GB2470894A

GB2470894A - Water Heating and Dispensing system

Info

Publication number: GB2470894A
Application number: GB0909762A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Nigel Wilkinson
Original assignee: Kenwood Ltd
Current assignee: Kenwood Ltd
Priority date: 2009-06-08
Filing date: 2009-06-08
Publication date: 2010-12-15
Also published as: GB0909762D0

Abstract

A water heating and dispensing system comprises a water reservoir 12 which incorporates a heater and a valved outlet 14 for the heated water. The system has a dispensing head containing a spout and an actuator for dispensing heated water from the spout, and a water conduit, coupled to the valved outlet 14, is provided to convey heated water from the reservoir to the dispensing head 16. A stand 18 is provided on which the reservoir 12 can be removably placed; the stand containing an actuator 24 for opening the valved outlet when the reservoir is operatively placed on the stand; the valved outlet being adapted to automatically close when the reservoir is removed from the stand. The reservoir closely resembles a domestic electric kettle, being provided with a built-in heating element and a connector 26 through which it is supplied with power from the stand. A water conduit couples the valved outlet of the reservoir to outlet duct 20, the conduit preferably incorporating a pump which can be operated by actuation of dispensing button 22.

Description

WATER HEATING AND DISPENSING SYSTEM

This invention relates to a water heating and dispensing system.

Such systems are known which include a heated stand and a vessel which can be charged with water and placed on the stand in order to heat the water. The stand also supports a dispensing head with an outlet duct, through which heated water can be dispensed, and a pump-operated system for withdrawing hot water from the vessel for dispensing through the outlet duct in response to user-actuation of a dispensing button or switch.

One drawback of such systems is that the method of heating is not particularly efficient, as the heated stand heats the water by conduction in series through both the stand and the base of the vessel. Another drawback is that the vessel is typically designed only for use with the dispensing head, and thus can not be used to dispense hot water otherwise than through the spout of the dispensing system. It is an object of this invention to address at least one of the aforesaid drawbacks.

According to the invention there is provided a water heating and dispensing system, comprising a water reservoir incorporating therein a means for heating water and having a valved outlet for the heated water, a stand for said reservoir, a dispensing head containing a spout and an actuator for dispensing from the spout heated water from said reservoir, and a water conduit, coupled to said valved outlet, for conveying heated water from said reservoir to said dispensing head, wherein said reservoir is removable from the stand and wherein means are provided to open said valved outlet when the reservoir is operatively placed on the stand; the valved outlet being adapted to automatically close when the reservoir is removed from the stand.

By this means, the system is provided with a reservoir which closely resembles a domestic kettle, having a built-in heating element of any convenient kind and a connector through which the kettle-like reservoir is supplied with power from the base. This provides for efficient heating, as the element is in direct, or at least in substantially direct, contact with the water.

The heating element may, if desired, comprise a flat plate heater or a sleeved resistance heater formed on, or attached to, the base of the reservoir but in preferred embodiments the heating element is positioned within the reservoir such that water is in contact with its underside, as well as with its topside. The element may comprise a flat element, such as a thick-film element printed onto an insulating substrate, or an older-style looped sheath-type resistance element. In either event, good heating efficiency is achieved.

It is preferred that the connector for the electrical supply to the heating element of the kettle-like reservoir is disposed to the rear or to one side of the reservoir, and that a matching connector is fixed to the base. By this means, particularly when using an element that is supported above the base of the reservoir, the valved outlet from the reservoir can be placed centrally of its base. If the element is on the base of the kettle, an annular element configuration is preferred in order to accommodate the use of a centrally-located water outlet.

The reservoir may be made of any convenient material and may be entirely or partially opaque, transparent or translucent. It is preferred however that, unless the overall construction of the reservoir permits adequate visibility of the water level therein, a window or other indicator is provided to show or indicate the water content of the reservoir.

The use of a kettle-like reservoir formed with a spout is convenient, as it allows some or all of the hot water therein to be poured into a saucepan or other vessel in the event that it is desired to cook or warm foodstuffs. This is efficient, particularly if all or any the hot water in the reservoir is not currently required for dispensing, as that water has already been heated and its use for cooking or heating purposes makes it uirnecessary to heat some at least of the water to be used in the saucepan or other vessel. By this means, a useful combination, or so-called "combi", device comprising a hot water dispenser and a kettle-like appliance is provided.

The spout of the kettle-like reservoir may be configured so as to dock into a receiving recess formed in an upstand carrying the outlet duct of the dispensing system; the recess preferably containing sealing means configured to substantially seal the spout of the kettle-like reservoir when the reservoir is operatively placed on the stand of the dispensing system. In some preferred embodiments, the sealing means comprises a resilient material, such as an elastomeric material. By this means, the spout is sealed to prevent unwanted issuance of steam and/or to avoid frustrating the delivery of heated water to the outlet duct of the dispensing system.

