Patent Publication Number: US-11041662-B2

Title: Instantaneous water heater having guide portion

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a Continuation of International Application No. PCT/KR2018/012465 filed Oct. 22, 2018, which claims benefit of priority to Korean Patent Application No. 10-2018-0001072 filed Jan. 4, 2018, the entire content of which is incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present invention relates to an instantaneous water heater having a guide part. More particularly, the present invention relates to an instantaneous water heater having a guide part capable of allowing direct water to stay around a heater for a long time to efficiently heat direct water into hot water at a preset temperature desired by a user. 
     BACKGROUND ART 
     Generally, most water heaters provide hot water for shower and washing face in homes or offices by a method of storing a certain amount of water in a storage tank and using gas or electricity as a heat source. Water heaters include a storage water heater, which always stores a certain amount of water in a storage tank for hot water supply, and an instantaneous water heater which has higher energy efficiency. 
     The instantaneous water heater has relatively small size, long durability, continuous flow of hot water, and low energy consumption in comparison with the storage-type water heater. Furthermore, in the instantaneous water heater, low or not stand-by energy is required to preheat water and maintain the proper temperature of hot water, and a water supply tube is relatively short, so there is little heat loss in the water supply tube. 
       FIG. 1  is a sectional view showing a conventional instantaneous water heater. Referring to  FIG. 1 , the conventional electric instantaneous water heater includes an external casing  10 , a water tank  20  provided inside the external casing  10 , a heater  30  positioned inside the water tank  20 . An inlet tube  21  through which cold water is introduced and an outlet tube  23  through which hot water is discharged are connected to opposite sides of a lower portion of the water tank  20 , respectively. The cold water introduced into the water tank  20  through the inlet tube  21  is heated by the heater  30  to hot water. The hot water flows over the water tank  20  by the convection of heat and then is introduced into the outlet tube  23 . 
     The heater  30  of the conventional electric water heater is formed in a horizontal direction, so that hot water heated by the heater  30  may not be in contact with the heater  30  for a long time. Therefore, the conventional electric water heater has a problem that the temperature of hot water is lower than a preset temperature desired by a user. 
     DISCLOSURE 
     Technical Problem 
     Accordingly, the present invention has been made keeping in mind the above problems occurring in the prior art, and an object of the present invention is to provide an instantaneous water heater having a guide part capable of allowing direct water to stay around a heater for a long time to efficiently heat direct water into hot water at a preset temperature desired by a user. 
     Technical Solution 
     In order to accomplish the above object, the present invention provides an instantaneous water heater having a guide part. The instantaneous water heater includes: a housing having a space part therein, the housing having an inlet and an outlet provided at a lower portion thereof, respectively; a supply tube configured as a vertically long tube, the supply tube being provided at a center portion of the space part in a vertical direction, and configured such that a lower end thereof is connected to the outlet; a blocking member, wherein a pair of blocking plates is arranged at an upper portion and a lower portion of the space part by being spaced apart from each other and is configured such that the supply tube passes therethrough, a plurality of partition plates is arranged radially around the supply tube, which is positioned between the pair of blocking plates, in directions toward an inner circumferential surface of the housing, the plurality of partition plates being configured such that upper and lower ends thereof are connected perpendicularly to the pair of blocking plates, and a guide plate is provided between a pair of adjacent partition plates to be parallel with the blocking plates; and a heater positioned in a space between a pair of adjacent partition plates and configured to pass through the guide plate. Wherein the pair of blocking plates may include a lower blocking plate positioned in the lower portion of the space part and an upper blocking plate positioned above the lower blocking plate, when direct water is introduced through the inlet that is positioned between a lower end of the housing and the lower blocking plate, the direct water may be heated into hot water while passing through a first partitioned area between the lower blocking plate and the guide plate and a second partitioned area between the guide plate and the upper blocking plate, sequentially, and then the direct water may be guided to an upper end of the supply tube that may be positioned between the upper blocking plate and an upper end of the housing. 
