Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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[DESCRIPTION]
[Invention Title]
ELECTRODE TERMINAL ASSEMBLY FOR LIQUID QUALITY METER
APPARATUS AND LIQUID QUALITY METER APPARATUS
COMPRISING SAME
[Technical Field]
[1] The present disclosure relates to an electrode teiminal assembly for a
liquid quality meter apparatus and a liquid quality meter apparatus including
the
same.
[Background Art]
[2] In the case of a liquid used for a certain purpose, such as water
introduced
into a boiler, it is important to measure the quality or pollution level of
the liquid.
[3] For example, when a boiler is operated by using water containing
several
dissolved substances rather than pure water, foreign matter may be generated
inside the boiler, and the efficiency of the boiler may be degraded.
[4] Particularly, in a system including a filter that is able to be turned
on/off
or has variable filtering perfoimance, it may be more meaningful to measure
the
quality or pollution level of a liquid. This is because the liquid is able to
be
effectively filtered with minimum power consumption by turning on or off the
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filter, or setting the filtering performance to high performance or low
performance, depending on the measured quality or pollution level of the
liquid.
[5] Total dissolved solids or total dissolved salts (TDS) is an indicator
for
the quality of a liquid, and an apparatus for measuring the TDS of a liquid is
referred to as a TDS sensor or a TDS meter.
[6] A TDS meter generally includes an electrode body assembly including
electrode tettninals brought into contact with a liquid to be measured, when
the
quality of the liquid is measured, and a controller for controlling power
applied
to the electrode tettninals.
[7] An electrode terminal assembly for a TDS meter in the related art is
generally manufactured by a method (generally referred to as an injection-
molding method) of locating electrode tettninals at predetermined positions in
a mold and fottning a fixing body by filling the mold with a molding liquid.
In
the electrode tettninal assembly in the related art, the electrode tettninals
are
simply fottned in a rod shape.
[8] The electrode terminal assembly in the related art has a problem in
that
the electrode terminals are pushed into the fixing body when used in a high-
temperature and high-pressure condition. In this case, a liquid may infiltrate
between the electrode terminals and the fixing body, and water leakage may
occur inside a liquid quality meter apparatus, which may lead to deterioration
in durability.
[9] Furthermore, when the electrode terminal assembly is used in a liquid
at
high temperature (about 80 C or more), the molding that forms the fixing body
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may be dissolved, and therefore the electrode terminals may not be fixed.
[Disclosure]
[Technical Problem]
[10] An aspect of the present disclosure provides an electrode terminal
assembly having a structure in which electrode tettninals are able to be
firmly
fixed even though used in a high-temperature and high-pressure condition, and
a liquid quality meter apparatus including the electrode tettninal assembly.
[11] In addition, another aspect of the present disclosure is to raise
durability
by preventing occurrence of water leakage in an electrode terminal assembly.
[12] The technical problems to be solved by the present disclosure are not
limited to the aforementioned problems, and any other technical problems not
mentioned herein will be clearly understood from the following description by
those skilled in the art to which the present disclosure pertains.
[Technical Solution]
[13] To solve the above-mentioned problems, an electrode terminal assembly
for a liquid quality meter apparatus according to an embodiment of the present
disclosure includes a pair of electrode tettninals brought into contact with a
liquid to be measured, when liquid quality is measured and a fixing body
including a pair of electrode through-holes through which the pair of
electrode
tettninals pass, in which each of the electrode terminals including a body
having
an overall rod shape and a protrusion formed on a predetettnined portion
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between opposite ends of the body.
[14] When the electrode teitninals are inserted into the electrode through-
holes of the fixing body by a predetermined length, the protrusions are
stopped
by the fixing body, and the electrode teitninals are not inserted any more.
[15] To solve the above-mentioned problems, a liquid quality meter apparatus
according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes an electrode
teitninal assembly and a controller that applies power to the electrode
terminal
assembly.
[16] The electrode teitninal assembly includes a pair of electrode teitninals
and a fixing body including a pair of electrode through-holes through which
the
pair of electrode terminals pass, in which each of the electrode terminals
includes a body having an overall rod shape and a protrusion protruding from
the body to a side.
[17] When the electrode teitninals are inserted into the electrode through-
holes of the fixing body by a predetermined length, the protrusions are
stopped
by the fixing body, and the electrode teitninals are not inserted any more.
[ Advantageous Effects]
[18] According to the embodiments of the present disclosure, at least the
following effects are achieved.
