LIQUID HEATING AND DISPENSING

Abstract: The present invention relates to improvements in or relating to the heating and dispensing of liquids. There is described a liquid heating unit comprising a resevoir (14, 114) for holding a quantity of liquid, means for heating (47) the liquid in the chamber, support means (11) for supporting the chamber in a rest position, a flow control device (42) operable between an open and a closed state to control the flow of liquid to a first outlet of the reservoir when the reservoir is supported in the rest position, a second outlet through which liquid is able to flow from the reservoir when the reservoir is removed from its rest position, and means responsive to removal of the reservoir from the rest position to retain the flow control device in its closed state such that liquid is prevented from passing through the first outlet.

Description: LIQUID HEATING AND DISPENSING The present invention relates to improvements in or relating to the heating and dispensing of liquids. It is known to provide water boiling apparatus with means for dispensing the water through a tap when the apparatus is in a rest position or through a spout when the apparatus has been removed from the rest position. Such apparatus provides advantages in terms of ease of use, versatility, efficiency and, to a certain extent, safety. However, it remains possible with such apparatus to accidentally dispense water, often boiling water, through the tap when the apparatus has been removed from the rest position. The present invention seeks to address this problem. In its broadest sense, the present invention provides a liquid heating unit comprising a reservoir for holding a quantity of liquid, means for heating the liquid in the chamber, support means for supporting the chamber in a rest position, a flow control device operable between an open and a closed state to control the flow of liquid to a first outlet of the reservoir when the reservoir is supported in the rest position, a second outlet through which liquid is able to flow from the reservoir when the reservoir is removed from its rest position, and means responsive to removal of the reservoir from the rest position to retain the flow control device in its closed state such that liquid is prevented from passing through the first outlet. Preferably, the liquid heating unit further comprises a lever member, pivotal movement of which causes actuation of the flow control device. In a first embodiment, the means responsive to removal of the reservoir comprises a bolt moveable between an engaged position in which the bolt engages the lever member to prevent pivotal movement of the lever member and a disengaged position in which the bolt does not prevent pivotal movement of the lever member. Preferably, the bolt carries a cam element having a cam surface and wherein the support means includes a projecting element having a surface adapted to engage the cam surface such that when the reservoir is in the rest position, engagement of the surfaces of the cam and projecting elements causes disengagement of the bolt from the lever member. Preferably, the bolt is biased into the engaged position by means of a spring, preferably a compression spring. In an alternative embodiment, the means responsive to the removal of the reservoir comprises a projection projecting upwardly from the support means; and a latching element pivotable between a first position in which it prevents operation of the lever and a second position in which it contacts the projection and allows operation of the lever. In one arrangement, the projection is rigidly mounted upon an upper surface of the support means. In an alternative arrangement, the projection is mounted for slidable movement within the support means in response to the positioning of a receptacle below the first outlet. Typically, the flow control device comprises a ball or gate valve. The above and other aspects of the present invention will now be described in further detail, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a schematic side view of a first embodiment of a kettle incorporating a liquid heating unit in accordance with the present invention; Figure 2 is a detail of a section of the embodiment of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a cut away back view of the embodiment of Figure 1 in the area of Figure Figure 4 is a perspective view illustrating the principle features of the operation of the embodiment of Figure 1; Figure 5 is a schematic side view of a second embodiment of a kettle incorporating a liquid heating unit in accordance with the present invention; Figure 6 is a detail of a section of the embodiment of Figure 5; Figure 7 is an cut-away perspective view of a section of the embodiment of Figure 5; Figure 8 is a schematic side view of a modification of the embodiment of Figure 5; Figure 9 is a sectional view of a part of the embodiment of Figure 8; and Figure 10 is a part sectional view illustrating a modification of the embodiment of Figure 1. Referring to Figures 1 to 4, there is illustrated a kettle 10 incorporating an elevated stand 11 under which may be placed a cup 12. Cup 12 is filled with water 13 from a reservoir 14 through a nozzle 15 in an upper platform 16 of the stand 11. Flow of water from the reservoir 14 to the nozzle 15 is controlled by means of a flow control device operated by means movement of a lever 20 in the direction shown by arrow A in Figure 1. The reservoir 14 is provided with a handle 17 and lever 20 forms a channel around the lower portion of handle 17. Preferably, lever 20 lies flat