Electrically insulated sealed boiler for washing in water

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing electric kettles face issues with tightness and electrical insulation, particularly during disassembly and reassembly, which can lead to water ingress and electrical faults, and require costly leak tests at multiple points, increasing quality control costs.

Innovation Solution

A kettle design featuring a flexible conduit that seals the lower box and external control box, forming a sealed zone to maintain tightness and electrical insulation, even when the cable sheath is damaged, with a single sealing test sufficing for assembly, allowing for a non-isolated power supply and reduced manufacturing costs.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If cable glands or resin/silicone overmolds are used to seal the cable, then electrical insulation is improved, but the seal becomes defective after disassembly and reassembly

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveelectrical insulationVSAvoidsealing tightness
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

A flexible conduit acts as an intermediary element between the lower box and external control box, providing a permanent sealing path for the cable. The conduit maintains electrical insulation and water tightness even after disassembly and reassembly, unlike direct cable sealing methods that fail upon reassembly.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The flexible conduit, made of elastomeric material, provides a flexible yet sealed pathway for the cable through the housing. This flexible shell maintains the seal integrity during assembly disassembly and reassembly cycles, preventing water ingress while maintaining electrical insulation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

2Reliability

If multiple leak tests are performed at different points, then tightness is ensured, but quality control costs increase

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovetightnessVSAvoidquality control cost
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The flexible conduit integrates multiple sealing functions into a single component that spans from the lower box through the handle to the external control box. This merging of sealing functions allows a single leak test on the entire assembly to replace multiple separate tests at different cable sealing points, reducing quality control costs while maintaining tightness.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Object-affected harmful factors

If the cable sheath is damaged, then electrical insulation is compromised, but the conduit provides continuous protection

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveelectrical insulationVSAvoidcable sheath integrity
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The flexible conduit provides a pre-established protective barrier around the cable from the lower box to the external control box. Even if the cable sheath is damaged, the conduit maintains the sealed environment and electrical insulation, cushioning against the harmful effects of sheath damage before water or contaminants can reach the electrical components.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #11Beforehand cushioning (Prior cushioning)

Data Source

PatentEP3669714B1Electrically insulated sealed boiler for washing in water
Publication Date: 2021.11.03 SEB SA
  • EP3669714B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3669714B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3669714B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4

AI summary

The invention relates to a kettle (1) with optimized sealing and electrical insulation. The kettle comprises a body (2) with a handle (3), a heating plate (11), a sealed lower housing (7) containing an internal control device (23), and a sealed external control unit (30) arranged on the handle. The external control unit includes an external control device (33) electrically connected by at least one cable to the internal control device and configured to manually actuate said internal control device. The lower housing (7) is sealed to the external control unit (30) by an electrically insulating conduit (31) in which the at least one cable, the lower housing, the control unit, and the conduit are arranged, forming a sealed zone.