electric kettle

Abstract

To provide a technique capable of suppressing liquid from leaking from an intake hole when an electric kettle is tilted. [Solution] The electric kettle (1) includes a lid (20) that covers the top of the container body. The lid (20) has an air intake hole (61) and a first water-stopping member (63). The air intake hole (61) is a hole for taking in outside air when pouring liquid from the container body. The first water-stopping member (63) blocks the air intake hole (61) when the container body is tilted by a first angle or more. This prevents liquid from leaking from the air intake hole (61).

Description

[Technical Field]

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

[0002] 2. Description of the Related Art Electric kettles that use electricity to boil water have been known. A conventional electric kettle is described in, for example, Patent Document 1. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2011-041654 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In this type of electric kettle, when cold or hot water is poured from the spout, the internal pressure becomes negative, which can make it difficult to pour cold or hot water from the spout, or the negative pressure can disrupt the flow of cold or hot water from the spout.

[0005] One way to prevent negative pressure inside an electric kettle is to provide an air intake hole in the lid of the electric kettle. However, providing an air intake hole raises the risk of water or boiling water leaking out of the lid when the electric kettle is tilted too far.

[0006] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a technology that can prevent liquid from leaking from the air intake when the electric kettle is tilted. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The present invention is an electric kettle comprising a container body, a lid body covering the top of the container body, and a heater for heating the liquid in the container body, wherein the lid body has an air intake hole for taking in outside air when pouring liquid from the container body, and a first water-blocking member for blocking the air intake hole when the container body is tilted by a first angle or more.

[0008] According to the present invention, when the container body is tilted at a first angle or more, it is possible to prevent liquid from leaking out from the intake hole.

[0009] The lid body preferably has an annular receiving portion having the air intake hole, and the receiving portion preferably has an air intake groove that is not blocked by the first water-stopping member, thereby preventing the inside of the container body from becoming airtight when the first water-stopping member blocks the air intake hole.

[0010] It is also desirable to further include a vapor detection sensor provided in a position communicating with the intake hole, which allows for detection of vapor generated within the container body and prevents liquid from leaking from the intake hole and flowing to the vapor detection sensor.

[0011] Furthermore, it is desirable that the lid further has an exhaust hole for discharging steam when the liquid in the container body is heated by the heater, and that the intake hole is smaller than the exhaust hole. This prevents excessive pressure buildup within the container body when the liquid in the container body is heated. Furthermore, compared to when the intake hole is the same size as the exhaust hole, the risk of the liquid in the container body unnecessarily leaking out of the container body can be reduced.

[0012] Preferably, the lid further includes a second water-stopping member that blocks the exhaust hole when the container body is tilted at a second angle or more that is smaller than the first angle, thereby preventing liquid from leaking out of the exhaust hole when the container body is tilted at the second angle or more.

[0013] It is also desirable that the lid further include an opening provided on the underside of the lid, a spout communicating with the opening, a valve body movable between a closed position that closes the opening and an open position that opens the opening, and ribs protruding downward from the underside of the lid around the opening. This makes it possible to prevent droplets of liquid from entering the opening when the liquid in the container body boils due to heating with the valve body in the open position.

[0014] It is also desirable that the heater has a hot end and a cold end that has a lower temperature than the hot end when powered, and that the rib be provided along the edge of the opening on the hot end side, thereby preventing droplets generated from the hot end side from entering the opening.

[0015] It is also desirable that the hot end and the rib are positioned behind the center of the container body, thereby preventing splashes occurring behind the center inside the container body from entering the opening. [Effects of the Invention]

[0016] According to the present invention, when the container body is tilted at a first angle or more, it is possible to prevent liquid from leaking out from the intake hole. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0017] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a kettle product. [Figure 2] FIG. 1 is a side view of a kettle product. [Figure 3] FIG. 1 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of a kettle product. [Figure 4] FIG. [Figure 5] FIG. [Figure 6A] FIG. [Figure 6B] FIG. [Figure 7] FIG. [Figure 8] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a first water-stopping member and a receiving portion. [Figure 9] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a side wall portion of a container body. [Figure 10] FIG. 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 spout 21 side of the electric kettle 1 will be referred to as the "front" and the handle 41 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 kettle product 100 including an electric kettle 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a side view of the kettle product 100. FIG. 3 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the kettle product 100. As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the kettle product 100 includes an electric kettle 1 and a power supply stand 2. The electric kettle 1 is an electric water heater that heats water stored therein. The electric kettle 1 of this embodiment includes a container body 10, a lid 20, a heater 30, and an exterior cover 40.

