FR2675035A3 - ELECTRIC KETTLE. - Google Patents

Abstract

An electric kettle (1) has a body defining a container for a liquid to be heated, an electric heating element extending into the container, and a cover (7) for closing the container. On an outer surface (7a) of the cover is mounted a locking member (20) which cooperates with the cover (7) and the body so as to be movable relative to the cover (7) between a first position in which the member (20) locks the cover (7) to the body, and a second position in which the member (20) is released from the body and engages a part of the cover (7) so that subsequent movement of the member (20) beyond the second position, opposite the first position, has the effect of moving the assembly of the cover (7) and the member (20) relative to the body. A tight fit of the cover (7) with respect to the kettle body is therefore not necessary and, thanks to the locking member (20), the cover (7) can be moved in a relatively simple manner by displacement. of this member (20) from the first to the second position. Application: Home appliances

Description

"Electric kettle".

  The invention relates to an electric kettle comprising a body having a base wall and a side wall which define a container for a liquid to be heated, as well as electric heating means by Joule effect extending in the

  container and a lid to close the container.

  An example of such a kettle is given in GB-A2179544. As described in this document GB-A-2179544, the body and the lid of the kettle can be made of plastic to ensure that the lid does not fall when the kettle is tilted to pour heated liquid, it is necessary that the lid is well adjusted on the body of the kettle This requires a molding of high precision of the lid and the constituents of the body In addition, the adjustment of the lid on the body of the kettle can be so tight that it's hard to

  remove it, especially if the user is a disabled person.

  The invention aims to provide an electric kettle in which the lid can both be firmly locked on the kettle body and be

  easily removed from the body of the kettle if needed.

  According to the invention there is provided an electric kettle having a body having a base wall and a side wall which define a container for a liquid to be heated, as well as Joule electric heating means extending into the container. and a lid for closing the container, characterized in that, on an outer surface of the lid, is mounted a locking member which cooperates with the lid and the body so as to be movable relative to the lid, between a first position in which the locking member holds the lid locked on the body and a second position in which the locking member is released from the body and engages in a part of the

  cover, so that a subsequent movement of the locking member

  beyond the second position and opposite the first position has the effect of displacing

  the entire cover and the locking member relative to the body.

  Thus, in an electric kettle according to the invention, a locking member provided on the lid can be moved by a user between a first position in which the lid is locked and a second position in which the lid can be moved relative to the body of the kettle by means of the locking member so as to allow access to the inside of the body of the kettle so it is not necessary that the lid is properly fitted to the body of the kettle and, in furthermore, the locking member makes it possible to move the cover in a simple manner by moving the locking member from the first to the

second position.

  Preferably, the locking member has an elongated locking member extending over the diameter of the cover and mounted on the cover so as to be pivotable about an axis extending along the length of the elongate member. elongate element is of a relatively convenient grip and can be easily moved to the second position to unlock the lid As a rule, the locking member is prestressed towards the first position of

  to prevent the lid from being accidentally removed from the body of the kettle.

  The pressure on the locking member towards the first position serves to ensure that the lid is locked on the kettle body whenever it is brought

  in the closed position of the container.

  The ends of the locking member and the side wall may have pins and locking recesses which cooperate to lock the locking member in the first position so that movement of the locking member to the second position releases the lugs of the locking recesses The lugs and the locking recesses can be molded respectively with the locking member and the body, which provides improved safety and which avoids unnecessary errors of tolerance or play in the mechanism The outer surface of the cover may define a recess of the locking member such that each end of the locking member is positioned adjacent to a corresponding opening of the cover, the locking tabs extending through them. openings to cooperate, on the one hand, with the recesses to lock the organ verro in the first position and on the other hand with surfaces defining apertures and against which the locking member abuts in the second position so that subsequent movement of the locking member beyond the second position and the opposite of the first

  position, causes the cover to move together with the locking member.

  Generally, the locking lugs are provided on collars mounted to

  ends of the locking element.

