Water heater electric motor control assembly and water heater

Abstract

The present application provides a water heater electric motor control assembly and a water heater. The water heater electric motor control assembly comprises: inverter circuits, a driving circuit and a control circuit, wherein the inverter circuits are all electrically connected to an electric motor; the driving circuit is electrically connected to the inverter circuits; the control circuit is electrically connected to the driving circuit; and the control circuit is used for controlling the driving circuit to drive the inverter circuits to drive the electric motor to operate. At least two of the following are integrated in the same integrated chip: at least one of the inverter circuits, the control circuit, and the driving circuit.

Description

Water heater motor control assembly and water heater

[0001] This application claims priority to Chinese patent application No. 202311820269.X filed on December 27, 2023, the entire contents of which are incorporated by reference into this application. Technical Field

[0002] The present application relates to the technical field of motor control circuits, and in particular to a water heater motor control component and a water heater. Background Art

[0003] Gas water heaters are now widely available in households, and all gas water heaters that meet national standards are equipped with a motor. In the past two years, DC motors have gained widespread adoption in gas water heaters due to their high cost-effectiveness. Currently, the motor control board is integrated into the water heater motor. This can cause the motor coil to overheat during operation, increasing its temperature and shortening the lifespan of the motor control board. Technical issues

[0004] The main purpose of this application is to propose a water heater motor control component and a water heater, aiming to shorten the wiring distance between the water heater motor driver and the power tube to improve the operating efficiency of the water heater motor. Technical Solutions

[0005] The present application proposes a water heater motor control component, which includes: an inverter circuit, a drive circuit and a control circuit.

[0006] In one embodiment, an inverter circuit is electrically connected to the motor.

[0007] In one embodiment, the driving circuit is electrically connected to the plurality of inverter circuits.

[0008] In one embodiment, the control circuit is electrically connected to the driving circuit.

[0009] In one embodiment, the control circuit is used to control the drive circuit to drive the inverter circuit to operate, so as to invert the input DC power supply and output it to the motor.

[0010] In one embodiment, at least two of the inverter circuit, the drive circuit, and the control circuit are integrated into one.

[0011] In one embodiment, the inverter circuit includes a plurality of power devices.

[0012] In one embodiment, the water heater motor control assembly includes a motor control board.

[0013] In one embodiment, at least two of the following are provided on the motor control board: at least one of the plurality of power devices.

[0014] In one embodiment, the control circuit; the driving circuit.

[0015] In one embodiment, the control circuit, the drive circuit, and the plurality of power devices are all disposed on the motor control board.

[0016] In one embodiment, the water heater motor control assembly further includes: a shell for wrapping the motor, and the motor control board is arranged on the outside of the shell.

[0017] In one embodiment, the water heater motor control assembly further includes: a heat sink.

[0018] In one embodiment, at least one of the following is disposed in contact with the heat sink: at least one of the plurality of power devices; the control circuit; and the drive circuit.

[0019] In one embodiment, the control circuit, the drive circuit, and the plurality of power devices are all disposed on the motor control board.

[0020] In one embodiment, the heat sink includes a heat dissipation pad disposed on the motor control board.

[0021] In one embodiment, the water heater motor control assembly includes: a speed detection circuit, wherein the input end of the speed detection circuit is connected to the output end of the motor, and the output end of the speed detection circuit is connected to the input end of the control circuit.

[0022] In one embodiment, the rotation speed detection circuit is configured to output a rotation speed detection signal of the motor via the control circuit.

[0023] In one embodiment, the water heater motor control assembly includes: a power detection circuit.

[0024] In one embodiment, the input end of the power detection circuit is connected to the output end of the motor, and the output end of the power detection circuit is connected to the input end of the control circuit.

[0025] In one embodiment, the power detection circuit is used to output a power detection signal of the motor via the control circuit.

[0026] The present application proposes a water heater, which includes: a motor and the water heater motor control component as described above.

[0027] In one embodiment, the water heater further includes: a main control circuit; and a communication circuit.

[0028] In one embodiment, the communication circuit is electrically connected to the main control circuit, and the communication circuit is used to be electrically connected to the control circuit.

[0029] In one embodiment, the main control circuit is configured to output the control signal to the control circuit via the communication circuit, so that the control circuit controls the drive circuit to drive the plurality of power devices to rotate the motor according to the control signal.

[0030] In one embodiment, the communication circuit includes a serial communication circuit.

[0031] In one embodiment, the water heater further includes: a connection component and a main control board.

[0032] In one embodiment, the main control circuit and the communication circuit are both arranged on the main control board.

[0033] In one embodiment, when the control circuit is provided on the motor control board, the main control board and the motor control board are electrically connected via the connecting assembly.

[0034] In one embodiment, the connection assembly includes a pin header male and a pin header female connector configured to cooperate with the pin header male.

[0035] In one embodiment, one of the pin header male connector and the pin header female connector is disposed on the main control board, and the other is disposed on the motor control board.

[0036] In one embodiment, the main control circuit further has a signal receiving terminal for receiving an external setting signal.

