Liquid level measurement device, liquid storage device and electronic toilet

Abstract

Disclosed in the present invention are a liquid level measurement device, a liquid storage device and an electronic toilet. The liquid level measurement device is used for measuring the liquid level of a liquid storage device, and is characterized by comprising: a floating element, which moves vertically along with the change of the liquid level; a guide rod, which is fixedly connected to the floating element, such that the guide rod can be displaced along with the vertical movement of the floating element; a guide mechanism, which is fixedly arranged on the liquid storage device and has a guide portion for guiding the displacement direction of the guide rod, the guide portion being located above the highest liquid level of the liquid storage device; and a liquid level signal transmission switch, which is configured to receive a trigger signal of the guide rod, wherein when reaching a preset position along with the change of the liquid level, the guide rod can trigger the on-off state of the liquid level signal transmission switch to change. The present invention can improve the operation stability of the liquid level measurement device and prolong the service life thereof.

Description

Liquid level detection device, liquid storage device and electronic toilet TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present application relates to the technical field of liquid level detection, in particular to a liquid level detection device, a liquid storage device and an electronic toilet. BACKGROUND

[0002] In today's European market environment, electronic toilets as an important product for improving the quality of home life must strictly follow the EN1717 European safety standard in design and manufacture. This standard clearly and strictly requires the overflow protection mechanism of the product. In order to meet this high standard, manufacturers usually build a separate water tank in the sanitary cleaning system of the electronic toilet, which is specifically used to store cleaning water. This design aims to ensure that the water source for human cleaning is both sanitary and safe, but at the same time puts higher requirements on the liquid level control technology inside the water tank.

[0003] Currently, the common liquid level detection technologies in the market mainly include probe detection and float switch detection. Although the probe liquid level detection technology is widely used, it is prone to electrochemical corrosion due to long-term exposure of the probe in water, which leads to unstable or even invalid detection signals, affecting the accuracy of liquid level judgment. On the other hand, although the float switch scheme is simple in structure, in areas with high water hardness, the surface of the float is easy to attach scale, which may cause the float to be blocked or stuck over time, also leading to liquid level control failure. The limitations of the above two schemes may cause the water tank to be overfilled without triggering the overflow protection in time, eventually causing water to overflow from the overflow port, not only damaging the bathroom environment, but also causing safety hazards and unnecessary economic losses to users. TECHNICAL PROBLEM

[0004] The existence of the above problems makes the water tank liquid level control a big hidden danger in the design of electronic toilets. Therefore, developing a new type of liquid level detection technology that can not only meet strict regulatory requirements but also overcome the defects of existing technologies, with high reliability and durability, has become a technical problem that needs to be solved in the electronic toilet industry. TECHNICAL SOLUTION

[0005] The present application provides a liquid level detection device, a liquid storage device and an electronic toilet, which overcomes the deficiencies of the prior art described in the background art.

[0006] The technical solution of the present application is:

[0007] A liquid level detection device for detecting the liquid level of a liquid storage device, comprising:

[0008] a floating element that moves up and down with the change of liquid level;

[0009] a guide rod fixedly connected to the floating element so that the guide rod can be displaced following the up-and-down movement of the floating element;

[0010] a guide mechanism fixedly arranged in the liquid storage device, having a guide portion for guiding the displacement direction of the guide rod, the guide portion being located above the highest liquid level of the liquid storage device;

[0011] a liquid level signal transmission switch for receiving the trigger signal of the guide rod, the guide rod being able to trigger the on-off state of the liquid level signal transmission switch to change when reaching the preset position with the change of liquid level.

[0012] Preferably, the guide portion is a vertically arranged guide hole, and the guide rod is slidingly arranged in the guide hole in a clearance fit manner and can move up and down along the guide hole.

[0013] Preferably, the guide mechanism further has a limiting cavity for limiting the displacement position of the guide rod, the guide rod passing through the guide hole and entering the limiting cavity, the upper limit position of the upward displacement of the guide rod being that the guide rod abuts against the top surface of the limiting cavity, and the lower limit position of the downward displacement of the guide rod being that the guide rod is hung on the bottom surface of the limiting cavity.