  In this way, the apertures adjust the distance or angle at which the locking member can pivot or move before the locking member engages with the cover to cause the cover to move together with the locking member when the locking member is moved farther away from the second position, away from the first position This construction of the cover and the locking member provides a robust design and is of simple mounting of the in particular, it ensures uniform alignment and

  reproducible between the pins and the locking recesses.

  The ends of the locking member may be provided with a resilient retaining means for cooperating with the cover to mount the locking member on the cover so as to allow movement of the locking member.

  locking relative to the lid, between the first and second positions.

  In a preferred embodiment, each end of the locking member has a resilient retaining means extending through the associated opening to cooperate with the cover to mount the locking member on the cover so that the locking member can be moved relative to the cover, between the first and second positions This reduces the number

  necessary components and simplify the assembly of the kettle.

  Each resilient retaining means may include a hook-shaped projection which snaps behind an edge of the lid, so that

  a relatively simple construction and convenient mounting.

  The present invention also provides a lid for an electric kettle, characterized in that it carries a locking member having an elongated locking member extending over the diameter of the lid so that each end of the locking member is positioned next to a corresponding opening in the cover and through which a resilient retaining means, carried by the end of the locking member, extends to cooperate with the cover to mount the locking member on the cover so that the locking member can be moved relative to the cover, between first and second positions, each end of the locking element having

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  a locking lug extending through the associated opening to engage a locking recess provided on a kettle body when the lid is in place on the kettle body, the locking member being in the first position.

  The invention will be better understood with the aid of the following description,

  for example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a simplified schematic side view of an electric kettle according to the invention, Figure 2 is a top view of the electric kettle of the figure 1; Figure 3 is a section along the dashed line m-m 11 of Figure 3 showing a portion of the kettle of Figures 1 and 2; Figure 4 is a sectional view of a portion of a lid and lock assembly of the kettle of Figures 1 and 2; Figure 5 is a side view of the portion of the assembly shown in Figure 4; Figure 6 is a top view of the lid of the kettle of Figures 1 and 2; Figure 7 is a section of the lid along the line VII-VII of Figure 6; FIG. 8 is a section of the lid along the line VIII-V II I of FIG. 6, FIG. 9 is a front view of the locking member, FIG. 10 is a bottom view of the locking member. and FIG. 11 is a side view of a portion of the locking member

  in the direction of arrow X of FIG.

  It will be appreciated that the figures are not to scale and that, in

  in addition, the proportions may differ between the drawings.

  The drawings show an electric kettle 1 comprising a body 2 having a base wall 3 and a side wall 4 defining a container 5 for the liquid to be heated, electric heating means by Joule effect 6 extending into the container, and a cover 7 for closing the container 5 In accordance with the invention, on the outer surface 7a of the cover 7, a locking member 20 is mounted which cooperates with the cover 7 and the body 2 so as to be movable relative to the cover 7, between a first position A in which the locking member 20 locks the cover 7 on the body 2, and a second position B in which the locking member 20 is released from the body 2 and engages in a portion 73 7, so that a subsequent displacement of the locking member 20 beyond the second opposition, opposite the first position A, has the effect of moving

  the entire cover 7 and the locking member 20 relative to the body 2.

  Thus, in an electric kettle according to the invention, a locking member 20 provided on the cover 7 can be moved by a user relative to the cover, between a first locking position A and a second position B from which, by means of the locking member 20, the cover can then be moved, together with the locking member 20, relative to the body 2 of the kettle, for example by pivoting thereon, to give access to the Inside the container A tight fit of the cover 7 on the body 2 is not necessary and, in addition, the locking member 20 can move the cover 7

in a relatively simple way.

