EP0268722A1

EP0268722A1 - An electric resistance iron of the so-called cordless type

Info

Publication number: EP0268722A1
Application number: EP86830353A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Narciso Zammarian
Original assignee: ELETTRODOMUS SpA
Current assignee: ELETTRODOMUS SpA
Priority date: 1986-11-21
Filing date: 1986-11-21
Publication date: 1988-06-01

Abstract

An electric resistance iron of the so-called "cordless type", having a separate resting and electrical supply base (2), which can be connected to the electric supply mains and is provided with electrical connection means (18) which are able to couple with corresponding members (9-11) of the iron (1) in order to allow the connection to the electric supply mains to occur when such iron is placed in a previously designed rest position on said base (2), wherein
said electrical connection members (9-11) of the iron (1) are arranged within a cavity (9) obtained in the lower face of its back part (7),
the base (2) is provided with stop means (22) arranged at a position placed at a higher level with respect to the rest surface (13, 15) of said iron (1), said surface (13,15) comprising a guiding and supporting chute (15) sloping downwards and towards said stop means (22); and
said electrical connection means (18) borne by said base (2) are arranged at a position adjacent to the lower part of said chute (15) so that said iron (1) when is rested on said chute (15) with the sole or plate (4) facing the stop means (22) has a tendency to reach by the action of gravity a stable rest position wherein the iron sole or plate (4) rests against the stop means (22) and its connection members (9-11) couple with the corresponding connection means (18) of the base (2).

Description

The present invention relates to an electric resistance iron of the so-called cordless type, with a separate resting base and with an electric supply unit that can be connected to the supply mains and that is provided with electric connection means, said means being suitable for connection with corresponding members of said flatiron in order to allow the same to be connected to the supply mains when the flatiron itself is arranged in a previously designed resting position on said base.
Cordless flatirons are supplied and heated when they are placed on the supply base, during the ironing pauses, as for instance when the object to be ironed is rearranged on the ironing plane.
Cordless flatirons show a number of advantages. First, their use is extremely easier with respect to electric irons provided with an electric cord. Moreover, they are safer in use, as the proper flatiron is not connected to the electric supply mains.
The object of the present invention is that of realizing an electric iron of the cordless type as mentioned above, which allows an easier and a more comfortable way of use and which is safer with respect to cordless flatirons of the type realized up to now.
The aim in question is attained according to the present invention through an electric iron of the type specified above, characterized in that:
the electric connection members of the flatiron are arranged within a cavity obtained in the lower face of its back part,
the resting and electric supply base is provided with stop means in a position above the surface designed for re ceiving the iron, said surface comprising a guiding and supporting chute sloping downwards in the direction of said stop means, and
said electric connection means borne by said base are arranged in a position adjacent to the lower part of said chute, so that the iron, which is resting on the chute with its plate or sole turned towards said stop means, has a tendency to get by the action of gravity a stable rest position wherein its sole or plate rests against said stop means, while the connection members of the iron couple with the connection means on the base.
Further features and advantages of the cordless electric iron according to the present invention will be clear on reading the detailed disclosure given below, with reference to the enclosed drawings which are shown just for exemplification and not for limitative purposes, wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the electric iron according to the present invention,
Figure 2 is a plan view of the resting and electric supply base of the iron according to the present invention,
Figure 3 is a partial cross section view of said base and of the iron,
Figure 4 is a front view of the base,
Figure 5 is a cross section view taken along the line V-V of Figure 4,
Figures 6-9 are cross section views of a current tap mounted in the resting and electric supply base of the iron, said views showing different operative conditions of such tap, and
Figure 10 is a wiring diagram showing the ways of connecting two optical indicators which said base is provided with.