[0014] Preferably, the liquid level signal transmission switch is a magnetic control switch, and a magnet for triggering the magnetic control switch is arranged on the guide rod, so that the magnet can trigger the magnetic control switch when the guide rod reaches the preset position with the change of liquid level; or, the liquid level signal transmission switch is a contact switch, and the contact of the contact switch is arranged on the movement path of the guide rod, so that the guide rod can contact or separate from the contact when being displaced with the change of liquid level.

[0015] Preferably, the contact switch is provided with a limiting boss which can be abutted by the guide rod, and the limiting boss is arranged in the preset trigger stroke of the contact of the contact switch, so that the guide rod abuts against the limiting boss after triggering the contact of the contact switch.

[0016] Preferably, the number of the magnetic control switches is N, the N magnetic control switches are arranged along the height direction, and the magnet can trigger the N magnetic control switches in sequence according to the liquid level.

[0017] As preferred, the number of the magnetic control switches is M, the M magnetic control switches are arranged in the lateral direction, and the number of the magnets, the guide rods and the floating elements is M, the M magnetic control switches can be triggered by the corresponding M magnets according to the liquid level; or, the number of the contact switches is M, the M contact switches are arranged in the lateral direction, and the number of the guide rods and the floating elements is M, the M contact switches can be mechanically triggered by the corresponding M guide rods according to the liquid level.

[0018] The application further provides a liquid storage device, which comprises a liquid inlet control valve, a liquid level detection device as described above, and a control board electrically connected with the liquid inlet control valve and the liquid level signal transmission switch, the control board receives signals from the liquid level signal transmission switch and controls the liquid inlet control valve based on the signals.

[0019] As preferred, the liquid storage device further comprises a vertical partition plate, which divides the internal space of the liquid storage device into a first chamber and a second chamber, the first chamber and the second chamber are communicated at the bottom, the liquid inlet of the liquid storage device is arranged at the upper portion of the first chamber, and the liquid level detection device is arranged in the second chamber.

[0020] The application further provides an electronic toilet bowl, which comprises a water pump, a heating assembly, a nozzle assembly and a liquid storage device as described above, the water pump draws the stored water in the liquid storage device into the heating assembly and then sprays the water to the human body for cleaning by the nozzle assembly. Advantages

[0021] Compared with the prior art, the technical scheme of the application has the following advantages:

[0022] 1. Since the guide part for guiding the displacement direction of the guide rod does not directly contact with the liquid in the liquid storage device, the movement of the guide rod has high reliability and durability. Taking the electronic toilet bowl application as an example, the scheme eliminates the risk of fouling and jamming of the float switch due to long-term immersion in water, and also avoids the possible electrochemical corrosion of the probe in the water under long-term power operation of the electrode probe, thereby significantly improving the working stability and service life of the liquid level detection device.

[0023] 2. Through the ingenious combination of the guide hole and the limiting cavity, the application realizes the accurate control of the movement track of the guide rod by the physical limiting method, which not only simplifies the mechanical structure, but also improves the overall stability and reliability, and reduces the complexity of assembly and maintenance.

[0024] 3. Ingeniously combines the magnetic induction principle of magnetic control switch, realizes the non-contact sensing process of liquid level change to electric signal conversion. This strategy not only further improves the isolation degree and anti-interference ability of the detection system, but also significantly reduces the failure rate caused by physical wear and tear, enhances the environmental adaptability, and ensures the efficiency and accuracy of signal transmission.

[0025] 4. By adding a limiting boss in the design, the travel of the guide rod triggering the contact switch contact is precisely limited, effectively preventing the contact from accelerating aging due to long-term operation in the limit position, reducing contact wear and fatigue, and prolonging the service life of the switch contact, thereby ensuring the long-term stable operation and reliable triggering of the liquid level detection system.