[19] The electrode teitninal assembly includes the pair of electrode
teitninals
including the electrode teitninal protrusions and the fixing body including
the
pair of electrode through-holes through which the pair of electrode terminals
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pass. Accordingly, even though the electrode terminal assembly is used in a
high-temperature and high-pressure condition, the electrode tettninals may be
effectively prevented from being pushed into the fixing body.
[20] In addition, as the electrode tettninals are prevented from being pushed
into the fixing body, occurrence of water leakage between the electrode
tettninals and the fixing body may be prevented, and thus the durability of
the
electrode tettninal assembly may be improved.
[21] Effects of the present disclosure are not limited to the aforementioned
effects, and any other effects not mentioned herein will be clearly understood
from the accompanying claims by those skilled in the art to which the present
disclosure pertains.
[ Description of Drawings]
[22] FIG. 1 is a view illustrating part of an electrode tettninal assembly for
an
exemplary liquid quality meter apparatus.
[23] FIG. 2 is a view illustrating an electrode terminal assembly for a liquid
quality meter apparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.
[24] FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the electrode tettninal
assembly of FIG. 2.
[25] FIG. 4 is a vertical sectional view of the electrode terminal assembly of
FIG. 2.
[ Mode for Invention]
[26] Hereinafter, some embodiments of the present disclosure will be
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described in detail with reference to the exemplary drawings. In adding the
reference numerals to the components of each drawing, it should be noted that
the identical or equivalent component is designated by the identical numeral
even when they are displayed on other drawings. Further, in describing the
embodiment of the present disclosure, a detailed description of well-known
features or functions will be ruled out in order not to unnecessarily obscure
the
gist of the present disclosure.
[27] In describing the components of the embodiment according to the present
disclosure, terms such as first, second, "A", "B", (a), (b), and the like may
be
used. These teinis are merely intended to distinguish one component from
another component, and the Wails do not limit the nature, sequence or order of
the components. When a component is described as "connected", "coupled", or
"linked" to another component, this may mean the components are not only
directly "connected", "coupled", or "linked" but also are indirectly
"connected",
"coupled", or "linked" via a third component.
[28] This application claims the benefit of priority to Korean Patent
Application Nos. 10-2019-0026327 and 10-2019-0165584, filed in the Korean
Intellectual Property Office on March 07, 2019 and December 12, 2019,
respectively, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by
reference.
[29] FIG. 1 is a view illustrating part of an electrode teiminal assembly for
an
exemplary liquid quality meter apparatus. FIG. 2 is a view illustrating an
electrode teiminal assembly for a liquid quality meter apparatus according to
an
embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view
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of the electrode terminal assembly of FIG. 2. FIG. 4 is a vertical sectional
view
of the electrode teitninal assembly of FIG. 2.
[30] The electrode teitninal assembly 100 according to this embodiment may
be applied to a liquid quality meter apparatus for measuring the quality of a
liquid, based on the electrical resistance of the liquid to be measured.
[31] A total dissolved solids or total dissolved slats (TDS) sensor may
exemplify the liquid quality meter apparatus for measuring the quality of the
liquid, based on the electrical resistance of the liquid.
[32] Here, a total dissolved solids or total dissolved salts (TDS) value
refers
to the total amount of solids dissolved in water and generally refers to the
total
amount of ions including positive ions and negative ions dissolved in water.
[33] A liquid quality meter apparatus, such as a TDS sensor, for measuring
the quality of a liquid based on the electrical resistance of the liquid
includes an
electrode body assembly including electrode teitninals brought into contact
with
the liquid to be measured, when the liquid quality is measured and a
controller
for controlling power applied to the electrode teitninals.
[34] The electrode teitninal assembly 100 according to this embodiment
includes a pair of electrode teitninals 110 and a fixing body 120.
[35] The pair of electrode teitninals 110 are brought into contact with the
liquid to be measured, when the quality of the liquid is measured.
[36] The pair of electrode teitninals 110 may each include an electrode
teitninal body 111 having an overall rod shape and an electrode teitninal
protrusion 112 foitned on a predeteitnined portion between opposite ends of
the
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electrode teitninal body 111.
[37] The fixing body 120 includes a pair of electrode through-holes 123
through which the pair of electrode terminals 110 pass.
[38] When the pair of electrode terminals 110 are inserted into the electrode
through-holes 123 of the fixing body 120 by a predetermined length, the
electrode teitninal protrusions 112 are stopped by the fixing body 120, and
thus
the pair of electrode terminals 110 are not inserted any more.
