CN114729498A - Plate for a steam ironing device and corresponding manufacturing method - Google Patents

Abstract

A plate for an iron comprises a rectilinear vaporization chamber (14) integrated in a base body (21) made in one piece, and a heating element (20). The invention also relates to a panel assembly and a corresponding method of manufacturing the panel and the panel assembly.

Description

Plate for a steam ironing device and corresponding manufacturing method

Technical Field

Embodiments described herein relate to a steam heating plate for an ironing device, a plate assembly and a corresponding manufacturing method.

In particular, the plate according to the invention is integrally formed and comprises a flow-through boiler having a tubular configuration, which makes it particularly efficient in generating steam and at the same time easy to clean. The plate according to the invention can be used in different types of irons, such as air-exhausting irons, or irons with forced water or steam (also called "hot" or "cold" ironing devices).

Background

Irons are known for domestic and industrial use, which operate by ironing different types of clothes, garments or fabrics in general with steam.

In particular, these irons are provided with a plate assembly comprising a heating block, which can be heated, generally by electric resistance, and an associated ironing base plate below the heating block.

In particular, these irons have a first evaporation chamber inside the plate assembly, closed at the top by a cover, which acts as a boiler and in which the steam is generated; there is also a second steam distribution chamber defined between the main body and the ironing base plate and connected to the evaporation chamber, from which the steam exits through delivery holes made in the base plate.

A drawback of the known iron is that it is difficult to perform cleaning operations inside the plate assembly of the iron itself, and in particular inside the boiler inside the evaporation chamber or the plate assembly, where it may be most susceptible to incrustation.

In fact, since the internal parts of the iron, in particular the inside of the evaporation chamber, are not easily accessible to the user, any residues of substance may remain on these places, which, when deposited, may cause premature wear thereof.

In fact, these vaporization chambers usually have a plurality of labyrinths and passages for the passage of water and steam, which makes them very difficult to clean, even with possible maintenance and cleaning cycles of known type.

Furthermore, plate assemblies for irons of known type generally have a plurality of parts which must be joined and welded together, which requires complex assembly in the manufacturing steps and is therefore more costly and more costly to maintain during use.

Another drawback of known types of plate assemblies for irons is that they are not very reactive and require a certain time to sufficiently heat the evaporation chamber or boiler and generate steam when the ironing apparatus is switched on or restarted after a pause during the ironing operation.

Document US3,165,844A describes an iron in which a V-shaped heating element and a V-shaped tubular element having two arms extending inside and outside the heating element are incorporated on an ironing base plate. The arms located on the outside each comprise a plurality of steam outlet holes which are in direct communication with holes in the ironing base plate. The double-arm V-shape of the tubular element does not allow access to the interior of the tubular element to remove the scale therein effectively by mechanical means, but only allows cleaning cycles using water or chemical agents, which can be less efficient and more laborious.

Document CN106012466B describes a plate for an iron comprising a U-shaped water tube welded together with a heating element. This solution also has the drawback that scale that may accumulate in the water pipe cannot be removed mechanically.

US2,019,954A describes a plate for an iron having a preheating tube wound in a spiral shape and a V-shaped steam generating chamber connected thereto.

Although documents CN2670750Y, US2008/047172a1, US4747222A and WO2018/216046a1 describe other known solutions, they all have the above-mentioned drawbacks.

There is therefore a need for an improved plate and plate assembly for an ironing appliance that overcomes at least one of the disadvantages of the prior art.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a plate which is compact and can be used for different types of irons.

Another object is to provide a plate which has a high reactivity and which allows to obtain a substantially instantaneous heating and vaporization of the water inside it.

Another object is to provide a plate for an iron which allows simple and easy cleaning even in a steam chamber.

In particular, it is an object to provide a plate for an iron that allows to mechanically remove scale that may accumulate in the steam chamber.

Another object is to provide a plate for an iron that is inexpensive to manufacture and requires a limited number of mounting and assembly operations.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a plate assembly for an ironing appliance which is efficient and easy to use.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a plate assembly for an ironing apparatus, which is easy to manufacture in batches and to industrialize, and which is inexpensive, thus reducing the time and costs associated with its manufacture.

Furthermore, another object of the present invention is to provide a method of manufacturing a panel which enables a significant reduction in the number of operations and therefore in the manufacturing time.

