Instantaneous water heater

Abstract

There is provided an instantaneous water heater capable of expelling heated water or steam when internal pressure reaches or exceeds a predetermined pressure, thus preventing an accident, product damage, or the like. The instantaneous water heater includes a main body having an inlet allowing water to be introduced therethrough and an outlet allowing water to be discharged therethrough; a heating unit disposed in the main body and heating water introduced to the main body; and a decompression unit connected to a decompression hole disposed in the main body and expelling heated water or steam to the outside thereof when internal pressure within the main body reaches or exceeds a predetermined pressure.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An instantaneous water heater comprising:
 a main body having an inlet allowing water to be introduced therethrough and an outlet allowing water to be discharged therethrough;   a heating unit disposed in the main body and heating water introduced to the main body; and   a decompression unit connected to a decompression hole disposed in the main body and expelling heated water or steam to the outside thereof when internal pressure within the main body reaches or exceeds a predetermined pressure.   
     
     
         2 . The instantaneous water heater of  claim 1 , wherein the decompression unit includes a safety valve having one side connected to the decompression hole and opened when the internal pressure within the main body is equal to or higher than the predetermined pressure. 
     
     
         3 . The instantaneous water heater of  claim 2 , wherein the decompression hole is formed in an upper portion of the main body. 
     
     
         4 . The instantaneous water heater of  claim 2 , wherein the decompression hole is formed in a portion of the main body in which the outlet is disposed. 
     
     
         5 . The instantaneous water heater of  claim 4 , wherein the outlet and the decompression unit are disposed in the upper portion of the main body. 
     
     
         6 . The instantaneous water heater of  claim 2 , wherein the decompression unit further includes a drain pipe connected to the other side of the safety valve. 
     
     
         7 . The instantaneous water heater of  claim 1 , further comprising a controller connected to the decompression unit and informing a user about an operation of the decompression unit when the decompression unit operates. 
     
     
         8 . The instantaneous water heater of  claim 7 , wherein the controller is connected to an alarm unit and operates the alarm unit when the decompression unit operates. 
     
     
         9 . The instantaneous water heater of  claim 7 , wherein the controller is connected to the heating unit, and when the decompression unit operates, the controller stops the operation of the heating unit. 
     
     
         10 . The instantaneous water heater of  claim 7 , wherein the main body is provided in a direct-type water purifier or a tank-type water purifier, and when the decompression unit operates, the controller turns off every power supplied to the direct-type water purifier or the tank-type water purifier. 
     
     
         11 . The instantaneous water heater of  claim 1 , wherein the main body includes a first main body formation member and a second main body formation member coupled to the first main body formation member, and
 the inlet or the outlet is provided in any one of the first main body formation member and the second main body formation member.   
     
     
         12 . The instantaneous water heater of  claim 1 , further comprising a flow unit provided in the main body and including a flow channel connected to the inlet and the outlet such that introduced water is heated by the heating unit while flowing therein for a predetermined period of time. 
     
     
         13 . The instantaneous water heater of  claim 12 , wherein the flow unit includes a rim member forming the edge of the flow channel. 
     
     
         14 . The instantaneous water heater of  claim 13 , wherein the flow unit further includes one or more flow channel formation members connected to the rim member to form a flow channel. 
     
     
         15 . The instantaneous water heater of  claim 1 , wherein the heating unit is installed on an outer surface of the main body. 
     
     
         16 . The instantaneous water heater of  claim 15 , wherein the heating unit includes a surface-type heater. 
     
     
         17 . The instantaneous water heater of  claim 16 , wherein the surface-type heater is a ruthenox heater. 
     
     
         18 . The instantaneous water heater of  claim 2 , wherein the safety valve is connected to a flow sensor, and
 when leakage from the safety valve is sensed by the flow sensor, the controller connected to the safety valve and the flow sensor interrupts the introduction of water to the inlet and informs a user accordingly.