JP2853632B2 - Liquid container - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a liquid container, and more particularly to a structure for mounting an electric pump on a liquid container.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally known liquid containers include those using an electric pump for discharging liquid.

[0003] The liquid container includes an integral type in which an inner container and an outer container are integrally connected, an inner container unit including an inner container and a liquid discharge passage, and an outer container unit including an outer container. There is a separable type that is configured to be separable, and in the case of an integral type, there is no problem because the electric pump may be arranged in the space below the inner container, but there is no problem. Since the inner container unit and the outer container unit may be separated from each other, an electric pump having a structure capable of separating a pump unit attached to the inner container side and a drive unit attached to the outer container side is required.

Therefore, an electric pump of a type in which the pump section and the drive section are separable is adopted, and the pump section is mounted in the inner container unit, while the drive section is mounted in the outer container unit. It has been proposed that the electric pump can be separated from the pump unit and the drive unit when the unit and the outer container unit are separated from each other, and the pump unit can be removed from the inside of the inner container (for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H11-163873). See Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 4-314414).

[0005]

However, in the case of the above-mentioned known example, the pump housing in the pump section is constituted by a recess formed in the inner container, and the impeller is directly supported on the bottom surface of the recess. Therefore, when there is an error in the shape and size of the concave portion due to distortion or the like during molding of the inner container,
There is a risk of imperfect support of the impeller, which affects pump performance. In addition, the impeller support (in other words,
There is also a disadvantage that the inner container itself must be replaced when an error in the shape, dimensions, or the like occurs in the inner container recess.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above points. In disposing a pump section inside an inner container, the pump can be easily disassembled from the inner side of the inner container and pump performance can always be normally maintained. It is intended to obtain a mounting structure.

[0007]

According to a first basic configuration of the present invention, as means for solving the above-mentioned problems, an inner container and a liquid in the inner container are discharged to the outside through a liquid discharging passage. An electric pump, wherein the pump is disposed in the inner container and communicates with the inside of the inner container and the liquid discharge passage; and a pump unit is separated from the pump unit. And a drive unit disposed outside the inner container, wherein a pump housing in the pump unit is constituted by a lower housing and an upper housing detachably connected to the lower housing, By simply removing the housing, the pump can be easily disassembled from the inside of the inner container.

In the first basic configuration of the present invention, a discharge port communicating with the liquid discharge passage is formed in the lower housing, and a discharge port is formed in the upper housing when the suction port is formed in the upper housing. This is preferable in that the pump can be disassembled simply by removing the upper housing that has not been removed.

Further, when an opening is formed in the bottom of the inner container and the lower housing is fixed in a state where the bottom of the lower housing is inserted into the opening, mounting of the lower housing is facilitated.

In the case where a seal member for sealing between the bottom of the lower housing and the bottom of the inner container is provided at the bottom of the inner container, it is possible to prevent water leakage from a fixed portion between the lower housing and the inner container. preferable.

According to a second basic configuration of the present invention, as means for solving the above-mentioned problems, an inner container and an electric pump for discharging liquid in the inner container to the outside through a liquid discharging passage are provided. And a pump unit disposed in the inner container and communicating the inside of the inner container with the liquid discharge passage, and a pump unit separated from the pump unit and out of the inner container. And a drive unit disposed therein, wherein a recess is formed in the bottom of the inner container, a lower case is attached to the recess, and an upper case having a suction port is detachably connected to an upper opening of the recess. The pump housing of the pump section is constituted by the upper and lower cases and the recess, so that the pump section can be easily disassembled from the inner side of the inner container simply by removing the upper case.

In the second basic configuration of the present invention, when the discharge port of the pump section is the inner container side inlet of the liquid discharge passage, the connection between the discharge port and the inner container side inlet of the liquid discharge passage is made. This is preferable because no means is required and the structure can be simplified.

In the first and second basic configurations of the present invention, the driving section is constituted by a motor and a rotor rotated by the motor and having a driving magnet.
In a case where the pump unit is configured to include an impeller that rotates with the rotation of the rotor and includes a driven-side magnet that applies an attraction force to the drive-side magnet, the structure of the electric pump is simplified. It is preferable because it can be performed.