  Referring to the example of the figures, the electric kettle 1 of Figure 1 is a kettle type pot That is to say, the kettle 1 has a body 2 having a side wall 4 of height substantially greater than the The body 2, the locking member 20 and the cover 7 can be made from a suitable plastic material, for example by injection molding an acetal copolymer or a suitable polypropylene The body 2 of the kettle is molded to form a spout 9 to allow pouring a liquid, usually water, contained in the container 5, while it is provided with a handle 8 extending along the side wall 3, opposite the spout 9, to allow lifting the kettle to fill the container 5 with liquid and to allow pouring through the spout 9 the heated liquid contained in the container 5, the lid 7 remaining in place of

to close the container 5.

  The electric kettle 1 has conventional electric heating means 6 extending into the container 5 and consisting of an electric heating element 6 connected to a mains plug 6b of the usual type via a control unit electrical device (not shown) comprising the usual devices, such as a thermal switch, a boiling protection circuit breaker to complete evaporation and a circuit breaker reacting with water vapor on the handle 8, 6 The kettle body 2 can also be provided with a liquid level indicator (not shown), again of conventional type. It will be appreciated that the base wall 3 of the body 2 of the kettle of FIG. 1 may affect any desired shape and, although shown to have a generally oval cross-section (FIG. 2), it may be, for example, circular shape, square or rectangular Moreover, if the side wall 4 is shown as being generally cylindrical, this need not necessarily be the case and the wall

  Lateral 4 may, for example, be bent outward or inward.

  As already mentioned, the cover 7 is provided with a locking member 20 movable between a first position A, shown in FIGS. 2 and 4 (and by solid lines in FIG. 5), in which the locking member 20 locks the lid 7 on the body 2 of the kettle, and a second position B (represented by lines in phantom in Figure 4) in which the locking member 20 is released from the body 2 of the kettle and engages in a part of the cover, so that a subsequent movement of the locking member 20 beyond the second position B and away from the first position A has the effect of moving the assembly of the cover 7 and the locking member 20 relative to the body 1 of the

  kettle to provide access to the interior of the container 5.

  In the example envisaged and shown in greater detail in FIG. 2, the locking member comprises an elongate locking element 21 extending over the diameter of the cover 7 (generally along a main axis of the cover) and is mounted on the cover 7 so as to be pivotable about an axis O (FIGS.

  4) extending along the length of the elongate member 21.

  As most clearly shown in Figures 3 and 4, which are cross sections of a portion of the assembly of the lid 7 and the locking member 20, and Figures 6 and 8, which show the lid 7 to only the upper surface 7a of the cover 7 has a recess 70 in which the locking element 21 is received. At the rear of the recess 70 (that is to say the part of the recess which is furthest from the 9 when the lid 7 is placed on the body 2 of the kettle), the lid is provided with a pivot bar 71 which, in the example shown, carries two pivots 72 defining the axis O around which can pivot l As shown most clearly in FIGS. 9 to 11, which shows the locking member 20 alone, the locking member 21 has on its underside two pairs of ribs 22 Each pair of ribs 22 is designed to cooperate with a corresponding pivot 72, as illustrated schematically in Figures 3 and 4, for

  allow the locking element to pivot about the axis 0.

  The locking member 20 has a support member 23 (see, in particular, Figures 4, 9 and 10) extending along the length of the locking member 21 while projecting therefrom downwardly (in FIG. envisaged example, perpendicularly thereto) The support member 23 is designed to rest next to the pivot bar 71, in the first locking position A of the locking member 20, and carries a spring blade 80 which is received in a narrow groove 74 (FIG. 8) formed behind the hollow 70, in the cover 7 and which presses the locking member 20 in the first position A. As is shown in detail in FIGS. 9 to 11, each end 21a of the locking member 21 has a collar 24 extending downwards. In the example envisaged, the collars 24 are generally perpendicular to the element of FIG.

support 23.

  Each collar 24 is made in the form of a circle sector such that if the locking member 20 is received in the recess 70, as illustrated in FIGS. 3 to 5, the surface of each collar 24 is located next to a generally straight portion Ta (FIGS. 6 and 7) of the outer surface 7a of the cover 7 and the body 24a of the collar

  24 follows a curved portion 7 "a of the outer surface 7a.