Another object is to improve a method of manufacturing a panel assembly which allows to reduce the number of operations, in particular welding and sealing operations of the steam chamber, while guaranteeing high reliability and durability.

The applicant has devised, tested and embodied the present invention to overcome the shortcomings of the state of the art and to obtain these and other purposes and advantages.

Disclosure of Invention

The invention is set forth and characterized in the independent claims. The dependent claims describe further features of the invention or variants to the main inventive idea.

Some embodiments described herein relate to a vaporizing heating plate for an iron.

According to an aspect of the invention, the plate is made in one piece and comprises a vaporization chamber integrated inside its base body, the vaporization chamber being configured to generate and/or superheat steam, and a heating element configured to heat the vaporization chamber to allow vaporization of the water inside the vaporization chamber and the base body.

According to the invention, the vaporization chamber is rectilinear and tubular, and therefore extends linearly between the respective inlet and outlet.

The rectilinear configuration of the vaporization chamber makes it very easy to clean, since possible points of scale accumulation are reduced to a minimum.

According to some embodiments, the vaporization chamber is preferably cylindrical.

According to some embodiments, the base body is made of aluminum die cast.

Since the plate is made in one piece, it has high efficiency and high reactivity, since it can be heated to the working temperature in a short time and in a faster time at the same temperature as the conventional solutions, so that the time required by the known solutions can be significantly reduced, almost halved.

According to some embodiments, the vaporization chamber is defined by a rectilinear tubular element incorporated in the matrix.

Advantageously, the tubular element and the heating element define a more compact and efficient flow-through boiler compared to known solutions.

Furthermore, according to the invention, the plate has modular characteristics, which make it suitable for use in substantially any type of iron, at least of the household type.

According to some embodiments, in top view, the front portion of the plate is pointed and the rear portion opposite to the front portion is flat.

According to some embodiments, the board further comprises at least one cavity provided in the lower portion, which, during use, is closed by the ironing base plate and defines therewith a steam distribution chamber.

According to some embodiments, the tubular element is arranged along a longitudinal axis of the heating plate and extends over a substantial part of the heating plate.

According to some embodiments, the tubular element comprises opposite open ends defining an inlet and an outlet, respectively, substantially coaxial to each other.

According to some embodiments, the heating element is comprised of an electrical resistor disposed at least partially around the vaporization chamber.

According to some embodiments, the resistor is U-shaped with the free end thereof disposed towards the rear, the free end corresponding to the outlet, the arms being disposed along diametrically opposite sides of the vaporization chamber, and the intermediate portion of the U being disposed corresponding to the inlet.

According to some embodiments, the heating element is positioned below the vaporization chamber corresponding to or near the inlet so as to heat more of the inlet region. This is particularly useful in the case of an exhaust iron or cold ironing device, since water at ambient temperature (and therefore at a temperature much lower than that of the steam) is fed into the evaporation chamber, i.e. into the tubular body.

Advantageously, the heating element consists of a single resistor which heats both the vaporization chamber and the substrate and therefore the soleplate with which it is associated by conduction during use, thereby reducing the number of components and simplifying their management.

According to some embodiments, the tubular element comprises, during use, in the portion of the wall facing downwards, a projection extending towards the inside of the tubular element and configured to act as a drop breaker, preventing the flow of drops in the evaporation chamber and thus facilitating the evaporation thereof.

The embodiments described herein also relate to a plate assembly adapted for use in different types of irons, the plate assembly being provided with:

-a plate according to the invention;

-an ironing base plate arranged below the plate and connected to the plate to define a steam distribution chamber;

-an intake manifold connected to the vaporization chamber in correspondence of the inlet;

-a steam distribution manifold connected to the vaporisation chamber and the distribution chamber and configured to introduce steam into the distribution chamber.

The distribution manifold is provided with an inlet configured to allow a user to access the plate assembly and the iron from the outside during use, so as to allow cleaning of the vaporization chamber.

Advantageously, the vaporization chamber is easy to access and easy to clean due to its substantially cylindrical geometry.

The invention also relates to an ironing appliance comprising a plate assembly as described above.

