Electric steam generator having molded plastic lid and base secured together by a snap-fit connection arrangement

A steam generator comprising:

• a moulded plastic base (1) including a sidewall (36);
• a moulded plastic lid (2);
• the lid and the base defining between them a circumferential inter-engagement zone;
• the lid having at the inter-engagement zone at least one engagement member (24) with an engagement face (38) directed generally away from the base (1);
• the base having at the inter-engagement zone at least one engagement member (39) with an engagement face (40) directed generally away from the lid (2);
• an electrical heating element (4) mounted in the base (1);
• and
• an elastomeric sealing ring (29) arranged on assembly, around the circumferential inter-engagement zone, between the base (1) and the lid (2);
• the lid- and base-engagement members (24, 39) engaging via their respective engagement faces (38, 40) with resilient deformation of both or either of the lid- and base-engagement members (24, 39) on assembly of the lid (2) to the base (1) so as to compress the sealing ring (29) for sealing contact with both the base (1) and the lid (2);
• respective engagement faces (38, 40) of at least one of the lid- and base-engagement members (24, 39) being a lip (38) adapted and arranged to engage a corresponding engagement face (40) of the other engagement members;
• one of the lid- and base-engagement members (24,39) extending generally towards the base or the lid (1,2) respectively and the other of the lid- and base-engagement members extending adjacent to the one of the said engagement members;
• the lid- and the base-engagement members (24,39) being circumferentially discontinuous around the lid (2) and the base (1) and provided, circumferentially around the lid (2) and the base (1), as a plurality of individual engagement members (24,39);
• and
• apertures for said one of the lid- and base-engagement members (24,39) being provided at said other of the lid- and base-engagement members (24,39).

A steam generator comprising:

• a moulded plastic base (1) including a sidewall (36);
• a moulded plastic lid (2);
• the lid (2) and the base (1) defining between them a circumferential inter-engagement zone;
• the lid (2) having at the inter-engagement zone at least one engagement member (24) with an engagement face (38) directed generally away form the base (1), wherein each engagement member (24) is circumferentially discontinuous;
• the base (1) having at the inter-engagement zone at least one engagement member (39) with an engagement face (40) directed generally away from the lid (2), wherein each engagement member (39) is circumferentially discontinuous around the base;
• an electrical heating element (4) mounted in the base (1);
• and
• an elastomeric sealing ring (29) arranged on assembly, around the circumferential inter-engagement zone, between the base (1) and the lid (2);
• wherein the lid-engagement and base-engagement members (24, 39) engage via their engagement faces (38, 40) with resilient deformation of either or both of the lid-engagement and base-engagement members (24, 39) on assembly of the lid (2) to the base (1) so as to compress the sealing ring (29) for sealing contact with both the base (1) and the lid (2), wherein each lid engagement member (24) is provided inwardly of the corresponding base-engagement member (39), when assembled thereto;
• and wherein respective apertures (33) are provided between the sidewall (36) of the base and the individual base-engagement members (39) for receiving the corresponding lid-engagement members (24), and wherein the radially inner edge of each aperture (33) is provided with a stiffening flange (43) and the corresponding lid-engagement member (24) is provided with an anti-disengagement surface (42) abutting the stiffening flange (43) when assembled thereto.

A steam generator comprising:

• a moulded plastic base (1) including a sidewall (36);
• a moulded plastic lid (2);
• the lid (2) and the base (1) defining between them a circumferential inter-engagement zone;
• the lid (2) having at the inter-engagement zone at least one engagement member (24) with an engagement face (38) directed generally away form the base (1), wherein each engagement member (24) is circumferentially discontinuous;
• the base (1) having at the inter-engagement zone at least one engagement member (39) with an engagement face (40) directed generally away from the lid (2), wherein each engagement member (39) is circumferentially discontinuous around the base;
• an electrical heating element (4) mounted in the base (1);
• and
• an elastomeric sealing ring (29) arranged on assembly, around the circumferential inter-engagement zone, between the base (1) and the lid (2);
• wherein the lid-engagement and base-engagement members (24, 39) engage via their engagement faces (38, 40) with resilient deformation of either or both of the lid-engagement and base-engagement members (24, 39) on assembly of the lid (2) to the base (1) so as to compress the sealing ring (29) for sealing contact with both the base (1) and the lid (2), wherein each lid engagement member (24) is provided inwardly of the corresponding base-engagement member (39), when assembled thereto;
• wherein circumferential continuations (34) are provided to interconnect the individual base-engagement members (39);
• and wherein the lid includes location flanges (25), provided separate from and radially outward from but in substantial circumferential continuation of the individual lid-engagement members (24), for location outside the circumferential continuations (34) of the individual base-engagement members.

