JP2012065968A - Electric kettle - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an electric kettle in which no switch is turned on even if a kettle body is placed inverted and in addition no load is placed on the switch.SOLUTION: The electric kettle 1 includes: the kettle body 2 open in the upper part and housing a prescribed amount of a liquid; heating means heating the liquid housed in the kettle body 2; a lid body 4 covering the opening 3 of the kettle body 2 and freely attachable and detachable; control means for controlling the heating means; a switch 12 freely transferrable between a heating stop position and a heating operating position and equipped with an operating portion 16 for operating heating and stopping heating of the heating means; and a handle 6 provided on the side wall of the kettle body 2, wherein the switch 12 is provided on the top of the handle 6. In the electric kettle, the operating portion 16 of the switch 12 protrudes upward from the surface flush with the opening end part 3b of the kettle body 2, in the heating operating position, the operating portion 16 is situated lower than the surface flush with the opening end part 3b, in the heating stop position.

Description

  The present invention relates to an electric kettle, and more particularly, to an electric kettle that does not turn on even if the main body is placed upside down and that does not apply an excessive load to the switch.

  Electric kettles have become widespread as being easy to carry and capable of boiling hot water easily. This electric kettle usually has a kettle body having an electric heating part for heating with a predetermined amount of water and a base to which an external power cord for supplying electric power to the electric heating part of the kettle main body is connected. By setting the kettle body on the base and turning on the power switch, hot water can be boiled. In addition, in order to prevent waste of electric power or emptying, control is performed so that the switch is automatically turned off when water boils (for example, see Document 1 below).

  As this electric kettle, there is also known a configuration in which the lid is detachable from the main body and the contents are not lost when the kettle falls (see, for example, Patent Document 2 below).

  In the electric kettle disclosed in Patent Document 2 below, a lid for closing the inner container via a seal member is mounted with a content liquid pouring path, an opening / closing mechanism for the pouring path, a steam passage for releasing steam to the outside, and a lid. Provided with a locking mechanism or the like that locks in position, a steam detector that detects boiling by steam on the main body (container) side and turns off the heater, and introduces steam from the steam passage of the lid to the steam detector When a steam introduction path is provided and the lid is attached to the main body, the connection port of the steam passage of the lid is located at the steam inlet of the steam introduction path of the main body, and the lid and the main body are provided on one side from above It is designed to be crimped to each other in a plug-fitted state via a sealing member, and can be easily attached to and detached from the main body of the lid body, and a sufficient seal is provided between the lid-side steam passage and the body-side steam introduction path in the plug fitting area. It can be connected in a state.

JP-A-10-000157 JP 2009-178525 A

  In the electric kettle described in Patent Document 2, since the lid is detachable from the main body, the lid can be removed after use to wash the inside of the main body with water. Usually, after the kettle body is washed with water, the opening of the kettle body is turned down and the inside is dried and then used. However, such an electric kettle switch is often provided on the upper part of the handle provided on the side of the main body so that it is easy to operate. There is. Thus, when the kettle body is returned to the base with the switch turned on in advance, energization to the heating means occurs, and when there is no content, it is dangerous because it becomes empty.

  In order to solve the above-mentioned problem, it is also considered that the switch can be turned off by being pushed from the floor surface when the main body is placed face down. If the switch continues to be applied, an excessive load is applied to the switch component, which may cause a switch failure.

  The present invention has been made to solve the above-described problems of the prior art, and the object of the present invention is to prevent the switch from being turned on even when the main body is placed upside down, and to prevent the switch from being loaded. The purpose is to provide a kettle.

