CN1178453A

CN1178453A - Electrical appliances

Info

Publication number: CN1178453A
Application number: CN96192587A
Authority: CN
Inventors: J·C·泰勒; J·M·布罗迪; J·M·罗伯特
Original assignee: Strix Ltd
Current assignee: Strix Ltd
Priority date: 1995-01-26
Filing date: 1996-01-26
Publication date: 1998-04-08

Abstract

An electrical appliance system comprises a common 'cordless' base unit (4) and a number of electrical appliances (2), particular domestic kitchen appliances, which can be interchangeably placed in the base to supply power thereto.

Description

Electrical appliance

The present invention relates to electrical appliance, specially refer to small household appliance, as can be used for the electrical appliance in kitchen.

A large amount of various household electrical appliance are arranged in the market.They can finish some different tasks, and this boils kettle, can opener, juicer etc. comprising electric power coffee mill, coffee.Usually, each apparatus all connects a fixing power line and works alone, when each the use, and power line must be launched and energized, with after pull out power supply and keep well.This is very inconvenient, and loses time, and in the life of reality, the user who has may not want to take the trouble and do not go to use it.

According to the present invention, the electrical appliance system that it provides comprises that a upper surface is equipped with base and a series of electrical appliance that is loaded on this base of electrical connector, when electrical appliance placed on the base, the electrical connector of each apparatus all can keep being connected with the electrical connector of base.

So according to the present invention, receivability a series of (two or more) apparatus on the base.This just provides the connection of a kind of " no electric wire " for each apparatus.It is easier, more convenient than existing apparatus to use like this.

Preferably, the base electrical connector forms a projection at base upper surface, and placing appliance is just relatively easy on base like this.

No matter its relative anglec of rotation how, each electrical connector on base and the apparatus can overlap.Apparatus is positioned on the base easily, and needn't considers their rotation directrix, this is a special advantage.As announced the joint of the type in WO 9,5/0 82 04 and WO 9,4/0 61 85, the former is the P72 joint of our commercialization.

Preferably, each joint is so discrete, and joint component that is used for being connected or accessory are installed on the precalculated position of each apparatus and base suitably, most preferably are loaded within apparatus or the base.

Preferably, each joint is installed in center and the apparatus bottom centre of utensil with the base top joining part usually.

In a preferred embodiment, base can be installed an electric switch, and when apparatus was placed on the base, the user can control the power supply of base joint by opening or cut off this switch.Owing to can control a series of apparatus with single switch, with each apparatus a switch is installed and is compared, the result has reduced cost, so this also is an advantage.

Switch can be the on-off switch of a simple manual operation, also time switch.This time switch can be designed to, and as opening or cut off in the moment of setting, perhaps sets and opens a period of time, and this switch also can carry out machinery or electrical control.

A manually operated on-off switch or time switch being installed for no electric wire apparatus or its base, itself is exactly the design of a novelty.So, say that further this invention provides a base unit to electrical appliance, and the electrical connector of base unit is easy to just can be connected with the electrical connector of this apparatus, and also has the power supply of a switch controls base electrical connector.

Certainly, the power connection of apparatus can be realized by apparatus being put or removed base simply with cut-out.This is suitable for short apparatus of the sort of electricity consumption time, as coffee grinding machine.Certainly, if adopt this design, the electrical connector of apparatus and base should be made the electrical contact that can repeat break-make.Like this, joint can be installed suitable contact, as silver contact or silver plated contact.

Such as, in preferred version, adopt the sort of electrical connector described in the WO 9,5/0 82 04, wherein, the electrical connector on the apparatus comprises a center plug, is a neutral ring on every side, the end of this plug is adorned a silver contact or silver plated contact, and a silver plated contact is adorned in the bottom of centering ring.Correspondingly, the neutral spring leaf of base joint should be adorned a contact at least.

Switch on for showing that apparatus is placed on the base, on base, can adorn an indicating device, as neon lamp.