[39] The electrode teitninal assembly 100 may further include first and
second housings 130 and 140 for receiving the fixing body 120 and the pair of
electrode tei tninals 110.
[40] The first and second housings 130 and 140 may be coupled to foitn an
interior space in which the fixing body 120 and the pair of electrode
terminals
110 are received. The fixing body 120 and the pair of electrode teitninals 110
are supported by the first and second housings 130 and 140 in the direction in
which the pair of electrode terminals 110 are inserted toward the fixing body
120. Accordingly, the fixing body 120 and the pair of electrode teitninals 110
are prevented from being separated from each other.
[41] The above-configured electrode teitninal assembly 100 according to this
embodiment is a structure provided by coupling the pair of electrode
teitninals
110, the fixing body 120, the first housing 130, and the second housing 140
that
are separately prepared.
[42] The positions of the pair of electrode teitninals 110 relative to the
fixing
body 120 and the first housing 130 are limited by the electrode teitninal
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protrusions 112 of the pair of electrode terminals 110. That is, the electrode
tettninal protrusions 112 fottned on the pair of electrode tettninals 110
prevent
the pair of electrode terminals 110 from being further inserted toward the
fixing
body 120 and prevent the pair of electrode terminals 110 from being extracted
outside the first housing 130.
[43] An electrode terminal assembly for a liquid quality meter apparatus in
the related art is generally manufactured by a method (generally referred to
as
an injection-molding method) of locating electrode tettninals at predetermined
positions in a mold and fot __ ming a fixing body by filling the mold with a
molding
liquid. In the electrode terminal assembly in the related art, the electrode
tettninals are simply fottned in a rod shape.
[44] The electrode terminal assembly in the related art has a problem in that
the electrode terminals are pushed into the fixing body when used in a high-
temperature and high-pressure condition. In this case, a liquid may infiltrate
between the electrode terminals and the fixing body, and water leakage may
occur inside a liquid quality meter apparatus, which may lead to deterioration
in durability.
[45] Furthermore, when the electrode terminal assembly is used in a liquid at
high temperature (about 80 C or more), the molding that forms the fixing body
may be dissolved, and therefore the electrode terminals may not be fixed.
[46] Accordingly, the exemplary electrode tettninal assembly 200 that, as
illustrated in FIG. 1, has electrode tettninals 202 that have a plate-shaped
body
2021extending in one direction and have, on one region thereof, a protrusion
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2022 protruding from the body 2021 in a direction not parallel to the
extension
direction may be considered. A stopper 204 may be foitned inside a housing
201 such that the protrusions 2022 are stopped by the stopper 204 and
prevented
from escaping from the housing 201, and a molding 203 surrounding the
electrode teitninals may be foitned inside the housing for sealing, by a
method
of filling the housing with a molding liquid and solidifying the molding
liquid.
[47] However, even in this case, although the electrode terminals 202 are
prevented from being pushed by high-temperature and high-pressure, the
molding 203 foitned for sealing may be dissolved by high temperature, or may
be cracked, to cause water leakage, and the electrode teitninals 202 may be
electrically connected and short-circuited.
[48] Although a different structure rather than the molding 203, particularly,
a watertight member such as an 0-ring (not illustrated) that is foitned of an
elastic member and that blocks a boundary is disposed to overcome this problem
on a portion where water leakage is likely to occur, it may be difficult to
effectively maintain water tightness because the electrode teitninals 202 are
foitned in a plate shape.
[49] The electrode terminal assembly 100 according to this embodiment is
aimed at improving durability by preventing a movement of the electrode
teitninals 110 due to an operating environment or condition of the electrode
teitninal assembly 100 (e.g., voltage applied to the electrode terminals or
the
temperature of the electrode terminals) and preventing water leakage of the
electrode WI ___ tninal assembly 100.
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[50] To this end, the electrode teitninal assembly 100 according to this
embodiment is characterized in that the electrode teitninal assembly 100
includes the pair of electrode terminals 110 including the electrode teitninal
protrusion 112 and having an overall rod shape and the fixing body 120
including the pair of electrode through-holes 123 through which the pair of
electrode teitninals 110 pass, and when the electrode terminals 110 are
inserted
into the electrode through-holes 123 of the fixing body 120 by the
predeteitnined length, the electrode terminal protrusions 112 are stopped by
the
fixing body 120, and thus the electrode terminals 110 are not inserted any
more.
[51] Hereinafter, features of the electrode terminal assembly 100 according to
this embodiment will be described in more detail.