According to the invention, a method of manufacturing a plate package as described above comprises manufacturing the plate by die casting in a mould having a suitably matching shape and containing a tubular vaporizing element. In this way, the plates are made in one piece, so that, compared with known solutions, the components required for their production are reduced, thereby reducing the assembly time and therefore prolonging the service life.

Drawings

These and other aspects, features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description of some embodiments, given by way of non-limiting example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

figure 1 is an exploded perspective view of a plate assembly for an ironing apparatus according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a top view of the plate package of FIG. 1;

figure 3 is a bottom view of the plate of figure 1;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view taken along section line IV-IV of the plate package of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view taken along section line V-V of the plate package of FIG. 2;

figure 6 is a cross-sectional view along the section line V-V of the plate assembly of figure 2 applied to an ironing apparatus;

figure 7 is a cross-sectional view along the section line V-V of the plate assembly of figure 2 applied to another ironing apparatus;

figure 8 is a cross-sectional view along the section line V-V of the plate assembly of figure 2 applied to a further ironing apparatus;

to facilitate understanding, identical reference numerals have been used, where possible, to designate identical elements that are common to the figures. It should be understood that elements and features of one embodiment may be readily combined with other embodiments without further recitation.

Detailed Description

Reference now will be made in detail to various embodiments of the invention, one or more examples of which are illustrated in the drawings. Each example is provided by way of illustration of the invention and should not be construed as a limitation thereof. For example, because features illustrated or described are part of one embodiment, they can be used on or in conjunction with other embodiments to yield yet a further embodiment. It is to be understood that the invention is intended to embrace all such modifications and variations.

With reference to the figures, the embodiments described herein relate to a heating plate 11 and a plate assembly 10 comprising the heating plate 11, a steam driven ironing device for domestic and industrial use.

According to some embodiments described herein with reference to FIG. 1, a plate assembly 10 includes: a plate 11 for vaporising and/or heating steam, made in one piece, and an ironing base plate 12, arranged below the plate 11 and optionally connected thereto.

According to some embodiments, the board 11 may include a base 21, and the base 21 may have a lower portion 22b having a planar shape substantially matching the bottom plate 12 and configured to be connected to the bottom plate.

Furthermore, the plate 11 may comprise an upper or evaporation portion 22a projecting from the side of the lower portion 22b opposite to the side to which the ironing base plate 12 is connected.

According to some embodiments, the plate 11 comprises a vaporization chamber 14 integrated and/or incorporated inside the substrate 21 to generate and/or heat the steam, and a heating element 20, the heating element 20 being configured to heat the vaporization chamber 14 and thus the water or steam inside the vaporization chamber 14 and the substrate 21.

Depending on the type of iron on which the plate 11 is applied, water may be introduced into the vaporization chamber 14 to produce steam, or steam may be introduced directly to superheat it.

According to some embodiments, the vaporization chamber 14 is arranged along the longitudinal axis X of the plate 11 and extends over a substantial portion of the plate 11.

The vaporization chamber 14 has a first inlet 15 corresponding to the front of the plate 11 and a second outlet 16 corresponding to the rear of the plate 11.

According to some embodiments, the vaporization chamber 14 is substantially rectilinear, with the respective inlet 15 and outlet 16 being substantially coaxial with each other.

That is, the vaporization chamber 14 extends straight and linearly between the inlet 15 and the outlet 16.

In particular, the vaporization chamber 14 has only two ports, namely an inlet 15 and an outlet 16, and no intermediate holes and/or ports.

According to some embodiments, the vaporization chamber 14 is cylindrical and substantially circular in cross-section.

According to a possible variant, the vaporization chamber 14 can also have a different section with rounded edges, for example oval or prismatic, to minimize possible accumulation zones of scale and facilitate the removal of scale.

The vaporization chamber 14 is therefore more compact and performs better than currently known vaporization chambers. Furthermore, the rectilinear shape allows more accurate cleaning of the vaporization chamber 14 itself.

According to some embodiments, the vaporization chamber 14 is defined by a tubular element 13 integrated or integrated in the base body 21.

The tubular element 13 has a rectilinear extension along a longitudinal axis and comprises a solid side wall 13c and two respective holes 13a, 13b opposite each other, which define an inlet 15 and an outlet 16, respectively, of the vaporization chamber 14.