[0014]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Some preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

First Embodiment FIGS. 1 to 4 show a liquid container according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

This liquid container is used for keeping the temperature of the stored water heated by an electric heater and then kept warm (for example, an electric water heater). As shown in FIG.
The container body 1 has a bottomed cylindrical inner container 3 made of an aluminum alloy, and a lid 2 that covers the upper opening 3a of the inner container 3 so as to be openable and closable.

The container body 1 includes an outer container unit X including an electric heater 4, a temperature sensor 5, an outer case 6, a shoulder member 7 and a bottom member 8, and an inner container unit including an inner container 3 and a liquid discharge passage 9. The inner container unit Y is detachable from the outer container unit X.

On the outer peripheral side of the outer container unit X, a cylindrical outer case 6 made of sheet metal, a synthetic resin shoulder member 7 attached to the upper end of the outer case 6 in an engaged state, and And a synthetic resin dish-shaped bottom member 8 attached to the lower end of the case 6 in an engaged state. A hinge pin 10 of the lid 2 is provided on the rear side and the front side of the shoulder member 7. And a beak portion 7b having a spout 11 through which a spout 9b, which is an outlet of the liquid pouring passage 9, is formed.

A space 12 having a predetermined width in the circumferential direction is formed in a portion corresponding to a portion below the beak 7b inside the outer container unit X, and is located on the front side of the space 12. The outer case 6 has a water level detection tube 9 described later.
A viewing window 13 for seeing through c is formed.

The inner peripheral surface of the outer container unit X is
It is constituted by a cylindrical metal container 14 having a bottom and having a bottom end fixed and fixed to the shoulder member 7.
An opening 15 for seeing through the water level detection tube 9c is formed in a portion of the front case 4 corresponding to the viewing window 13 of the outer case 6.

A substantially disk-shaped electric heater 4 (comprising a heating plate and a heating element) is provided at the inner bottom of the inner container 14. A circular hole 16 is formed in the central portion of the electric heater 4 and the inner container 14, and a temperature sensor 5 for detecting the temperature of the inner container 3 is provided in a state penetrating the hole 16. Have been. On one side of the electric heater 4 (that is, on the side corresponding to the beak 7b), a cutout 18 for disposing an electric pump 17 described later is formed. Reference numeral 19 denotes a microcomputer board that obtains temperature information from the temperature sensor 5 and appropriately outputs a control signal to a heating element of the electric heater 4.

The upper surface of the electric heater 4 has an upwardly convex arc shape, and when the inner unit Y is mounted, the bottom 3b of the inner container 3 is closely mounted on the upper surface of the electric heater 4. It is to be done. That is, in the case of the present embodiment, the bottom 3b of the inner container 3 also has an upwardly convex arc shape. And in the central part of the inner container bottom 3b,
A circular ridge 20 to which the temperature sensor 5 contacts is formed.

On the front side of the beak 7b of the shoulder member 7, a switch board 21 is provided.

On the other hand, the inner container unit Y includes an inner container 3
And a substantially annular support frame 22 serving as a holding portion when the inner container unit Y is attached and detached, and the front surface of the support frame 22 protects the liquid discharge passage 9. The protection frame 23 is formed integrally. The protective frame 2
In the part corresponding to the viewing window 13 of the outer case 6 in 3,
An opening 24 for seeing through the water level detection tube 9c is formed.

In the lower part of the inner periphery of the inner container 3 (that is, the side periphery corresponding to the beak 7b), a liquid discharging passage 9 for discharging the liquid (for example, hot water) in the inner container 3 to the outside is provided. The liquid outlet passage 9 is disposed through a space between the inner container 3 and the inner container 14 on the front side of the container body 1 and has an outlet 9b. Is to face the spout 11 of the beak 7b. The straight pipe portion of the liquid discharge passage 9 is a water level detection pipe 9c, and the portion of the outer case 6 corresponding to the water level detection pipe 9c is the viewing window 13 as described above.

In the middle of the liquid discharge passage 9 (ie, at the upper end of the space 12), there is provided a liquid discharge passage falling stop valve 25 for closing the liquid discharge passage 9 when the main body falls. Have been.

