HEATABLE KITCHEN DEVICE
20230309749 · 2023-10-05
Inventors
- Gerard White (Alexandria, AU)
- Nicholas MCCOLL (Alexandria, AU)
- Alexander PROFILIO (Alexandria, AU)
- Simin ZHAO (Alexandria, AU)
- Tommy Chung Yeung CHUI (Alexandria, AU)
Cpc classification
G01N21/474
PHYSICS
International classification
Abstract
A heatable kitchen device such as a toaster has a housing having an outer wall and an inner wall (114), a heating area within the housing for receiving foodstuff to be heated, a heating element located between the heating area and the inner wall (114), a bracket (140) mounted to the inner wall (114) adjacent the heating area. The bracket (140) has a seat (142) located opposite the inner wall (114). The seat receives a sensor assembly (150) and has a first aperture and a second aperture through the bracket (140) to the seat (142). The first aperture has an area and the second aperture has an area, and the inner wall (114) has an opening (148) that is larger than the combined areas of the first and second apertures to allow the sensor assembly (150) to detect a property of the foodstuff.
Claims
1. A heatable kitchen device including: a housing having an outer wall and an inner wall; a heating area within the housing for receiving foodstuff to be heated; a heating element located between the heating area and the inner wall; a bracket mounted to the inner wall adjacent the heating area, the bracket including: a seat located opposite the inner wall, the seat receiving a sensor assembly; a first aperture through the bracket to the seat, the first aperture having an area; and a second aperture through the bracket to the seat, the second aperture having an area, wherein the inner wall has an opening that is larger than the combined areas of the apertures to allow the sensor assembly to detect a property of the foodstuff.
2. The heatable kitchen device of claim 1, wherein the first and second aperture have sloped sidewalls, such that the area of the aperture changes from an interior side of the inner wall facing the foodstuff to an exterior side of the inner wall facing the bracket, wherein the sidewalls are sloped such that the area of the apertures at the interior side is larger than the area of the apertures at the exterior side.
3. The heatable kitchen device of claim 1, wherein the bracket is manufactured from plastic material.
4. The heatable kitchen device of claim 1, wherein the first aperture and the second aperture are adjacent and separated by a wall with a wall thickness, wherein the wall thickness is less than 3 mm, preferably less than 1.5 mm, more preferably about 1.06 mm.
5. The heatable kitchen device of claim 1, wherein the bracket further includes: a spacer to mount the bracket to the inner wall to create an airgap between the bracket and the inner wall.
6. The heatable kitchen device of claim 1, wherein the housing further includes: a lower air volume between the inner wall and the outer wall below the sensor assembly; and an upper air volume above the sensor assembly, wherein the bracket has a channel connecting the lower air volume to the upper air volume, the channel being in thermal communication with the sensor assembly.
7. The heatable kitchen device of claim 6, wherein the upper air volume is located in the heating area and the inner wall has a second opening above the opening, the second opening connecting the heating area to the channel such that air from the channel is able to flow into the heating area and the upper air volume, thereby drawing air from the lower air volume into the channel.
8. The heatable kitchen device of claim 7, wherein the second opening has a rounded shape.
9. The heatable kitchen device of claim 6, wherein the upper air volume is located between the inner wall and the outer wall and the channel includes: a channel extension at an end of the channel extending vertically into the upper air volume.
10. The heatable kitchen device of claim 9, wherein the channel extension has two or more side walls, a first side wall being provided by the bracket and a second side wall being provided by the inner wall, so that heat is transferred from the heating area through the inner wall to the channel extension.
11. The heatable kitchen device of claim 1, wherein the sensor assembly includes: an emitter located adjacent the first aperture so as to emit a test signal to the foodstuff in the heating area; and a receiver located adjacent the second aperture so as to receive the test signal when reflected by the foodstuff in the heating area, wherein the bracket includes a first rib on at least one edge of the first aperture to reduce spillage of the test signal from the first aperture.