[52] Referring to FIG. 2, the first and second housings 130 and 140 may be
coupled with each other in an up/down direction.
[53] The first housing 130 may include a first housing body 131 and a first
housing extension 122 extending from the first housing body 131 in a downward
direction in which the pair of electrode teitninals 110 extend.
[54] The first housing 130 may include a pair of first housing through-holes
130h through which the pair of electrode teitninals 110 pass.
[55] The first housing through-holes 130h may extend in the up/down
direction in which the pair of electrode teitninals 110 extend and may be
foitned
through the first housing extension 122, and the pair of electrode teitninals
110
may be exposed outside the first housing 130 through the pair of first housing
through-holes 130h.
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[56] The second housing 140 may include a second housing body 141 coupled
with the first housing body 131 and a second housing extension 142 extending
from the second housing body 141 in an upward direction.
[57] The second housing 140 may have a receiving space 143 formed therein
in which a pair of terminals 10 are received. The second housing 140 may have
a shape including a center hole to provide the receiving space 143 in which
the
pair of terminals 10 are received.
[58] The pair of teitninals 10 may be connected with the pair of electrode
teitninals 110, respectively, and may be connected with a controller (not
illustrated) to apply power to the pair of electrode teitninals 110. That is,
the
pair of terminals 10 may serve as a medium through which power is applied
from the controller or a power supply device to the pair of electrode
terminals
110.
[59] Referring to FIG. 3, the pair of electrode teitninals 110 may each
include
the electrode teitninal body 111 having an overall rod shape and the electrode
teitninal protrusion 112 foitned on the predeteitnined portion between the
upper
and lower ends of the electrode terminal body 111.
[60] The electrode teitninal protrusion 112 may be formed by a method of
pressing the electrode terminal body 111 with a press.
[61] In an embodiment, the electrode terminal protrusion 112 may be foitned
in a ring shape along a circumferential surface of the electrode teitninal
body
111.
[62] The fixing body 120 may include a main body 121 and a pair of fixing
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body extensions 122 extending downward from the main body 121 of the fixing
body 120.
[63] The fixing body 120 may include the pair of electrode through-holes 123
through which upper ends of the pair of electrode terminals 110 pass.
[64] The pair of electrode through-holes 123 may be foitned through the main
body 121 of the fixing body 120 and may be foitned through the pair of fixing
body extensions 122, respectively.
[65] Accordingly, the upper ends of the pair of electrode teitninals 110 may
pass through the fixing body 120 and may be connected with the pair of
tei tninals 10.
[66] Meanwhile, unlike that illustrated in FIG. 3, one fixing body extension
may be provided, and a pair of electrode through-holes may be foitned through
a main body of a fixing body and the fixing body extension.
[67] Referring to FIG. 4, to receive the electrode teitninal protrusions 112,
the
fixing body 120 may have a shape in which portions making contact with the
electrode teitninal protrusions 112 of the pair of electrode teitninals 110
are
inwardly concave.
[68] The fixing body extensions 122 may have, in distal end portions thereof,
protrusion receiving recesses 124 having a shape in which edge portions of the
electrode through-holes 123 are recessed to a predetermined depth toward the
insides of the fixing body extensions 122.
[69] When the pair of electrode terminals 110 are inserted toward the fixing
body 120, the electrode teitninal protrusions 112 may be inserted into the
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protrusion receiving recesses 124, and the pair of electrode teitninals 110
and
the fixing body 120 may be firmly coupled together. That is, the pair of
electrode
teitninals 110 may be more finnly fixed by the fixing body 120. This structure
may prevent a situation in which the electrode teitninals 110 are pushed and
separated from the original positions even in a high-temperature and high-
pressure environment.
[70] Furthei _____ more, the fixing body 120 may include the fixing body
extensions
122 extending in the up/down direction in which the electrode teitninals 110
extend, thereby increasing the contact surface between the electrode
teitninals
110 and the fixing body 120, which in turn raises the coupling force of the
fixing
body 120 and the pair of electrode teitninals 110.
[71] Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, the first housing 130 may have a fixing body
receiving recess 133 in which the fixing body 120 is received. The fixing body
receiving recess 133 may be foitned in the first housing body 131.
[72] The pair of first housing through-holes 130h may be foitned in a bottom
surface 133a of the fixing body receiving recess 133 so as to be open toward
the
outside of the first housing 130. That is, referring to FIG. 4, the pair of
first
housing through-holes 130h may extend downward from the bottom surface
133a of the fixing body receiving recess 133 and may be open toward the
outside
of the first housing 130.
[73] The first housing through-holes 130h may be formed in a predeteitnined
size such that lower ends of the pair of electrode teitninals 110 pass through
the
first housing through-holes 130h, but the electrode terminal protrusions 112
do
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not pass through the first housing through-holes 130h and are stopped by the
bottom surface 133a of the fixing body receiving recess 133.
[74] For example, when the electrode tettninal bodies 111 have a cylindrical
rod shape and the electrode terminal protrusions 112 have a ring shape with a
predetettnined diameter, the first housing through-holes 130h may be circular
holes having a diameter that is greater than the diameter of the electrode
tettninal bodies 111 and is smaller than the diameter of the electrode
terminal
protrusions 112.
[75] Accordingly, the lower ends of the pair of electrode tettninals 110 may
be exposed outside the first housing 130 by a predetettnined length through
the
first housing through-holes 130h, but the pair of electrode terminals 110 may
be
prevented from being separated from the fixing body 120 and exposed outside
the first housing 130 by more than the predetettnined length.
[76] One of the first and second housings 130 and 140 may have a female
thread, and the other may have a male thread. The first and second housings
130
and 140 may be screw-coupled with each other.
[77] In an embodiment, the first housing 130 may have a female thread 134,
and the second housing 140 may have a male thread 144.
[78] Accordingly, the first and second housings 130 and 140 may be fittnly
coupled without being easily separated from each other by vertical forces. The
electrode tettninals 110 may be supported upward by the first housing 130, the
fixing body 120 may be supported downward by the second housing 140, and
thus the coupling of the electrode tettninals 110 and the fixing body 120 may
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be firmly maintained.
[79] Furthermore, because the second housing 140 and the fixing body 120
are not directly coupled, but make contact with each other, the second housing
140 may press the fixing body 120 downward when coupled to the first housing
130. Due to this structure, the second housing 140 may press the fixing body
120 against the first housing 130, thereby uniformly pressing the electrode
tettninal protrusions 112 disposed between the fixing body 120 and the first
housing 130 and inner 0-rings 150 that will be described below.
[80] To prevent infiltration of a fluid into the fixing body receiving recess
133
through the first housing through-holes 130h, the electrode tettninal assembly
100 may further include a pair of inner 0-rings 150 interposed between inside
ends of the first housing through-holes 130h (or, the bottom surface 133a of
the
fixing body receiving recess 133) and the pair of electrode tettninal
protrusions
112. That is, a structure for fixing the electrode tettninals 110 and a
structure
for sealing the electrode tettninals 110 may be provided separately from each
other.
[81] The inner 0-rings 150 may be fottned of an elastic material and may be
deformed by being pressed by the electrode tettninal protrusions 112 or the
fixing body 120 on an upper side thereof and the bottom surface 133a of the
fixing body receiving recess 133 on a lower side thereof. The inner 0-rings
150
may form a seal between the electrode tettninal protrusions 112 or the fixing
body 120 and the bottom surface 133a of the fixing body receiving recess 133.
Because the electrode terminal bodies 111 are formed in a cylindrical rod
shape
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and the electrode tettninal protrusions 112 are formed in a ring shape,
unifottn
sealing may be achieved when the inner 0-rings 150 having a ring shape are
disposed.
[82] For example, the inner 0-rings 150 may be fottned of a rubber material
or a material containing rubber.
[83] Accordingly, a fluid may be prevented from infiltrating into the fixing
body receiving recess 133 through the first housing through-holes 130h, and
thus deterioration in the durability of the electrode tettninal assembly 100
due
to water leakage may be effectively prevented.
[84] The electrode tettninal assembly 100 according to this embodiment may
be installed in a casing in which a liquid to be measured is stored. The first
housing body 131 may include a fastening part 135 through which the electrode
tettninal assembly 100 is able to be coupled with the casing in which the
liquid
to be measured is stored.
[85] The electrode terminal assembly 100 may further include an outer 0-ring
160 that forms a seal between the casing and the electrode tettninal assembly
100 when the electrode terminal assembly 100 is coupled with the casing in
which the liquid to be measured is stored.
[86] Hereinabove, although the present disclosure has been described with
reference to the exemplary embodiments and the accompanying drawings, the
present disclosure is not limited thereto, but may be variously modified and
altered by those skilled in the art to which the present disclosure pertains
without
departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure claimed in the
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following claims.
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