     The guide plate may include; a center portion through which the supply tube passes; and a plurality of protruding plates extending radially outwards from the center portion in the directions toward the inner circumferential surface of the housing, the guide plate being configured such that the partition plates may pass through the protruding plates, and a recessed guide groove may be formed between a pair of adjacent protruding plates to guide the heater. 
     Further, the instantaneous water heater may include: a cylindrical cover tube provided to cover an outer circumferential surface of the supply tube that is positioned between the upper and lower blocking plates. Wherein an upper end of the cover tube may be connected to the upper blocking plate and a lower end of the cover tube may be connected to the lower blocking plate, an inner side of each of the partition plates facing the cover tube may be connected to the cover tube and an outer side of each of the partition plates facing the inner circumferential surface of the housing may be connected to the housing, a plurality of movement guide holes may be formed on the upper blocking plate, and a coupling hole may be formed on the lower blocking plate, with an area of the coupling hole being larger than a cross-sectional area of the heater so that the heater may be inserted thereinto. 
     A plurality of protrusions may be formed around an upper circumference of the supply tube by protruding and may be configured such that upper ends of the protrusions may be coupled to the upper end of the housing, and hot water introduced into a space between the upper blocking plate and the upper end of the housing may be guided to an inside of the supply tube through a supply portion positioned between adjacent protrusions. 
     Further, the housing having open upper and lower portions may include: upper and lower covers configured to cover the open upper and lower portions, respectively; and a sliding rail provided on the inner circumferential surface of the housing such that when the plurality of partition plates is inserted into the housing having the open upper or lower portion, an outer side of each of the plurality of partition plates that may face the inner circumferential surface of the housing may be slidingly inserted into the housing by being engaged with the sliding rail. 
     Further, the housing having open upper and lower portions may include: upper and lower covers configured to cover the open upper and lower portions, respectively; and an upper locking protrusion and a lower locking protrusion formed by protruding on the inner circumferential surface of the housing at a position facing an upper outer circumference of the upper blocking plate and at a position facing a lower outer circumference of the lower blocking plate, so that, when the upper and lower blocking plates are inserted into the housing having the open upper or lower portion, the upper blocking plate may be locked by the upper locking protrusion and the lower blocking plate may be locked by the lower locking protrusion. 
     Further, the housing having open upper and lower portions may include an upper cover and a lower cover configured to cover the open upper and lower portions, respectively, the lower cover may include an insertion guide hole at a position facing the heater, and the heater may include: a plurality of heating tubes positioned in a space between a pair of partition plates and formed in upside-down U-shapes; and a coupling plate positioned to cover the insertion guide hole and configured such that ends of the heating tubes may be inserted thereinto. 
     Advantageous Effects 
     As described above, the instantaneous water heater having the guide part of the present invention is provided with the guide plate between the pair of blocking plates, so that the space between the pair of blocking plates is partitioned into the first partitioned area and the second partitioned area. Accordingly, low temperature water is heated into middle temperature water by staying in the first partitioned area and then the middle temperature water is heated into high temperature water by staying in the second partitioned area, so direct water can be heated to create hot water at the temperature desired by the user. 
    
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a sectional view showing a conventional instantaneous water heater; 
         FIG. 2  is a view showing an instantaneous water heater having a guide part according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 3  is a view showing the instantaneous water heater having the guide part according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention, wherein a housing of the instantaneous water heater is disassembled; 
         FIG. 4  is a view showing a supply tube and a blocking member of the instantaneous water heater having the guide part according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 5  is a view showing an exploded state of the instantaneous water heater having the guide part according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 6  is a view showing the inside of the instantaneous water heater having the guide part according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the instantaneous water heater being in an assembled state; and 
         FIG. 7  is a view showing schematically operation of the instantaneous water heater having the guide part according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF REFERENCE NUMERALS 
     
         
         
           
               1000 : instantaneous water heater having guide part 
               100 : housing  110 : main body 
               112 : space part  114 : sliding rail 
               116 : upper locking protrusion 
               118 : lower locking protrusion 
               120 : lower cover  122 : through hole 
               124 : insertion guide hole  130 : upper cover 
               132 : protrusion guide hole  140 : inlet 
               142 : inlet tube  150 : outlet 
               152 : outlet tube  200 : supply tube 
               210 : protrusion  212 : supply portion 
               300 : blocking member  310 : lower blocking plate 
               312 : coupling hole  320 : upper blocking plate 
               322 : movement guide hole  330 : cover tube 
               340 : partition plate  350 : guide plate 
               352 : center portion  352   a : center hole 
               354 : protruding plate  356 : guide groove 
               400 : heater  410 : heating tube 
               420 : coupling plate 
           
         
       
    
     BEST MODE 
     Hereinbelow, an instantaneous water heater having a guide part according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
       FIG. 2  is a view showing an instantaneous water heater having a guide part according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; and  FIG. 3  is a view showing the instantaneous water heater having the guide part according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention, wherein a housing of the instantaneous water heater is disassembled. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 2 and 3 , according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the instantaneous water heater  1000  having the guide part includes the housing  100 , a supply tube  200  (shown in  FIG. 4 ), a blocking member  300  (shown in  FIG. 4 ), and a heater  400  (shown in  FIG. 5 ). 
