application purposes, one embodiment of the present application provides a flow limiting device, including a main body for connecting to a kettle, a flow limiting part located in the main body, and a clamping part located in the main body. The main body is hollow to form a receiving cavity for accommodating the flow limiting part and the clamping part. The flow limiting part has a flow channel formed by passing through it in the up and down directions for water to flow through. The aperture of the flow channel at the inlet end on the upper side is larger than the aperture of the outlet end on the lower side. The clamping part is used to clamp the water pipe into the flow limiting device.

[0009] In order to achieve one of the above-mentioned application purposes, the present application also provides a refrigeration device, which includes the current limiting device and a kettle connected to the current limiting device.

[0010] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effect of the present application is that: the flow limiting device and refrigeration equipment of the present application arrange the flow limiting part and the clamping part in the receiving cavity of the main body, and arrange the flow channel of the flow limiting part so that the aperture at the inlet end is larger than the aperture at the outlet end, and the clamping part is used to clamp the water pipe into the flow limiting device, thereby achieving control of the flow rate and speed of the water flow, preventing water from splashing and overflowing at the spout of the kettle, and realizing quick connection of the water pipe through the clamping part. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0011] FIG1 is a schematic diagram of the refrigeration equipment of the present application.

[0012] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a flow limiting device of the refrigeration equipment shown in FIG. 1 .

[0013] FIG3 is an exploded perspective view of the current limiting device shown in FIG2 .

[0014] FIG. 4 is a view of the current limiting device shown in FIG. 3 from another perspective.

[0015] FIG5 is a partial assembly diagram of the current limiting device shown in FIG3 .

[0016] FIG6 is a cross-sectional view of the current limiting device shown in FIG2 .

[0017] FIG7 is a cross-sectional view of the second positioning member of the current limiting device shown in FIG2 . DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0018] The present application will be described in detail below with reference to the embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings. However, the embodiments do not limit the present application, and any structural, methodological, or functional changes made by a person skilled in the art based on the embodiments are all within the scope of protection of the present application.

[0019] Terms used herein to denote relative spatial positions, such as "upper," "lower," "left," "right," "front," and "back," are used for ease of explanation to describe the relationship of one feature relative to another, as shown in the accompanying drawings. It should be understood that, depending on the placement of the product, these terms may be intended to encompass orientations other than those depicted in the drawings and should not be construed as limitations on the claims. Furthermore, the descriptor "horizontal" as used herein does not necessarily mean perpendicular to gravity, although some degree of tilt is permitted.

[0020] Please refer to Figures 1 to 7 which are schematic diagrams of the refrigeration device of the present application. The refrigeration device includes a flow limiting device 100 and a kettle 90 connected to the flow limiting device 100.

[0021] In one embodiment, the refrigeration equipment further includes a main water valve 91, a main water supply pipeline 92, a filter 93, a water diversion valve 94, and an ice-making device 95. The kettle 90 is a water-using device arranged on the door body. The main water valve 91 is arranged in the press chamber and is located in the main water supply pipeline 92 to control the on-off of the main water supply pipeline 92; the filter 93 is connected to the water outlet end of the main water supply pipeline 92 to filter the delivered water, so that it is convenient for direct drinking or use; the water diversion valve 94 is connected to the filter 93 to distribute the water flow filtered by the filter 93 to the kettle 90 and the ice-making device 95; the ice-making device 95 provides clean ice cubes to the user by freezing the water diverted by the water diversion valve 94.

[0022] In the present application, the filter 93, the water diverter valve 94, and the kettle 90 are arranged in order from top to bottom. The flow limiting device 100 is arranged between the water diverter valve 94 and the kettle 90 to limit the flow rate and flow rate of water entering the kettle 90, thereby ensuring that water does not splash or accumulate at the spout of the kettle 90, thereby achieving automatic water filling.

[0023] Please refer to Figures 2 to 7, the flow limiting device 100 includes a main body 1 for connecting to the kettle 90, a flow limiting member 2 located in the main body 1, and a clamping member 3 located in the main body 1. The main body 1 is hollow to form a receiving cavity 10 for accommodating the flow limiting member 2 and the clamping member 3. The flow limiting member 2 has a flow channel 20 formed by passing through it in the up and down directions for water to flow through. The aperture of the flow channel 20 at the inlet end on the upper side is larger than the aperture of the outlet end on the lower side. The clamping member 3 is used to clamp the water pipe into the flow limiting device 100, thereby realizing the control of the flow rate and speed of the water flow through the flow channel 20 formed by the flow limiting member 2 in the up and down directions, preventing water from splashing and overflowing at the spout of the kettle, and realizing quick connection of the water pipe through the clamping member 3.

