Patent Publication Number: US-11028986-B2

Title: Self-power-generating water outflow device with a light

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a continuation of and claims priority to Chinese patent application number 201921332006.3, filed on Aug. 16, 2019, which is incorporated herein by reference. 
     FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE 
     The present disclosure relates to a self-power-generating water outflow device with a light. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE 
     Existing self-power-generating water outflow devices with a light, such as disclosed in the Chinese patent application number CN105750103B and titled “A self-power-generating showerhead with a light and the working method thereof”, can supply power for a light emitting diode (LED) lamp through a micro power generator. However, as can be seen from the specification and the drawings, the micro power generator and the LED lamp are fixedly mounted in a housing. The LED lamp has a long service life and is expensive, while the micro power generator has a short service life and is inexpensive. When the micro power generator is damaged, the entire showerhead must be replaced even if the LED lamp is not damaged, resulting in great waste of resources. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE 
     The present disclosure provides a self-power-generating water outflow device with a light, which overcomes the deficiencies of the background art. The technical solution adopted by the present disclosure to solve the technical problems thereof is as follows. 
     A self-power-generating water outflow device with a light comprises a water outflow terminal and a connector detachably connected to the water outflow terminal. The water outflow terminal comprises a light emitting diode (LED) light source, a driving circuit for driving the LED light source, a first positive electrode electrically connected to the driving circuit, and a first negative electrode electrically connected to the driving circuit. The connector comprises a connection housing and a self-power-generating component. The self-power-generating component is disposed in the connection housing, and the connection housing comprises one or more second positive electrodes and one or more second negative electrodes electrically connected to the self-power-generating component. When the connector is connected to the water outflow terminal, the first positive electrode is in contact with the one or more second positive electrodes and the first negative electrode is in contact with the one or more second negative electrodes. 
     In another preferred embodiment, a top of the water outflow terminal comprises an assembly cavity, and a bottom of the connection housing is coupled to the assembly cavity. 
     In another preferred embodiment, a bottom wall of the assembly cavity comprises a first accommodating groove and a second accommodating groove. The first positive electrode and the first negative electrode are both sheets, and the first positive electrode and the first negative electrode are respectively fixedly disposed in the first accommodating groove and the second accommodating groove. The one or more second positive electrodes and the one or more second negative electrodes are both column-shaped bodies. 
     In another preferred embodiment, the first accommodating groove is annular, and the second accommodating groove is circular and located in the first accommodating groove. The first positive electrode is an annular sheet, and the first negative electrode is a circular sheet. 
     In another preferred embodiment, the one or more second positive electrodes comprise two second positive electrodes. The two second positive electrodes are symmetrically arranged. The one or more second negative electrodes comprise a second negative electrode. 
     In another preferred embodiment, the assembly cavity comprises an internal thread, and the connection housing comprises an external thread. The connector is connected to the water outflow terminal by engagement of the internal thread and the external thread. 
     In another preferred embodiment, the self-power-generating component comprises a power generator and an impeller. The impeller is rotatably disposed in the connection housing, and the power generator is fixedly disposed in the connection housing. 
     In another preferred embodiment, the water outflow terminal further comprises a limiting mechanism configured to control rotation of the impeller, and the limiting mechanism is disposed on the connection housing. 
     In another preferred embodiment, the limiting mechanism is a limiting column laterally and movably disposed on the connection housing, and the limiting column moves laterally between a position abutting the impeller and a position away from the impeller. 
     Compared with the background art, the technical solution has the following advantages. First, since the connector and the water outflow terminal can be separated, the self-power-generating component can be separated from the LED light source. When the LED light source is not damaged but the self-power-generating component is damaged, the connector can be replaced in time while the original water outflow terminal can be retained. This can greatly reduce replacement cost. Second, the first positive electrode and the first negative electrode are both sheets, and the one or more second positive electrodes and the one or more second negative electrodes are both column-shaped bodies. When the connector and the water outflow terminal are assembled, the column-shaped bodies of the one or more second positive electrodes and the one or more second negative electrodes easily contact the sheets of the first positive electrode and the first negative electrode. Third, the first positive electrode is an annular sheet, and the first negative electrode is a circular sheet. When the connector is rotatably screwed to the water outflow terminal, the annular sheet and the circular sheet can be better adapted to the rotation of the connector. Fourth, there are two second positive electrodes symmetrically arranged, which further ensures the stability of the contact between the two second positive electrodes and the first positive electrode. Fifth, the water outflow device further comprises a limiting mechanism configured to control rotation of the impeller. When the connector needs to perform a water outflow test independently, the rotation of the impeller can be restricted by the limiting mechanism to prevent the power generator from burning out due to the energy the power generator generates when the impeller rotates. Sixth, the limiting mechanism has a movable limit column structure, and the structure of the limiting mechanism is simple and easy to use. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The present disclosure will be further described below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and embodiments. 
         FIG. 1  illustrates a perspective view of a water outflow device according to a first embodiment, in which a connector and a water outflow terminal are separated from each other. 
         FIG. 2  illustrates a perspective view of the connector. 
         FIG. 3  illustrates a cross-sectional view of the connector. 
         FIG. 4  illustrates a first cross-sectional view of the water outflow device according to the first embodiment, in which the connector and the water outflow terminal are separated from each other. 