The upstand of the dispensing system may be formed beneath the outlet duct thereof, with a vessel-receiving indentation, or arcuate cut-out, so that a vessel such as a glass, a cup or a carafe may be pushed into close contact with the upstand whilst water is dispensed into it. The base of the system may be extended such that the receiving vessel may be placed upon it whilst water is dispensed, and the base so extended may incorporate a drip tray to catch any spillage of water.

In order that the invention may be clearly understood and readily carried into effect, one embodiment thereof will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which: Figure 1 shows, schematically and in side elevation, a water heating and dispensing system in accordance with one embodiment of the invention.

Referring now to the drawing, the water heating and dispensing system as a whole is represented by the reference number 10. The system 10 shown in the drawing includes a kettle-like water reservoir 12 which incorporates therein a means (not shown) of any convenient kind for heating water.

The reservoir 12 is provided with a valved outlet 14 through which heated water can be delivered to a dispensing head 16 of the dispensing system.

The system shown further includes a stand 18 for the reservoir 12, and the dispensing head supports an outlet duct 20 and an actuator 22 for dispensing, from the outlet duct 20, heated water supplied from the reservoir 18. A water conduit (not shown) couples the valved outlet 14 of the reservoir 12 to the outlet duct 20 in known maimer; the conduit preferably incorporating a pump (not shown) which can be operated by actuation of the dispensing button 22 to withdraw heated water from the reservoir 12 and convey it to the outlet duct 20 of the dispensing head 16.

Importantly, in accordance with this embodiment of the invention, a valve dock and actuator 24 is provided on the stand 18 to open the valved outlet 14 of the reservoir 12 when the reservoir 12 is operatively placed on the stand 18; the valved outlet 14 being adapted to automatically close when the reservoir 12 is removed from the stand 18.

The reservoir 12, in this embodiment, closely resembles a domestic electric kettle, having a built-in heating element (not shown) of any convenient kind and a connector 26 through which the kettle-like reservoir 12 is supplied, via the base 18, with power for its heating element.

The heating element may take any convenient form, such as a flat plate heater or a sleeved resistance heater formed on, or attached to, the base of the reservoir 12. It is preferred, however, for optimal heating efficiency, that the heating element is positioned within the reservoir such that water is in contact with its underside, as well as with its topside. The heater may comprise, for example, a flat element, such as a thick-film element printed onto an insulating substrate, or an older-style looped sheath-type resistance element.

It is preferred that the connector 26 for the electrical supply to the heating element of the kettle-like reservoir 12 is disposed to the rear or to one side of the reservoir 12, and that a matching connector 28 is fixed to the base.

By this means, particularly when using an element that is supported above the base of the reservoir 12, the valved outlet 14 of the reservoir 12 can readily be placed, as shown, centrally of its base. If the element is on the base of the kettle, an annular construction will permit the use of a central outlet. In any event, it is desirable to physically separate the valved water outlet 14 (and its dock and actuator 24) from the electrical connectors 26, 28 by as far as is convenient.

In some embodiments, it is preferred to provide means to ensure that the kettle-like reservoir 12 can not be completely emptied of water by means of the pump, thus avoiding a risk of operating the heating element dry.

Any convenient technique can be employed to achieve this objective, for example by providing a raised wall, surrounding the water outlet 14.

Whether or not a wall or other means is provided to guard against dry operation of the heater, a filter device can be located over, or near, the water outlet 14 to protect the outlet valve from scale.

The reservoir 12 may be made of any convenient material and may be entirely or partially opaque, transparent or translucent. It is preferred however that, unless the overall construction of the reservoir permits adequate visibility of the water level therein, a window 30, or other indicator, is provided to show or indicate the water content of the reservoir.

The kettle-like reservoir 12 may be formed with a spout 32 which further allows some or all of the hot water therein to be poured into a saucepan or other vessel in the event that it is desired to cook or warm foodstuffs in such a vessel. This is efficient, particularly if all or any the hot water in the reservoir 12 is not currently required for dispensing, as that water has already been heated and its use for cooking or heating purposes makes it unnecessary to heat some at least of the water to be used in the saucepan or other vessel.

The spout 32 of the kettle-like reservoir 12 may be configured so as to dock into a receiving recess 34 formed in an upstand 36 canying the outlet duct 20 of the dispensing system 10. In this embodiment, the recess 34 contains sealing means (not shown) configured to substantially seal the spout 32 of the kettle-like reservoir 12, when the reservoir is operatively placed on the stand 18 of the dispensing system. In some preferred embodiments, the sealing means comprises a resilient material, such as an elastomeric material. In any event, the intended function of the sealing means is to prevent unwanted issuance of steam from the spout 32 and/or to avoid frustrating the delivery of heated water to the outlet duct 20 of the dispensing system 10 through loss of pressure in the system.