[0024] In one embodiment, referring to Figures 2 to 6 , the body 1 includes a receiving portion 11, a first locking wall 12 located above the receiving portion 11, and an output portion 13 located below the receiving portion 11. The receiving cavity 10 is formed through the receiving portion 11 and the first locking wall 12. The outer diameter of the output portion 13 is smaller than that of the receiving portion 11. The output portion 13 is a hollow tubular structure that forms an output channel 130 for supplying water to the kettle 90.

[0025] The receiving portion 11 is cylindrical and includes a bottom wall 112. The flow limiting member 2 is received in the lower space of the receiving portion 11 and abuts against the bottom wall 112. The receiving portion 11 also includes a circumferential wall 113 protruding upward from the bottom wall 112.

[0026] The first locking wall 12 is coaxially disposed with the receiving portion 11, and the wall thickness of the first locking wall 12 in the radial direction is thinner than that of the receiving portion 11. The first locking wall 12 is provided with a first locking portion 121 protruding outward in the radial direction and a guide surface 123 located on the outer side thereof and inclined.

[0027] The flow limiting member 2 has a first protrusion 201 protruding downward from its bottom surface, and the main body 1 has a bottom wall surface 1120 that defines the accommodating cavity 10 and a second protrusion 114 protruding upward from the bottom wall surface 1120. The first protrusion 201 and the second protrusion 114 are staggered in the radial direction and have overlapping parts in the height direction, so as to prevent abnormal noise from being generated when water flows in the radial direction.

[0028] In this embodiment, the first protrusion 201 is in a circular ring shape as a whole, and the second protrusion 114 is also in a circular ring shape as a whole. In one implementation, the cross-sections of the first protrusion 201 and the second protrusion 114 along the radial direction are both semicircular, and the radius of the first protrusion 201 is smaller than the radius of the second protrusion 114, and the distance from the second protrusion 114 to the central axis is greater than the distance from the first protrusion 201 to the central axis, so that the first protrusion 201 is located on the inner side of the second protrusion 114.

[0029] In one embodiment, the flow channel 20 includes a first flow channel 202 located on the upper side and a second flow channel 203 located on the lower side. The radius of the first flow channel 202 remains consistent from top to bottom, and the second flow channel 203 is in the shape of a trumpet with a larger diameter at the upper end and a smaller diameter at the lower end, so that the aperture on the lower side is smaller, the water pressure is greater, and the aperture on the upper side is larger, thereby achieving effective control of the flow rate and flow velocity, and preventing splashing and overflowing when water is injected at the spout of the kettle.

[0030] In this embodiment, the flow limiting member 2 is made of elastic material. In one implementation, the flow limiting member 2 can be compressed and deformed under the action of external force, and it has a recessed structure 204 recessed downward on its top surface to further enhance the control of the flow rate and speed of the water flow.

[0031] As shown in Figure 6, in the radial direction, the degree of depression of the recessed structure 204 gradually deepens as the distance from the central axis becomes closer, that is, in the direction from the outer periphery of the flow limiting member 2 to its central axis, the top surface of the flow limiting member 2 is high on the outside and low on the inside, thereby ensuring that the water flow rate at the water outlet is controlled within the range of 120~260ml / 6s, thereby achieving water injection at the spout without splashing or overflowing.

[0032] Please refer to Figures 3, 4 and 6. The clamping member 3 has a connecting wall 31 formed in a circle and a plurality of claws 32 extending downward from the connecting wall 31. The plurality of claws 32 are arranged along the circumferential direction of the clamping member 3, and each of the claws 32 has a tendency to move toward the central axis in the direction from top to bottom, so that the free end thereof can grasp and clamp the water pipe inserted into the flow limiting device 100, thereby utilizing the free ends of the claws 32 that are arranged close together to achieve rapid insertion and fixation of the water pipe.

[0033] The clamping member 3 is also provided with a plurality of notches 33 which are recessed from the outer edge of the connecting wall 31 toward the free end of the clamping claw 32. The notches 33 and the clamping claws 32 are arranged in a one-to-one correspondence. The top ends of the plurality of clamping claws 32 are connected by the connecting wall 31 and the bottom ends are separated from each other to have an elastic clamping force.

[0034] The flow limiting device 100 also has a stopper 4 arranged on the upper side of the flow limiting member 2, and the stopper 4 has a matching groove 41 recessed on its outer peripheral wall. The main body 1 has a fixing portion 115 protruding from the receiving cavity 10 to cooperate with the matching groove 41.

