Patent Publication Number: US-2004055471-A1

Title: Mechanism and a method for releasably securing two articles and a coffee maker with such a mechanism

Description:
[0001] This invention relates to a mechanism for releasably securing two articles and a beverage maker incorporating such a mechanism, and in particular such a mechanism allowing the two articles to be releasably secured with each other in a liquid-tight, e.g. water-tight, manner.  
       [0002] There are a large variety of appliances, including e.g. electric coffee makers, which, in use, require two or more parts to be releasably secured with each other or one another. A vital requirement of such engagement mechanisms is that when the parts are so secured, the connection therebetween is water-tight. It is also a requirement that the parts can be secured with, and separated from, each other easily.  
       [0003] It is thus an object of the present invention to provide a novel mechanism and method for releasably securing two articles with each other which fulfill the above requirements. It is a further object of the present invention to provide a coffee maker incorporating such a novel mechanism.  
       [0004] According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a mechanism for releasably securing a first article and a second article with each other, wherein said first article includes a handle member, an engagement member and a container member with an upwardly facing opening, wherein said handle member is movable relative to said container member, wherein said engagement member includes an aperture and is movable relative to said handle member, wherein said second article includes a downwardly facing opening and an outwardly extending engagement element, wherein said upwardly facing opening of said container member is adapted to be engaged with said downwardly facing opening of said second article, wherein said engagement element of said second article is adapted to be received within said aperture of said engagement member of said first article when said upwardly facing opening of said container member is engaged with said downwardly facing opening of said second article.  
       [0005] According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for releasably securing a first article and a second article with each other, wherein said first article includes a handle member, an engagement member and a container member with an upwardly facing opening, wherein said handle member is movable relative to said container member, wherein said engagement member includes an aperture and is movable relative to said handle member, wherein said second article includes a downwardly facing opening and an outwardly extending engagement element, including the steps of (a) engaging said upwardly facing opening of said container member with said downwardly facing opening of said second article to allow liquid to pass between said container member and said second article; (b) moving said engagement member to receive at least part of said engagement element within said aperture of said engagement member; and (c) moving said handle member to bring said engagement member into contact with said engagement element.  
       [0006] According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a beverage maker, including a holder and a boiler which are releasably securable with each other, wherein said holder includes a handle member, an engagement member and a container member with an upwardly facing opening, wherein said handle member is movable relative to said container member, wherein said engagement member includes an aperture and is movable relative to said handle member, wherein said boiler includes a downwardly facing opening and an outwardly extending engagement element, wherein said upwardly facing opening of said container member is adapted to be engaged with said downwardly facing opening of said boiler, wherein said engagement element of said boiler is adapted to be received within said aperture of said engagement member of said holder when said upwardly facing opening of said container member is engaged with said downwardly facing opening of said boiler. 
     
    
    
     [0007] An embodiment of the present invention will now be described, by way of an example only, and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:  
     [0008]FIG. 1A is a perspective view of an electric coffee maker according to the present invention, showing the doors in a closed position;  
     [0009]FIG. 1B is a perspective view of the electric coffee maker shown in FIG. 1A, showing the doors in a partially open position;  
     [0010]FIG. 1C is a perspective view of the electric coffee maker shown in FIG. 1A, showing the doors in a fully open position;  
     [0011]FIG. 2 is a side view of the boiler and coffee holder of the electric coffee maker shown in FIG. 1A, in a detached position;  
     [0012]FIG. 3 is a side view of the boiler and coffee holder of the electric coffee maker shown in FIG.  1 A, in an engaged yet unlocked position;  
     [0013]FIGS. 4A to  4 E are perspective views showing the way in which the coffee holder and the boiler of the electric coffee maker shown in FIG. 1A are secured with each other; and  
     [0014]FIGS. 5A to  5 C are side views showing the way in which the coffee holder and the boiler of the electric coffee maker shown in FIG. 1A are secured with each other. 
    