[0020] The container body 10 is a cylindrical container with a bottom that stores liquid water inside. The container body 10 is made of heat-resistant resin. The container body 10 has a bottom 11 and a cylindrical side wall 12 that extends upward from the edge of the bottom 11. A full line 13 indicating the upper limit of the storage capacity is provided on the inner surface of the side wall 12.

[0021] The lid 20 is a unit that covers the opening at the top of the container body 10. The lid 20 is detachable from the upper end of the exterior cover 40. When the lid 20 is attached, the top of the container body 10 is covered by the lid 20. When the lid 20 is removed, the top of the container body 10 is opened, allowing the container body 10 to be refilled with water.

[0022] 4 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the lid 20. The lid 20 is made up of multiple parts. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the lid 20 has a spout 21, a flow path 22, a valve 23, and an operation button 24.

[0023] The spout 21 is a hole for pouring hot water from the container body 10. The spout 21 is located at the front end of the lid body 20. In this embodiment, the spout 21 opens upward. The spout 21 has a beak-like shape that gradually converges as it moves forward. The lid body 20 also has a cover 211 that opens and closes the spout 21. The cover 211 is opened and closed by an operation button 24.

[0024] Flow path 22 is a path that guides water or hot water in container body 10 to spout 21. Flow path 22 connects spout 21 to an opening 25 provided on the underside of lid 20. Flow path 22 in this embodiment extends in a substantially straight line from opening 25 to spout 21. More specifically, flow path 22 extends obliquely upward and forward from opening 25.

[0025] Valve element 23 is a member for opening and closing opening 25 on the underside of cover 20. Valve element 23 is connected to operation button 24 via switching mechanism 26. Operation button 24 is provided on the top surface of cover 20. Switching mechanism 26 is a mechanism for switching the position of valve element 23 in response to operation of operation button 24. Switching mechanism 26 is composed of multiple parts such as a coil spring and a cam.

[0026] When the operation button 24 is pressed, the switching mechanism 26 switches the position of the valve element 23 between the closed position (the position in FIG. 4) and the open position, which is lower than the closed position. When the valve element 23 is placed in the closed position, a packing 231 provided on the outer periphery of the valve element 23 comes into close contact with the outer periphery of the opening 25, thereby closing the opening 25. In this state, even if the electric kettle 1 is tilted forward, the cold or hot water in the container body 10 does not enter the flow path 22.

[0027] On the other hand, when the valve body 23 is placed in the open position, the packing 231 moves away from the outer periphery of the opening 25, thereby opening the opening 25. In this state, when the electric kettle 1 is tilted forward, the water or hot water in the container body 10 flows into the flow path 22 through the opening 25. The water or hot water can then be poured from the spout 21 into an external container.

[0028] The heater 30 is a heat source for heating the water in the container body 10. The heater 30 is disposed on the underside of the bottom 11 of the container body 10. For example, a sheath heater is used as the heater 30. When the electric kettle 1 is in use, power is supplied to the heater 30, causing the heater 30 to generate heat. This heats the water in the container body 10 and turns it into hot water.

[0029] The exterior cover 40 is a cover that covers the outer surface of the container body 10. The exterior cover 40 is formed, for example, from a heat-resistant resin. As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the exterior cover 40 has a cylindrical outer shape that follows the side wall portion 12 of the container body 10. The container body 10 and the heater 30 are housed inside the exterior cover 40.