[0035] The stopper 4 comprises an upper section 42 with a larger inner diameter and a lower section 43 with a smaller inner diameter, and a stop surface 45 facing upward is formed at the connection between the upper section 42 and the lower section 43 to stop the water pipe.

[0036] The current limiting device 100 further includes a positioning structure for fixing the fastening member 3 in the body 1 . The positioning structure is engaged with the body 1 and fixes the fastening member 3 in the receiving cavity 10 .

[0037] The positioning structure includes a first positioning member 5 received in the receiving cavity 10 and a second positioning member 6 located above the first positioning member. The clamping member 3 is overlapped with the top of the first positioning member 5 and is pressed downward by the second positioning member 6 .

[0038] The first positioning member 5 includes a base 51 located at the lower side and a protruding portion 52 protruding from the upper side of the base 51 . The outer diameter of the protruding portion 52 is smaller than the outer diameter of the base 51 , so that the outer peripheral surface of the protruding portion 52 is located inside the outer peripheral surface of the base 51 .

[0039] As shown in Figures 2 to 7, the second positioning member 6 includes a first limiting wall 61 located on the inner side and a second limiting wall 62 located on the outer side. The first limiting wall 61 and the second limiting wall 62 are coaxially arranged. The second positioning member 6 also has a top wall 63 connecting the top ends of the first limiting wall 61 and the second limiting wall 62. The first limiting wall 61 and the second limiting wall 62 both extend downward from the top wall 63, and the downward extension length of the second extending wall 62 is greater than the downward extension length of the first extending wall 61.

[0040] The thickness of the first limiting wall 61 gradually decreases from top to bottom, forming a first stepped surface 611 on the upper side and a second stepped surface 612 on the lower side. The first limiting wall 61 further includes an inserting portion 613 protruding from the lower side of the second stepped surface 612. In one embodiment, the second stepped surface 612 is inclined upward from the outside toward the central axis to facilitate the installation of the connecting wall 31. The bottom surface 6130 of the inserting portion 613 downwardly abuts against the upper surface of the base 51.

[0041] The second limiting wall 62 is provided with a second snap-fit ​​portion 621 protruding from its inner wall surface, and the second snap-fit ​​portion 621 is locked with the first snap-fit ​​portion 121. In this embodiment, a plurality of second snap-fit ​​portions 621 are distributed on the inner wall surface of the second extension wall 62 along the circumferential direction. In other embodiments, the second snap-fit ​​portion 621 may also be a continuous, annular convex structure formed along the circumferential direction.

[0042] The connecting wall 31 is sandwiched between the first positioning member 5 and the second positioning member 6 and is clamped by both. In one embodiment, the lower surface of the connecting wall 31 overlaps the protruding portion 52, and the upper surface of the connecting wall 31 is pressed by the second step surface 612 to achieve clamping and fixation, thereby eliminating the traditional welding process.

[0043] The flow limiting device 100 further includes a sealing ring 7 positioned within the receiving chamber 10. The sealing ring 7 includes a first ridge 71 disposed on its outer side and a second ridge 72 disposed on its inner side. The first ridge 71 is configured to press against the inner wall of the body 1, while the second ridge 72 is configured to press against the water pipe. In this embodiment, the sealing ring 7 is vertically sandwiched between the first positioning member 5 and the stopper 4 to prevent water leakage.

[0044] The current limiting device 100 also has a guide member 8 inserted into the second positioning member 6 from the upper side, and the guide member 8 has a guide portion 81 located on the upper side and a locking wall 82 located on the lower side. The locking wall 82 is inserted downward into the interior of the first limiting wall 61, and the locking wall 82 has a locking portion 821 protruding on its outer surface. The locking portion 821 is locked with the first step surface 611 to achieve axial positioning of the guide member 8.

[0045] When the positioning structure is assembled into the main body 1, the outer surface of the protrusion 52 and the inner surface of the first snap wall 12 are spaced apart to form a spacing space for the insertion portion 613 to be inserted. The first snap wall 12 is inserted upward into the space formed between the first limiting wall 61 and the second limiting wall 62, and is smoothly plugged in with the help of the guidance of the guide surface 123. In this way, an interlocking structure is formed to ensure the stability of the structure of the flow limiting device 100 and form a good water flow channel.

[0046] In the present application, the flow limiting device 100 and the refrigeration equipment are achieved by arranging the flow limiting part 2 and the clamping part 3 in the receiving cavity 10 of the main body 1, and setting the flow channel 20 of the flow limiting part 2 so that the aperture at the inlet end is larger than the aperture at the outlet end, and the clamping part 3 is used to clamp the water pipe into the flow limiting device 100, thereby achieving control of the flow rate and speed of the water flow, preventing water from splashing and overflowing at the spout of the kettle, and realizing quick connection of the water pipe through the clamping part 3.

