Electric kettle

Abstract

To provide an electric kettle having high safety.SOLUTION: An electric kettle comprises a tubular nozzle 40. The nozzle 40 extends frontward and upward from a connection port 13 provided near a lower end part of a storage container 10. A flow passage 70 for pouring hot water in the storage container 10 is constituted of the connection port 13 and the nozzle 40. In at least one part of the flow passage 70, the electric kettle comprises a throttle hole whose internal diameter is smaller than that of the other parts of the flow passage 70. When the electric kettle 1 falls down, the hot water flowing into the nozzle 40 from the storage container 10 forms a vortex U on the downstream side of the throttle hole. Thereby, the amount of the hot water leaking out of the nozzle 40 can be reduced. As a result, the electric kettle having high safety can be provided.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an electric kettle. [Background technology]

[0002] Electric kettles that use electricity to boil water are known. A conventional electric kettle is described, for example, in Patent Document 1. The electric kettle in Patent Document 1 is a so-called crane-neck type electric kettle equipped with a tubular nozzle extending from near the bottom end of the storage container. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2022-026043 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In this type of electric kettle, when steam is generated in the storage container during boiling, the pressure inside the storage container increases. Furthermore, in a crane-neck electric kettle, the nozzle is connected near the bottom of the storage container, so hot water is stored not only inside the storage container but also inside the nozzle. Therefore, if the electric kettle is tipped over, it is necessary to prevent the hot water in the nozzle from leaking out due to the pressure inside the storage container.

[0005] In addition, crane-type electric kettles have a structure in which a nozzle, which is a separate part, is connected to the storage container. Therefore, it is necessary to prevent hot water from leaking from the area around the connection between the storage container and the nozzle. Furthermore, in crane-type electric kettles, the temperature of the nozzle tends to become high due to the hot water stored inside the nozzle. Therefore, it is necessary to prevent the user from directly touching the hot nozzle.

[0006] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above circumstances, and has an object to provide a highly safe electric kettle. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The present invention is an electric kettle comprising a cylindrical storage container with a bottom, a tubular nozzle extending forward and upward from a connection port provided near the lower end of the storage container, and a heating unit for heating the liquid in the storage container, wherein at least one part of the flow path formed by the connection port and the nozzle has a throttle hole whose inner diameter is smaller than that of other parts of the flow path.

[0008] According to the present invention, the amount of hot water leaking from the nozzle when the electric kettle falls over can be reduced, thereby providing a highly safe electric kettle.

[0009] In particular, it is desirable that the connection port be a throttle hole having an inner diameter smaller than that of the nozzle, which makes it easier to form the throttle hole than when the inner diameter of the nozzle itself is partially reduced.

[0010] Furthermore, if the nozzle is made of metal, the electric kettle preferably further includes a resin nozzle cover that covers the nozzle. In this case, the user can be prevented from directly touching the nozzle surface, which becomes hot when hot water is stored in the nozzle. This further improves the safety of the electric kettle.

[0011] It is also desirable for the electric kettle to further include a first annular gasket that seals the gap between the nozzle and the nozzle cover. This prevents water from passing between the nozzle and the nozzle cover and entering the heating element, thereby further improving the safety of the electric kettle.

[0012] It is also desirable that the nozzle cover has a first cover part and a second cover part that sandwich the nozzle, the first cover part having a hole that opens toward the second cover part, the second cover part having a protrusion that protrudes toward the first cover part, and the protrusion being press-fitted into the hole. In this way, by fixing the first cover part and the second cover part by press-fitting the protrusion into the hole rather than by engagement with a claw, the thickness of the nozzle cover can be reduced.

[0013] The electric kettle further includes a cylindrical body cover that covers the storage container, the nozzle cover being inserted into a through-hole provided in the body cover, and the nozzle cover having a rib that protrudes from the outer surface of the nozzle cover and contacts the inner surface of the body cover, thereby preventing water from entering the body cover through the through-hole.

[0014] The electric kettle further includes a support member fixed to the periphery of the connection port of the storage container and supporting the nozzle, and the support member preferably has legs extending below the nozzle and contacting the outer surface of the storage container, thereby suppressing shaking of the nozzle relative to the storage container.

