Modular appliance

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9848727-B2
Application number	US-201414467858-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 25, 2014
Priority date	Mar 27, 2012
Publication date	Dec 26, 2017
Grant date	Dec 26, 2017

Abstract

Appliances comprising a base unit and a plug connector coupled to the base unit. The plug connector is configured to electrically couple the appliance to a first socket connector of an electrical receptacle. A channel is formed on or in a first sidewall of the base unit. The plug connector is disposed in the channel when in an engaged position. A defines a channel wall of the channel. The lever is configured to facilitate a transition of the plug connector between the engaged position and a disengaged position. The lever engages the plug connector when in the engaged position and does not engage the plug connector when in the disengaged position.

First claim

We claim:

1. An apparatus, comprising:
two units that are capable of being electrically coupled to each other, with one of the units being a base unit and the other unit being a slave unit placed in proximity to the base unit, each unit comprising:
a housing;
a vessel removably mounted on the housing configured to hold food during heating, the vessel formed from a material from the group consisting of stoneware, glazed ceramic, porcelain and metal; and
a heating element generating heat provided to the vessel to heat the food in the vessel when the vessel is mounted on the housing;

a plug connector connected to the base unit and the slave unit, the plug connector configured to electrically couple the base unit to an electrical receptacle and electrically couple the slave unit to a socket connector on the base unit;
a channel formed on or in a sidewall of said units in which the plug connector is disposed when in an engaged position; and
a lever defining a channel wall of the channel and being configured to facilitate a transition of the plug connector between the engaged position and a disengaged position, wherein the lever engages the plug connector when in the engaged position and does not engage the plug connector when in the disengaged position.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a retractable cable coupled to the plug connector which may be removed from an internal chamber of the unit when the plug connector is in the disengaged position.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the plug connector comprises an aperture configured to receive a guide protruding out and away from the socket connector of the slave unit when the base unit and the slave unit are electrically coupled.

4. An appliance, comprising:
a plurality of heated units that are capable of being electrically coupled to each other, with one of the heated units being a base heated unit and each additional unit being a slave heated unit, a first of the slave heated units being placed adjacent to the base heated unit, and the remaining slave heated units being placed adjacent to the first slave heated unit and adjacent to one another in succession thereafter, wherein each of the heated units are electrically coupled to the adjacent heated unit such that the slave heated units are electrically coupled directly or indirectly to the base heated unit, each heated unit comprising:
a housing having at least one recess;
a vessel removably mounted in each recess for holding food during heating, the vessel formed from a material from the group consisting of stoneware, glazed ceramic, porcelain and metal; and
a heating element generating heat provided to the vessel to heat the food in die vessel when the vessel is mounted In the recess;

a plug connector connected to the base heated unit and to the slave heated units, said plug connector configured to electrically couple said base heated unit to an electrical receptacle and to electrically couple each slave heated unit to a socket connector on the base heated unit or another slave heated unit;
a channel formed on or in a sidewall of each heated unit in which the plug connector is disposed when in an engaged position; and
a lever defining a channel wall of said channel and being configured to facilitate a transition of the plug connector between the engaged position and a disengaged position, wherein the lever engages the plug connector when in the engaged position and does not engage the plug connector when in the disengaged position.

5. The appliance of claim 4 , further comprising a retractable cable coupled, to the plug connector which may be removed from an internal chamber of the heated unit when the plug connector is in the disengaged position.

6. The appliance of claim 4 , wherein the lever and a plurality of channel walls of said channel collectively facilitate:
(a) an alignment of the plug connector on the heated unit with the socket connector of another heated unit when electrically coupled together; and
(b) a mechanical coupling of the heated unit to the other heated unit.

7. The appliance of claim 4 , wherein the socket connector is disposed on an opposite side of the heated unit from the side on which the plug connector is disposed.

8. The cooking appliance of claim 4 , wherein the plug connector on one of the heated units comprises an aperture configured to receive a guide protruding out and away from the socket connector on another of the heated units when the heated units are coupled together.

9. The appliance of claim 4 , wherein said heated units are slow cooking units.

10. A cooking appliance, comprising:
two or more cooking modules that electrically interconnect to each other, with one of the cooking modules being a base cooking module and each additional cooking module being a slave cooking module placed adjacent to the base cooking module and adjacent to one another in succession thereafter, wherein each of the cooking modules are capable of being electrically interconnected to each adjacent cooking module such that all of the cooking modules are electrically interconnected directly or indirectly to the base cooking module, each, cooking module comprising:
a housing having at least one recess;
a cooking vessel removably mounted in each recess for holding food during cooking, the cooking vessel formed from a material from the group consisting of stoneware, glazed ceramic, porcelain and metal; and
a heating element generating heat provided to the cooking vessel to cook the food in the cooking vessel when the cooking vessel Is mounted In the recess;

a plug connected to the base cooking module and to each of the slave cooking modules, the plug configured to electrically couple the base cooking module to an electrical receptacle and to electrically couple each slave cooking module to a socket on the base cooking module or another slave cooking module;
a channel formed on or in a first sidewall of the base cooking module in which the plug is disposed when in an engaged position; and
a lever defining a channel wall of the channel and being configured to facilitate a transition of the plug between the engaged position and a disengaged position, wherein the lever engages the plug when in the engaged position and does not engage the plug when in the disengaged position.

11. The cooking appliance of claim 10 , further comprising a retractable cable coupled, to the plug which may be removed from an internal chamber of the base cooking module when the plug is in the disengaged position.

12. The food cooking appliance of claim 10 , wherein the lever and a plurality of channel walls of the channel collectively facilitate an alignment of the plug and the socket connector when being electrically coupled together.

13. The cooking appliance of claim 10 , wherein the lever and a plurality of channel walls of the channel collectively facilitate:
(a) an alignment of the plug and the socket connector when being electrically coupled together; and
(b) a mechanical coupling of the base cooking module to the electrical receptacle.

14. The cooking appliance of claim 10 , wherein the socket connector is disposed on a side of the base cooking module which is opposed from a second side on which the plug is disposed.

15. The cooking appliance of claim 10 , wherein the plug on one of the cooking modules comprises an aperture configured to receive a guide protruding out and away from the socket, of another cooking module being electrically coupled to the cooking module.

16. The cooking appliance of claim 10 , wherein said cooking modules are slow cooking modules.

Assignees

• Sunbeam Products Inc

Inventors

• Day Adam
• Kounlavong Phetsouvanh
• Lee Daniel Juhyung
• Glucksman Dov
• Mcgonagle Gary P
• Spencer Jr Joseph C
• Hardin Jr George T
• Nickerson Laura

Classifications

• H01R13/447

  Shutter or cover plate · CPC title

• H05B1/0261

  of food · CPC title

• A47J2201/00

  Devices having a modular construction · CPC title

• H01F38/14

  Inductive couplings {(for wireless supply or distribution of electric power using inductive coupling H02J50/10)} · CPC title

• H01R33/94

  Holders formed as intermediate parts for linking a counter-part to a coupling part · CPC title