Base also can have the device of protection working face safety.Such as, in one embodiment, base can be installed one or more suction pads.

The electrical connector of base unit can connect the power line of its other end band plug, and it can insert the socket on the wall and provide power supply to base unit.

Base unit selectively joins with the power supply terminal of another apparatus, as electric frying pan.For example, in one embodiment, base can insert in the groove of the electric frying pan that has moving-member, and the device of energized is arranged, and this design was described in No. the 5415572nd, United States Patent (USP).

The electrical connector of base selectively directly is loaded on the working face, the energized so that various apparatus can be placed directly on the working face.In this case, working face can be provided convenience for base effectively.

So, say that further the invention provides a cover domestic electric appliance, it comprises a working face or similarly electrical connector is equipped with on portion or top within it, when electrical appliance was placed on the working face, the electrical connector that is contained on the apparatus just can be connected mutually with the joint on the working face.

The family kitchen apparatus that this invention is particularly suitable for fixing.This apparatus has two types on thermal device and power set.Apparatus provided by the invention comprises: kettle, coffee boil kettle, juicer, electric coffee grinder millstone, knife sharpener, can opener, popcorn device, boiled egg device, food blender etc.

The scope that defines this type of " no electric wire " joint home appliances is not a general thing.In a broad sense, according to the present invention, it also extends to the household electrical appliance of charged gas joint, and this electrical connector is used for being connected mutually with base.

In the use, but user's most of the time a main apparatus of frequent use stay on the base, when needs use other apparatus, take it away, other apparatus is placed on uses on the base, main apparatus is put back to after using up.

Base and one or more apparatus can be bought as a cover together.Comprise that as a cover coffee making apparatus base unit and a coffee grinding machine, a coffee boil kettle.When wanting to cook coffee, pulverizing mill is placed on earlier on the base, puts fresh coffee beans, power-on, has just produced coffee powder.Then coffee is boiled kettle and be substituted on the base, coffee powder is transferred in the kettle, power-on just can cooked coffee.Also can select to buy earlier a base and an apparatus, other apparatus can be used as extention, waits when needing and buys in batches.

With reference to accompanying drawing, now the certain preferred embodiments that will invent is described below:

Fig. 1: the little insulating pot that shows a band handle is prepared to be put on the base;

Fig. 2: the kettle among Fig. 1 has been placed on the base;

Fig. 3: an electric power juicer is placed on the base;

Fig. 4: a coffee grinding machine is placed on the base;

Fig. 5: be installed in the electrical connector of Fig. 1 in the embodiment of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6: be suitable for use in an other base plan view among the present invention;

Fig. 7: the end view of Fig. 6 base.

With reference to Fig. 1, Fig. 2 and Fig. 5, one has the mini zone handle kettle 2 of two to three glasss of amounts to rest on the base 4.Base is circular, and the receptacle terminal 6 of a circular cross section is equipped with on surface 8 thereon.As shown in Figure 5, joint 6 is equipped with a spring contact 12 and a ground spring contact 14 that is positioned at 10, one neutrality of charged spring contact at center.Charged contact can be connected by the centre bore on joint 6 upper surfaces 16, and neutral contact 12 can be connected by the narrow hole of an annular on the upper surface 16, and grounding contact 14 is a sidewall 18 of perforation joint 6 then.Each contact all is connected on the binding post of a band power line, and this power supply one end connects a plug (not shown), can insert as in the socket on the wall.So joint 6 is separable components that are contained in the base upper surface desired location.

Kettle 2 has a separable joint 22 of plug, and it is contained in the center of apparatus bottom usually regularly.The needle-like tip side has the charged circuit contact pilotage 24 in center to be connected mutually with charged contact 10 on the base, the contact pilotage 26 of an annular and the neutral contact 12 on the base are joined, and the annular grounding contact 28 of an inwall that is surrounded on joint 22 joins with the grounding contact 14 of base.As shown in Figure 1 and Figure 2, chargedly be connected lead 30,32 respectively with binding post neutrality, this lead is connected with the heater (not shown) of kettle by the control unit (not shown) of a routine.Each electrical equipment described above further details can obtain by we aforesaid patent application WO 9,5/0 80 24.