12. The heatable kitchen device of claim 11, wherein the bracket further includes: a second rib on at least one edge of the second aperture to reduce spillage of an unreflected test signal to the receiver.
13. The heatable kitchen device of claim 12, wherein the sensor assembly includes two emitters and the bracket includes two first apertures, the first apertures being located on opposite sides of the second aperture, and wherein the second rib includes a single rib extending along an edge of each of the two first apertures and the second aperture.
14. The heatable kitchen device of claim 12, wherein the two first apertures each have a vertical edge on a side opposite the second aperture, the vertical edge being unobstructed by the first and second rib.
15. The heatable kitchen device of claim 1, wherein the bracket further includes: a gasket between the seat and the sensor assembly, and preferably the gasket is integrated with the seat.
16. The heatable kitchen device of claim 15, wherein the gasket is made from silicone.
17. The heatable kitchen device of claim 15, wherein the gasket includes an extended portion adapted to engage a hole in the sensor assembly to locate the sensor assembly relative to the gasket, and wherein the extended portion is located to reduce interference between an emitter and a receiver of the sensor assembly.
18. A heatable kitchen device including: a housing having an outer wall and an inner wall; a heating area within the housing for receiving foodstuff to be heated; a heating element located between the heating area and the inner wall; a bracket mounted to the inner wall adjacent the heating area, the bracket being configured to receive a sensor assembly positioned for detecting a property of the foodstuff within the heating area; the housing further having a lower air volume between the inner wall and the outer wall below the sensor assembly and an upper air volume above the sensor assembly; wherein, the bracket has a channel connecting the lower air volume to the upper air volume, the channel being in thermal communication with the sensor assembly.
19. A heatable kitchen device according to claim 18, wherein the inner wall has an opening allowing the sensor assembly to detect a property of the foodstuff.
20. A heatable kitchen device according to claim 19, wherein the upper air volume is located in the heating area and the inner wall has a second opening above the opening, the second opening connecting the heating area to the channel such that air from the channel is able to flow into the heating area and the upper air volume, thereby drawing air from the lower air volume into the channel.
21. The heatable kitchen device of claim 20, wherein the second opening has a rounded shape.
22. The heatable kitchen device of claim 20 or 21, wherein the upper air volume is located between the inner wall and the outer wall and the channel includes: a channel extension at an end of the channel extending vertically into the upper air volume.
23. The heatable kitchen device of claim 22, wherein the channel extension has two or more side walls, a first side wall being provided by the bracket and a second side wall being provided by the inner wall, so that heat is transferred from the heating area through the inner wall to the channel extension.
24. The heatable kitchen device of claim 23, wherein the bracket includes: a seat located opposite the inner wall, the seat being configured for receiving the sensor assembly; a first aperture through the bracket to the seat, the first aperture having an area; and a second aperture through the bracket to the seat, the second aperture having an area, wherein the opening in the inner wall is larger than the combined areas of the apertures to allow the sensor assembly to detect a property of the foodstuff.
25. The heatable kitchen device of claim 24, wherein the sensor assembly includes: an emitter located adjacent the first aperture so as to emit a test signal to the foodstuff in the heating area; and a receiver located adjacent the second aperture so as to receive the test signal when reflected by the foodstuff in the heating area, wherein the bracket includes a first rib on at least one edge of the first aperture to reduce spillage of the test signal from the first aperture.
26. The heatable kitchen device of claim 25, wherein the bracket further includes: a second rib on at least one edge of the second aperture to reduce spillage of an unreflected test signal to the receiver.
27. The heatable kitchen device of claim 26, wherein the sensor assembly includes two emitters and the bracket includes two first apertures, the first apertures being located on opposite sides of the second aperture, and wherein the second rib includes a single rib extending along an edge of each of the two first apertures and the second aperture.
28. The heatable kitchen device of claim 26, wherein the two first apertures each have a vertical edge on a side opposite the second aperture, the vertical edge being unobstructed by the first and second rib.
29. The heatable kitchen device of claim 24, wherein the bracket further includes: a gasket between the seat and the sensor assembly, and preferably the gasket is integrated with the seat.
