Integrated Water Heater Pipe Body for Leak-Resistant Flow Control
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional water heater pipe connecting structures have a complex configuration with excessive fastening parts, leading to increased leakage probability and difficult maintenance due to the numerous pipes and connections.
Innovation Solution
An integrally injection-molded pipe body connects the tap water inlet, hot water supply, and bypass pipes, allowing for parallel insertion and coupling of flow rate sensors, mixing valves, and flow rate control valves, reducing the number of fastening parts and simplifying the structure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If multiple connecting pipes are used to connect flow rate sensor, mixing valve and flow rate control valve, then the water heater can perform flow rate measurement and control functions, but the number of fastening parts increases and the pipe structure becomes complicated
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates the flow rate sensor, mixing valve, and flow rate control valve into a single integrated valve assembly that is connected to the pipe body through one fastening part. This merging of multiple functional components into one assembly reduces the number of connecting pipes and fastening parts, thereby simplifying the overall pipe structure while maintaining all necessary flow rate measurement and control functions.
2Reliability
If multiple fastening parts are used to connect connecting pipes, then the fluid can be hermetically sealed, but the probability of leakage between fastening parts increases
Solution Approach 1:
By combining multiple connecting pipes into a single integrated valve assembly connection, the patent reduces the number of fastening parts from multiple separate connections to just one fastening part. This reduction in the number of fastening parts directly decreases the probability of leakage while maintaining fluid hermetic seal through the integrated design.
3Strength
If multiple fastening parts are used to connect connecting pipes, then the pipes can be fastened securely, but the maintenance of flow rate sensor, mixing valve and flow rate control valve becomes difficult and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the flow rate sensor, mixing valve, and flow rate control valve into a single integrated valve assembly that is connected through one fastening part. This integration allows maintenance personnel to access and maintain all three components by separating only one fastening part, rather than having to separate multiple fastening parts as in the conventional structure, thereby significantly improving maintenance ease.
4Adaptability or versatility
If multiple connecting pipes are used to form the flow path, then the water heater can convey tap water and hot water through different paths, but the number of pipes increases and the structure becomes complicated
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates the tap water inlet pipe, hot water supply pipe, and bypass pipe into a single integrated valve assembly. This merging reduces the total number of separate pipes from three to one integrated component, thereby reducing the quantity of pipes while maintaining the ability to convey tap water and hot water through different paths via the integrated design.
Data Source
AI summary
A pipe connecting structure of a water heater. Individual parts in the water heater are integrally coupled with a pipe body, which is injection-molded, provides paths of tap water and hot water, reduces the number of pipes connecting the individual parts, and simplifies the connection structure of the pipes. The pipe connecting structure of the water heater includes a tap water inlet pipe connected from a tap water inlet to a heat exchanger; a hot water supply pipe connected from the heat exchanger to a hot water outlet; a flow sensor for measuring the flow rate of the tap water introduced via the tap water inlet; and a flow control valve for controlling the flow rate of the hot water discharged via the hot water outlet. The pipe body connects and is integral with the tap water inlet, the tap water inlet pipe, the hot water supply pipe, and the hot water outlet.