[0030] The exterior cover 40 has a handle 41. The handle 41 is a handle that the user grasps when lifting the electric kettle 1. The handle 41 is provided at the rear of the exterior cover 40. In other words, the spout 21 and the handle 41 are located on opposite sides of the container body 10. The user can grasp the handle 41 to carry the electric kettle 1 or tilt the electric kettle 1 for pouring.

[0031] The power supply stand 2 is a unit for supplying power to the electric kettle 1. The electric kettle 1 can be placed upright on the top surface of the power supply stand 2. The power supply stand 2 has a conductor that can be connected to a household power source. When the electric kettle 1 is placed on the power supply stand 2, a power supply terminal provided on the top surface of the power supply stand 2 and the heater 30 of the electric kettle 1 are electrically connected. This makes it possible to supply power from the power supply stand 2 to the heater 30 of the electric kettle 1.

[0032] When using the electric kettle 1, the user first removes the lid 20 and pours water into the container body 10. Then, the user attaches the lid 20 and sets the electric kettle 1 on the power supply stand 2. Then, the user switches the power switch 50 on the electric kettle 1 from OFF to ON. This causes power to be supplied from the power supply stand 2 to the heater 30, causing the heater 30 to generate heat. This heats the water in the container body 10. The user then grasps the handle 41, lifts the electric kettle 1, and tilts it forward. This causes the hot water in the container body 10 to pour from the spout 21 into an external container (such as a teacup or cup).

[0033] <2. Inner lid and ribs> Fig. 5 is a view of the lid body 20 viewed from diagonally below. As shown in Figs. 4 and 5, the lid body 20 has an inner lid 27. The inner lid 27 is attached to the underside of the lid body 20. The inner lid 27 is located rearward of the opening 25. In this embodiment, the shape of the opening 25 when viewed from below is circular. Therefore, the shape of the inner lid 27 when viewed from below is an arc that follows the rear edge of the opening 25.

[0034] As shown in Figure 5, the inner lid 27 has a plurality of vent holes 270. The vent holes 270 penetrate the inner lid 27 in the vertical direction. When the valve body 23 is placed in the closed position, the opening 25 is closed, but the vent holes 270 are kept open. Steam generated within the container body 10 when boiling water passes through the vent holes 270 and is discharged to the outside of the container body 10.

[0035] 4 and 5, inner lid 27 has ribs 271 on its underside. Ribs 271 protrude downward from the underside of inner lid 27 around opening 25. When viewed from below, ribs 271 have an arc shape that follows the rear edge of opening 25.

[0036] In this electric kettle 1, water is typically boiled with the valve body 23 in the closed position. However, it is conceivable that the user may mistakenly boil water with the valve body 23 in the open position. In this case, the opening 25 of the lid 20 is open. If the rib 271 were not present, some of the hot water droplets generated by boiling would enter the flow path 22 through the opening 25. This could result in the hot water droplets spraying out from the spout 21.

[0037] However, if ribs 271 are provided around opening 25, splashes from the liquid surface toward opening 25 are blocked by ribs 271. This makes it possible to prevent splashes of boiling water from entering flow path 22 from opening 25. Therefore, even when boiling water is performed with valve body 23 positioned in the open position, splashes of boiling water can be prevented from gushing out from spout 21.

[0038] The heater 30 generates heat by passing electricity through a heating wire such as a nichrome wire. The heating wire has a temperature higher in the portion farther from the terminal than in the portion closer to the terminal. Therefore, the heater 30 has a hot end 31 that becomes particularly hot when electricity is applied, and a cold end 32 that becomes cooler than the hot end 31 when electricity is applied.

[0039] 3, the heater 30 of this embodiment is arranged so that the hot end 31 is on the rear side and the cold end 32 is on the front side. That is, the hot end 31 is located behind the center of the container body 10, and the cold end 32 is located ahead of the center of the container body 10. For this reason, splashes due to boiling are particularly likely to occur behind the center inside the container body 10.