30. The heatable kitchen device of claim 29, wherein the gasket is made from silicone.
31. The heatable kitchen device of claim 29, wherein the gasket includes an extended portion adapted to engage a hole in the sensor assembly to locate the sensor assembly relative to the gasket, and wherein the extended portion is located to reduce interference between an emitter and a receiver of the sensor assembly.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
[0069] Preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of examples only, with reference to the accompanying drawings:
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DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS
[0093] Where reference is made in any one or more of the accompanying drawings to steps and/or features, which have the same reference numerals, those steps and/or features have for the purposes of this description the same function(s) or operation(s), unless the contrary intention appears.
[0094] It is to be noted that the discussions contained in the “Background” section and that above relating to prior art arrangements relate to discussions of documents or devices which form public knowledge through their respective publication and/or use. Such should not be interpreted as a representation by the present inventor(s) or the patent applicant that such documents or devices in any way form part of the common general knowledge in the art.
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[0096] Turning to
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[0098] Referring to
[0099] As best seen in
[0100] As best seen in
[0101] Returning to
[0102] As seen in
[0103] As best seen in
[0104] As seen in
[0105] In some forms, the second openings 174 can be combined with each other and/or joined with the opening 148. Similarly, the second opening 174 can extend across a plurality of the sensors or a plurality of sets of sensors. Likewise, the opening 148 can extend across two or more sets of sensors 176, 178.
[0106] As seen in
[0107] Turning to
[0108] As shown in
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[0110] Use of the toaster 100 will now be discussed.
[0111] Foodstuff is placed in the heating area 120 and the heating elements 130 are activated to begin heating of the foodstuff. The emitter 176 emits the test signal through the first aperture 144 and the opening 148 to impinge upon the foodstuff and be reflected thereby. The reflected test signal travels back through the opening 148 and the second aperture 146 and is received by the receiver 178. The receiver 178 generates a property signal that is suitable for detecting a property of the foodstuff.
[0112] As the heating element 130, emitter 176, and receiver 178 operate, significant heat is being generated. Air that is heated by the heating element 130 in the heating area 120 rises due to buoyancy. Some air moves through the second opening 174 from the channel 172 and rises when heated due to buoyancy toward the upper air volume 170. The movement of the heated air from the second opening 174 draws further air into the channel 172 from the lower air volume 168, the air from the lower air volume 168 having a substantially lower temperature than the air in the heating area. The emitter 176 is located in the channel 172 below the second opening 174 and therefore is exposed to movement of air from the lower air volume 168 at substantially lower temperature, which absorbs heat from the emitter 176.
[0113] The channel extension 192 ensures that the heated air entering the channel 172 from the heating area 120, once mixed with air from the lower air volume 168 which is at a lower temperature, is further heated through the inner wall 114, being the second side wall 196 of the channel extension 192. The continued heating of the air in the channel extension 192 through the inner wall 114 ensures continued drawing of air at a substantially lower temperature from the lower air volume 168 into the channel 172.
[0114] When the heating element 130 stops operating, once the foodstuff has been desirably heated, the airflow through the channel 172 ceases as the buoyancy of the air provided by the heating elements subsides.
[0115] Advantages of the toaster 100 will now be discussed.
[0116] Because the first and second apertures 144, 146 are located in the bracket 140, and the opening 148 is larger than the combined areas of the apertures 144, 146, the sensor assembly 150 need only be accurately mounted to the bracket 140, compared to the greater tolerance stacking and planar location requirement of locating the apertures 144, 146 directly in the inner wall 114. This approach reduces the manufacturing cost of the inner wall 114 and results in a greater consistency of test signal paths. The use of the gasket 198 ensures proper seating of the sensor assembly 150 in the seat 142, thereby increasing the reliability of achieving sensor accuracy in each toaster unit of a manufactured series, the use of silicone for the gasket 198 increases stability of the gasket 198 in high temperatures, and increases compliance of the gasket between the seat 142 and the sensor assembly 150. Manufacturing the bracket 140 from plastic is preferable to maintain desirably tight tolerances, clean edges and improve manufacturing yield. Because the wall thickness 162 is small, the overlap of test signals from a pair of emitters 176 is larger, resulting in a greater magnitude of the test signal reflected toward the receiver 178. Use of the spacer 164 creates the airgap 166, which reduces the heat transfer from the heating element 130 to the sensor assembly 150, desirably reducing the cooling requirements of the sensor assembly 150. Because the extended portions 200 are located between the apertures 144 and the aperture 146, interference between the emitters 176 and the receiver 178 is reduced.
