EP1319743A2

EP1319743A2 - Ironing Apparatus

Info

Publication number: EP1319743A2
Application number: EP02027895A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Luciano Scian; Nicola Bedeschi
Original assignee: De Longhi SpA
Current assignee: De Longhi SpA
Priority date: 2001-12-17
Filing date: 2002-12-13
Publication date: 2003-06-18
Also published as: ITUD20010212A1; EP1319743A3

Abstract

Ironing apparatus comprising at least an ironing board (11), which comprises distribution holes (20) able to distribute air and/or steam, and/or suction holes (21) able to suck in air and/or steam. First connection elements (16) are provided to selectively connect the distribution holes (20), and/or the suction holes (21), to apparatuses to deliver air and/or steam, and/or to apparatuses able to generate a suction flow (14).

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention concerns an ironing apparatus comprising an ironing board with which it is possible to selectively carry out not only the usual ironing operations but also other different auxiliary operations in order to improve the ironing. The ironing board is provided with elements able to deliver and/or suck in air and/or steam and is provided with connection elements to associate it with conventional apparatuses to generate steam, such as for example those used to clean rooms, or with a boiler in an iron, an air conditioning device or suchlike. The ironing board can also be provided with heating elements fed electrically or by steam.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

It is known an ironing apparatus comprising an ironing board provided on an upper surface with a plurality of holes from which pressurized steam, produced by a boiler stably associated with the ironing board itself, is made to emerge.
This conventional apparatus allows to perform limited ironing functions and is not able to satisfy more recent requirements, especially those connected with ironing clothing or household linen which are very different from each other, both in shape and in the type of fabric.
The Applicant has devised and embodied the present invention to overcome the shortcomings of the state of the art and to obtain further advantages.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is set forth and characterized essentially in the main claim, while the dependent claims describe other innovative characteristics of the present invention.
One purpose of the present invention is to embody an ironing apparatus which is multi-functional, that is to say, with which it is possible to obtain simultaneously, simply and economically, a plurality of functions to be chosen according to the garment to be ironed.
Another purpose of the present invention is to achieve an ironing apparatus which can be used as chosen, in association with other apparatuses of a conventional type, such as for example cleaning appliances which use steam, or vacuum cleaners, exploiting the accessories already accompanying such apparatuses.
In accordance with these purposes, an ironing apparatus according to the present invention comprises an ironing board, provided with distribution means able to distribute air and/or steam, and/or suction means able to suck in air and/or steam. First connection means are also provided to selectively connect said distribution means, and/or said suction means, to means to deliver air and/or steam, and/or to means sucking in air and/or steam.
The first connection means advantageously comprise unions and connectors, positioned for example on the edges or on the lower side of the ironing board and able to couple with corresponding second connection means of an apparatus to deliver steam and/or air and/or with corresponding second connection means of an apparatus sucking in air and/or steam.
In a preferential form of embodiment, the upper surface of the ironing board is provided with holes, slits or fissures able to allow the air and/or steam to emerge, or the air and/or steam to be sucked in.
According to a variant, the upper wall of the ironing board consists of a layer permeable to air and/or steam, such as for example a sheet with micro-holes.
In this way the steam and/or air is selectively delivered and/or sucked in, homogeneously, from or onto the ironing board.
In another embodiment, the connection means of the ironing board are connected with corresponding connection means of an apparatus for air conditioning. Hot air is homogeneously ventilated through the holes onto the surface of the ironing board, in order to accelerate the drying of any garments which might still be damp, and any excess damp air is sucked in which might possibly be present on the surface of the ironing board.
The ironing apparatus according to the present invention also comprises, in a preferential embodiment, a low-tension electric resistance, which is positioned under the surface of the ironing board, to heat it and thus to further accelerate the drying of the garments.
The ironing board is advantageously provided with electric connection means, such as electric cables, sockets and pins, to feed the resistance and, possibly, the auxiliary external apparatuses as mentioned above.
By means of the apparatus according to the present invention it is possible to achieve a high number of combinations of operations according to the apparatuses which are used and connected to the ironing board.
In this case, when an electric iron is used, the ironing board can be connected to an apparatus to generate steam or only the resistance can be used.
On the contrary, in another case, when a steam iron is used, the ironing apparatus advantageously also comprises a three-way valve, to which the connection means are connected respectively of an external apparatus to deliver the steam, of the board and of the iron. In this way, by activating this valve, it is possible for example to selectively deliver the steam to the iron and/or the ironing board.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other characteristics of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of a preferential form of embodiment, given as a non-restrictive example with reference to the attached drawings wherein:

fig. 1 is a three-dimensional view from above of an apparatus according to the present invention in accordance with a first preferential form of embodiment;
fig. 2 is a view from above, in section, of the ironing board in fig. 1;
fig. 3 is a three-dimensional view from above in accordance with a first variant of fig. 1;
fig. 4 is a three-dimensional view from above in accordance with a second variant of fig. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERENTIAL FORM OF EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

