GB2264009A

GB2264009A - Electronic control device for a chinese herb boiling pot

Info

Publication number: GB2264009A
Application number: GB9202456A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Yao-Tzung Kao
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1992-02-05
Filing date: 1992-02-05
Publication date: 1993-08-11
Also published as: GB9202456D0

Abstract

The boiling pot has a built-in temperature control switch 11 which in a conventional manner turns off the pot heater RL so that the water initially in the pot is boiled down to a certain volume, and in order to allow that volume to be adjusted a timer is connected inline in the pot power cord (Fig 1). The timer has a triac M1, M2 in parallel with the switch 11, the triac being turned on when either of push buttons S1, S2 is pressed and turned off when a push button S3 is pressed or when an electronic or mechanical timing device 33 times out. The timing period of device can be adjusted by means of the push button S1 in association with a counter, the selected period being indicated by LED's LED1.... LED n. <IMAGE>

Description

ELECTRONIC CONTROL DEVICE - 3R R CHINESE HERB BOILING POT BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION n conventional chinese herb boiling pot, as shown in FIG. 4, comprises an outer pot 5, in inner pot 6 placed in the outer pot 5, a heater 7 set around the lower portion of the inner pot 6 to heat it up to boil the water put therein, and a temperature control switch 8 to cut off the power to the heater when the temperature of the inner pot 6 reaches to the pre-set value so as to control the volume of the boiled water.

This conventional pot is considered to have the following shortcomings.

1. The temperature control switch 8 always cuts off the power to the heater 7 when the temperature of the inner pot reaches a preset value, and therefore the volume of the boiled water in the pot is always nearly constant, unable to be changed as needed in various cases, except that the pre-set temperature of the temperature control switch 8 is altered.

2. The volume of the unboiled water put in the pot 6 for boiling herb cannot be adjusted to be boiled to a desired boiled volume as the temperature for cutting off the heater 7 is already preset in the temperature control switch 8, unable to be adjusted. For instance, if the temperature control switch is preset to boil 5 bowls of water into one bowl, it can not be adjusted to boil 5 bowls of water into 3, 2, or a little more or less than 1 bowl as desired.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In view of the shortcomings of a conventional Chinese herb boiling pot, this electronic control device for a conventional chinese herb boiling pot has been devised in the present invention It is to be connected between a power cord and the heater set in a conventional Chinese herb boiling pot, having functions to pre-set the period of time for boiling in various ways so that the unboiled water put in the boiling pot can be easily adjusted to be boiled in the pre-set definite boiled volume or an indefinite boiled volume.

The electronic contraol device for a conventional Chinese herb boiling pot in the present invention comprises a drive unit, a coding unit, a timing unit, a time indicating unit, two diodes and a few push buttons connected together.

The drive unit includes an RS flip-folp, a triac, a diode and resistor. The coding unit has a counter, the timing unit has timing IC or a mechanical timer, and the time inducating unit has a plurality of LED(light emitting diodes), all being connected together as shown in FIG. 3, possible to be operated to boil the unboiled water put in the boiling pot to be boiled for a period of time pre-set, and the boiling time being easily adjusted to result in a definite volume, or indefinite volume of boiled water.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the electronic control device for Chinese herb boiling pot in the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the function of the electronic control device for a Chinese herb boiling pot in the present invention.

FIG. 3 is the diagram of the circuit of the electronic control device for a Chinese herb boiling pot in the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of a conventional Chinese herb boiling pot provided with an heater and a temperature control switch.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The electronic control device 3 for a Chinese herb boiling pot in the present invention, as shown in FIG.

1, is to be connected between a power cord 2 and a conventional Chinese herb boiling pot 1, completely separated from the boiling pot 1 lest the control device 3 should get warmed up by the high temperature of the boiling pot 1 to lose its function. The electronic control device 3 comprises, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, a drive unit 31, a coding unit 32, a timing unit 33, and a time indicating unit 34 as its main components.

