Magnetic stirrer, use of a decorative inlay and method for personalizing a magnetic stirrer

Abstract

The invention relates to an easily personalized magnetic stirrer (1), which has a base body (2). The hood (5) can be put over this base body (2). The receiving space (6) for inserting a decorative inlay is then formed between the hood (5) and the base body (2). The receiving space (6) and a decorative inlay (7) inserted therein can be viewed from the outside through an at least area-wise transparent set-up area (4), which is arranged or formed on the hood (5) (see FIG. 1 for comparison).

Claims

1. A magnetic stirrer (1) having a base body (2), a magnetic drive (3) arranged in the base body (2), a set-up area (4) on which a stirring vessel can be set, and a hood (5) situated on the base body (2) to support the set-up area (4) such that an open receiving space (6) is: i. defined between the base body (2) and the set-up area (4) and ii. perimetrically bounded by the hood (5), wherein the set-up area (4) includes at least one transparent area configured such that a decorative inlay (7) arranged in the receiving space (6) is visible from outside the magnetic stirrer (1) through the at least one transparent area of the set-up area (4).

2. The magnetic stirrer (1) according to claim 1, wherein the set-up area (4) is formed on a set-up plate (8), and wherein the receiving space (6) is arranged between an underside (9) of the set-up plate (8) and an upper side (10) of the base body (2).

3. The magnetic stirrer (1) according to claim 1, wherein the hood (5) is connected to the base body (2) in a reversibly detachable manner.

4. The magnetic stirrer (1) according to claim 1, wherein a releasable lock (12) is formed between the hood (5) and the base body (2) with at least one actuation element (13) with which the lock (12) can be released.

5. The magnetic stirrer (1) according to claim 2, wherein a non-slip layer (14) is arranged on the upper side (10) of the base body (2).

6. The magnetic stirrer (1) according to claim 5, wherein the non-slip layer (14) is a resilient pad which is preloaded between the upper side (10) of the base body (2) and the underside (9) of the set-up plate (8).

7. The magnetic stirrer (1) according to claim 1, further comprising at least one operating element (16) for operating the magnetic stirrer (1).

8. The magnetic stirrer (1) according to claim 7, wherein the at least one operating element (16) includes at least one of a push button, a switch, a capacitive sensor, and an inductive sensor, which with the hood (5) is connected via a corresponding connection to a counterpart element (18) present on the base body (2) of the magnetic stirrer (1) for transmitting operating pulses.

9. The magnetic stirrer (1) according to claim 7, wherein the at least one operative element (16) includes a touchpad (16) on the hood (5), through contact with which a counterpart element (18) on the base body (2) can be actuated.

10. The magnetic stirrer (1) according to claim 9, wherein the counterpart element (18) includes at least one of a push button, a switch, a capacitive sensor, and an inductive sensor.

11. The magnetic stirrer (1) according to claim 1, wherein an underside (19) of the base body (2) is flush with a bottom edge (21) of the hood (5) that delimits an insertion opening (20) of the hood (5) for the base body (2).

12. The magnetic stirrer (1) according to claim 1, wherein the hood (5) has a passage point (22) for a power cable (27).

13. The magnetic stirrer (1) according to claim 1, wherein a seal (23) is formed between the hood (5) and the base body (2) to seal the receiving space (6) for the decorative inlay (7) in a fluid-tight manner.

14. The magnetic stirrer (1) according to claim 1, further comprising an illumination device with which the decorative inlay (7) arranged in the receiving space (6) is illuminated.

15. The magnetic stirrer (1) according to claim 1, wherein a depth of an interior space (11) of the hood (5), into which the base body (2) is inserted, is at least as great as a height of the base body (2).

16. A method for personalizing a magnetic stirrer (1) according to claim 1, wherein a decorative inlay (7) is personalized, after which the personalized decorative inlay (7) is inserted in the receiving space (6) so as to be viewable through the at least one transparent area of the set-up area (4) of the magnetic stirrer (1).

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein a decorative inlay present in the receiving space (6) is replaced with the personalized decorative inlay (7).

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) An exemplary embodiment of the invention is described in more detail below, with reference to the drawing. Depicted in an in part highly schematized manner are shown:

(2) FIG. 1 a perspective view from above of a magnetic stirrer according to the invention,

(3) FIG. 2 a perspective view from below of the magnetic stirrer illustrated in FIG. 1,

(4) FIG. 3 an exploded view of the magnetic stirrer illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, in which a base body of the magnetic stirrer, a hood for covering the base body of the magnetic stirrer and a decorative inlay arranged between the hood and the base body can be discerned,

(5) FIG. 4 a highly schematized exploded view of the magnetic stirrer, rotated 180 degrees in comparison to FIG. 3,

(6) FIG. 5 a top view of the magnetic stirrer illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 4,

(7) FIG. 6 a sectional lateral view of the magnetic stirrer, cut along the line A-A illustrated in FIG. 5, and

(8) FIG. 7 a sectional lateral view of the magnetic stirrer, cut along the line B-B illustrated in FIG. 5.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(9) FIGS. 1 to 7 show a magnetic stirrer, denoted in its entirety by 1. The magnetic stirrer 1 has a base body 2, in which a magnetic drive 3 is arranged. On its upper side, the magnetic stirrer 1 has a set-up area 4, on which a stirring vessel (not illustrated separately in the figures) is set. A stirrer magnet can be placed in the stirring vessel set on the set-up area 4, which stirrer magnet can be magnetically coupled to the magnetic drive in order to set it in rotation for mixing a medium to be stirred in the stirring vessel.