[0026] 5. A vertical partition is provided to form an effective physical barrier to prevent water from splashing into the liquid level detection device, effectively blocking the potential impact on the liquid level detection device, further improving environmental adaptability and work reliability. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0027] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of a liquid storage device according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0028] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of the cross-sectional structure of a liquid storage device according to an embodiment of the present application (initial position);

[0029] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of the cross-sectional structure of a liquid storage device according to an embodiment of the present application (liquid level reaches the highest);

[0030] Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of the cross-sectional structure of a liquid storage device according to an embodiment of the present application (liquid level reaches the highest);

[0031] Figure 5 is a schematic diagram of the cross-sectional structure of a liquid storage device according to an embodiment of the present application (initial position);

[0032] Figure 6 is a schematic diagram of the cross-sectional structure of a liquid storage device according to an embodiment of the present application (liquid level reaches the highest);

[0033] Figure 7 is a schematic diagram of the structure of a contact switch of a liquid storage device according to an embodiment of the present application. BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

[0034] The present application will be further described in detail below in conjunction with the drawings and specific embodiments.

[0035] As shown in FIGS. 1-3, the liquid level detection device of the present application is used to detect the liquid level of the liquid storage device 100, which comprises a floating element 40, a guide rod 50, a guide mechanism and a liquid level signal transmission switch. Among them, the floating element 40 is generally made of light and corrosion-resistant materials, which can be a floating ball, a floating cylinder, etc. Of course, other suitable forms can also be selected according to the actual application scenario. The floating element 40 is directly placed inside the liquid storage device 100, and uses the principle of buoyancy to float up and down with the rise or fall of the liquid level. Therefore, the floating element 40 can directly reflect the actual change of the liquid level in the liquid storage device 100, providing a direct physical basis for subsequent signal triggering.

[0036] The guide rod 50 is connected to the floating element 40 by fixed connection, and the connection method can be threaded connection, welding, buckle fixing, etc. Of course, an integrated structure can also be adopted during design, and the specific selection is determined according to the actual application requirements and manufacturing convenience. The guide rod 50 synchronously displaces with the up and down movement of the floating element 40, converting the physical change of the liquid level into mechanical displacement, ensuring that the guide rod 50 can smoothly and stably transmit the displacement information of the floating element 40 when the liquid level changes.

[0037] The main function of the guide mechanism is to ensure that the displacement of the guide rod 50 is smoothly carried out along the predetermined direction, avoiding deviation or blockage, and it is fixedly arranged in the liquid storage device 100. Therefore, the guide mechanism is provided with a guide portion for guiding the displacement direction of the guide rod, which can be a guide hole, a guide slot or a guide rail, etc. It matches the diameter or cross-sectional shape of the guide rod 50 and is located above the highest liquid level L of the liquid storage device. Therefore, the guide portion does not directly contact with the liquid in the liquid storage device, thereby ensuring that the movement of the guide rod 50 has high reliability and durability.

[0038] The liquid level signal transmission switch is installed at a proper position of the liquid storage device, receives the mechanical signal transmitted by the displacement of the guide rod 50, and converts it into an electrical signal. When the liquid level changes and the guide rod 50 moves to the preset position, the liquid level signal transmission switch can be triggered by physical contact or magnetic induction, etc. to change its on-off state, so as to trigger the subsequent control circuit. The switch type is various, which can be a Hall switch, a micro switch or a photoelectric switch, etc. The specific selection is determined according to the application requirements and environmental conditions.

[0039] Since the guide portion does not directly contact with the liquid in the liquid storage device, the movement of the guide rod 50 has high reliability and durability. Taking the electronic toilet as an example, this scheme eliminates the risk of scaling and blockage of the float switch due to long-term immersion in water in the prior art, and also avoids the possible electrochemical corrosion of the probe under long-term power operation in the electrode probe mode, thereby significantly improving the working stability and service life of the liquid level detection device.

[0040] In a specific implementation, in order to optimize the overall layout and improve the installation convenience, the liquid level detection device is further provided with a fixing frame 60 fixed in the liquid storage device 100, and the guide mechanism and the liquid level signal transmission switch are integrated or attached to the fixing frame 60, thereby providing a stable placement platform for the guide mechanism and the liquid level signal transmission switch. In actual application, the guide mechanism can be integrally formed or separately formed with the fixing frame 60.