With reference now to Figure 1, an electric iron accord ing to the present invention comprises a very flatiron which is pointed out with the reference number 1 and a rest and electric supply base pointed out with the reference number 2. Such base comprises a body which is for instance of a plastic material and is substantially in the shape of an L, said body being suitable for connection to the electric supply mains through a cord 3.
The flatiron 1 is free from cord, and it comprises an ironing sole or plate 4 and a plastic material body which is pointed out as a whole by the reference number 5, forming a handle 6. At a position adjacent to the back end of the sole or plate 4, the iron body 5 forms a heel 7 (Figure 3), a cavity 8 being obtained in the lower face of said heel, in which cavity three connection plugs 9-11 are mounted (of which plugs that pointed out by 9 can be observed in Figure 3; moreover, see Figures 6, 8 and 9). The connection plugs 9 and 11 are connected to the electric resistance that heats the iron and they are intended for being connected to the electric supply mains as an effect of placing the iron 1 on its base 2. The intermediate plug 10 is connected to the iron sole or plate 4 and is designed for being connected to the ground.
The base 2 faces upwards with an L-shaped surface (Figure 3) which is formed substantially by two plane surfaces 12 and 13 which are jointed to one another, the first one of which forms with the horizontal plane an angle higher than the angle formed by the second surface. A stubbing pointed out with 14 in Figures 2 and 3 is obtained in the surface 13, said stubbing being limited by a main wall 15 which is at a higher slope with respect to the horizontal plane than the wall 13 itself. Moreover, the cavity 14 is limited by a wall 16 which is almost at right angles with the wall 15, and by two triangular side walls 17. An opening 17 (Figure 3) is obtained in the wall 16, a current tap 18 being mounted in said opening, said tap current being connected to the electric supply cord 3 and having three input holes 19-21 for the plugs 9-11 of the iron 1.
Two supporting stakes 22 are mounted at a position close to the top of the sloping surface 12 of the base 2, said stakes being made up of an electrically insulating material.
When the iron 1 during use is rested with the back face 6a of its body 6 (Figure 3) on the chute 15 and with the ironing sole or plate facing the stop stakes 22, it slides by the action of gravity towards a stable rest position (shown in Figure 1) wherein the ironing sole or plate 4 rests against the stakes 22, while plugs 9-11 are fully inserted into the tap 18 of the base. If in such condition the base 2 is connected to the electric supply mains through the electric supply cord 3, the resistance that heats the iron 1 can be electrically supplied.
The removal of the iron 1 from the supply base 2 is extremely easy as when the base is in the position of insertion the iron 1 is at a slope so that it can be very easily grasped.
A further advantageous features consists in the fact that the stubbing 14 acts as a guide and insertion point for the correct and safe electric coupling between the iron and the base, so as to eliminate any centering problem.
An opening 25 is obtained at a position adjacent to the upper edge of the chute 15, an end of a cylindrical latch 26 being capable of passing through such opening, said latch being mounted so as to be capable of an axial translation motion inside the body of said base 2.
The latch 26 is capable of a translation motion as an effect of acting upon a control knob 27 (Figures 4 and 5) assembled in the front wall of said base 2. A diametral passage 27a (Figure 5) is obtained through such knob, in which passage a slider 28 (Figure 4) capable of translation motion is mounted, said slider being pushed by a spring 29 which is also housed within said diametral passage. The slider 28 is pushed by such spring so as to go into engagement with a notch 26b obtained in a transversal tail 26a of said latch 26 (see Figure 4).
The knob 27 can travel through a limited angular run or displacement (because of the presence of stop means not shown) and more particularly it is capable of taking on two stable end positions, wherein such knob keeps said latch 26 in a retired or in a drawn out position by means of said slider 28. When the latch 26 is in the drawn out position, it can engage with a hole 30 (Figure 3) placed in the back face of the body of the iron 1 when said iron is coupled with the base 2. The latch 26 thus allows the iron and its supply base to be made integral in a stable way, in order to allow the same to be carried together easily.
A space or housing 21 is obtained in the body of the base 2, said space being accessible form the outside through an opening 33, in which a removable door 32 is assembled (Figures 1 and 3) which door has in the example illustrated in the present invention a substantially rectangular shape. The edges of the door and of the corresponding opening in the base 2 have at positions adjacent to the lower corners of the door 32 beveled parts defining the passage ways 34 and 35 through which the electric supply cord 3 can pass. Such cord, when the ironing operation is over, can be opportunely introduced into the space 31. When the electric iron is next employed again, the door 32 is removed, the electric supply cord 3 is drawn out of its housing 31, the door 32 is applied again to the opening in the space 31, and the electric supply cord 3 can be indifferently locked within the passage way 34 or the passage way 35 according to the use conditions.
With reference now to Figures 6-9, a particularly advantageous way of realizing the current tap 18 of the supply part 2 will be disclosed in the following.
The current tap 18 comprises an outside body or mount 40 which is substantially in the shape of an overturned or inverted cup, in which mount the holes 19-21 previously disclosed are obtained. Such body is fastened to the base 2 with its concavity facing the inside part of the base itself.
A guide member 41 is assembled within said body or mount 40, in a position facing the holes 19-21. Such guide member has a planar portion 41 facing the bottom wall of said mount 40 and spaced from the same, and said member also has two holes 41a, 41b which are aligned with the holes 19 and 21, as well as a central hole 41c aligned with the hole 20. A bush 41d coaxial with the hole 20 is obtained about the hole 41c integrally with said guide member 41.
