EP2938231A1

EP2938231A1 - A fluid outlet device for a water heater receptacle

Info

Publication number: EP2938231A1
Application number: EP12813893.0A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Ismail GERZELI; Ali Levent Hasanreisoglu; Nihat Gunduz; Omer Burak Coban
Original assignee: Arcelik AS
Current assignee: Arcelik AS
Priority date: 2012-12-28
Filing date: 2012-12-28
Publication date: 2015-11-04
Also published as: CN105188485A; WO2014101961A1

Abstract

The present invention pertains to a water heater receptacle in the form of a containment means for heating and boiling water, said receptacle defining an inner volume where water to be heated is preserved, the internal base of said inner volume being in fluid communication with a transfer means directly or through a transfer conduit. Said conduit's inlet opening extends to the surface of said inner volume in the manner to be arranged to form a mechanical connection with the internal base.

Description

A FLUID OUTLET DEVICE FOR A WATER HEATER RECEPTACLE

The present invention pertains to a water heater receptacle in the form of a containment means for heating and boiling water, said receptacle defining an inner volume where water to be heated is preserved, the base of said inner volume being in fluid communication with a transfer means or a flow control means directly or through a transfer conduit. The present invention more specifically pertains to a water heater receptacle having a fluid outlet device in connection with a transfer means, said outlet device’s components being arranged to be quickly mountable involving a threaded connection.
A structurally essential component involved in a water heater receptacle, the latter in connection with a separate receptacle in the manner to provide thereto heated or boiled water, for instance for effecting brewing of herbal beverages, is a fluid outlet device bridging a fluid transfer means with said heater receptacle such that transfer of heated or boiled water is undertaken. Mechanical components, i.e. conduit parts and other connection elements making up said fluid outlet device should be designed such that said fluid outlet device is quickly assemblable on production lines. Therefore, it is desirable to obtain a fluid outlet device whose mechanical components are easily and quickly assembled, for instance without welding or using special instruments.
A fluid outlet device which requires no welding for assembling into a heater receptacle and which can easily be disassembled with regular instruments has also implications over cleanability of the water heater receptacle as some users may consider regular cleaning of the fluid outlet device filter by fully disassembling the same. Regular need for cleaning the fluid outlet device is not uncommon in areas where water hardness is found to be outside the standards, to the extent that residue build up may occur.
The present invention therefore provides a water heater receptacle having a fluid outlet device overcoming the aforementioned inconveniences, which is defined in the characterized portion of Claim 1.
Primary object of the present invention is to provide a water heater receptacle for conveniently heating water, such receptacle’s fluid outlet device being quickly assemblable and disassemblable.
The present invention proposes a water heater receptacle having an electrical heating means, namely ohmic resistances involving active power dissipation. This provides that water preserved within the inner volume of said receptacle is boiled. Said electrical heating means are thermally in communication with the internal base of said receptacle.
Said water heater receptacle further comprises a fluid outlet device as an intermediary medium in between said receptacle and a further receptacle. Said fluid outlet device can be connected to a fluid transfer means or a flow control means with additional conduit parts thereinbetween.
Said fluid outlet device comprises a fluid outlet opening in communication with a conduit adaptor, said conduit adaptor having a first open end in the direction of said fluid outlet opening. Said first open end of said conduit adaptor and said fluid outlet opening are juxtaposed such that fluid passing through said fluid outlet opening directly advances into said conduit adaptor.
Said conduit adaptor has a second open end in the reverse direction of said fluid outlet opening. This second opening leads to a fluid transfer means. Said second opening can also be first connected to a conduit and then to said fluid transfer means through said conduit. Further, an opening filter is provided to cover said fluid outlet opening for filtering down particles in the water to a certain size.
Said conduit adaptor’s first open end partially extends over said fluid outlet opening and this portion is connected with a base bearing by means of a threaded connection. Said base bearing’s inner threads are hence connected to said first open end of said conduit adaptor. Said fluid outlet device is fixedly attached to said internal base without involving welding of different parts. Further a secure structure that is easily disassemblable is obtained.
Said first open end of said conduit adaptor has an annular skirt portion laterally extending upwards in the shape of a cup such that a sealing member is fittable therein. Said sealing member has a neck portion fitted on said fluid outlet opening. Two body portions of said sealing member below and above said neck are respectively enclosed by said annular skirt portion and said base bearing.
Alternatively an extended portion of said base bearing can pass through said fluid outlet opening and be connected with said first open end by means of a threaded connection.
Said base bearing has an outer housing with a plurality of annularly arranged opening forms, i.e. holes in various shapes with which a pointed end of a wrench can engage to effect rotation of said base bearing. Therefore the fluid outlet device of the present invention can easily be disassembled by end-users for cleaning purposes without using special instruments.
Accompanying drawings are given solely for the purpose of exemplifying a water heater receptacle whose advantages over prior art were outlined above and will be explained hereinafter in brief. The drawings are not meant to delimit the scope of protection as identified in the claims nor should they be referred to alone in an effort to interpret the scope identified in said claims without recourse to the technical disclosure in the description of the present invention.
