US4857897A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Electronic boiling point musical alarm
Assignee: Individual
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Filing: 1988-04-11
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Granted: 1989-08-15
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Expires: 2008-04-11
Abstract
Abstract An alarm which can be used in lieu of the knob of the cover of a teapot or an ordinary pot which provides the capability of sounding a musical alarm when the water temperature inside the teapot or kettle nears the boiling point. The alarm contains a body member, an upper plate, a sensor, a speaker and an electronic assembly. The sensor detects the vapor temperature variations in a teapot through a sensing plate beneath the teapot cover and produces an electrical signal corresponding to the vapor temperature level. This signal is then changed to musical sounds through an electronic assembly when the water nears its boiling point.
Inventors
- 👤 Mu H. Chen
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-02 19:33
CPC Classifications
A; A47; A47J; A47J27/00; A47J27/21; A47J27/212; A47J45/00; A47J45/06; A47J45/068
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 3
Claim 1
Independent Claim
168 words
An electronic boiling point musical alarm comprising a body member (1), an upper plate (8), a sensor (2), a speaker (12) and an electronic assembly (14), a cavity (81) being formed within said upper plate (8) with said speaker (12) facing said cavity (81), a frusta-conical channel (11) being provided in said body member (1) forming a passage for the voice of said speaker (12) to propagate through and preventing said speaker (12) from possible damage caused by accumulation of vapor, an encasement (13) being provided for encasing said electronic assembly (14); said sensor (2) being disposed within an inner hole (31) of a threaded portion of a sensing plate (32), a head (21) of said sensor (2) being received in a receptacle (15) at said encasement (13); said electronic boiling point musical alarm being further characterized in that said sensor (2) detects vapor temperature variations of a teapot or the like thereby activating said speaker (12) to sound when said water temperature reaches a certain predetermined level.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
168 words
An electronic boiling point musical alarm comprising a body member (1), an upper plate (8), a sensor (2), a speaker (12) and an electronic assembly (14), a cavity (81) being formed within said upper plate (8) with said speaker (12) facing said cavity (81), a frusta-conical channel (11) being provided in said body member (1) forming a passage for the voice of said speaker (12) to propagate through and preventing said speaker (12) from possible damage caused by accumulation of vapor, an encasement (13) being provided for encasing said electronic assembly (14); said sensor (2) being disposed within an inner hole (31) of a threaded portion of a sensing plate (32), a head (21) of said sensor (2) being received in a receptacle (15) at said encasement (13); said electronic boiling point musical alarm being further characterized in that said sensor (2) detects vapor temperature variations of a teapot or the like thereby activating said speaker (12) to sound when said water temperature reaches a certain predetermined level.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
181 words
The electronic boiling point musical alarm of claim 1, wherein said electronic assembly (14) comprises a current source (5), two photocouplers (51, 54), a transistor (6), a musical-generating IC (61), a capacitive microphone (62) and an amplifier (7), said sensor (2) being connected to said current source (5) so that a resistance of said sensor (2) determines an output current of said current source (5), said current source (5) being connected through said photocouplers (51, 54) to the base of said transistor (6), said capacitive microphone (62) being connected to said musical-generating IC (61) and said amplifier (7) for converting a musical sound into an electrical signal and feeding the electrical signal back into said amplifier thereby increasing the volume of the sound produced by said speaker (12), an emitter of said transistor (6) being connected to a trigger input of said musical-generating IC (61) and a power input of said amplifier (7), an output of said musical-generating IC (61) being connected to said amplifier (7), and an output of said amplifier (7) being connected to and driving said speaker (12).
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1992-08-14 | 1993-02-13 | 1993-08-15 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1996-08-14 | 1997-02-13 | 1997-08-15 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2000-08-14 | 2001-02-13 | 2001-08-15 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |