Disclosed herein is an electric pot having an improved relay installation position. The electric pot includes a pot main body that is provided with a magnetic field generator generating a magnetic field at a lower portion of the pot main body, and a supporter that includes a magnetism detection sensor detecting magnitude of a magnetic field generated by the magnetic field generator and, based on the detected magnitude of a magnetic field, generating a voltage and that includes a comparator comparing the voltage generated by the magnetism detection sensor with a predetermined reference voltage and, based on the comparison, controlling a switchover operation of a relay part, thereby controlling the relay part through a simple circuit configuration and through magnetic field generation and detection means without an additional communication means.

An appliance (10) to heat a liquid, the appliance (10) including: a vessel (12) to receive the liquid to be heated, the vessel (12) having a generally central upright longitudinal axis (24), a bottom wall (26), and a side wall (28) extending upwardly from the bottom wall (26), with the bottom wall (26) and side wall (28) at least partly enclosing a chamber (40) within which the liquid is heated, with the chamber (40) having an upper region (42) axially spaced from the bottom wall (26), and a lower region (44) located between the bottom wall (26) and the upper region (42); a heating element (50) located within the chamber (40) for relative movement therewithin, with the element (50) at least partly formed of ferromagnetic material; a heater base (14) to be positioned relative to the bottom wall (26) of the vessel (12), the heater base (14) including at least a portion of an induction coil (18); connections to deliver an alternating current to the induction coil (18) so as to deliver a magnetic field to the lower region (44); and wherein the element (50) is movable relative to the coil (18) between an operative position at which the element (50) is located within the lower region (44) so as to be energised by the magnetic field to cause heating of the element (50) so that heat generated by the element (50) can be delivered to the liquid via conduction, and an inoperative position at which the element (50) is located in the upper region (42) so as to no longer place an operative load on the induction coil (18).

A liquid heating device, for use with an induction hob, comprises a liquid heating vessel and a ferromagnetic heating plate (5) arranged to be located inside the vessel adjacent to the base (3) of the vessel. The ferromagnetic heating plate (5) is arranged to be movable vertically in a substantially perpendicular direction away from the base (3) of the vessel and return. An arrangement to lift the ferromagnetic heating plate comprises a thermally sensitive actuator (11, 12, 14, 15, 16), wherein the ferromagnetic heating plate (5) is mechanically coupled to the thermally sensitive actuator. The thermally sensitive actuator comprises a means to store energy (11), a steam chamber (13) fluidly connected to the vessel, and a releasable latching mechanism (15) for the actuator which incorporates a thermally sensitive device (14) set to operate at a predetermined temperature when influenced by the proximity of steam entering the steam chamber (13) from boiling water in the vessel. The thermally sensitive actuator further comprises means to facilitate a manual intervention of the actuator's operation and permitting a user to set or reset the actuator's position.

Disclosed herein is an electric pot having an improved relay installation position. The electric pot includes a pot main body that is provided with a magnetic field generator generating a magnetic field at a lower portion of the pot main body, and a supporter that includes a magnetism detection sensor detecting magnitude of a magnetic field generated by the magnetic field generator and, based on the detected magnitude of a magnetic field, generating a voltage and that includes a comparator comparing the voltage generated by the magnetism detection sensor with a predetermined reference voltage and, based on the comparison, controlling a switchover operation of a relay part, thereby controlling the relay part through a simple circuit configuration and through magnetic field generation and detection means without an additional communication means.

An appliance including: a vessel to receive a liquid, the vessel having a longitudinal axis, a bottom wall, and a side wall at least partly enclosing a chamber within which the liquid is heated, the chamber having an upper region axially spaced from the bottom wall, and a lower region located between the bottom wall and the upper region; a heating element within the chamber; a heater base including at least a portion of an induction coil; connections to deliver an alternating current to the induction coil to deliver a magnetic field to the lower region; the element being movable relative to the coil between an operative position at which the element is located within the lower region to be energised by the magnetic field to cause heating of the element, and an inoperative position at which the element is located in the upper region to not energize the element.

A liquid heating device includes a liquid heating vessel and a ferromagnetic heating plate arranged to be located inside the vessel adjacent to the vessel base. The heating plate is arranged to be movable vertically away from the vessel base. An arrangement to lift the heating plate includes a thermally sensitive actuator. The heating plate is coupled to the thermally sensitive actuator. The thermally sensitive actuator includes a means to store energy, a steam chamber fluidly connected to the vessel, and a releasable latching mechanism for the actuator which incorporates a thermally sensitive device set to operate at a predetermined temperature when influenced by steam entering the steam chamber from the vessel. The thermally sensitive actuator further includes means to facilitate a manual intervention of the actuator's operation that permits a user to set or reset the actuator's position.

A device for preparing a beverage, including a body; a heat source; a sensing unit comprising at least a first temperature sensor; a control system; a user interface; and a means for vertically translating the sensing unit in upwards and downwards directions. A container is used with the device for preparing the beverage, where ingredients of the beverage are added to the container prior to actuating the device to begin preparation of the beverage.