HEATER ASSEMBLY FOR USE IN A DOMESTIC APPLIANCE

Abstract

A heater assembly for use in a domestic appliance comprises a main part (12) and a cover part (13) fixedly connected to the main part (12), the parts (12, 13) enclosing a heater space (11) of the heater assembly. The parts (12, 13) are sealingly coupled to each other in a sealing area (16) which is at a position for surrounding the heater space (11), wherein, at a position which is more to the outside of the heater assembly than a sealing area 5 (16), as seen from the heater space (11), the heater assembly is provided with at least one safety opening (22, 23) for allowing fluidum from the heater space (11) to flow therethrough in a forced safety condition of the heater assembly in which condition at least one fluidum passage is present between the parts (12, 13) in the sealing area (16).

Claims

1. Heater assembly for use in a domestic appliance, comprising a main part being generally cup-shaped and having an open side, and a cover part which is fixedly connected to the main part for covering the open side of the main part, the main part and the cover part enclosing a heater space for receiving fluid to be heated in the heater assembly, and the main part and the cover part being sealingly coupled to each other in a sealing area which is at a position for surrounding the heater space, wherein, at a position which is more to the outside of the heater assembly than the sealing area, as seen from the heater space, the heater assembly is provided with at least one safety opening for allowing fluidum from the heater space to flow therethrough in a forced safety condition of the heater assembly in which condition at least one fluidum passage is present between the main part and the cover part in the sealing area.

2. Heater assembly according to claim 1, wherein the position of the at least one safety opening is one of a position in the main part, a position in the cover part, and a position between the main part and the cover part.

3. Heater assembly according to claim 1, wherein the at least one safety opening is arranged for providing direct access to free space outside of the heater assembly.

4. Heater assembly according to claim 1, wherein the at least one safety opening is provided as a hole in the cover part, the hole being positioned beyond a portion of the cover part associated with the sealing area, as seen from a central axis of the cover part.

5. Heater assembly according to claim 1, wherein the at least one safety opening is provided as a hole in the main part, the hole being positioned beyond a portion of the main part associated with the sealing area, as seen from a central axis of the main part.

6. Heater assembly according to claim 1, wherein the main part has an outwardly bent flange at a level of the open side thereof, wherein a portion of the flange is associated with the sealing area, and wherein the at least one safety opening is provided as a hole in the flange, the hole being positioned beyond the portion of the flange associated with the sealing area, as seen from a central axis of the main part.

7. Heater assembly according to claim 1, wherein the main part has an outwardly bent flange at a level of the open side thereof, wherein a portion of the cover part is arranged for covering an outer edge of the flange, and wherein, at least in one peripheral area along the outer edge of the flange, a space between the outer edge of the flange and the portion of the cover part covering the outer edge is locally enlarged for forming the at least one safety opening at a position between the main part and the cover part.

8. Heater assembly according to claim 7, wherein a diameter of the outer edge of the flange of the main part is locally reduced at the position where the space between the outer edge of the flange and the portion of the cover part covering the outer edge is locally enlarged.

9. Heater assembly according to claim 1, comprising a single safety opening, wherein the main part has an outwardly bent flange at a level of the open side thereof, wherein a portion of the cover part is arranged for covering an outer edge of the flange, and wherein an annular space is present between the outer edge of the flange and the portion of the cover part covering the outer edge for forming the safety opening at a position between the main part and the cover part.

10. Heater assembly according to claim 1, comprising at least one group of at least two safety openings which are located in a similar peripheral area of the heater assembly, wherein the position of one of the safety openings of a group is one of a position in the main part, a position in the cover part, and a position between the main part and the cover part, and wherein the position of another of the safety openings of the same group is another of a position in the main part, a position in the cover part, and a position between the main part and the cover part.

11. Heater assembly according to claim 1, wherein the main part and the cover part are joined in a crimp connection.

12. Heater assembly according to claim 11, wherein the main part has an outwardly bent flange at a level of the open side thereof, and wherein an outer peripheral portion of the cover part is bent around the flange of the main part.

13. Heater assembly according to claim 1, wherein an outer peripheral portion of the cover part is bent around the flange of the main part.

14. Heater assembly according to claim 1, comprising an annular sealing element which is positioned in the sealing area, one portion of the annular sealing element contacting the main part, and another portion of the annular sealing element contacting the cover part.