With reference to figs. 1 and 2, an ironing apparatus 10 comprises an ironing board 11, a connector 16 to deliver steam and a connector 17 to suck in air.
These connectors 16 and 17 are arranged on an outer edge of the ironing board 11 and can be connected to corresponding connectors 36 and 37 of an apparatus 14 to suck in air and deliver steam of a conventional type, such as for example of the type described in the Italian patent application UD99A000116 in the name of the present Applicant.
The ironing apparatus 10 also comprises a shelf 18 attached to the end of the ironing board 11 on which the apparatus 14 is positioned.
The upper surface of the ironing board 11 is provided with a first plurality of delivery holes or fissures 20 through which the steam is able to emerge, and a second plurality of suction holes or fissures 21, able to allow the air to be sucked in by the apparatus 14.
The delivery holes 20 and the suction holes 21 (figs. 1 and 2) are arranged in alternating parallel rows, in a regular manner, and are associated with corresponding holes 20a and 21a made in delivery pipes 12 and suction pipes 13, arranged in a comb-like manner. The pipes 12 and 13 are connected respectively to the connectors 16 and 17.
In a simpler solution, the upper surface of the ironing board is provided only with suction holes 21 or delivery holes 20.
The apparatus 10 also comprises a low-tension electric resistance 40 arranged below, and directly in contact, with the ironing surface of the ironing board 11 and able to heat said surface. The resistance 40 is connected to an electric cable 41 and can be energized independently of the delivery of steam.
The ironing board 11 can also be equipped with an electric socket 39 connected to the cable 41, so as to possibly connect electrically the apparatus 14 to suck in air and deliver steam.
The apparatus 14 can also be arranged distant from the ironing board 11. In this case delivery and suction pipes are provided to connect the apparatus 14 respectively to the connectors 16 and 17 of the ironing board 11.
According to a first variant (fig. 3), when a steam iron 25 is used, the apparatus 14 can deliver the steam to the iron 25 too. In this case, the iron 25 is provided with a flexible pipe 26 connected to the connector 16 which delivers steam. A three-way valve 27, of a conventional type, is advantageously connected to the flexible pipe 26, the pipe 12 to deliver steam and the connector 16, in order to selectively distribute the steam to one and/or the other of the pipes.
When the steam delivered by the iron 25 is used, the suction of the air on the ironing board 11 is not activated, to prevent the steam from being sucked in through the suction holes 21 immediately after it has come out from the holes 20 and thus losing its efficacy.
According to another variant (fig. 4), instead of to the apparatus 14 to deliver steam and suck in air, the ironing apparatus 10 can be connected to an air conditioning apparatus 50, comprising a hot air fan and a damp air aspirator. The conditioning apparatus 50 is provided with pipes 51 and 52 by means of which it is connected to the connector 16 of the ironing board 11, in order to ventilate hot air and heat garments still possibly wet or damp which have to be ironed, and to the connector 17, in order to suck in the damp air which may have formed in the ironing zone.
It is clear however that modifications and/or additions of parts may be made to the ironing apparatus 10 as described heretofore, but these shall remain within the field and scope of the present invention.
It is also clear that, although the present invention has been described with reference to specific examples, a person of skill shall certainly be able to achieve many other equivalent forms of ironing apparatus, all of which shall come within the field of protection of the present invention.

Claims

Ironing apparatus comprising at least an ironing board (11), characterized in that said ironing board (11) comprises distribution means (20) able to distribute air and/or steam, and/or suction means (21) able to suck in air and/or steam, and in that first connection means (16, 17) are provided to selectively connect said distribution means (20), and/or said suction means (21), to means to deliver air and/or steam, and/or to means able to generate a suction flow (14, 50).
Ironing apparatus as in claim 1, characterized in that said first connection means (17) are able to be associated with corresponding second connection means (37) of an apparatus (14) to suck in air and/or steam.
Ironing apparatus as in claim 1, characterized in that said first connection means (16) are able to be associated with corresponding second connection means (36) of an apparatus (14) to deliver air and/or steam.
Ironing apparatus as in any claim hereinbefore, characterized in that said distribution means comprise a first plurality of holes (20) and said suction means comprise a second plurality of holes (21).
Ironing apparatus as in claim 4, characterized in that said first plurality of holes (20) and said second plurality of holes (21) are made on an outer surface of said ironing board (11) and are connected to distribution pipes (12) and respectively suction pipes (13) of air and/or steam.
Ironing apparatus as in any claim hereinbefore, characterized in that said first connection means (16, 17) are able to be associated with corresponding third connection means (51, 52) of an air conditioning apparatus (50).
Ironing apparatus as in claim 3, characterized in that it also comprises a flexible pipe (26) connected to a steam iron (25) and a three-way valve (27) connected to said first connection means (16), to said second connection means (36) and to said flexible pipe (26) in order to selectively distribute the steam to said ironing board (11) and/or to said steam iron (25).
Ironing apparatus as in any claim hereinbefore, characterized in that it comprises a shelf (18) on which said means to deliver air and/or steam or said means able to generate a suction flow (14, 50) are able to be located.
Ironing apparatus as in any claim hereinbefore, characterized in that it also comprises an electric resistance (40) arranged below and directly in contact with said ironing board (11) and connected to electric conduction means (41).
Ironing apparatus as in any claim hereinbefore, characterized in that said ironing board (11) is provided with electric connection means (39) to electrically connect said means to deliver air and/or steam or said means able to generate a suction flow (14, 50).