     The housing  100  may be provided with a space part  112  to store water therein and may be made of a material facilitating thermal insulation from the outside of the housing. The housing  100  includes: a cylindrical main body  110  having the space part  112  therein, and an open upper portion and a lower portion; and a circular upper cover  130  hermetically covering the open upper portion of the main body  110  and a lower cover  120  hermetically covering the open lower portion of the main body  110 . The upper cover  130  may have an arc sectional shape to easily endure expansion pressure from steam generated from hot water when direct water introduced into the main body  110  is heated to create hot water. The upper cover  130  has protrusion guide holes  132  that are formed through the upper cover at positions facing a plurality of protrusions  210  (shown in  FIG. 4 ) as will be described later herein, so that upper ends of the protrusions  210  are inserted thereinto. The lower cover  120  has a through hole  122  at the center thereof, so that the supply tube  200  is inserted thereinto as will be described later herein. In addition, the lower cover  120  has an insertion guide hole  124  at a position facing a coupling hole  312  (shown in  FIG. 4 ). 
     The main body  110  has an inlet  140  at a lower outer circumference surface thereof, and an outlet  150  is provided in the through hole  122  of the lower cover  120 . The inlet  140  is configured such that direct water, that is, water from the outside of the housing  100 , is introduced into the space part  112  of the main body  110 . The outlet  150  is configured such that hot water supplied through the supply tube  200  that will be described later herein is discharged to the outside of the housing  100 . In addition, the lower cover  120  may have a drain part (now shown) to discharge water stored in the space part  112  to the outside for cleaning, maintenance, and the like. 
       FIG. 4  is a view showing a supply tube and a blocking member of the instantaneous water heater having the guide part according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention; and  FIG. 5  is a view showing an exploded state of the instantaneous water heater having the guide part according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 4 and 5 , according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the instantaneous water heater  1000  having the guide part is configured such that the blocking member  300  to which the supply tube  200  and the heater  400  are coupled is inserted into the main body  110  of the housing  100 . 
     The supply tube  200  is formed as a vertically long tube at the center of the space part  112  in a vertical direction thereof, and is configured such that a lower end of the supply tube is connected to the outlet  150  and an upper end thereof is connected to the upper cover  130 . The supply tube  200  has the plurality of protrusions  210  formed by protruding upwards on an upper circumference of the supply tube, and a supply portion  212  that is an empty space is positioned between a pair of adjacent protrusions  210 . The upper ends of the protrusions  210  are inserted into the protrusion guide holes  132  of the upper cover  130 . Hot water introduced into a position between an upper blocking plate  320  that will be described later herein and the upper cover  130  is guided into the inside of the supply tube  200  through the supply portion  212  between the protrusions  210  adjacent to each other. 
