Method for heating liquid in an electric kettle
AssigneeBraun GmbH
InventorFrank Kressmann
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method of heating water in an electric kettle including determining the temperature differential between a measured starting temperature and a preselected target temperature. If the determined temperature differential is equal to a reference temperature differential, then the kettle is heated at less than full power for a calculated period of time. If, on the other hand, the determined temperature differential is greater than the reference temperature differential, then the kettle is heated until the kettle temperature reaches a determined end temperature.
Claims40
A method of heating a liquid in an electric kettle having a heating element, a temperature sensor, and an electronic regulator, the method comprising:
- sensing a starting temperature at the temperature sensor;
- determining a starting temperature differential between the measured starting temperature and a preselected target temperature;
- in response to the starting temperature differential being equal to a reference temperature differential, heating the kettle at less than a full power level for a calculated period of time;
- and
- in response to the starting temperature differential being greater than the reference temperature differential, determining an end temperature and heating the kettle until the determined end temperature is sensed at the temperature sensor.
An electric kettle for heating a liquid, the kettle comprising:
- a container defining a cavity for containing the liquid;
- a heating element that transmits heat to the liquid;
- a temperature sensor responsive to a kettle temperature;
- a time sensor;
- and
- a heating regulator configured to, upon activation of the kettle,
- sense a starting temperature measured by the temperature sensor;
- determine a starting temperature differential between the measured starting temperature and a preselected target temperature;
- heat the kettle at less than a full power level for a calculated period of time in response to the starting temperature differential being equal to a reference temperature differential;
- and
- determine an end temperature and heat the kettle until the determined end temperature is measured at the temperature sensor in response to the starting temperature differential being greater than the reference temperature differential.
A method of detecting a malfunction in an electric kettle for heating a liquid, the kettle including a heating element, a temperature sensor, a heating regulator, and an electronic memory, the method comprising:
- sensing a starting temperature at the temperature sensor;
- activating the heating element for a selected length of time;
- sensing a second temperature at the temperature sensor at the end of the selected length of time;
- calculating a temperature differential as a difference between the starting temperature and the second temperature;
- and
- in response to the calculated temperature differential being less than or equal to a reference temperature differential, deactivating the heating element.
An electric kettle for heating a liquid, the kettle comprising:
- a heating element that transmits heat to the liquid;
- a temperature sensor responsive to a kettle temperature;
- a time sensor;
- an electronic memory that stores characteristic data;
- and
- a heating regulator in communication with the memory, the heating regulator configured to sense a starting temperature measured by the temperature sensor;
- activate the heating element for a selected length of time;
- sense a second temperature measured by the temperature sensor at the end of the selected length of time;
- calculate a temperature differential as a difference between the starting temperature and the second temperature;
- and
- deactivate the heating element in response to the calculated temperature differential being less than or equal to the reference temperature differential.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.