    
     [0015]FIGS. 1A to  1 C show an electric coffee maker generally designated as  10 , which may be used for making coffee, including cappuccino and espresso. The coffee maker  10  includes an outer casing  12  with two doors  14  which may be opened to allow access to a coffee making machine  16  housing within the casing  12 . The coffee maker  10  also includes a table  18  which may be moved between a retracted position in which an upper surface  20  of the table  18  is enclosed fully within the casing  12  (as shown in FIG. 1A), and an extended position in which the table  18  at least part of the table  18  is outward of the casing  12  (as shown in FIG. 1C). In this extended position, a cup (not shown) may be placed on the upper surface  20  of the table  18  to receive coffee from the coffee making machine  16 . The coffee making machine  16  includes a number of buttons  22   a,    22   b,    22   c  which are operable to control the operation of the coffee making machine  16 . A number of lights  24   a,    24   b  are also provided for indicating the state of operation of the coffee making machine  16 .  
     [0016] As shown in FIG. 2, the coffee maker  10  includes a coffee holder  30  with a handle  32 , a catch  34 , and a container  36 . The container  36  has a top end with an upwardly facing opening through which ground coffee or coffee powder may be placed in the container  36  for boiling by the coffee making machine  16 , in a manner to be discussed below. The handle  32 , the catch  34 , and the container  36  are movable relative to one another. In particular, the handle  32  is pivotally movable relative to the container  36  about an axis  38 , and the catch  34  is pivotally movable relative to the handle  32  about an axis  40 . The catch  34  is provided with an opening  41 , the function of which will be discussed below.  
     [0017] The coffee maker  10  also includes a boiler  42  housed within a plastic housing  44 , of which only part is shown in FIG. 2. Extending outwardly and upwardly from the boiler  42  is a hook  46 . The boiler  42  has a lower end with a downwardly facing opening. A silicone rubber seal  48  is provided around the opening of the boiler  42 . As can be seen in FIG. 3, the upper end of the container  36  may be engaged with the lower end of the boiler  42  in a liquid communicable manner, so that the ground coffee or coffee powder may be heated and dissolved in water from the boiler  42 . When the coffee holder  30  is secured with the boiler  42  (in a manner to be discussed below), the silicone rubber seal  48  forms a water-tight seal between the boiler  42  and the coffee holder  30 , which ensures that the water will not escape from the coffee making machine  16 . It is also envisaged that the silicone rubber seal  48  may instead be provided around the upwardly facing opening of the container  36 .  
     [0018] As shown in FIGS. 4A to  4 E, to secure the coffee holder  30  with the boiler  42 , the coffee holder  30  is towards the boiler  42 , in the direction indicated by the arrow in FIG. 4A, until the opening of the container  36  is underneath the opening of the boiler  42 . The coffee holder  30  is then moved upward towards the boiler  42  until the silicone rubber seal  48  is fit within the opening of the container  36 . The catch  34  is then moved relative to the container  36  and the handle  32  towards the hook  46 , until the hook  46  is received within the opening  41  of the catch  34 . The handle  32  is then pivoted upward in the direction of the arrow in FIG. 4D until its outer surface  50  is generally co-planar with the surrounding plastic housing  44 , with the exception of two recesses  52 , which allow a user to pivot the handle  32  downwardly to unlock the coffee holder  30  from the boiler  42 .  
     [0019] When the hook  46  is received within the catch  34  (as shown in FIG. 5A), pivoting of the handle  32  upwardly in the direction indicated by the arrow in FIG. 5B will bring the catch  34  downward to contact and bear on an upper surface of the hook  46 , as shown in FIG. 5C. In this way, the coffee holder  30  is secured to the boiler  42  against any relative movement therebetween. To unlock the coffee holder  30  from the boiler  42 , one needs simply to pivot the handle  32  downwardly in the direction indicated by the arrow in FIG. C. The catch  34  will then be moved upward and out of contact with the hook  46 . The catch  34  may then be moved away from the hook  46 , which allows the coffee holder  30  to be disengaged from the boiler  42 .  
     [0020] It should be understood that the above only illustrates an example whereby the present invention may be carried out, and that various modifications and/or alterations may be made thereto without departing from the spirit of the invention. It should also be understood that various features of the invention which are now, for brevity, described in the context of a single embodiment, may be provided separately or in any appropriate sub-combinations.