Wirelessly operated heating device of hot water dispenser

A heating device of an instant hot water dispenser is provided with an inlet, an outlet, a PCB, a solenoid valve, a flow meter, a first heating unit, and a second heating unit. The PCB includes a first transformer for supplying DC to the first heating unit, a second transformer for supplying DC to the second heating unit, a receiver for receiving pulses of IR light from a remote control, and a microcontroller electrically connected to the PCB for controlling the solenoid valve, sensing a flow rate measured by the flow meter, and communicating with the receiver so that an operation of the remote control wirelessly commands the microcontroller to control electric current to the first and second heating units.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The invention relates to hot water dispensers and more particularly to a wirelessly operated heating device of a hot water dispenser.

2. Description of Related Art

A conventional rapid electric heating water dispenser comprising a housing, a base, an electric heating element disposed in the housing, a hot water dispensing valve, a hot water outlet, a reservoir on a lower part of the base connected with the hot water outlet through a hot water pipe, the electric heating element, and the hot water drain valve, the electric heating element including a water pipe and an electric heating tube which are in direct contact with each other, a liquefaction inner tube disposed between the outlet of the water pipe and the hot water dispensing valve.

However, the water dispenser not only consumes energy greatly but also does not have the desired rapid heating function. Thus, the need for improvement still exists.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is therefore one object of the invention to provide a heating device of a hot water dispenser comprising, in combination a remote control; an inlet; an outlet; a printed circuit board (PCB); a solenoid valve; a flow meter; a first heating unit; and a second heating unit; wherein the inlet, the solenoid valve, the flow meter, the first heating unit, the second heating unit, and the outlet are in fluid communication sequentially; wherein on the PCB is electrically connected to both the solenoid valve and the flow meter; wherein the first heating unit includes a heating element and a winding fluid channel; wherein the second heating unit includes a heating element, a winding fluid channel, and a temperature sensor for sensing temperature of water flowing out of the winding fluid channel thereof and sending the sensed temperature to the microcontroller; and wherein the PCB includes a first transformer for supplying direct current (DC) to the first heating unit, a second transformer for supplying DC to the second heating unit, a receiver for receiving pulses of infrared (IR) light from the remote control, and a microcontroller electrically connected to the PCB for controlling the solenoid valve, sensing a flow rate measured by the flow meter, and communicating with the receiver so that an operation of the remote control wirelessly commands the microcontroller to control electric current supplied from the first transformer to the heating element of the first heating unit and control electric current supplied from the second transformer to the heating element of the second heating unit.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring toFIGS. 1 to 6, a heating device2of a hot water dispenser in accordance with the invention is shown. A remote control1is provided to control the activation of the hating device2. A parallelepiped housing21is provided to contain components of the heating device2. An inlet211and an outlet212are provided on top of the housing21. The components in the housing21are discussed below.

A printed circuit board (PCB)22is provided on a left upper portion. A solenoid valve23is provided on a left lower portion. A flow meter24is provided on a portion adjacent to a bottom. First and second heating units25,26are provided on lower and upper portion of the right side respectively. The inlet211is in fluid communication with an inlet port of the solenoid valve23. An outlet port of the solenoid valve23is in fluid communication with an inlet of the flow meter24. An outlet of the flow meter24is in fluid communication with an inlet of the first heating unit25. An outlet of the first heating unit25is in fluid communication with an inlet of the second heating unit26. An outlet of the second heating unit26is in fluid communication with the outlet212.

The PCB22is electrically connected to a DC (direct current) output of a transformer (not numbered) thereon. The transformer is electrically connected to an AC (alternating current) power via a power cord31and converts AC power into DC (direct current). The PCB22is electrically connected to both the solenoid valve23and the flow meter24for supplying DC power for their operations. On the PCB22there are provided a first transformer221electrically connected to the AC power via the power cord31and converting AC into DC to be consumed by the first heating unit25, a second transformer222electrically connected to the AC power via the power cord31and converting AC into DC to be consumed by the second heating unit26, a receiver223adapted to receive pulses of IR (infrared) light from the remote control1, and a microcontroller224electrically connected to the DC output of the PCB22and being in signal communication with the receiver223so that a user may operate the remote control1to wirelessly control an activation of the heating device2(i.e., hot water output) and temperature of the hot water being dispense.

As shown inFIGS. 4A and 4B, the rectangular first heating unit25includes, from top to bottom, a cover C1, a heating board C2having a heating element C21mounted thereon, a fluid channel board C3having a winding fluid channel C31, and a base C4releasably secured to the cover C1to contain the heating board C2and the fluid channel board C3therein. The winding fluid channel C31is disposed below the heating element C21.

As shown inFIGS. 5A and 5B, the rectangular second heating unit26includes, from top to bottom, a cover D1, a heating board D2having a heating element D21mounted thereon, a fluid channel board D3having a winding fluid channel D31, and a base D4releasably secured to the cover D1to contain the heating board D2and the fluid channel board D3therein. The winding fluid channel D31is disposed below the heating element D21. A temperature sensor D22is mounted on the heating board D2and is adapted to sense temperature of hot water flowing out of the winding fluid channel D31. The sensed temperature is then sent to the microcontroller24.

The microcontroller24also controls opening or closing of the solenoid valve23. Further, the microcontroller24can measure flow rate of water through the flow meter24. The microcontroller24can control electric current supplied from the second transformer222to the heating element D21.

In operation, water from a supply line is filtered by a filter32. The filtered water next flows to the inlet211. A user may use the remote control1to deactivate the heating device2. As a result, cold water flows out of the heating device2for dispensing. Alternatively, the user may use the remote control1to activate the heating device2, control electric current supplied to the heating elements C21, D21, and control flow through the solenoid valve23all via the microcontroller24. It is understood that the hotter of the water being dispensed will be if more electric current is supplied. Flow rate control of the solenoid valve23also rises or lowers temperature of water being dispensed. It is envisaged by the invention that an instant hot water dispensing can be effected.