Electric kettle with metal healing plate

• US 6,431,058 B1
• Filed: 12/07/2001
• Issued: 08/13/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 02/18/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: SEB SA
• Original Assignee: Moulinex SA (SEB SA)
• Inventors: Binot, Jean-Pierre, Girault, Michel, Labelle, Guy
• Primary Examiner(s): Simone, Timothy F.
• Application Number:
  US09/913,941
• Time in Patent Office: 249 Days
• Field of Search: 993/27--32, 994/03, 993/37, 992/79--82, 993/233, 219/385-387, 219/429, 219/433, 219/435-439, 219/441, 219/401, 219/442, 392/447, 392/498
• US Class Current: 99/331
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 27/21041 with heating elements arranged outside the water vessel A47J27/2105 takes precedence

Abstract

An electric kettle includes a tubular body (1), heating elements comprising an electric resistor (6) associated with a heating plate (8) mounted in the body lower part, defining with the side wall (3) of the body (1) a reservoir (10) of liquid to be heated and in direct contact by its upper surface with the liquid, and elements supporting a peripheral rim (8a) of the heating plate (8). The support elements comprise a vertical skirt (20) extending inside the body (1) and fixed on the inner surface (3a) of the body side wall (3) by first reversible fixing elements (28, 30), and the body (1) has a base formed by a lid (24) fixed on the skirt (20) with second reversible fixing elements (32, 37).

Claims

1. Electric kettle comprising a tubular body (1) comprising a side wall (3), heating means (5) comprising at least one electrical resistance (6) associated with a metal heating plate (8) mounted in sealed manner in the lower portion of the body (1) and delimiting with the side wall (3) of the body a reservoir (10) for the liquid to be heated, said heating plate (8) being in direct contact, by its upper surface, with the liquid to be heated, and support means to support a peripheral rim (8a) of the heating plate (8),

characterized in that the support means comprise a member forming a skirt (20) which extends vertically within the body (1), between the peripheral rim (8a) of the plate (8) and the lower peripheral edge (16) of the body (1), supporting with its upper peripheral edge (22) the lower surface of the peripheral rim (8a) of the heating plate (8), and which is fixed on the internal surface (3a) of the side wall (3) of the body by first reversible securement means (28, 30), and in that the body (1) of the kettle comprises a base constituted by a closure cover (24) which is secured on the member forming a skirt (20) by a second reversible securement means (32, 37).

2. Electric kettle according to claim 1,

characterized in that the first securement means comprise a plurality of resilient lugs (28) disposed projecting about the external periphery of the member forming a skirt (20) and adapted to engage snap-fittingly, respectively, in a plurality of notches (30) provided on the internal surface (3a) of the side wall (3) of the body (1), whilst the second securement means comprise a plurality of resilient hooks (32) which are formed at the upper ends of vertical tongues (34) disposed on the closure cover (24) and which are adapted to be inserted snap-fittingly, respectively, into a plurality of recesses (37) provided in the member forming a skirt (20).

3. Electric kettle according to claim 1,

characterized in that the closure cover (24) is also secured to the internal surface (3a) of the side wall (3) of the body (1) by third reversible securement means (43, 46) adapted to counter lock the member forming a skirt (20).

4. Electric kettle according to claim 2,

characterized in that the third securement means comprise a plurality of vertical ribs (43) formed on the peripheral edge (44) of the closure cover (24) and adapted to be pressed respectively against a plurality of descending tongues (46) each formed from a corresponding notch (30) for securement of the member forming a skirt (20) which is provided on the internal surface (3a) of the side wall (3) of the body.

5. Electric kettle according to claim 1,

characterized in that the peripheral edge of the heating plate (8) is constituted by a horizontal wing (8a) which is connected to the plate (8) by another wing forming a bend (8b), said horizontal wing (8a) extending to a level higher than that of the plate (8) and resting on the upper peripheral edge (22) of the member forming a skirt (20).

6. Electric kettle according to claim 5,

characterized in that the bend (8b) has a transverse cross-section of inverted U shape which is slightly flared and whose base is rounded.

7. Electric kettle according to claim 5, characterized in that the side wall (3) of the body (1) comprises a wing (50) which extends horizontally inwardly of the reservoir (10) by being disposed slightly above the bend (8b) of the heating plate (8), and which has an edge (50a) descending in line with the horizontal wing (8a) of the plate (8), a sealing joint (52) being disposed between said edge (50a) and the bend (8b) of the plate and having a peripheral edge (52a) which is gripped between said edge (50a) and the horizontal wing (8a) of the plate (8).

8. Electric kettle according to claim 7,

characterized in that the sealing joint (52) is molded of a flexible plastic material, such as an elastomer of the silicone type.

9. Electric kettle according to claim 1,

characterized in that the electrical resistance (6) is adapted to produce a high heating power, of the order of 3000 watts.

10. Electric kettle according to claim 1,

characterized in that the body (1) is made of a plastic material of limited thermal resistance.