15. Domestic appliance, comprising a heater assembly according to claim 1 for heating fluid.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0019] The invention will now be explained in greater detail with reference to the figures, in which equal or similar parts are indicated by the same reference signs, and in which:

[0020] FIG. 1 diagrammatically shows a coffee maker comprising a heater assembly for heating water;

[0021] FIG. 2 shows a perspective side view of a heater assembly according to an embodiment of the invention;

[0022] FIG. 3 diagrammatically shows a sectional view of a portion of the heater assembly, comprising a main part, a cover part connected to the main part, and an O ring through which the main part and the cover part are sealingly coupled to each other, wherein a mutual positioning of the main part, the cover part and the O ring as shown is associated with a normal, operational condition of the heater assembly;

[0023] FIG. 4 diagrammatically shows a sectional view of the portion of the heater assembly as shown in FIG. 3, wherein a mutual positioning of the main part, the cover part and the O ring as shown is associated with a safety condition of the heater assembly; and

[0024] FIG. 5 diagrammatically shows a top view of the main part of the heater assembly.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

[0025] The invention relates to a heater assembly which is designed to heat fluid, and which is suitable for use in a domestic appliance. A coffee maker is a feasible example of a domestic appliance in which it is practical to have the heater assembly according to the invention. In the following, a general description of the way in which a heater assembly is operated in the context of a coffee maker is given on the basis of FIG. 1. Details of a heater assembly according to an embodiment of the invention are identified and discussed on the basis of FIGS. 2-5.

[0026] FIG. 1 diagrammatically shows a coffee maker 1, comprising a heater assembly 10 for heating water, and also comprising a housing 2, a pump 3, and a water reservoir 4, which is mounted in the housing 2 in the shown example, an outlet of the water reservoir 4 being connected to an inlet of the pump 3 via a first tube 5. The water reservoir 4 may be detachably mounted at the housing 2 to facilitate easy refilling. An inlet of the heater assembly 10 is connected to an outlet of the pump 3 via a second tube 6. An outlet of the heater assembly 10 is connected via a third tube 7 to a coffee pad holder unit 8 for brewing and dispensing coffee. A cup 9 for receiving coffee from the coffee maker 1 is also shown in FIG. 1, at a position underneath the pad holder unit 8.

[0027] Operation of the coffee maker 1 involves activation of the pump 3 and activation of the heater assembly 10, the pump 3 having a function in controlling displacement of water through the coffee maker 1, and the heater assembly 10 having a function in heating the water prior to being transported to the pad holder unit 8. In general, the heater assembly 10 has a heater space 11 for accommodating a quantity of the water, and also has one or more heating elements (not shown) for providing heat to be transmitted to water in the heater space 11.

[0028] In the field of heater assemblies for use in a coffee maker and other domestic appliances, it is a commonly known to have a composed configuration of the heater assembly 10. In particular, it is commonly known for the heater assembly to comprise a main part 12 which is generally cup-shaped, and which has an open side, and to also comprise a cover part 13 which is fixedly connected to the main part 12 for covering the open side of the main part 12, the heater space 11 of the heater assembly 10 being enclosed by the main part 12 and the cover part 13 as mentioned. The invention relates to such a type of heater assembly. In FIG. 2, a perspective side view of a heater assembly 10 according to an embodiment of the invention is diagrammatically shown. Both FIGS. 3 and 4 diagrammatically show a sectional view of a portion of the heater assembly 10, particularly a portion where the main part 12 and the cover part 13 are connected to each other. FIG. 5 diagrammatically shows a top view of the main part 12 only. For the sake of completeness, it is noted that the orientation of the heater assembly 10 and the parts 12, 13 thereof as shown in FIG. 2 is a normal, operational orientation, and that, for the sake of clarity, the normal, operational orientation is implicit in the following explanation of features of the heater assembly 10, which does not alter the fact that the invention is not restricted to any kind of orientation of the heater assembly 10.

[0029] In the shown example, both the main part 12 and the cover part 13 have a circular periphery about a central axis extending in a substantially vertical direction, and the cover part 13 is arranged on top of the main part 12. The main part 12 comprises an outwardly bent flange 14 at a level of the open side thereof, which is a top level in the normal, operational orientation of the heater assembly 10. The cover part 13 is fixedly connected to the main part 12. In the embodiment of the heater assembly 10 which is the subject of FIGS. 2-5, the main part 12 and the cover part 13 are joined in a crimp connection, wherein an outer peripheral portion 15 of the cover part 13 is folded about the flange 14 of the main part 12, as it were, as shown best in FIGS. 3 and 4. In this context, it is noted that the main part 12 may be made of a plastic material, and that the cover part 13 may be made of a metal material. However, another type of connection between the main part 12 and the cover part 13 and/or other types of material of the main part 12 and the cover part 13 are feasible within the framework of the invention as well.