[0015] The electric kettle further includes a ring-shaped second packing between the support member and the storage container that surrounds the nozzle, and the second packing preferably has a plurality of lips that protrude toward the nozzle and contact the nozzle while elastically deforming. This allows the lips to deform, maintaining the sealing effect of the second packing, even if the nozzle tilts. [Effects of the Invention]

[0016] According to the present invention, a highly safe electric kettle can be provided. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0017] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an electric kettle. [Figure 2] FIG. 1 is a side view of an electric kettle. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a side view of the electric kettle without the exterior body. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a vertical cross-sectional view of a connection between a storage container and a nozzle. [Figure 5] Figure 6 shows the structure around the nozzle. [Figure 6] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an electric kettle without a main body cover. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0018] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the following description, when the electric kettle 1 is upright, the nozzle 40 side of the electric kettle 1 will be referred to as the "front" and the handle 53 side will be referred to as the "rear." Furthermore, the direction perpendicular to the front-to-back direction and the up-down direction will be referred to as the left-to-right direction.

[0019] <1. Overall structure of the electric kettle> FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a crane-shaped electric kettle 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a side view of the electric kettle 1. FIG. 3 is a side view of the electric kettle 1 without an exterior body 50. The electric kettle 1 is an electric water heater that heats water stored inside. As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the electric kettle 1 of this embodiment includes a storage container 10, a lid 20, a heating unit 30, a nozzle 40, and an exterior body 50. In FIG. 2, a power supply stand 60 for supplying power to the electric kettle 1 is indicated by a two-dot chain line.

[0020] The storage container 10 is a cylindrical container with a bottom that stores water or hot water inside. The storage container 10 is formed, for example, from a heat-resistant synthetic resin. The storage container 10 has a bottom 11 and a cylindrical side wall 12 that extends upward from the edge of the bottom 11. To improve heat retention, an insulating layer may be provided on the outside of the side wall 12.

[0021] The lid 20 is a unit that covers the opening at the top of the storage container 10. The lid 20 is detachable from the upper end of the main body cover 51, which will be described later. When the lid 20 is attached, the top of the storage container 10 is covered by the lid 20. When the lid 20 is removed, the top of the storage container 10 is opened, allowing water to be refilled into the storage container 10.

[0022] The heating unit 30 is a heater for heating the water in the storage container 10. The heating unit 30 is disposed on the underside of the bottom 11 of the storage container 10. For example, a mica heater, a sheath heater, or a print heater is used for the heating unit 30. When the electric kettle 1 is in use, power is supplied to the heating unit 30, causing the heating unit 30 to generate heat. This heats the water in the storage container 10 and turns it into hot water.

[0023] The nozzle 40 is a tubular component for pouring hot water from the storage container 10. The nozzle 40 is formed of a metal such as stainless steel. The storage container 10 has a connection port 13 (see FIG. 4) on the front surface near the lower end of the side wall 12. The connection port 13 is a circular hole that penetrates the side wall 12 in the front-to-rear direction. The nozzle 40 is attached to the connection port 13. The nozzle 40 extends forward and upward from the connection port 13 (the nozzle 40 in this embodiment is formed in a roughly S-shape extending forward and upward from the connection port 13). Hereinafter, the end of the nozzle 40 connected to the connection port 13 will be referred to as the "base end," and the end of the nozzle 40 farthest from the connection port 13 will be referred to as the "tip." The tip of the nozzle 40 is a spout 41 for pouring hot water to the outside. The spout 41 is located above the upper end of the storage container 10.

[0024] The exterior body 50 is a cover that covers the outer surface of the electric kettle 1. The exterior body 50 is formed, for example, from a heat-resistant synthetic resin. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 , the exterior body 50 has a main body cover 51, a nozzle cover 52, and a handle 53. The main body cover 51 is a cylindrical part that covers the storage container 10, the lid 20, and the heating unit 30. The nozzle cover 52 is a tubular part that covers the nozzle 40.

[0025] The handle 53 extends rearward from the rear edge of the upper end of the main body cover 51. That is, the handle 53 and the nozzle 40 are located on opposite sides of the central axis A of the storage container 10. The handle 53 is provided with a switch (not shown) that switches the power supply to the heating unit 30 on and off.

[0026] When using the electric kettle 1, the user first removes the lid 20 and pours water into the storage container 10. Then, after attaching the lid 20 and placing the electric kettle 1 on the power supply stand 60, the user switches the switch from OFF to ON. This supplies power to the heating unit 30, causing the heating unit 30 to generate heat. This heats the water in the storage container 10. The user then grasps the handle 53, lifts the electric kettle 1, and tilts it forward. This causes the hot water in the storage container 10 to flow through the nozzle 40 and pour from the spout 41 into an external container (such as a teacup or cup).

[0027] <2.About the aperture> Figure 4 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the connection between the storage container 10 and the nozzle 40. As shown in Figure 4, the base end of the nozzle 40 is connected to a connection port 13 formed in the side wall 12 of the storage container 10. The internal space of the nozzle 40 communicates with the internal space of the storage container 10 via the connection port 13. Therefore, the connection port 13 and the nozzle 40 form a flow path 70 for pouring hot water from the storage container 10.