[0040] Therefore, in this embodiment, the rib 271 is arranged behind the center of the container body 10. The rib 271 is also provided along the rear edge of the opening 25, i.e., the edge on the hot end 31 side. In this way, the rib 271 can efficiently block splashes of hot water, which are particularly likely to occur behind the center inside the container body 10, from entering the opening 25. Also, in this embodiment, the rib 271 is not provided in front of the opening 25. This allows the front-to-rear dimension of the electric kettle 1 to be reduced.

[0041] Even without such ribs 271, if the height from the fill line 13 of the container body 10 to the opening 25 is increased, it is possible to prevent splashes from entering the opening 25. However, if an attempt is made to ensure a sufficient height from the fill line 13 to the opening 25, the vertical dimension of the electric kettle 1 becomes excessively large. In contrast, if ribs 271 are provided around the opening 25 as in this embodiment, it is possible to prevent splashes from entering the opening 25 while keeping the vertical dimension of the electric kettle 1 small.

[0042] Furthermore, if rib 271 extends too far downward from the underside of lid body 20, the vertical dimension of electric kettle 1 will become excessively large. For this reason, it is desirable to set the vertical length of rib 271 to the minimum length that is effective in blocking splashes. For example, it is desirable to limit the vertical length of rib 271 to such an extent that the position of the lower end of rib 271 is higher than the underside of valve body 23 in the open position.

[0043] In this embodiment, the rib 271 is provided only on the rear side of the opening 25. However, the rib 271 may be provided around the entire periphery of the opening 25.

[0044] <3. About the liquid cutting wall> Fig. 6A is a view of lid 20 seen from diagonally above. Cover 211 that covers spout 21 is not shown in Fig. 6A. As shown in Figs. 4 and 6A, lid 20 has drain wall 28. Drain wall 28 is a protrusion that smooths the flow of cold or hot water poured from spout 21. Drain wall 28 is provided in a portion of flow path 22. Drain wall 28 protrudes downward from the upper edge of flow path 22 at the end of flow path 22 closest to spout 21.

[0045] The opening area of ​​flow path 22 is partially narrowed by drain wall 28. Therefore, drain wall 28 prevents the flow line of water or hot water poured from spout 21 from widening. In particular, drain wall 28 narrows the vertical dimension of flow path 22. This makes it possible to prevent the flow line of water or hot water poured from spout 21 from widening in the vertical direction. Furthermore, in this embodiment, drain wall 28 protrudes downward from the upper edge of flow path 22. This makes it possible to prevent the flow line of water or hot water poured from spout 21 from widening, particularly upward.

[0046] FIG. 6B is a front view of drainer wall 28. As shown in FIG. 6B, the lower end of drainer wall 28 has a concave shape with a height at the center in the left-right direction that is higher than the height at both ends in the left-right direction. In this way, the flow line of water or hot water poured from spout 21 can be prevented from spreading in the left-right direction, compared to when the lower end of drainer wall 28 is a horizontal straight line. In addition, water or hot water immediately after passing through drainer wall 28 can be prevented from rolling up along drainer wall 28. Therefore, disruption of the flow line of water or hot water poured from spout 21 can be further prevented.

[0047] 6B, in this embodiment, the lower end of drainer wall 28 is V-shaped, with the height of the center in the left-right direction being higher than the height of both left-right ends. This makes it possible to further prevent water or hot water immediately after passing through drainer wall 28 from rolling up along drainer wall 28. This makes it possible to further prevent the flow of water or hot water poured from spout 21 from being disrupted.

[0048] It is sufficient that the drain wall 28 is provided in a portion of the flow path 22 between the opening 25 and the spout 21. However, if the drain wall 28 is located away from the spout 21, the flow line narrowed by the drain wall 28 will tend to widen again when the water is poured from the spout 21. If the drain wall 28 is provided at the end of the flow path 22 closest to the spout 21, as in this embodiment, cold or hot water can be poured from the spout 21 with the flow line remaining narrowed by the drain wall 28.

