Patent Publication Number: US-2004056027-A1

Title: Microkettle

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
     [0001] This application claims the benefit of PPA Ser. No. 60/403,097, filed 2002 Aug. 12 by the present inventor. 
    
    
     
       FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH  
       [0002] Not Applicable  
       SEQUENCE LISTING OR PROGRAM  
       [0003] Not Applicable  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION—FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0004] This invention relates to kitchen appliances, specifically relating to heating water to a desired temperature.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0005] Kettles are common appliances used in almost every private, and restaurant kitchen for the purposes of heating water.  
       [0006] Water is heated often to make tea or coffee, but has a wide variety of other purposes. For example hot, or heated water is called for in various cooking recipes, as well as many instant drinks and meal packages.  
       [0007] Prior kettles are designed to give a signal when the water being heated in them is boiling. However, the kettle is otherwise imprecise for displaying the specific temperature of the water it is heating. Therefore prior kettles are not convenient for heating water to a desired temperature (other than boiling).  
       [0008] Common kettles also lack to demonstrate how much water is contained inside them. There is no convenient way to measure the volume of the liquid inside them.  
       [0009] Prior kettles commonly have no method for filtering impurities out of the water they heat. Their sole purpose is to boil water and indicate when the water is boiling.  
       [0010] Additionally, prior kettles are made for intended use on stove-tops. There are two disadvantages to stove-top heating.  
       [0011] One disadvantage is a potential fire hazard. A person may begin to heat a kettle, forget about it, and leave the house with the stove-top on, creating a dangerous situation.  
       [0012] Another disadvantage is that, because kettles require stove-tops, they can not be used in places without stoves (or stove burners). It is common for many student dormitories and office kitchens to have a microwave oven, but have no stove or stove burners.  
       BACKGROUND OF INVENTION—OBJECTS AND ADVANTAGES  
       [0013] Accordingly, several objects and advantages of the present invention are:  
       [0014] (a) to provide an appliance which can be used to heat liquid in a microwave oven;  
       [0015] (b) to provide an appliance which contains a readable thermometer;  
       [0016] (c) to provide an appliance which filters impurities from the water it heats;  
       [0017] (d) to provide an appliance which will not cause a potentially hazardous situation;  
       [0018] (e) to provide an appliance which can be used in school dormitories, office kitchens and places that have a microwave oven, but no stove top.  
       [0019] Further objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a consideration of the drawings and ensuing description.  
       SUMMARY  
       [0020] In accordance with the present invention a micokettle comprises a container with a readable thermometer, to heat water in a microwave oven to a desired temperature. It has additional features removable water filter and a volume measure. 
     
    
    
