RU2778442C2 - Boiler - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: heat engineering.

SUBSTANCE: present invention relates to a boiler for steam generation and/or water heating, which can be used in household appliances or professional machines, such as, for example, ironing or cleaning machines, coffee machines, steamers for cooking, steam furnaces, and the like. The boiler for steam generation and/or water heating contains metal tank (12) equipped with at least one supplying hole (15) for supplying water inside it, outlet (22), and steam supply hole (19), at least one heating element (21) connected to tank (12), outlet collector (23) connected to outlet (22) and forming outlet channel (33) for water and any possible solid particles and/or aggregates, and valve device (27) connected to specified outlet collector (23) and made with the possibility of selective opening/closing specified channel (33). Outlet (22) is located on a lower part of sidewall (26) of tank (12), and outlet collector (23) has mainly an L shape and contains slightly inclined or mainly horizontal first link (41) connected to outlet (22), and second link (42) connected to first link (41) and mounted mainly L-shaped relatively to the latter, so that outlet (38) of channel (33) has a position during the use of following outlet (22) facing downward. Valve device (27) contains main case (28) placed in outlet collector (23), gate element (29) equipped with through hole (30), rotating shaft (31), drive device (32) connected to rotating shaft (31) for provision of rotation of gate element (29), and safety element (37) made in such a way that to selectively prevent the actuation of drive device (32), when a temperature and/or pressure of water and/or steam in tank (12) exceed the determined threshold level.

EFFECT: effective, fast, and easy purification of a boiler, guaranteeing safety conditions for a user.

12 cl, 5 dwg

Description

FIELD OF TECHNOLOGY

The present invention relates to a boiler for generating steam and/or heating water, which can be used in household appliances or professional machines, such as, for example, ironing or cleaning machines, coffee machines, food steamers, steam ovens, and the like.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Boilers used to generate steam and/or heat water in household appliances and professional machines usually comprise a metal tank, hermetically sealed, provided with at least one opening for introducing water into it, a steam supply outlet, and possibly an outlet, selectively opening / closing to release water from the tank.

The heating element is usually associated with a metal reservoir, generally a resistive or electrical plate, which acts as a heat source and which can be selectively actuated to produce the desired amount and/or quality of steam and/or to heat the water to the desired temperature.

It is known that when using a boiler, limescale deposits form inside the tank caused by the heating of the water. These limestone formations are mainly composed of calcium carbonate and/or other minerals such as magnesium, potassium, silicon, etc., which are usually dissolved in water.

Limestone formations may remain suspended or deposited on the inner surfaces of the tank, forming progressively thicker incrustations. In particular, more encrustations are formed correspondingly in the hottest parts of the tank.

The formation of layers of limescale in the area where the heating element is connected to the tank reduces the efficiency of water heating, thereby slowing down the transfer of heat with subsequent loss of energy.

To remove lime scale, as is known, a removable elongated storage element, also having a tubular shape, is used, configured to be installed inside the tank in order to collect limescale and remove it from the inside of the tank.

However, this solution is not optimal for limescale removal and is not at least semi-automatic or automated. In fact, this involves the constant participation of the user, who must first unscrew at least one outlet cap (an operation that can be particularly difficult and dangerous), move the entire boiler into the sink, perhaps shake the boiler to flush it effectively and, Finally, close the cap tightly.

These operations, which complicate the cleaning of the boiler, are frustrating for the user, who often does not clean with the required frequency, reducing the effectiveness of the removal of limescale and, therefore, the very life of the boiler.

In addition, while cleaning the boiler, there is a risk that the user may suffer an electric shock because the boiler has not been disconnected from the power supply. Moreover, the user may be burned by splashes of still hot water.

Known boilers from EP-A-2 527 733, WO-A-2007/007241, DE-U-200 17 279, CN-A-103 604 218, EP-A-0 483 622 and WO-a-99/39139 equipped with valves that can be selectively actuated for cleaning and descaling cycles.

Therefore, there is a need to find solutions that make it easier for the user to drain and cycle clean the boiler to generate steam.

One of the objectives of the present invention is to provide a boiler that provides efficient, fast and easy cleaning, guaranteeing a safe environment for the user.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a boiler that allows easy removal of limescale within it without requiring special skill, effort or risk to the user.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a boiler that is economical, reliable and durable.

Applicant has developed, tested and implemented the present invention to overcome the shortcomings of the prior art and to achieve these and other objects and advantages.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is set forth and described in an independent claim, while dependent claims describe other features of the invention or embodiments of the basic inventive idea.

In accordance with the above objects, the present invention relates to a boiler for generating steam and/or heating water, containing a metal tank provided with at least one inlet for supplying water inside, an outlet and a steam supply port.