Fig. 1 demonstrates a general cross-sectional side view of the water heater receptacle according to the present invention.
Fig. 2 demonstrates an exploded cross-sectional side view of the fluid outlet device according to the present invention.
Fig. 3 demonstrates an exploded perspective view of the fluid outlet device according to the present invention.
Fig. 4 demonstrates an exploded perspective view of an alternative embodiment of the fluid outlet device according to the present invention.
Referring now to the figures outlined above, the present invention proposes a water heater receptacle in which water is heated and boiled to be transferred to a further separate receptacle by means of a transfer device through a fluid outlet device.
The following numerals are assigned to different parts demonstrated in the drawings:
(1) Water heater receptacle
(2) Fluid outlet device
(3) Conduit
(4) Conduit adaptor
(5) Opening filter
(6) Base bearing
(7) Fluid outlet opening
(8) Internal base
(9) Internal base surface
(10) Electrical heating means
(11) First open end
(12) Sealing member
(13) Annular skirt portion
(14) Opening forms
(15) Annular protruding portions
(16) Neck
(17) Extended portion
The water heater receptacle (1) of the present invention features an electrical heating means (10) for heating water preserved within an inner volume of said receptacle (1). Heated water can then be transferred to a further receptacle for effecting brewing of certain herbal ingredients such as tea leaves by infusing in hot water.
Said electrical heating means (10) is in thermal communication with an internal base (8) of said receptacle (1). Electrical power is transferred to said electrical heating means (10) from the mains whereupon contained water is boiled. Boiling of water can then be interrupted or continued at a lower wattage to enable keep-warm function.
Said water heater receptacle (1) further comprises a fluid outlet device (2) for receiving heated water preserved within said inner volume of said water heater receptacle (1) and transferring the same to a separate receptacle. Said fluid outlet device (2) therefore constitutes a medium for establishing fluid communication in between a fluid transfer means such as a pump and said water heater receptacle (1).
Said fluid outlet device (2) comprises a conduit adaptor (4) having a first open end (11) fittable in through a fluid outlet opening (7) disposed on said internal base (8) of said heater receptacle (1). Said fluid outlet opening (7) lies on a plane parallel to the internal base surface (9). Said conduit adaptor’s (4) first open end (11) is protrudable from said fluid outlet opening (7) to be connected with a base bearing (6) by means of a threaded connection. Said base bearing (6) has an inner threaded portion cooperating with the outer portion of said first open end (11) of said conduit adaptor (4). To that end, said fluid outlet device (2) is fixedly attached to said internal base (8) without involving welding of different parts. Further a secure structure that is easily disassemblable is obtained.
Said conduit adaptor’s (4) first open end (11) being in juxtaposition with said fluid outlet opening (7) provides that water passing through said fluid outlet opening (7) is being received in full into said conduit adaptor (4).
Said conduit adaptor (4) has a further end, which can be connected in fluid communication with a fluid transfer means. Said further open end is directly connectible to a conduit (3) as well, said conduit (3), which in turn can be in fluid communication with said fluid transfer means. Said conduit adaptor (4) therefore ensures that said fluid outlet device (2) is either connectible to a conduit portion or to said fluid transfer means.
Said first open end (11) of said conduit adaptor (4) has an annular skirt portion (13) defining an inner annular laterally delimited region receiving a sealing member (12) therein. Said sealing member (12) with its neck (16) being fitted on said fluid outlet opening (7), the body portion of said sealing member (12) remaining under said fluid outlet opening (7) fits into the annular space delimited by the annular skirt portion (13). When said annular skirt portion (13) bears up against the rear surface of said internal base (8) in assembled position, said portion remaining under said fluid outlet opening (7) and being squeezed within said annular skirt portion (13) provides tight sealing.
Alternatively an extended portion (17) of said base bearing (6) can pass through said fluid outlet opening (7) and be connected with said first open end (11) by means of a snap fit connection.
Said fluid outlet device (2) further comprises an opening filter (5) fittable onto said first open end (11) of said conduit adaptor (4), said filter (5) covering said fluid outlet opening (7). This ensures that any particle present in the heated water and having a size greater than that of said filter’s holes allows will be trapped.
Said base bearing (6) has an outer housing with a plurality of opening forms (14). This ensures that while said base bearing (6) is rotated, any wrench with an appropriate end engageable with said opening forms (14) would do the job. Therefore the fluid outlet device (2) of the present invention can easily be disassembled by end-users for cleaning purposes without using special instruments.
Said sealing member (12) having two annular protruding portions (15) with a neck (16) thereinbetween, said neck (16) having a circular annular contour and said neck (16) further being mountable on said fluid outlet opening (7) along said circular annular contour such that said lower annular protruding portion remaining under said fluid outlet opening (7) is squeezed within said annular skirt portion (13) and said upper annular protruding portion is squeezed by said base bearing (6) ensure an improved sealing.
According to the invention, either said conduit adaptor’s (4) first open end (11) or said extended portion (17) of said base bearing (6) is insertable into said fluid outlet opening (7) to be connected with each other by means of a snap fit connection.

