GB2147479A

GB2147479A - Heater support means

Info

Publication number: GB2147479A
Application number: GB08333135A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Kenzo Okamoto; Jun Yoshikado
Original assignee: IMARFLEX Manufacturing; Imanishi Kinzoku Kogyo KK
Current assignee: IMARFLEX Manufacturing; Imanishi Kinzoku Kogyo KK
Priority date: 1983-09-21
Filing date: 1983-12-12
Publication date: 1985-05-09
Also published as: JPS6053221U; GB2147479B; PH22916A; JPS6324834Y2; GB8333135D0

Abstract

A heater support means for an electric hot tray or like electrical device comprises a heater support plate 2 urged against the heater 1 by means of leaf springs 3, 3' so as to resiliently hold the heater i against the underside of the inner receptacle 12 of the electrical device. The heater support means provided by the invention may easily assembled or dismantled. Further since the heater support means holds the heater by resilient and removable engagement, heat expansion or contraction is readily absorbed by the structure. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Heater support means The present invention relates to heater support means for electric hot trays used to keep food warm or other electric devices. In general such electric devices are provided with a mica mounted heating element (hereinafter called a heater). An electric hot tray, for example, is usually provided with a heater directly on the underside of the bottom of its inner receptable. The heater support means is therefore subject to various restrictions including, for example:- the exposed surface of the receptacle on which food is placed must not be damaged; holes cannot be made in the receptacle to fix the support means; the heater must not be fixedly secured to the receptacle and the like as this would prevent deformation due to heat expansion or contraction; dismantling should be easy.

The object of the invention is to provide heater support means which fulfils all these restrictions.

According to the invention, a heater support means comprises a pair of frames fixed to the underside of the bottom of an inner receptacle so as to oppose one another with a space therebetween in which to accommodate a heater, each of said frames having a pair of catches thereon; a heater support plate arranged to be superimposed on the heater, said plate having projections intermediate its ends and spaced apart transversely of said plate, and a pair of leaf springs having bent portions and central apertures in which said projections engage detachably, each said leaf spring further having a slot adjcent each end thereof in which said catches detachably engage, said leaf springs when engaged by said catches and said projections bearing resiliently against said plate, thereby to hold the heater against the bottom of the receptacle.

The invention also provides an electric hot tray or like device having an inner receptacle, an electric heater and heater support means as set out in the immediately preceding paragraph.

The invention will now be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the invention.

Figure 2 is an exploded view of the heater and heater support means shown in Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawings, the heater 1 is punched to provided a hole at the centre thereof to receive a thermostat. The heater 1 is mounted on the inner receptacle so as to be in contact with the underside of its bottom, as shown in Fig. 1. A heater support plate 2 is substantially of the same size as the heater 1 and has projections 5, 5' adjacent the opposite longitudinal sides approximately in the middle of those sides. The heater support plate 2 has a punched hole which is of substantially the same size and registers with the hole in the heater 1 when the heater 1 and plate 2 are fixed in position. The heater support plate 2 has hooks 6, 6' extending in opposite directions to the projections 5, 5' to keep the plate 2 correctly superimposed on the heater 1. The hooks 6, 6' may be povided in any suitable position or may be dispensed with as the case may be.The support plate 2 is preferably of such a shape as to cover as large an area of the heater 1 as possible save where the wiring obstructs.

Leaf springs 3, 3' of resilient material are each provided in the middle with apertures 7, 7' and adjacent both ends with slots 8, 8' in which catches formed on frames to be described engage. The slots 8, 8' are elongate in the longitudinal direction of the springs 3, 3' so as to facilitate the engagement and disengagement of the latter. The leaf springs 3, 3' are each bent at substantially a quarter of its length from both ends in the same direction. The bent portions 9, 9' serve to urge the support plate 2 and the heater 1 against the underside of the receptacle bottom, thereby fixing the heater 1 in position.

The leaf springs 3, 3' shown are also bent in opposite direction between said bent portions 9, 9' and slots 8, 8'; but this is not essential.

Frames 4, 4' are fixed on the underside of the bottom of the receptacle 1 2 so as to oppose each other at both ends of the heater 1. The frames 4, 4' are formed on their inner sides with ribs 10, 10' having catches 11, 11' respectively, which engage in said slots 8, 8' in the leaf springs 3, 3'. The catches 11, 11' are located so as to be spaced from the underside surface of the bottom of the inner receptacle 1 2. Further the catches 11, 11' are positioned so as to be in substantial alignment with the projections 5, 5' and the catches 11, 11' formed on the opposite frame 4, 4'. While the frames 4, 4' shown are exactly the same in shape, they could have different shapes provided that the catches be formed in a predetermined position thereon.

The frames may be secured to the inner receptacle 1 2 in any manner so long as the receptacle 1 2 is not damaged.

The heater support means according to the invention is assembled as follows. The heater 1 is first placed in a predetermined position between the prefixed frames 4, 4'. The heater support plate 2 is superimposed on the heater 1. The leaf springs 3, 3' are then held thereon with both ends directed upwardly such that the projections 5, 5' are located in the apertures 7, 7' and both ends of the springs 3, 3' are depressed to engage the catches 11, 11' of the frame 4, 4' in the slots 8, 8'.

The heater may be easily removed by taking these steps in reverse order.

Due to the structure of the heater support means according to the invention, the heater is held against the bottom of the inner receptacle in removable, resilient engagement, the inner receptacle is free from damage, the heater may be supported in such an assured manner as to be kept in position despite rough use, and heat expansion and contraction are readily absorbed by the structure, thus securing the entire support means against any malfunction. Further the support means can be engaged or disengaged in an easy manner.

Claims

1. A heater support means comprising a pair of frames fixed to the underside of the bottom of an inner receptacle so as to oppose one another with a space therebetween in which to accommodate a heater, each of said frames having a pair of catches thereon; a heater support plate arranged to be superimposed on the heater, said plate having projections intermediate its ends and spaced apart transversely of said plate, and a pair of leaf springs having bent portions and central apertures in which said projections engage detachably, each said leaf spring further having a slot adjacent each end thereof in which said catches detachably engage, said leaf springs when engaged by said catches and said projections bearing resiliently against said plate, thereby to hold the heater against the bottom of the receptacle.

2. An electric hot tray or like device having an inner receptacle; an electric heater and heater support means, the latter comprising a pair of frames fixed to the underside of the bottom of the receptacle so as to oppose one another with a space therebetween in which to accommodate the heater, each of said frames having a pair of catches thereon; a heater support plate arranged to be superimposed on the heater, said plate having projections intermediate its end and spaced apart transversely of said plate, and a pair of leaf springs having bent portions and central apertures in which said projections engage detachably, each said leaf spring further having a slot adjacent each end thereof in which said catches detachably engage, said leaf springs when engaged by said catches and said projections bearing resiliently against said plate, thereby to hold the heater against the bottom of the receptacle.

3. An electric hot tray according to Claim 2 in which the heater support means is constructed and arranged substantially as shown in Fig. 1 and as described herein with reference to Figs. 1 and 2 of the accompanying drawings.