[0041] In the specific implementation of the present application, the guide mechanism not only ensures the accuracy and stability of the movement of the guide rod, but also improves the reliability and durability of the entire liquid level detection device through structural layout. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 2, the guide part can be a vertically arranged guide hole 61, which is precisely machined to ensure that the clearance fit with the guide rod 50 reaches an ideal state. The guide rod 50 is inserted into the guide hole 61 through careful calculation of the tolerance size, and can realize smooth and unobstructed up-down movement along the guide hole 61.

[0042] In addition to the guide hole 61, the guide mechanism also integrates a limiting cavity 62, which plays a key role in controlling the movement range of the guide rod. The limiting cavity 62 serves as the upper and lower boundaries of the movement of the guide rod 50, ensuring that the guide rod 50 can accurately stop moving when reaching the predetermined liquid level. When the guide rod 50 rises to the limit with the liquid level, the top end will abut against the top surface of the limiting cavity 62, forming a physical barrier. Similarly, when the liquid level drops to the lowest point, the guide rod 50 will be hung to the bottom surface of the limiting cavity 62. The addition of the limiting cavity 62 not only provides a clear limit for the movement of the guide rod 50, but also increases the stability of the system through a physical limiting mechanism, avoiding mechanical collisions caused by excessive displacement, thereby improving the safety and reliability of the entire liquid level detection device. Since the guide part does not directly contact the liquid, the guide hole and the limiting cavity do not directly contact the liquid, thereby avoiding the problem of poor movement of the guide rod caused by scaling and corrosion problems.

[0043] Example 1

[0044] The liquid level detection device of the present embodiment ingeniously utilizes the principle of magnetic interaction to achieve efficient and accurate liquid level control. Specifically, as shown in FIGS. 2-3, the liquid level signal transmission switch is a magnetic control switch 70, and the guide rod 50 is provided with a magnet 51 for triggering the magnetic control switch, so that when the guide rod 50 reaches the preset position with the change of the liquid level, the magnet 51 can trigger the magnetic control switch 70.

[0045] If multiple liquid levels need to be detected, the number of magnetic control switches 70 is M, and the M magnetic control switches 70 are arranged in the lateral direction. Correspondingly, the number of magnets 51, guide rods 50, and floating elements 40 is M. In this way, when the liquid level fluctuates, the M magnets 51 can be precisely docked one by one along the sequence of the M magnetic control switches 70 arranged in the lateral direction, thereby converting the change in the liquid level into an electrical signal. As shown in FIG. 2, in the initial position, the floating elements 40 are all hung on the bottom surface of the limiting cavity 62 under the action of gravity. As shown in FIG. 3, as the liquid level rises, the floating element 40 in the low position moves upward until the corresponding guide rod 50 abuts against the top surface of the limiting cavity 62. At this time, the magnet on the guide rod 50 triggers the magnetic control switch 70, realizing the detection of the low liquid level. As the liquid level continues to rise, the floating element 40 in the high position moves upward until the corresponding guide rod 50 abuts against the top surface of the limiting cavity 62. At this time, the magnet on the guide rod 50 triggers the magnetic control switch 70, realizing the detection of the high liquid level.

[0046] This non-contact detection method greatly reduces mechanical wear and enhances the stability and durability of the system during long-term operation. The precise alignment of each magnet with the magnetic control switch not only improves the accuracy of liquid level detection but also provides a more refined control scheme for systems that require multi-level liquid management through segmented monitoring. This method is particularly suitable for industrial or civilian applications that have strict requirements for liquid level changes, such as water treatment plants and chemical storage tanks, effectively avoiding the risk of overflow or drying caused by abnormal liquid levels.

[0047] Embodiment Two

[0048] In this embodiment, the magnetic control switch 70 is also used as a liquid level signal transmission switch, but the arrangement of the magnetic control switch is changed to vertical distribution along the height direction, with a number of N. The magnets 51 on the guide rods 50 are sequentially contacted with the magnetic control switches 70 as the liquid level vertically changes, realizing the sequential triggering from low to high or from high to low. As shown in FIG. 4, four magnetic control switches 70 are arranged along the height direction. As the liquid level continuously rises, the floating element 40 can drive the magnets 51 on the guide rods 50 to sequentially trigger the four magnetic control switches 70, realizing the detection of the liquid level at four heights.