The boiler also contains at least one heating element associated with the tank.

In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, the boiler also includes an exhaust manifold connected to the outlet and defining a channel configured to allow water and any possible solids and/or aggregates to pass through.

According to another embodiment of the present invention, the boiler also includes a valve device associated with the exhaust manifold and configured to selectively open/close the channel and selectively bring it into communication with the external environment.

Thus, preferably, water and any possible solids and/or aggregates contained within the tank can be removed when the need arises for this operation, thanks to the controlled drive of the valve device.

Replacing the conventional plug with a selectively actuated valve device reduces the risk of direct contact of the user with water and any particles escaping from the reservoir, thereby avoiding the risk of burns due to high temperatures.

The presence of the valve device also reduces the involvement and effort required by the user to open the boiler and gain access to the inside, which facilitates the drain operation. Its presence also allows you to automate the entire cycle of draining and cleaning the boiler at a predetermined time, minimizing the actions required by the user.

According to one aspect of the present invention, the outlet is located on the bottom of the side wall of the tank, in close proximity to the bottom wall of the tank.

According to another aspect, the exhaust manifold is generally L-shaped and includes a first link, inclined downward or horizontal, connected to the outlet, and a second link connected to the first link, mainly L-shaped with respect to the latter, in order to set the location of the outlet of the outlet channel, during use, below the outlet and facing down.

Thus, preferably, the discharge of water from the tank is facilitated both by the location of the outlet below the water level inside the tank, and by the L-shape of the outlet manifold. Therefore, the user does not have to perform dangerous operations of shaking and/or tilting the boiler, risking injury to themselves and/or accidentally spilling water around the boiler.

According to one embodiment, the valve device comprises a main body, a closure element provided with a through hole, and a rotating shaft configured to selectively rotate the closure element.

A valve arrangement configured in this way guarantees a greater tightness of the tank, preventing accidental leakage of water from the outlet.

In addition, by using the perforated element of the shutter and its rotary drive, it is possible to more accurately determine the passage of water and any particles exiting through the channel.

The valve arrangement thus made is less subject to wear, which greatly reduces maintenance costs.

The rotary shutter element prevents the deposition of limescale on the bottom of the passage channel, since the rotary drive of the shutter element allows the mechanical removal of limescale, which tends to settle on the bottom of the passage channel.

In some embodiments, the implementation of the valve device has a mobile mechanism with a motor or an actuator mechanism and can be selectively opened and closed by selective actuation of the mobile mechanism.

Thus, it is easy and safe for the user to operate the valve device.

In other embodiments, the implementation of the valve device has a clamping means capable of selectively actuated, allowing subsequent manual operation only under conditions of safety for the user.

According to another embodiment, the boiler comprises a collection tank for collecting water and any possible residues exiting the tank through an outlet. The collection reservoir is mainly hermetically connected to the outlet manifold of the valve assembly.

Thus, the draining of water and any particles becomes even more automatic and safer for the user, as there is no risk of electric shock or burns due to incorrect user actions.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other characteristics of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of some embodiments, given as a non-limiting example with reference to the accompanying drawings, where:

in fig. 1 is a perspective view of a boiler in accordance with one embodiment of the invention;

in fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the boiler shown in FIG. one;

in fig. 3 is a perspective view of a boiler according to another embodiment of the invention;

in fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the boiler shown in FIG. 3;

in fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view of a detail of a boiler according to another embodiment of the invention.

For simplicity, the same reference numbers are used where possible to refer to identical common elements in the drawings. It is understood that the elements and characteristics of one embodiment can be successfully incorporated into other embodiments without further clarification.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF SOME EMBODIMENTS OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

The embodiments described here in FIG. 1-5 refer to a boiler 10 for generating steam and/or heating water.

Without any limitation of the present invention, the boiler 10 can be used for household appliances or professional machines, such as, for example, ironing or cleaning machines, coffee machines, food steamers, steam ovens, or any other device that requires a boiler 10.

Boiler 10 contains a metal tank 12 suitable for storing water and possibly also for converting it into steam.

Tank 12 has bottom wall 24, top wall 25 opposite bottom wall 24, and at least one side wall 26 connected to bottom wall 24 and top wall 25.

In this case, the bottom wall 24 and the top wall 25 have at least a semi-circular surface.

The reservoir 12, in this case, contains two surfaces, the upper surface 13 and the lower surface 14, hermetically sealed or closable.

The tank 12 is provided with at least one inlet 15 for supplying water to the tank 12.