     The blocking member  300  includes blocking plates, partition plates  340 , and a guide plate  350 . The blocking plates are provided as a pair of blocking plates by being spaced apart from each other at an upper portion and a lower portion of the space part  112  of the main body  110 . The blocking plates consist of the upper blocking plate  320  inserted into the upper portion of the space part  112  of the main body  110  and a lower blocking plate  310  inserted into the lower portion of the space part  112  of the main body  110 . When the upper blocking plate  320  and the lower blocking plate  310  are inserted into the space part  112  of the main body  110 , outer circumferential surfaces of the upper blocking plate  320  and the lower blocking plate  310  are in close contact with the inner circumferential surface of the main body  110 . The supply tube  200  integrally passes through center portions of the upper blocking plate  320  and the lower blocking plate  310 . The blocking member  300  may include a cylindrical cover tube  330  configured to cover an outer circumference surface of the supply tube  200  positioned between the upper blocking plate  320  and the lower blocking plate  310 . An upper end of the cover tube  330  is connected to the upper blocking plate  320  and a lower end of the cover tube  330  is connected to the lower blocking plate  310 . 
     The partition plates  340  may be formed as rectangular plates. A plurality of partition plates  340  is arranged radially around the cover tube  330  positioned between the upper blocking plate  320  and the lower blocking plate  310  in directions toward the inner circumferential surface of the main body  110 . Upper and lower ends of the partition plates  340  are connected perpendicularly to the upper blocking plate  320  and the lower blocking plate  310 , respectively. Inner sides of the partition plates  340  facing the cover tube  330  are connected to the cover tube  330 , and outer sides of the partition plates  340  facing the inner circumferential surface of the main body  110  are connected to the inner circumferential surface of the main body  110 . 
     The guide plate  350  is provided between a pair of adjacent partition plates  340  to be parallel with the upper blocking plate  320  or with the lower blocking plate  310 . The guide plate  350  includes: a center portion  352 , the center portion being provided with a center hole  352   a  so that the supply tube  200  passes therethrough; and a plurality of protruding plates  354  extending radially outwards from the center portion  352  in directions toward an inner circumference surface of the housing  100 . The guide plate  350  is configured such that the partition plates  340  pass through the protruding plates  354 , and a recessed guide groove  356  is formed between the pair of adjacent protruding plates  354  so that the heater  400  that will be described later herein is guided thereinto. Accordingly, hot water raised from the lower blocking plate  310  to the upper blocking plate  320  is partially blocked by the guide plate  350 , thus the hot water may be in contact with the heater  400  for a long time. This operation will be described again in  FIG. 7 . 
     The heater  400  creates hot water by heating direct water introduced into the main body  110 . For example, the heater  400  includes: a plurality of heating tubes  410  positioned in a space between the pair of partition plates  340  and formed in an upside-down U-shape; and a coupling plate  420  positioned to cover the insertion guide hole  124  and into which ends of the heating tubes  410  are inserted. The heating tubes  410  may be provided as one or a plurality of heating tubes on the basis of a preset temperature of hot water. When the coupling plate  420  is fitted into the insertion guide hole  124 , the heating tubes  410  pass through the insertion guide hole  124  and the coupling hole  312  sequentially, then are positioned between the lower blocking plate  310  and the upper blocking plate  320 . At this point, side portions of the heating tubes  410  are positioned to face the guide groove  356  of the guide plate  350 . 
       FIG. 6  is a view showing the inside of the instantaneous water heater having the guide part according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the instantaneous water heater being in an assembled state. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 5 and 6 , an assembly structure of the instantaneous water heater  1000  having the guide part according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention is shown in the drawings. First, after the supply tube  200  passes through the blocking member  300 , the blocking member  300  is inserted into the space part  112  through the open upper portion of the main body  110 . On the inner circumferential surface of the main body  110 , an upper locking protrusion  116  protrudes at a position facing an upper outer circumference of the upper blocking plate  320  so that the upper blocking plate  320  is locked thereto, and a lower locking protrusion  118  protrudes at a position facing a lower outer circumference of the lower blocking plate  310  so that the lower blocking plate  310  is locked thereto. A plurality of upper locking protrusions  116  is spaced apart from each other on the inner circumferential surface of the main body  110  and may be formed by a caulking method. The lower locking protrusion  118  is formed in a ring by protruding on the inner circumferential surface of the main body  110 . In addition, a sliding rail  114  is provided on the inner circumferential surface of the main body  110  such that when the blocking member  300  is inserted into the main body  110 , each of the outer sides of the partition plates  340  that faces the inner circumferential surface of the main body  110  is slidingly inserted into the main body  110  by being engaged with the sliding rail. Likewise, as the main body  110  of the instantaneous water heater of the present invention includes the upper locking protrusion  116 , the lower locking protrusion  118 , and the sliding rail  114 , the blocking member  300  inserted in the main body  110  may be guided into the main body  110  and firmly coupled to the main body  110 . Furthermore, when the blocking member  300  is inserted into the main body  110 , the upper cover  130  and the lower cover  120  are coupled to the upper and lower portions of the main body  110 , respectively. Then, the heating tubes  410  passing through the insertion guide hole  124  and the coupling hole  312  are positioned between the lower blocking plate  310  and the upper blocking plate  320 , and the coupling plate  420  is coupled to the insertion guide hole  124  of the lower cover  120  in a covering manner. 
