Abstract:
The present invention discloses a water dispensing device including a water tank and at least one heating module. Each heating module includes a body and a heating plate, the body includes a groove, an input terminal located one end of the groove and connected the water tank, an output terminal located other end of the groove, and a plurality of ribs. The ribs formed on the bottom surface of the groove and the height is less than a depth of the groove, two arms of the ribs connect the sidewalls of the groove, and the density of the arrangement is decremented from the input terminal to the output terminal. The heating plate is covered the groove and doesn&#39;t contact the ribs, and the surface of the heating plate which is deviated from the groove has a plurality of heating units, be used to convert the power into the heat energy.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present disclosure relates to a water dispensing device; in particular, to a water dispensing device for providing instantaneous heating and a heating module thereof. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     With the rise of living standards in people&#39;s lives, the quality of drinking water is emphasized. Heating water by gas or electric stoves to obtain hot water is substituted by storing readily available hot water in water dispensers or hot water bottles. 
     However, water dispensers or hot water bottles require heating units to heat the water to a boil and continually heat the water to maintain it at a predetermined temperature (e.g. eighty degrees Celsius or a hundred degrees Celsius). 
     Even though these types of water dispensers or hot water bottles provide readily available hot water, the need to maintain the hot water in the hot water compartment at a predetermined temperature results in unnecessary waste, not meeting the energy saving policy advocated by the government in recent years. 
     Additionally, the consumption rate of hot water varies by season or time. For example, the consumption rate of hot water during the winter is larger than the consumption rate of hot water during the summer. Therefore, if the hot water is indiscriminately kept at maximum capacity in the hot water compartment regardless of practical needs, more electrical power is required to maintain the water in the hot water compartment at a predetermined temperature, which is an ineffective method of use. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The object of the present disclosure is to provide a water dispensing device for providing instantaneous heating and a heating module thereof. Ribs in the heating module and correspondingly disposed heating units create thermal convection in the water flowing through the heating module resulting in good heat exchange rate. 
     An embodiment of the present disclosure provides a water dispensing device for providing instantaneous heating, electrically connected to an external power source, and mainly comprising a water tank and at least one heating module. Each of the heating modules includes a body and a heating plate. The body includes a groove, an input terminal, an output terminal and a plurality of ribs. The input terminal is positioned at one end of the groove and is connected to the water tank. The output terminal is positioned at the other end of the groove. The plurality of ribs is formed at the bottom surface of the groove and the height of protrusion of the ribs is smaller than the depth of the groove. Two arms of each of the ribs are respectively connected to two sidewalls of the groove. The arrangement density of the plurality of ribs decreases from the input terminal to the output terminal. The heating plate covers the opening of the groove and is not in contact with the plurality of ribs. The face of the heating plate facing away from the groove has a plurality of heating units. Each of the heating units corresponds to a position between two neighboring ribs. The plurality of heating units convert external power source into heat, for heating water injected from the water tank. When water flows through the region between two neighboring ribs and the heating plate, water proximal to the heating plate is instantaneously heated and convective current is created, forming a convection cell in the region between the two neighboring ribs and the heating plate. 
     An embodiment of the present disclosure provides a heating module including a body and a heating plate. The body includes a groove, an input terminal, an output terminal and a plurality of ribs. The input terminal is positioned at one end of the groove and is connected to the water tank. The output terminal is positioned at the other end of the groove. The plurality of ribs is formed at the bottom surface of the groove and the height of protrusion of the ribs is smaller than the depth of the groove. Two arms of each of the ribs are respectively connected to two sidewalls of the groove. The arrangement density of the plurality of ribs decreases from the input terminal to the output terminal. The heating plate covers the opening of the groove and is not in contact with the plurality of ribs. The face of the heating plate facing away from the groove has a plurality of heating units. Each of the heating units corresponds to a position between two neighboring ribs. The plurality of heating units convert external power source into heat, for heating water injected from the water tank. 
     An embodiment of the present disclosure provides a body including a groove, an input terminal, an output terminal and a plurality of ribs. The input terminal is positioned at one end of the groove and is connected to the water tank. The output terminal is positioned at the other end of the groove. The plurality of ribs is formed at the bottom surface of the groove and the height of protrusion of the ribs is smaller than the depth of the groove. Two arms of each of the ribs are respectively connected to two sidewalls of the groove. The arrangement density of the plurality of ribs decreases from the input terminal to the output terminal. 
