GB2225216A

GB2225216A - Safety apparatus for electric kettles

Info

Publication number: GB2225216A
Application number: GB8926393A
Authority: GB
Inventors: William * Packer Geoffrey
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1988-11-26
Filing date: 1989-11-22
Publication date: 1990-05-30
Also published as: GB8827679D0; GB8926393D0

Abstract

Apparatus for retaining an electric appliance, for example a kettle 16, safely on a work surface, comprises a base member 2 carrying a pair of upstanding barrier members 4, 6 having a space 8 between them of size to admit a plug member 10 at the end of the kettle lead 12. Barrier members are arranged slantwise to each other. Should a child pull the kettle lead, the kettle will be drawn into the "seating" provided by the barrier members and further pulling of kettle lead will serve to disconnect the lead from the kettle. <IMAGE>

Description

SAFETY APPARATUS This invention relates to safety apparatus, in particular to safety apparatus concerned with the safe retention of electric appliances, for example electric vessels such as kettles, jugs, coffee makers and the like, on a work surface. Such vessels commonly comprise a container for liquid, a handle, a spout and a detachable electric lead which has a socket capable of receiving a complimentary plug on the vessel. The term "electric kettle" will be used hereinafter to denote any vessel of the type described.

Electric kettles are dangerous in that a child pulling the lead can cause the kettle to tip over or fall from the work surface.

In U.K. patent application No. 2185181 there is described an assembly for securing an electric kettle to a work surface which comprises a base plate secured to the work surface, to support the base of the kettle, and a barrier member carried by the base plate, the "barrier member being shaped and dimensioned to snugly receive and extend around the periphery of said kettle and to substantively prevent lateral movement thereof". The barrier member has a gap in it for location of the electric lead. If the lead is pulled it is disconnected from the kettle. The assembly described in U.K. patent application 2185181 is safe but has the disadvantage that each different shape of kettle available on the market requires its own particular assembly to snugly receive the kettle.It cannot be expected that appropriately shaped and dimensioned assemblies will become available for all types of kettle.

In accordance with the present invention there is provided apparatus for retaining an electric appliance on a work surface, comprising two upstanding barrier members carried, in use, by the work surface, having a space therebetween of size to admit an electric lead for the appliance, the barrier members being such as to be able to contact the appliance, one on each side of the position at which the lead connects with the appliance, without engaging around the periphery of the appliance.

Preferably, the barrier members are of size to contact the appliance at positions adjacent to the position at which the lead connects with the appliance, one on each side thereof.

The said space between the barrier members may be of size just to admit the cable part of the electric lead, so that if a child pulls the lead the plug or socket at the end of the lead, connected to the appliance, simply jams against the barriers adjacent the space. Preferably, however, the space is of size to admit the plug or socket itself, so that once the appliance contacts the barrier members further pulling of the lead automatically disconnects the lead from the appliance. This construction has the advantage of being useful for people who have difficulty carrying out a twohanded operation which is at present required to disconnect an appliance from a lead.

The barrier members may be formed as part of a work surface, or secured to a work surface. They may be secured directly to a work surface, but in preferred embodiments of the invention are carried by, preferably integral with, a base member which is itself secured to a work surface. Such a base member may be sufficiently large for the electric appliance to stand on it or may be so shaped as to leave the area in front of the barrier members free, for the appliance to stand directly on the work surface. The barrier members or base member may be secured to a work surface by any convenient means, for example, by means of a strong, water-resistant adhesive, for example, by a polyvinyl alcohol or epoxy resin adhesive or by fixing devices, for example screws.

The means for securing the barrier members or base member to the work surface may be releasable without damage to the work surface. For example, they may comprise one or more elastomeric sucker(s), including suckers which are acted upon by a lever to increase the suction, or releasable adhesive pad(s), or non-slip elastomeric mat(s), of the type used in boats.

According to another aspect of the invention there is provided apparatus for retaining an appliance on a work surface, comprising a base member for securement to the work surface, the base member carrying two upstanding barrier members, with a space therebetween of size to admit an electric lead for the appliance, the barrier members being such as to be able to contact the appliance, one on each side of the position at which the lead connects with the appliance, without engaging around the periphery of the appliance.

The barrier members may approach each other at their upper regions, that is their regions remote from the work surface, to decrease the risk of the lead being lifted out of the space between the barrier members.

Although the barrier members may in some embodiments of the invention simply provide parallel surfaces to engage the appliance, in a preferred embodiment of the invention they are so shaped and/or arranged that the spacing between them decreases towards the space. That is to say, they are so shaped and/or arranged as to form a "funnel" towards the space. Thus, if the lead is pulled the appliance is moved to a central position in which it nests firmly between the barrier members.

Each barrier member is typically at least 1cam.

high. To ensure good functioning of the apparatus with the various types of kettle which are available, for example traditional round kettles, modern upright jug kettles etc, each barrier member is typically at least 2cm. high.

Suitably each barrier member comprises a step at the bottom of its appliance-facing surface. The step is present so that the periphery of the base of electric appliances which have feet spaced from the periphery may locate over the step, reducing the tendency for the appliance to tilt or rock about the feet.