[0037] In one embodiment, the main control circuit is used to output a corresponding control signal to the control circuit via the communication circuit according to the external setting signal, so that the motor operates at a speed corresponding to the external setting signal or operates at a power corresponding to the external setting signal.

[0038] In one embodiment, the water heater further includes: a speed detection circuit, wherein an input end of the speed detection circuit is connected to an output end of the motor, and an output end of the speed detection circuit is connected to an input end of the control circuit.

[0039] In one embodiment, the rotation speed detection circuit is used to output the rotation speed detection signal of the motor to the main control circuit via the control circuit and the communication circuit.

[0040] In one embodiment, the water heater further includes: a power detection circuit, wherein an input end of the power detection circuit is connected to an output end of the motor, and an output end of the power detection circuit is connected to an input end of the control circuit.

[0041] In one embodiment, the power detection circuit is used to output a power detection signal of the motor via the control circuit and the communication circuit.

[0042] In one embodiment, the main control circuit is configured to determine a target speed according to the external setting signal, and determine a target power according to the target speed.

[0043] In one embodiment, when the target power is greater than or equal to a preset power, the main control circuit outputs a corresponding control signal to the control circuit via the communication circuit, so that the motor operates at the target speed.

[0044] In one embodiment, when the target power is less than a preset power, the main control circuit outputs a corresponding control signal to the control circuit via the communication circuit, so that the motor operates according to the target power.

[0045] In one embodiment, the main control circuit is further configured to determine a speed range in which the target speed is located based on the target speed, and select a target power matching the speed range based on a mapping relationship between the speed range and the target power.

[0046] In one embodiment, the water heater further includes a sampling resistor.

[0047] In one embodiment, the number of the sampling resistor is one.

[0048] In one embodiment, the sampling resistor is provided on the motor control board, and the input end of the sampling resistor is connected to the output end of the inverter circuit, and the output end of the sampling resistor is connected to the input end of the control circuit.

[0049] In one embodiment, the sampling resistor is used to detect the instantaneous current flowing through the DC bus of the motor according to different switching states of the power bridge of the inverter circuit, and output the phase current of the motor to the control circuit in the form of a current detection signal.

[0050] The present application proposes a water heater motor control component and a water heater. The water heater motor control component includes: multiple power devices, a drive circuit and a control circuit.

[0051] In one embodiment, a plurality of power devices are electrically connected to the motors respectively.

[0052] In one embodiment, the driving circuit is electrically connected to the plurality of power devices.

[0053] In one embodiment, the control circuit is electrically connected to the driving circuit.

[0054] In one embodiment, the control circuit is used to control the driving circuit to drive the multiple power devices to drive the motor to work.

[0055] In one embodiment, at least two of the following are integrated into a same integrated chip: at least one of the plurality of power devices; a control circuit; and a drive circuit. Beneficial effects

[0056] The present application integrates two of the power device, control circuit, and drive circuit into the same integrated chip, thereby shortening the wiring distance between the two, avoiding signal interference caused by excessive wiring when the control circuit controls the motor start, resulting in slow motor start-up, and improving the real-time and reliability of the control circuit's control over the water heater motor. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0057] 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 drawings can be obtained based on the structures shown in these drawings without paying any creative work.

[0058] FIG1 is a circuit flow chart of a water heater motor control assembly and a water heater according to the present application;

[0059] FIG2 is a circuit flow chart of a water heater motor control assembly and another embodiment of the water heater of the present application;

[0060] FIG3 is a circuit flow chart of a water heater motor control assembly and another embodiment of the water heater of the present application;

[0061] FIG4 is a circuit flow chart of a water heater motor control assembly and another embodiment of the water heater of the present application.

[0062] 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. Modes for Carrying Out the Invention

[0063] 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.

[0064] 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.

[0065] 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.

[0066] 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.

[0067] Gas water heaters include a motor and a motor control board for controlling the motor's operation. Currently, commercially available motor control boards typically utilize control circuits, drivers, and power devices for control, or integrate the control circuit with the driver, with separate components operating independently. This arrangement results in long PCB traces when laying out the motor control board, which can introduce interference during motor startup, causing the water heater motor to fail to start and enter a secondary startup phase. This in turn causes the water heater motor to start slowly, impacting the constant temperature time. Existing main controllers use PWM control for water heater motors, with square wave feedback for the motor's speed. Interference caused by long PCB traces can cause abnormal PWM feedback, resulting in abnormal motor speed. Because the main controller requires time to convert the square wave into speed, this results in poor real-time control and low reliability.

[0068] Therefore, in order to avoid the problem of poor real-time performance and low reliability of water heater motor control caused by the long wiring distance between the control circuit, the driver and the power tube, the present application proposes a water heater motor control component. Referring to FIG1 , the water heater motor control component includes:

[0069] an inverter circuit 80, electrically connected to the motor;

[0070] The driving circuit 20 is electrically connected to the plurality of inverter circuits 80; and

[0071] The control circuit 10 is electrically connected to the drive circuit 20; the control circuit 10 is used to control the drive circuit 20 to drive the inverter circuit 80 to invert the input DC power supply and output it to the motor;

[0072] At least two of the inverter circuit 80 , the drive circuit 20 and the control circuit 10 are integrated into one body.