[0049] <4. Air intake and exhaust vents> Fig. 7 is an exploded perspective view of lid body 20. As shown in Fig. 7, an intake / exhaust path 60 is provided inside lid body 20 for exhausting steam and drawing in outside air. Intake / exhaust path 60 has one intake hole 61 and two exhaust holes 62. One intake hole 61 and two exhaust holes 62 communicate with air vent 270 provided in inner lid 27. In addition, one intake hole 61 and two exhaust holes 62 communicate with the space outside lid body 20 via intake / exhaust port 65 provided in the rear part of lid body 20.

[0050] The two exhaust holes 62 are holes mainly for discharging steam when boiling water. When the water in the container body 10 is heated by the heater 30, a large amount of steam is generated inside the container body 10. This steam passes through the air vent 270 and then through the two exhaust holes 62 to be discharged to the outside of the electric kettle 1. This prevents the pressure inside the container body 10 from rising excessively. Note that some of the steam that passes through the air vent 270 is also discharged through the air intake hole 61.

[0051] As shown in FIG. 3, the electric kettle 1 also has a steam detection sensor 70. The steam detection sensor 70 is provided at a position communicating with the intake hole 61 and the exhaust hole 62. Specifically, the steam detection sensor 70 is located near the bottom of the electric kettle 1, between the container body 10 and the exterior cover 40. When the water in the container body 10 boils, some of the steam discharged from the intake hole 61 and the exhaust hole 62 flows toward the steam detection sensor 70. The steam detection sensor 70 then detects the steam, thereby detecting that the water in the container body 10 has boiled.

[0052] The air intake holes 61 are holes for taking in outside air into the container body 10 when pouring water or hot water from the container body 10. When the electric kettle 1 is tilted forward from its upright position, the two exhaust holes 62 are sealed by the second water-stopping member 64, which will be described later. Therefore, if the air intake holes 61 were not present, the pressure inside the container body 10 would become negative, lower than atmospheric pressure, as water or hot water is poured. This would make it difficult to pour water or hot water from the spout 21, and the flow line would be disrupted.

[0053] Therefore, the electric kettle 1 of this embodiment has an air intake hole 61 in addition to the two exhaust holes 62. It is sufficient for the air intake hole 61 to be able to take in outside air in accordance with the amount of water or hot water dispensed. For this reason, the opening diameter of the air intake hole 61 is smaller than the opening diameter of the exhaust hole 62. By taking in outside air through the air intake hole 61, negative pressure inside the container body 10 can be prevented. This allows water or hot water to be dispensed smoothly from the spout 21. Furthermore, compared to when the air intake hole 61 is the same size as the exhaust hole 62, the risk of water or hot water inside the container body 10 unnecessarily leaking out of the container body 10 can be reduced.

[0054] As shown in FIG. 7 , the lid 20 has one first water-stopping member 63 and two second water-stopping members 64. The first water-stopping member 63 blocks the air intake hole 61 when the electric kettle 1 is tilted at a first angle or more. The second water-stopping member 64 blocks the exhaust hole 62 when the electric kettle 1 is tilted at a second angle or more that is smaller than the first angle. The first water-stopping member 63 and the second water-stopping member 64 are made of, for example, stainless steel, which has a higher specific gravity than water. The first water-stopping member 63 and the second water-stopping member 64 are, for example, spherical in shape. However, the diameter of the first water-stopping member 63 is smaller than the diameter of the second water-stopping member 64.

[0055] The second water-stopping member 64 is movable within the lid 20 between an open position that opens the exhaust hole 62 and a closed position that blocks the exhaust hole 62. When the electric kettle 1 is upright, the second water-stopping member 64 is positioned in the open position due to its own weight. On the other hand, when the electric kettle 1 is tilted by a second angle or more, the second water-stopping member 64 rolls due to its own weight along a guide surface provided within the lid 20 to the closed position, thereby blocking the exhaust hole 62. The second angle is, for example, an angle smaller than 90°. The guide surface is formed below the exhaust hole 62 at an angle corresponding to the second angle.