         FIG. 5  illustrates a second cross-sectional view of the water outflow device according to the first embodiment, in which the connector and the water outflow terminal are separated from each other. 
         FIG. 6  illustrates a third cross-sectional view of the water outflow device according to the first embodiment, in which the connector and the water outflow terminal are in an assembled state. 
         FIG. 7  illustrates a cross-sectional view of the connector according to a second embodiment. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS 
     Please refer to  FIG. 1  to  FIG. 6 , a first embodiment of a self-power-generating water outflow device with a light comprises a water outflow terminal  10  and a connector  20 . 
     An inner side of the water outflow terminal  10  comprises a light emitting diode (LED) light source  11  and a driving circuit for driving the LED light source (not shown). The water outflow terminal  10  further comprises a first positive electrode  31  and a first negative electrode  32  electrically connected to the driving circuit. As shown in  FIG. 5 , the LED light source  11  is disposed on an outer circumference of a water outflow  101  of the water outflow terminal  10 . 
     In this embodiment, a top of the water outflow terminal  10  comprises an assembly cavity  12 . 
     In this embodiment, a bottom wall of the assembly cavity  12  comprises a first accommodating groove  121  and a second accommodating groove  122 . The first positive electrode  31  and the first negative electrode  32  are both sheets and are respectively fixedly disposed in the first accommodating groove  121  and the second accommodating groove  122 . 
     In this embodiment, the first accommodating groove  121  is annular, and the second accommodating groove  122  is circular and located in the first accommodating groove  121 . The first positive electrode  31  is an annular sheet. The first negative electrode  32  is a circular sheet. As shown in  FIG. 5 , the first accommodating groove  121  and the second accommodating groove  122  are arranged concentrically. Sealing grooves  13  are disposed between the first accommodating groove  121  and the second accommodating groove  122  and at an outer side of the first accommodating groove  121 . Two sealing rings  14  are respectively disposed in the two sealing grooves  13 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 5 , the assembly cavity  12  comprises an internal thread  123 . 
     The connector  20  is detachably connected to the water outflow terminal  10  and comprises a connection housing  21  and a self-power-generating component  200 . The self-power-generating component  200  is disposed in the connection housing  21 , and the connection housing  21  comprises one or more second positive electrodes  211  and one or more second negative electrodes  212  electrically connected to the self-power-generating component  200 . When the connector  20  is connected to the water outflow terminal  10 , the first positive electrode  31  is in contact with the one or more second positive electrodes  211 , and the first negative electrode  32  is in contact with the one or more second negative electrodes  212 . 
     In this embodiment, a bottom of the connection housing  21  is coupled to the assembly cavity  12 . 
     In this embodiment, the one or more second positive electrodes  211  and the one or more second negative electrodes  212  are both column-shaped bodies. 
     In this embodiment, the one or more second positive electrodes  211  comprise two second positive electrodes  211  symmetrically arranged, and the one or more second negative electrodes  212  comprise a second negative electrode  212 . As shown in  FIG. 2 , the second negative electrode  212  is located between the two second positive electrodes  211 . 
     In this embodiment, the connection housing  21  comprises an external thread  213 , and the connector  20  is connected to the water outflow terminal  10  by engagement of the internal thread  123  of the assembly cavity  12  and the external thread  213  of the connection housing  21 . The connection of the connection housing  21  and the water outflow terminal  10  can also be carried out in other manners, such as by snap fastening. 
     In this embodiment, the self-power-generating component  200  comprises a power generator  22  and an impeller  23 . The impeller  23  is rotatably disposed in the connection housing  21 , and the power generator  22  is fixedly disposed in the connection housing  21 . The structure of the power generator  22  and the impeller  23  is conventional and will not be further described herein. 
     In a second embodiment, as shown in  FIG. 7 , the water outflow terminal  10  further comprises a limiting mechanism  30  configured to control rotation of the impeller  23 . The limiting mechanism  30  is disposed on the connection housing  21 . 
     In the second embodiment, the limiting mechanism  30  is a limiting column laterally and movably disposed on the connection housing  21 , and the limiting column moves laterally between a position abutting the impeller  23  and a position away from the impeller  23 . Specifically, a threaded hole may be disposed on a side wall of the connection housing  21 , and an external thread is disposed on an outer circumference of the limiting column. A threaded engagement of the threaded hole and the external thread enables the limiting column to be laterally and movably disposed on the connection housing  21 . When rotation of the impeller  23  needs to be limited, it is only necessary to rotate the limiting column to cause an end of the limiting column to be located between blades of the impeller  23 . When the impeller  23  is to be reset to rotate, it is only necessary to rotate the limiting column to cause the end of the limiting column to move away from the impeller  23 . 
     The limiting mechanism  30  can also adopt other structures as needed, such as a button structure of a ballpoint pen, which can drive the limiting column to move. The structure of the limiting mechanism  30  is not limited to what is disclosed, and can include other structures that can control the rotation of the impeller  23 . 
     The water outflow terminal  10  may be a shower, a top spray, a faucet, a pull-out faucet, a spray gun, etc., but is not limited thereto. 
     Although the present disclosure has been described with reference to embodiments thereof for carrying out the disclosure, it is apparent to those skilled in the art that a variety of modifications and changes may be made without departing from the scope of the disclosure.