According to this embodiment, the vaporization chamber 14 extends along the entire length of the tubular element 13. For example, the vaporization chamber 14 or the tubular element 13 may have a substantially constant diameter developing along the longitudinal direction, for example between 7mm and 25mm, preferably between 10mm and 20 mm.

For example, the vaporization chamber 14 or the tubular member 13 may extend for a length of about 12-20cm, preferably about 15-18 cm.

According to an embodiment, the tubular element 13 may be arranged in the upper portion 22 a.

The heating element 20 may be internally arranged in a through seat of the plate 11.

According to an embodiment, the heating element 20 is integrated in the plate 11.

According to an embodiment, the base 21 is made of aluminium die-cast, the tubular element 13 and the heating element 20 being incorporated or embedded in the base 21, ensuring a high thermal conductivity gradient.

According to some embodiments, the tubular element 13 may be made of steel.

According to a possible variant, the plate 11 can be provided with the tubular element 13 defined by a longitudinal through seat 17 in the upper portion 22a, or with the tubular element 13 housed in said longitudinal through seat 17.

The tubular element 13 and the heating element 20 essentially define a flow-through boiler, in which water is heated and vaporized by flowing along the tubular element 13, allowing almost immediate generation of steam, and therefore much faster compared to known boilers or vaporization chambers.

According to an embodiment, the heating element 20 is arranged in substantial contact with the tubular element 13 so as to heat water and/or steam therein by conduction.

According to some embodiments, a single heating element 20 is provided, which heating element 20 is configured to heat the vaporisation chamber 14 and to heat the ironing base plate 12 by conduction, the ironing base plate 12 being associated with the base 21 during use, thereby making the plate assembly more efficient than the prior art.

Advantageously, this solution also has fewer components than conventional solutions, with a corresponding reduction in the number of manufacturing, assembly and maintenance operations.

According to an embodiment, the heating element 20 may be U-shaped.

In particular, the heating element 20 may have a longitudinal portion 31, the longitudinal portion 31 being configured to surround the tubular element 13 on diametrically opposite sides, and at least one intermediate portion 32 connecting the longitudinal portion 31, the intermediate portion 32 being located in correspondence with the inlet 15.

Advantageously, in this way, the heating element 20 is also arranged below the region of the inlet water where the first vaporisation takes place, thus ensuring that the region of the inlet water which is subjected to greater cooling as a result of the introduction of fresh water is heated more specifically and is always kept at the appropriate temperature.

According to some embodiments, such as shown in fig. 5, the base body 21 of the plate 11 has an at least partially hollow configuration, comprising one or more cavities 23 corresponding to its lower portion 22 b.

The one or more cavities 23 are configured to define, together with the soleplate 12, a compartment that can be filled with steam during use, which compartment forms the steam distribution chamber 18.

Thus, the vaporization chamber 14 extends above the distribution chamber 18.

According to some embodiments, the plate 11 comprises at least one connection channel 24, which connection channel 24 passes at least partially through the base 21 and is configured to put the upper side of the plate 11 in communication with the at least one cavity 23.

According to some embodiments, such as described with reference to fig. 3, two connecting channels 24 may be provided, which are located at opposite sides of the vaporization chamber 14.

According to some embodiments, the connecting channels 24 convey the steam to the lateral edges 46 delimiting the distribution chamber 18, which, during use, help to divert and distribute the steam in the cavity 23 to the front and rear of the plate 11 along the path P shown in fig. 3-5.

According to some embodiments, the connecting channel 24 is arranged parallel and adjacent to the heating device 20. In this way, the steam is kept at a high temperature along the path in the connecting channel 24, substantially up to the holes 19, to transport the steam provided in the bottom floor 12.

According to some embodiments, the lower portion 22b of the plate 11 may have a plurality of partition walls 48, the partition walls 48 being configured to define a passage for the passage of steam so as to deliver the steam uniformly to the steam delivery holes 19.

The base plate 12 may be connected to the plate 11 by mechanical connection means 33, such as, but not limited to, screws, snap-in or interlocking attachment means, or other similar or comparable means.

A plurality of delivery holes 19 are formed on the bottom plate 12, these delivery holes 19 being configured so as to define the delivery towards the outside of the steam present in the distribution chamber 18.

The ironing base plate 12 can be made of one or more conductive materials, for example one or more metallic materials or other suitable materials, for example steel, aluminium or steel-aluminium, and is heated conductively by means of contact with the base body 21.