[0056] When the electric kettle 1 falls over, the second water blocking member 64 is positioned in the closed position, thereby blocking the exhaust hole 62. This prevents water or boiling water from inside the container body 10 from leaking to the outside through the exhaust hole 62. It also prevents water or boiling water from inside the container body 10 from flowing through the exhaust hole 62 to the steam detection sensor 70.

[0057] The first water-stopping member 63 is movable inside the lid 20 between an open position that opens the air intake hole 61 and a closed position that blocks the air intake hole 61. When the electric kettle 1 is upright, the first water-stopping member 63 is positioned in the open position due to its own weight. On the other hand, when the electric kettle 1 is tilted by a first angle or more that is greater than the second angle, the first water-stopping member 63 rolls due to its own weight along a guide surface provided inside the lid 20 to the closed position, thereby blocking the air intake hole 61. The first angle is, for example, 90°. The guide surface is formed below the air intake hole 61 at an angle corresponding to the first angle.

[0058] When the electric kettle 1 is tilted forward from the upright position at an angle equal to or greater than the second angle and less than the first angle in order to pour water or hot water from the spout 21, the two exhaust holes 62 are sealed by the second water-blocking member 64, but the air intake hole 61 is not sealed by the first water-blocking member 63. Therefore, water or hot water can be smoothly poured from the spout 21 while outside air is taken into the container body 10 through the air intake hole 61.

[0059] However, when the electric kettle 1 is tilted forward from the upright position by a first angle or more, if the air intake hole 61 remains open, there is a risk that water or hot water in the container body 10 will leak to the outside through the air vent 270 and the air intake hole 61. However, when the electric kettle 1 is tilted forward by a first angle or more, the first water blocking member 63 moves from the open position to the closed position, thereby blocking the air intake hole 61. This prevents water or hot water in the container body 10 from leaking to the outside through the air intake hole 61. It also prevents water or hot water in the container body 10 from flowing through the air intake hole 61 to the steam detection sensor 70.

[0060] 8 is a perspective view of the first water-stopping member 63 and the receiving portion 66 that constitutes the air intake hole 61. The receiving portion 66 is attached to the intake / exhaust path 60 inside the lid 20. As shown in FIG. 8, the receiving portion 66 is annular, and the circular hole in its center constitutes the air intake hole 61. The first water-stopping member 63 fits onto the underside of the receiving portion 66, thereby blocking the air intake hole 61.

[0061] As shown in FIG. 8, the receiving portion 66 has an air intake groove 67. The air intake groove 67 is a groove provided on the outer peripheral surface of the receiving portion 66. The air intake groove 67 extends in the vertical direction from the upper end to the lower end of the receiving portion 66. Even if the air intake hole 61 is blocked by the first water-stopping member 63, the air intake groove 67 is not blocked by the first water-stopping member 63. Therefore, even if the air intake hole 61 is blocked by the first water-stopping member 63, the inside of the container body 10 can be prevented from becoming airtight.

[0062] Furthermore, the opening area of ​​the hole formed by the air intake groove 67 when viewed from below is smaller than the opening area of ​​the air intake hole 61 when viewed from below. The air intake groove 67 is narrow enough that water has difficulty passing through it due to its surface tension. Therefore, even if the air intake groove 67 is not blocked by the first water-blocking member 63, water is prevented from leaking to the outside through the air intake groove 67.

[0063] <5. Manufacturing method of the container body> FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of the side wall 12 of the container body 10. The side wall 12 of the container body 10 is manufactured as a single component by injection molding of resin. The inner surface of the side wall 12 has two first inner surfaces 81 and two second inner surfaces 82. The first inner surfaces 81 are located at the front and rear of the side wall 12. The second inner surfaces 82 are located at the left and right of the side wall 12. In other words, the first inner surfaces 81 and the second inner surfaces 82 are arranged alternately in the circumferential direction. The first inner surfaces 81 and the second inner surfaces 82 are adjacent to each other in the circumferential direction.