In this embodiment, the lid 2 is pivotally supported so as to be detachable and openable by locking a hinge pin 10 to a hinge support portion 7a of a shoulder member 7 of the container body 1. Inside thereof, a steam discharge passage 2 for discharging steam generated in the inner container 3 to the outside.
6 are formed. Reference numeral 27 denotes a steam discharge passage falling stop valve that closes the steam discharge passage 26 when the vehicle falls.

Next, the mounting structure of the electric pump 17 will be described in detail with reference to FIGS.

The electric pump 17 has an outer container unit X
And a pump unit 29 which is detachable from the drive unit 28 and is mounted on the inner container unit Y side.

The drive unit 28 includes a rotor housing 30 fixed at a position corresponding to the cutout 18 of the electric heater 4 at the bottom of the inner container 14, and a motor 31 attached to a lower end of the rotor housing 30. And a rotor 32 in the rotor housing 30 and pivotally supported by a rotation shaft 31a of the motor 31. The rotor 32 has a driving magnet 33 built therein.

On the other hand, the pump section 29 comprises a pump housing 34 and an impeller 35 rotatably supported in the pump housing 34.
5 includes a driven magnet 36 that rotates together with the driving magnet 33 as the rotor 32 rotates.

The pump housing 34 is a cylindrical bottomed metal lower housing 3 (for example, stainless steel).
7 and a cap-like upper housing 38 made of synthetic resin (for example, polysulfone or polypropylene) which is detachably connected to the upper end of the lower housing 37. Are connected so that an annular convex portion 40 formed on the inner periphery of the opening edge of the upper housing 38 is forcibly fitted into an annular concave portion 39 formed on the outer periphery of the opening edge of the lower housing 37.

The lower housing 37 is provided with a convex portion 41 integrally formed on the bottom of the inner housing bottom 3b.
In the opening 42 formed corresponding to the driving unit 28
In this state, the upper surface of the lip 42a of the opening 42 and the bottom of the lower housing 37 are fixed to each other by joining the entire periphery by welding S. As shown in FIG. 4, the lower housing 37 and the opening edge 42a are formed of a stainless steel layer 43a on the upper surface side and an aluminum alloy layer 43b on the lower surface side.
Are welded all around with the annular clad steel plate 43 composed of By doing so, the joining state at the welding site becomes extremely good. In addition, the sealability can be ensured because the entire circumference is joined.

A discharge port 44 is formed on a side surface of the lower housing 37. The discharge port 44 has a connection pipe 45 made of synthetic resin which is connected to the inner container side inlet 9a of the liquid discharge passage 9. Is attached. On the other hand, a suction port 46 is formed in the upper part of the upper housing 38. Reference numeral 47 denotes a rotating shaft of the impeller 35, and reference numeral 48 denotes a rotating shaft 4.
A conical pivot 49 integrally formed on the bottom surface of the lower housing 37 for rotatably supporting the impeller 7.
Reference numeral 50 denotes a seal member for sealing the inner container side entrance 9a of the liquid discharge passage 9 for preventing the deviation from the pivot portion 48.

With the above-described structure, the pump portion 29 can be easily disassembled simply by removing the upper housing 38, thereby removing foreign matter (for example, tea leaves) in the pump housing 34. Cleaning and the like can be easily performed.

The pump section 29 is provided in the lower housing 3.
After the 7 is fixed to the inner container bottom 3b, the impeller 35 is assembled on the pivot 48 of the lower housing 37, and then the upper housing 38 is forcibly fitted and connected. (That is,
Lower housing 37, upper housing 38, impeller 3
5) can be assembled, so that the pump performance can always be normally maintained.

Second Embodiment FIGS. 5 to 8 show an electric pump mounting portion in a liquid container according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

In this case, as shown in FIG. 5, the edge 42a of the opening 42 in the first embodiment is raised, and the upper surface of the opening 42a and the bottom of the lower housing 37 are spotted at four points. An annular sealing member 51 that is joined by welding Sp and that seals between the bottom of the lower housing 37 and the inner container bottom 3b is provided on the outer peripheral side of the spot welding Sp. In this case, the sealing member 51
The lower housing 37 is mounted on an annular rib 52 that is integrally provided on the outer periphery of the bottom of the lower housing 37. In other words, as a result of selecting welding by the spot welding Sp and reducing the welding cost, there is an anxiety about the sealing performance at a portion other than the spot welding Sp. Therefore, the sealing performance is secured by the sealing member 51. It is.