     DRAWINGS—FIGURES  
     [0021]FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a kettle according to one embodiment of the invention.  
     [0022]FIG. 2 shows that the kettle has a removable lid.  
     [0023]FIG. 3 shows a removable filter in use.  
                                  DRAWINGS-Reference Numerals                             10 kettle   12 main body of kettle           14 bottom of kettle   15 top of kettle           16 receptacle   18 handle           20 thermometer   22 volume measure           24 spout   26 lid           28 removable filter   30 top of filter           32 bottom of filter   40 hinges on top of kettle           42 thumb-rest   50 spout opening                      
 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
     [0024] Referring to FIG. 1, a preferred embodiment of a kettle  10  is shown. The kettle  10  is approximately 18 cm tall and 23 cm wide. The kettle  10  has a main body  12 , which contains a handle  18 . The main body  12  has a bottom  14 , a top  15 , and portions that define a receptacle  16  for receiving and containing water, or other liquids. The kettle  10  also has a lid  26 , a spout  24 , a thermometer  20 , and a volume measure  22 .  
     [0025] A preferred embodiment of the thermometer  20  has approximate measurements of 3 cm tall and 10 cm wide. It is positioned closely towards the bottom of the kettle  14 . This allows the temperature of any liquid inside of the kettle  10  to be determined, even if the volume of that liquid is minimal. The preferred embodiment of the thermometer  20  has markings of degrees of temperature that are large and colored. This allows that they are readable, even while the kettle  10  is being heated inside of a microwave oven (with a transparent door).  
     [0026] A preferred embodiment of the kettle  10  includes a volume measure  22 . The volume measure  22  is a transparent window. It is approximately 3 cm wide, and 14 cm tall. The volume measure  22  is on the side of kettle  10 , situated in a vertical position. It has opaque volume measurement markings along it, for example “100 ml, 200 ml, 300 ml” so that the volume of liquid inside of kettle  10  can be easily determined.  
     [0027] A preferred embodiment of the handle  18  allows it to contain some water, in order to maximize the amount of liquid that the kettle  10  can contain. It has a gripping radius and a texture that is comfortable and easy to use.  
     [0028] Referring to FIG. 2, a preferred embodiment of the removable lid  26  is shown. The lid  26  has a hinged thumb-rest  42  on one side and a spout opening  50  on the opposite side. The hinges on the top of the kettle  40  meet the hinged thumb-rest  42  of the lid  26  so that it can be levered, enlarging the opening of the spout  24 .  
     [0029] Additionally, the design of the lid  26  allows the lid  26  removed entirely from the top of the kettle  15  by lifting the hinged thumb-rest off of the hinges on the top of the kettle  40 .  
     [0030] The spout opening  50  on the opposite side of the lid  26  allows liquid to be poured out of the kettle  10  even when the lid  26  is fully on the main body of the kettle  12 .  
     [0031] Referring to FIG. 3, a preferred embodiment of a removable filter  28  is shown. It has a top  30  and bottom  32 . The top of the filter  30  is made to receive water, much like the top of a funnel. It is rounded and somewhat thick in order to guide liquid into its filtering system. The bottom of the filter  32  is made to meet directly with the top of the kettle  15 .  
     [0032] This meeting is such that water passing through filter  28  will be routed directly through filter  28  and into the kettle  10  without any leaking between the bottom of the filter  32  and the top of the kettle  15 .  
     Operation  
     [0033] The kettle  10  is used for heating liquid, most often water, to a desired temperature.  
     [0034] Take the lid  26  off of the main body of the kettle  12  by lifting its hinged thumb-rest  42  off of the hinges on top of the kettle  40 , and set it aside. Place the filter  28  so that it fits into the top of the kettle  15 .  
     [0035] Fill the kettle  10  with the cold tap water, passing it through the filter  28 . (Cold tap water contains fewer impurities than hot tap water.)  
     [0036] Use the volume measure  22  in order to achieve a desired specific amount of liquid.  
     [0037] Once the kettle is filled, remove the filter  28  and replace the lid  26  by re-attaching the hinged thumb-rest  42  to the hinges on the top of the kettle  40 .  
     [0038] Next, heat the kettle  10  in a microwave oven (not shown) until the desired temperature is indicated on the thermometer  20 .  
     [0039] Pour the liquid out of the kettle  10  by gripping the handle  18  and guiding the liquid out through the spout  24  and the spout opening  50 .  
     [0040] The thumb-rest  42  may be used to lever the lid of the kettle  26  in order to enlarge the opening of the spout  50 .  
     [0041] Although the description above contains many specifications, these should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention but as merely providing illustrations of some of the presently preferred embodiments of this invention. For example, the thermometer can have a colored display with every degree marked or it can consist of a digital representation of the degree reading, and the thermometer may even contain an audio sensor that makes a noise when the liquid is boiling; the handle can be built as part of the main body of the container, containing liquid when the kettle is filled, or it can be an attachment outside of the container; the lid can have hinges as discussed, or it can be made to simply rest on the top of the main body of the kettle without hinges, etc.  
     [0042] Thus the scope of the invention should be determined by the appended claims and their legal equivalents, rather than by the examples given.