Classifications

• • D—TEXTILES; PAPER
  • D06—TREATMENT OF TEXTILES OR THE LIKE; LAUNDERING; FLEXIBLE MATERIALS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • D06F—LAUNDERING, DRYING, IRONING, PRESSING OR FOLDING TEXTILE ARTICLES
  • D06F81/00—Ironing boards 
  • D06F81/02—Ironing boards  with collapsible underframe
  • D06F81/04—Ironing boards  with collapsible underframe with means for adjusting height

Definitions

• the present invention relates to an improved folding ironing board.
• Folding ironing boards are well known consisting of a top on which actual ironing occurs and below which legs are fitted; these legs are articulated in various manners to each other so that they can be opened when needed and can be closed so as to be practically included in the top when the ironing board is stored.
• the legs open either automatically by gravity or by acting on an appropriate locking mechanism.
• the user grips the top and lifts it, arranging it horizontally, and the legs automatically unfold.
• the legs are associated in pairs and are articulated to each other substantially at the central region, so that during the unfolding they arrange themselves in an X-shaped configuration; moreover, one of the pairs is rotatably articulated, in an upward region, to the lower face of the top, while the other one can be rigidly coupled by inserting a cross-member which joins the pair of legs in a series of appropriate pairs of teeth designed to adapt the height of the top to the height of the user.
• said mechanism usually consists of a bar which is arranged longitudinally and is rigidly coupled below the top; a loose collar slides on the bar and acts as a vise which is actuated by means of a lever arranged on one side of the top; in practice, by actuating said lever the vise is released and the legs can unfold, as in the preceding case, by gravity; once unfolding has been completed until the intended height has been reached, the lever is released and the vise keeps the legs in the unfolded configuration and maintains the worktop at the intended height.
• the maneuver for unfolding the legs is energy-intensive and scarcely ergonomic due to the actions that the user must perform.
• Document EP-A- 0 686 722 discloses a collapsible ironing board having features set forth in the preamble of claim 1.
• the aim of the present invention is to solve the above-cited problems of the prior art by providing an improved folding ironing board which is easily maneuverable and has a stress resistant structure.
• a folding ironing board comprising: a worktop, two pairs of legs for resting on the ground which are mutually articulated to and below said worktop, a bracket-like means being interposed between at least one of said pairs of legs and said worktop, and a guide in which one end of said bracket-like means is engageable.
• the folding ironing board further comprises friction means which can be locked in a preset position interposed between said pairs of legs and said worktop and guide actuation means, said guide being formed by consecutive transverse sectors, and one end of said guide being articulated to the lower face of said worktop with interposed said guide actuation means.
• 1 designates an improved folding ironing board which comprises a conventional worktop 2 below which two pairs of legs 3 and 4 for resting on the ground are articulated.
• the pairs of legs 3 and 4 are mutually articulated at 5 to the worktop 2, with friction means 6 interposed which can be locked in a preset position.
• a bracket-like means 7 is further interposed between one of the pairs of legs, specifically the pair 3 that is considered as being the front pair; one end of the bracket-like means can be engaged in a guide 8 formed by consecutive transverse sectors 8a, one end of which is in turn articulated to the lower face 2a of the worktop 2 with actuation means 9 interposed.
• the friction means 6 are constituted by at least one pair of cylindrical rings 10a, 10b, each of which is rigidly fitted to the respective upper end of the corresponding leg 3 and 4; both of the rings are further coaxially keyed on the pivot 12 that constitutes the articulation point 5 and can be mutually clamped tangentially in a rotational direction through screw means 13 which can be actuated from outside.
• These screw means are constituted by a handle 14 provided with a coupling 15 which can be screwed onto the threaded end of the articulation pivot 12 and can be gradually tightened against the nearby ring 10a.
• the bracket-like means 7 is constituted, in the preferred embodiment of the board 1 shown in the drawings, by two struts 16 which are parallel and have corresponding ends 16a which are articulated to a median region of the leg 3 considered as the front leg and opposite ends 16b which are provided with a cross-member 17 which can be inserted in one of the transverse sectors 8a of the guide 8.
• the means 9 for actuating the guide are constituted by a second handle 18 which is fitted so as to rotate rigidly with the pivot 19 for the articulation of the guide 8 to the lower face 2a of the worktop 2 and is adapted to move the guide alternately into a position in which it engages the cross-member 17 or into a position in which it disengages it.
• the ironing board 1 is arranged in the configuration for use in the usual manner, i.e. by opening out the pairs of legs 3 and 4.
• the opening is controlled by the friction means 6 so that it cannot occur violently, endangering the stability of the board 1.
• the friction can be adjusted by tightening or loosening the handle 14, i.e. by mutually clamping the rings 10a and 10b according to the requirements.
• the second handle 18 is operated; by means of the handle, the guide 8 is moved so as to engage one of the sectors 8a with the cross-member 17, thus locking the configuration that has been achieved.
• the handle 14 can be tightened further, thus completely preventing the mutual rotation of the rings 10a and 10b.
• the legs 3 and 4 are released and, by rotating about the articulation 5, can be folded against the lower face 2a of the worktop 2 and optionally locked again in this position by tightening the handle 14 again; in this way the ironing board 1 can be carried without risking of unfolding it accidentally, colliding uncontrollably with whatever is nearby.

Landscapes

• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Textile Engineering (AREA)
• Irons (AREA)
• Cartons (AREA)
• Table Devices Or Equipment (AREA)
• Wrappers (AREA)
• Auxiliary Devices For And Details Of Packaging Control (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (3)

Family

ID=11386823

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (4)

Families Citing this family (1)

Family Cites Families (3)

• 1999
  • 1999-02-18 IT IT1999MO000007U patent/IT248490Y1/it active
• 2000
  • 2000-02-14 AT AT00102248T patent/ATE265568T1/de not_active IP Right Cessation
  • 2000-02-14 EP EP00102248A patent/EP1029969B1/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 2000-02-14 DE DE60010149T patent/DE60010149T2/de not_active Expired - Fee Related

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