GB2229704A

GB2229704A - Dispenser for hot water; sensing presence of cup

Info

Publication number: GB2229704A
Application number: GB8921242A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Shin Horng Lay
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1989-09-20
Filing date: 1989-09-20
Publication date: 1990-10-03
Anticipated expiration: 2009-09-20
Also published as: GB2229704B; GB8921242D0

Abstract

An electric hot water dispenser includes a body (1) having a mouth portion (2) provided on an upper portion of one side. A water chamber (11) is provided in the body (1) and a water heater (12) is provided beneath the water chamber (11) and is held in position by an insulating layer (14). A pump (3), a relay (31) and a transformer (32) are provided in the body (1) in a lower portion. An inlet pipe (35) interconnects the water chamber (11) the pump (3), and a discharge pipe (36) which opens at the lower end of the mouth portion (2). A sensor (5) is provided on each side of a notch which is formed on a lower end of the mouth portion (2) for sensing an insertion of a cup into the notch; for this purpose the cup presses on surface (420) against spring (15) to move plates (41) out of the notch, so that upward movement of the cup rim breaks the line-of-sight between sensors (5). Float (17) in pipe (13) indicates water level; sensors detect movement of float (17) to the bottom, and actuate a buzzer to indicate need to refill. <IMAGE>

Description

TITLE: ELECTRIC HOT WATER BOTTLE The present invention relates to a hot water bottle, and more particularly to an electric hot water bottle which supplies water automatically b a sensing method.

Press-type hot water bottles are widely used nowadays. This kind of hot water bottle heats the water and keeps it warm. One of the major drawbacks with the present hot water bottles is that the user must press the upper cap many times in order to fill up a cup.

Thi-s is especially so when the water level is low when the user has to press the cap with more energy and more effort and the resulting discharge of hot water is ver slow. In addition, when the water level is too low. the water heater in the hot water bottle can damage the hot water bottle.

The present invention has arisen to mitigate and/or obviate the afore described disadvantages of the conventional hot water bottle.

The primary objective of the present invention is to provide an electrical hot water bottle which supplies hot water automaticall by sensing the insertion of the cup without pressing the cap thereof.

Another objective of the present invention is to provide a float for showing the water level of the hot water bottle so that the user can add water as needed or at a suitable time interval.

The present invention seeks to provide an electric hot water bottle which includes a bottle body having a mouth portion provided on an upper portion of the side.

A water chamber is provided within the body and a heater is provided beneath the water chamber and is held in position by an insulating layer. A motor, a relay and a transformer are provided at a lower portion in the body. An inlet pipe interconnects the water chamber and the motor, and a discharge pipe connects with one end to the motor and the other end to the lower end of the mouth portion. A sensor is provided on each side of a notch which is formed on a lower end of the mouth portion for sensing an insertion of a cup into the notch.

Further objectives and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a careful reading of the detailed description provided hereinbelow, with appropriate reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an electric hot water bottle in accordance with the present invention; FIG. 2 is a cross sectional view taken along line II-II of FIG. 1; FIG. 3 is a partial perspective view showing the mouth portion of the hot water bottle of FIG. 1; FIG. 4 is a partial cross sectional view of the mouth portion of the hot water bottle of FIG. 1; and FIG. 5 is a partial cross sectional view similar to FIG. 4, illustrating the working state of the hot water bottle of FIG. 1.

Referring to the drawings and initially to FIGS. 1 and 2, an electric hot water bottle in accordance with the present invention comprises generally a body 1 with a mouth portion 2 provided on an upper portion of a side wall thereof. A cap 10 is disposed on an top end of the body 1. A water chamber 11 is formed within tlie body 1 at a substantially upper portion thereof. A water heater 12 is disposed beneath the chamber 11 and is held in position by an insulating layer 14. A transparent tube 13 with a stopper 130 at each end interconnects a top portion and a bottom portion of the water chamber 11 and is provided vertically along the side wall of the body 1 so that the tube 13 can be viewed from outside of the body 1. The stoppers 130 provide the upper and the lower limit of a float 17.

The float 17 is provided within the tube 13 so as to float on water in the tube 13 and indicate the water level in the water chamber 11.

A motor 3 with an inlet pipe 35 and a discharge pipe 36 is disposed in the lower portion of the bod 1.

The inlet pipe 35 connects to the bottom portion of the water chamber 11, and the discharge pipe 36 extends to the mouth portion 2 with the outlet thereof extended downward. The motor 3 can pump the water from the water chamber 11 to the outlet of the discharge pipe 36 for filling a cup 6. A relay 31 on an electric plate 30. a transformer 32 and a buzzer 33 are provided in the bottom portion of the body 1. A sensin unit 7 (FIG.

1), which will be described with further details later, electrically connects to the water heater 12 and the buzzer 33. The relay 31 and the transformer 32 are electrically connected between the motor 3 and a power supply (not shown) for transferring the power to a predetermined voltage and a predetermined current for the motor 3.