[0049] This vertical arrangement simplifies the logic of liquid level height judgment, and the activation of each magnetic control switch directly corresponds to a specific liquid level height, which is beneficial to simplify the design of the control system and improve the intuitiveness and reaction speed of the detection. Through the one-by-one pairing of the magnets and the magnetic control switches, the system can accurately identify and feedback the specific position of the current liquid level according to the continuous change of the liquid level.

[0050] Embodiment Three

[0051] The embodiment adopts a contact switch 80 as a liquid level signal transmission switch, and realizes accurate and real-time monitoring of the liquid level through mechanical contact. As shown in the figure, in the specific design, a specific position (such as the top) of the guide rod 50 directly interacts with the contact point 81 of the contact switch 80. This direct physical contact ensures the instantaneity of detection. As shown in FIG. 7, in order to solve the problem of wear of the contact point 81 caused by long-term contact, a limiting boss 82 is specially added, which is set in the preset triggering stroke of the contact point 81 of the contact switch, so that the guide rod 50 can stop moving in time after triggering the contact point 81, avoiding excessive collision and preventing the contact point 81 from accelerating aging due to long-term work in the limit position, effectively prolonging the service life of the contact point and improving the reliability and economy of the system as a whole. The contact point 81 of the contact switch 80 can be directly arranged at the top of the limiting cavity 62, and the limiting boss 82 can be formed by protruding downward from the top surface of the limiting cavity.

[0052] If multiple liquid levels need to be detected, the number of contact switches 80 is M, and the M contact switches 80 are arranged in the transverse direction. Correspondingly, the number of guide rods 50 and floating elements 40 is M, and the M contact switches 80 correspond one-to-one to the guide rods 50 and floating elements 40. Each liquid level interval has a special contact point for monitoring, realizing multi-level liquid level management. As shown in FIG. 5, in the initial position, the floating elements 40 are hung on the bottom surface of the limiting cavity 62 under the action of gravity; as shown in FIG. 6, as the liquid level rises, the floating element 40 at the low position moves upward until its corresponding guide rod 50 abuts against the contact point 81 of the contact switch 80 and further abuts against the limiting boss 82, at which time the contact switch 80 is triggered, realizing detection of the low liquid level. As the liquid level continues to rise, the floating element 40 at the high position moves upward until its corresponding guide rod 50 abuts against the contact point 81 of the contact switch 80 and further abuts against the limiting boss 82, at which time the contact switch 80 is triggered, realizing detection of the high liquid level.

[0053] The application further provides a liquid storage device 100, which comprises an inlet control valve, the above-mentioned liquid level detection device, and a control board electrically connected with the inlet control valve and the liquid level signal transmission switch. The control board receives signals from the liquid level signal transmission switch and controls the inlet control valve based on the signals. In the specific structure, as shown in FIG. 1, the liquid storage device 100 further comprises a vertical partition 10, which divides the internal space of the liquid storage device into a first chamber 20 and a second chamber 30. The first chamber 20 and the second chamber 30 are connected at the bottom, the inlet of the liquid storage device 21 is arranged at the upper part of the first chamber 20, and the liquid level detection device is arranged in the second chamber 30. In this way, an effective physical barrier can be formed to prevent water from splashing onto the liquid level detection device, effectively blocking the potential impact on the liquid level detection device and improving the environmental adaptability and working reliability.

[0054] Meanwhile, the application also provides an electronic toilet which integrates various advanced technologies and humanized design, and forms an efficient, convenient and safe bathroom solution. In the European market, due to its special safety standards, the electronic toilet generally includes a water pump, a heating assembly, a nozzle assembly and a water tank. The water tank in the application adopts the above-mentioned liquid storage device. The heating assembly is responsible for heating the cleaning water to a suitable temperature for human use, ensuring the comfort of the user during use; the nozzle assembly uses advanced nozzle technology, which can flexibly adjust the spray angle, intensity and mode, and realize precise, gentle and effective cleaning of the human body; in actual use, the water pump draws the stored water in the water tank into the heating assembly and then sprays it out of the nozzle assembly to the human body for cleaning.

