WO2010080053A1

WO2010080053A1 - Kettle

Info

Publication number: WO2010080053A1
Application number: PCT/RU2009/000760
Authority: WO
Inventors: Рувим Львович ВОСКОБОЙНИКОВ
Original assignee: Voskoboynikov Ruvim Lvovich
Priority date: 2009-01-11
Filing date: 2009-12-25
Publication date: 2010-07-15
Also published as: RU2009101342A; RU2402254C2

Abstract

The invention relates to household articles, in particular to water boiling vessels, more specifically to kettles. The kettle comprises a spout for pouring water, a handle for carrying the kettle and tilting it by a user's hand, a resilient member and a gauge for measuring strain of said resilient member. The resilient member is made in the form of a flat or wound spring and is situated where a force action is transmitted from the user's hand to the kettle housing through the handle for carrying and tilting the kettle. The resilient member comprises a movable element which is designed and mounted to interact with the user's hand and interacts with the handle and the strain gauge of the resilient member. The strain gauge of the resilient member comprises a converter that is used for converting strain into electric signal and is connected to an indicator.

Description

KETTLE

The invention relates to household items, and more specifically to kitchen utensils for boiling water, namely, to dummies. State of the art

Various types of dummies are known. All known kettles (SU 15136, 1930; SU 1205887, 1986; SU 1450820.1989; SU 1659003, 1991; SU 1741766, 1992; SU 1797482,1993; SU 1801044, 1993) contain a water case and a handle for carrying and tilting. The kettle body also contains a lid and a spout for draining (filling) water. The body of the kettle is most often made of metal: aluminum, stainless steel or enameled steel. Such a kettle can be installed on a heating element or on a heat source (gas, fire).

Also known are electric kettles (RU 2073478, 1997; RU 2156103, 2000; RU 2284140, 2006) containing a heating element located inside the housing. The body of an electric kettle is usually made of stainless steel or plastic, and the handle is most often made of plastic.

A very important, integral part of the kettle is the handle for carrying and tilting, which can be connected to the body rigidly or articulated and with the help of which most of the functions necessary when using the kettle are carried out. The user takes the kettle by the handle with his hand in order to lift the kettle, pour water from the tap, transfer the kettle, install it on the heating element, remove the kettle with boiling water and not burn yourself, tilt the kettle to drain the water (boiling water) through the spout, and also install kettle in the right place. The handle for carrying and tilting in teapots is usually entirely made of a material that does not conduct heat well (for example, plastic) or contains a heat-insulating material on metal.

Handles for carrying and tilting in teapots are divided into C-shaped and cantilever. C-shaped handles have two types of fastening on a teapot: rigid or hinged. In the first case, the C-shaped handle is fixedly attached to the body in two places and is located in the central vertical plane of the kettle, passing through the drain spout. In the second case, the C-shaped handle is hinged to the body so that it can be rotated around a horizontal axis lying in the central vertical plane of the kettle and in the plane of the handle (SU 15136, 1930; SU 1205887, 1986).

Cantilever handles are usually L-shaped and rigidly fixed to the kettle body in a central vertical plane. Kettles with cantilever handles differ in the location of the handle: on the body from above or from the side and in the location of its long part, which can be directed to the nose or away from it (SU 1797482,1993; SU 1801044, 1993; SU 1659003, 1991). Kettles are most often made with a lid through which water is poured and poured. In those constructions in which there is no lid, water is poured and drained through a nozzle, which has a corresponding shape, open from above (SU 1787429, 1993).

A disadvantage of the known dummies is the difficulty in determining the amount of water poured into it.

To determine the amount of water in the teapot, a water meter tube is installed (or vertically attached to the teapot body), which is connected to the main volume of the teapot, as communicating vessels, or water gauge glass is installed (RU 2284140, 2006; GB 2003723, 1979; GB 2337194, 1999; GB 2332522, 1999; FR 2766692, 1999).

Kettles with a water measuring tube (glass) provide the ability to determine the amount of water poured, but have many disadvantages, the main of which are the following.

Firstly, the user cannot determine the amount of water in the kettle by pouring water from the tap using a water metering tube. To determine the amount of water in this case, the user has to stop pouring water.

