Kettle Lid Drain Opening Sealing Mechanism
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electric kettles suffer from water accumulation and stagnation in the lid due to condensed steam, leading to potential leakage and reduced safety during use.
Innovation Solution
A kettle design with a movable lid featuring a drain hole that opens and closes with the lid position, equipped with a sealing device to prevent water ingress and egress, and a steam venting circuit to manage steam effectively, reducing water accumulation and enhancing safety.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-generated harmful factors
If a steam venting circuit is provided on the lid, then steam can be vented outside the kettle, but water accumulates and stagnates in the lid
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the harmful accumulated water from the lid by providing a drain hole that allows water to be removed from the lid while retaining the steam venting function. The sealing device ensures water is only drained when the lid is open, separating the steam venting function from water accumulation prevention.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies dynamics by making the sealing device movable between closed and open positions. When the lid is closed, the sealing device blocks the drain hole to prevent water loss during steaming. When the lid is open, the sealing device moves to allow water drainage, adapting the system's behavior to different operational states.
2Ease of operation
If the lid is made movable between closed and open positions, then filling and cleaning is facilitated, but water leakage occurs during pouring or tipping
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing device acts as an intermediary element between the lid and the drain hole. It mediates water flow by blocking the drain hole when the lid is closed (preventing leakage) and allowing water passage when the lid is open (enabling drainage), thus reconciling the conflicting requirements of ease of operation and water containment reliability.
3Reliability
If a sealing device is added to close the drain opening, then water containment is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing device is designed to automatically move between closed and open positions based on the lid position itself, without requiring external control mechanisms. The system serves itself by using the lid's movement to drive the sealing device, thereby improving water containment while minimizing the increase in device complexity.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The design significantly reduces water accumulation in the lid, preventing leakage and enhancing safety by ensuring efficient steam management and water containment.
Implementation Method 1
the container has a sealing device configured to close the drain opening when the lid is in the closed position
Implementation Method 2
the lid having a drain hole through which water contained in the lid can be drained out of the lid
Implementation Method 3
steam generated in the internal volume during the boiling of the water contained in the internal volume
Implementation Method 4
a steam venting circuit configured to convey, outside the internal volume and for example to the outside of the kettle, steam generated
Implementation Method 5
some of the steam generated inside the container and flowing through the steam vent may condense in the lid. This results in water accumulation and stagnation in the lid
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
Figure 5~7
AI summary
The kettle includes a container comprising an internal volume; and a lid (11) movable between closed and open positions; and a steam venting circuit formed in part by the lid (11) and configured to convey steam generated within the internal volume (5) to the outside of the internal volume (5). The lid (11) has a drain hole (42) through which water contained in the lid (11) can be discharged from the lid (11), and the container (4) has a shut-off device (43) configured to close the drain hole (42) when the lid (11) is in the closed position and to open the drain hole (42) when the lid (11) is in the open position.