Electric kettle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11944228-B2
Application number	US-202016822513-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 18, 2020
Priority date	Mar 21, 2019
Publication date	Apr 2, 2024
Grant date	Apr 2, 2024

Abstract

An electric kettle may include a body made of a metal material and configured to form a space in which fluid, such as water is contained, a heating module provided in the body to heat the space, a handle mounted to protrude from an outer surface of the body, a handle cover made of a metal material and configured to form a protruding upper surface of the handle, and a handle printed circuit board (PCB) provided inside of the handle and including a touch sensor in close contact with a rear surface of the handle cover to sense a touch operation of the handle cover. An operation of the heating module may be controlled by the handle PCB.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An electric kettle, comprising:
a body made of a metal material and configured to form a space in which fluid is contained;
a heating module provided in the body to heat the space;
a handle mounted to protrude from an outer surface of the body;
a handle cover that is made of a metal material and forms an upper surface of the handle; and
a handle printed circuit board (PCB) provided inside of the handle and comprising a touch sensor in contact with a lower surface of the handle cover to sense a touch operation of the handle cover, wherein an operation of the heating module is controlled by the handle PCB, and wherein the handle cover has an opening formed on a bottom of the handle cover, and the handle is inserted into and mounted on the opening of the handle cover.

2. The electric kettle according to claim 1 , further comprising a touch booster provided between the handle PCB and the handle cover to transmit a deformation of the handle cover to the touch sensor.

3. The electric kettle according to claim 1 , wherein the handle PCB includes:
a display PCB disposed below the touch PCB and comprising a light emitting device (LED) configured to emit light to display information on the handle cover; and
an operation PCB provided below the display PCB to control the operation of the heating module.

4. The electric kettle according to claim 3 , further comprising spacers that maintain intervals between the touch PCB, the display PCB, and the operation PCB.

5. The electric kettle according to claim 1 , wherein the body has a double wall structure made of stainless steel, and wherein an electric wire that connects the handle PCB to the heating module passes through a space formed between the double walls of the body.

6. The electric kettle according to claim 1 , wherein the body comprises an inner body, and an outer body that accommodates the inner body therein, wherein an electric wire outlet is open in an outer surface of the outer body to communicate with an inner space of the handle cover, and wherein an electric wire inlet is open in an inner surface of the inner body to communicate with a space in which the heating module is disposed.

7. The electric kettle according to claim 1 , further comprising an upper body that extends upward from an upper end of the body along a circumference of the body and made of a metal material, wherein the handle cover is mounted on the upper body.

8. An electric kettle, comprising:
a body made of a metal material and configured to form a space in which fluid is contained;
a heating module provided in the body to heat the space;
a handle mounted to protrude from an outer surface of the body;
a handle cover that is made of a metal material and forms an upper surface of the handle;
a handle printed circuit board (PCB) provided inside of the handle and comprising a touch sensor in contact with a lower surface of the handle cover to sense a touch operation of the handle cover, wherein an operation of the heating module is controlled by the handle PCB; and
a cover boss provided inside of the handle cover and extending downward to pass through the handle PCB such that the handle PCB is mounted inside of the handle cover.

9. An electric kettle, comprising:
a body made of a metal material and configured to form a space in which fluid is contained;
an upper body that extends upward along a circumference of an upper end of the body;
a lid seated on the upper body to open and close the body;
a heating module configured to heat an inside of the body;
a handle cover that protrudes from an outer surface of the upper body and having an open lower surface; and
a handle configured to cover the open lower surface of the handle cover, wherein a first portion of the handle is inserted into and fixedly mounted on an inside of the handle cover, and a second portion of the handle extends downward in a state of being spaced apart from the body.

10. The electric kettle according to claim 9 , wherein the handle comprises a handle frame fixedly mounted on the handle cover, and wherein the handle frame comprises:
an upper portion accommodated inside of the handle cover and supported in contact with the handle cover; and
a lower portion that extends downward from an end of the upper portion to form a portion configured to be held by a user with his or her hand.

11. The electric kettle according to claim 10 , wherein a front end of the upper portion is rounded or slanted corresponding to an outer surface of the upper body, and wherein a front end of the handle frame contacts the outer surface of the upper body.

12. The electric kettle according to claim 10 , wherein the upper portion contacts a circumference of a side surface of the handle cover, and wherein an upper end of the upper portion is mounted to support an upper surface of the handle cover.

13. The electric kettle according to claim 10 , wherein a front end of the upper portion contacts the outer surface of the upper body, and wherein an upper end of the upper portion contacts an upper surface of the handle cover.

14. The electric kettle according to claim 10 , wherein the handle frame is made of a plastic material, and wherein the lower portion comprises a handle decoration member made of a same metal material as a metal material of the handle cover and surrounding an outer surface of the lower portion.

15. The electric kettle according to claim 14 , wherein the handle decoration member is provided on the outer surface of the lower portion, except for a region facing an outer surface of the body, and wherein a grip configured to be held by a user with his or her fingers is formed in a region of the lower portion facing the body.

16. The electric kettle according to claim 15 , wherein a grip sheet is attached to the grip so as to prevent a user's hand from slipping.

17. The electric kettle according to claim 10 , wherein a pair of cover bosses that extends downward are formed inside of the handle cover, and wherein a PCB mounting portion connected to the pair of cover bosses is formed on an inner surface of the upper portion corresponding to the handle cover.

18. The electric kettle corresponding to claim 17 , wherein a mounting hole is formed inside of the PCB mounting portion, and the pair of cover bosses is inserted inward through an upper surface of the mounting hole, and wherein the handle frame is connected to the handle cover by a screw coupled to an open lower surface of the mounting hole.

19. The electric kettle according to claim 17 , further comprising:
an operation portion provided in the handle cover to operate the heating module; and
a handle PCB provided inside of the handle cover, covered by the handle, and electrically connected to the heating module to control an operation of the heating module, wherein grooves, which are connected to an outer surface of the PCB mounting portion, are formed on both sides of the handle PCB.

20. An electric kettle, comprising:
a body configured to form a space in which fluid is contained;
a heating module provided in the body to heat the space;
a handle that protrudes from the body;
a handle cover that forms an upper surface of the handle; and
a handle printed circuit board (PCB) provided inside of the handle and comprising a touch sensor in contact with a lower surface of the handle cover to sense a touch operation of the handle cover, wherein an operation of the heating module is controlled by the handle PCB, wherein the handle cover further comprises a dis

Assignees

• Lg Electronics Inc

Inventors

• Ahn Jaehoon

Classifications

• A47J27/21066 Primary

  Details concerning the mounting thereof in or on the water boiling vessel · CPC title

• A47J27/21041

  with heating elements arranged outside the water vessel (A47J27/2105 takes precedence) · CPC title

• A47J27/21091 Primary

  of electronic type · CPC title

• A47J27/21166

  Constructional details or accessories · CPC title

• A47J27/21183

  Water filters (water filters for coffee machines A47J31/605) · CPC title