Fluid heating appliance

Abstract

A coffeemaker generally includes a reservoir and a flow control system for regulating a flow of water from the reservoir. The flow control system has a thin-film heating element that defines at least a portion of a heating conduit in which water is heated.

1 .- 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . A coffeemaker comprising:
 a housing;   a reservoir for containing a quantity of liquid to be heated and that is operatively supported by the housing;   a heater supported by the housing and operatively fluidly connected with the reservoir to receive a controlled flow of liquid, the heater comprising a heating conduit including a thin-film heating element;   a showerhead supported by the housing and operatively fluidly connected with the heater for receiving heated liquid; and   a flow control system for regulating a flow of water from the reservoir to the showerhead, wherein the flow control system includes:   a holding tank in fluid communication with the reservoir and with the heating conduit, the holding tank vertically positioned at least partially higher than the heater so that as long as there is liquid within the holding tank, the heating conduit will substantially fill with liquid by gravity,   wherein heated liquid flows from the heating conduit to the showerhead.   
     
     
         22 . The coffeemaker of  claim 21 , further comprising a one-way check valve between the holding tank and the heating conduit so that an increase in pressure within the heating conduit, such as caused by heating and boiling the liquid, causes the heated liquid to rise and flow to the showerhead. 
     
     
         23 . The coffeemaker of  claim 21 , wherein the heated liquid rises from the heating conduit to another conduit that slopes downward to the showerhead to flow at least partially under the influence of gravity. 
     
     
         24 . The coffeemaker of  claim 22 , wherein the heating conduit is arranged within the housing to be substantially vertical when the housing is set on a surface in an operational position. 
     
     
         25 . The coffeemaker of  claim 24 , comprising plural heating conduits fluidly connected between the check valve and the showerhead, the plural heating conduits comprising each comprising a thin-film heating element. 
     
     
         26 . The coffeemaker of  claim 21 , wherein the holding tank comprises the reservoir. 
     
     
         27 . The coffeemaker of  claim 21 , wherein the holding tank comprises s separate element supported by the housing and spaced from the reservoir, and a pump is fluidly positioned and fluidly connected between the reservoir and the holding tank. 
     
     
         28 . The coffeemaker of  claim 27 , wherein the reservoir has a maximum fill indication and the holding tank is positioned vertically above the maximum fill indication. 
     
     
         29 . The coffeemaker of  claim 21 , wherein the heating conduit is tubular and comprises a glass substrate and a metal oxide material deposited on the substrate. 
     
     
         30 . The coffeemaker of  claim 21 , further comprising a terminal unit for the heating conduit having a tubular, thin-film heating element, the terminal unit comprising:
 a pair of spaced ring-shaped terminals to wrap around each end of the heating conduit; and   a bus bar extending between the ring-shaped terminals to electrically connect the ring-shaped terminals to one another.   
     
     
         31 . A coffeemaker comprising:
 a housing;   a reservoir for containing a quantity of liquid to be heated and that is operatively supported by the housing;   a heater supported by the housing and operatively fluidly connected with the reservoir to receive a controlled flow of liquid, the heater comprising a heating conduit including a thin-film heating element;   a showerhead supported by the housing and operatively fluidly connected with the heater for receiving heated liquid; and   a flow control system for regulating a flow of water from the reservoir to the showerhead, wherein the flow control system includes:   a holding tank supported by the housing and spaced from the reservoir and in fluid communication with the reservoir and with the heating conduit, the holding tank vertically positioned at least partially higher than the heater so that as long as there is liquid within the holding tank, the heating conduit will substantially fill with liquid by gravity,   wherein a pump is fluidly positioned and fluidly between the reservoir and the holding tank for pumping liquid to the holding tank, and further wherein a one-way check valve is provided between the holding tank and the heating conduit so that an increase in pressure within the heating conduit, such as caused by heating and boiling the liquid, causes the heated liquid to rise and flow to the showerhead.   
     
     
         32 . The coffeemaker of  claim 31 , wherein the heated liquid rises from the heating conduit to another conduit that slopes downward to the showerhead to flow at least partially under the influence of gravity. 
     
     
         33 . The coffeemaker of  claim 31 , wherein the heating conduit is arranged within the housing to be substantially vertical when the housing is set on a surface in an operational position. 
     
     
         34 . The coffeemaker of  claim 33 , comprising plural heating conduits fluidly connected between the check valve and the showerhead, the plural heating conduits comprising each comprising a thin-film heating element. 
     
     
         35 . The coffeemaker of  claim 31 , wherein the holding tank comprises the reservoir. 
     
     
         36 . The coffeemaker of  claim 35 , wherein the reservoir has a maximum fill indication and the holding tank is positioned vertically above the maximum fill indication. 
     
     
         37 . The coffeemaker of  claim 31 , wherein the heating conduit is tubular and comprises a glass substrate and a metal oxide material deposited on the substrate. 
     
     
         38 . The coffeemaker of  claim 31 , further comprising a terminal unit for the heating conduit having a tubular, thin-film heating element, the terminal unit comprising:
 a pair of spaced ring-shaped terminals to wrap around each end of the heating conduit; and   a bus bar extending between the ring-shaped terminals to electrically connect the ring-shaped terminals to one another.