JPS63193Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] This invention relates to an electric kettle in which the liquid inside is heated by a heater to keep it warm, or to boil water and keep it warm.

In the case of electric pots, empty cooking can lead to overheating,
This is a serious problem in terms of product lifespan and accident prevention.
Conventionally, in order to solve this problem, abnormal temperature rise when the liquid content is exhausted is detected and the heater is turned off. However, the user may not notice that the heater is automatically turned off due to the empty cooking state, and the user may not be able to obtain hot water when needed, which should be available for pouring at any time. In addition, electric pots that have already been proposed to use stainless steel vacuum double containers and whose parts are brazed with a brazing filler metal with a relatively low melting point are particularly susceptible to dry heating. Once the temperature rises abnormally, it will have a negative effect on the brazed parts, causing the degree of vacuum to gradually drop and the liquid inside to leak, leading to a decrease in heat retention and electrical leakage.

Even in an electric pot with a normal structure, once the temperature rises abnormally, it will affect the solder connections, etc., causing failure and shortened lifespan.

Furthermore, even if the contents are filled with too much liquid, it is dangerous, especially in the case of a kettle, as there is a possibility of abnormal pressure rise, leakage or spouting of hot water.

This invention provides a light-shielding floater inside the sub-passage and a photo sensor outside the sub-passage that detects when the light-shielding floater has reached a predetermined position, and includes a notification means activated by a light-shielding floater detection signal from the photo sensor. By providing this, it is an object of the present invention to solve the above-mentioned conventional problems without complicating the structure, and to provide an electric pot that can reliably detect the water level of the liquid inside.

To explain the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, reference numeral 1 denotes a liquid container body, which is attached to a saucer-shaped shoulder member 3 attached to the upper end of an outer case 2. A liquid supply port 5 communicating with the provided inner container 4 is opened. A lid 6 is placed over the upper part of the shoulder member 3, and is pivoted 7 to one side of the shoulder member 3 so that it can be opened and closed. A manual bellows pump 8 is installed inside the lid 6, and pressurizes the liquid by sending pressurized air into the inner container 4 through a stopper 9 that is detachably attached to the liquid supply port 5, and pumps the liquid to the outside. I'm trying to extrude and pour it out. Reference numeral 10 designates an air supply passage for feeding pressurized air from the pump 8 into the inner container 4, and reference numeral 11 designates an ejection conduit for guiding the content liquid to be pushed out under pressure to the outside of the container body 1. hand,
They are provided on the plug body 9.

The spout 12 side of the spout conduit 11 extends from the stopper 9 to one side of the container body 1 along the upper surface of the shoulder member 3,
A spout 12 is opened downward at one side of the upper part of the vessel. The shoulder member 3 has a beak-shaped portion 3a that similarly projects along the spout 12 side of the spout conduit 11 that projects toward the vessel body 1 side. A lock lever 14 is provided at the free end of the lid 6 to keep the lid 6 closed by elastically engaging locking portions 13 provided on the inside of both side walls of the beak-shaped portion 3a. Press the stopper 9 tightly against the liquid supply port 5, and press the discharge port 8a of the pump 8.
and the air supply port 10 to ensure a crimped connection without air leakage. Reference numeral 15 denotes a pressing plate for pressing the pump 8, and is provided on the lid 6 so as to face the top surface thereof. 16 is a heater wrapped around the outer surface of the inner container 4, 17 is a power connection port, and 18 is a power cord.

The inner container 4 is provided with a transparent water level pipe (sub passage) 19 whose upper and lower ends are connected to the upper and lower parts of the inner container 4 and communicate with the inside of the inner container 4. The exterior of the body 1 can be observed from, for example, a display window 23 of a liquid level display cover 22 held between the shoulder member 3 and the bottom plate 21 at the lower end of the exterior case 2. 24 is a transparent plate attached to the display window 23, and 25 is a liquid level display plate provided behind the water level pipe 19. 26, 27 connect the upper and lower ends of the water level pipe 19 to the upper and lower connection ports 28,
This is a rubber elbow for connecting to 29.

Depending on the operation of the pump 8, the content liquid is only dispensed to the height position where the dispensing pipe line 11 is suspended in the inner container 4, and a certain amount of the content liquid remains in the inner container 4. It's designed to last. However, even if a certain amount of the liquid remains, if the heat retention state is continued without visually checking the liquid level, the liquid will gradually evaporate and escape to the outside, resulting in an empty cooking state. In addition, if you forget to add the liquid in the dry cooking state, the heater 16
It also occurs when the power is turned on.

To solve this problem, water level detection means A for detecting the lower limit water level is provided, and a detection signal from this means A is used to operate an alarm sound generating device B. The water level detection means A includes a light-shielding floater 30 made of an opaque body provided in the water-level pipe 19 so as to be movable up and down, and a light-shielding floater 30 located at the lower limit water level height to be detected outside the water-level pipe 19. and a photo sensor 31 that detects when the camera is positioned in the opposite direction. The photo sensor 31 receives the light transmitted through the water level tube 19 from the lamp 32 which also serves as a pilot lamp on the photoconductive element 33, and when the light shielding floater 30 blocks the light reception, it detects the lower limit water level.
The transistor 34 shown in FIG. 3 is reversed from an off state to an on state, and the alarm sound generating device B is activated.