[0028] The nozzle 40 has a substantially constant inner diameter from the base end to the tip end. In contrast, the connection port 13 is a throttle hole with an inner diameter smaller than that of the nozzle 40. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 4, the inner diameter d1 of the connection port 13 is smaller than the inner diameter d2 of the nozzle 40. Therefore, the edge of the connection port 13 forms an annular protrusion 131 that protrudes toward the inside of the flow path 70 between the internal space of the storage container 10 and the nozzle 40.

[0029] In a crane-spout type electric kettle 1, during normal use, hot water is stored not only in the storage container 10 but also in the nozzle 40. If the electric kettle 1 is tipped over in this state, hot water may leak from the nozzle 40. However, in this electric kettle 1, as described above, the inner diameter d1 of the connection port 13 is smaller than the inner diameter d2 of the nozzle 40, so some of the hot water passing through the connection port 13 forms a vortex U downstream of the annular protrusion 131, as indicated by the dashed arrow in FIG. 4. This reduces the force of the hot water flowing from the inside of the storage container 10 into the nozzle 40. As a result, the amount of hot water leaking to the outside from the nozzle 40 can be reduced.

[0030] The vortex U is particularly likely to occur when hot water flows forcefully into the nozzle 40, such as when the electric kettle 1 is tipped over. During normal use, the vortex U is unlikely to occur when the electric kettle 1 is gently tilted to pour out hot water. Therefore, during normal use, hot water can be poured from the nozzle 40 without disrupting the flow line.

[0031] 4, the connection port 13 is the throttle hole, but the position of the throttle hole does not necessarily have to be the connection port 13. For example, a throttle hole having a smaller inner diameter than other parts of the flow path 70 may be provided midway through the nozzle 40. Even in this case, a similar vortex U is formed downstream of the throttle hole, thereby reducing the amount of hot water leaking from the nozzle 40.

[0032] Furthermore, the throttle hole may be provided in two or more locations in the flow path 70, rather than just one location. That is, it is sufficient that a throttle hole with an inner diameter smaller than those in other locations in the flow path 70 is provided in at least one location in the flow path 70 formed by the connection port 13 and the nozzle 40. This causes a vortex U to form downstream of the throttle hole when the electric kettle 1 is tipped over, thereby reducing the amount of hot water leaking from the nozzle 40. This makes it possible to provide a highly safe electric kettle 1.

[0033] However, by forming the connection port 13 as a throttle hole as shown in FIG. 4, it is possible to form the throttle hole more easily than when the inner diameter of the nozzle 40 is reduced in part.

[0034] <3. Nozzle cover> Next, the nozzle cover 52 will be described. Fig. 5 is a diagram showing the structure around the nozzle 40. Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the electric kettle 1 without the main body cover 51. The nozzle 40 is made of a metal such as stainless steel to ensure rigidity. Therefore, the nozzle 40 has a higher thermal conductivity than parts made of resin. Therefore, when hot water is stored in the nozzle 40, the temperature of the nozzle 40 is likely to become high.

[0035] Therefore, this electric kettle 1 has a resin nozzle cover 52 that covers the nozzle 40 to prevent the user from directly touching the nozzle 40. The thermal conductivity of the resin that makes up the nozzle cover 52 is lower than the thermal conductivity of the metal that makes up the nozzle 40. Therefore, even if the nozzle 40 itself becomes hot, the surface of the nozzle cover 52 is less likely to become hot. Therefore, even if the user of the electric kettle 1 touches the surface of the nozzle cover 52, the user will not be burned. This improves the safety of the electric kettle 1.

[0036] As shown in FIG. 6, the nozzle cover 52 has a first cover part 521 and a second cover part 522. The first cover part 521 and the second cover part 522 are semi-cylindrical (gutter-shaped) resin parts. The first cover part 521 and the second cover part 522 are attached so as to sandwich the nozzle 40 from both the left and right sides, and are fixed to each other. This forms the tubular nozzle cover 52 that covers the nozzle 40. Note that the second cover part 522 is not shown in FIG. 5.

[0037] The first cover part 521 has a plurality of holes 523 on its surface that comes into contact with the second cover part 522. Each of the plurality of holes 523 is a recess that opens toward the second cover part 522. The second cover part 522 has a plurality of protrusions 524 on its surface that comes into contact with the first cover part 521. Each of the plurality of protrusions 524 protrudes toward the first cover part 521. Each of the protrusions 524 is press-fit into a corresponding hole 523. Then, with at least one of the holes 523 and the protrusions 524 plastically deformed, the holes 523 and the protrusions 524 are fixed to each other. This integrates the first cover part 521 and the second cover part 522.