[0047] It should be understood that although this specification is described in terms of implementation methods, not every implementation method contains only one independent technical solution. This narrative method of the specification is only for the sake of clarity. Those skilled in the art should regard the specification as a whole. The technical solutions in each implementation method can also be appropriately combined to form other implementation methods that can be understood by those skilled in the art.

[0048] The series of detailed descriptions listed above are only specific descriptions of feasible implementation methods of the present invention. They are not intended to limit the scope of protection of the present invention. Any equivalent implementation methods or changes that do not deviate from the technical spirit of the present invention should be included in the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A current limiting device, characterized in that: It includes a main body for connecting to a kettle, a flow limiting piece located in the main body, and a clamping piece located in the main body. The main body is hollow to form a receiving cavity for accommodating the flow limiting piece and the clamping piece. The flow limiting piece has a flow channel penetrating it in the up-down direction for water to flow through. The aperture of the flow channel at the inlet end located on the upper side is larger than the aperture of the outlet end located on the lower side. The clamping piece is used to clamp the water pipe into the flow limiting device.

2. The current limiting device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The flow limiting member has a first protrusion protruding downward from its bottom surface, the body has a bottom wall surface defining the receiving cavity and a second protrusion protruding upward from the bottom wall surface, and the first protrusion and the second protrusion are staggered in the radial direction.

3. The current limiting device according to claim 2, characterized in that: The radius of the first protrusion is smaller than the radius of the second protrusion, and the distance from the second protrusion to the central axis of the current limiting device is greater than the distance from the first protrusion to the central axis, so that the first protrusion is located inside the second protrusion.

4. The current limiting device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The flow channel includes a first flow channel located at the upper side and a second flow channel located at the lower side, and the second flow channel is in a trumpet shape with a larger diameter at the upper end and a smaller diameter at the lower end.

5. The current limiting device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The flow limiting member can be compressed and deformed under the action of external force, and has a concave structure concavely arranged on its top surface.

6. The current limiting device according to claim 5, characterized in that: In the radial direction, the depression degree of the depression structure gradually deepens as the distance from the central axis gradually increases.

7. The current limiting device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The clamping piece has a connecting wall forming a circle and a plurality of claws extending downward from the connecting wall. Each claw has a tendency to move toward the central axis from top to bottom so that its free end can clamp the water pipe inserted into the flow limiting device.

8. The current limiting device according to claim 7, characterized in that: The flow limiting device also has a stopper arranged on the upper side of the flow limiting member, the stopper has a matching groove recessed on its outer peripheral wall, and the main body has a fixing portion protruding in the accommodating cavity to match with the matching groove.

9. The current limiting device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The current limiting device also has a positioning structure for fixing the clamping member in the body, and the positioning structure is snapped with the body and fixes the clamping member in the receiving cavity.

10. The current limiting device according to claim 9, characterized in that: The positioning structure includes a first positioning member received in the receiving cavity and a second positioning member located above the first positioning member. The clamping member overlaps the top of the first positioning member and is pressed downward by the second positioning member.

11. The current limiting device according to claim 10, characterized in that: The clamping member has a connecting wall that is surrounded in a circle. The connecting wall is sandwiched between the first positioning member and the second positioning member and is clamped by the two.

12. The current limiting device according to claim 10, characterized in that: The first positioning member includes a base located on the lower side and a protruding portion protruding from the upper side of the base, the second positioning member includes a first limiting wall located on the inner side and a second limiting wall located on the outer side, the outer surface of the protruding portion and the inner surface of the first snap wall of the main body are spaced apart to form a spacing space, the insertion portion of the first limiting wall is inserted into the spacing space, and the first snap wall is inserted upward into the space formed between the first limiting wall and the second limiting wall.

13. The current limiting device according to any one of claims 1 to 12, characterized in that: The flow limiting device also has a sealing ring located in the receiving cavity, and the sealing ring has a first convex strip arranged on the outside and a second convex strip arranged on the inside. The first convex strip is pressed against the inner wall surface of the body, and the second convex strip is used to press against the water pipe.

14. A refrigeration device, characterized in that: The invention comprises a flow limiting device according to any one of claims 1 to 13 and a kettle connected to the flow limiting device.

15. The refrigeration device according to claim 14, characterized in that: The refrigeration device also has a water distribution valve for distributing water flow to the kettle, and the flow limiting device is arranged between the water distribution valve and the kettle.

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