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
  • D06F75/00—Hand irons
  • D06F75/08—Hand irons internally heated by electricity
  • D06F75/10—Hand irons internally heated by electricity with means for supplying steam to the article being ironed
  • D06F75/14—Hand irons internally heated by electricity with means for supplying steam to the article being ironed the steam being produced from water in a reservoir carried by the iron
  • D06F75/18—Hand irons internally heated by electricity with means for supplying steam to the article being ironed the steam being produced from water in a reservoir carried by the iron the water being fed slowly, e.g. drop by drop, from the reservoir to a steam generator

Definitions

• the present invention relates to steam irons in which the water supplied by a reservoir is vaporized almost instantaneously in a vaporization chamber, and which comprises means for cleaning the interior of this chamber.
• These means consist of a relatively large opening made in the bottom of the internal water tank through which one can quickly empty said tank directly into the vaporization chamber, thus causing a jet of water and steam which purges the iron.
• the bottom of the reservoir comprises on the one hand an orifice provided with a device for adjusting the flow rate of the water falling on the bottom of the chamber where it is vaporized, d 'other hand a large orifice independent of the first and whose opening can be ordered separately.
• This type of arrangement has the disadvantage of occupying a lot of space in the iron, which limits the design possibilities and the optimization of the volume of the tank, doubles the orders and consequently increases the costs.
• Patent FR2287549 shows an iron having a single control for regulating the vaporization and for ensuring cleaning.
• the bottom of the tank has an orifice provided with a needle which regulates the flow during spraying.
• the needle can be fully raised to ensure greater flow and cleaning of the iron.
• the maximum passage section is limited by the dimensions of the needle which cannot be very large, having to regulate a low flow rate. As a result, the self-cleaning function is not as effective as one would like.
• Patent DE4412825 shows an iron with a removable drip device.
• the needle seat is mounted on a tube which obstructs the opening of the tank, an opening of which the section is large. This removability can be used to clean the drip device, but also to purge the hot iron.
• the self-cleaning operation is delicate because with one hand you have to keep the iron hot, while removing the drip device from the other.
• the seal ensuring the seal between the reservoir and the vaporization chamber encloses the tube, which requires a large clearance stroke to ensure self-cleaning of the iron.
• the needle of the needle rests directly on a part of the tube in the form of seat, but which does not have the flexibility of a joint and is prone to wear and defect of sealing.
• Patent DE3405465 shows a drip device, the rod of which can be progressively raised to ensure the vaporization rate through a first orifice formed in a module concentric with the rod. Beyond the maximum spraying stroke, the rod can continue to be raised. Then the module which closes a larger orifice concentric with the first is raised. This frees up a large section of water passage to the vaporization chamber and ensures the cleaning of the iron.
• the device especially designed to prevent deposits on the drip device has unsophisticated lateral seals.
• the object of the invention below is to provide a steam iron equipped with a device combining on a same axis and with the same control a drip device and a self-cleaning function and which does not have the drawbacks. supra.
• an instant steam steam iron comprising a water tank, a vaporization chamber and a drip device having an axially displaced rod whose total stroke includes a first stroke ensuring the vaporization flow through the orifice of a module and a second stroke moving the module by opening a larger orifice for the passage of water from the reservoir to the vaporization chamber characterized in that the seal between the reservoir , the module and the vaporization chamber is provided by a first compressed seal, and in that the seal between the rod and the module is provided by a second compressed seal, the two seals being parts of one and the same elastomer part carried by the module.
• the spray control is accessible from the hand that supports the iron. With the same control you can adjust the flow rate and you can also, by pushing the control fully, run an iron cleaning. The other hand remains available for better operational safety.
• the two seals being connected in one piece, their manufacture and assembly are simultaneous which is a source of savings.
• the part constituting the two seals carries the orifice for the flow of vaporization water.
• the elastomer orifice is less sensitive to scaling and more easily cleaned by the needle needle.
• the part constituting the two seals connects them continuously and tightly.
• Figure 1 is a longitudinal view of an iron according to the invention, in partial section of the front of the iron.
• Figure 2 is a partial longitudinal section of the iron in the drip region.
• Figure 3 is a detail view in section of the drip.
• FIGS. 4a to 4d are a series of four sectional views of the drip in different adjustment positions.
• FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the drip control.
• the steam iron 1 comprises a reservoir 2 in two main parts 21, 22, and having a filling orifice 23 closed by a cover 24, a heating body 3 provided with an element heating 31, a vaporization chamber 32 in the heating body 3 being closed by a plate 33, a thin sole 34 in thermal contact with the heating body 3 materializing the surface in contact with the fabric during ironing.
• Distribution channels 35 and steam holes 36 in the heating body 3 and the soleplate 34 evacuate the steam on the laundry.
