Water heater

Abstract

Disclosed is a water heater including a pipe part, into which a fluid is introduced through one end thereof, and from which the fluid is discharged through an opposite end thereof, a heating part that heats the fluid in the pipe part, a sensor part that senses a flow rate of the fluid in the pipe part, and a storage part connected to the pipe part, and that stores the fluid introduced from the pipe part.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A water heater comprising:
 a pipe part, into which a fluid is introduced through one end thereof, and from which the fluid is discharged through an opposite end thereof;   a heating part configured to heat the fluid in the pipe part;   a sensor part configured to sense a flow rate of the fluid in the pipe part; and   a storage part connected to the pipe part, and configured to store the fluid introduced from the pipe part.   
     
     
         2 . The water heater of  claim 1 , wherein the pipe part includes:
 a heating portion connected to the heating part;   an upstream portion located on an upstream side of the heating portion; and   a downstream portion located on a downstream side of the heating portion, and   wherein the storage part is connected to the downstream portion.   
     
     
         3 . The water heater of  claim 2 , wherein the sensor part is disposed on a downstream side of a point of the downstream portion, to which the storage part is connected. 
     
     
         4 . The water heater of  claim 2 , wherein a gas is filled in an interior of the storage part, and
 wherein an internal pressure of the storage part, which is formed by the gas, is 0 bar to 3.0 bar.   
     
     
         5 . The water heater of  claim 2 , wherein the storage part connects one point of the upstream portion and one point of the downstream portion. 
     
     
         6 . The water heater of  claim 5 , wherein the sensor part is disposed on an upstream side of a point of the upstream portion, to which the storage part is connected. 
     
     
         7 . The water heater of  claim 5 , wherein the storage part includes:
 a body member;   a partition member disposed in the body member, and configured to partition a space in an interior of the body member; and   an elastic member configured to elastically support the partition member.   
     
     
         8 . The water heater of  claim 7 , wherein the storage part further includes:
 an upstream portion connecting passage connecting the body member and the upstream portion; and   a downstream portion connecting passage connecting the body member and the downstream portion, and   wherein the elastic member elastically supports the partition member along a direction facing the upstream portion connecting passage from the downstream portion connecting passage.   
     
     
         9 . The water heater of  claim 5 , wherein the storage part includes:
 a body member;   an upstream portion connecting passage connecting the body member and the upstream portion;   a downstream portion connecting passage connecting the body member and the downstream portion; and   a storage member disposed in the body member, communicated with the upstream portion connecting passage, and a volume of which is changeable.   
     
     
         10 . The water heater of  claim 5 , wherein the storage part includes:
 a body member;   an upstream portion connecting passage connecting the body member and the upstream portion;   a downstream portion connecting passage connecting the body member and the downstream portion; and   a diaphragm disposed in the body member, having a cylindrical shape having the same center as that of the body member inside the body member, and configured to be expanded or contracted by a difference between pressures of the upstream portion connecting passage and the downstream portion connecting passage.   
     
     
         11 . The water heater of  claim 5 , wherein when an upward/downward direction is defined with respect to a vertical direction,
 the upstream portion is located on a lower side of the downstream portion.   
     
     
         12 . The water heater of  claim 11 , wherein the storage part includes:
 a body member;   an upstream portion connecting passage connecting the body member and the upstream portion;   a downstream portion connecting passage connecting the body member and the downstream portion; and   a partition member disposed in the body member, and configured to partition a space in an interior of the body member.   
     
     
         13 . The water heater of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a controller electrically connecting the sensor part and the heating part,   wherein the controller stops an operation of the heating part when a flow rate of the fluid in the pipe part, which is sensed by the sensor part, is a reference flow rate or less.