[0055] The preferred embodiments of the application are shown and described above, it should be understood that the application is not limited to the forms disclosed herein, should not be considered as excluding other embodiments, and can be used in various other combinations, modifications and environments, and can be modified within the scope of the inventive concept disclosed herein, by the above-mentioned teaching or related technical or knowledge. Any modification and change made by the person skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the application shall be within the protection scope of the claims of the application.

Claims

1. A liquid level detecting device for detecting a liquid level of a liquid storage device, characterized by comprising: The application relates to a liquid level detection device. The device comprises: a floating element which moves up and down with the change of liquid level; a guide rod which is fixedly connected to the floating element so that the guide rod can move with the floating element; a guide mechanism which is fixedly arranged in the liquid storage device and has a guide part for guiding the displacement direction of the guide rod, the guide part being above the highest liquid level of the liquid storage device; 2. The liquid level detection device according to claim 1, characterized in that: a liquid level signal transmission switch which is used for receiving the trigger signal of the guide rod, the guide rod being able to trigger the on-off state of the liquid level signal transmission switch when reaching a preset position with the change of liquid level.

3. A liquid level detection device according to claim 2, characterised in that: The guide part is a vertically arranged guide hole, the guide rod is slidingly arranged in the guide hole in a clearance fit mode and can move up and down along the guide hole.

4. A liquid level detection device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterised in that: The guide mechanism further has a limiting cavity for limiting the displacement position of the guide rod, the guide rod passes through the guide hole and enters the limiting cavity, the upper limit position of the upward displacement of the guide rod is that the guide rod abuts against the top surface of the limiting cavity, and the lower limit position of the downward displacement of the guide rod is that the guide rod is hung on the bottom surface of the limiting cavity.

5. A liquid level detection device according to claim 4, characterised in that: The liquid level signal transmission switch is a magnetic control switch, the guide rod is provided with a magnet for triggering the magnetic control switch, so that the magnet can trigger the magnetic control switch when the guide rod reaches a preset position with the change of liquid level.

6. The liquid level detection device of claim 4, wherein: The number of the magnetic control switches is N, the N magnetic control switches are arranged along the height direction, and the magnet can trigger the N magnetic control switches in sequence according to the liquid level.

7. A liquid level detection device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein: The number of the magnetic control switches is M, the M magnetic control switches are arranged along the transverse direction, correspondingly, the number of the magnet, the guide rod and the floating element is M, and the M magnetic control switches can be triggered by the corresponding M magnets according to the liquid level.

8. A liquid level detection device according to claim 7, characterised in that: The liquid level signal transmission switch is a contact switch, the contact of the contact switch is arranged on the movement path of the guide rod, so that the guide rod can contact or separate from the contact when the guide rod moves with the change of liquid level.

9. The liquid level detection device of claim 7, wherein: The contact switch is provided with a limiting boss which can be abutted by the guide rod, the limiting boss is arranged in the preset trigger stroke of the contact of the contact switch, so that the guide rod abuts against the limiting boss after triggering the contact of the contact switch.

10. A liquid storage device, characterized by: The number of the contact switches is M, the M contact switches are arranged along the transverse direction, correspondingly, the number of the guide rod and the floating element is M, and the M contact switches can be mechanically triggered by the corresponding M guide rods according to the liquid level.

11. A liquid storage device according to claim 10, wherein: The application further relates to a liquid inlet control valve, the liquid level detection device and a control board which is electrically connected with the liquid inlet control valve and the liquid level signal transmission switch, the control board receives the signal from the liquid level signal transmission switch and controls the liquid inlet control valve based on the signal. The application further relates to a vertical partition plate which divides the internal space of the liquid storage device into a first cavity and a second cavity, the first cavity and the second cavity are communicated at the bottom, the liquid inlet of the liquid storage device is arranged at the upper portion of the first cavity, and the liquid level detection device is arranged in the second cavity.

12. An electronic toilet characterized by comprising: The water pump, the heating assembly, the nozzle assembly and the liquid storage device as claimed in any one of claims 10-11, wherein the water pump draws the stored water in the liquid storage device into the heating assembly and then sprays the water out of the nozzle assembly to clean the human body.

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