[0073] It can be understood that, referring to FIG2 , the inverter circuit 80 includes a plurality of power devices. Since the existing gas water heater includes a motor and a motor control board for controlling the operation of the motor, a control circuit 10, a drive circuit 20, and a plurality of power devices 30 are provided on the motor control board. When controlling the operation of the gas water heater, the control circuit 10 controls the drive circuit 20 to drive the plurality of power devices 30 to drive the motor to operate, so as to provide the gas water heater with the oxygen required for combustion and to discharge the smoke generated after combustion. However, the control circuit 10, the drive circuit 20, and the plurality of power devices 30 on the existing motor control board are independently provided, resulting in the PCB traces between the control circuit 10, the drive circuit 20, and the plurality of power devices 30 being too long when the motor control board is laid out, making it easy for the control circuit 10 to introduce interference in the process of controlling the motor start-up, causing the motor to start unsuccessfully or causing the motor to start too slowly. In order to overcome the above shortcomings, the present application proposes a water heater motor control component. By integrating two of the control circuit 10, the drive circuit 20, and the power device 30 into the same integrated chip, the wiring distance between the control circuit 10, the drive circuit 20, and the power device 30 can be shortened, thereby avoiding signal interference caused by the long wiring when the control circuit 10 controls the motor to start, resulting in the motor starting too slowly, and improving the real-time and reliability of the control circuit 10 over the water heater motor.

[0074] It should be understood that the water heater motor control assembly includes multiple power devices 30, a drive circuit 20, and a control circuit 10. At least two of the power devices 30, the drive circuit 20, and the control circuit 10 are integrated into the same integrated chip. For example, the power device 30 can be integrated into the same integrated chip as the drive circuit 20; the power device 30 can be integrated into the same integrated chip as the control circuit 10; the drive circuit 20 can be integrated into the same integrated chip as the control circuit 10; or the power device 30, the drive circuit 20, and the control circuit 10 can be integrated into the same integrated chip simultaneously. It should be noted that there are multiple power devices 30. When a power device 30 is integrated into the same integrated chip as the control circuit 10 or the drive circuit 20, at least one power device 30 can be integrated into the control circuit 10, or at least one power device 30 can be integrated into the drive circuit 20. For example, one power device 30 can be integrated with the control circuit 10 in the same integrated chip; three power devices 30 can be integrated with the control circuit 10 in the same integrated chip; one power device 30 can be integrated with the drive circuit 20 in the same integrated chip; and three power devices 30 can be integrated with the drive circuit 20 in the same integrated chip. Similarly, when a power device 30 is integrated with both the control circuit 10 and the drive circuit 20 in the same integrated chip, at least one power device 30 can be integrated with both the control circuit 10 and the drive circuit 20. For example, one power device 30 can be integrated with both the control circuit 10 and the drive circuit 20 in the same integrated chip; and three power devices 30 can be integrated with both the control circuit 10 and the drive circuit 20 in the same integrated chip.

[0075] This embodiment uses a power device 30, a control circuit 10, and a drive circuit 20 as an example to illustrate how these three components are integrated into a single integrated circuit. When controlling the operation of a water heater, the control circuit 10 on the motor control board controls the drive circuit 20 to drive the power device 30 to operate the motor, thereby providing the water heater with oxygen required for combustion and exhausting the resulting fumes. This shortens the wiring distance between the power device 30, the control circuit 10, and the drive circuit 20, improving the real-time and reliability of the control circuit 10 over the water heater motor.

[0076] The present application proposes a water heater motor control assembly, comprising: an inverter circuit 80, a drive circuit 20, and a control circuit 10, wherein the inverter circuit 80 is electrically connected to the motor; the drive circuit 20 is electrically connected to the inverter circuit 80; the control circuit 10 is electrically connected to the drive circuit 20; and the control circuit 10 is used to control the drive circuit 20 to drive the inverter circuit 80 to drive the motor. At least two of the following are integrated within the same integrated chip: at least one of the inverter circuit 80; the control circuit 10; and the drive circuit 20. By integrating two of the inverter circuit 80, the control circuit 10, and the drive circuit 20 within the same integrated chip, the present application shortens the wiring distance between the two, avoids signal interference caused by long wiring when the control circuit 10 controls the motor startup, and thereby prevents the motor from starting too slowly. Furthermore, the present application improves the real-time and reliability of the control circuit 10 over the water heater motor.

[0077] In one embodiment, referring to FIG. 2 , the inverter circuit 80 includes a plurality of power devices.

