Abstract: An air purifier includes a cabinet, an electrically driven fan, a replaceable filter element, and an air quality sensor. A display provides a visual indication of the air quality condition. A microprocessor is programmed to control the speed of the fan automatically according to the air quality condition. The microprocessor also computes when the filter element must be changed by totalling the time of operation and its speed (which equals air quality) so that for example the filter element will be changed more often (used for less aggregate time) when the air purifier is operated in a poor quality environment.

Abstract: A toaster includes a toasting rack moveable between upper and lower positions. A lever arm with a handle is operable to move the toasting rack between the upper and lower positions. A user releasable latch retains the toaster rack in the upper position. When the latch is released the toasting rack falls to the lower position and a toasting cycle begins. At the end of a toasting cycle the toasting rack is moved to the upper position by manual operation of the handle.

Abstract: In an otherwise well-known electric pop-up toaster, an auxiliary power switch is provided and is arranged to be opened by a timer after each toasting cycle. This ensures, in contrast to the well-known toaster arrangements, that power is interrupted to heating elements even if a carriage supporting slices of toast fails to move up at the end of a toasting cycle.

Abstract: An electric automatic-drip coffee maker has a valve at a bottom of a water reservoir. In use, at turn ON, the valve remains initially closed so that a heater can heat up in a dry condition. When the valve is opened, steam is initially supplied to a brew basket and thereafter hot water is dripped into the brew basket in conventional fashion. The heater also supplies steam separately and continuously to a top of a carafe during brewing. A water supply for supplying this steam is drawn from the reservoir through a restricted outlet. The steam initially heats up the carafe and thereafter keeps the carafe warm.

Abstract: An electric coffee maker is mounted on a platform which is rotatably supported by a frame that can be fixed by ears “under-a-cabinet” in a kitchen, above a worktop. The principal components (a carafe a water reservoir, and a filter holder are confined in a relatively small cylindrical cavity defined by the platform, the support frame, upstanding walls and arcuate slidable doors. Because the platform can be rotated either by an electric motor or manually, the components are easily accessible and removable out of ‘front’ of the cavity. Compared to known equivalent coffee makers, this coffee maker also requires considerably less space.

Abstract: An otherwise conventional automatic-chip coffee maker has a glass carafe made with an inner layer and an outer layer separated by an air gap. Openable apertures allow hot air to enter the air gap when the carafe is supported on a base. The hot air is supplied from a heating coil by a fan and flows into the air gap. During preparation of coffee the hot air can be used to initially heat up the carafe, to brew coffee in the carafe and to keep the coffee warm.

Abstract: A cordless steam iron is provided with an external reservoir assembly for automatically re-filling an internal reservoir when the iron rests on an iron stand. The reservoir assembly includes a removable bottle that can be readily filled with water and then placed upside down in a water container. A valve automatically maintains the water level in the container (and the internal reservoir) to a desired maximum level see chain-dotted line A. Water valves cooperate with one another and open automatically when the iron is placed on the stand, to allow water to flow from the container to the reservoir.

Abstract: A toast oven is controlled by a microprocessor that is programmed to selectively determine each toasting time in accordance with a user selected toasting requirement and with an initial oven temperature. In this way the toasting time is automatically adjusted to take into account the oven temperature at the beginning of each toasting cycle. The user therefore does not have to make subjective manual adjustments to produce consistent toasting results. A time display on a panel, controlled by the microprocessor, indicates the remaining toasting time during each toasting cycle.

Abstract: An electric automatic pop-up toaster has a carriage and a pivotably connected manually operative arm for moving the carriage to a lowermost position for toasting in well-known manner. At the beginning of each toasting cycle, the arm is horizontal and a latching plate is magnetically held down to hold the arm and the carriage in a lowermost position. The arm presses against a wire spring to hold closed a power switch (not shown) that supplies power to heating elements of the toaster. The latching plate is (magnetically) released at the end of each toasting cycle by a timer. This allows the carriage to move upwards to pop-up toasted bread in a usual way. However should the carriage fail to move upwards when the latching plate is released, the arm is pivoted by a spring and tilted to the position shown in the Figure. The wire is therefore released and enters a slot in a bracket mounted to the carriage. The switch opens and remains open to prevent power being re-instated to the heating elements.

Abstract: A coffee machine includes a microcomputer, a heater 14 and a thermistor element 17. The microcomputer is programmed to respond to several different temperature level signals provided by the element 17 for fully controlling operation of the heater. The machine has a pre-heat cycle, where the rate of temperature rise is slowed down, and an automatic cleaning cycle when required.