     In summary of the above, an embodiment of the present disclosure provides a water dispensing device for providing instantaneous heating and a heating module thereof. The heating module mainly includes a body and a heating plate. Through the design of spaced ribs and heating units on the heating plate corresponding to gaps between neighboring ribs, when water flows through the regions between two neighboring ribs and the heating plate, water proximal to the heating plate is instantaneously heated and convective current is created, forming a convection cell in the region between the two neighboring ribs and the heating plate. 
     In order to further the understanding regarding the present disclosure, the following embodiments are provided along with illustrations to facilitate the disclosure of the present disclosure. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  shows a function block diagram of a water dispensing device for providing instantaneous heating according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 2  shows a perspective exploded view of a heating module according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 3  shows a cross-sectional view of the heating module of  FIG. 2  during operation; and 
         FIG. 4  shows a cross-sectional view of a heating module according to another embodiment of the present disclosure under operation. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     The aforementioned illustrations and following detailed descriptions are exemplary for the purpose of further explaining the scope of the present disclosure. Other objectives and advantages related to the present disclosure will be illustrated in the subsequent descriptions and appended drawings. 
     [Embodiment of a Water Dispensing Device for Providing Instantaneous Heating] 
       FIG. 1  shows a function block diagram of a water dispensing device for providing instantaneous heating according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown in  FIG. 1 , the water dispensing device for providing instantaneous heating A is electrically connected to an external power source B. The water dispensing device for providing instantaneous heating A includes a heating module  1 , a water tank  2 , a pump  3 , a gas-liquid mixing module  4 , and a water outlet  5 . One end of the heating module  1  is connected to the water tank  2  via the pump  3 , and the other end of the heating module  1  is sequentially connected to the gas-liquid mixing module  4  and the water outlet  5 . 
     The water tank  2  is removably disposed on the water dispensing device for providing instantaneous heating A, and is used for storing liquid to be heated by the water dispensing device for providing instantaneous heating A. The present disclosure does not limit the volume of the liquid that can be stored in the water tank  2 . 
     The pump  3  pumps the liquid stored in the water tank  2  to the heating module  1 . The present disclosure does not limit the flow rate provided by the pump  3 . In practice, the pump  3  can be a positive displacement pump, a mechanical pump or an electromagnetic pump. The present disclosure is not limited thereto. 
     The heating module  1  creates turbulence in the liquid flowing through the heating module  1  during heating, thereby increasing the heat exchange rate. In practice, each water dispensing device for providing instantaneous heating can have at least one heating module  1 . In other words, when more heating modules  1  are disposed, the amount of hot water outputted by the water outlet  5  is higher. Additionally, the present disclosure does not limit whether the external power source B provides alternating current or direct current. The following details the components of the heating module  1 . 
       FIG. 2  shows a perspective exploded view of a heating module according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown in  FIG. 2 , each heating module  1  includes a body  10  and a heating plate  12 . The body  10  includes a groove  100 , an input terminal  102 , an output terminal  104 , a plurality of ribs  106 , a block  108  and a plurality of slits  1004 . The heating plate  12  includes a plurality of heating units  120 . 
     One side of the body  10  has a groove  100  through which liquid can flow. The input terminal  102  is positioned at one end of the groove  100  and is connected to the water tank  2  via the pump  3 . The output terminal  104  is positioned at the other end of the groove and is connected to the water outlet  5  via the gas-liquid mixing module  4 . In practice, the body  10  is made of heat resistant material and is a structure formed integrally or by assembly. The present disclosure does not limit the type of heat resistant material used, e.g. heat resistant plastic or glass. The body  10  has good heat insulation to avoid unnecessary heat loss. 
     Additionally, the groove  100  includes a first liquid-guiding slope  1000  formed between the input terminal  102  and the rib  106  closest to the input terminal  102 , and a second liquid-guiding slope  1002  formed between the output terminal  104  and the rib  106  closest to the output terminal  104 . The first liquid-guiding slope  1000  is deeper closer to the input terminal  102  than it is further from the input terminal  102 . The second liquid-guiding slope  1002  is deeper closer to the output terminal  104  than it is further away from the output terminal  104 . This configuration creates turbulence in liquid flowing past the first liquid-guiding slope  1000  and the second liquid-guiding slope  1002 . The present disclosure does not limit the magnitudes of the slopes (namely the steepness) of the first liquid-guiding slope  1000  and the second liquid-guiding slope  1002 , e.g. the slope of the first liquid-guiding slope  1000  can be steeper than the slope of the second liquid-guiding slope  1002 . 