The ironing base plate 12 may advantageously have a shape matching the plan shape of the plate 11, with a pointed front end, suitable for supporting the ironing of parts of garments, clothes or fabrics in general, having complex and three-dimensionally cut shapes.

According to an embodiment, the plate package 10 is provided with at least one manifold 25 for incoming water, which manifold 25 is connected to the plate 11 in correspondence with the inlet 15 of the evaporation chamber 14.

According to some embodiments, the intake manifold 25 is provided with at least one feed pipe 43, the feed pipe 43 being configured to direct the water from the outside towards the tubular element 13.

According to some embodiments, the intake manifold 25 can be selectively connected to the plate 11 and the tubular element 13 by means of coupling members, for example of the same shape, screw-engagement members or attachment members of known type.

There may also be a packing adapted to ensure hydraulic sealing.

According to an embodiment, the plate assembly 10 is further provided with at least one manifold 26 for distributing steam, which at least one manifold 26 is connected to the plate 11 in correspondence with the outlet 16 and the connecting channel 24 and is configured to put the evaporation chamber 14 in communication with the distribution chamber 18.

According to some embodiments, a hydraulic circuit is thus defined comprising the intake manifold 25, the vaporization chamber 14, the distribution manifold 26 and the distribution chamber 18.

During use, water and/or steam enters the inlet manifold 25, is directed towards the vaporisation chamber 14, where the water and/or steam, respectively, is vaporised or superheated, and the resulting vapour is delivered to the distribution chamber 18 through the distribution manifold 26, the vapour being discharged from the distribution chamber 18 through the vapour delivery apertures 19.

The distribution manifold 26 also includes an inlet 26a, the inlet 26a being configured to allow a user to access the vaporization chamber 14.

According to some embodiments, the distribution manifold 26 comprises a central duct 27 connectable to the outlet 16 and at least one lateral distribution duct 28, the lateral distribution duct 28 extending laterally from the central duct 27 and being connected to the connecting channel 24 during use.

The central duct 27 may be continuously connected to the tubular element 13, which also defines a portion of the vaporization chamber 14. Advantageously, the central duct 27 and the tubular element 13 can coincide so as to define a vaporization chamber 14, the vaporization chamber 14 being rectilinear and substantially cylindrical without discontinuities.

The inlet 26a is provided at an end opposite to the end connected to the plate 11.

According to some embodiments, the distribution manifold 26 comprises two distribution ducts 28 opposite each other with respect to the central duct 27, each distribution duct 28 being connectable to a respective connection channel 24 in order to achieve a homogeneous and uniform distribution of the steam in the cavity or cavities 23 and therefore in the distribution chamber 18.

According to some embodiments, the end of the central duct 27 facing outwards during use, in correspondence with the inlet 26a, is provided with coupling means 29, by means of which coupling means 29 a cover 34 can be attached, which cover 34 can be removed by the user to allow access to the vaporisation chamber 14.

According to some embodiments, during use, the connection member 47 may be provided between the central duct 27 and the cover 34 and configured to couple one with the other and ensure the hermetic sealing of the vaporization chamber 14, for example by means of a coupler of the same shape.

The central duct 27 and the distribution ducts 28 can be connected to the plate 11 by couplers of the same shape or with attachment members of known type.

According to some embodiments, the inlet holes 28a of the distribution ducts 28 are arranged at an elevated height with respect to the bottom of the central duct 27. In this way, only steam is delivered through the inlet holes 28a, while possible residual unvaporized water remains in the vaporization chamber 14.

This solution allows to confine the scale-rich water within the vaporization chamber 14, or possibly within the central pipe 27, preventing it from filtering into other components of the plate assembly 10, such as the distribution pipe 28 and/or the connecting channel 24. Thus, the only element of the plate assembly 10 from which scale encrustations or generally fouling is to be removed is the tubular element 13 defining the vaporization chamber 14.

According to a possible embodiment, the central duct 27 may be slightly inclined so that its outer end is higher than the end connected to the evaporation chamber 14, to block the passage of water coming from the tubular element 13.

According to an embodiment, the intake manifold 25 and the distribution manifold 26 may be made of a thermoplastic material.