[0030] In order to guarantee proper functioning of the heater assembly 10 in a normal, operational condition thereof, the main part 12 and the cover part 13 are sealingly coupled to each other in a sealing area 16 which is at a position for surrounding the heater space 11. In principle, it is possible for the main part 12 and the cover part 13 to be in direct contact with each other in that sealing area 16, but it is also possible to have an annular sealing element, for example, an O ring 17 as shown, in which case the main part 12 and the cover part 13 are sealingly coupled to each other through that sealing element, wherein the position of the sealing element in the normal, operational condition of the heater assembly 10 defines the position of the sealing area 16. FIG. 3, which relates to the normal, operational condition of the heater assembly 10, clearly demonstrates that the O ring 17 is supported by the flange 14 of the main part 12 and is covered by a portion of the outer peripheral portion 15 of the cover part 13. In this configuration, a bottom side of the O ring 17 contacts the main part 12 and a top side of the O ring 17 contacts the cover part 13.

[0031] FIG. 5 illustrates the fact that in the embodiment of the heater assembly 10 as shown, an outer edge 18 of the flange 14 of the main part 12 is provided with notches 19. In the shown example, the notches 19 are evenly distributed along the circular periphery of the flange 14, the number of notches 19 being eight in this example. In the same peripheral areas of the heater assembly 10 as those where the notches 19 are present, the cover part 13 is provided with holes 20. The section which is the basis of the sectional views of FIGS. 3 and 4 is taken at the position of one of the notches 19, and therefore, these figures also show one of the holes 20. Both the notches 19 and the holes 20 are positioned more to the outside of the heater assembly 10 than the sealing area 16, as seen from the heater space 11, i.e. more downstream of the heater space 11 than the sealing area 16, assuming a fluidum flow originating from the heater space 11.

[0032] It follows from the foregoing that the heater assembly 10 according to the embodiment which is the subject of FIGS. 2-5 comprises groups 21 of openings 22, 23 which will hereinafter be referred to as safety openings 22, 23, the groups 21 of openings 22, 23 being evenly distributed along the periphery of the heater assembly 10, and the number of groups 21 being eight. In particular, each group 21 of safety openings 22, 23 comprises a primary safety opening 22 which is located between the main part 12 and the cover part 13 at the position of a notch 19 in the outer edge 18 of the flange 14 of the main part 12, and a secondary safety opening 23 which is located in the cover part 13 at the position of a hole 20 in the cover part 13. In the normal, operational condition of the heater assembly 10 as illustrated in FIG. 3, the groups 21 of safety openings 22, 23 are blocked from communication to the heater space 11 by the O ring 17 and are not addressed in any way. However, in another possible condition of the heater assembly 10 as illustrated in FIG. 4, which is referred to as safety condition, the presence of the groups 21 of safety openings 22, 23 is very advantageous when it comes to avoiding dangerous situations, as will now be explained.

[0033] In exceptional practical situations, it may happen that pressure builds up in the heater space 11 and eventually gets so high that the cover part 13 is deformed and pushed away from the main part 12, causing the heater assembly 10 to be in another condition than the normal, operational condition, namely the safety condition. Such exceptional practical situations include situations in which the heater assembly 10 is operated while the outlet of the heater assembly 10 is blocked for some reason. As vapor is not allowed to escape from the heater space 11 in such situations, the pressure prevailing inside the heater space 11 gets higher and higher until a transition from the normal, operational condition to the safety condition is invoked, wherein the sealed coupling between the main part 12 and the cover part 13 is lost. If it were not for the presence of the safety openings 22, 23, an instant pressure drop might occur and sudden expansion might take place as a result of that process. However, the safety openings 22, 23 allow for a safety condition involving a defined passage for the vapor (or more in general, the fluidum) flowing from the heater space 11 to outside of the heater assembly 10, so that the pressure drop may be of a gradual nature rather than an instant nature. In particular, in the shown example, it happens that the O ring 17 ends up in a position for blocking the secondary safety openings 23 as a result of the pressure difference prevailing across those openings 23 at the moment the sealed coupling between the main part 12 and the cover part 13 is lost. Still, the fluidum flowing from the heater space 11 is capable of escaping from the heater space 11, namely through safety passages 24 at various peripheral positions, comprising space 25 between the O ring 17 and the flange 14 of the main part 12, which is available due to the fact that the O ring 17 has been lifted somewhat towards the secondary safety openings 23, and further comprising a primary safety opening 22. Thus, when the sealed coupling between the main part 12 and the cover part 13 is removed under the influence of a relatively high pressure prevailing inside the heater space 11, fluidum flowing out of the heater space 11 and passing the sealing area 16 is discharged in a controlled and gradual manner from the heater assembly 10 through safety passages 24 which are evenly distributed along the periphery of the heater assembly 10, each of the safety passages 24 comprising a primary safety opening 22 and space 25 at the position of the sealing area 16 upstream of the primary safety opening 22, which space 25 is obtained as soon as the sealed coupling between the main part 12 and the cover part 13 is lost and the O ring 17 is displaced towards the secondary safety opening 23 under the influence of the pressure difference prevailing across that opening 23 in that situation.