The mounting structure of the seal member 51 is shown in FIG.
Or as shown in FIG.

That is, as shown in FIG.
In a case where the inner container 2 is mounted between the inner peripheral surface of the container 2 and the opening edge 42a in a positioning state, as shown in FIG.
FIG. 8 shows a case where an annular concave portion 53 is formed on the outer peripheral side of the opening edge 42a and the sealing member 51 attached to the annular rib 52 is positioned in contact with the inner peripheral surface of the annular concave portion 53. As described above, while the opening 42 is formed in the center of the concave portion 54 formed in the inner container bottom 3b, the annular rib 52 is horizontally projected integrally with the outer periphery of the bottom of the lower housing 37, and the annular rib 52 is sealed with the annular rib 52. There is a case where the member 51 is attached and the sealing member 51 is brought into contact with the inner peripheral surface of the concave portion 54.

The other configuration, operation, and effect are the same as those in the first embodiment, and the description is omitted.

Third Embodiment FIGS. 9 to 12 show a main part of a liquid container according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

In this case, a circular recess 55 having an opening 56 in the bottom surface is formed in the bottom 3b of the inner container 3, and the opening 56 is provided with a pivot for rotatably supporting the impeller 35 of the pump unit 29. A lower case 57 made of a non-magnetic metal (for example, stainless steel) having a support portion 47 is attached in a watertight manner via a seal member 58, and the upper portion of the impeller 35 is inserted into an upper opening 55 a of the concave portion 55. A metal upper case 59 having a cover and a suction port 46 is removably connected to the upper case 59, 57 and the recess 55 so that the pump unit 29 can be removed.
Is configured. The discharge port 44 of the pump unit 29 is an inner container side inlet 9 a in the liquid discharge passage 9, and the liquid discharged by the rotation of the impeller 35 is used for the inner container side inlet 9.
a is to be directly discharged.

Further, the seal member 58 is sandwiched by a holding portion 60 having a U-shaped cross section formed on the outer peripheral edge of the lower case 57 in a state of being attached to the edge of the opening 56. The lower case 57 is attached to the holding portion 60.
The lower piece 60a is turned downward as shown by the dashed line in FIG. 11 and inserted into the opening 56 from above the concave portion 55. Then, the lower piece 60a is bent horizontally and pressed against the lower surface of the seal member 58. This is achieved by: That is, lower case 5
7 is removable.

Further, the coupling between the upper case 59 and the opening 55a of the concave portion 55 is formed at the engaging concave portion 61 formed on the side surface of the upper case 59 and the opening 55a of the concave portion 55, as shown in FIG. This is achieved by forcibly fitting engagement with the engaging convex portion 62. That is, upper case 5
9 is also removable. Reference numeral 62 denotes a notch for avoiding interference with the inner container side inlet 9 a of the liquid discharge passage 9, and reference numeral 63 denotes a cap with a support rod attached to the suction port 46.

With the above configuration, the pump section 29 can be easily disassembled simply by removing the upper case 59. Further, since the pump housing 34 of the pump section 29 is constituted by the upper and lower cases 59 and 57 and the recess 55, the lower case 57 for supporting the impeller 35 can be manufactured and assembled with high accuracy, and the pump performance can be improved. Can be normally maintained, and even if a dimensional error or the like occurs in the lower case 57, it can be dealt with by replacing only the lower case 57.

The other configuration and operation and effect are the same as those in the first embodiment, and the description is omitted.

In the above description, the liquid container in which the container body is separable into the inner container unit and the outer container unit is described as an embodiment, but the present invention is also applied to an integral type in which the inner container is inseparable. Of course, it is possible.

Further, the present invention is applicable not only to the above-described liquid container which is used for both heating boiling and heat retention, but also to other types of liquid containers (for example, a type exclusively used for heat retention).