For example, the intake manifold 25 and the distribution manifold 26 may be made of plastic or silicone to withstand the operating temperature of the plate 11.

Advantageously, the tubular element 13 is easy to clean, since it is cylindrical. Furthermore, the inlet manifold 25 and the distribution manifold 26 may be configured to be detachable from the plate 11 to further simplify the cleaning operation.

According to an embodiment, the tubular element 13 may comprise one or more protrusions 30 extending from the downwardly facing surface towards the interior of the vaporisation chamber 14 during use.

These protrusions 30 may be made as ridges that are sequentially spaced from one another along the entire length of the vaporization chamber 14 and thus along the path of the liquid water within the vaporization chamber 14.

The protrusion 30 advantageously performs a function of resistance to thermal contamination, interrupting the linear flow of water inside the vaporization chamber 14 and redistributing it so as to favour the correct vaporization of the water.

According to some embodiments, the protrusion 30 may be made by stamping or drawing before the tubular element 13 is positioned in the die for aluminium die casting, so that aluminium enters the external hollow of the protrusion 30, effectively bonding and stabilizing the tubular element 13 in the base 21.

According to some embodiments, the plate assembly 10 comprises at least one interference and accumulation element 35, which is provided inside the tubular element 13, i.e. in the vaporization chamber 14, and is configured to interfere with the water entering from the inlet 15 and to act as a drop breaker, thereby promoting the vaporization of the water, while increasing the possibility of accumulation of scale thereon.

The water droplet breaking element 35 is preferably made of metal.

According to some embodiments, the interference and accumulation element 35, also known in the field of irons as drop breakers, can be made as a brush comprising a plurality of bristles arranged radially with respect to the longitudinal axis X.

According to a variant, the drop breaking element 35 can be made as a brush comprising a plurality of foils extending radially with respect to the central axis, possibly at least partially helically arranged.

According to some variants, the drop breaking elements 35 can be made as steel wool, formed by filaments and shavings twisted together.

The embodiments described herein also relate to a cleaning device 36 configured to be removably inserted into the vaporization chamber 14 and to exert a mechanical descaling action on the inner surfaces of the vaporization chamber 14 during the removal/insertion step.

According to some embodiments, the cleaning device 36 may comprise a cleaning portion 37 arranged in correspondence with the inlet 15 during use.

According to some embodiments, the cleaning device 36 further comprises a grip portion 38 arranged outside the plate member 10 during use and configured to be gripped by a user, and a connecting portion 39 connecting the grip portion 38 with the cleaning portion 37.

According to some embodiments, the connection portion 39 may comprise a shaft or rod made of a shape memory material, for example but not exclusively of harmonic steel, which is rectilinear in the extracted condition (fig. 1) and at least partially meandering or curved in the inserted condition (fig. 5).

The cleaning means 36 can extend inside the tubular element 13 for a length at least equal to the length of the tubular element 13 itself.

The cleaning portion 37 may be configured to be at least partially positioned in contact with the inner circumferential surface of the tubular member 13.

In particular, the cleaning portion 37 may comprise a brush or a small brush or a disc made of deformable abrasive material, or a similar or comparable component.

For example, the cleaning portion 37 may include a plurality of blades or bristles arranged radially or spirally around the connecting portion 39.

The cleaning portion 37 may include a water droplet breaking element 35, for example, of the type described above.

According to some embodiments, the cleaning portion 37 is made of a deformable material to follow the development of the vaporization chamber 14 and clean it, even in correspondence with the projection 30, allowing an easy transition from the non-inserted condition to the inserted condition and vice versa.

Advantageously, the cleaning portion 37 can perform three functions: a water drop breaker, a scale collector and an apparatus for mechanical removal of scale. In particular, the cleaning portion 37 acts as a water drop breaker and scale collector, since the cleaning portion 37 is provided in the vicinity of the feed pipe 43, i.e. at the entry point of the liquid water, and therefore where the scale concentration is high and where the liquid starts to evaporate.

During the transition of the cleaning device 36 from the inserted condition to the non-inserted condition, the cleaning portion 37 cleans the tubular element 13, scraping the inner wall of the tubular element 13 to eliminate possible limescale deposits inside the vaporization chamber 14. The mechanical action of the extraction cleaning device 36 therefore determines the removal of the residual scale in the evaporation chamber 14.

