Easy-detach electrical connector for kitchen appliance

• US 6,478,614 B1
• Filed: 04/20/2001
• Issued: 11/12/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 04/20/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: De'Longhi S.p.A. (De'Longhi Holding S.A.)
• Original Assignee: De'Longhi S.p.A. (De'Longhi Holding S.A.)
• Inventors: DeʼLonghi, Giuseppe
• Primary Examiner(s): Bradley, P. Austin
• Assistant Examiner(s): LEON, EDWIN A
• Application Number:
  US09/839,687
• Publication Number:
  US 20020155754A1
• Time in Patent Office: 571 Days
• Field of Search: 439/519, 439/587, 439/589, 439/170, 439/271, 439/660, 439/76.1, 439/79, 439/361, 439/559, 439/556, 439/954, 439/521, 439/134, 439/135, 439/136, 439/137, 439/138, 439/139, 439/140, 439/367, 439/38, 439/39, 439/40
• US Class Current: 439/519
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/52 Dustproof, splashproof, drip-proof, waterproof, or flameproof cases
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6205 Two-part coupling devices held in engagement by a magnet

Abstract

The facilitated-detachment electrical connection device for kitchen appliances comprises an electrical cable exhibiting a connection plug to the electric network at one end, and a magnetised member electrically associable—through a magnetic force—to an outlet connected to the kitchen appliance at the opposed end, characterised in that it comprises insulation means present on said kitchen appliance and/or on said magnetised member for preventing the contact of condensate or the like with the electrical contacts of such magnetised member and of said outlet.

Claims

1. An easy-detach electrical connector for a kitchen appliance, the connector comprising:

an electrical cable having a plug end adapted to be connected to line and an opposite connector end forming a pair of contacts;

an outlet on the appliance, having a pair of contacts engageable with the contacts of the cable, and having a magnetically attractable part;

a magnetized member carried on the connector end and capable of clinging magnetically to the outlet part with the cable contacts engaging the outlet contacts;

means including

a deflector shelf on the appliance body above the outlet positioned to deflect liquid away from the outlet and

a deflector formation on the magnetized member positioned to deflect liquid away from the cable contacts for deflecting descending liquid condensate away from the contacts.

2. The easy-detach kitchen-appliance electrical connector defined in claim 1 wherein the shelf has an outer edge formed with a drip-breaking edge.

3. The easy-detach kitchen-appliance electrical connector defined in claim 1 wherein the shelf is inclined to conduct condensate laterally from the outlet.

4. The easy-detach kitchen-appliance electrical connector defined in claim 1 the shelf has an upwardly projecting thickened outer edge.

5. The easy-detach kitchen-appliance electrical connector defined in claim 1 wherein the deflector formation is an outwardly projecting ridge on the magnetized member.

6. The easy-detach kitchen-appliance electrical connector defined in claim 1 wherein the part of the outlet is a metal plate, the appliance having a housing interfitting complementarily with the plate.

7. The easy-detach kitchen-appliance electrical connector defined in claim 1 wherein the housing has a body made of a material with a high self-extinguishing power.

8. The easy-detach kitchen-appliance electrical connector defined in claim 1 wherein the outlet and the magnetic body when clinging to the part extend at an angle to a surface on which the appliance is resting.

9. The easy-detach kitchen-appliance electrical connector defined in claim 8 wherein the magnetized member includes a magnet flanked by the pair of cable contacts, the magnetized member and the outlet being formed with complementary interengaging bumps and recesses that fit together when the cable contacts are engaged with the outlet contacts.

10. The easy-detach kitchen-appliance electrical connector defined in claim 1 wherein the appliance is a deep-fryer.

11. The easy-detach kitchen-appliance electrical connector defined in claim 1 wherein the magnetized member clings magnetically to the outlet with a force smaller than a force needed to overcome static friction between the appliance and a surface on which the appliance is resting.