EP0587472B1 - Steam ironing table - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to an ironing board with which is associated a steam generator so that steam is emitted on the ironing surface of the board.

The invention aims in particular to allow the emission of steam at any time on the portion of the ironing surface where the iron is located.

Ironing boards are known, the upper face of which is perforated and is provided with a steam distribution zone over the entire ironing surface.

There are also ironing boards with several steam distribution zones distributed over the entire ironing surface.

These boards have the disadvantage of distributing steam over a large area: they therefore require very powerful steam generators. Otherwise, the steam jet is of low energy and causes ironing of lower quality and more difficult for the user.

In addition, this steam distribution is only useful where the iron is located: a lot of water vapor is therefore produced, while only a small part is used. These devices are therefore expensive and waste energy.

Finally, the steam released over the entire ironing surface makes ironing very uncomfortable for the user, creating additional and unnecessary heat generation.

Also known from patent application FR 90 00248 is an ironing board comprising a small steam distribution zone with respect to the ironing surface.

However, this steam distribution zone allows the emission of steam only over a small and fixed portion of the ironing board and a large part of the ironing surface does not receive steam.

In addition, the ironing board described in this earlier patent application is designed so as to be used with a dry iron.

However, the use of a steam iron improves the quality of ironing, the laundry thus receiving steam on both faces, which is particularly significant for relatively thick linen.

However, the use of a steam iron in combination with a steam emission zone board is complicated and tedious, since it requires filling an internal or external reservoir with the iron.

In addition, when the water tank of the iron is outside the iron, the ironing installation becomes relatively bulky and tedious to install because of the water tank and the steam generator that must be available. near the ironing board.

The object of the present invention is to remedy the drawbacks set out above. It is in particular to reduce the consumption of steam and improve the conditions of use of the board without reducing the quality of ironing.

The ironing board targeted by the invention is associated with a steam generator connected by a tube to a steam emission zone of small dimension relative to the surface of the ironing board so that the steam is emitted on the ironing surface of the board.

According to the invention, the ironing board is characterized in that the steam generator is further connected by flexible tubing to a steam iron.

Thus, the iron is supplied with steam directly from the steam generator connected to the ironing board.

The size of the installation is therefore reduced, the steam generator allowing both the supply of steam to the iron and to the steam diffusion zone located under the ironing board.

In addition, ironing is easier and of better quality, the laundry receiving water vapor on both sides.

According to the invention, the vapor emission zone is constituted by a vapor diffusion chamber connected to the steam generator and placed under a vapor permeable wall constituting the ironing surface.

According to an advantageous version of the invention, the room emitting steam is connected to the generator by flexible tubing and is movable in translation parallel to the ironing surface.

The vapor diffusion chamber can therefore be moved to different zones of the ironing surface in order to be adapted to the work to be performed.

According to a preferred version of the invention, means are provided to allow the vapor emission chamber to follow the movement of the iron.

Thus, at all times, the positioning of the iron corresponds with that of the vapor diffusion chamber. The quality of ironing is therefore improved and the use of the steam emitted is therefore optimal.

Other features and advantages will become apparent in the description below.

• la figure 1 est une vue de face de la planche à repasser selon l'invention;
• la figure 2 est une vue schématique des connexions entre le fer et le générateur de vapeur;
• la figure 3 est une vue en coupe d'une première chambre de diffusion;
• la figure 4 est une vue en coupe d'une seconde chambre de diffusion;
• la figure 5 est une vue de côté partiellement en coupe suivant V-V à la figure 6, d'une planche à repasser possédant une chambre de diffusion mobile manuellement;
• la figure 6 est une vue de face de la réalisation de l'invention représentée figure 5; et
• la figure 7 est une vue de dessous d'une planche à repasser possédant une chambre de diffusion mobile automatiquement.

In the appended drawings given by way of nonlimiting examples:

• Figure 1 is a front view of the ironing board according to the invention;
• Figure 2 is a schematic view of the connections between the iron and the steam generator;
• Figure 3 is a sectional view of a first diffusion chamber;
• Figure 4 is a sectional view of a second diffusion chamber;
• Figure 5 is a side view partially in section along VV in Figure 6, of an ironing board having a manually movable diffusion chamber;
• Figure 6 is a front view of the embodiment of the invention shown in Figure 5; and
• Figure 7 is a bottom view of an ironing board having an automatically movable diffusion chamber.

Referring first to Figure 1, an ironing board is associated with a steam generator 2.