Secondly, the difficulty in determining the amount of water in a kettle by a water measuring tube lies in the fact that the user's eyes should be at the water level and close to the scale located on the tube. As a result, the user has to either lift the kettle without tilting it to eye level or install it on a horizontal surface (for example, on a table). Then you have to bend to the water tube, which becomes cloudy over time, and on a scale to determine the amount of water in the kettle. Thirdly, it is difficult to ensure the tightness of the metal kettle at the junction of the casing with the water measuring tube due to differences in the temperature coefficients of expansion of the metal and glass in the temperature range 10-100 ⁰ C.

The closest analogue to the present invention should be considered a known kettle (GB Ns 855031, 1960). This patent describes a teapot in which a steelyard is fixed on the body between the spout and the C-shaped handle for carrying and tilting the teapot. The steelyard contains a special handle, for which the user must hold the kettle when determining the amount of water. The steelyard handle moves vertically along telescopic rails that are equipped with an elastic element (springs) and a strain gauge for the elastic element with a scale and a pointer.

The advantage of the famous teapot - the closest analogue is that with its help you can determine the amount of water poured into the kettle without a water meter pipe. However, such a kettle has many disadvantages, so it is difficult and inconvenient to use it. Firstly, a well-known device with an additional handle is installed on the body of a famous teapot - the closest analogue, for which the user must lift the kettle only to determine the amount of water. It is impossible to use such a handle to carry and tilt the kettle.

Secondly, to determine the amount of water it is necessary to raise this famous teapot by the handle of the steelyard to eye level, to assess the movement of the pointer on a scale, which is difficult and inconvenient. In addition, the steelyard is located between the nose and the handle for carrying and tilting, i.e. is shifted relative to the central vertical axis, therefore, the kettle tilts during such measurements and to prevent pouring water from the kettle, the user has to not add water to the kettle.

Thirdly, only one or two fingers of the user can fit in the handle of a well-known teapot, so holding a teapot weighing 1.5-3 kg on a finger and looking at the scale is painful.

Fourthly, in the teapot, chosen as the closest analogue, it is difficult to provide the most often demanded function: determining the amount of water in the teapot during the pouring of water from the tap.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The task of the invention is to improve the usability of the kettle. The problem, according to the invention, is solved in that the kettle, containing, in accordance with the closest analogue, a body with a spout for draining water, a handle for carrying and tilting the kettle with the user's hand, an elastic element and a strain gauge for an elastic element, differs from the closest analogue in that that in it the elastic element is installed in the place of transmission of force from the user's hand to the housing through the handle for carrying and tilting.

The proposed kettle differs from the closest analogue in that the elastic element is made in the form of a flat or twisted spring and is located on the handle for carrying and tilting.

In addition, the proposed kettle may differ in that the elastic element is located on the handle for carrying and tilting from the bottom and contains a movable element, made and installed with the possibility of interaction with the user's hand and interacting with the handle and with the deformation meter of the elastic element.

In addition, the proposed kettle is characterized in that the elastic element is made in the form of a flat or twisted spring and is installed with the possibility of interaction with the body and with a handle for carrying and tilting.

In the proposed kettle, the handle for carrying and tilting or part of it can be made in the form of an elastic element, the strain gauge of which is located on the handle and / or on the body.

The proposed kettle differs from the closest analogue also in that the strain gauge of the elastic element contains a strain gauge in the electrical signal connected to the indicator.

In addition, the proposed kettle is characterized in that an elastic element with a strain gauge to electrical signal and / or indicator can be located on the handle for carrying and tilting and / or on the housing. The technical result, which consists in increasing the usability of the kettle, is achieved due to the fact that in the present invention, the elastic element is installed in the place of transmission of the force from the user's hand to the body through a single handle for carrying and tilting the kettle. In the various construction schemes of the proposed teapot considered in the present invention, due to the method of fastening the handle for carrying and tilting to the body, as well as the execution of the elastic element, the technical result is also achieved by the fact that all the functions necessary when using the proposed teapot, including determining the amount of water in the kettle, the user performs with one single handle for carrying and tilting.