The upstand 36 of the dispensing system 10 is, in this example, formed beneath the outlet duct 20 thereof, with a vessel-receiving indentation, or arcuate cut-out, 38 SO that a vessel 40, such as a glass, a cup or a carafe, may be pushed into close contact with the upstand 36 whilst water is dispensed into it. The base 18 of the system may be extended, as shown in dashed lines at 19, such that the receiving vessel 40 may be placed upon the extended base 19 whilst water is dispensed into it via the outlet duct 20, and any such base extension 19 preferably incorporates a drip tray (not shown) to catch any spillage of water.

In operation, the kettle-like reservoir 12 is charged with the required amount of water and placed upon the base 18 with its electrical connector 26 engaged with the connector 28 upstanding from the base 18, with its valved water outlet 14 engaged into the valve dock and actuator 24 on the base, and with its spout 32 engaged into the recess 43 containing the sealing means described earlier. In this configuration, the system 10 operates in a manner analogous to conventional dispensing systems, and can be operated by user-actuation of the button 22 to dispense water into a vessel such as 40 by way of the outlet duct 20. The system 10, however, heats the water with significantly greater efficiency than a conventional system, because the heating element is incorporated into the kettle-like reservoir 12 instead of being provided beneath the reservoir-supporting surface of the base 18.

Furthermore, when the kettle-like reservoir 12 is removed from the base 18, the valved water outlet 14 automatically closes, and the reservoir 12 can then be used to charge another vessel, such as a saucepan or other cooking or warming vessel, with hot water which, for the time being, is not required for dispensing via the outlet duct 20 of the system 10. The invention thus provides a "combi" device, comprising all of the attributes of both a conventional hot water dispenser and a conventional electric kettle.

It will be appreciated that, for improved thermal efficiency, the kettle-like reservoir 12 may be provided with thermal insulation and/or thermally reflective coatings on its main body. Furthermore, for improved electrical safety, an interlock device of any convenient kind may be provided to ensure that the electrical connector 28 carried by the base 18 is de-energised unless the kettle-like appliance 12 is correctly seated on the base 18.

Claims

Claims: 1. A water heating and dispensing system, comprising a water reservoir incorporating therein a means for heating water and having a valved outlet for the heated water, a stand for said reservoir, a dispensing head containing a spout and an actuator for dispensing from the spout heated water from said reservoir, and a water conduit, coupled to said valved outlet, for conveying heated water from said reservoir to said dispensing head, wherein said reservoir is removable from the stand and wherein means are provided to open said valved outlet when the reservoir is operatively placed on the stand; the valved outlet being adapted to automatically close when the reservoir is removed from the stand.
2. A system according to claim 1, wherein the heating element comprises one of a flat plate heater or a sleeved resistance heater formed on, or attached to, the base of the reservoir.
3. A system according to claim 1, wherein the heating element is positioned within the reservoir such that water is in contact with its underside, as well as with its topside.
4. A system according to claim 3, wherein the element comprises a flat element.
5. A system according to claim 4, wherein the element comprises a thick-film element printed onto an insulating substrate.
6. A system according to claim 3, wherein the element comprises a looped and sheathed resistance element.
7. A system according to any preceding claim, wherein the reservoir is provided with an electrical connector and the base is provided with a co-operative connector, through which connectors electrical power is supplied to energise the heating element.
8. A system according to claim 7, wherein the electrical connector of the reservoir is disposed to the rear or to one side of the reservoir.
9. A system according to any preceding claim, wherein the valved outlet is located centrally of the base of the reservoir.
10. A system according to any preceding claim, wherein the reservoir is formed with a spout whereby some or all of the hot water in the reservoir may be used to charge directly a saucepan or other vessel in which it is desired to cook or wann foodstuffs.
ii. A system according to claim 10, further comprising a receiving recess formed in an upstand carrying the outlet duct of the dispensing system, and wherein the spout of the reservoir is configured so as to dock into said receiving recess.
12. A system according to claim ii. wherein said receiving recess contains sealing means configured to substantially seal the spout of the reservoir when the reservoir is operatively placed on the stand of the dispensing system with its spout docked into said receiving recess.
13. A system according to claim 11 or claim 12, wherein the upstand of the dispensing system is formed, beneath the outlet duct thereof, with a vessel-receiving indentation, or arcuate cut-out, so that a vessel may be pushed into close contact with the upstand whilst water is dispensed into it.
14. A system according to any preceding claim, wherein the base of the system is extended to support a receiving vessel whilst water is dispensed from said outlet duct, and wherein the base so extended incorporates a drip tray.
15. A system according to any preceding claim, further including a raised wall, surrounding the valved outlet to prevent the reservoir being emptied through the outlet.
16. A water heating and dispensing system substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawing.