EP2934244A1

EP2934244A1 - Water heater

Info

Publication number: EP2934244A1
Application number: EP12816296.3A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Canyigit Atay; Korhan Ozkalay; Derya Hamarat; Berrin GULBAY; Murat Kani TIBET
Original assignee: Arcelik AS
Current assignee: Arcelik AS
Priority date: 2012-12-24
Filing date: 2012-12-24
Publication date: 2015-10-28
Also published as: WO2014101934A1

Abstract

The present invention pertains to a water heater receptacle in the form of a containment means for heating and boiling water, said receptacle defining an inner volume where water to be heated is preserved. Said receptacle comprises sub-components such as a handle assembly with a handle secured to a body wall portion, for handling and carrying said receptacle, a cover for covering top portion of said receptacle and accessing thereinto and a filtering means for filtering out particles in said receptacle during discharge.

Description

[Title established by the ISA under Rule 37.2] WATER HEATER

The present invention pertains to a water heater receptacle or kettle in the form of a containment means for heating and boiling water, said receptacle defining an inner volume where water to be heated is preserved. The present invention more specifically pertains to a water heater receptacle having a plurality structurally associated components integrally forming said kettle structure.
Body components, i.e. parts making up walls of the containment means, and other functional elements such as handle, cover and filtering means of the water heater receptacle are generally manufactured in an individual manner and then assembled such that a water heater receptacle is obtained. A plurality of individually manufactured components as such is assembled by means of different joining means such as hinges, interengaging parts and so on. The problem associated therewith is that more complex and accordingly more expensive moulds are needed for manufacturing respective joining parts having relatively smaller connection ends. Another inconvenience stems from the fact that users as well can themselves detach end parts, which would in fact also constitute a problem as they may not always be able to reassemble the product.
On the other hand, the most significant advantage of having a plurality of components in a preassembled form provides that no additional work is needed and significant time and labor cost is saved.
Among others, a prominent patent disclosure in the technical field of the present invention may be referred to as US 20100140304. The document discloses a closure device in the form of a one-piece dispensing closure with a base, a lid having a first flap and means to irreversibly attach to the base, a first living hinge connecting the base to the lid, and a second living hinge connecting the first flap to the lid. The present invention provides a water heater receptacle having an individually manufactured one-piece structural component extending along at least four sides of the receptacle with an improved mechanical stability as such.
The present invention therefore provides a water heater receptacle overcoming the aforementioned inconveniences, which is defined in the characterizing portion of Claim 1.
Primary object of the present invention is to provide a water heater receptacle for conveniently heating water, such receptacle having an individually manufactured one-piece component extending along at least four sides thereof.
The present invention proposes a water heater receptacle with electrical resistances for heating said receptacle at its base. Said receptacle has a handle assembly with a handle fixed to a vertically extending side wall portion of the receptacle. A conventional cover is secured to the top surface of the receptacle for filling in and discharging said receptacle. A filtering means covering the mouth opening of said receptacle is provided for filtering out particles at a certain size during discharge.
Said water heater receptacle comprises a single-piece component structurally supporting said water heater receptacle between its base and its top portion such that it stands upright on its base. In other words, said single-piece component mechanically helps maintaining the integrity of the receptacle on its base.
Said single-piece component comprises sub-components comprising said handle assembly and said cover. Said sub-components are preassembled by a living hinge, which is a linear connection parts at both sides of which are pivotally movable.
Said single-piece component further comprises a filtering means attached to said cover also by means of a living hinge connection. This ensures that all three components, i.e. said handle, said cover and said filtering means manufactured as a single unit build a mechanical element structurally supporting the receptacle and fulfill the three essential functions in association with said receptacle.
Said single-piece component at least partially extends along all four sides of said receptacle, i.e. a base portion, a vertically extending wall portion where said handle is attached, a top portion where said cover is formed and another vertical portion making up said filtering means, therefore structurally supports said receptacle.
Accompanying drawings are given solely for the purpose of exemplifying a water heater receptacle whose advantages over prior art were outlined above and will be explained hereinafter in brief. The drawings are not meant to delimit the scope of protection as identified in the claims nor should they be referred to alone in an effort to interpret the scope identified in said claims without recourse to the technical disclosure in the description of the present invention.
Fig. 1 demonstrates a general perspective view of unassembled components of a water heater receptacle.
Fig. 2 demonstrates a general perspective view of a water heater receptacle with a preassembled single-piece component according to the present invention.
Referring now to the figures outlined above, the present invention proposes a water heater receptacle as defined in Claim 1.
The following numerals are assigned to different parts demonstrated in the drawings:
(1) Handle assembly
(2) Cover
(3) Filtering means
(4) One-piece structural component
(5) Base portion
The water heater receptacle of the present invention features an electrical heating means for heating water preserved within an inner volume of said receptacle.
Said electrical heating means is in thermal communication with an internal base of said receptacle. Electrical power is transferred to said electrical heating means from the mains whereupon contained water is boiled. Boiling of water can then be interrupted or continued at a lower wattage to enable keep-warm function.
The water heater receptacle of the present invention comprises a handle assembly (1) for handling and carrying said receptacle, a cover (2) for covering top portion of said receptacle and accessing thereinto and a filtering means (3) for filtering out particles in said receptacle during discharge. These three components constitute structural elements fulfilling essential functions in a water heater receptacle.
Fig. 1 demonstrates these three components in an unassembled form (1, 2 and 3). A handle assembly (1) is needed for carrying and handling and it is generally manufactured integrally with a neighboring body wall portion extending between bottom and top portions of said receptacle. A cover (2) as a component forming the uppermost surface of the receptacle is hinged to the receptacle body in the manner to be upwardly openable. Finally, a filtering means (3) is positioned as it is freely removable. The same covers (2) an open mouth portion of the receptacle positioned below said cover (2) to be surrounded by respective body wall portions.
The water heater receptacle according to the present invention comprises a single-piece component (4) structurally supporting said water heater receptacle along an axis between bottom and top portions thereof. A preassembled single-piece component (4) fulfilling all the functions associated with sub-components otherwise provided individually is advantageous in that significant time and labor cost is saved as no mounting is needed.
Said single-piece component (4) according to the invention comprises sub-components consisting of said handle assembly (1), said cover (2) and said filtering means (3). Said sub-components are assembled by linearly extending connection lines along which neighboring sub-components are pivotally connected. This type of mechanical connection is widely practiced and generally referred to as a living hinge connection.
The neighboring parts, i.e. the handle assembly (1), the cover (2)(2) and the filtering means (3) likewise are pivotally connected to each other according to the present invention. In the embodiment of the invention where the filtering means (3) is also preassembled with the cover (2) provides the additional effect that it can be easily washed with tap water by opening said cover (2), the alternative in prior art systems necessitating individually separating said filtering means (3) and remounting the same after cleaning, which may eventually result in the loss of the item.
Said single-piece component (4) structurally support said water heater receptacle along an axis between the receptacle base and said cover (2). It helps said receptacle maintain an upright position on its base as a mechanical element structurally supporting said receptacle.
Said single-piece component (4) partially extends along at least four axes, two axes of said four extending parallel to other two axes. It therefore extends along all four sides of said receptacle, i.e. said base portion (5), said cover (2), said handle assembly (1) and said filtering means (3).