Advantageously, these cleaning operations can be easily performed thanks to the shape of the vaporization chamber 14, i.e. cylindrical or with a section with rounded edges and substantially straight.

According to one embodiment, the cleaning device 36 may provide a plurality of cleaning portions 37 disposed along the connecting portion 39 to increase the cleaning and thermal contamination protection along the entire tubular vaporizing element.

According to an embodiment, the cleaning device 36 may provide a plurality of cleaning portions 37, which are combined with the connecting portion 39 in turn.

These cleaning portions 37 can provide cleaning discs of varying diameter as the vaporization chamber 14 develops, which are configured to be deformable, allowing them to slide inside the vaporization chamber even if the projections 30 are present.

According to some embodiments, the grip portion 38 may be provided with a cover 34 and configured to be screwed onto the distribution manifold 26, or onto the connecting member 47, for easy access by a user and sealing of the vaporization chamber 14.

Advantageously, since the plate 11 is made in one piece, the number of operations required to manufacture it is small.

Furthermore, since the plate 11 is made by integrating the tubular vaporization chamber 14 into the base body 21, less sealing operations are required for the entire plate assembly 10 than in the prior art.

In fact, in order to assemble the plate assembly 10, it is sufficient to connect the intake manifold 25 to the inlet 15 and the distribution manifold 26 to the outlet 16, so as to connect the respective distribution ducts to the connection channels 24, and to close the central duct 27 of the distribution manifold 26 with the cover 34, in order to seal the evaporation chamber 14.

Furthermore, in order to seal the distribution chamber 18, it is sufficient to attach the bottom plate 12 to the plate 11.

According to some embodiments, the grip portion 38 or the closure 34, if present, may include a coupling member 40 that mates with a coupling device 29 disposed on the distribution manifold 26 or on the connecting member 47.

According to an embodiment, the plate assembly 10 is applicable to conventional irons, and is generally applied to known ironing devices 41 and steam cleaning devices.

As a non-limiting example, the plate assembly 10 may be applied to an exhaust iron or a forced water supply iron.

According to an embodiment described with reference to fig. 6, an ironing device 41A with an exhaust iron is described, comprising a plate assembly 10 and at least one water tank 42 configured to contain water to be fluidly connected to the intake manifold 25.

According to some embodiments, upon activation of the valve or pumping device 44, the water tank 42 may feed water into the intake manifold 25 through a feed tube 43 disposed substantially orthogonal to the inlet 15 by the gravity fall of the water.

According to the embodiment of figure 6, the water can be introduced by continuous percolation through the feeding duct 43, or by the pumping means 44, which pumping means 44 adds an additional quantity of water through the auxiliary duct 49, so as to generate a further jet of steam to iron the most difficult creases.

According to a variant, an ironing apparatus 41B of the "cold" type with a separate water tank 42 is shown in fig. 7, which comprises a feed pump 45, which feed pump 45 can be selectively activated in order to send water from the water tank 42 to the intake manifold 25.

According to another variant, shown for example in fig. 8, an ironing apparatus 41C of the "hot" type is shown, which is provided with a separate boiler 50, this boiler 50 being configured to generate steam which is fed to the intake manifold 25. In this case, steam, rather than water, is fed directly into the vaporization chamber 14, where it is superheated as it passes along to reach the distribution chamber.

Obviously, modifications and/or additions of parts or steps may be made to the plate 11, the plate assembly 10 and the ironing device 41 as described heretofore, without departing from the field and scope of the present invention.

It is also clear that, although the present invention has been described with reference to some specific examples, a person of skill in the art shall certainly be able to achieve many other equivalent forms of board 11, board assembly 10 and ironing device 41, having the characteristics as set forth in the claims and hence all coming within the field of protection defined thereby.

Claims (15)

1. A plate for a steam iron, characterized by comprising a rectilinear tubular evaporation chamber (14) integrated in a matrix (21) made in one piece, said evaporation chamber (14) extending straight and rectilinear between respective inlets (15) and outlets (16) for water and/or steam, and a heating element (20), said heating element (20) being matched in shape to said evaporation chamber (14) and partially surrounding said evaporation chamber (14).