• the closing plate 33 is pierced with a hole 330 ( Figures 2 and 3) in the axis of a drip device through which the water to be vaporized is introduced into the vaporization chamber 32.
• the drip device is housed in a chimney formed by parts 21, 22 of the tank.
• the seal between the reservoir carrying the drip and the closure plate 33 is ensured by a compressed joint 25 between the parts 22 and 33.
• the drip device comprises a rod 4 biased downwards by a spring 9, a control 6 moving the rod 4 axially, a module 5 biased downwards by a spring 7 which is less hard than the previous one.
• the rod 4 has over a part of its length a U 41 perpendicular to its axis. This axis introduced into a groove 210 of the reservoir, ensures the immobilization of the rod 4 in rotation.
• the upper end 42 of the rod 4 is bent to rest on a cam 61 of the control 6.
• a washer 10 constitutes with a seal 11 the support of the spring 9 on the tank part 21 while a split washer 8 secured to the rod 4 constitutes its support on the rod 4.
• the washer 8 also serves to support the spring 7.
• the control 6 better visible in FIG. 5 is a button which can turn on pins 62.
• the journal axis intersects the axis of the rod 4 at an oblique and the cam 61 is drawn accordingly.
• the cam 61 has a crenellated surface 610 which lifts the rod by its end 42 with a first slope and a second smooth surface 611 in the continuity of the first surface lifting the rod along a second slope steeper than the first.
• the slots allow the rod 4 to be held in the position where it has been raised while the smooth surface 611 does not allow the position to be held when the user releases the command.
• a cylindrical piece of elastomer 52 is fixed to the end of the module. This part 52 is pierced with a calibrated orifice 520 and constitutes an elastomer seat compressed by the rounded end of the rod 4 pushed by the spring 9. The seal is thus ensured between the reservoir and the part 51 of the module likewise between the tank and the orifice 520 supplying the vaporization chamber.
• a slightly conical extension 44 of the rod 4 passes through the orifice 520 and ensures its cleaning at each maneuver while allowing a gradual opening of the passage in the orifice 520 when the rod 4 is raised.
• the outside of the elastomer part pushed down by the spring 7 constitutes on its peripheral circular end a seal which is pressed by compressing on a seat 221 of the lower part 22 of the reservoir.
• the elastomer part obstructs an orifice 220 concentric with the orifice 520 but of much larger section. Sealing is thus ensured between the reservoir and the part 51 of the module as well as between the reservoir and the orifice 220 supplying the vaporization chamber 32.
• the part 52 is continuous and in one piece between the seat of the rod 4, the bearing on the seat 221 of the part 22 and the orifice 520, so that the seal produced by construction on the part 51 of the module is not critical, no leakage towards the chamber 32 being able to occur between the range of the rod 4 and the range on the seat 221.
• the piece 52 of LSR silicone elastomer (LSR is used for Liquid Silicon Rubber) has a hardness of the order of 50 Shores.
• the orifice 520 for the vaporization water has a diameter of the order of
• the end of the rod 4 rests on a conical seat of the part 52 whose angle at the top is approximately 60 ° allowing good support of the edges on the part 51 of the module 5.
• the flow orifice 220 of the self-cleaning water has a diameter of the order of 5 millimeters.
• the part 52 rests on a conical seat 221 whose angle at the top is of the order of 75 ° for good centering and good compression of the part 52 under the action of the spring 7.
• the rod 4 rests on its seat on a zone higher than the bearing zone of the elastomer part 52 on the cone 221. From this arrangement it follows that the part 52 is everywhere compressed at rest under the action of the springs.
• the water contained in the tank 2 enters the chimney containing the device drop by drop through an opening 222.
• Figure 4c shows the maximum position of the drip when the iron vaporizes at full speed continuously. This position is the end of spraying stroke.
• the extension 44 of the rod 4 has completely cleared the orifice 520 and the water flows at maximum speed towards the vaporization chamber.
• the lip 53 of the module 5 is at one end of the groove 43 of the rod 4 while the upper end 42 of the rod 4 is at the limit of the surfaces 610 and 611 of the cam 61.
• the slope of the surface 611 of the cam being steeper than that of the surface 610, the control hardens when it is desired to do a self-cleaning of the iron, and this action cannot be obtained by error.
• This steep slope has the advantage of facilitating the return by the spring 9 to the normal spraying position. The user just has to release the control to stop the self-cleaning.

Landscapes

• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Textile Engineering (AREA)
• Irons (AREA)
• Lift Valve (AREA)
• Cleaning By Liquid Or Steam (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=8854173

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (7)

Families Citing this family (6)

Citations (3)

Family Cites Families (11)

• 2000
  • 2000-09-12 FR FR0011562A patent/FR2813894B1/fr not_active Expired - Fee Related
• 2001
  • 2001-09-11 JP JP2002527371A patent/JP2004508855A/ja active Pending
  • 2001-09-11 US US10/380,268 patent/US6725586B2/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 2001-09-11 CN CN01815436A patent/CN1454270A/zh active Pending
  • 2001-09-11 AU AU2002222373A patent/AU2002222373A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2001-09-11 WO PCT/IB2001/002531 patent/WO2002022939A2/fr active Application Filing
  • 2001-09-11 EP EP01984659A patent/EP1317575A2/de not_active Withdrawn

Patent Citations (3)

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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