[0117] The slope 158 of the side walls 152 encourages a clean transmission of the test signal from the emitter 176 into the heating area 120, and also encourages wide reception of reflected test signals from the foodstuff by the receiver 178.
[0118] Use of the channel 172 provides a flow of air at a substantially lower temperature along the emitter 176 without the use of a motor, or other moving parts, desirably carrying heat away from the emitter 176. The use of the second opening 174 allows heated air from the heating area 120 to increase the magnitude of the flow of air from the lower air volume 168 to the upper air volume 170 improving cooling performance. A rounded shape of the second opening 174 provides decreased air resistance to heated air travelling through the second opening 174, increasing the flow of air from the lower air volume 168 to the upper air volume 170, improving cooling performance. The channel extension 192 yet further increases magnitude of the flow of air from the lower air volume 168 to the upper air volume 170 by increasing the heat transferred to the heated air in the channel 170, thereby increasing the buoyancy of the heated air, thereby improving cooling performance of the flow of air on the emitter 176.
[0119] Because the first rib 180 is located on the edge 182 of the first aperture 144, spillage of the test signal from the first aperture 144 is reduced. Similarly, because the second 184 rib is located on the edge 186 of the second aperture 146, spillage of an unreflected test signal directly to the receiver 176 is reduced. The use of the single rib 188 reduces spillage both from the emitter 176 and to the receiver 178. Leaving the vertical edge 190 of the aperture 144 unobstructed reduces material cost of the bracket 140, at minimal effect on spillage of the test signal to the receiver 178, as the general design of the toaster 100 makes it unlikely for there to be a reflective component located adjacent the vertical edge 190.
[0120] The embodiments and/or further developments of the above disclosure—except for example in cases of clear dependencies or inconsistent alternatives—can be applied individually or also in arbitrary combinations with one another.
REFERENCE NUMERALS
[0121] 100 heatable kitchen device/toaster [0122] 110 housing [0123] 112 outer wall [0124] 113 wall cavity [0125] 114 inner wall [0126] 120 heating area [0127] 130 heating element [0128] 140 bracket [0129] 141 first side [0130] 142 seat [0131] 143 second side [0132] 144 first aperture [0133] 146 second aperture [0134] 148 opening [0135] 150 sensor assembly [0136] 152 aperture sidewalls [0137] 154 interior side of inner wall [0138] 156 exterior side of inner wall [0139] 158 slope of sidewall [0140] 160 separating wall [0141] 162 wall thickness [0142] 164 spacer [0143] 166 airgap [0144] 168 lower air volume [0145] 170 upper air volume [0146] 172 channel [0147] 174 second opening [0148] 176 emitter [0149] 178 receiver [0150] 180 first rib [0151] 182 edge of first aperture [0152] 183 edge of second aperture that is colinear [0153] 184 second rib [0154] 186 edge of second aperture [0155] 188 single rib [0156] 190 vertical edge of apertures [0157] 192 channel extension [0158] 194 first side wall of channel extension [0159] 196 second side wall of channel extension [0160] 198 gasket [0161] 200 extended portions [0162] 202 holes in sensor assembly [0163] 204 third opening [0164] 206 emitter possibly for light of a 1.sup.st wavelength [0165] 208 emitter possibly for light of a 2.sup.nd wavelength [0166] 210 light emitted from emitter 206 [0167] 212 light received by receiver 178 [0168] 214 light emitted from emitter 208