In accordance with another aspect of the invention there is provided an assembly of the apparatus as described above and an electric appliance, the electric lead of the appliance extending through the said space between the barrier members.

The invention will now be further described, by way-of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 shows in plan view of the apparatus in accordance with the invention; Fig. 2 shows an elevation of the apparatus of Fig. 1, in the direction of the arrow A; Fig. 3 shows an alternative embodiment of the invention having a smaller base member and stepped barrier members; and Fig. 4 shows an end elevation of a barrier member shown in Fig. 3.

The device shown in Figs. 1 and 2 comprises a circular base member of size to receive any electric kettle, and two barrier members 4, 6, located on the same side and face of the base member, adjacent the periphery thereof. Between the barrier members 4, 6, is a space 8 which is sufficiently wide to admit the socket member 10 at the end of an electric kettle lead 12. It will be observed in Fig. 1 that the barrier members are inclined towards each other, such that their spacing decreases towards the space 8. They thus form a type of funnel tapering towards the space 8. In this embodiment each barrier member is approximately 30mm. in height, 14mm. in thickness and 80mm. in width. The spacing X between the barrier members at their closest is approximately 60mm.

The assembly is moulded in one piece from a plastics material. In use, it is releasably secured to a work surface by adhesive pads 14.

In use, the kettle 16, shown schematically in Fig. 1, is placed on the base member 2, with the plug member 18 of the electric lead generally towards the space 8. If the lead 12 is pulled the kettle is pulled back until the barrier members 4, 6, are in contact with the kettle on each side of the plug member 18. Further pulling of the lead disconnects it.

In the embodiment shown in Fig. 3, the barrier members 4, 6 are of the same size and arrangement as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, except that they are formed with a step 20 at the bottom of the kettle-facing surface, slightly smaller in height than the height of feet carried by the base of many kettles. A kettle having such feet and which has been pulled back against the barrier members will be unable to tilt or rock to any marked extent about its feet, due to the location of the periphery of its base above the step.

The device of Figs. 3 and 4 differs further from the device of Figs. 1 and 2 in that the base member 2 is crescent-shaped, to provide a base support for the barrier members 4, 6, without extending in front of them, to serve as a stand for a kettle. It will be apparent that when the embodiment of Fig. 3 is used the kettle simply stands on the normal work surface.

The invention is not restricted to the details of the foregoing embodiment(s). The invention extends to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the features disclosed in this specification.

All of the features disclosed in this specification may be combined in any combination, except combinations where at least some of such features and/or steps are mutually exclusive.

Claims

1. Apparatus for retaining an electric appliance on a work surface, comprising two upstanding barrier members carried, in use, by the work surface, having a space therebetween of size to admit an electric lead for the appliance, the barrier members being such as to be able to contact the appliance, one on each side of the position at which the lead connects with the appliance, without engaging around the periphery of the appliance.

2. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the barrier members are of size to contact the appliance at positions adjacent to the position at which the lead connects with the appliance, one on each side thereof.

3. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 1 or 2, wherein the said space between the barrier members may be of size just to admit the cable part of the electric lead, whereby if a child pulls the lead, the plug or socket at the end of the lead, connected to the appliance jams against the barriers adjacent the space.

4. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 1 or 2, wherein the space is of size to admit the plug or socket itself, so that once the appliance contacts the barrier members further pulling of the lead disconnects the lead from the appliance.

5. Apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim wherein, the barrier members are formed as part of a work surface.

6. Apparatus as claimed in any of Claims 1 to 4, wherein, the barrier members are securable to a work surface.

7. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 6, wherein the barrier members are carried by a base member which is securable to a work surface.

8. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 7, wherein the base member is sufficiently large for the electric appliance to stand on it.

9. Apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the barrier members or the base member, when provided, is securable to a work surface by fixing devices or by a means which is releasable without damage to the work surface.

10. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 9, wherein the means for securement comprises elastomeric sucker(s) or releasable adhesive pad(s), or non-slip elastomeric mat(s).

11. Apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the barrier members approach each other at their upper regions, that is, their regions remote from the work surface in use, to decrease the risk of the lead being lifted out of the space between the barrier members.

12. Apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the barrier members are so shaped and/or arranged that the spacing between them decreases towards the space.

13. Apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein each barrier member is at least 1cam. high.

14. Apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein each barrier member is at least 2cm. high.

15. Apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein each barrier member comprises a step at the bottom of its appliance-facing surface, for location under the periphery of the base of an electric appliance which has feet spaced from the periphery, to reduce the tendency for the appliance to tilt or rock about the feet on being pulled via the lead.

16. Apparatus for retaining an electric appliance on a work surface, comprising a base member for securement to the work surface, the base member carrying two upstanding barrier members, with a space therebetween of size to admit an electric lead for the appliance, the barrier members being such as to be able to contact the appliance, one on each side of the position at which the lead connects with the appliance, without engaging around the periphery of the appliance.

17. An assembly of apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, and an electric appliance, the electric lead of the appliance extending through the said space between the barrier members.

18. Apparatus for retaining an electric appliance on a work surface, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.