Electric kettle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11445848-B2
Application number	US-202016826505-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 23, 2020
Priority date	Mar 21, 2019
Publication date	Sep 20, 2022
Grant date	Sep 20, 2022

Abstract

An electric kettle may include a body formed by an outer body and an inner body having a cylindrical shape and an open upper surface and an open lower surface, a heat insulation space being formed between the outer body and the inner body, a lid configured to open or close the open upper surface of the body, a heating module configured to partition an inside of the inner body vertically and heat fluid, such as water inside of the inner body, a mounting portion which is formed on an inner surface of the inner body and on which the heating module is mounted, and a base on which a lower surface of the body is seated and which transfers power applied from outside to the heating module when the body is seated. The heating module may include a heating plate inserted through the open lower surface of the inner body and coupled to the mounting portion to form a bottom surface of the inner body, and a heater provided on a lower surface of the heating plate to generate heat.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An electric kettle, comprising:
a body formed by an outer body and an inner body and an open upper surface and an open lower surface, wherein a space is formed between the outer body and the inner body;
a lid configured to open or close the open upper surface of the body;
a heating module configured to partition an inside of the inner body and heat fluid inside of the inner body;
a mounting portion which is formed on an inner surface of the inner body and on which the heating module is mounted;
a bottom cover connected at a lower end of the inner body to form a bottom surface of the body and configured to cover the open lower surface to seal the heating module at a lower side; and
a base on which a lower surface of the body is seated and which transfers power applied from outside to the heating module when the body is seated, wherein the heating module comprises:
a heating plate inserted through the open lower surface of the inner body and coupled to the mounting portion to form a bottom surface of the inner body;
a heater base formed in a shape corresponding to a lower surface of the heating plate by thermal conductive material, the heater base contacting the lower surface of the heating plate; and
a heater provided on the heater base to generate heat, wherein at least one cover coupling hole is formed in the heater base to which a screw is fastened that passes through the bottom cover so that the bottom cover is coupled to the heater base.

2. The electric kettle according to claim 1 , wherein the inner body and the outer body are made of stainless steel.

3. The electric kettle according to claim 1 , wherein an outer surface of the outer body extends in a vertical direction with a same diameter.

4. The electric kettle according to claim 1 , wherein the inner body is formed in a cylindrical shape having the open upper surface and the open lower surface, and wherein the open upper surface of the inner body is equal to or larger than the open lower surface of the inner body.

5. The electric kettle according to claim 1 , wherein the heating plate is made of a same metal material as a material of the inner body, wherein the heating plate comprises:
a plate formed in a disk shape and forming an upper surface of the heating plate;
a plate rim that extends downward along a circumference of the plate; and
a plurality of supports disposed along a circumference of the plate rim and facing outward and extending downward, and wherein a diameter of a lower end of each support is larger than a diameter of the open lower surface of the inner body, such that each support is elastically deformed in a process in which the heating plate is inserted into the inner body.

6. The electric kettle according to claim 5 , wherein the mounting portion comprises a plate mounting portion which is recessed from an inside to an outside of the inner body and which supports the lower ends of the plurality of supports when the heating plate is inserted into the body.

7. The electric kettle according to claim 6 , wherein an inner diameter of the plate mounting portion corresponds to a diameter of the lower ends of the plurality of supports.

8. The electric kettle according to claim 6 , wherein a packing is provided between an inner surface of the inner body and the plate rim to seal a space between the inner body and the plate rim.

9. The electric kettle according to claim 8 , wherein the mounting portion further comprises a packing mounting portion formed above the plate mounting portion and protruding toward the plate rim, and wherein the packing is press-fitted into the packing mounting portion.

10. The electric kettle according to claim 9 , wherein an inner diameter of the packing mounting portion is smaller than an inner diameter of the plate mounting portion.

11. The electric kettle according to claim 10 , wherein the heating plate further comprises a bent portion that protrudes outward from a lower end of the plate rim to support a lower end of the packing at a lower side.

12. The electric kettle according to claim 11 , wherein the bent portion is disposed below than the packing mounting portion.

13. The electric kettle according to claim 9 , wherein the packing comprises:
a packing groove which is recessed in a shape corresponding to the packing mounting portion and in which the packing mounting portion is accommodated; and
a sealing portion that protrudes outward from an upper side and a lower side of the packing groove so as to be in close contact with the inner surface of the inner body.

14. The electric kettle according to claim 13 , wherein an inner surface of the packing is formed in a planar shape facing the plate rim, and wherein the entire inner surface of the packing is pressed in an outward direction by the plate rim.

15. The electric kettle according to claim 8 , wherein a vertical width of the plate rim corresponds to a vertical width of the packing.

16. The electric kettle according to claim 1 , wherein the heater base is made of an aluminum material.

17. The electric kettle according to claim 1 , wherein the heater base is molded of an aluminum material with the heater by die casting, and wherein the heater is disposed inside of the heater base.

18. The electric kettle according to claim 1 , wherein the heating module comprises an upper power module mounted at a center of the heater base to supply power to the heater, and wherein when the body is seated on the base, the upper power module is in contact with a lower power module provided in the base to receive power.

19. The electric kettle according to claim 18 , wherein the outer body is bent further at an upper side than a lower end of the inner body to form an outer lower end portion connected to the outer surface of the inner body, and wherein the outer lower end portion is seated on a circumference of the base.

20. The electric kettle according to claim 19 , wherein the bottom cover protrudes further downward than the outer lower end portion and is accommodated in the base.

21. The electric kettle according to claim 18 , wherein a cover hole is formed at a center of the bottom cover configured to expose the upper power module through the cover hole, and wherein the at least one cover coupling hole comprises a plurality of cover coupling holes disposed along a circumference of the cover hole.

Assignees

• Lg Electronics Inc

Inventors

• Park Jongok
• Park Jongwon

Classifications

• A47J27/21175

  Covers · CPC title

• A47J27/21166

  Constructional details or accessories · CPC title

• A47J27/2105 Primary

  of the cordless type, i.e. whereby the water vessel can be plugged into an electrically-powered base element · CPC title

• B22D19/04

  for joining parts · CPC title

• A47J36/02

  Selection of specific materials, e.g. heavy bottoms with copper inlay or with insulating inlay · CPC title