  In order to achieve the above object, an electric kettle according to claim 1, wherein an upper portion is opened and a kettle main body in which a predetermined amount of liquid is accommodated, and heating means for heating the liquid accommodated in the kettle main body, , A detachable lid covering the opening of the kettle body, a control means for controlling the heating means, and a heating stop position and a heating operation position, and can be freely transferred between the heating operation and the heating stop of the heating means. An electric kettle having a switch having an operation unit for performing and a handle handle provided on a side wall of the kettle body, wherein the switch is provided on a top portion of the handle handle. The operating portion of the switch protrudes above the same plane as the opening end of the kettle body in the operating position, and the operating portion of the switch opens the kettle body in the heating stop position. Characterized in that located below the end portion and the same plane.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the electric kettle according to the first aspect, the operation portion of the switch is a seesaw type or a double push button type including a heating operation portion and a stop operation portion, and the heating operation position The stop actuating part protrudes above the same plane as the opening end of the kettle body and the heating actuating part is located below the same plane as the opening end of the kettle body, and the stop is at the heating stop position. The operating part and the heating operating part are both positioned below the same plane as the opening end of the kettle body.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the electric kettle according to the second aspect, when the switch depresses the heating operation unit, the uppermost surface position of the stop operation unit rises higher than the uppermost surface position of the heating operation unit. When the stop operation part is pushed down, the uppermost surface position of the heating operation part rises from the uppermost surface position of the heating operation part, and is attached obliquely to the top of the handle handle, and the heating operation position The stop actuating part protrudes above the same plane as the opening end of the kettle body and the heating actuating part is located below the same plane as the opening end of the kettle body, and the stop is at the heating stop position. The operating part and the heating operating part are both positioned below the same plane as the opening end of the kettle body.

  According to the electric kettle invention described in claim 1, when the switch is in the heating operation position, the operation portion of the switch protrudes from the same plane as the opening end portion of the main body. When lying down, the operating part of the switch is pushed on the floor and moves to the heating stop position. Thereby, since the switch is always in a heating stopped state when the main body is turned upside down, even if the kettle main body is placed on the base connected to the power source, no emptying occurs. On the other hand, since the switch operating part is at a position lower than the opening of the main body when the switch is in the heating stop position, the switch operating part does not come into contact with the floor surface when the kettle main body is turned upside down. There is no load on the switch.

  According to the electric kettle of the present invention, when the switch is in the heating operation position, the stop operation portion of the operation portion of the switch protrudes upward from the same plane as the opening end portion of the kettle body. Since the heating operation part is located below the same plane as the opening end of the kettle body, when the kettle body is turned upside down, the stop operation part of the switch operation part receives a predetermined pressure from the floor surface. Since it shifts to a heating stop state, safety is ensured. In addition, when the switch is in the heating stop position, the heating operation part of the operation part of the switch is located below the same plane as the opening end part of the kettle body, so that the heating operation part does not come into contact with the floor surface. There is no transition to operation.

  According to the invention of the electric kettle according to claim 3 of the present invention, by using these ordinary seesaw type switches or double push button type switches, they are attached to the top of the handle handle at an angle, so that the heating operation position is Then, the stop operating part protrudes above the same plane as the opening end of the kettle body and the heating operating part can be positioned below the same plane as the opening end of the kettle body. Since it is not necessary to use, it becomes inexpensive.

1 is a perspective view of an electric kettle according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is a disassembled perspective view of the electric kettle of FIG. It is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the kettle main body of FIG. 4A is an enlarged view when the switch portion of FIG. 3 is heated, and FIG. 4B is an enlarged view when the heating is stopped.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. However, the embodiment described below exemplifies an electric kettle for embodying the technical idea of the present invention, and is not intended to specify the present invention as an electric kettle. The present invention can be equally applied to the other embodiments included in the scope.

  An electric kettle according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 is a perspective view of an electric kettle according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the electric kettle of FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of the kettle body of FIG.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the electric kettle 1 has a kettle body 2 that opens upward and accommodates a predetermined amount of liquid such as water, and a detachable lid 4 that covers the opening 3 above the kettle body 2. And a base 5 on which the kettle body 2 is placed, and a semicircular handle 6 is provided on the side wall of the kettle body 2.

  The kettle body 2 has an opening 3 at the top, and has a cylindrical outer case 7 with a bottom, a semicircular handle 6 protruding outwardly on the side wall of the outer case 7, and a liquid such as water. A heating container 9 is provided. The outer case 7 is formed of a resin molded body having heat resistance. A locking portion 8 for locking the lid 4 is provided near the opening 3 on the inner wall of the outer case 7. Below that, the heating container 9 is accommodated, and the bottom of the heating container 9 is fixed in contact with the heater 10. In the upper opening 3, a spout 3 a is formed at one end facing the handle 6. The maximum water level line provided on the inner wall in the vicinity of the opening 3 is set to a line where water is accommodated up to this line, and hot water does not blow out from the upper opening 3 even if the water surface rises due to heating and boiling. Has been.

