GB2414923A

GB2414923A - A kettle for being heated by gas

Info

Publication number: GB2414923A
Application number: GB0511666A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Stanley George Austin
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2004-06-11
Filing date: 2005-06-08
Publication date: 2005-12-14
Also published as: GB0413116D0; GB0511666D0

Abstract

A kettle (2) for being heated by gas, comprises a body portion (4), a handle (6) and a spout (8); the body portion (4) being such that it has a base (10), at least one concave formation (12) in the base, and at least one pipe (14) extending inside the body portion (4) from the concave formation (12) to a part (16) of the body portion (4) above the base (10); and the pipe (14) being such that it has a first open end (18) at the concave formation (12) and a second open end (20) at the part (16) of the body portion (4) above the base (10) whereby hot gas heating the kettle (2) at the base (10) is able to pass up the pipe (14) and thereby heat water in the body portion (4). The or each pipe may follow a curved path. There may be plural pipes either sharing a common concave entry formation (12) or having respective such formations.

Description

A KETTLE FOR BEING HEATED BY GAS

This invention relates to a kettle for being heated by gas.

Kettles for being heated by gas are well known. Often the kettles take longer to boil water than is desirable.

It is an aim of the present invention to reduce the above mentioned problem.

Accordingly, in one non-limiting embodiment of the present invention there is provided a kettle for being heated by gas, which kettle comprises a body portion, a handle and a spout; the body portion being such that it has a base, at least one concave formation in the base, and at least one pipe extending inside the body portion from the concave formation to a part of the body portion above the base; and the pipe being such that it has a first open end at the concave formation and a second open end at the part of the body portion above the base whereby hot gas heating the kettle at the base is able to pass up the pipe from the first open end to the second open end and thereby heat water in the body portion during use of the kettle.

With the kettle of the present invention, the water is able to be heated faster than with a similar kettle having the same amount of water, but without the concave formation and the pipe. This is because the concave formation and the pipe increase the surface area of the kettle that is available for being heated by the hot gas. This increased surface area is able to be in contact with the water inside the body portion, and therefore the water heats faster than would be the case if the kettle did not have the concave formation and the pipe. The faster heating of the kettle helps to reduce the annoyance of having to wait for the water to boil. In addition, because the water heats faster, less gas is used. The kettle of the present invention is thus energy efficient, and it is able to make more efficient use of the gas than known kettles.

The kettle of the present invention can be used indoors in homes and also outdoors, for example for picnics or for camping. The kettle may be especially useful for outdoor use where winds often blow away the heat from the gas, with the consequence that the boiling of water in the kettle in windy outdoor conditions often takes far longer than is desirable. The kettle may also be used as a travailing kettle, for example for holiday use.

The gas used for the kettle can be any suitable and appropriate type of gas. Thus, for example, if the kettle is being used indoors, then the gas will normally be gas such for example as North Sea gas which is provided by an appropriate organization of the type that provides water, gas and electricity for public use. Alternatively, the gas may be in a container. The container may be of a relatively large size which is connected to a gas stove by a pipe. Alternatively, the container may be of a small size which is connected directly to heating apparatus, and which is sometimes referred to as a gas cartridge.

Usually the kettle will be one in which part of the body portion above the base is a side part of the kettle. If desired however the part of the body portion above the base may be a top part.

The concave formation is preferably of a shape to direct a maximum amount of the hot gas to the first open end of the pipe. Various designs may be employed for the concave formation.

If desired, the first end of the pipe may be larger than the remainder of the pipe. Thus, for example, the first end of the pipe may be funnel shaped. Alternatively, the pipes may not taper. Such pipes may then be of a constant cross sectional diameter. Preferably, the pipes have as large a diameter as is possible and practical in the kettle, in order to facilitate optimum heat transfer of heat from the gas to the water in the kettle.

Preferably, the pipe is curved in plan view from the first open end to the second open end. With the pipe being curved, the pipe is able to be such that a longer length of the pipe is in the body portion than would be the case if the pipe were straight. With the pipe being curved, the pipe is able to follow the general shape of the inside of the body portion of the kettle.

Preferably, the pipe spirals in plan view from the first open end to the second open end. The spiral preferably extends for approximately 120 .

The spiral may extend more or less than 120 .

The kettle may be such that it does not have a lid. Alternatively, the kettle may be such that it has a lid.

The kettle may be one in which the handle is secured at one end to the body portion, and in which the other end of the handle is free.

Alternatively, the handle may be secured at both ends to the body portion.

Generally, the kettle may be of any size, shape and design, as long as the kettle is for being heated by gas, and the kettle has the base with the concave formation, and the pipe inside the body portion. The kettle may be made from any suitable and appropriate materials, including those metals such for example as copper and stainless steel currently used for making known kettles.

Preferably, there are six of the pipes. The kettle may have more or less than six of the pipes if desired. Thus, for example, the kettle may have three of the pipes.

When the kettle has more than one of the pipes, then each pipe will usually have its own separate one of the concave formations. However, if desired, when there are more than one of the pipes, there may be only one of the concave formations for all of the pipes.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described solely by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a side view of a kettle for being heated by gas, and showing only one concave formation and one pipe for simplicity of illustration; Figure 2 is a plan view of the kettle shown in Figure 1, and illustrates that the kettle actually has three of the concave formations and three of the pipes; and Figure 3 shows the kettle of Figure 1 but viewed from the other side.

Referring to the drawings, there is shown a kettle 2 for being heated by gas. The kettle 2 comprises a body portion 4, a handle 6 and a spout 8.

The body portion 4 is such that it has a base 1O, and at least one concave formation 12 in the base 10. The body portion 4 is also such that it has at least one pipe 14 extending inside the body portion from the concave formation 12 to a part 16 of the body portion 4 above the base 10.

The pipe 14 is such that it has a first open end 18 at the concave formation 12. The pipe 14 is also such that it has a second open end 20 at the part 16 of the body portion 4 above the base 10. Hot gas heating the kettle 2 at the base 10 is able to pass up the pipe 14 from the first open end 18 to the second open end 20, and thereby heat water in the body portion 4 during use of the kettle 2.

The part 16 of the body portion 4 above the base 10 is a side part of the kettle as shown in the drawings. The concave formation 12 is of a shape to direct a maximum amount of the hot gas to the first open end 18 of the pipe 14. The first open end 18 of the pipe 14 is larger than the remainder of the pipe 14. As best seen from Figure 1, the first open end 18 of the pipe 14 is funnel shaped.

Figure 2 shows how the pipe 14 is curved in plan view from the first open end 18 to the second open end 20. More specifically, the pipe 14 spirals in plan view from the first open end 18 to the second open end 20.

The spiral extends for approximately 120 .

As can best be seen from Figures 1 and 3, the kettle 2 does not have a lid. The handle 6 is secured at one end 22 to the body portion 4. The other end 24 of the handle 6 is free.

As shown in Figure 2, there are three of the pipes 14. Each pipe 14 has its own concave formation 12.

The kettle 2 shown in the drawings is able to heat water faster than would be the case of a similar kettle 2 heating the same amount of water but without the concave formations 12 and the pipes 14. The kettle 2 utilises the heating gas more efficiently than a similar known kettle but without the concave formations 12 and the pipes 14. This more efficient use of the heating gas enables gas savings to be effected, thereby enabling the water in the kettle to be heated more cheaply in addition to being heated more quickly.

It is to be appreciated that the embodiment of the invention described above with reference to the accompanying drawings has been given by way of example only and that modifications may be effected. Thus, for example, the kettle 2 may be of a different design to that shown in the drawings. The kettle 2 may have a lid, and it may also have a handle which is secured at both ends to the body portion. The spout may be provided with a cap and the cap may be arranged to emit a whistling sound when the water is boiling.

More or less than three of the concave formations 12 and three of the pipes 14 may be employed. Thus, for example, the kettle 2 may have six of the concave formations 12 and six of the pipes 14. Instead of each pipe 14 having its own concave formation 12, one concave formation 12 may be employed for all of the pipes, for example all three pipes or all six pipes. #

Claims

1. A kettle for being heated by gas, which kettle comprises a body portion, a handle and a spout; the body portion being such that it has a base, at least one concave formation in the base, and at least one pipe extending inside the body portion from the concave formation to a part of the body portion above the base; and the pipe being such that it has a first open end at the concave formation and a second open end at the part of the body portion above the base whereby hot gas heating the kettle at the base is able to pass up the pipe from the first open end to the second open end and thereby heat water in the body portion during use of the kettle.

2. A kettle according to claim 1 in which the part of the body portion above the base is a side part of the kettle.

3. A kettle according to claim 1 or claim 2 in which the concave formation is of a shape to direct a maximum amount of the hot gas to the first open end of the pipe.

4. A kettle according to any one of the preceding claims in which the first open end of the pipe is larger than the remainder of the pipe.

5. A kettle according to claim 4 in which the first open end of the pipe is funnel shaped.

6. A kettle according to any one of the preceding claims in which the pipe is curved in plan view from the first open end to the second open end.

7. A kettle according to claim 6 in which the pipe spirals in plan view from the first open end to the second open end.

8. A kettle according to claim 7 in which the spiral extends for approximately 120 .

9. A kettle according to any one of the preceding claims and which does not have a lid.

10. A kettle according to any one of claims 1 - 8 and including a lid.

11. A kettle according to any one of the preceding claims in which the handle is secured at one end to the body portion, and in which the other end of the handle is free.

12. A kettle according to any one of claims 1 -10 in which the handle is secured at both ends to the body portion.

13. A kettle according to any one of the preceding claims in which there are six of the pipes.

14. A kettle according to any one of the preceding claims in which there are more than one of the pipes, and in which each pipe has its own separate one of the concave formations.

15. A kettle according to any one of claims 1 -13 in which there are more than one of the pipes, and in which there is only one of the concave formations for all of the pipes.

16. A kettle for being heated by gas, substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.