摘要:
A method of determining the presence of scale on a water heating element (12), the method comprising comparing signals indicative of heating element temperature to determine whether the compared signals indicate a temperature decrease (44) greater than a predetermined value during a predetermined time interval and determining the presence of scale if the indicated temperature decrease is greater than said predetermined value.
摘要:
A thermally responsive control for a liquid heating vessel comprising a snap acting bimetallic actuator (104), a trip lever (102) pivotally mounted to be responsive to operation of said bimetallic actuator (104) and switch means operated by said trip lever, characterised in that said switch means includes a member (116) urged with a spring force into contact with apart (120) of said trip lever and having a cam surface (132) which is traversed by said part during pivotal movement of the trip lever to develop switch-actuating movement.
摘要:
A contact thermal sensor comprising a sprung electrical conductor (5) serving at opposite ends thereof as the moving contacts of first and second sets of switch contacts which, in use, are held in closed condition against the bias of said sprung electrical conductor, the first set of switch contacts being arranged to be held in closed condition by a bimetallic switch actuator (1,2) which is adapted to allow the first contacts to open at a predetermined temperature, and the second set of switch contacts being arranged to be held in closed condition by a member (17) of fusible material which is adapted to allow the second contacts to open at a temperature above the operating temperature of the bimetallic switch actuator, the arrangement being such that, in use of the sensor, in the event of failure of the bimetallic switch actuator to open the first set of switch contacts the second set of switch contacts can be opened in response to melting of said member of fusible material.
摘要:
An electrically heated kettle or hot water jug has a thick film heating element provided with PTCR portions which develop varying voltages as the heating element heats up in use, and these voltages are used to trigger the operation of respective diodes of an LED array so that the array lights up progressively as the temperature rises. The LEDs range in colour from green (cold) through yellow/orange (warm) to red (hot) and can illuminate a sight glass of the vessel or the vessel contents in which case the vessel wall has at least a portion which is transparent or translucent. The provision of such a display on a kettle or jug provided with bimetallic controls provides a "high tech" look to an essentially low tech appliance and makes the appliance attractive in comparison to more expensive electronically controlled appliances.
摘要:
A connection system for cordless electrical water heating appliances is designed to permit freedom in the placement of the appliance proper onto the base from which it takes its electrical supply. A plug and socket connector is employed, the plug being coupled to the appliance proper and the socket to the base, which permits insertion of the plug into the socket throughout a full 360° of rotation of the plug relative to the socket. A shutter element (103) in the socket part is arranged to jam and prevent access to the socket if it is not uniformly depressed.
摘要:
A cordless electrically heated hot water jug has a thick film planar element (3) provided with terminal pads (6) adapted to be contacted by spring terminals (7) of the appliance power supply inlet connector (4) when the appliance is assembled. The provision of spring terminations on the power supply inlet connector (4) obviates the need for appliance manufacturers to make electrical connections as separate, discrete operations and is correspondingly advantageous.
摘要:
A steam sensor switch for an automatic kettle employs a snap-acting bimetallic actuator to operate an overcentre arrangement by means of a push rod, the overcentre arrangement comprising a C-spring and a trip lever sprung between spaced-apart abutments. Whereas in prior arrangements of this type the trip lever has been arranged to interact with cantilevered spring contact elements which are mechanically deformed in switch operations, in the steam sensor of the invention the spring contact elements are integrally formed with the C-spring so that they pivot about a fulcrum when the overcentre arrangement switches between its two stable conditions and are not subject to mechanical deformation. This contact arrangement, which makes use of an E-shaped spring having the C-spring as the middle one of its three horizontal strokes, enables greater contact separation to be achieved in a small size switch than does the conventional cantilevered arrangement and thereby enhances electrical safety.
摘要:
A water boiling vessel has a thick film heating element (3) provided with a bimetallic overtemperature protection control for switching off the heating element if it overheats, for example because the vessel is switched on empty and, to enable the vessel selectively to be operated to produce hot water at a selected temperature lower than boiling, an auxiliary heater (11) is provided on the thick film heating element in the region thereof to which the bimetallic control is responsive and a resistive track is connected in series with the auxiliary heater and is contactable selectively along its length so as to vary its effective resistance and thereby vary the current through the auxiliary heater. The auxiliary heater increases the heating of the bimetallic control above that normally received in operation of the vessel so that it operates at a lower temperature than it normally would, thereby switching off the vessel prematurely before it had time to boil. Also disclosed is an integrated 360° cordless appliance inlet connector and dry boil control which includes a means to connect selectively to the resistive track.
摘要:
For assembling a planar heating element to a glass bodied vessel, the heating element forming the bottom of the vessel, the heating element (or a carrier therefor) is formed with an upwardly extending flange which extends, with spacing, around the rim of a necked-in part of the lower end of the vessel body and a sealing ring is interposed between the flange and the vessel body. The heating element is supported by a base part of the vessel which is attached to the glass body part by virtue of being attached to a separate handle which extends up the side of the glass body of the vessel and hooks over its top edge. Other means of securing the base to the glass vessel body are described including a base-to-spout attachment, the provision of a band encircling the vessel body and attached to the handle which in turn is attached to the base, and adhesive. The problem of dimensional variations in mass produced blow moulded glass vessel bodies is overcome since the seal takes up any dimensional variations.
摘要:
A steam sensor switch for an automatic kettle employs a snap-acting bimetallic actuator to operate an overcentre arrangement by means of a push rod, the overcentre arrangement comprising a C-spring and a trip lever sprung between spaced-apart abutments. Whereas in prior arrangements of this type the trip lever has been arranged to interact with cantilevered spring contact elements which are mechanically deformed in switch operations, in the steam sensor of the invention the spring contact elements are integrally formed with the C-spring so that they pivot about a fulcrum when the overcentre arrangement switches between its two stable conditions and are not subject to mechanical deformation. This contact arrangement, which makes use of an E-shaped spring having the C-spring as the middle one of its three horizontal strokes, enables greater contact separation to be achieved in a small size switch than does the conventional cantilevered arrangement and thereby enhances electrical safety.