(10) The magnetic stirrer 1 comprises a hood 5, which can be put and which in its use position is put over the base body 2, and a receiving space 6 for receiving a personalized decorative inlay 7. The set-up area 4 is formed on a set-up plate 8 arranged on the hood 5. In the use position of the hood 5 on the base body 2, the receiving space 6 is formed between an underside 9 of the set-up plate 8 and an upper side 10 of the base body 2, and delimited by these sides on the top and bottom when the base body 2 is inserted in its use position inside an interior space 11 of the hood 5 defined by the hood 5.

(11) The set-up plate 8 and thus the set-up area 4 are transparent, at least in areas, such that the receiving space 6 and a decorative inlay 7 arranged therein are visible from outside through the set-up area 4 and the set-up plate 8.

(12) The hood 5 can be connected to the base body 2 in a non-destructively and reversibly detachable manner. To this end, a releasable lock 12 is formed between the hood 5 and the base body 2. The base body 2 has in total two actuation elements 13, each accessible from outside and spring-loaded by a return spring 26, with which the lock 12 can be released as needed. The actuation elements 13 are connected to latches 13a, which in the locking position engage in grooves 13b formed on the inner surfaces facing the interior space 11 of the hood 5. To release the lock 12, the actuation elements 13 are actuated against the return force of the return springs 26, thus pulling the latches 13a out of the grooves 13b. If the actuation elements 13 are then released, they are automatically returned in conjunction with the latches 13a to their locking position by the return force of the return springs 26.

(13) A non-slip coating 14, aka non-slip layer 14, is arranged on the upper side 10 of the base body 2. A slipping of the decorative inlay 7 in the receiving space 6 of the magnetic stirrer 1 can be prevented using this non-slip coating or layer 14.

(14) Preference is given to using a resilient pad as a non-slip layer. For example, rubber pads or foam rubber pads can be used as resilient pads. With the hood 5 in the use position, the resilient pad is arranged between the upper side 10 of the base body 2 and the underside 9 of the set-up plate 8. Because the non-slip layer 14 in the form of a resilient pad exerts a return force as soon as it is preloaded, the non-slip layer 14 between the upper side 10 of the base body 2 and the underside 9 of the set-up plate 8 can be used to press the decorative inlay 7 in a reliable manner on the underside of the 9 of the set-up plate 8 and thus improve the visibility of the decorative inlay 7 through the set-up plate 8.

(15) Several operating elements 16 are arranged on an outer side accessible to a user, in this case an upper side 15 of the hood 5. These operating elements 16 are designed for operating the magnetic stirrer 1 and its magnetic drive 3 when the hood 5 is in the use position. The operating elements 16 are touchpads. If the touchpads 16 are touched by a user, operating pulses can be captured in a contactless manner through the hood 5 and/or through the set-up plate 8 and converted to control pulses by counterpart elements 18 disposed on the base body 2 of the magnetic stirrer 1. The control pulses are transmitted to the control unit 17 of the magnetic stirrer 1. As suitable counterpart elements 18, use can be made of inductive and/or capacitive sensors, push buttons and/or switches, for example.

(16) The hood 5 is configured such that in the use position on the base body 2, it reaches a support surface on which the magnetic stirrer is set. With the hood 5 in the use position, an underside 19 of the base body 2 is thus at least flush with a bottom edge 21 of the hood 5 that delimits an insertion opening 20 of the hood 5 for the base body 2, or is even arranged recessed within the interior space 11 of the hood 5. In order to make this possible, a depth of the interior space 11 of the hood 5 is at least as great as a height of the base body 2 of the magnetic stirrer 1.

(17) The hood 5 furthermore has a passage point 22 for a power cable 27. The power cable 27 is guided through the passage point 22 through the hood 5 into the base body 2 of the magnetic stirrer 1. For supplying current to the electric and/or electronic elements of the magnetic stirrer 1, the power cable 27 is then connected to a power source (not illustrated in the figures).

(18) The hood 5 has a recess 25 on an interior side facing the interior space 11 of the hood 5. A correspondingly shaped projection 24 of the base body 2 of the magnetic stirrer 1 engages in this recess 25 when the hood 5 is in the use position. This contributes to a reliable fastening of the hood 5 on the base body 2.

(19) A seal 23 is formed between the hood 5 and the base body 2. The receiving space 6 for the decorative inlay 7 is sealed in a fluid-tight manner by this seal 23.

(20) The magnetic stirrer 1 can also be equipped with an illumination device, with which the receiving space 6 and a decorative inlay 7 arranged therein can be illuminated as needed.

(21) The figures also show that the base body 2 has a display 28 on its upper side 10, via which various information pertaining to, for example, the operation of the magnetic stirrer 1 and its operating parameters can be provided. With the hood 5 set on the base body 2, the display 28 can be observed through a viewing window 29 with which the hood 5 is equipped. The operating elements 16 are formed on the upper side of the hood 5, on both sides of the viewing window 29.

(22) For personalizing the magnetic stirrer 1, first the decorative inlay 7 is personalized (e.g., printed or tinted). The personalized decorative inlay 7 can then be inserted in the receiving space 6 that can be viewed through the transparent set-up plate 8 of the magnetic stirrer 1. Any decorative inlay 7 already in the receiving space 6 can be replaced with the personalized decorative inlay 7.