Title of Invention

A STEAM GENERATOR

Abstract A steam generator comprising a vessel for receiving water,said vessel being provided with a lid for securely covering the vessel; an electric heating element disposed within the vessel and receiving electric power from a source; a steam outlet provided for the lid; a pressure switch for disconnecting the element from the source on the steam pressure increasing beyond a first predetermined limit and for re-connecting the said elment to the said source on the steam pressure reaching the first predetermined limit;a high presure relief valve for opening and releasing steam on exceeding a second predetermined limit higher than the first predetermined limit;a fusible plug for releasing steam on exceeding a perdetermined temperature;a dosing pump for replenishing water in the vessel,the inlet of the dosing pump being connected to a source of water and its outlet connected to the inlet of the vessel,the said dosing pump being activated by a microcontroller to replenish the vessel with water,whenever steam is drawn from the vessel.
Full Text

This invention relates to a steam generator, more particularly, though not exclusively, to a steam generator used in the preparation of food substances.
Apart from the fact that the steam generator proposed herein is simple, yet effective, in operation, it is also highly safe and hazard free in use.
The steam generator, according to this invention, comprises a vessel for receiving water, said vessel being provided with a lid for securely covering the vessel; an electric heating element disposed within the vessel and receiving electric power from a source ; a steam outlet provided for the (id ; a pressure switch for disconnecting the element from the source on the steam pressure increasing beyond a first predetermined limit and for re-conceding the said element to the said source on the steam pressure reaching the first predetermined limit ; a high pressure relief valve for opening and releasing steam on exceeding a second predetermined limit higher than the first predetermined limit, the said valve closing on the pressure reverting to the second predetermined limit; a fusible plug for releasing steam on exceeding a predetermined temperature ; a dosing pump for replenishing water in the vessel, the inlet of the dosing pump being connected to a source of water and its outlet connected to the inlet of the vessel, the said dosing pump being activated by a microcontroller to replenish the vessel with water, whenever steam is drawn from the vessel.
This invention will now be described with reference to the single Figure in the accompanying drawings which illustrate by way of example, and not by way of limitation, one of various possible embodiments of the steam generator proposed herein.
The vessel V is intended for receiving water. A lid L securely covers the vessel V to prevent any escape of steam except through the steam outlet O.

An electric heating element E is disposed within the vessel V, The element receives electric power from a source.
A pressure switch P is provided for disconnecting the element E from the source, whenever the steam pressure increases beyond a predetermined limit and for re-connecting the said element to the said source whenever steam pressure reaches the predetermined limit.
A high pressure relief valve R is provided for opening and releasing steam whenever the steam exceeds a second predetermined limit, higher than the first predetermined limit. The valve R closes on the steam pressure reverting to the second predetermined limit.
A fusible plug F is also provided for releasing steam whenever the temperature of the steam exceeds a predetermined value, due to malfunctioning of the pressure vetch P and pressure relief valve R. The fusible plug is a hollow nut provided in the Lid L. The nut communicates with atmosphere and the interact of the vessel, but in actual use it is prevented from doing so by a fusible alloy white is packed in the hollow portion of the nut Normally the said alloy prevents steam from the vessel exiting through the hollow in tlie nut; however, whenever the temperature of the steam in the vessel exceeds a predetermined temperature, the alloy melts and releases the steam in the vessel to atmosphere. This is an added safely feature of the steam generator proposed herein.
A dosing pump D is provided for replenishing water in the vessel V, the inlet of the dosing pump D eking connected to a source of water and its outlet connected to the Inlet I of the vessel V- The dosing pump D is activated by a microcontroller to replenish the vessel with water, whenever steam is drawn from the vessel V. The microcontroller activates the dosing pump to pump a calculated amount of water into the vessel V whenever steam is drawn from the vessel V over a given interval of time.

The vessel V is surrounded by heat insulating means for minimizing dissipation of heat from within the vessel.
In the embodiment illustrated such means comprise two heat resistant sleeves S1 and S2 for surrounding the vessel, the space between the sleeves being packed with heat insulating material H.
The outlet O will be provided with a cock C to open or dose the outlet whenever necessary.
The term "microcontroller" in this specification means and includes not only a "microcontroller" as such but also relay logic, semiconductor logic or PLC (Programme Logic Control)
The terms and expressions in this specification are of description and not of limitation, there being no intention to exclude any equivalents of the features described or illustrated, exit it is understood that various other embodiments of the steam generator herein are possible without departing form the scope and ambit of this invention.




We Claim;
1. A steam generator comprising a vessel for receiving water, said vessel being predicted with a lid for securely covering the vessel ; an electric heating element disposed within the vessel and receiving electric power from a source a steam outlet provided for the lid ; a pressure switch for disconnecting the element from the source on the steam pressure increasing beyond a first predetermined limit and for re-connecting the said element to the said source on the steam pressure reaching the first predetermined limit; a high pressure relief valve for opening and releasing steam on exceeding a second predetermined limit haggler than the first predetermined limit, the said valve closing on the pressure reverting to the second predetermined limit; a fusible plug for releasing steam on exceeding a predetermined temperature ; a dosing pump for replenishing water in the vessel, the inlet of the dosing pump being connected to a source of water and its outlet connected to the inlet of the vessel, the said dosing pump being activated by a microcontroller to replenish the vessel with water, whenever steam is drawn from the vessel.
2. A steam generator as claimed in Claim 1 wherein the vessel is surrounded by heat insulating means.
3. A steam generator as claimed in Claim 2 wherein the heat insulating means comprise two heat resistant sleeves surrounding the vessel. The space between the sleeves being packed with heat insulating material.
4. A steam generator as claimed in any one of the preceding daim wherein the outlet Is provided with a cock to open or close the outlet whenever necessary.

5. A steam generator substantially as herein described and illustrated with reference to the accompanying drawings.


Documents:

609-mas-2002-abstract.pdf

609-mas-2002-claims filed.pdf

609-mas-2002-claims granted.pdf

609-mas-2002-correspondnece-others.pdf

609-mas-2002-correspondnece-po.pdf

609-mas-2002-description(complete)filed.pdf

609-mas-2002-description(complete)granted.pdf

609-mas-2002-drawings.pdf

609-mas-2002-form 1.pdf

609-mas-2002-form 19.pdf

609-mas-2002-form 26.pdf


Patent Number 210255
Indian Patent Application Number 609/MAS/2002
PG Journal Number 50/2007
Publication Date 14-Dec-2007
Grant Date 25-Sep-2007
Date of Filing 20-Aug-2002
Name of Patentee M/S. LLM APPLIANCES LIMITED
Applicant Address 147, KARAPAKKAM VILLAGE, OLD MAHABALIPURAM ROAD,CHENNAI 600 096,
Inventors:
# Inventor's Name Inventor's Address
1 VISWANATHA MURUGESA KUMARESAN LLM APPLIANCES, 147, KARAPAKKAM VILLAGE,OLD MAHABALIPURAM ROAD, CHENNAI-600 096,
PCT International Classification Number A47J27/00
PCT International Application Number N/A
PCT International Filing date
PCT Conventions:
# PCT Application Number Date of Convention Priority Country
1 NA