Referring next to FIGS. 3 and 4, the mouth portion 2 is generally a casing with two notches 20 formed on the respective side walls thereof. A sensor 5 is provided on a lower end of each side of one of the notches 20 and the sensors 5 face each other. The sensors 5 are electrically connected to the motor 3. A pair of guide slots 21 are formed horizontally on the inner and lower end of the side walls of the mouth portion 2. A vertical plate 41 is provided on each side of an upper surface of a horizontal plate 4, such that the vertical plates 41 are parallel with each other, and a third vertical plate 43 with a hole 430 is provided at one end of the horizontal plate 4.A pin 15 with a spring member 16 is fixed on the body 1 and extends toward the inside of the mouth portion 2. The :pin 15 is slidable through the hole 430 of the vertical plate 43 so that the spring member 16 is compressed between the body 1 and the vertical plate 43. X block 42 having a curved surface 420 provided for the contact of the cup 6 is provided beneath one end of the horizontal plate 4. The horizontal plate 4 is slidably provided in the guide slots 21 so that the horizontal plate 4 is permanently held forward by the spring member 16.

Referring next to FIG. 4, when the electric hot water bottle is not being used, the spring member 16 pushes the plates 4, 41, 3 and the block 42 forward so that the vertical plates 41 close the notches 20 in order to prevent a false sensing by the sensors 5. The front end of the horizontal plate 4 is also pushed forward to block the outlet of the discharge pipe 36.

Referring next to FIGS. 4 and 5, and initially to FIG. 4, an upper end of the cup 6 contacts and pushes the curved surface 420 of the block 42. When the user pushes the cup 6 forward, the vertical plate 43 slides along the pin 15 and compresses the spring member 16 until the position is reached as shown in FIG. 5. When the user pushes the cup 6 upward and the upper end of the cup 6 passes between the sensors 5, a signal is generated to actuate the motor 3 in order to draw the water from the water chamber 11 to the outlet of the discharge pipe 36 in order to fill the cup 6.

Therefore, the water flows automatically into the cup 6 without the pressing of the cap by the user. When the cup 6 is full, the only process required to stop the flow of the water- is for the user to pull down the cup 6 so as to allow the two sensors 5 to face each other again. The plates 4, 41, 43 are pushed forward again by the spring member 16 when the cup 6 is removed.

Obviously, only the upper end of the cup 6 contacts the mouth portion 2 of the hot water bottle in accordance with the present invention thus improving the sanitary requirements.

Referring again to FIG. 1, the sensing unit 7 is provided on each side of the tube 13 for sensing the position of the float 17. When the float 17 drops to a substantially lower position, the sensors 7 are blocked by the float 17 so that a signal is generated to turn off the water heater 12 and to activate the buzzer 33 to warn the users. The stoppers 130 prevent the float 17 from entering the water chamber 11.

Accordingly, the present invention provides a safer and a more effective electric hot water bottle.

Although this invention has been described with a certain degree of particularity, it is to be understood that the present disclosure has been made bg way of example only and that numerous changes in the detailed construction and the combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed.

Claims

I CLAIM:

1. An electric hot water bottle comprising a bod having a mouth portion provided on an upper portion of a side wall thereof; a water chamber being provided in said body in an upper portion thereof; a water heater being provided beneath said water chamber and being held in position by an insulating layer; a motor, a relay and a transformer being provided in said body in a lower portion thereof; an inlet pipe interconnecting said water chamber and said motor, and a discharge pipe with one end connecting to said motor and an other end extending to a lower end of said mouth portion; a pair of notches being formed on a lower end of a respective side wall of said mouth portion; and a sensor being provided on each side of one of said notches for sensing an insertion of a cup into said notches.

2. An electric hot water bottle according to claim 1, wherein a horizontal plate with a first vertical plate and a second vertical plate is slidably provided on a lower end of said mouth portion; a third vertical plate with a hole is provided at a rear end of said horizontal plate; a pin with a spring member is fixed on said body and extends into said mouth portion; said pin is relatively slidable through said hole of said third- vertical plate so that said spring member urges between said third vertical plate and said body; and said notches are closable by said first and said second vertical plates when said horizontal plate is pushed forward b said spring member.

3. An electric hot water bottle according to claim 2, wherein a block with a curved surface is further provided at a front end of said horizontal plate.

4. An electric hot water bottle according to claim 1, wherein a transparent pipe is further provided vertically along one side wall of said body and interconnects said water chamber so that said transparent pipe can be viewed from outside of said body; and a float is floatabl provided within said transparent pipe.

5. An electric hot water bottle according to claim 4, wherein a stopper is further provided in each end of said transparent pipe for limiting a movement of said float within said transparent pipe.

6. An electric hot water bottle according to claim 4, wherein a second sensor is further provided on each side of a lower end of said transparent pipe for sensing a location of said float within said transparent pipe; and a buzzer is further provided in a suitable place of said body and is actuated to buzz when said float is dropped to a certain level.

7. An electric hot water bottle substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.