Two slide members 42 and 43 are assembled so that they can slide, at a position between the guide member 41 and the bottom wall of the mount 40. The sliding member 42 (43) shows a first and a second portion 42a, 42b, (43a, 43b) lying on staggered planes and having each one a respective opening 45, 46, (47, 48) suitable to allow an electric supply plug of the iron 1 to pass.
The portion 42a of the slide member 42 is slidable on the portion 43b of the slide member 43; the portion 43a of the latter is slidable on the portion 42b of the first one.
The slide members 42 and 43 show centrally the respective openings 49 and 50, through which the bush 41d of the guide member 41 passes with a large clearance.
The upper portions 42a, 43a of said slide members have respectively the sloping planes 51, 52. The reference numbers 53 and 54 point out helical springs tending to push said slide members 42 and 43 towards one another into the position shown in Figure 6, in which they turn the respective sloping planes 51 and 52 towards the holes 19 and 21 of the mount, and in which the openings 46 and 48 of the respective lower portions are misaligned with the openings 19 and 21.
Moreover, a guiding and positioning member 60 is also assembled within the mount 40 of the current tap 18, in which member three bushes 61-63 are obtained, said bushes being aligned and coaxial with the input holes 19-21 of said current tap. Three contact movable members 64-66 are assembled within said bushes 61-63, such members being capable of translation motion and in the shape of small cylindrical rods of equal lengths, at whose ends a number of rings are fastened to avoid the withdrawl of said members. The movable contact members 61-63 have an end extending below the guiding and positioning member 60, while the other end extends above the upper end of the respective guide bush.
The movable contact members 64-66 are pushed towards the guide member 41 by the respective helical springs 67-69 assembled in the way illustrated in Figures 6-9.
A number of integral annular projecting parts are arranged on the lower face of the guide member 41 about the openings 41a and 41b, the ends of said movable contact members 64-66 acting against said projecting parts. As a consequence, in the rest condition shown in Figure 6, the distance between the opening 20 of the current tap and the central movable contact 65 is shorter than the distance between the side openings 19, 21 and the corresponding movable contact members 64, 66.
When the iron 1 is coupled to the electric supply base 2, the plugs 9 and 11 acting on the sloping planes 51 and 52 cause the shift towards the outside of the sliding members 42 and 43 against the action of the springs 53 and 54, so as to cause the openings 45 and 48 to go into alignment with the input hole 19 of the current tap, and the openings 47 and 46 to go into alignment with the opening 21. The plugs 9 and 11 thus do not meet any obstacle and, when they have passed the guide member 41, they tend to reach said movable contact members 54 and 66. The central plug 10, which does not meet any obstacle on its way, is the first one to contact the corresponding movable contact 65 of the current tap (Figure 8) because the latter, as already mentioned above, is normally closer to the input hole of the current tap to which it is associated. Such feature gives the tap 18 a remarkable degree of safety as the contact between the supply plugs 9 and 11 of the iron with the movable contact of the current tap is allowed just when the contact of the central plug with the movable contact 65 connected to ground has occurred.
The slide members 42 and 43, in the rest position shown in Figure 6, intercept the path between the input holes 19-21 of the current tap and the associated movable contact members 64-66. The particular conformation of such slide members warrants a very high safety, as such members allow the contact with the movable members 64 and 66 (which can be connected to the electric supply mains) to occur only when they are simultaneously translated sidewise towards the outside. Figure 7 shows a condition for exemplification purposes, in which a rodlike body A is inserted into the input hole 21 of the current tap: such rodlike body can determine indeed the shift towards the outside of said slide member 43, but anyway it cannot reach the movable contact 66, as it is stopped by the lower portion 42b of the other slide member 42.
As already mentioned above, the movable members 64-66 of the current tap 18 can be connected to the electric supply mains through the electric supply cord 3. However, a microswitch 70 (see Figures 9 and 3) is preferably arranged be tween one of said movable members (for instance the contact member 66) and the corresponding conducting wire of the cable 3, said microswitch comprising a movable control member pointed out with 70a in Figure 9, which control member can be acted upon for instance by the movable contact member 65 of the current tap (Figure 9), when the latter reaches the lower stop position: in such situation, the microswitch 70 comes into the closing condition, so that it allows the effective connection to be obtained of the movable contact 66 to the electric supply mains.
Said microswitch 70 according to an alternative embodiment can be of the bipolar type, and in that case it can control the connection of both the movable contact members 64 and 66 of the current tap with the electric supply mains.
The presence of the microswitch 70 represents a further safety warranty, as it assures that, substantially, the flat-iron 1 can be electrically supplied just when said electric plugs 9-11 have been fully inserted into the current tap 18 of the electric supply base.
The base 2 is provided in a suitable way with two luminous indicators such as those pointed out by the reference numbers 71 and 72 in Figures 4 and 10. The indicator 71 is intended for signaling the actual connection of the electric supply cord with the electric supply mains. The indicator 72 connected downstream the microswitch 70 is consequently intended for signaling the full insertion of the iron plugs into said current tap 18, so that they have come into contact with the corresponding movable members of said tap.
Obviously, the present invention is to be understood as comprising all embodiments within the same innovation conception as that disclosed above.