     The plurality of ribs  106  are formed on a bottom surface of the groove  100 . The height of the plurality of ribs  106  protruding from the groove  100  is smaller than the depth of the groove  100 . Two arms of each of the ribs  106  are respectively connected to two sidewalls of the groove  100 . In practice, each of the ribs  106  can be a V-shaped rib, the midpoint of each rib  106  is the apex of the V-shaped rib, and the apex of the V-shaped rib points toward the output terminal  104 . The angle between two arms on each of the ribs  106  is preferably 120 degrees such that-the vector sum of the directions of extension of the two arms of each rib  106  and the vector of the direction of extension of the apex are equal. However, the present disclosure is not limited thereto. Additionally, two arms of each of the ribs  106  can be curved or arced, and is not limited by the present disclosure. 
     It is worth noting that the arrangement density of the plurality of ribs  106  decreases from the input terminal  102  to the output terminal  104 . Therefore, the distances between the ribs  106  closer to the input terminal  102  are smaller, and the distances between the ribs  106  closer to the output terminal  104  are larger. In other words, the slits  1004  formed between the ribs  106  in the groove  100  closer to the input terminal  102  are smaller, and the slits  1004  formed closer to the output terminal  104  are larger. If each of the ribs  106  is a V-shaped rib, each of the slits  1004  are correspondingly V-shaped slits. 
     Additionally, a block  108  is disposed between the input terminal  102  and the rib  106  closest to the input terminal  102 . The direction of extension from the input terminal  102  to the block  108  intersects the midpoints of the ribs  106 . In other words, if the ribs  106  are V-shaped ribs, then the direction of extension from the input terminal  102  to the block  108  intersects the apexes of the V-shaped ribs. The block  108  is used to create breaking waves in the fluid before the fluid flows to the plurality of ribs  106  and the heating plate  12 . 
     One face of the heating plate  12  has a plurality of heating units  120 . The plurality of heating units  120  converts electricity provided by the external power source B into heat, in order to heat the fluid injected into the heating module  1  from the water tank  2 . In practice, the heating plate  12  covers the opening of the groove  100  and is not in contact with plurality of ribs  106 , the plurality of heating units  120  is disposed on the face of the heating plate  12  away from the groove  100 , and each of the heating units  120  corresponds to a slit  1004  formed between two neighboring ribs  106 . In other words, any heat unit  120  on the heating plate  12  is aligned to its respective slit  1004 . 
     It is worth noting that each of the heating units  120  is formed by at least one wired resistor, and the wired resistors between neighboring ribs  106  close to the input terminal  102  are more densely arranged than the wired resistors between neighboring ribs  106  close to the output terminal  104  are. In other words, the arrangement density of the wired resistors of the heating units  120  close to the input terminal  102  is higher so as to increase the rate of heat transfer. The arrangement density of the wired resistors close to the output terminal  104  is lower so as save electricity and avoid overheating and production of vapor. 
     In practice, the heating plate  12  can be a positive temperature coefficient heating plate (PTC) made of stainless steel. The preferred thickness of the heating plate is 1 to 2 millimeters, but is not limited thereto. A person skilled in the art can design the heating plate  12  according to practical conditions and choose the appropriate thickness and material. 
     Please refer to  FIG. 3  for a more detailed description of the flow of liquid in the heating module  1 .  FIG. 3  shows a cross-sectional view of the heating module of  FIG. 2  under operation. As shown in  FIG. 3 , the heating units  120  on the heating plate  120  correspond respectively to the slits  1004  on the body  10 . When liquid flows between two neighboring ribs  106  and the heating plate  12 , the liquid proximal to the heat plate  12  is instantaneously heated by the heating unit  120  to provide convective heat transfer, and a convection cell is created between the two neighboring ribs  106  and the heating plate  12  via thermal convection. 