  Each portion 7 'has an opening 73 adjacent to the associated collar 24.

  On each collar 24, there is provided a locking pin 25 to extend through the associated opening 73 to cooperate with a locking recess 41 formed in a mounting assembly 40 provided or formed on the inner surface of the side wall 4 of the body 2 of the kettle Each collar 24 also carries elastic retaining means consisting of a hook-shaped projection 26 extending through the opening 73 so as to cooperate with a lower surface or an edge 7b of the Cover 7 (FIG. 3) The hook-shaped protrusions 26 serve to keep the locking member 20 joined to the cover 7, but can move along the surface 7 "to allow the locking member 20 to pivot. ,

as described below.

  The lid 7 is provided, as shown in FIGS. 6 and 8, with a hinge arm device 75 which cooperates with a hinge arm device (not shown) provided on the body 2 of the kettle to connect the hinge arm. lid 7 permanently to the body 2 of the kettle, at the location of the hinge 76 (Figure 1) In this way, the lid 7 can pivot about the hinge 76 relative to the body 2 when the body lock 20 is in the second position B It will be appreciated that the cover 7 need not be connected to the body 2 by a hinge and that, in addition, the cover 7 can be completely detachable from the body 2 when the lock 20 is in the second position B. The cover 7 has a tongue 77 extending downward and opposite

  to the hinge arm device 75 so that when the lid 7 is in -

  placed on the body 2 so as to close the container 5, the tongue 77 is received in the spout 9 to regulate the flow of water in the spout and outside thereof and for

  avoid splashing water during boiling.

  Assuming that the electric heating means 6 and the associated control means have been mounted in the usual manner on the body 2 of the kettle and that the locking assemblies 40 have been provided thereon, either by molding a one piece with it or by attaching to the side wall 4 of separately formed blocks, the assembly of the cover 7 and the locking member 20 is mounted on the

  following way on the body 2 of the kettle.

  Firstly, the leaf spring 80 is fixed to the locking member 20 and the locking member 20 is positioned so that the pivots 72 are received between their corresponding ribs 22 and the spring blade rests in the groove 74 The hook-shaped resilient projections 26 are pressed inward until they pass through the apertures 73 to thereby snap the edge 7b of the cover. At this stage, the locking lugs 25 extend by the openings 73 and the leaf spring 80 press the locking member 20 to enter its first position A, the support member 23 being located next to the bar of

pivoting 71.

  After mounting the locking member 20 on the cover 7, the hinge arm device 75 of the cover is aligned relative to the complementary hinge arm device (not shown) and a hinge pin (not shown ) is passed and fixed in the passage formed by the aligned articulation arm devices to connect the cover 7 to the body 2 so as to be free in /

  pivoting The assembly of the kettle is thus completed.

  To close the lid 7 on the container 5, a user of the kettle rotates the locking member 21 upwards, against the restoring force of the leaf spring 80 and around the pivot axis O and, at the same time, it makes sure that the cover 7 comes to lie on the upper edge 4a (Figure 3) of the side wall 4 Once the cover 7 pressed on the upper edge 4a, the user

  releases the locking member 20 which, under the action of the spring force of the spring-

  80 blade, returns to the first position A so that each of the locking lugs 25 engages in their corresponding recesses 41 It will be appreciated that Figure 3 shows the kettle 1 in partial section and that the lug of

  25 is shown slightly displaced in the right part of Figure 3.

  The lid 7 is thus locked on the body 2 of the kettle The container 5 can be filled with water by the spout 9 or, if the user prefers, by lifting the lid 7 Moreover, the lid 7 can be raised to allow to clean

  inside the kettle previously disconnected.