According to one embodiment, shown as an example in FIG. 1, the boiler 10 may include an automatic feeder 16 hydraulically connected to the feed opening 15 and configured to supply water to the inside of the tank 12.

In accordance with possible solutions, the supply device 16 may include a reservoir 17 for storing water and a supply pump 18 for extracting water from the reservoir 17 containing water and transferring it to the reservoir 12.

The tank 12, in the presented solution, can also be provided with an injection hole 19 to supply the steam generated inside the tank 12.

The steam inlet 19 may be connected to devices using steam and devices with the ability to regulate steam, such as an electromechanical valve 20 or the like.

Boiler 10 contains at least one heating element 21 associated with the tank 12 and configured to heat the water from the inside to the desired temperature.

In accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the heating element 21 can be installed integrally in contact with the reservoir 12 such that the heating element 21 heats the reservoir 12 and hence the water contained therein by conduction.

According to a preferred embodiment, the heating element 21 can be located outside the tank 12. In this way, the formation of limescale on the heating element 21 is prevented.

According to an embodiment not shown in the drawing, the heating element 21 can be installed inside the tank 12.

The tank 12 is provided with an outlet 22 which can be selectively opened/closed to drain water and possible particles such as lime scale formed in the tank 12.

The outlet 22 can be made on the side wall 26 of the tank 12 (as shown in the drawings) even if another location is not excluded, for example, in accordance with the bottom wall 24 of the tank 12.

According to the preferred embodiment, the outlet 22 may be located on the lower part of the side wall 26 near the bottom wall 24 of the tank 12.

In this way, gravity assists the exit of water and possible solids and/or aggregates from the reservoir 12 and, since the outlet 22 is located below the average water level, the reservoir 12 is almost completely empty. In addition, the user does not need to participate in the process to shake and/or tilt the boiler 10 to empty the tank 12.

In order to further facilitate the exit of water from the tank 12, it is possible to enclose the boiler 10 inside the support housing so that it is slightly inclined downwards on the side where the outlet 22 is provided. In this way, the boiler 10 will not have an excessive volume in height.

Boiler 10 includes an outlet manifold 23 connected to an outlet 22 and forming an outlet 33.

Channel 33 is configured to allow water and possible solids and/or aggregates to pass through.

According to a preferred embodiment, the channel 33 is inclined and has a downwardly facing outlet 38 opposite the outlet 22 of the reservoir 12.

Advantageously, therefore, the exit of water and possible solids and/or aggregates is further stimulated by the inclination of the channel 33, which has an outlet 38 located below the mean water level.

According to one embodiment, the exhaust manifold 23 is L-shaped.

In accordance with the above embodiment, the exhaust manifold 23 may be formed by the first link 41 and the second link 42. The first link 41 is connected to the outlet 22 in accordance with the first end of the pipe 43.

According to some embodiments, the first link 41 is located generally coaxial with the outlet 22, mainly in the horizontal and mainly in the radial direction with respect to the reservoir 12.

According to a preferred embodiment, the first end of the nozzle 43 may have an internal thread in the channel 33.

Thus, the first link 41 can be connected to the tank 12 in accordance with the outlet 22 by screwing it until it is sealed.

The first link 41 may be connected to the second link 42 in accordance with the second end of the nozzle 44 opposite the first end of the nozzle 43.

The second link 42 is connected to the first link 41 so as to form a generally downward L-shaped exhaust manifold 23.

By "L-shape" is meant that the first link 41 and the second link 42 are arranged so as to form an angle between 80° and 110° with respect to each other.

Thus, the outlet 38 of the channel 33, defined by the second end of the second link 42, is at a lower height than the outlet 22, which facilitates the exit of water and possible particles.

In some embodiments, the first link 41 may extend generally orthogonal to the side wall of the reservoir 12.

In some embodiments, the first link 41 slopes slightly downward with respect to the outlet 22 and the second link 42 to further empty the reservoir 12 and the channel 33 itself.

According to possible options for implementation, the second link 42 may expand mainly in the vertical direction.

According to some embodiments, the first link 41 and the second link 42 may be orthogonal to each other.

In one embodiment, the exhaust manifold 23 is provided with a seal 45, such as an o-ring, located between the first link 41 and the second link 42.

According to some embodiments, the first link 41 and the second link 42 may be releasably connected to each other, for example, by geometric or shape matching, screwing, bayonet connectors, or removable fasteners, such as, for example, screws, pins, bolts, and the like. Thus, it is also possible to clean the channel 33 and/or possibly replace the seal 45.

Thus, advantageously, the channel 33 formed by the connection of the first link 41 and the second link 42 is sealed to prevent accidental water leaks, which could lead to a potential risk of scalding for the user.