A steam generator comprising:

• a moulded plastic base (1) including a sidewall (36);
• a moulded plastic lid (2);
• the lid (2) and the base (1) defining between them a circumferential inter-engagement zone;
• the lid (2) having at the inter-engagement zone at least one engagement member (24) with an engagement face (38) directed generally away form the base (1);
• the base (1) having at the inter-engagement zone at least one engagement member (39) with an engagement face (40) directed generally away from the lid (2);
• an electrical heating element (4) mounted in the base (1);
• and
• an elastomeric sealing ring (29) arranged on assembly, around the circumferential inter-engagement zone, between the base (1) and the lid (2);
• wherein the lid-engagement and base-engagement members (24, 39) engage via their engagement faces (38, 40) with resilient deformation of at least one of the lid-engagement and base-engagement members (24, 39) on assembly of the lid (2) to the base (1) so as to compress the sealing ring (29) for sealing contact with both the base (1) and the lid (2);
• and wherein the lid includes at least one upstanding flange (31, 32) for reinforcement of the lid to exert compression on the sealing ring.

A steam generator comprising:

• a moulded plastic material base (1) including a sidewall (36);
• a moulded plastic material lid (2);
• the lid (2) and the base (1) defining between them a circumferential inter-engagement zone;
• the lid (2) having at the inter-engagement zone at least one engagement member (24) with an engagement face (38) directed generally away from the base (2);
• the base (2) having at the inter-engagement zone at least one engagement member (39) with an engagement face (40) directed generally away from the lid (1);
• an electrical heating element (4) mounted in the base (2);
• an elastomeric sealing ring (29) arranged on assembly, around the circumferential inter-engagement zone, between the base (2) and the lid (1);
• the lid- and base-engagement members (24, 39) engaging via their engagement faces (38, 40) with resilient deformation of either or both of the lid- and base-engagement members (24, 39) on assembly of the lid (1) to the base (2) so as to compress the sealing ring (29) for sealing contact with both the base (2) and the lid (1);
• the engagement face (38, 40) of at least one of the lid- and base-engagement members (24, 39) being a lip (38) adapted and arranged to engage the corresponding engagement face (40) of the other engagement member(s);
• one of the lid- and base-engagement members (24, 39) extending generally towards the base (2) or the lid (1) respectively and the other of the lid- and base-engagement members (24,39) extending adjacent to the one of the engagement members (24, 39);
• the lid- and the base-engagement members (24, 39) being circumferentially discontinuous around the lid (1) and the base (2) and provided, circumferentiall around the lid (1) and the base (2), as a plurality of individual engagement members (24, 39);
• and
• apertures for the one of the lid- and base-engagement members (24, 39) being provided at the other of the lid- and base engagement members (24, 39).

A steam generator for generating steam at a pressure greater than ambient atmospheric pressure, comprising:

• a moulded plastic base (1) including a sidewall (36);
• a moulded plastic lid (2);
• the lid (2) and the base (1) defining between them a circumferential inter-engagement zone;
• the lid (2) having at the inter-engagement zone at least one engagement member (24) with an engagement face (38) directed generally away form the base (1), when assembled thereto;
• the base (1) having at the inter-engagement zone at least one engagement member (39) with an engagement face (40) directed generally away from the lid (2), when assembled thereto;
• an electrical heating element (4) mounted in the base (1);
• an elastomeric sealing ring (29) arranged on assembly, around the circumferential inter-engagement zone, between the base (1) and the lid (2);
• the lid-engagement and base-engagement members (24, 39) engaging via their engagement faces (38, 40) with resilient deformation of either or both of the lid-engagement and base-engagement members (24, 39) on assembly of the lid (2) to the base (1) so as to compress the sealing ring (29) for sealing contact with both the base (1) and the lid (2), for containing steam in the generator at a pressure greater than an ambient atmospheric pressure;
• a steam conduit (P);
• and
• connection means (21) for connection to the steam conduit (P) for providing the steam from the generator at the pressure greater than the ambient atmospheric pressure.