DE19731014A1 - Electric steam iron with closing component - Google Patents

Abstract

An electrical steam iron has a water tank (1), an evaporation chamber (3) provided in the iron base (2), and a regulating device for the supply of water into the evaporation chamber (3). The invention features a closing element, which is elastic and resembles a siphon and interrupts the supply of water into the chamber (3) to a lesser or greater degree when a set threshold value is exceeded for the inner chamber pressure.

Description

The invention relates to an electric steam iron according to the preamble of Claim 1.

Steam irons of the type mentioned above generally generate their steam in that the user has a drip valve between the water storage tank and Evaporation chamber is opened more or less. This is how it starts Water through this drip valve into the one formed in the soleplate Drain the evaporation chamber. The dripping water then evaporates and the resulting steam flows through the steam outlet holes in the area of the Evaporation chamber from the bottom of the iron.

During evaporation, a certain one builds up in the evaporation chamber Pressure that degrades towards the soleplate or the material to be smoothed. The The steam cushion created under the sole forms a layer between the soleplate and the ironing material. This steam cushion layer leaves the iron well on the one hand on the other hand, it pushes the steam through the fabric for better smoothing.

The quotient of what escapes next to the sole and that of the ironing material The steam absorbed is influenced by the force exerted by the hand of the user and the weight of the iron. By applying force the iron can increase the introduction of steam into the iron. Each according to the type and quality of fabric (as well as the quality of the ironing board) however, every item to be ironed has a maximum vapor permeability or Vapor absorption capacity. Therefore it can happen that a maximum set amount of steam, determined by dropping rate and provided  Thermal energy for certain types of fabrics and textures also simply "too much" can be. So more steam is generated than can be absorbed. The too much The steam and pressure produced means not only too much for the user escaping, annoying steam around the iron, but also one increased consumption of water and electrical energy. Furthermore, it can occur that excessively built up pressure peaks in the Evaporation chamber through the drip valve towards the water tank to the outside dismantle. This leads u. a. to bubbling and hissing when the steam is through the drip valve and escapes through the tank.

The object of the invention is to provide a device for automatic adjustment and Limit the amount of steam produced in the evaporation chamber below To take into account the present ironing material.

This object is achieved by the characterizing features of claim 1.

This ensures that with increasing pressure in the evaporation chamber the water supply from the water tank into the Evaporation chamber is interrupted until the pressure in the Evaporation chamber falls below the threshold again. This will make it unpleasant bubbling and hissing when the excess steam generated by the Drip valve and escapes through the water tank, avoided, d. H. it will only be so much Steam creates how the ironing material picks up.

Embodiments of the invention are shown in the drawings and are described in more detail below. Show it:

Figure 1 is a partial view of a steam iron with the device according to the invention.

Fig. 2 shows another embodiment of the invention.

The device 4 shown in FIG. 1 for regulating the water supply from the water tank 1 into the evaporation chamber 3 arranged in the soleplate 2 consists of a valve housing 5 and a valve rod 6 which can be actuated by the outside of the iron. The valve housing 5, a bellows-shaped closure member 7 is fixed from an elastic material, but may be integrally formed with the valve housing. 5 If the pressure in the evaporation chamber 3 rises above a certain threshold value, the valve housing 5 is moved in the direction of the valve rod 6 via the closure element 7 and the water supply is more or less interrupted.

FIG. 2 shows a further embodiment in which the closure element 7 is arranged in the area below a water inflow opening 8 . If the pressure in the evaporation chamber 3 rises above a certain threshold value in this embodiment, this presses the closure element 7 in the direction of the valve housing 5 and more or less closes the inflow opening 8 . The closure element 7 has flow openings 9 at the lower edge and a thickening 10 is provided on the bottom, which seals the inflow opening 8 in the closed position.

Reference list

1

Water tank

2nd

Soleplate

3rd

Evaporation chamber

4th

contraption

5

Valve body

6

Valve stem

7

Closure element

8th

Inflow opening

9

Flow opening

10th

thickening

Claims (4)

1. Electric steam iron with a water tank ( 1 ), one in the soleplate ( 2 ) provided evaporation chamber ( 3 ) and a device ( 4 ) for regulating the water supply from the water tank ( 1 ) in the evaporation chamber ( 3 ), characterized in that A closure element ( 7 ) is arranged in the area of the device ( 4 ), which more or less interrupts the water supply from the water tank ( 1 ) into the evaporation chamber ( 3 ) when the internal steam chamber pressure rises above a certain threshold value. 2. Electric steam iron according to claim 1, characterized in that the closure element ( 7 ) is elastic and bellows-shaped and is operatively connected to the valve housing ( 5 ) of the device ( 4 ). 3. Electric steam iron according to claim 1, characterized in that the closure element ( 7 ) is designed as an elastic membrane and is operatively connected to the inflow opening ( 8 ) in the device ( 4 ). 4. Electric steam iron according to claims 1 and 3, characterized in that the closure element ( 7 ) in its lower edge region throughflow openings ( 9 ) and below the inflow opening ( 8 ) has a thickening ( 10 ).