[0078] It is understood that in this embodiment, the inverter circuit 80 includes multiple power devices, wherein at least two of the power device 30, the drive circuit 20, and the control circuit 10 are integrated into the same integrated chip. For example, the power device 30 can be integrated with the drive circuit 20 in the same integrated chip; the power device 30 can be integrated with the control circuit 10 in the same integrated chip; the drive circuit 20 can be integrated with the control circuit 10 in the same integrated chip; or the power device 30, the drive circuit 20, and the control circuit 10 can be integrated simultaneously in the same integrated chip. It should be noted that there are multiple power devices 30. When the power device 30 is integrated into the same integrated chip with the control circuit 10 or the drive circuit 20, at least one power device 30 can be integrated with the control circuit 10, or at least one power device 30 can be integrated with the drive circuit 20. For example, one power device 30 can be integrated with the control circuit 10 in the same integrated chip; three power devices 30 can be integrated with the control circuit 10 in the same integrated chip; one power device 30 can be integrated with the drive circuit 20 in the same integrated chip; and three power devices 30 can be integrated with the drive circuit 20 in the same integrated chip. Similarly, when a power device 30 is integrated with both the control circuit 10 and the drive circuit 20 in the same integrated chip, at least one power device 30 can be integrated with both the control circuit 10 and the drive circuit 20. For example, one power device 30 can be integrated with both the control circuit 10 and the drive circuit 20 in the same integrated chip; and three power devices 30 can be integrated with both the control circuit 10 and the drive circuit 20 in the same integrated chip.

[0079] In one embodiment, the water heater motor control assembly includes: a motor control board; at least two of the following items are provided on the motor control board:

[0080] at least one of the plurality of power devices 30;

[0081] The control circuit 10;

[0082] The driving circuit 20.

[0083] It can be understood that at least two of the power device 30, the drive circuit 20 and the control circuit 10 are arranged on the motor control board. For example, the power device 30 can be arranged on the motor control board with the drive circuit 20; the power device 30 can be arranged on the motor control board with the control circuit 10; the drive circuit 20 can be arranged on the motor control board with the control circuit 10; the power device 30, the drive circuit 20 and the control circuit 10 can be arranged on the motor control board at the same time.

[0084] It should be noted that in this embodiment, there are multiple power devices 30. When the power devices 30 are arranged on the motor control board with the control circuit 10 or the drive circuit 20, at least one power device 30 can be arranged on the motor control board with the control circuit 10, or at least one power device 30 can be arranged on the motor control board with the drive circuit 20. For example, one power device 30 can be arranged on the motor control board with the control circuit 10; three power devices 30 can be arranged on the motor control board with the control circuit 10; one power device 30 can be arranged on the motor control board with the drive circuit 20; and three power devices 30 can be arranged on the motor control board with the drive circuit 20. Similarly, when the power devices 30 are arranged on the motor control board with both the control circuit 10 and the drive circuit 20, at least one power device 30 can be arranged on the motor control board with both the control circuit 10 and the drive circuit 20. For example, one power device 30 can be arranged on the motor control board with both the control circuit 10 and the drive circuit 20; and three power devices 30 can be arranged on the motor control board with both the control circuit 10 and the drive circuit 20.

[0085] In one embodiment, the control circuit 10 , the drive circuit 20 , and the plurality of power devices 30 are all disposed on the motor control board.

[0086] It will be appreciated that in this embodiment, the control circuit 10, the drive circuit 20, and the multiple power devices 30 are all disposed on the motor control board. This description will be made using the example of the multiple power devices 30 including three power devices 30. These three power devices 30 are disposed on the motor control board along with the control circuit 10 and the drive circuit 20. When controlling the operation of the water heater, the control circuit 10 on the motor control board controls the drive circuit 20 to drive the three power devices 30 to drive the motor, thereby providing the water heater with oxygen required for combustion and exhausting the resulting fumes.

[0087] In one embodiment, the water heater motor control assembly further comprises:

[0088] The motor control board is arranged on the outer side of the housing.

[0089] As is understandable, conventional motor control boards are integrated with the motor. When the water heater is operating, the motor coils are susceptible to heating, leading to elevated temperatures. High temperatures can affect the lifespan of the motor control board. Therefore, to prevent the water heater from affecting the normal operation of the motor control board, in this embodiment, the motor control board is externally mounted outside the housing, away from the motor, thereby minimizing the impact of the motor's temperature.

[0090] In one embodiment, the water heater motor control assembly further comprises: a heat sink;

[0091] At least one of the following is disposed in contact with the heat sink:

[0092] at least one of the plurality of power devices 30;

[0093] The control circuit 10;

[0094] The driving circuit 20.

[0095] It is understandable that when the water heater is running, the components on the motor control board will generate a certain amount of heat due to continuous operation, causing the temperature of the motor control board to rise. To prevent the life of the motor control board from being affected by high temperature environments, this embodiment is provided with a heat sink to reduce the temperature of the motor control board.

[0096] In one embodiment, there may be one or more heat sinks. When there is one heat sink, a heat dissipation pad may be used. For example, a heat dissipation pad may be provided as a heat sink on a motor control board to cool the motor control board. When there are multiple heat sinks, each heat sink is attached to a plurality of power devices 30, a control circuit 10, and a drive circuit 20, thereby simultaneously reducing the temperature of the plurality of power devices 30, the control circuit 10, and the drive circuit 20.