An advantage of the present invention over the known ones is that the user is provided with the opportunity to take the kettle by the handle for carrying and tilting once and for the first time immediately, without a water glass, to determine the amount of water in the kettle, including during the pouring of water from the tap, and also carry out all the operations necessary when using the kettle. Brief Description of the Drawings

The essence of the invention is illustrated by drawings of FIG. 1 - FIG. 9, in which, as examples of the implementation of the invention, various structural schemes of the proposed kettle are shown. In FIG. 1 shows the proposed kettle, in which the elastic element and the strain gauge are located on the handle for carrying and tilting. In FIG. 2 shows the rod of the reading device of the strain gauge of the elastic element shown in FIG. 1. In FIG. 3 - the proposed kettle, in which the elastic element is a movable element. In FIG. 4 - the proposed kettle with a hinged handle and an elastic element in the form of two spaced springs located between the handle and the body. In FIG. 5 shows view A, and in FIG. 6 is a view B shown in FIG. 4. In FIG. 7 shows a kettle with a cantilever handle and with an elastic element in the form of a twisted compression spring. In FIG. 8 - a kettle with a cantilever handle and with an elastic element in the form of a twisted tension spring. In FIG. 9 shows a kettle with a transformer for the deformation of an elastic element into an electric signal and an electronic indicator.

In FIG. 1 - FIG. 9 the following notation is accepted.

1 - housing;

2 - nose; 3 - cover;

4 - handle for carrying and tilting;

5 - axis of rotation of the handle 4;

6 - movable element of the elastic element;

7 - spring; 8 - strain gauge;

9 - emphasis;

10 - pointer meter 8;

11 - axis of the pointer of the meter 8;

12 - the Converter of the deformation of the elastic element into an electrical signal;

13 - power source;

14 - electronic indicator.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION FIG. 1 shows the proposed kettle, in which on the body 1 with a nose 2 and a cover 3 there is a C-shaped handle 4 for carrying and tilting, pivotally mounted with the possibility of rotation around two axes 5 located in the plane of the handle 4 and in the central vertical plane teapot, which passes through the spout 2. An elastic element containing a movable element 6, mounted with the possibility of interaction with the user's hand and the spring 7, is located on the handle 4 from the bottom and is in interaction with the strain gauge 8, also located on the handle 4. The strain gauge 8 can be made, for example, in the form of a rod (Fig. 2) mounted on a movable element 6, with contrasting rings (risks) deposited on it, protruding above the handle 4 during compression of the spring 7.

The proposed kettle (Fig. 1) can be made with a handle 4 for carrying and tilting, rigidly mounted on the housing 1 in the position shown in Fig.1. In this case, the axis 5 is absent.

Another example of the location of the elastic element and the strain gauge on the handle 4 is shown in Fig.Z.

In FIG. 3 shows a kettle containing a housing 1, a nose 2 and a cover 3, in which on the cantilever handle 4 for carrying and tilting, rigidly fixed to the housing 1, a movable element 6 is located below, which performs the function of an elastic element due to the elastic properties of the material from which it made. The movable element 6 is installed with the possibility of interaction with the user's hand, with a handle 4 for carrying and tilting and with a strain gauge 8, which can also be made in the form of a rod (Fig. 2).

In FIG. Figure 4 shows a kettle in which, on a housing 1 with a spout 2 and a cover 3, a C-shaped handle 4 is pivotally mounted on the axes 5 for carrying and tilting. The elastic element is made in the form of two springs 7 interacting with the handle 4 and with the housing 1. Referring to FIG. 4, view A and view B are shown, respectively, in FIG. 5 and in FIG. 6. As shown in figures 4, 5 and 6 on the handle 4, stops 9 are installed, which are in interaction with the springs 7, as well as pointers 10 of two strain gauges 8 located for convenience of the user on both sides of the handle. On the reading device of meter 8, contrasting strips (risks) are applied, according to which the user determines the amount of water in the kettle.