[0034] Within the framework of the invention, it is not essential to use groups 21 comprising two safety openings 22, 23 as described in the foregoing. Depending on whether a sealing element such as an O ring 17 is applied or not, and depending on the design of both the possible sealing element and the area comprising the sealing area 16 and the associated portions of the main part 12 and the cover part 13, it may be sufficient to have only one safety opening per peripheral area where a safety passage is supposed to open up as soon as the heater assembly 10 is forced to the safety condition under the influence of relatively high pressure prevailing inside the heater space 11.

[0035] The heater assembly 10 may be designed in such a way that the formation of the safety passages 25 in the transition from the normal, operation to the safety condition takes place in an elastic, reversible way, so that when the pressure prevailing in the heater space 11 has dropped to a normal level, the heater assembly 10 is capable of automatically returning to the normal, operational condition. However, it is also possible for the heater assembly 10 to be designed in such a way that the deformation of at least the cover part 13 which is associated with the transition from the normal, operation condition to the safety condition is a plastic deformation, in which case it is not possible for the heater assembly 10 to automatically return to the normal, operational condition after a safety condition has occurred.

[0036] It will be clear to a person skilled in the art that the scope of the invention is not limited to the examples discussed in the foregoing, but that several amendments and modifications thereof are possible without deviating from the scope of the invention as defined in the attached claims. It is intended that the invention be construed as including all such amendments and modifications insofar they come within the scope of the claims or the equivalents thereof. While the invention has been illustrated and described in detail in the figures and the description, such illustration and description are to be considered illustrative or exemplary only, and not restrictive. The invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments. The drawings are schematic, wherein details that are not required for understanding the invention may have been omitted, and not necessarily to scale.

[0037] Variations to the disclosed embodiments can be understood and effected by a person skilled in the art in practicing the claimed invention, from a study of the figures, the description and the attached claims. In the claims, the word comprising does not exclude other steps or elements, and the indefinite article a or an does not exclude a plurality. Any reference signs in the claims should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention.

[0038] Elements and aspects discussed for or in relation with a particular embodiment may be suitably combined with elements and aspects of other embodiments, unless explicitly stated otherwise. Thus, the mere fact that certain measures are recited in mutually different dependent claims does not indicate that a combination of these measures cannot be used to advantage.

[0039] The term comprise as used in this text will be understood by a person skilled in the art as covering the term consist of. Hence, the term comprise may in respect of an embodiment mean consist of, but may in another embodiment mean contain/include at least the defined species and optionally one or more other species.

[0040] A possible summary of the invention reads as follows. A heater assembly 10 for use in a domestic appliance 1 comprises a main part 12 and a cover part 13 fixedly connected to the main part 12, the parts 12, 13 enclosing a heater space 11 of the heater assembly 10. The parts 12, 13 are sealingly coupled to each other in a sealing area 16 which is at a position for surrounding the heater space 11, wherein, at a position which is more to the outside of the heater assembly 10 than the sealing area 16, as seen from the heater space 11, the heater assembly 10 is provided with at least one safety opening 22, 23, advantageously at a position in one of the parts 12, 13 or between the parts 12, 13, for allowing fluidum from the heater space 11 to flow therethrough in a forced safety condition of the heater assembly 10 in which condition at least one fluidum passage is present between the parts 12, 13 in the sealing area 16.