[0038] In this way, the first cover part 521 and the second cover part 522 are fixed together not by engagement with claws but by press-fitting the protrusions 524 into the holes 523. This makes it possible to reduce the thickness of the nozzle cover 52 compared to when claws are used for fixation.

[0039] The holes 523 may have ribs that protrude inward of the holes 523. The ribs may be plastically deformed by press-fitting the protrusions 524 into the holes 523. This allows the first cover component 521 and the second cover component 522 to be fixed together more firmly. An adhesive may be interposed between the holes 523 and the protrusions 524 to increase the fixing strength.

[0040] Only a portion of the inner surface of nozzle cover 52 comes into contact with the outer surface of nozzle 40. A gap (air layer) 525 exists between the other portion of the inner surface of nozzle cover 52 and the outer surface of nozzle 40. This makes it possible to suppress the transfer of heat from nozzle 40 to nozzle cover 52. As a result, it is possible to further suppress the temperature of nozzle cover 52 from increasing. It is also possible to suppress the temperature of hot water stored in nozzle 40 from decreasing.

[0041] However, if a gap 525 is formed between the nozzle 40 and the nozzle cover 52, water that seeps into the gap 525 may flow into the inside of the main body cover 51. Therefore, the electric kettle 1 further includes a first gasket 526 between the nozzle 40 and the nozzle cover 52. The first gasket 526 is an annular sealing member that surrounds a portion of the nozzle 40. The first gasket 526 is made of an elastically deformable elastomer or silicone rubber.

[0042] First gasket 526 elastically deforms and fits tightly to the outer surface of nozzle 40 and the inner surface of nozzle cover 52. This seals gap 525 between nozzle 40 and nozzle cover 52. This prevents water from seeping into main body cover 51 through gap 525. In particular, it prevents water from seeping into electrical components such as heating unit 30 inside main body cover 51. This makes it possible to provide an electric kettle 1 that is even safer.

[0043] 5, the first packing 526 is provided near the tip of the nozzle 40. However, the first packing 526 may be provided at another location on the nozzle 40.

[0044] As shown in Fig. 5, the nozzle cover 52 is inserted into a through-hole 510 provided in the main body cover 51. Also as shown in Fig. 5, the nozzle cover 52 has an annular rib 527. The rib 527 protrudes from the outer circumferential surface of the nozzle cover 52. The rib 527 contacts the inner surface of the main body cover 51 from the inside of the main body cover 51. This positions the nozzle cover 52 relative to the main body cover 51.

[0045] Furthermore, the gap between the edge of through-hole 510 and nozzle cover 52 is blocked by rib 527. This prevents water from entering the inside of main body cover 51 from the gap between the edge of through-hole 510 and nozzle cover 52. As a result, the safety of electric kettle 1 can be further improved.

[0046] <4. Nozzle support structure> Next, the support structure of the nozzle 40 relative to the storage container 10 will be described. As shown in FIGS. 4 to 6, the electric kettle 1 has a support member 80 that supports the vicinity of the base end of the nozzle 40. The support member 80 is, for example, a metal plate. The support member 80 is fixed to the outer surface of the storage container 10 around the connection port 13 with screws. Furthermore, a portion of the nozzle 40 near the base end is inserted into a through-hole provided in the support member 80. In this way, the nozzle 40 is supported relative to the storage container 10.

[0047] 6, the support member 80 has a pair of legs 81. The pair of legs 81 are provided symmetrically on either side of the nozzle 40. Each of the pair of legs 81 extends downward beyond the nozzle 40. Each leg 81 is in contact with the outer surface of the storage container 10.

[0048] As shown by the dashed arrow in Figure 5, when a downward force is applied to the nozzle 40, a force is applied to the support member 80 as well as the nozzle 40 in a direction that tilts them forward. However, by supporting the legs 81 on the storage container 10, it is possible to prevent the support member 80 from tilting or bending. This makes it possible to prevent the nozzle 40 from shaking relative to the storage container 10. This in turn makes it possible to prevent hot water from leaking from the connection port 13. As a result, the safety of the electric kettle 1 can be further improved.

[0049] As shown in FIG. 4, the electric kettle 1 also has a second packing 82 near the base end of the nozzle 40. The second packing 82 is an annular sealing member. The second packing 82 is made of an elastically deformable elastomer or silicone rubber. The second packing 82 is attached between the storage container 10 and the support member 80 so as to surround the nozzle 40.