Claims

1. An electric resistance iron of the so-called "cordless type", with a separate electric supply and resting base (2), said base being suitable for connection to the electric supply mains and being provided with electric connection means (18) which are suitable for connection to corresponding members (9-11) of said electric iron (1) so as to allow the connection with the electric supply mains to be realized when said iron is placed in a previously designed rest position on said base (2), said electric iron being characterized in that:
the electric connection members (9-11) of the iron (1) are arranged within a cavity (9) obtained in the lower face of its back part (7),
the base (2) is provided with stop means (22) in a position at a higher level with respect to the rest surface (13, 15) of the iron (1), said surface (13, 15) comprising a guiding and supporting chute (15) sloping downwards and towards said stop means (22); and
said electric connection means (18) borne by said base (2) are arranged at a position adjacent to the lower part of the chute (15), so that the iron (1), when is rested on said chute (15) with the iron sole or plate (4) turned towards said stop means (22) has a tendency to reach by the action of gravity a stable rest position wherein said iron sole or plate (4) rests against said stop means (22) and its connection members (9-11) couple with the corresponding connection means (18) of the base (2).

2. An electric iron according to claim 1, characterized in that said base (2) is provided with manually operated locking means (25-29), which are able to lock in a stable way the iron (1) to the base (2) in said rest pos ition in order to allow said iron to be easily carried in the joined state.

3. An electric iron according to claim 2, characterized in that said locking means comprise a latch (26) which is movable through an opening (25) obtained in said chute (15), and which can take on a rest withdrawn position wherein it allows the iron (1) to be separated from said base (2) and to be placed in a working extracted positio- in which it can engage with a seat or housing (30) obtained in said iron (1) and can prevent the latter from separating from said base (2); said iron also comprising manually operated control means (27) which are suitable to cause the latch (26) to shift between said positions.

4. An electric iron according to claim 3, characterized in that said control means comprise a movable control member (27) coupled with said latch (26) and capable of taking on two stable locking positions wherein it keeps said latch (26) in said working extracted position in a stable way and, respectively in said resting withdrawn position also in a stable way.

5. An electric iron according to claim 4, characterized in that said latch (26) can be axially translated with respect to the body of the base (2) and is provided with a transversal fin (26a) which bears a notch (26b), and is also characterized in that said control member comprises a knob (27) which can rotate with respect to the body of the base (2) and bears a control radial tail (28) engaging with said notch (26b).

6. An electric iron according to claim 5, characterized in that said knob (27) comprises a preferably diametral passage way or channel (27a) which may also be a chordal one, in which passage a translatable slider (28) is assembled, said slider being pushed by a spring (29) engaging with said notch (26b) in the small fin (26a) of the latch (26) mentioned above.

7. An electric iron according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a housing (31) is arranged in said base (2), said housing being able to accept said cable (3) for connecting said base (2) with the electric supply mains.