  To raise the lid 7, the user pulls the locking member 20 upwards so that the locking element 21 pivots about the pivot axis O and that the locking lugs 25 come out of the recesses 41 The lugs 25 is thus released from the recesses 41 and the lid 7 is no longer locked in the kettle body 2 A subsequent rotation of the locking element 21 around the pivot axis O has the effect that each of the lugs lock 25 reaches the second position B, wherein the locking lugs 25 each abut against a corresponding edge 73a of the associated opening 73, while continued pivoting of the locking member 21 causes the cover , together with the locking member 21, leaves the second position B, in a direction opposite to that of the first position A, so that it turns upwards

  around the hinge 76 so as to give access to the inside of the kettle body 2.

  The openings 73 thus determine the distance on which the locking element is moved from the first position A to the second position B in which the raising of the entire cover 7 and the locking member begins. if the cover 7 is not connected to the body 2 by a hinge, the cover 7, as soon as the locking member is in the second position, can

  simply be lifted from the kettle body 2 to be removed from it.

  It will be appreciated that the present invention can be applied to so-called conventional kettles, ie kettles whose bottom is generally circular in shape and of a diameter greater than the height of the side wall of the body and in which the handle, from the spout, extends over the diameter of the lid of the kettle However, in such circumstances, it is possible that the operation of the locking member 20 may be slightly less convenient,

  despite an offset compared to the handle.

  It is clear to those skilled in the art that one can imagine other variants without departing from the scope of the invention Such variations may involve other features already in the art of electric kettles and can be

  used instead of the features already described in the foregoing or adjacent thereto.

the

Claims (8)

CLAIMS:   An electric kettle comprising a body having a base wall and a side wall which define a container for a liquid to be heated, Joule electric heating means extending into the container and a lid for closing the container, characterized in that on an outer surface of the cover is mounted a locking member which cooperates with the cover and the body so as to be movable relative to the cover, between a first position in which the locking member holds the cover locked on the body and a second position in which the locking member is released from the body and engages a portion of the lid, such that subsequent movement of the locking member beyond the second position and opposite of the first position has the effect of moving the whole of the   cover and locking member relative to the body.   Electric kettle according to claim 1, characterized in that the locking member comprises an elongate locking element extending over the diameter of the lid and mounted on the lid so as to be pivotable about a   axis extending along the length of the elongate member.   Electric kettle according to claim 2, characterized in that the ends of the locking element and the side wall have lugs and locking recesses which cooperate to lock the locking member in the first position so that the displacement from the locking member to the   second position releases the lugs from the locking recesses.   Electric kettle according to claim 3, characterized in that the outer surface of the lid defines a recess of the locking member so that each end of the locking element is positioned adjacent a corresponding opening of the lid, the locking lugs extending through the apertures for cooperating on the one hand with the recesses for locking the locking member in the first position and, on the other hand, with surfaces defining apertures and against which locking member abuts in the second position so that subsequent movement of the locking member past the second position and away from the first position causes the cover to move   together with the locking member.   Electric kettle according to claim 4 or 5, characterized in that the ends of the locking member are provided with resilient retaining means for cooperating with the lid to mount the locking member on the cover so as to allow movement the locking member relative to the lid, between the first and second positions.   Electric kettle according to claim 4 or 5, characterized in that each end of the locking element comprises an elastic retaining means extending through the associated opening to cooperate with the lid in order to mount the locking member. on the cover so that the locking member can be   moved relative to the lid, between the first and second positions.   Electric kettle according to claim 5 or 6, characterized in that each resilient retaining means comprises a hook-shaped projection which   snap behind an edge of the lid.   Electric kettle according to one of the preceding claims,   characterized in that the locking member is pressed towards the first position.   A lid for an electric kettle, characterized in that it carries a locking member having an elongated locking member extending over the diameter of the lid so that each end of the locking member is positioned adjacent a corresponding opening in the cover and through which extends a resilient retaining means, carried by the end of the locking member, to cooperate with the cover to mount the locking member on the cover so that the locking member is movable relative to the cover between first and second positions, each end of the locking member having a locking lug extending through the associated opening to engage a recess of provided on a kettle body when the lid is in place on the body of the kettle, the locking member is ouvant in the first position.