against the handle 17, such that, in use, as the user takes hold of the handle there is minimal movement of the lever and thus the flow control device. Lever 20 is generally L- shaped and is mounted for pivotal movement about an axis 21. The handle is biased by means of a spring (not shown) into a position wherein the flow control device is in a closed state. The flow control device and its operation by lever 20 are generally conventional and need not be described in further detail. The reservoir 14 has an outer base 30 having a tongue 31 projecting laterally therefrom. Tongue 31 engages a correspondingly dimensioned aperture 32 upstanding from the upper platform 16 of the stand 11. Upper platform 16 is also provided with an upstanding wall portion 33 which engages a corresponding aperture 34 formed in the outer base 30 of the reservoir 14. Thereby, the reservoir may be easily and quickly located upon the stand 11 by the user. This is defined herein as 'the rest position'. The reservoir 14 also has an internal base element 40 which forms the bottom part of the reservoir that will, in use, be in contact with the water. The internal base element 40 incorporates a heating element 47. As is shown in Figure 4, an aperture 41 in the internal base 40 of the reservoir is in fluid communication with nozzle 15 in the upper platform 16 of the stand 11, through a flow control device in the form of a ball valve 42 actuated by the pivoting handle 17. It will be seen from Figure 3 that the handle 17 and the lever 20 include respective apertures 50,51. When the reservoir and the handle are in the rest position whereby the flow control valve is in the closed state, the two apertures are adjacent and aligned. Mounted between the outer 30 and internal 40 base elements of the reservoir is a locking mechanism comprising a bolt 52 which is adapted to slide between an engaged position in which it engages both apertures 50,51 of the handle and lever and a disengaged position as shown in Figure 3 wherein the bolt is disengaged from those apertures. The bolt 52 is slidably mounted between first and second walls 53,54 projecting from the upper surface of the outer base element 30 of the reservoir. The bolt 52 is caused to slide into the disengaged position by virtue of a cam element 60 mounted on the bolt 52 intermediate its two end engaging a corresponding cam or angled surface provided along one edge of the upstanding wall portion of the upper platform 16 of the stand 11. The bolt 52 is biased into the engaged position by means of a compression spring 55 mounted at one end upon the cam element 60 bearing against first wall 53. Thus it will be seen that when the reservoir 14 is removed from the stand 11, the compression spring 55 extends (towards the right as shown in Figure 3) taking with it the cam element 60. The bolt 52 is mounted upon the bolt 52 and so the bolt 52 also moves towards the right, thereby engaging apertures 51 and 50 of the lever 20 and handle 17. When the reservoir 14 is replaced upon the stand 11, the angled surface of upstanding wall 33 engages the cam surface of the cam element 60, compressing the spring and withdrawing the bolt from apertures 50,51 of the handle and lever. A further embodiment is illustrated in Figures 5 to 7. The apparatus comprises a reservoir 114 having a handle 117 and being mounted upon a stand 111 having an upper platform 116 and a nozzle 115 for discharge of water 113 into a mug 112. The apparatus includes upper and outer base elements 130,140 which correspond to the same elements in the embodiment described above. The apparatus also includes a flow control device in the form of a gate valve 142. Gate valve 142 is caused to open and close by means of rotation of spindle 170, rotation of which spindle 170 is achieved by means of a lever 120. Spindle 170 may be rectangular in cross-section or may be circular in cross-section, but includes a rectangular cross-sectioned portion 171 about which can engage and rotationally lock a latch element 172. Latch element 172 comprises an elongate member pivotally suspended generally centrally from the underside of the internal base element 140. At one end of the elongate member is a cut-out portion 173 which engages the rectangular cross-sectioned portion of the spindle 170. At the other end thereof is provided an enlarged head 174. The latch element 172 is biased into a position in which it engages the spindle 170 and thereby prevents rotation thereof by means of a compression spring 155. The enlarged head 174 of the latch element also acts under gravity to cause engagement of the latch element with the spindle, thereby acting as a further safety aspect in the event of failure of the spring 155. Projecting upwardly from the upper platform 116 of the stand 111 is a peg 175. A corresponding aperture 176 is provided in the outer base element 130 of the reservoir 114 such that when the reservoir is placed upon the stand in the rest position, the peg 175 penetrates the aperture 176 and engages the enlarged head 174 of the latch element 172 causing it to pivot against the biasing action of the compression spring 155. The cut-out portion 173 is thus disengaged from the spindle 170 thereby allowing lever 120 to be rotated which, in turn, opens the gate valve 142 allowing water to flow through the nozzle 115. Figures 8 and 9 illustrate a modification to the embodiment of Figures 5 to 7 in which a further safety arrangement is incorporated. The fixed peg 175 of the above embodiment is replaced by a sliding peg 275. Sliding peg 275 is constrained to slide within an aperture 276 in the