8. An electric iron according to claim 7, characterized in that said housing (31) is provided with at least one movable closing door (32).

9. An electric iron according to claim 8, characterized in that at least one passage way (34, 35) is determined between the edge of said door (32) and the edge of the corresponding access opening (32) of said housing (31), in which the electric supply cord or cable (3) is able to pass.

10. An electric iron according to claim 9, characterized in that two passage ways (34, 35) are obtained between the edge of the door (32) and the edge of the corresponding opening (33) of the base (2), on horizontally opposite parts, said passage ways being suitable to allow said electric connection cord or cable (3) to pass.

11. An electric iron according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said electric connection means of the base (2) comprise a current tap (18) with an insultaing body in which at least two electric contact members (64, 66) are assembled, said members being suitable for connection to the electric supply mains and being accessible through corresponding input holes (19, 21) of said tap, and in which the connection members of the iron (1) comprise at least two electric plugs (9, 11) which are suitable to extend through said input holes of the tap (9, 11), said electric iron being characterized in that said current tap (18) is provided with safety protection means (42, 43; 53, 54) which are suitable to pre vent rodlike bodies from being simultaneously introduced into said input holes (19, 21) of said current tap (18).

12. An electric iron according to claim 11, characterized in that said protection means comprise two sliding members (42, 43) assembled in said current tap (18) so that they can move within the same, which members are associated with a respective access hole of the tap (19, 21) and present a first and a second portion (42a, 42b; 43a, 43b) which are lying on staggered planes and each one of said portions shows a respective opening (45, 46; 47, 48) which is suitable to allow an electric supply plug (9, 11) of said iron (1) to pass; each one of said sliding members (42, 43) being translatable as an effect of the introduction of a plug (9, 11) into the hole (19, 21) of the current tap associated with the same, with its own first portion (42a; 43a) slidable on the second portion (43b; 42b) of the other sliding member (43; 42) and its own second portion (42b; 43b) slidable on the first portion (42a; 43a) of the other sliding member, between a first and respectively a second position, wherein its openings (45, 46; 47, 48) are misaligned and respectively aligned with the supply holes (19, 21) of the current tap (18); and elastic means (53, 54) which are suitable to push said sliding members (42, 43) into the respective first position mentioned above.

13. An electric iron according to claim 12, characterized in that said first portion (42a; 43a) of each one of the said sliding members (42; 43) shows an inclined or sloping plane (51; 52) facing the associated input hole (19; 21) of the current tap (18) when said sliding member (42; 43) is in the first position mentioned above, so that a plug (9; 11) of the iron (1) introduced into said input hole (19; 21) of the tap, acting upon such inclined or sloping plane (51, 52) causes the slide member (42; 43) to pass from the first pos ition to the second position mentioned above, against the action of the elastic means (53; 54) already mentioned.

14. An electric iron according to claim 13, in which a third electric contact member (65) which can be connected to ground is assembled within said current tap (18), said third member being accessible through a corresponding third input hole (20) of said current tap (18), said electric iron (1) being also provided with a corresponding third plug (10) intended for being connected to ground through its contact with said third member (65) of the tap, the iron being also characterized in that said contact members (64, 65, 66) of the tap (18) are assembled so that they can be axially translated at a limited degree within said tap (18) against the action of respective elastic means (67, 68, 69) that have a tendency to push the same towards the input holes (19, 20, 21) of the tap; means being also provided for allowing the contact to occur between said two first contact members (64, 66) of the current tap, and the corresponding plugs (9, 11) of the iron (1) just when the contact between said third member (65) of the tap and the corresponding plug (10) of the iron (1) has occurred.

15. An electric iron according to claim 14, characterized in that at least one of said two first contact members (64, 66) of the tap (18) can be connected to the electric s supply mains through a microswitch (70) assembled in said base (2) and provided with a control member (70a) which can be acted upon by one of said movable contact members (64, 65, 66) at a position close to its position which is the farthest from the corresponding input hole of the tap.

16. An electric iron according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the base (2) is provided with an optical indicator (71) intended for being activated when said base (2) is connected to the electric supply mains.

17. An electric iron according to claims 15 and 16 charac terized in that said base (2) is provided with a further optical indicator (72) intended for being activated when said two first contact members (64, 66) of the tap (18) are connected to the electric supply mains through said microswitch (70).