  A heater 10 is provided below the bottom of the heating container 9. The heater 10 has a sheathed heater (not shown) mounted on a stainless steel plate having a predetermined thickness. This sheathed heater is connected to the electrical connector 11. The electrical connector 11 has a concave shape corresponding to an electrical connector 15 provided on the base 5 described later, and is provided on the base 5 when the kettle body 2 is placed on the base 5. The electric connector 15 is connected.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, the handle 6 is provided on the side wall of the outer case 7 opposite to the spout 3 a. A control means (not shown) for controlling the heater 10 by inputting a detection value of a temperature sensor (not shown) is housed in a member constituting the handle 6. The temperature sensor and the control means are: Although not shown, they are connected by lead wires. In addition, the handle 6 is provided with a switch 12 for turning on / off the power to the heater 10 in the vicinity of the outer top portion of the semicircular handle member.

  The lid body 4 is formed of a substantially disk-shaped resin molded body that covers the opening of the heating container 9 and the spout 3a, and is attachable to and detachable from the kettle body 2 by the locking claws 13 provided at the left and right sides of the side surface. Locked. Near the upper center of the lid 4, two operation members 14 for operating the locking claws 13 are provided.

  When the lid 4 is closed, the locking claw 13 is locked to the locking portion 8 (see FIG. 3) in the kettle body 2. In this state, when the operation member 14 is pushed from the left and right toward the center of the lid, the operation member 14 moves toward the center of the lid, and accordingly, the locking claw 13 is drawn into the lid 4. Disengage from the locking portion 8 of the main body. Thereafter, the lid body 4 can be opened by pulling the lid body 4 upward from the opening 3. In order to close the lid 4, first, the operating member 14 is pushed from the left and right toward the center of the lid, the locking claw 13 is retracted once, and the lid 4 is fitted into the opening 3. After reaching the position where the locking claw 13 is locked to the locking portion 8, the pressing of the operation member 14 is stopped and the locking claw 13 is locked to the locking portion 8.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the base 5 is formed of a substantially disk-shaped resin molded body having a diameter substantially the same as the diameter of the kettle body 2, and protrudes from the center of the base 5. An electrical connector 15 is provided. The base 5 is connected to a power source (not shown), and when the kettle body 2 is placed on the base 5, the electrical connector 15 comes into contact with the electrical connector 11 on the kettle body 2 side, and the kettle body 2 is connected to the base 5. Energization is possible.

  Next, the switch of the electric kettle of this embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 4A is an enlarged view of the switch portion of FIG. 2 during heating operation, and FIG. 4B is an enlarged view of the switch portion of FIG. 2 when heating is stopped.

  The switch 12 of this embodiment is a seesaw type, and is attached to the upper side of the handle 6 at an angle with respect to the same plane as the open end 3b (dotted line in FIG. 4). The switch 12 has an operation unit 16 at the upper part, the kettle body side of the operation unit 16 is a stop operation unit 17 and the outside is a heating operation unit 18, and the stop operation unit 17 and the heating operation unit 18 are respectively pushed down. The heating of the heater 10 and the heating stop can be switched. Here, the state where the heating operation unit 18 is pushed down is the heating operation position, and the state where the stop operation unit 17 is pushed down is the heating stop position.

  When the electric kettle 1 is heated, a liquid such as water is stored in the heating container 9, and the heating operation unit 18 is pushed down with the kettle body 2 placed on the base 5, so that the operation unit 16 is positioned at the heating operation position. By doing so, electricity supply to the kettle body 2 occurs, and heating of the heater 10 is started (see FIG. 4A).

  When it is detected that the liquid in the heating container 9 has boiled and the temperature sensor has reached a predetermined temperature, the control means controls the operation unit 16 to be positioned at the heating stop position, and heating of the heater 10 is stopped. (See FIG. 4B).

  In this embodiment, a seesaw type switch is used. However, as a switch that can be used in the electric kettle of the present invention, when the heating operation part in the operation part of the switch is pushed down, the uppermost surface of the stop operation part If the position rises above the top surface position of the heating operation part and depresses the stop operation part, the heating operation part rises, but the top surface position of the heating operation part does not protrude beyond the top surface position of the stop operation part. For example, either a seesaw type switch or a double push button type switch can be used.

  When a normal seesaw type switch or double push button type switch is mounted on a horizontal surface, when the heating operation part is pushed down, the top surface position of the stop operation part rises higher than the top surface position of the heating operation part. When the part is pushed down, the uppermost surface position of the heating operation part rises from the uppermost surface position of the heating operation part.