Claims

A water heater receptacle comprising an electrical heating means for heating water preserved within an inner volume of said receptacle, said receptacle comprising a handle assembly (1) with a handle secured to a body wall portion of said receptacle, for handling and carrying said receptacle, a cover (2) for covering top portion of said receptacle and accessing thereinto and a filtering means (3) for filtering out particles in said receptacle during discharge, said water heater receptacle comprises a single-piece component (4) characterized in that said single-piece component (4) comprises sub-components comprising said handle assembly (1) and said cover (2), said sub-components being preassembled by a living hinge portion in the form of a linearly extending connection line along which said handle assembly (1) and said cover (2) are pivotally connected.
A water heater receptacle as set forth in Claim 1 wherein said single-piece component (4) further comprises a filtering means (3) fastened to said cover (2) by means of a living hinge connection.
A water heater receptacle as set forth in Claim 1 wherein said single-piece component (4) structurally support said water heater receptacle along an axis between a base portion (5) thereof and said cover (2).
A water heater receptacle as set forth in Claim 3 wherein said single-piece component (4) comprises a base portion (5) along said base of said receptacle.
A water heater receptacle as set forth in Claim 4 wherein said single-piece component (4) partially extends along at least four axes, two axes of said four extending parallel to other two axes.
A water heater receptacle as set forth in Claim 5 wherein said single-piece component (4) extends along said base portion (5), said cover (2), said handle assembly (1) and said filtering means (3).