[0050] The second packing 82 has a plurality of lip portions 821. The lip portions 821 are elastic pieces that protrude from the inner peripheral surface of the second packing 82 toward the nozzle 40. The lip portions 821 are in close contact with the outer peripheral surface of the nozzle 40 while elastically deforming. This seals the gap around the nozzle 40 between the storage container 10 and the support member 80. This prevents boiling water from leaking from the connection port 13, around the nozzle 40, and out of the support member 80.

[0051] In particular, the second packing 82 of this embodiment does not have the entire inner circumferential surface in contact with the nozzle 40, but only the lip portion 821 in contact with the nozzle 40. In this way, even if the nozzle 40 is tilted, each lip portion 821 can be elastically deformed in accordance with the displacement of the nozzle 40 at that position. Therefore, it is easy to maintain the seal by the second packing 82 around the nozzle 40. This further improves the safety of the electric kettle 1.

[0052] 4, the second packing 82 has two lip portions 821. However, the number of lip portions 821 that the second packing 82 has may be one, or may be three or more.

[0053] <5. Variations> Although one embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment.

[0054] In the above embodiment, the nozzle cover 52 is made up of two parts, the first cover part 521 and the second cover part 522. However, the nozzle cover 52 may be made up of one part. Also, the nozzle cover 52 may be made up of three or more parts.

[0055] In the above embodiment, the first cover part 521 and the second cover part 522 are fixed together by press-fitting the protrusions 524 into the holes 523. However, the multiple parts constituting the nozzle cover 52 may be fixed together by other methods such as engagement of claws.

[0056] Furthermore, the electric kettle 1 in the above embodiment has a nozzle cover 52 that covers the nozzle 40. However, it is not essential that the electric kettle 1 has the nozzle cover 52. For example, the nozzle 40 may be made of resin, and the nozzle cover 52 may be omitted.

[0057] In the above embodiment, the liquid stored in the electric kettle 1 is water. However, the liquid stored in the electric kettle 1 may be other liquids such as tea.

[0058] The detailed shape of the electric kettle 1 may differ from that shown in the drawings of the present application. The elements appearing in the above-described embodiments and modifications may be selected as appropriate within the scope of not causing any contradiction. [Explanation of symbols]

[0059] 1: Electric kettle 10: Storage container 13: Connection port 20: Lid 30: Heating section 40: Nozzle 41: Spout 50: Exterior body 51: Main body cover 52: Nozzle cover 53: Handle 60: Power supply stand 70: Flow path 80: Support member 81: Legs 82: Second packing 131: Annular protrusion 510: Through hole 521: First cover part 522: Second cover part 523: Hole 524: Protrusion 525: Gap 526: First packing 527: Rib 821: Lip part A: Central axis U: vortex

Claims

1. a cylindrical storage container with a bottom; a tubular nozzle extending forward and upward from a connection port provided near a lower end of the storage container; a heating unit that heats the liquid in the storage container; An electric kettle comprising: The electric kettle has a throttle hole in at least one location in the flow path formed by the connection port and the nozzle, the throttle hole having an inner diameter smaller than that of other locations in the flow path.

2. 2. The electric kettle according to claim 1, The electric kettle, wherein the connection port is a throttle hole having an inner diameter smaller than that of the nozzle.

3. 3. The electric kettle according to claim 1 or 2, the nozzle is made of metal; The electric kettle further includes a resin nozzle cover that covers the nozzle.

4. 4. The electric kettle according to claim 3, a first annular packing that seals the gap between the nozzle and the nozzle cover; Also equipped with an electric kettle.

5. 5. The electric kettle according to claim 4, the nozzle cover has a first cover part and a second cover part that sandwich the nozzle, the first cover part has a hole that opens toward the second cover part, the second cover part has a protrusion protruding toward the first cover part, The protrusion is press-fit into the hole.

6. 4. The electric kettle according to claim 3, A cylindrical main body cover that covers the storage container Furthermore, The nozzle cover is inserted into a through hole provided in the main body cover, The nozzle cover is A rib protruding from the outer peripheral surface of the nozzle cover and contacting the inner surface of the main body cover. An electric kettle.

7. 3. The electric kettle according to claim 1 or 2, a support member fixed to the periphery of the connection port of the storage container and supporting the nozzle; Furthermore, the support member has a leg portion extending downwardly beyond the nozzle, The electric kettle, wherein the stem contacts an outer surface of the reservoir.

8. 8. The electric kettle according to claim 7, a second annular packing surrounding the nozzle between the support member and the storage container; Furthermore, The second packing is A plurality of lip portions that protrude toward the nozzle and contact the nozzle while elastically deforming. An electric kettle.

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