[0064] When manufacturing the side wall portion 12, injection molding is basically performed using a pair of molds that move toward and away from each other in the vertical direction. Specifically, molten resin is poured into a cavity formed between the pair of molds, and the resin is hardened inside the molds. Thereafter, the pair of molds are moved away from each other in the vertical direction, and the hardened side wall portion 12 is released from the molds.

[0065] The first inner surface 81 extends in a substantially vertical direction from the lower end to the upper end. Therefore, the first inner surface 81 can be molded using a pair of dies that move closer to and away from each other in the vertical direction. In contrast, the second inner surface 82 includes a shape in which the inner diameter first increases and then decreases as it moves from the lower end to the upper end. Therefore, the second inner surface 82 cannot be molded using a pair of dies that move closer to and away from each other in the vertical direction. Therefore, a slide core 83 is used to mold the second inner surface 82.

[0066] In Fig. 9, the position of the slide core 83 during injection molding is indicated by a two-dot chain line. After the resin is hardened in the mold, the slide core 83 is moved toward the inside of the side wall portion 12 as indicated by the arrow in Fig. 9, thereby being separated from the resin. This makes it possible to mold the second inner surface 82, which includes a shape in which the inner diameter first increases and then decreases from the lower end to the upper end.

[0067] The shape of the first inner surface 81 is an arc that bulges slightly outward in a cross section perpendicular to the vertical direction. That is, the first inner surface 81 located in the front of the side wall 12 is smoothly curved so that the center in the left-right direction is located slightly forward than the left-right ends. Also, the first inner surface 81 located in the rear of the side wall 12 is smoothly curved so that the center in the left-right direction is located slightly rearward than the left-right ends.

[0068] In this way, after the resin has hardened in the mold, when the slide core 83 is moved toward the inside of the side wall portion 12, the slide core 83 does not come into contact with the first inner surface 81. Therefore, the slide core 83 can be easily separated from the hardened resin. Also, by making the first inner surface 81 into an arc shape that bulges outward, the amount of water or hot water that can be stored in the container body 10 can be increased without increasing the height of the product.

[0069] In this embodiment, the shape of the second inner surface 82 is also arcuate and bulges outward in a cross section perpendicular to the vertical direction. However, in a cross section perpendicular to the vertical direction, the radius of curvature of the first inner surface 81 is greater than the radius of curvature of the second inner surface 82. In other words, the first inner surface 81 is closer to a flat surface than the second inner surface 82. This makes it possible to suppress the outward bulge of the first inner surface 81. As a result, the dimension of the container body 10 in the front-to-rear direction can be reduced. This avoids the problem that the user must tilt the electric kettle 1 significantly when pouring water or hot water from the container body 10.

[0070] <6. About the power supply stand> 10 is a partial vertical cross-sectional view of the power supply stand 2. The power supply stand 2 has a base body 91 and a plurality of leg components 92. The base body 91 is manufactured as a single component by resin injection molding. As shown in FIG. 10, the base body 91 has a top panel portion 911, a peripheral wall portion 912, and a leg fixing portion 913.

[0071] The top plate 911 extends in a circular plate shape along a horizontal plane. The electric kettle 1 is placed on the top surface of the top plate 911. The peripheral wall 912 extends downward from the outer periphery of the top plate 911. The leg fixing portion 913 extends inward from the lower end of the peripheral wall 912. The leg fixing portion 913 has fixing holes 914 that penetrate in the vertical direction.

[0072] The leg part 92 is an elastically deformable part made of rubber. As shown in FIG. 10 , the leg part 92 has a lower large diameter part 921, a small diameter part 922, and an upper large diameter part 923. The lower large diameter part 921 is a part that comes into contact with the upper surface of a table or the like on which the power supply stand 2 is placed. The small diameter part 922 is located above the lower large diameter part 921. The outer diameter of the small diameter part 922 is smaller than the outer diameter of the lower large diameter part 921. The upper large diameter part 923 is located above the small diameter part 922. The outer diameter of the upper large diameter part 923 is larger than the outer diameter of the small diameter part 922.