[0050]

According to the first basic structure of the present invention, the pump housing in the pump portion constituting the electric pump is constituted by the lower housing and the upper housing detachably connected to the lower housing. Since the pump can be easily disassembled from the inner side of the inner container simply by removing the upper housing, there is an effect that foreign matter entering the pump can be easily removed and washed.

According to the second basic configuration of the present invention, a concave portion is formed in the bottom of the inner container, the lower case is attached to the concave portion, and the upper case having a suction port in the upper opening of the concave portion can be removed. And the upper and lower cases and the recess form a pump housing of the pump section, and the pump section can be easily disassembled from the inner side of the inner container simply by removing the upper case. There is the effect that foreign matter that has entered can be easily removed and washed.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a liquid container according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along line II-II of FIG.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged sectional view of an electric pump part in the liquid container according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged sectional view of a welded portion of a pump portion in the liquid container according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged sectional view of an electric pump part in a liquid container according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing another example of the pump unit mounting structure in the liquid container according to the second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing another example of the pump unit mounting structure in the liquid container according to the second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing another example of the pump unit mounting structure in the liquid container according to the second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a lower longitudinal sectional view of a liquid container according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of a liquid container according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 11 is an enlarged sectional view showing a pump unit mounting structure in a liquid container according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 12 is an exploded perspective view showing a pump unit mounting structure in a liquid container according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

3 is an inner container, 3b is a bottom portion, 9 is a liquid discharge passage, 17 is an electric pump, 28 is a driving unit, 29 is a pump unit, 30 is a rotor housing, 31 is a motor, 32 is a rotor, 33 is a driving magnet, 34 is a pump housing, 35 is an impeller,
36 is a driven magnet, 37 is a lower housing, 38 is an upper housing, 41 is a convex portion, 42 is an opening, 42a is a rim, 44 is a discharge port, 46 is a suction port, 50 and 51 are seal members, and 55 is a sealing member. A concave portion, 55a is an upper opening, 56 is an opening,
57 is a lower case, 58 is a sealing member, and 59 is an upper case.

Claims (7)

(57) [Claims] 1. An inner container and an electric pump for discharging liquid in the inner container through a liquid discharging passage to the outside, and the electric pump is disposed in the inner container. a pump unit that communicates and the the inner container and the liquid pouring path is, constituted by a drive unit disposed outside and the inner container is separated from the pump unit, the pump housing in the pump section , a lower housing, constituted by an upper housing that will be coupled to removable with respect to said lower housing, a liquid container, characterized in that the pump housing has communicated with the liquid pouring path. 2. The liquid ejection into the lower housing.
2. A suction port is formed in the upper housing while a discharge port communicating with a passage is formed.
A liquid container as described. To wherein the inner container bottom is configured to form an open mouth, the opening is inserted the bottom of the lower housing
Claim 1 and a liquid container according to any one of claims 2 state is characterized in that fixed to the lower housing. Wherein the inner container bottom, front Symbol lower housing bottom and claim 3 liquid container, wherein it has provided a seal member for sealing between the inner container bottom. 5. An inner container, and an electric pump for discharging liquid in the inner container through a liquid discharging passage to the outside, and the electric pump is disposed in the inner container. a pump unit that communicates and the the inner container and the liquid pouring path is, constituted by a drive unit disposed outside and the inner container is separated from the pump unit, the inner container bottom, the concave portion is formed and the recess, is attached to the lower case, the upper opening of the front Ki凹 unit, coupled to removal of the upper case having a suction plug mouth, contact the upper and lower cases <br/> liquid container, characterized in that to constitute a pump housing of the pump unit by good beauty recess. 6. The liquid container according to claim 5, wherein a discharge port of the pump section is an inner container-side inlet of the liquid discharge passage. 7. A driven unit in which the driving unit is constituted by a motor and a rotor rotated by the motor and having a driving magnet, and the pump unit is configured to apply an attractive force between the driving unit and the driving magnet. The liquid container according to any one of claims 1 to 6 , further comprising an impeller having a side magnet and rotating with the rotation of the rotor.