The latter has in known manner a resistance 4 and a plug 3 for introducing water. The water is heated by the resistor 4 and the steam released is used as explained below. The steam generator also has control and safety devices electric and pressure (not shown).

A connection 11 allows the steam generator 2 to be connected to a steam iron 1. This connection 11, shown in FIG. 2, allows the rapid connection to the outlet 11b, of the tube 10 thanks to the end piece 11a. The output 11b remains closed when the downstream circuit (11a, 10) is not connected.

Such a connection makes it possible to disconnect the iron and to be able to store the iron separately from the rest of the ironing board.

The iron can also have a sheath 13 as shown in Figure 2 allowing both the passage of a flexible tube 10, for the passage of water vapor, connected to the steam generator 2 via the connector 11 , and the passage of an electric wire connected to a socket 12b by a connector 12a. Such a device makes it possible to have only one cable coming from the iron.

The steam generator also has a pipe 8 making it possible to bring the water vapor into the steam emission zone represented in FIG. 1 by a diffusion chamber 7. A fitting 11, similar to that used for the pipe 10 iron 1, allows you to quickly connect and disconnect the tubing 8 to the steam generator 2. The steam generator 2 is also removable from the ironing board. This makes it possible to store the ironing board and the steam generator 2 separately and to reduce the weight of each object to be stored for the user.

Solenoid valves 6, 9 can respectively be placed on the pipes 8 and 10, in order to regulate the flow rate of water vapor at the level of the distribution chamber 7 and of the iron 1.

As shown in FIG. 1, the vapor diffusion chamber 7 is of small size relative to the ironing surface 5.

According to a first embodiment shown in FIG. 3, the vapor diffusion chamber 7 has a steam inlet in its bottom 26, connected to the steam generator 2 by the pipe 8.

Nozzles 14 make it possible to diffuse the water vapor at the level of the permeable wall 23 of the ironing board. The ironing board generally consists of a mesh 23, acting as a permeable wall, covered with a fleece 16. The whole is covered an ironing cover 17. The fleece 16 and the ironing cover 17 can be perforated with close holes to increase the porosity and the diffusion of the vapor. The nozzles 14, as shown in Figure 3, are four in number and are arranged in a circle with a small diameter, for example, 60 mm.

The vapor diffusion chamber can also, as shown in FIG. 4, have a single vapor diffusion nozzle 14, located on the bottom 26 of the diffusion chamber 7 and connected to the steam generator 2 via the pipe 8 In this embodiment, the distribution chamber 7 is placed directly under the grid 23 of the ironing surface 5. A jet breeze 39 ensures, if necessary, the distribution of the steam.

The steam distribution controls, on the iron 1 and on the ironing board, can be located on the iron. It can be two buttons that control the solenoid valves 6 and 9.

The control of the solenoid valve 6, corresponding to the distribution of steam in the ironing board by the steam diffusion chamber 7, can also be an optical or electromechanical control located under the ironing table and actuated by the foot or the leg. .

As shown in FIG. 5, the vapor diffusion chamber 7 can advantageously include an electrical heating resistance 27. This resistance 27 makes it possible to evacuate the condensates.

The embodiments shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 therefore make it possible to have vapor diffusion chambers 7 which are fixed relative to the ironing board and which are situated substantially at the level of the center of the ironing surface 5.

According to an advantageous version of the invention, shown in FIG. 5, the vapor diffusion chamber 7 can be movable in translation parallel to the ironing surface 5. Thus the tube 8 for connection with the generator 2 is made of flexible material and the chamber vapor diffusion 7 can move in translation on guide rails 20 fixed under the ironing surface 5. The movement can be performed longitudinally under the ironing board. In this embodiment, the distribution chamber has an upper part consisting of a perforated plate 22, adapted to distribute the steam under the mesh 23 of the ironing board. The clearance between the plate 22 and the mesh 23 is reduced to a minimum, so that the vapor does not escape on the sides of the vapor diffusion chamber 7, but passes well through the mesh 23, the fleece 16 and the cover of ironing 17.

As shown in Figures 5 and 6, a handle 28 is fixed to the distribution chamber and allows the user to move the distribution chamber longitudinally, to position it according to the work to be done.

The slides 29, on which the feet 31 of the ironing board slide, are no longer fixed directly under the ironing board, but slightly below to allow the displacement of the distribution chamber 7. The slides 29 are fixed to the board by means of supports 30 extending under the ironing board.