[0073] The diameter of the fixing hole 914 of the leg fixing part 913 is smaller than the outer diameters of the lower large diameter part 921 and the upper large diameter part 923, and is larger than the outer diameter of the small diameter part 922. When the power supply stand 2 is manufactured, the leg part 92 is inserted into the fixing hole 914 from below. Then, the small diameter part 922 is placed in the fixing hole 914, thereby fixing the leg part 92 to the leg fixing part 913.

[0074] When manufacturing the table main body 91, injection molding is basically performed using a pair of molds that move closer to and away from each other in the vertical direction. Specifically, molten resin is poured into a cavity formed between the pair of molds, and the resin is hardened inside the molds. Thereafter, the pair of molds are moved apart in the vertical direction, and the hardened table main body 91 is released from the molds.

[0075] However, the space between the top panel 911 and the leg fixing portion 913 and inside the peripheral wall 912 cannot be formed by a pair of molds that move closer to and farther away from each other in the vertical direction. Therefore, a slide core 93 is used to form this space.

[0076] In Figure 10, the position of the slide core 93 during injection molding is indicated by a two-dot chain line. After the resin is hardened in the mold, the slide core 93 is moved toward the inside of the peripheral wall 912 as shown by the arrow in Figure 10, thereby being separated from the resin. This allows the lower surface of the top plate 911, the inner surface of the peripheral wall 912, and the upper surface of the leg fixing part 913 to be molded.

[0077] In this way, by using the slide core 93, the base body 91 having the leg fixing portion 913 can be manufactured as a single component. This reduces the number of components in the power supply base 2, and realizes a structure for attaching the rubber leg components 92.

[0078] <7. Variations> Although one embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment.

[0079] 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.

[0080] 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]

[0081] 1: Electric kettle 2: Power supply stand 10: Container body 11: Bottom 12: Side wall 20: Lid 21: Spout 22: Flow path 23: Valve body 25: Opening 28: Liquid cutter wall 30: Heater 40: Exterior cover 41: Handle 60: Intake and exhaust route 61: Air intake 62: Exhaust hole 63: First waterproof member 64: Second waterproof member 65: Intake and exhaust vent 66: Receiving part 67: Intake groove 70: Steam detection sensor 81: First inner surface 82: Second inner surface 83: Slide Core 91: Main unit 92: Leg parts 93: Slide Core 100: Kettle products 270: Ventilation hole 271: Rib 911: Top plate 912: Peripheral wall part 913: Leg fixing part 914: Fixing hole

Claims

1. An electric kettle, A container body; a lid for covering the top of the container body; a heater for heating the liquid in the container body; and The lid body is an air intake hole for taking in outside air when pouring liquid from the container body; a first water blocking member that blocks the air intake hole when the container body is tilted by a first angle or more; Electric kettle.

2. 2. The electric kettle according to claim 1, The lid body is The annular receiving portion having the intake hole and The receiving portion has an air intake groove that is not blocked by the first water-blocking member.

3. 3. The electric kettle according to claim 1 or 2, a vapor detection sensor provided at a position communicating with the intake port; Also equipped with an electric kettle.

4. 3. The electric kettle according to claim 1 or 2, The lid body is An exhaust hole for discharging steam when the liquid in the container body is heated by the heater. and The electric kettle, wherein the intake hole is smaller than the exhaust hole.

5. 5. The electric kettle according to claim 4, The lid body is a second water-stopping member that blocks the exhaust hole when the container body is tilted at a second angle or more that is smaller than the first angle; Also includes an electric kettle.

6. 3. The electric kettle according to claim 1 or 2, The lid body is an opening provided on the underside of the lid; a spout communicating with the opening; a valve body that is movable between a closed position that closes the opening and an open position that opens the opening; a rib protruding downward from the underside of the lid around the opening; Also includes an electric kettle.

7. 7. The electric kettle according to claim 6, The heater is Hot end and a cold end whose temperature is lower than that of the hot end when energized; and The rib is provided along the edge of the opening on the hot end side.

8. 8. The electric kettle according to claim 7, The electric kettle, wherein the hot end and the rib are located rearward of the center of the container body.

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