The warning sound generating device B may be a simple buzzer means, but in the case of this embodiment, it includes a voice synthesis integrated circuit 35 and a speaker 36 operated by the voice synthesis integrated circuit 35.
When the ON signal of the transistor 34 is input to the circuit 35, an audio signal is given from the circuit 35 to the speaker 36, and the speaker 36
A predetermined warning sound is emitted. The warning sound verbally warns the user that the content liquid has reached the lower limit water level, that the power should be turned off and the content liquid should be replenished, etc., and also urges the user to take necessary measures. It is also possible to generate a buzzer sound as a warning sound before emitting such a warning sound.

The light from the lamp 32 is applied to the photoconductive element 33 through a lens 38 that is integrally formed with a part of a transparent pilot lamp case 37 that is attached to the liquid level display cover 22 from the inside and that houses the lamp 32. The characteristics of the photoconductive element 33 change greatly depending on whether or not light is received from the lamp 32, and the lower limit water level detection performance is improved. In addition, this photoelectric detection is performed using through holes 29a and 29b provided in the elbow 29.
A light-shielding collar 29c at the upper end of the elbow 29 prevents external light entering the cover 22 from the display window 23 from causing noise in the detection operation. Element 33 is attached to a projecting wall 39 within cover 22.

4 and 5, in addition to the lower limit water level detecting means A, an upper limit water level detecting means C having the same configuration is also provided, and the warning sound generating device B is connected to the a terminal of the voice synthesis integrated circuit 35. Upon receiving the detection signal from the means A, a warning audio signal corresponding to the lower limit water level is given to the speaker 36, and upon receiving a detection signal from the means C to the b terminal, the speaker 36 is given a warning audio signal corresponding to the upper limit water level. I am trying to give an audio signal. The warning sound corresponding to the upper limit water level gives a verbal warning that the content liquid is at the upper limit water level, immediately turns off the power, and drains an appropriate amount of the content liquid, etc., and also urges the user to take necessary measures. Furthermore, if necessary, a buzzer sound may be generated as a warning sound before the audio warning.

The container body 1 is a heat insulating container body in which a bottom plate 21 is attached to the lower end of a vacuum double container 41 made of stainless steel. The container 41 has a vacuum insulation space 42 between an outer wall 41a and an inner wall 41b, which also serve as the exterior case of the container 1.
For example, inner and outer walls 41b and 41 surrounding the space 42
a It is formed by soldering each joint 43 in a vacuum space. In particular, the container 41 has an inner wall 41.
A single bottom portion 41c consisting of only the bottom portion 41c is formed, and the heater 16 is wound around the outer periphery of the single bottom portion 41c. This results in
The content liquid can be heated without being affected by the vacuum insulation space 42.

According to this invention, a light-shielding floater is provided inside the sub-passage, and a photo sensor is provided outside the sub-passage to detect when the light-shielding floater reaches a predetermined position, and an alarm is activated by a light-shielding floater detection signal from the photo sensor. Since a means is provided, if the content liquid is at the lower limit water level or upper limit water level, it will be automatically detected during use and a warning sound will be emitted, allowing the user to know this without intending to do so even from a distance. Now, as in the past, there are problems such as empty cooking due to the user neglecting, forgetting, or mistakenly checking the water level of the liquid content, abnormal pressure rise and leakage of boiling water due to overfilling of the liquid content, etc. Risks such as blowouts can be avoided.

Therefore, according to this invention, an electric pot that can accurately detect the level of the liquid inside can be provided at a relatively low cost with a simple structure using a light-shielding floater.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1 is a cross-sectional side view of the main part showing one embodiment, Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional plan view of the main part, Fig. 3 is an electric circuit diagram, and Fig. 4 is a main part of another embodiment. Cross section, 5th
The figure is a main part electrical circuit diagram. 1... Instrument body, 16... Heater, 19... Water level pipe (sub passage), {32... Lamp, 33... Photoconductive element} 31... Photo sensor, 30... Shading floater, {35... Speech synthesis integrated circuit, 36...
Speaker} Warning sound generating device (notification means).

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claim for Utility Model Registration] (1) In an electric pot that has a container body with a heater for heating the liquid inside and a sub-passage connected to the container body so as to maintain the same liquid level, in the sub-passage A light-shielding floater is provided in the sub-passage, a photo sensor is provided outside the sub-passage for detecting that the light-shielding floater has reached a predetermined position, and a notification means is provided that is activated by a light-shielding floater detection signal from the photo sensor. Electric pot. (2) The electric pot according to claim 1, wherein the photo sensor detects the lower limit water level. (3) The electric pot according to claim 1, wherein the photo sensor is one that detects a lower limit water level and one that detects an upper limit water level. (4) The electric pot according to claim 1 of the utility model registration claim, wherein the notification means is a buzzer. (5) The electric pot according to claim 1 of the utility model registration claim, wherein the notification means emits a warning sound according to the detected water level.