WO2004100323A1

WO2004100323A1 - Power supply systems

Info

Publication number: WO2004100323A1
Application number: PCT/IB2004/001443
Authority: WO
Inventors: Edward Khoury
Original assignee: Galgut, John
Priority date: 2003-05-06
Filing date: 2004-05-06
Publication date: 2004-11-18
Also published as: AU2003902129A0

Abstract

An appliance for use with a small cordless electric connector has a receptor for the connector which is located off-sentre the appliance.

Description

POWER SUPPLY SYSTEMS

This invention relates to power supply systems and to appliances for use therewith.

In particular the invention is concerned with an appliance of the kind comprising a base; a receptor for a cordless connector which connector is smaller than the base and which is adapted to rest on a working surface, the receptor being carried by the base; and surface engaging means for engaging the working surface and being arranged to hold the said part of the base elevated off the working surface to accommodate the cordless connector therebelow so that it may engage the receptor. Such an appliance is hereinafter called "an appliance of the kind set forth" . A particular form of a cordless connector and its support is described in International Publication No WO 02/097927.

According to one aspect of the invention there is provided an appliance of the kind set forth wherein the receptor is located off centre of the base.

Conveniently the surface engaging means may comprise rubber feet, and may be arranged to carry the appliance partially and the appliance is arranged also to be supported by the connector. Thus typically the appliance has two feet near one side of the appliance with the receptor near the other side. It will be understood that the appliance may be circular in plan so that the feet may be located to one side of a diameter and the receptor on the other side so that the feet and connector when attached to the receptor provide a firm support for the appliance. According to another aspect of the invention there is provided the combination of an appliance as set out above with a power supply unit including a connector, which power supply unit is smaller than the appliance. Conveniently the connector partially supports the appliance.

Embodiments of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings :- Figure 1 is a plan view of a power supply unit with three different appliances connected thereto, Figure 2 is a perspective view of a chopper of the invention,

Figure 3 is a perspective view of a toaster of the invention,

Figure 4 is a side view partially in section of another appliance of the invention, and Figure 5 is an under plan view of the appliance of Figure 4.

Referring now to Figure 1, there is shown a power supply unit 10 comprising a body member 12 having pivoted thereto three extension arms 14, 16 and 18 that are capable of swinging between compact retracted positions under the body member 12 (as shown in dotted lines) and operative positions projecting from the body member 10. Each extension arm has an enlarged end part 20 forming a connector support at its free end. The connector support 20 carries a cylindrical cordless electrical connector 22 of the kind described in Patent specification No GB 2,398,926. A unit of this kind is described in WO 02/097927. Used with this power supply unit 10 are three appliances 24, 26 and 28. One appliance 24 is a chopper having a circular foot print. The other two appliances 26 and 28 are a toaster and a sandwich maker respectively, both of which have a rectangular foot print.

It will be see that the chopper 24 (best shown in Figure 2) has a central receptor

(or female connector) 30 centrally located in its base 32. It has surface engaging means in the form a pair of chordal side legs 34 carrying feet 36 which support the chopper 24 on a working surface 40 and define a diametrically extending channel 38 therebetween in centre of which is the receptor 30. The height of the roof 42 of the channel 38 supported by the surface engaging means is such that an extension arm can be located therebelow spaced below the roof 42 but with the connector received in the receptor 30.

The toaster 26 (best shown in Figure 3) has a base 44 with a main base part 46 extending over most of its length and a raised parallel end part 48 joined thereto by a vertical wall 50. The length of the end part 48 is about 40% of the length of the main base part 46. A receptor 52 is placed centrally of the end part 48. It is therefore off- centre with respect to the entire base 44. Surface engaging means in the form of a pair of rubber feet 54 are provided at the remote end of the main part 46 of the base 44.

The height of end part 48 of the base 44 above the main part 46 is such that when a connector is received in the receptor 52, it, the connector, can support the end of the appliance 26 with the base parts 46 and 48 parallel to the working surface 56 on which the toaster 26 is carried and with an extension arm resting on this surface spaced slightly clear of the end part 48 of the base 44. The sandwich maker 28 (best shown in Figures 4 and 5) also has a rectangular foot print. It has a pair of rubber feet or stilts 60 on its base 62 near its sides at one end and has a circular receptor 64 at the other end. The connector on the arm engages the receptor 64 thereby at least partially supporting the appliance 28.