The steam generator 2 can also be placed on the slides 29, protruding at one end of the ironing board. Preferably, the flexible tube 8 is connected to the steam generator 2 by means of a quick connector of the same type as the connector 11 used for the iron 1, which allows the steam generator 2 and the ironing board to be stored separately. comprising the vapor emission chamber 7.

As shown in Figure 7, the diffusion chamber 7 can be moved automatically. The vapor diffusion chamber 7 is connected to an endless chain 34 movable around two wheels 35, 36. A motor 38 makes it possible to control one of the wheels 35, 36 in rotation in order to move the chain 34 and the diffusion chamber of steam 7.

The engine control can be placed on the steam generator 2, or on the iron 1.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the motor is controlled by magnetic field sensors 37 arranged along the ironing board. The iron 1 has in its soleplate a magnet of low or medium power, capable of controlling the magnetic field sensors 37 without hampering ironing (a magnet of too strong power could hinder the movement of the iron, given the large number metal parts present).

The magnetic field sensors 37 thus make it possible to signal to a servo system the location of the iron on the ironing surface and to control, by means of the motor 38, the movement of the vapor diffusion chamber 7 under the ironing surface, until it is located in line with the iron.

At any time, the iron 1 and the vapor diffusion chamber 7 are thus opposite, on each side of the ironing board. Steam distribution is therefore carried out optimally by the ironing board according to the invention, without wasting energy.

Of course, the invention is not limited to the embodiment described above and numerous modifications can be made to it without departing from the scope of the invention.

Thus, the ironing board according to the invention can be used with a conventional dry iron.

The vapor diffusion zone can also be similar to a soleplate of steam iron mounted under the ironing surface 5 and adjacent to the fleece 16.

Claims (13)

1. An ironing table to which is associated a water steam generator (2) linked by a tubing system (8) to a steam emission zone of small dimension with respect to the surface (5) of the ironing table so that the steam is emitted onto the ironing surface of the table (5), characterised in that the water steam generator (2) is also linked by a flexible tubing system (10) to a steam hand iron.
2. An ironing table according to claim 1, characterised in that the said steam emission zone is composed of a steam diffusion chamber (7) linked to the steam generator (2) and placed under a wall (23) permeable to the steam constituting the ironing surface (5).
3. An ironing table according to claim 2, characterised in that the steam diffusion chamber (7) contains on its upper part several steam emission nozzles (14) in contact with the said permeable wall (23), whereby the bottom (26) of the chamber (7) is linked by a tubing system (8) to the steam generator (2).
4. An ironing table according to claim 2, characterised in that the steam diffusion chamber (7) contains a bottom (26) in which is fitted a steam emission nozzle (14) linked by a tubing system (8) to the steam generator (2), whereas the upper part of the chamber (7) is in contact with the said permeable wall (23).
5. An ironing table according to one of the claims 2 to 4, characterised in that the said chamber (7) comprises an electrical heating resistor (27).
6. An ironing table according to one of the claims 2 to 5, characterised in that the said chamber (7) is fixed in relation to the table and fixed more or less at a square to the centre of the ironing surface (5).
7. An ironing table according to one of the claims 2 to 5, characterised in that the said chamber (7) is linked to the generator by a flexible tubing system (8) and can slide parallel to the ironing surface (5).
8. An ironing table according to claim 7, characterised in that it contains user-accessible means to adjust the position of the chamber (7).
9. An ironing table according to claim 8, characterised in that the chamber (7), mounted to slide on two guiding rails (20) comprises a handle (28) enabling the user to move the said chamber (7).
10. An ironing table according to claim 8, characterised in that the diffusion chamber (7) is connected rigidly to a pattern chain (34) mobile round two wheels (35, 36), whereby one of the wheels (35, 36) is driven into rotation by a motor (38) in order to move on two guiding rails (20) the steam diffusion chamber (7) using the said chain (34).
11. An ironing table according to claim 7, characterised in that means have been foreseen to enable the steam emission chamber (7) to follow the movement of the hand iron (1).
12. An ironing table according to claim 10, characterised in that a magnet of average power is located near to the iron sole (1) and is suited to actuate magnetic field sensors (37) arranged along the table, whereas the said sensors (37) control the motor (38) in order to enable the positioning of the steam emission chamber (7) under the hand iron (1).
13. An ironing table according to one of the claims 1 to 12, characterised in that the steam generator (2) can be disconnected from the ironing table and from the hand iron (1), whereby the steam generator comprises fittings (11) enabling to rapidly connect and disconnect the tubing systems (10,8) to and from the steam generator (2).

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