The boiler 10 contains a valve device 27 connected to the exhaust manifold 23 and configured to selectively open/close the channel 33.

The valve device 27 may include a main body 28.

According to some embodiments, the main body 28 may be placed in or integrated into the discharge manifold 23.

Preferably, the main body 28 is located in the first link 41 of the discharge manifold 23.

In an embodiment, the main body 28 may be made of metal or a heat-resistant material, or any metal that is resistant to high temperatures and pressures.

According to another embodiment, the main body 28 may be made of a heat-resistant plastic material.

The valve device 27 may also include a shutter element 29 located in the main body 28 and movable relative to the latter.

The shutter member 29 is configured to take on a position obstructing the outlet 22, that is, closing the valve device 27, a plurality of intermediate positions for partially opening the outlet 22, that is, partially opening the valve device 27, and a position in which the outlet 22 is fully open, that is, where the valve arrangement 27 is fully open.

In some embodiments, the closure member 29 is provided with a through hole 30, defining a region through which water and possible particles can pass.

In some embodiments, the shutter element 29 is rotatable about an axis of rotation R relative to the main body 28.

The through hole 30 is designed so that during use and in the fully open position, it is coaxial with the outlet 22. Thus, the through hole 30 and the channel 33 define a channel for the continuous passage of water and possible limescale particles to be removed.

In the partially open state of the outlet 22, the through hole 30 forms a section for the partial passage of water in the event that the flow rate of the water leaving the reservoir 12 and possible particles is to be distributed.

In accordance with the position of the shutter element 29 relative to the main body 28, the adjustable section of the passage of the channel 33 is determined.

According to some embodiments, the shutter element 29 is configured to provide mechanical action to remove limescale in the channel 33 during its rotation.

According to a preferred embodiment, the closure element 29 may be a sphere rotating about an axis of rotation R (FIGS. 2, 4 and 5) and may be installed inside a pipe for the passage of water.

Thus, when the water level inside the reservoir 12 is higher than the outlet 22, or when the reservoir 12 is tilted, the valve arrangement 27 is not stressed by the action of the water flow and possible particles on the closure element 29.

The shutter element 29 can be configured to rotate from one position to another through an angle of about 90°.

The valve device 27 also includes a rotating shaft 31 configured to selectively rotate the shutter element 29.

The rotating shaft 31 also rotates about the rotation axis R.

The shutter element 29 is connected respectively to one end of the rotating shaft 31.

In the embodiment shown, the boiler 10 includes a collection tank 39 to collect water and possible particles exiting the tank 12 through the outlet 22.

In one embodiment, the collection reservoir 39 may be connected to the exhaust manifold 23 in a sealed manner.

In this way, advantageously, the operation of draining water and possible limescale particles can be carried out safely for the user without the risk of accidental splashes.

In accordance with the embodiments described herein, the outlet manifold 23, having an L-shape and also having an outlet 38 facing downwards, is designed to transport water and possible particles to the manifold reservoir 39.

According to one embodiment, shown as an example in FIG. 1, the collection tank 39 may include a sensing element 46 configured to detect the level of water and possible particles within the collection tank 39.

The valve device 27 includes a drive device 32 connected to the second end of the rotating shaft 31 to rotate the shutter element 29.

According to the embodiment shown as an example in FIG. 1 and 2, the drive device 32 may be an electric gear motor 34 configured to rotate the shutter element 29.

The electric motor-reducer 34 is provided with a rotating shaft 40, which is configured to be directly connected to the rotating shaft 31 and provide rotation of the shutter element 29.

For example, rotating shaft 40 may be keyed to rotating shaft 31.

The electrical gearmotor 34 is configured to automatically actuate the valve assembly 27 when electrical current is applied.

By way of example only, the electric gearmotor 34 may be actuated by a user with a switch, or may be controlled by an automatic device that actuates the electric gearmotor 34 after a certain amount of time or according to the volume of water entering the reservoir 12.

In some embodiments, boiler 10 includes a control unit 50 for controlling the operation of various components. The control unit 50 may be connected to a variety of sensing devices of the boiler 10, for example, to detect the pressure and/or temperature inside the tank 12, or the water level, or other parameters, and to control the operation of the boiler 10 accordingly.

The control unit 50 can also be commanded by a user via a switch to perform unloading operations on the boiler 10 and therefore control the electric gear motor 34 to actuate the valve assembly 27.

According to another embodiment, shown as an example in FIG. 3-5, the actuator 32 may be a lever 35 which may be operated manually by a user.

According to one embodiment, the lever 35 can be connected directly to the rotating shaft 31 in accordance with its second end.