When kettle 2 was put on the base 4, the user can give the heater supplies power supply by operation on-off switch 34.When wanting with other apparatus, kettle 2 can be taken away, and other apparatus such as electric power juicer 40 (Fig. 3) or coffee grinding machine 42 (Fig. 4) can be put on the base and use.

In two embodiments of Fig. 3 and Fig. 4, the bottom centre of each utensil loads onto needle-like joint 22 equally.The terminal of joint is connected the drive motors of each apparatus by suitable lead, if want, also switch can be installed on apparatus.

Switch can be selected to be installed on the base unit, and this has just been avoided for each apparatus a switch being installed.A kind of base that switching system has been installed as shown in Figure 6 and Figure 7.In this embodiment, the switch (not shown) is connected between power line 52 and the base joint 54, and base joint 54 is loaded on apparatus receiving unit 56 centers that join with base top.

Switch has manually operated ' opening ' and ' pass ' button 60,62.It also is provided with

button

64,66 and 68, and they can be used for being provided with the scheduled time of an apparatus job, zero hour of a default apparatus job or the like.Constantly can on the surface 70 of base, show with the operating time.Such as, predetermined operating time

available buttons

64 and 66 is set, and opening time available buttons 68 is set.The termination of reseting, removing or working of time further realizes by

button

64,66,68.

Main button 62,62 can make timing function lose efficacy.Certainly, the design of disclosed timer is fully exemplary, and for the skilled person, other design also is easy to accomplish.

Should be appreciated that the many changes to above-mentioned specific embodiments can not break away from this scope of invention.Though for example the electrical connector of this invention design is optimized, also other form without limits.

Simultaneously, above-mentioned electrical connector is separable different elements, and certainly, it also can incorporate the part as a big assembly into.Can form the part of the integrated control unit of an electrical appliance as it.

The medium base of the electrical appliance of given a series of internally charged gas joints and a charged gas joint that matches, the present invention just can allow the user pass through to use the apparatus of " no electric wire " to obtain income and convenient, but main be to provide cost savings and take care of the space.

Claims

An electrical appliance system comprise one on upper surface or in base and a series of electrical appliance that can be loaded on respectively on this base of electrical connector are housed, when electrical appliance placed on the base, the electrical connector of each apparatus all can keep being connected with the electrical connector of base.
2. according to the system of claim 1, wherein, each the type electrical connector on base and the apparatus is no matter its relative anglec of rotation how, all can overlap.
3. according to the system of claim 1 or 2, wherein, each joint is installed in base top center and apparatus bottom centre substantially.
4. according to the system of above-mentioned arbitrary claim, wherein, base is equipped with electrical switchgear.
5. according to the system of claim 4, wherein, this switching device is manually operated.
6. according to the system of claim 4 or 5, wherein, this switching device is a time switch.
7. according to the system of above-mentioned arbitrary claim, wherein, base has the device of protecting its opposite working safety.
8. according to the system of claim 7, wherein, one or more suction pads are installed on the base.
9. according to the system of above-mentioned arbitrary claim, wherein, base unit can removably join with the power supply terminal of another apparatus.
10. according to the system of above-mentioned arbitrary claim, wherein, an indicating device is installed on this base unit.
11. according to the system of above-mentioned arbitrary claim, wherein, this apparatus is the household kitchen utensil.
12. a cover domestic electric appliance, comprise a working face or similarly within it portion or its go up electrical connector of installation, when electrical appliance was positioned on the working face, the electrical connector that is contained on the apparatus just can be connected mutually with the joint on the working face.
13. the base unit of an electrical appliance, this base unit have an electrical connector, it be suitable for this apparatus on electrical connector be connected mutually, and this base unit also comprises the switch of alternative its electrical connector power supply of control.