  However, in the electric kettle of the present invention, the switch 12 is attached to the handle handle 6 at an angle, and the operation unit 16 is configured so that the stop operation unit 17 is connected to the opening end 3b of the kettle body 2 in the heating operation position. Projecting upward from the same plane (dotted line in FIG. 4), the heating operation unit 18 is provided so as to be positioned below the same plane as the opening end 3 b of the kettle body 2. Further, at the heating stop position, both the stop operating unit 17 and the heating operating unit 18 are located below the same plane as the opening end 3 b of the kettle body 2.

  The electric kettle of the present embodiment can completely remove the lid 4 from the kettle body 2. For this reason, the user can wash the inside of the heating container of the kettle body 2 with water or use it again after use. The kettle body 2 can be turned upside down to dry the inside. Here, in the heating operation position, the operation unit 16 has a stop operation unit 17 protruding above the same plane as the opening end 3 b of the kettle body 2, and a heating operation unit 18 in the same plane as the opening end 3 b of the kettle body 2. It is provided so as to be located at a lower part. For this reason, in a state where the main body is turned upside down, the operation unit 16 moves to the stop operation position by receiving a predetermined pressure from the floor surface in contact with the opening end 3b and pressing the stop operation unit 17 down. The switch always stops heating. Therefore, even if the kettle main body 2 is subsequently placed on the base 5, the heater 10 is not energized, and no emptying or the like occurs, thus ensuring safety.

  In the heating stop position, both the stop operating part 17 and the heating operating part 18 are provided below the same plane as the opening end 3b of the kettle body 2. For this reason, even when the kettle body is turned upside down, the operation part of the switch does not come into contact with the floor surface, so the operation part does not move to the heating operation position, and the switch may be loaded. Absent.

  The same effect can also be obtained by using a seesaw type switch or a double-push button type switch and changing the heights of the stop operation part and the heating operation part. However, in order to change the shape of the switch, an individually designed switch must be used, which increases the cost. The manufacturing cost of the electric kettle can be reduced by attaching a normal switch obliquely as in this embodiment.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Electric kettle 2 ... Kettle main body 3 ... Opening 4 ... Cover body 5 ... Base 6 ... Handle handle 7 ... External case 8 ... Locking part 9 ... Heating container 10 ... Heater 11 ... Electric connector 12 ... Switch 13 ... Engagement Stopper 14 ... Operation member 15 ... Electric connector 16 ... Operation part 17 ... Stop action part 18 ... Heating action part

Claims (3)

A kettle body that opens upward and contains a predetermined amount of liquid;
Heating means for heating the liquid contained in the kettle body;
A removable lid covering the opening of the kettle body;
Control means for controlling the heating means;
A switch having an operation unit that is freely changeable between a heating stop position and a heating operation position, and that performs heating operation and heating stop of the heating means,
A handle provided on the side wall of the kettle body,
In the electric kettle provided with the switch on the top of the handle handle,
In the heating operation position, the switch operating portion protrudes upward from the same plane as the opening end of the kettle main body, and in the heating stop position, the switch operating portion is the same as the opening end of the kettle main body. An electric kettle that is located below the plane.   The operation part of the switch is of a seesaw type or a double-push button type provided with a heating operation part and a stop operation part, and in the heating operation position, the stop operation part is from the same plane as the opening end of the kettle body. The heating operation part protrudes upward and is positioned below the same plane as the opening end of the kettle body, and both the stop operation part and the heating operation part are the same as the opening end part of the kettle body at the heating stop position. The electric kettle according to claim 1, wherein the electric kettle is positioned below a plane.   When the switch is pushed down, the uppermost position of the stop actuating part rises above the uppermost position of the heating actuating part, and when the stop actuating part is pushed down, the uppermost position of the heating actuating part is It rises above the uppermost surface position of the heating operation part, is attached to the top of the handle handle at an angle, and in the heating operation position, the stop operation part is above the same plane as the opening end of the kettle body. The heating operation part is located below the same plane as the opening end part of the kettle body, and both the stop operation part and the heating operation part are from the same plane as the opening end part of the kettle body at the heating stop position. The electric kettle according to claim 2, wherein the electric kettle is positioned at a lower portion.

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