Cooling device for near instantaneous water heater for kitchen or bath products

Abstract

The present application relates to a near instantaneous water heater for kitchen or bath products such as a toilet bidet or bidet. The water heater includes a cold water chamber such that water entering the water heater flows through the cold water chamber before it is heated within a heating chamber. A heating element that heats the water in the heating chamber is provided current for heating by a driver (e.g., a silicon controlled rectifier). A thermally conductive member is provided to thermally couple the driver with water in the cold water chamber, thereby using the water in the cold water chamber to cool the driver.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A water heater device for kitchen or bath products, comprising:
 a casing;   a heating element;   a driver configured to provide current to the heating element such that the heating element is heated;   a cold water chamber provided on or in the casing;   a heat conductive member thermally coupling water in the cold water chamber and the driver, wherein water to be heated by the heating element is first provided to the cold water chamber and the heat conductive member operates to remove heat from the driver.   
     
     
         2 . The water heater device of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a heating water chamber downstream of the cold water chamber and housing the heating element.   
     
     
         3 . The water heater device of  claim 2 , wherein the cold water chamber and the heating water chamber each include an inlet and an outlet, and wherein the inlet of the cold water chamber is fluidly coupled to and receives water from a primary water inlet of the water heater device. 
     
     
         4 . The water heater device of  claim 3 , wherein the outlet of the cold water chamber fluidly coupled to and provides water to the inlet of the heating water chamber, and wherein the outlet of the heating water chamber provides heated water to a primary water outlet of the water heater device. 
     
     
         5 . The water heater device of  claim 4 , wherein the heat conductive member is mounted on top of the cold water chamber such that a flat surface area of the heat conductive member engages water in the cold water chamber. 
     
     
         6 . The water heater device of  claim 5 , further comprising:
 a circuit board mounted on the casing, wherein the driver is mounted on the heat conductive member and a portion of the heat conductive member is mounted on the circuit board.   
     
     
         7 . The water heater device of  claim 6 , wherein the driver is a silicon controlled rectifier configured to provide the current to the heating element. 
     
     
         8 . The water heater device of  claim 7 , wherein the casing is a substantially rectangular prism. 
     
     
         9 . The water heater device of  claim 8 , wherein the cold water chamber is provided on a side of the casing and wherein the cold water chamber has an opening, wherein a flat portion of the heat conductive member at least partially covers the opening such that water in the cold water chamber is held in contact with the heat conductive member. 
     
     
         10 . The water heater device of  claim 9 , wherein the heat conductive member comprises a body portion and a connection portion, wherein the body portion is mounted at the opening on top of the cold water chamber and contacts with water in the cold water chamber, and wherein the connection portion is connected with the silicon controlled rectifier and the circuit board. 
     
     
         11 . The water heater device of  claim 10 , wherein the circuit board and the heat conductive member on top of the cold water chamber are mounted substantially in parallel on the top surface of the casing. 
     
     
         12 . The water heater device of  claim 11 , wherein the opening of the cold water chamber has a rectangular shape with its short sides having an arched shape, and wherein the cold water chamber is provided at a top surface at a corner of the casing, its long side lateral face is located on a first short side lateral face of the casing, and the long side has a length less than that of the short side of the casing; the cold water chamber has a short side lateral face located on a first long side lateral face of the casing. 
     
     
         13 . The water heater device of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 a screw hole is provided outside each of the four corners of the cold water chamber, wherein the body portion of the heat conductive member has a shape to match for coupling into the opening on top of the cold water chamber.   
     
     
         14 . The water heater device of  claim 13 , wherein the body portion extends towards the surroundings horizontally, the extending portions at the surroundings are provided with screw holes matching the screw holes outside the four corners of the cold water chamber. 
     
     
         15 . The water heater device of  claim 14 , wherein the connection portion of the heat conductive member comprises a first connection terminal and a second connection terminal, the first connection terminal is a plate further extending from the extending portion of the body portion, wherein the plate is mounted on the circuit board, and the driver is mounted on the plate. 
     
     
         16 . The water heater device of  claim 15 , wherein the second connection terminal and the first connection terminal extend from a same side of the body portion. 
     
     
         17 . The water heater device of  claim 16 , wherein at least one of the second connection terminal and the first connection terminal include a step configured to match a lateral face of the circuit board for mounting. 
     
     
         18 . The water heater device of  claim 17 , wherein the body portion of the heat conductive member has a portion matching the opening on top of the cold water chamber which is a step shape groove, and the step shape groove has a bottom face extending into the cold water chamber. 
     
     
         19 . The water heater device of  claim 18 , wherein the bottom face of the step shape groove structure has an area less than or equal to that of the opening on top of the cold water chamber. 
     
     
         20 . The water heater device of  claim 19 , further comprising:
 a seal ring is provided between the body portion of the heat conductive member and the opening on top of the cold water chamber, and wherein the heat conductive member is copper or aluminum.