[0097] In one embodiment, the control circuit 10, the drive circuit 20 and the plurality of power devices 30 are all disposed on the motor control board;

[0098] The heat sink includes a heat dissipation pad arranged on the motor control board.

[0099] It will be appreciated that in this embodiment, the control circuit 10, the drive circuit 20, and the plurality of power devices 30 are all disposed on the motor control board. To prevent the control circuit 10, the drive circuit 20, and the plurality of power devices 30 on the motor control board from generating a large amount of heat during operation, this embodiment further includes a heat sink, one of which is implemented as a heat sink pad. In practical applications, disposing the heat sink pad as a heat sink on the motor control board can achieve the effect of cooling the motor control board, thereby reducing the temperature of the plurality of power devices 30, the control circuit 10, and the drive circuit 20 on the motor control board.

[0100] In one embodiment, referring to FIG3 , the water heater motor control assembly includes:

[0101] a speed detection circuit 40 , wherein the input end of the speed detection circuit 40 is connected to the output end of the motor, and the output end of the speed detection circuit 40 is connected to the input end of the control circuit 10 ;

[0102] The speed detection circuit 40 is used to output a speed detection signal of the motor via the control circuit 10 .

[0103] It will be appreciated that, in this embodiment, the water heater motor control assembly further includes a speed detection circuit 40 for detecting the motor speed. In actual applications, the speed detection circuit 40 detects the motor speed and feeds back a speed detection signal to a main control circuit 70 for controlling the water heater. The main control circuit 70 then obtains the motor speed in real time based on the speed detection signal.

[0104] In one embodiment, referring to FIG3 , the water heater motor control assembly includes:

[0105] a power detection circuit 50 , wherein the input end of the power detection circuit 50 is connected to the output end of the motor, and the output end of the power detection circuit 50 is connected to the input end of the control circuit 10 ;

[0106] The power detection circuit 50 is used to output a power detection signal of the motor via the control circuit 10 .

[0107] It will be appreciated that, in this embodiment, the water heater motor control assembly further includes a power detection circuit 50 for detecting motor power. In actual applications, the power detection circuit 50 detects motor power and feeds back a power detection signal to a main control circuit 70 for controlling the entire water heater. The main control circuit 70 then obtains the motor power in real time based on the power detection signal.

[0108] The present application also provides a water heater, which includes: a motor and the water heater motor control component as described above.

[0109] It is understandable that the present application also proposes a water heater, which includes a motor and a water heater motor control component. The water heater motor control component includes a plurality of power devices 30, a drive circuit 20, and a control circuit 10. The control circuit 10 controls the drive circuit 20 to drive the plurality of power devices 30 to drive the motor to work, so as to provide the gas water heater with oxygen required for combustion and to discharge the flue gas generated after combustion. The present application integrates two of the plurality of power devices 30, the drive circuit 20, and the control circuit 10 into the same integrated chip, thereby shortening the wiring distance between the control circuit 10, the drive circuit 20, and the power devices 30, thereby avoiding the situation where the control circuit 10 controls the motor to start due to signal interference caused by the long wiring, resulting in the motor starting too slowly, and improving the real-time and reliability of the control circuit 10 over the water heater motor.

[0110] In one embodiment, referring to FIG4 , the water heater further comprises:

[0111] Main control circuit 70;

[0112] a communication circuit 60 , the communication circuit 60 being electrically connected to the main control circuit 70 , and the communication circuit 60 being configured to be electrically connected to the control circuit 10 ;

[0113] The main control circuit 70 is used to output the control signal to the control circuit 10 via the communication circuit 60, so that the control circuit 10 controls the drive circuit 20 to drive the multiple power devices 30 to drive the motor to rotate according to the control signal.

[0114] It is understood that in this embodiment, the water heater also includes a main control circuit 70 for controlling the entire water heater and a communication circuit 60 for communicating with the main control circuit 70. In actual application, the main control circuit 70 and the control circuit 10 communicate with each other through the communication circuit 60. In addition, the surface of the water heater is also provided with trigger buttons with different gears. When the user triggers the trigger button of the water heater, the trigger button outputs an external setting signal of the corresponding gear to the main control circuit 70. The main control circuit 70 determines the starting power required by the motor based on the external setting signal, and outputs a corresponding control signal to the control circuit 10 via the communication circuit 60, so that the control circuit 10 controls the rotation of the motor in different working modes according to the control signal. For example, the control circuit 10 controls the drive circuit 20 to drive multiple power devices 30 to rotate the motor in a constant power mode according to the control signal, or the control circuit 10 controls the drive circuit 20 to drive multiple power devices 30 to rotate the motor in a constant speed mode according to the control signal.

[0115] In one embodiment, referring to FIG. 4 , the communication circuit 60 includes a serial communication circuit 60 .