     More specifically, when liquid proximal to the heat plate  12  is heated by the heating unit  120  and increases in temperature, due to difference in density between cold and hot water, the hot water having lower density flows toward the slit  1004 , and the cold water having higher density flows toward the heating plate  12 . By this configuration, as the pump  3  continually pumps liquid from the water tank  2  into the heating module  1 , the liquid not only flows toward the output terminal  104  of the heating module  1 , but also in convection cells formed in each of the slits  1004  due to the effects of the heating module  1  so as to increase the rate of heat transfer. 
     Additionally, the heating plate  12  can have a temperature sensor (not illustrated in the figures) for sensing the temperature of the heating plate  12 . When the temperature of the heating plate  12  exceeds a default threshold value, electrical connection with the external power source B is cut off to protect the water dispensing device for providing instantaneous heating A. 
     It is worth noting that the present disclosure does not limit the minimum distance between the plurality of ribs  106  and the heating plate  12  (the gap therebetween forms a channel for fluid to flow toward the output terminal  104 , as shown by horizontal arrows in  FIG. 3 ), nor the height of protrusion of the plurality of ribs  106 . A person skilled in the art can design appropriate height of the channel and height of the ribs  106  according to practical needs. Preferably, the minimum distance between the plurality of ribs  106  and the heating plate  12  is a predetermined distance directly proportional to the height of protrusion of the ribs  106  and the amount of electricity provided by the external power source B to each heating unit  120 . In order to achieve thermal equilibrium and optimal rate of heat transfer, the predetermined distance=(amount of electrical power provided to each heating unit  120  by the external power source B)/(thermal conductivity of water*difference in temperature between the fluid and each of the heating unit  120 ). The difference in temperature between the fluid and each of the heating unit  120  (ΔT)=(mass flow rate of fluid injected into the heating module  1 *specific heat of water) −1 *electrical power provided by the external power source. The thermal conductivity of water under room temperature is 0.58 Wm −1 K −1 . 
     Additionally, the present disclosure does not limit the placement of the heating module  1  in the water dispensing device for providing instantaneous heating A. For example, the heating module  1  can be placed vertically or slantedly in the water dispensing device for providing instantaneous heating A (the input terminal  102  is closer than the output terminal  104  is to the surface on which the water dispensing device for providing instantaneous heating A is disposed). The heating module  1  can also be placed horizontally in the water dispensing device for providing instantaneous heating A. 
     Referring to  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 2 , the gas-liquid mixing module  4  converts fluid output by the heating module  1  (including hot liquid and vapor) into hot liquid to prevent spreading of vapor, achieving efficiency of heat transfer. In practice, the gas-liquid mixing module  4  can be a long narrow tube, and the water outlet  5  can be an intake valve. 
     [Another Embodiment of a Water Dispensing Device for Providing Instantaneous Heating] 
       FIG. 4  shows a cross-sectional view of a heating module according to another embodiment of the present disclosure under operation. As shown in  FIG. 4 , when the distance between to neighboring ribs  106  is relatively large (namely the slit  1004  is larger), more than one heating units  120  can be disposed correspondingly to the slit  1004 . For example in  FIG. 4 , each of the slits  1004  corresponds to two heating units  120 . The practical application of the heating module in  FIG. 4  is similar to that of the heating module in  FIG. 3 , and is therefore not further detailed. 
     [Potential Advantages of the Embodiments] 
     In summary, the present disclosure provides a water dispensing device for providing instantaneous heating and a heating module thereof. The heating module mainly includes a body and a heating plate. Through the design of spaced ribs and heating units on the heating plate corresponding to gaps between neighboring ribs, when water flows through the regions between two neighboring ribs and the heating plate, water proximal to the heating plate is instantaneously heated and convective current is created, forming a convection cell in the region between the two neighboring ribs and the heating plate. By this configuration, the water dispensing device for providing instantaneous heating and the heating module thereof according to the present disclosure have very high effective rate of heat transfer. Not only can output liquid be maintained at a predetermined temperature, but unnecessary consumption of electrical power is also avoided by the functioning of the heating module. 
     The descriptions illustrated supra set forth simply the preferred embodiments of the present disclosure; however, the characteristics of the present disclosure are by no means restricted thereto. All changes, alternations, or modifications conveniently considered by those skilled in the art are deemed to be encompassed within the scope of the present disclosure delineated by the following claims.