Claims

A water heater receptacle (1) comprising an electrical heating means (10) for heating water preserved within an inner volume of said water heater receptacle (1), said electrical heating means (10) being in thermal communication with internal base (8) of said water heater receptacle, said water heater receptacle (1) further comprising a fluid outlet device (2) for receiving heated water preserved within said inner volume of said water heater receptacle (1) and transferring the same to a separate receptacle characterized in that;

said fluid outlet device (2) comprises a conduit adaptor (4) having a first open end (11) facing a fluid outlet opening (7) disposed on said internal base (8) of said heater receptacle (1), either said conduit adaptor’s (4) first open end (11) or an extended portion (17) of a base bearing (6) being insertable into said fluid outlet opening (7) to be connected with each other.
A water heater receptacle (1) as set forth in Claim 1 wherein said conduit adaptor’s (4) first open end (11) is fittable in said fluid outlet opening (7) such that said conduit adaptor’s (4) first open end (11) is protrudable from said fluid outlet opening (7) to be connected with a base bearing (6) by means of a threaded connection.
A water heater receptacle (1) as set forth in Claim 1 wherein said extended portion (17) of said base bearing (6) is fittable in said fluid outlet opening (7) such that said extended portion (17) is protrudable from said fluid outlet opening (7) to be connected with said conduit adaptor’s (4) first open end (11) by means of a snap fit connection.
A water heater receptacle (1) as set forth in Claim 2 or 3 wherein said conduit adaptor’s (4) first open end (11) is in juxtaposition with said fluid outlet opening (7).
A water heater receptacle (1) as set forth in Claim 4 wherein said conduit adaptor (4) has a further open end in fluid communication with a fluid transfer means.
A water heater receptacle (1) as set forth in Claim 5 wherein said conduit adaptor’s (4) further open end is connectible to a conduit (3), said conduit (3) being in fluid communication with said fluid transfer means.
A water heater receptacle (1) as set forth in Claim 2 or 3 wherein said first open end (11) of said conduit adaptor (4) has an annular skirt portion (13) defining an inner annular laterally delimited region receiving a sealing member (12) therein.
A water heater receptacle (1) as set forth in Claim 7 wherein said annular skirt portion (13) is bearable up against rear surface of said internal base (8) to form a circular contact line.
A water heater receptacle (1) as set forth in Claim 1 wherein said fluid outlet device (2) comprises an opening filter (5) covering said fluid outlet opening (7).
A water heater receptacle (1) as set forth in Claim 1 or 4 wherein said base bearing (6) comprises an outer housing with a plurality of opening forms (14).
A water heater receptacle (1) as set forth in Claim 9 wherein said opening filter (5) is fittable onto said open end (11) of said conduit adaptor (4).
A water heater receptacle (1) as set forth in Claim 7 wherein said sealing member (12) has two annular protruding portions (15) with a neck (16) thereinbetween, said neck (16) having a circular annular contour.
A water heater receptacle (1) as set forth in Claim 12 wherein said neck (16) is mountable on said fluid outlet opening (7) along its circular annular contour.