[0116] It will be appreciated that in this embodiment, the communication circuit 60 includes a serial communication circuit 60, and the main control circuit 70 and the control circuit 10 communicate via serial communication. Specifically, the main control circuit 70 outputs a control signal to the serial communication circuit 60, which converts the control signal into a serial signal and outputs it to the control circuit 10. The control circuit 10 controls the rotation of the motor based on the serial signal output by the serial communication circuit 60.

[0117] In one embodiment, the water heater further comprises:

[0118] Connect components;

[0119] A main control board, on which the main control circuit 70 and the communication circuit 60 are both arranged;

[0120] When the control circuit 10 is provided on the motor control board, the main control board and the motor control board are electrically connected via the connecting assembly.

[0121] It will be appreciated that in this embodiment, the main control circuit 70 and the communication circuit 60 are both disposed on the main control board. When the control circuit 10 is disposed on the motor control board, the main control board establishes an electrical connection with the motor control board via a connecting assembly. The connecting assembly may include a terminal block, a PCB connector, an industrial connector, a junction box, a heavy-duty connector, a cable, a cable connector, a safety barrier, a contact, a pin header connector, and the like. In actual use, the main control circuit 70 outputs a control signal, which then passes through the communication circuit 60 and the connecting assembly and ultimately reaches the control circuit 10, causing the control circuit 10 to control the motor rotation.

[0122] In one embodiment, the connection assembly includes a pin header male and a pin header female connector matched therewith;

[0123] One of the pin header male and the pin header female is arranged on the main control board, and the other is arranged on the motor control board.

[0124] It is understood that the connection assembly includes a pin header connector, which includes a pin header male connector and a pin header female connector. In the first embodiment, the pin header male connector is provided on the main control board, and the pin header female connector is provided on the motor control board. The pin header male connector and the pin header female connector are connected to establish an electrical connection between the main control board and the motor control board. In the second embodiment, the pin header male connector is provided on the motor control board, and the pin header female connector is provided on the main control board. The pin header male connector and the pin header female connector are connected to establish an electrical connection between the main control board and the motor control board.

[0125] In one embodiment, the main control circuit 70 further has a signal receiving terminal for receiving an external setting signal;

[0126] The main control circuit 70 is used to output a corresponding control signal to the control circuit 10 via the communication circuit 60 according to the external setting signal, so that the motor operates at a speed corresponding to the external setting signal or operates at a power corresponding to the external setting signal.

[0127] It will be appreciated that, in this embodiment, the surface of the water heater has a trigger button with different gears. When the user triggers the trigger button of the water heater, the trigger button outputs an external setting signal corresponding to the gear to the main control circuit 70. The main control circuit 70 determines the starting power required by the motor based on the external setting signal and outputs a corresponding control signal to the control circuit 10 via the communication circuit 60, so that the control circuit 10 controls the rotation of the motor in different operating modes based on the control signal. For example, the control circuit 10 controls the drive circuit 20 to drive the multiple power devices 30 in a constant power mode to drive the motor, or controls the drive circuit 20 to drive the multiple power devices 30 in a constant speed mode to drive the motor, based on the control signal.

[0128] In one embodiment, referring to FIG4 , the water heater further comprises:

[0129] a speed detection circuit 40 , wherein the input end of the speed detection circuit 40 is connected to the output end of the motor, and the output end of the speed detection circuit 40 is connected to the input end of the control circuit 10 ;

[0130] The speed detection circuit 40 is used to output the speed detection signal of the motor to the main control circuit 70 via the control circuit 10 and the communication circuit 60 .

[0131] It is understood that motor feedback refers to the feedback of signals generated during motor operation to the main control circuit 70 for real-time monitoring and adjustment of the motor's operating status and performance. In this embodiment, motor feedback includes motor speed feedback. The speed detection circuit 40 detects the motor's speed in real time and outputs the motor's speed detection signal to the main control circuit 70 via the control circuit 10 and the communication circuit 60. The main control circuit 70 detects the actual speed of the motor shaft based on the speed detection signal to obtain the motor's operating speed, thereby achieving control and adjustment of the motor's speed.

[0132] In one embodiment, referring to FIG4 , the water heater further comprises:

[0133] a power detection circuit 50 , wherein the input end of the power detection circuit 50 is connected to the output end of the motor, and the output end of the power detection circuit 50 is connected to the input end of the control circuit 10 ;

[0134] The power detection circuit 50 is used to output a power detection signal of the motor via the control circuit 10 and the communication circuit 60 .

[0135] It will be understood that motor feedback refers to the feedback of signals generated during motor operation to the main control circuit 70 for real-time monitoring and adjustment of the motor's operating status and performance. In this embodiment, motor feedback includes motor power feedback. The power detection circuit 50 detects the motor's power in real time and outputs a motor power detection signal to the main control circuit 70 via the control circuit 10 and communication circuit 60. The main control circuit 70 detects the actual power of the motor shaft based on the power detection signal to obtain the motor's operating power, thereby achieving motor power control and adjustment.