       FIG. 7  is a view showing schematically operation of the instantaneous water heater having the guide part according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 2 to 7 , in the instantaneous water heater  1000  having the guide part according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention, an inlet tube  142  is mounted to the inlet  140  and an outlet tube  152  is mounted to the outlet  150 . The inlet tube  142  allows direct water to be supplied from the outside to the inside of the housing and the outlet tube  152  discharges hot water supplied from the supply tube  200  to a bathroom and the like. Furthermore, the inlet tube  142  may be provided with a flow control valve (not shown) and a flow sensor (not shown) to control a rate of introduced direct water, thus it is possible to control a flow rate of direct water introduced into the main body  110 , and to control operation of the heater  400  by sensing a flow of direct water. The outlet tube  152  may be provided with a temperature sensor (not shown) sensing the temperature of discharged hot water, thereby controlling the operation of the heater  400 . The flow control valve, the flow sensor, and temperature sensor are provided as general configurations, so detailed descriptions thereof will be omitted. 
     When direct water is introduced through the inlet tube  142 , the direct water is guided to a space between the lower blocking plate  310  and the lower cover  120 , that is, to a preparatory area A 1 . In the preparatory area A 1 , the direct water is heated to low temperature water by a portion of the heater  400  positioned in the preparatory area A 1 . Then, when the low temperature water passes through the coupling hole  312 , the low temperature water is guided to a space between the guide plate  350  and the lower blocking plate  310 , that is, to a first partitioned area A 2 . In the first partitioned area A 2 , the low temperature water is heated to middle temperature water at the temperature higher than the low temperature water by a portion of the heater  400  positioned in the first partitioned area A 2 . Next, when the middle temperature water passes through the guide groove  356  of the guide plate  350 , the middle temperature water is guided to a space between the guide plate  350  and the upper blocking plate  320 , that is, to a second partitioned area A 3 . In the second partitioned area A 3 , the middle temperature water is heated to high temperature water at the temperature higher than the middle temperature water by a portion of the heater  400  positioned in the second partitioned area A 3 . Finally, the high temperature water passing through a movement guide hole  322  is guided to a space between the upper blocking plate  320  and the upper cover  130 , that is, to a supply guide area A 4 . The high temperature water is guided to the inside of the supply tube  200  through the supply portion  212  of the supply tube  200  and then is discharged through the outlet  150 . 
     As described above, the instantaneous water heater of the present invention is provided with the guide plate  350  between the lower blocking plate  310  and the upper blocking plate  320 . Thus, the space between the lower blocking plate  310  and the upper blocking plate  320  is partitioned into the first partitioned area A 2  and the second partitioned area A 3 . Accordingly, as the low temperature water is heated into the middle temperature water by staying in the first partitioned area A 2  and then the middle temperature water is heated into the high temperature water by staying in the second partitioned area A 3 , direct water can be heated into hot water at the temperature desired by a user. 
     Although the preferred embodiment of the present invention has been described for illustrative purposes, it is natural that the present invention is not limited thereto. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that various modifications, additions and substitutions are possible, without departing from the technical spirit of the present invention, and when the modifications, additions and substitutions are included within the scope as disclosed in the accompanying claims, the technical spirit should also be regarded as belonging to the present invention.