The drive unit 31 is used for boiling the unboiled water put in boiling pot into a definite volume, consiting of an RS filp-flop IC3, a triac, a diode and a resistor. The terminals M1, M2 of the triac are respectively connected with the heater RL and the temperature control switch 11 set in the boiling pot.

The RS flip-flop 1C3 has one input S connected with a push button S2 for sending out a signal to trigger the triac to turn on or off, and another input R connected with a push button S3 to send out a Hi signal to stop the triac and then the heater for reset.

The conding unit 32 has a counter IC1 for coding an output signal, deciding the length of the time period for boiling the water in the boiling pot. The counter IC1 has its input connected with a push button S1, which is pushed to make the output Qo - On to move from 000 to 001, 010, 011 s. 111 and then return to 000.

The timing unit 33 has a time setting integrated circuit IC2 or a mechanical timer, having its input Ao An connected with the output Oo - On of the coding unit 32 and setting the time selected by the input A.

The time indicating unit 34 is used to indicate the time pre-set, having a plurality of LED respectively connected with the output Oo - Qn of the coding unit 32 and the input Ao - An of the timing unit 33. The LED are arranged in a line on the outer surface' of the control device case.

The coding unit 32, the timing unit 33 and the time indicating unit 34 constitute a ciruit for boiling the unboiled water put in the boiling pot into an indefinite boiled volume. Then two diodes D1, D2 in series are respectively connected with the input CLK of the coding unit 32, the output Q of the timing unit 33 and the two inputs S, R of the RS flip-flop in the drive unit 31, forming a circuit, which functions not only to set a time for boiling the water put in the boiling pot into a definite boiled volume but also permitting the dioide Di to trigger the triac to turn on in case of the button S1 pressed down, and therefore boiling the water into the definite boilded volume as well as into an indefinite boiled volume can be selectabley operated by this device.

Claims

WHNT IS CLAIMED IS:

1. An electronic control device for a Chinese herb boiling pot to be connected between a boiling pot and a power cord comprising; a drive unit used for boiling the unboiled water put in the boiling pot into the definite volume preset by the temperature control switch set in the boiling pot, having an RS flip-flop, a triac which has its terminals Ml, M2 respevtively connected with a heater set in the boiling pot and a temperature control switch, and a diode together with a resistor connected in series between the RS flip-flop and the triac; a coding unit used for coding an output signal to set a period of time needed for boiling, having a counter which has its input connected with a push button which is to be pressed to make the output of the coding unit to function; a timing unit having a time setting integrated circuit or a mechanical timer, the input of which is connected with the output Q of the coding unit and counting the time through the input A; a time indicating unit having plurality of LED (light emitting diodes) respectively connected between the output of the coding unit and the input of the timing unit; two diodes connected in series, one also connected between the input of said coding unit and the input o said drive unit and the other also connected between the in put R of said drive unit and the output of said timing unit; a push button S1 connected with one of said diodes in series; and said coding unit, said timing unit and said time indicating unit forming a circuit for boiling the water put in the boiling pot into an indefinite volume of boiled water, said push button S1 being pressed to make this device to be used not only for setting the time for boiling but also for boiling the unboiled water put in the boiling pot into the definite volume as preset.

2. The electronic control device for a Chinese herb boiling pot as claimed in Claim 1, wherein said RS flip-flop has its input S connected with a push button S2, which is pressed down to send out an output to trigger said triac on or off.

3. The electronic control device for a Chinese herb boiling pot as claimed in Claim 1, wherein said RS flip-flop has its input R connected with a push button S3, which is pressed down to send out a Hi output to cut off said triac and then the heater, functioning as a reset key.

4. The electronic control device for a Chinese herb boiling pot as claimed in Claim 1, wherein said unit has its oscillating signal decided by a capicator C1 and a resistor R2.

5. The electronic control device for a Chinese herb boiling pot as claimed in Claim 1, wherein said LED in said time indicating unit are fixed in a line on the outer surface of an electronic device case.