[0136] In one embodiment, referring to FIG4 , the main control circuit 70 is configured to determine a target speed according to the external setting signal, and determine a target power according to the target speed;

[0137] When the target power is greater than or equal to the preset power, the main control circuit 70 outputs a corresponding control signal to the control circuit 10 via the communication circuit 60, so that the motor operates at the target speed;

[0138] When the target power is less than the preset power, the main control circuit 70 outputs a corresponding control signal to the control circuit 10 via the communication circuit 60, so that the motor operates according to the target power.

[0139] It is understandable that when the motor is running in a low-power state, the driving current of the motor is too low, and the wind resistance of the motor is poor, resulting in low stability and safety performance of the motor. In addition, the motor feedback current obtained by the main control circuit 70 is unstable, which reduces the control reliability of the main control circuit 70 over the motor. In order to avoid the phenomenon of unstable operation of the motor when it is running in a low-power state, the present embodiment sets the working mode of the motor to a constant power mode and a constant speed mode, so that the motor operates in a constant power mode when it is in a low-power state, and operates in a constant speed mode when it is in a high-power state. In actual applications, the surface of the water heater also has trigger buttons with different gears. When the user triggers the trigger button of the water heater, the trigger button outputs an external setting signal of the corresponding gear to the main control circuit 70. The main control circuit 70 determines the target speed based on the external setting signal, and determines the target power based on the target speed. When the main control circuit 70 detects that the target power is greater than or equal to 12W, the main control circuit 70 outputs a first control signal to the control circuit 10 via the communication circuit 60, so that the control circuit 10 controls the motor to operate in a constant speed mode; when the main control circuit 70 detects that the target power is less than 12W, the main control circuit 70 outputs a second control signal to the control circuit 10 via the communication circuit 60, so that the control circuit 10 controls the motor to operate in a constant power mode.

[0140] In one embodiment, the main control circuit 70 is further configured to determine the speed range of the target speed according to the target speed, and select the target power matching the speed range according to a mapping relationship between the speed range and the target power.

[0141] It is understandable that, in this embodiment, the mapping relationship between the speed range and the target power obtained from the experimental data of the technicians is: when the target speed of the motor is lower than 2000 rpm, the target power of the motor is correspondingly lower than 12W; when the target speed of the motor is not lower than 2000 rpm, the target power of the motor is correspondingly not lower than 12W. In actual applications, when the main control circuit 70 confirms that the target speed is in a speed range lower than 2000 rpm, it selects the current target power of the motor to be lower than 12W based on the mapping relationship between the speed range and the target power, that is, controls the motor to operate in a constant power mode; when the main control circuit 70 confirms that the target speed is in a speed range not lower than 2000 rpm, it determines the current target power of the motor to be a target power not lower than 12W based on the mapping relationship between the speed range and the target power, that is, controls the motor to operate in a constant speed mode.

[0142] In one embodiment, the water heater further comprises:

[0143] A sampling resistor, wherein the number of the sampling resistor is one, the sampling resistor is arranged on the motor control board, and the input end of the sampling resistor is connected to the output end of the inverter circuit, and the output end of the sampling resistor is connected to the input end of the control circuit;

[0144] The sampling resistor is used to detect the instantaneous current flowing through the DC bus of the motor according to the different switching states of the power bridge of the inverter circuit, and output the phase current of the motor to the main control circuit through the control circuit and the communication circuit.

[0145] It is understood that in the water heater motor control assembly, the main control circuit needs to promptly and accurately measure the current in the motor windings to implement current closed-loop control and the design of the current protection circuit. To this end, the motor current needs to be detected. Current detection can be implemented using a single sampling resistor or multiple sampling resistors. This embodiment uses a single sampling resistor to implement motor current detection as an example. Specifically, since the inverter circuit is composed of a power bridge, when a single sampling resistor is connected to the inverter circuit, it can detect the instantaneous current flowing through the motor's DC bus according to the different switching states of the inverter circuit's power bridge. The motor phase current is then derived based on the instantaneous current flowing through the motor's DC bus. The motor phase current is then output to the main control circuit via the control circuit and communication circuit, allowing the main control circuit to implement current closed-loop control based on the motor phase current. It should be understood that this embodiment uses a single sampling resistor to implement the motor current detection function, and the single sampling resistor is set on the motor control board, which reduces the space required for the motor control board. In addition, compared to multiple sampling resistors, using a single sampling resistor allows the main control circuit to run the motor algorithm more efficiently.

[0146] The above description is merely an optional embodiment of the present application and does not limit the patent scope of the present application. All equivalent structural transformations made using the contents of the present application specification and drawings under the inventive concept of the present application, or direct / indirect application in other related technical fields are included in the patent protection scope of the present application.

Claims

1. A water heater motor control component, wherein, The water heater motor control assembly includes: An inverter circuit electrically connected to the motor; A drive circuit electrically connected to a plurality of the inverter circuits; and A control circuit electrically connected to the drive circuit; the control circuit is configured to control the drive circuit to drive the inverter circuit to operate so as to invert an input DC power supply and output it to the motor; At least two of the inverter circuit, the drive circuit, and the control circuit are integrated into one body.