upper platform 116 of stand 111 and aperture 176 in the outer base of the reservoir 114. The peg is caused to slide upwardly within that aperture by means of a second cam element 280 pivotally connected to a lever 281 and downwardly by gravity and the action of compression spring 155. In a rest position, shown by the dotted lines in Figure 9, the lever 281 projects forwardly slightly and is caused to do so by the combined effects of gravity and spring 155 on sliding peg 275. Second cam element 280 rests in a lowered position and sliding peg 275 also rests in a lowered position on the cam element 280. The latch element 172 is thus caused, by action of the biasing spring 155 into the position whereby it engages and thus prevents rotation of the spindle 170. If a receptacle such as a mug 112 is pressed against lever 281, second cam element 280 is caused to rotate such that sliding peg 275 is caused to rise through apertures 276 and 176, contacting enlarged head 174 of the latch element 172, thereby disengaging the latch element from the spindle and enabling operation of the lever 120 to open the gate valve 142. Accordingly, as a further safety device, this modification further provides that the flow control device can only be opened when there is a receptacle under nozzle 115 to receive water from the reservoir. A further modification is illustrated by Figure 10. This modification can apply to any of the embodiments described above, but is particularly beneficial for application to the embodiments of Figures 5 to 9. In this modification, lever 20 is spaced from the body of the handle 17. Between the lever 20 and the handle 17 is inserted a generally vertical lever arm 300 which is pivoted mounted generally centrally along its length. At its upper end, the lever arm 300 includes an outwardly projecting portion 301 which serves as an actuating button. A compression spring 302 biases the upper region of the lever arm 300 outwardly. At the lower end of the lever arm 300 is an inwardly projecting tooth 303. Tooth 303 engages a horizontal aperture provided in a wall 305 projecting upwardly from surface of the upper platform 16 of the stand 11. As a user grips the apparatus he will cause the lever 20 to pivot towards the handle, depressing lever arm 300 against the action of the compression spring 302. This causes disengagement of the tooth 303 from the aperture of wall 305, thereby allowing the body of the kettle to be removed from the stand 11. Whilst the above embodiments have been described as having just two water outlets, it will be appreciated that the same advantages can be obtained applying the principles described above to liquid heating units having more liquid outlets.

Claims: CLAIMS. 1. A liquid heating unit comprising a reservoir for holding a quantity of liquid, means for heating the liquid in the chamber, support means for supporting the chamber in a rest position, a flow control device operable between an open and a closed state to control the flow of liquid to a first outlet of the reservoir when the reservoir is supported in the rest position, a second outlet through which liquid is able to flow from the reservoir when the reservoir is removed from its rest position, and means responsive to removal of the reservoir from the rest position to retain the flow control device in its closed state such that liquid is prevented from passing through the first outlet. 2. A liquid heating unit as claimed in Claim 1 further comprising a lever member (20), pivotal movement of which causes actuation of the flow control device. 3. A liquid heating unit as claimed in Claim 2 wherein the means responsive to removal of the reservoir comprises a bolt (52) moveable between an engaged position in which the bolt engages the lever member (20) to prevent pivotal movement of the lever member and a disengaged position in which the bolt does not prevent pivotal movement of the lever member. 4. A liquid heating unit as claimed in Claim 3 wherein the bolt carries a cam element (60) having a cam surface and wherein the support means (11) includes a projecting element (33) having a surface adapted to engage the cam surface such that when the reservoir is in the rest position, engagement of the surfaces of the cam (60) and projecting (33) elements causes disengagement of the bolt from the lever member (20). 5. A liquid heating unit as claimed in Claim 3 or Claim 4 wherein the bolt is biased into the engaged position by means of a spring, preferably a compression spring. 6. A liquid heating unit as claimed in Claim 2 wherein the means responsive to the removal of the reservoir comprises a projection (175,275) projecting upwardly from the support means (11); and a latching element (172) pivotable between a first position in which it prevents operation of the lever (120) and a second position in which it contacts the projection (175,275) and allows operation of the lever. 7. A liquid heating unit as claimed in Claim 6 wherein the projection (175) is rigidly mounted upon an upper surface of the support means. 8. A liquid heating unit as claimed in Claim 6 wherein the projection (275) is mounted for slidable movement within the support means in response to the positioning of a receptacle (12) below the first outlet. 9. A liquid heating unit as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the flow control device comprises a ball or gate valve.

Inventors: DAVIES STEPHEN JOHN DAVID, DAVIES, STEPHEN, JOHN, DAVID
Applicants: DAVIES STEPHEN JOHN DAVID, DAVIES, STEPHEN, JOHN, DAVID
Application year: 2000
Main classification: A47J31
IPC codes: A47J27, A47J31