In FIG. 7 shows a kettle with a rigid cantilever handle 4 for carrying and tilting, the emphasis 9 of which is in cooperation with an elastic element made in the form of a twisted compression spring 7 located between the handle 4 and the housing 1. The reading device of the strain gauge 8 is located on the opposite end of the handle 4 and contains contrasting rings and a pointer 10. The pointer 10 can be made, for example, in the form of a hollow cone, mounted with the possibility of rotation around axis 11. In the kettle according to the invention, a handle 4 for carrying and tilting, as shown, for example, in FIG. 7, or part of it may be made of an elastic material, for example, rubber. In this case (not shown), the elastic handle 4 is fixed on one side to the housing 1 (without elements 5, 7 and 9), and its bending is estimated by the reading device 8 with a pointer 10.

In FIG. 8 shows a kettle with a cantilever handle 4, which is in cooperation with a tension spring 7 and with the housing 1. The pointer 10 located on the handle 4 is mounted to move above the contrasting strips of the strain gauge 8 located, for example, on the housing 1.

In FIG. 9 shows a kettle that is configured to transmit the force with which the user holds the raised kettle through the handle 4 for carrying and tilting and emphasis 9 to an electronic force transducer 12 installed, for example, on the housing 1. The transducer 12 is electrically connected to electronic indicator 14, configured to display the amount of water in the kettle. The indicator 14 can be digital or contain a line of LEDs. To power devices 12 and 14, such a kettle is equipped, in general, with a power source 13, for example, a battery. In FIG. 1 - FIG. 9 minor details providing the necessary functioning of the proposed kettle are not shown. The kettle is used as follows.

The user lifts the kettle (Fig. 1, Fig. 2) with his hand by the handle 4 from the bottom, i.e. - for the movable element 6. The force for lifting the kettle is transmitted from the user's hand to the housing 1 through the movable element 6, the spring 7 and the handle 4. The more water is poured or poured into the kettle, the more the spring 7 is deformed (compressed) and the greater the value the rod of the strain gauge 8 is pushed out of the handle 4. The position of the rod of the strain gauge 8 when lifting an empty kettle is conveniently combined with the reference point, then the amount of water poured into the kettle is easily estimated by the number of contrast rings that appear above the handle, which differ, for example measures by color (minimum: white - black). Usually for household purposes it is enough to determine the amount of water in shares: 0.25; 0.5; 0.75 or 1, 0 of the full (1, 0) teapot, i.e. it is enough to have 4 rings on the stock. If it is necessary to increase the measurement accuracy, the number of rings (notches) can be increased.

The handle 4 in the proposed teapot, unlike the closest analogue, is the only one, it’s convenient for the user to pick it up, carrying and tilting the kettle and it is convenient to estimate the amount of water poured and / or poured into the kettle. The contrast rings of the strain gauge are located on a single handle 4 on top, i.e. are always in the user's field of view, therefore, to determine the amount of water, the proposed kettle does not need to be installed on a horizontal plane or raised to eye level.

In the proposed kettle there are no restrictions for the user on the functions performed. The user takes the kettle once for a single handle 4 for carrying and tilting and can lift it, pour water into it, determine the amount of water in the kettle, install the kettle for heating water, remove the kettle from the heating device, tilt the kettle and drain the water through the nozzle 2 or through the lid 3.

The advantage of the proposed teapot (Fig. 1) compared with the known ones is that it solves the problem: it provides increased usability of the teapot.

Using the proposed kettle, the user can perform all the necessary operations, and when determining the amount of water poured or poured from the tap, he does not experience the inconvenience listed above for the closest analogue. Using the proposed teapot (Fig. 3) is similar to that described for the teapot (Fig. 1), from which it differs by a cantilever handle 4, rigidly fixed to the housing 1, and the design of the elastic element containing the elastic movable part 6.