2. The water heater motor control assembly according to claim 1, wherein, The inverter circuit includes a plurality of power devices.

3. The water heater motor control assembly according to claim 2, wherein, The water heater motor control assembly includes a motor control board; At least two of the following are arranged on the motor control board: At least one of the plurality of power devices; The control circuit; The drive circuit.

4. The water heater motor control assembly according to claim 3, wherein, The control circuit, the drive circuit, and the plurality of power devices are all arranged on the motor control board.

5. The water heater motor control assembly according to claim 3 or 4, wherein, The water heater motor control assembly further includes: A housing for enclosing the motor, and the motor control board is arranged outside the housing.

6. The water heater motor control assembly according to any one of claims 3 to 5, wherein, The water heater motor control assembly further includes: a heat dissipation component; At least one of the following is disposed in contact with the heat dissipation component: At least one of the plurality of power devices; The control circuit; The drive circuit.

7. The water heater motor control assembly according to claim 6, wherein, The control circuit, the drive circuit, and the plurality of power devices are all arranged on the motor control board; The heat dissipation component includes a heat dissipation pad arranged on the motor control board.

8. The water heater motor control assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein, The water heater motor control assembly includes: A speed detection circuit, the input end of the speed detection circuit is connected to the output end of the motor, and the output end of the speed detection circuit is connected to the input end of the control circuit; The speed detection circuit is configured to output a speed detection signal of the motor through the control circuit.

9. The water heater motor control component according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein, The water heater motor control assembly includes: A power detection circuit, the input end of the power detection circuit is connected to the output end of the motor, and the output end of the power detection circuit is connected to the input end of the control circuit; The power detection circuit is configured to output a power detection signal of the motor through the control circuit.

10. A water heater, wherein, The water heater includes: a motor and the water heater motor control assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 9.

11. The water heater according to claim 10, wherein, The water heater further includes: A main control circuit; A communication circuit, the communication circuit is electrically connected to the main control circuit, and the communication circuit is configured to be electrically connected to the control circuit; The main control circuit is configured to output a control signal to the control circuit through the communication circuit so that the control circuit controls the drive circuit to drive a plurality of power devices to drive the motor to rotate according to the control signal.

12. The water heater according to claim 11, wherein, The communication circuit includes a serial communication circuit.

13. The water heater according to claim 11, wherein, The water heater further includes: A connection component; A main control board, and the main control circuit and the communication circuit are both arranged on the main control board; When the control circuit is arranged on the motor control board, the main control board and the motor control board are electrically connected through the connection component.

14. The water heater according to claim 13, wherein, The connection component includes a male header and a female header cooperatively arranged therewith; One of the male header and the female header is arranged on the main control board, and the other is arranged on the motor control board.

15. The water heater according to any one of claims 11 to 14, wherein, The main control circuit further has a signal receiving end for accessing an externally provided signal; The main control circuit is configured to output a corresponding control signal to the control circuit via the communication circuit according to the external setting signal, so that the motor operates at a rotational speed corresponding to the external setting signal or operates at a power corresponding to the external setting signal.

16. The water heater according to claim 15, wherein, The water heater further includes: a rotational speed detection circuit, wherein an input end of the rotational speed detection circuit is connected to an output end of the motor, and an output end of the rotational speed detection circuit is connected to an input end of the control circuit; The rotational speed detection circuit is configured to output a rotational speed detection signal of the motor to the main control circuit via the control circuit and the communication circuit.

17. The water heater according to claim 15, wherein, The water heater further includes: a power detection circuit, wherein an input end of the power detection circuit is connected to an output end of the motor, and an output end of the power detection circuit is connected to an input end of the control circuit; The power detection circuit is configured to output a power detection signal of the motor via the control circuit and the communication circuit.

18. The water heater according to claim 15, wherein, The main control circuit is configured to determine a target rotational speed according to the external setting signal, and determine a target power according to the target rotational speed; When the target power is greater than or equal to a preset power, the main control circuit outputs a corresponding control signal to the control circuit via the communication circuit, so that the motor operates at the target rotational speed; When the target power is less than the preset power, the main control circuit outputs a corresponding control signal to the control circuit via the communication circuit, so that the motor operates at the target power.

19. The water heater according to claim 18, wherein, The main control circuit is further configured to determine a rotational speed range where the target rotational speed is located according to the target rotational speed, and select a target power matching the rotational speed range according to a mapping relationship between the rotational speed range and the target power.

20. The water heater according to claim 11, wherein, The water heater further includes: a sampling resistor, the number of the sampling resistors is one, the sampling resistor is disposed on the motor control board, an input end of the sampling resistor is connected to an output end of the inverter circuit, and an output end of the sampling resistor is connected to an input end of the control circuit; The sampling resistor is configured to detect an instantaneous current of a DC bus flowing through the motor according to different switching states of a power bridge of the inverter circuit, and output a phase current of the motor to the control circuit in the form of a current detection signal.

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