According to another embodiment, the lever 35 may be connected via return mechanisms to the rotating shaft 31 to reduce the force exerted by the user.

Lever 35 can be replaced with handle 36 according to preferred uses.

In accordance with the embodiments described herein, the valve device 27 may include a safety element 37 configured to selectively prevent actuation of the actuator 32.

In accordance with a preferred embodiment, the safety element 37 is configured to interfere with the lever 35 or handle 36 and thus prevent the user from operating the valve assembly 27.

In some embodiments, safety element 37 may be connected to and actuated by control unit 50 to prevent user safety issues when the temperature and/or pressure inside tank 12 exceeds a certain threshold level.

For example, the safety element 37 may interfere with the lever 35 or the handle 36 when the temperature of the reservoir 12 and/or the heating element 21 exceeds 50°.

Thus, the safety element 37 prevents the rotation of the valve device 27, in particular the closure element 29, in a state of draining water under conditions that are dangerous for the user, for example, when the water has a high temperature and/or pressure inside the tank 12.

According to an embodiment, the safety element 37 may be a temperature sensing element that is driven depending on the temperature of the tank 12 and/or the heating element 21.

It is clear that modifications and/or additions to boiler 10 may be made as described above without departing from the scope and scope of the present invention.

It is also clear that, although the present invention has been described with reference to some specific examples, a person skilled in the art will certainly be able to obtain many other equivalent forms of the boiler 10 having the characteristics set forth in the claims, and, therefore, all of them fall under the protection area defined in this way.

In the following claims, the sole purpose of parenthesized references is to facilitate reading: they are not to be construed as limiting factors in relation to the scope of protection claimed in particular claims.

Claims (18)

1. Boiler for generating steam and/or heating water, comprising: - a metal tank (12) provided with at least one inlet (15) for supplying water inside it, an outlet (22) and a steam supply (19), - at least one heating element (21) connected to the tank (12), - an outlet manifold (23) connected to the outlet (22) and forming an outlet (33) for water and any possible solids and/or aggregates, and - a valve device (27) associated with said outlet manifold (23) and configured to selectively open/close said channel (33), characterized in that the outlet (22) is located on the lower part of the side wall (26) of the tank (12), and the outlet manifold (23) is mainly L-shaped and contains the first link (41), slightly inclined or mostly horizontal, connected to the outlet hole (22), and a second link (42) connected to the first link (41) and installed mainly in an L-shape relative to the latter, so that the outlet (38) of the channel (33) has a location during use of the outlet below (22) and facing down; the valve device (27) contains the main body (28) located in the exhaust manifold (23), the valve element (29) provided with a through hole (30), a rotating shaft (31), a drive device (32) connected to the rotating shaft ( 31) to ensure rotation of the shutter element (29) and a safety element (37) designed in such a way as to selectively prevent actuation of the drive device (32) when the temperature and/or pressure of water and/or steam in the reservoir (12) exceed certain threshold level. 2. The boiler according to claim. 1, characterized in that the rotating shaft (31) of the valve device (27) is made with the possibility of selective rotation of the shutter element (29) relative to the said main body (28) around the axis of rotation (R) at least between the position in which said through hole (30) is coaxial to said channel (33), and the position in which the through hole (30) is transverse to said channel (33). 3. Boiler according to claim 1, characterized in that said channel (33) has a passage cross section that varies depending on the position of said shutter element (29) relative to said main body (30). 4. Boiler according to claim 1, characterized in that said shutter element (29) is made with the possibility of mechanical action to remove limescale from said channel (33) during its rotation. 5. Boiler according to claim 1, characterized in that said shutter element (29) has a round shape. 6. Boiler according to claim 1, characterized in that said first link (41) is provided with a first threaded end (43) and connected to said outlet (22) by screwing until it is sealed. 7. Boiler according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that it contains a collection tank (39) for collecting water and possible particles leaving said tank (12) through said outlet (22), wherein said collection tank (39) connected to said exhaust manifold (23) in a sealed manner. 8. Boiler according to claim 7, characterized in that said collection tank (39) comprises at least a sensing element (46) configured to detect the level of water and/or any possible solids inside said collection tank (39). 9. Boiler according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said first link (41) of said channel (33) is inclined downward. 10. Boiler according to claim. 1, characterized in that said drive device (32) is an electric motor-reducer (34), which can be driven automatically. 11. Boiler according to claim 1, characterized in that said drive device (32) is a lever (35) or a handle (36) and can be operated manually by the user to rotate said shutter element (29). 12. Boiler according to claim. 1, characterized in that said main body (28) is made of heat-resistant polymer material.

Images