Using the kettle of FIG. 4, based on the fact that if you need to raise the kettle, the user takes the kettle with his hand on the hinged handle 4 for carrying and tilting. The handle 4 is rotated around the axes 5 until the stops 9 come into contact with the elastic elements 7. Under the action of a hand from the user, which is transmitted through the handle 4, the stops 9 and the springs 7 to the housing 1, the springs 7 are compressed. The more water that is poured or poured into the kettle, the more the springs 7 are deformed (compressed) and the greater the pointers move over the counting devices 8. The user is convenient to estimate the amount water poured and / or poured into the kettle. Using the proposed dummies shown in FIG. 7 and FIG. 8, characterized by construction and design, i.e. the position of the console handle 4 and the springs 7 (compression / tension), for the user is almost the same. The force with which the user holds the kettle with water is transmitted through the handle 4 and the spring 7 to the housing 1. Depending on the amount of water in the kettle, the spring 7 is elastically deformed: in FIG. 7, the spring 7 is compressed, FIG. 8 - stretched. This deformation is measured along the rings (risks) of the meter 8 with a pointer 10.

The use of the kettle (Fig. 9) is based on the fact that the force with which the user lifts the kettle is applied through the handle 4 and the stop 9 to the force transducer 12 located between the handle 4 and the housing 1. The transducer 12 contains an elastic element in the form a membrane, the strain meter of which is made, for example, in the form of a resistive matrix deposited on the membrane, which converts the bending strain of the membrane under the action of a force into an electrical signal. This signal is fed to an electronic indicator 14, on which it is displayed, for example, in the form of numbers or in the form of illuminated sections of the LED line, by which the user determines the amount of water in the kettle.

Thus, in all the above examples of the proposed teapot, it is confirmed that the task: increasing the usability of the teapot is solved due to the fact that the elastic element is located at the place of transmission of force from the user's hand to the body through the handle for carrying and tilting.

Industrial applicability

In the present invention, the main locations of the elastic element are displayed.

Firstly, this is the location of the elastic element on the handle 4 for carrying and tilting (Fig. 1 - Fig. 3).

Secondly, this is the location of the elastic element between the handle 4 for carrying and tilting and the housing 1 (Fig. 4 - Fig. 8).

Thirdly, the handle 4 for carrying and tilting (or part of it) can be made in the form of an elastic element located between the user's hand and the kettle body 1.

Fourth, the elastic element and the strain gauge of the elastic element can be made in the form of a force transducer 12 into an electric signal and are located on the handle 4 for carrying and tilting or between the handle 4 and the kettle body 1 (Fig. 9). In FIG. 1 - FIG. 8, the elastic element is depicted in the form of an annular spring conditionally, for understanding the essence of the invention. When implementing the invention, the elastic element can be made, for example, in the form of a flat twisted spring, flat (curved) elastic plate or other elastic device.

As a force transducer 12 to an electrical signal (Fig. 9), for example, a Nopeuwell type sensor FSОЗ can be used. In sensors of this type, the bend of the membrane is several microns and the stop of the stop 9 is limited in the proposed kettle. As a result, it is very convenient for the user to perform the necessary manipulations with the kettle (Fig. 9), not suspecting that the handle 4 is not attached to the body 1 hard.

Claims

CLAIM

1. A teapot comprising a body with a spout for draining water, a handle for carrying and tilting the teapot with the hand of the user, an elastic element and a strain gauge of the elastic element, characterized in that the elastic element is installed in the place of transmission of force from the user's hand to the body through the carrying handle and tilt.

2. The kettle according to claim 1, characterized in that the elastic element is made in the form of a flat or twisted spring and is located on the handle for carrying and tilting.

3. Kettle according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the elastic element is located on the handle for carrying and tilting from below and contains a movable element made and installed to interact with the user's hand and interacting with the handle and with the deformation meter of the elastic element .

4. Kettle under item 1, characterized in that the elastic element is made in the form of a flat or twisted spring and is installed with the possibility of interaction with the housing and with a handle for carrying and tilting.

5. Kettle according to claim 1, characterized in that the handle for carrying and tilting or part of it is made in the form of an elastic element, the strain gauge of which is located on the handle and / or on the body.

6. The kettle according to claim 1, characterized in that the strain gauge of the elastic element comprises a strain gauge in the electrical signal connected to the indicator.

7. Kettle according to claim 1 or 6, characterized in that the elastic element with a strain gauge to an electrical signal and / or indicator is located on the handle for carrying and tilting and / or on the housing.