By having the appliances provided with off centre receptors as has been described, the inclination of the various appliances to the body member 12 and to each other can be altered. This enables the appliances to be spaced to the optimum positions and also to avoid any of the negative effects of having the appliances touching or being too close to one another.

The above description relates to the use of the appliances with the power supply unit 10. However different power supply units may be used as is shown in Figures 2 to 5. Thus in Figures 2, 3 and 5 different power supply units are shown each comprising a free standing single arm 70 with a connector 72 attached thereto. Such power supply units are identical to the parts of the arms 16 beyond the pivot connection to the body member 12 (although they may be of different lengths). Also as shown in

Figure 4, the appliances 28 can be used with a power supply unit 74 that comprises a connector support in the form of a circular carrier 76 carrying a connector 78 (which is identical to the connectors 22) coaxially therewith.

It will be seen that when disconnected from the connector, the appliances 26 and 28 will not be stable. Therefore for storage purposes a block 80 may be provide to constitute a support for that end of the appliance which in use would be supported by the connector. In Figure 5 the block 80 is rectangular so that the end part 48 of the base 44 can rest thereon. The block for any other appliance will be appropriately shaped. Alternatively to this arrangement, additional feet may be provided on the base to support the appliance in a slightly tilted condition. When the appliance 26 or 28 is placed on the connector, the connector supports the appliance with the additional feet lifted a few millimetres off the working surface.

In all the embodiments shown, the power is supplied from a power source (not shown) through a cable 82 having a plug 84 (shown only in Figure 4) at the end of the cable.

The appliances may be able to pivot about the axis of the connectors and receptors.

The connectors may be any similar connector such as those made by the companies Strix Limited, Ketsol Limited and Otter Limited. The connectors may however be such that the appliances are unable to pivot relative thereto.

It will be understood that the parts comprise appropriate material as appreciated by those skilled in the art.

The invention is not limited to the precise constructional details hereinbefore described and illustrated in the drawings. Thus for example the appliances may be any other desirable appliance such as a coffee grinder, a kettle, a waffle iron or the like. The receptor in the circular appliance as shown in Figure 2 may also be located off centre in the channel. Furthermore appliances with circular foot prints may be provided with a receptor near the periphery of base and with a pair of feet on the opposite side of a notional diameter so that the feet and receptor are at the apices of an isosceles triangle the base of which is parallel with the diameter. Such an arrangement is what is meant herein in relation to an appliance with a circular foot print having two feet near one side of the appliance with the receptor near the other side.

Instead of feet as mentioned, the appliances may have any other surface engaging means such as fixed stilts, ribs, bosses and the like or removable adaptors for elevating the appliances. The appliances, especially those with off-centre receptors may be wholly supported on such surface engaging means, the connector serving merely as an electrical connection.

Claims

1 An appliance comprising a base, a receptor for a cordless connector which connector is smaller than the base and which is adapted to rest on a working surface, the receptor being carried by the base; and surface engaging means for engaging the working surface and being arranged to hold the base elevated from the working surface to accommodate the cordless connector so that it may engage the receptor: wherein the receptor is located off centre of the base.

2 An appliance as claimed in claim 1 wherein the receptor is adapted to cooperate with a cylindrical cordless connector,

3 An appliance as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 the surface engaging means comprises rubber feet.

4 An appliance as claimed in claim 1 , 2 or 3 wherein the surface engaging means partially carries the appliance, the arrangement being such that in use the connector will also carry the appliance.

5 An appliance as claimed in claims 3 and 4 comprising two feet near one side of the appliance with the receptor near the other side. 6 An appliance as claimed in any one of the preceding claims having a base with a main flat part and a raised end part wherein the receptor is formed in the raised end part.

7 The combination of an appliance as claimed in any of the preceding claims with a power supply unit incorporating a cordless connector, which unit is smaller than appliance wherein the connector is engaged in the receptor.

8 The combination as claimed in claim 7 when dependant upon claim 4 wherein the connector partially supports the appliance.