Electrical connectors – With insulation other than conductor sheath – Plural-contact coupling part
Reexamination Certificate
1999-09-10
2001-06-05
Paumen, Gary F. (Department: 2833)
Electrical connectors
With insulation other than conductor sheath
Plural-contact coupling part
Reexamination Certificate
active
06241559
ABSTRACT:
The present invention relates to cordless electrical appliances and electrical connectors therefor, and in particular to cordless hot water containers such as jugs or kettles.
A cordless hot water jug comprises a jug containing an electrical immersion heater and which is placeable, in use, on a free-standing base unit which is connected to a power supply. An electrical connector is provided between the jug and the base unit such that when the jug is placed on the base unit, electrical connection is made between the immersion heater and the power supply. In most known cordless jug arrangements, the immersion heater and its associated control unit (usually including a “switch-on-dry” protector switch means and a steam sensitive switch means respectively operable to disable the heater in an overheat condition and on boiling) are mounted in a side wall of the jug adjacent the bottom of the vessel, as is also the case in traditional corded kettles. The electrical connection between the jug and the base unit is provided adjacent the control unit, to the rear of the vessel. In certain arrangements, terminal pins of the control unit extending horizontally from the control unit engage directly with a socket connector provided in an upstand at a peripheral part of the base unit. An example of such an arrangement is shown in WO 92/05604. In other arrangements, such as shown in GB 2221104, vertically extending pins mounted to the terminal pins of the control unit engage in a socket connector, again provided at a peripheral part of the base unit.
In other configurations, however, such as disclosed in GB 2178910 the immersion heater and control unit are mounted in the base wall of the jug, with terminal pins of the control unit engaging in a socket connector provided generally centrally of the base unit. Such arrangements have the advantage of giving a better engagement of the jug with the base unit since the connector is arranged closer to the centre of gravity of the jug but they do have certain disadvantages. Firstly it is no longer possible to use a standard heating element, which adds to the cost of the jug. Further, the control unit used in such an arrangement is not capable of being used in traditional corded kettles and jugs. Finally, because both a control unit and a connector are arranged in a compartment under a false jug base, the capacity of the jug relative to its height is significantly reduced.
According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a cordless hot water jug having an electric immersion heater and an associated control unit mounted to a side wall of the jug, adjacent the bottom of the jug, and a base unit for receiving said jug, said jug having a first connector arranged on the underside its base for engagement with a complementary second connector provided on the base unit, and electrical connection means connecting the first connector and the control unit of the heater.
Thus in accordance with this aspect of the invention, a connector is provided in the base of the jug for engagement with a connector in the base unit, and which is connected, for example by wires running along the base of the jug, to an immersion heater and control unit mounted in the traditional position in the side wall of the vessel. This arrangement gives the advantage of a base-located connector while avoiding largely the previously described disadvantages in that it is possible to use a standard control and heater, which keeps the cost of the jug down, and also minimises the room taken up beneath the base of the jug.
Conveniently the first connector is arranged within a shallow chamber formed beneath the floor of the vessel, the second connector extending upwardly from the base unit, to engage therewith.
Preferably the connector provided on the jug is arranged generally centrally of the jug base, and the base unit connector is arranged generally centrally on the base unit. This not only gives the best ‘feel’ when engaging the jug with the base unit, but is also advantageous in that it also facilitates the incorporation of a further preferred feature of the invention, namely that the connectors provided on the jug and base unit are such that they may be engaged with each other irrespective of their relative rotational orientation. This feature allows the jug to be placed down on the base unit in any rotational position, so that a user does not have to pay close attention as to the correct rotational orientation of the vessel and base, as is the case with known arrangements. It will be appreciated that this arrangement is applicable to other forms of cordless appliance.
This arrangement is in itself a departure from known constructions, and from a second aspect the invention provides a cordless appliance and a base unit for receiving the appliance, the appliance and the base unit having respective electrical connectors which can engage with each other irrespective of the relative angular orientation of the appliance and base unit wherein the connector associated with the appliance comprises a first terminal in the form of a pin and a second terminal in the form of an annulus disposed around the first terminal, the base unit comprising terminals for co-operation with the first and second terminals to supply electrical energy to the appliance.
The word “pin” as used herein is intended to include comparatively elongate cylindrical terminals whether hollow or solid.
Thus, the appliance has a male connector for engagement with a female connector associated with the base unit. When the female connector is connected to the electrical supply, the appliance may be energised by placing it upon the base unit in any rotary position.
Such connectors are believed to be a new departure and therefore from a third aspect the invention provides a male and female connector in or for a cordless appliance, the connectors being capable of engagement in any relative rotational orientation, the male connector having a terminal in the form of a central pin and an annular terminal concentric therewith.
In many appliances it will be desirable to provide an earth connection, and therefore preferably a third terminal is provided on the appliance and a further terminal is provided on the base unit for co-operation therewith. Clearly, the third terminal should be arranged such that it too forms a sound electrical connection to the base at any angular orientation of appliance and base. One way to achieve this is to provide the third terminal on the appliance in the form of an annulus around the other terminals and thus the male connector may comprise a series of concentric terminals: a central pin surrounded by two concentric annular terminals, these constituting the live, neutral and earth terminals of the connector.
With this arrangement the terminals of the male connector engage with contacts, for example leaf spring contacts, provided in the female socket connector in the base unit. In the arrangement described above with three concentric terminals, the central pin and inner annular terminal may be received in openings formed in the forward end of the socket connector to engage with respective contacts arranged within the socket connector, while the outer annular terminal may be received about an outer wall of the socket connector, to engage with a contact in the outer wall thereof.
The earth terminal may, however, take a different form. For example, an annular earth terminal could be provided on the female connector, in which case a simple leaf spring or leaf spring mounted contact could be provided on the male connector. The connectors discussed above are, in themselves a new departure in respect of electrical connectors which may be applied to cordless appliances in general, and from a fourth aspect, therefore, the invention provides an electrical connector in or for cordless electrical appliance comprising a male connector and a female socket connector for engagement therewith, said male connector comprising a central conducting pin terminal, and an annular terminal concentric with the pin termi
Paumen Gary F.
Strix Limited
Testa Hurwitz & Thibeault LLP
LandOfFree
Cordless electrical appliances and connectors therefor does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Cordless electrical appliances and connectors therefor, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Cordless electrical appliances and connectors therefor will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2530688