2. A plate according to claim 1, characterized in that the base body (21) is made of aluminium by die-casting and the evaporation chamber (14) is delimited by a substantially cylindrical rectilinear tubular element (13) incorporated in the base body (21).

3. The plate according to claim 2, characterized in that said tubular element (13) comprises, on a surface facing downwards during use, a projection (30) with a drop breaking function, said projection (30) extending towards the inside of said vaporization chamber (14).

4. The plate according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the heating element (20) is located below the vaporization chamber (14) close to the inlet (15).

5. The plate according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the heating element (20) comprises a U-shaped resistor having longitudinal portions (31) arranged on diametrically opposite sides of the vaporisation chamber (14) and an intermediate portion (32) connecting the longitudinal portions (31) and arranged close to the inlet (15).

6. The plate according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the base body (21) has a cavity (23) in a lower portion, said cavity (23) being configured to define a steam distribution chamber (18) during use and comprising at least one connection channel (24), said at least one connection channel (24) passing at least partially through the base body (21) and being configured to put the outlet (16) located in an upper portion (22a) of the plate in communication with said cavity (23).

7. The plate according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising at least one interference and accumulation element (35) having a water droplet breaking function, said interference and accumulation element (35) being provided in said vaporization chamber (14) close to said inlet (15) and being configured to perform a water droplet breaking function to facilitate the vaporization of water and the accumulation of scale thereon.

8. A plate assembly for a steam iron, comprising:

-a plate (11) according to any one of the previous claims;

-an ironing base plate (12), said ironing base plate (12) being provided with steam delivery holes (19), arranged below said plate (11) and connected to said base body (21), defining with said base body (21) a steam distribution chamber (18);

-an intake manifold (25), said intake manifold (25) being connected to said inlet (15) and configured to introduce water and/or steam into said vaporization chamber (14);

-a steam distribution manifold (26), said steam distribution manifold (26) being connected to said outlet (16) and to said distribution chamber (18) and being configured to convey said steam from said vaporization chamber (14) to said distribution chamber (18).

9. The panel assembly of claim 8, comprising: a cleaning device (36), said cleaning device (36) being removably insertable into said vaporization chamber (14) and comprising a cleaning portion (37) having a size coinciding with a transverse size of said vaporization chamber (36); a grip portion (38), opposite the cleaning portion (37), configured to close the vaporization chamber (14) from the outside; and a connecting portion (39), the connecting portion (39) connecting the grip portion (38) and the cleaning portion (37).

10. A plate package according to claim 9, characterised in that the cleaning portion (37) comprises an interference and accumulation element (35), said interference and accumulation element (35) being made of a deformable material in the shape of a brush with bristles, or a foil, or one or more discs arranged at a distance from each other along the connecting portion (39), configured to act as a drop breaker and facilitate the evaporation of water, wherein the cleaning portion (37) has a cross section corresponding in shape and size to the internal cross section of the evaporation chamber (14).

11. A plate package according to claim 9 or 10, characterised in that the connecting portion (39) is made of a shape memory material.

12. An ironing appliance comprising an iron having a plate assembly (10) according to any one of claims 8-11.

13. A method of manufacturing an ironing board, characterized in that it comprises positioning a rectilinear tubular element (13) and a heating element (20) partially wound therearound in a mould, and manufacturing, by aluminium die-casting, a one-piece base body (21) incorporating therein a rectilinear tubular evaporation chamber (14) and said heating element (20), said evaporation chamber (14) extending straight and linearly between respective inlet (15) and outlet (16) opposite one another.

14. A method for manufacturing a panel according to claim 13, comprising manufacturing a protrusion (30), said protrusion (30) protruding towards the inside of the tubular element (13) by means of stamping or drawing before the tubular element (13) is positioned in the die for aluminium die casting, so that molten aluminium enters the external hollow of the protrusion (30), effectively bonding and stabilizing the tubular element (13) in the matrix (21).

15. A method for manufacturing a panel assembly (10), comprising:

-using a plate (11) according to any one of claims 1-7;

-connecting an ironing base plate (12) provided with steam delivery holes (19) to said base body (21), so as to define a steam distribution chamber (18);

-connecting an intake manifold (25) to the inlet (15);

-connecting a distribution manifold (26) to the outlet (16) and communicating the vaporization chamber (14) with the vapor distribution chamber (18).

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