EP1607517A1 - Iron with specially shaped handle - Google Patents

Abstract

The iron has a body surmounting a soleplate, and a handle (3) with an upper surface forming a support surface for the palm of a user hand. The handle has two lateral walls (32) extending from the upper surface up to the body. The walls include a gripping zone (32a) for receiving an end of the fingers of the hand. The walls are parallel or slightly convergent, and the width of the handle at the zone is greater than 5 centimeter.

Description

The present invention relates to an iron and more particularly to an iron with a handle of particular shape.

Most irons have a cylindrical handle extending along the longitudinal axis of the iron and allowing the gripping of the iron by the input following a grip "hammer" of the handle. Such a catch "hammer", however, has the disadvantage of being relatively tiring when the ironing time is prolonged, causing a tension in the fingers and forearm. Handles with hammer grip also present disadvantage of allowing only limited freedom of movement of the hand by compared to the handle, which does not allow the user to change posture to reduce fatigue

It is known from WO 01/92631 an iron provided with a handle multidirectional ball-shaped. However, such a handle presents the disadvantage of generating a closed position of the fingers that leads also to a tension of the latter over time. This document discloses also an elongated handle whose convex upper face is adapted to receive the palm and occasionally the index of the hand for actuate a button, the handle being elevated relative to the iron body of so that it results a space under the handle adapted to receive the fingertips of the hand when the user grasps the handle. However, the small width of the handle and the space under it promote a closed position of the hand, like a "hammer", which leads to a clenching of the hand.

It is also known from DE 27 12 805 an iron having a semi-elliptical shaped handle with rounded edges the advantage of offering greater flexibility in the choice of the posture of the user by allowing the gripping of the handle in different directions. However, such a handle has the disadvantage of not allowing a good grip of the iron, especially to lift the iron, the hand having tendency to slide forward of the iron when pressure is applied to edges of the handle.

Also, an object of the present invention is to remedy these disadvantages by providing an iron with a multidirectional handle whose formed is optimized to offer very good ergonomics.

For this purpose, the subject of the invention is an iron with a body surmounting a sole and a handle forming a protuberance on the body iron, characterized in that the handle comprises a top surface forming a bearing surface for the palm and the first knuckles of the index finger and middle finger of the hand, the handle having two side walls extending from the upper surface of the handle to the body of the iron, the walls lateral parts comprising a gripping zone, intended to receive preferably the end of the other fingers of the hand when the palm rests on the surface at the level of which the side walls are substantially parallel to each other or weakly convergent, the width of the handle at level of the gripping zones being greater than 5 cm.

Such a handle has the advantage of allowing the rest of the palm of the hand on the handle in a relaxed position, the thumb, the ring finger and the little finger grabbing then the handle at the gripping areas without that this does not engender a position too closed of the hand because of the great width of the handle at this point. Finally, the fact that the side walls are substantially parallel or weakly convergent at the level of the zones of grip makes it possible to obtain a good grip of the handle when a pressure is exerted between the thumb and the ring finger.

According to another characteristic of the iron according to the invention, the width of the upper surface is greater than 6 cm and the gripping zones define a recess on the side walls.

Such a characteristic makes it possible to have an upper surface forming a zone comfortable support for the palm of the hand, the recesses allowing as for them to get a better grip of the fingers on the handle, which allows the user to reduce the pressure exerted by the fingers on the walls side for better comfort.

According to yet another characteristic of the invention, the recesses have a slightly concave profile in a plane parallel to the sole and have a more strongly concave profile in a cutting plane transverse to the longitudinal direction of the handle.

Such a characteristic makes it possible to improve the grip of the fingers on the zones gripping the handle during a longitudinal movement of the iron and to obtain good vertical grip of the fingers on the grip areas for lift the iron without overtightening the fingers.

• le rapport longueur/largeur de la surface supérieure de la poignée est compris entre 1,4 et 2,3 et préférentiellement entre 1,7 et 2.
• les renfoncements prennent naissance à proximité de la paroi supérieure et s'étendent sur sensiblement toute la hauteur de la paroi latérale.
• les parois latérales de la poignée s'étendent sur une hauteur supérieure à 3 cm.
• les renfoncements prennent naissance à proximité de l'extrémité avant de la poignée et s'étendent au moins jusqu'à la hauteur longitudinale du centre de gravité du fer.
• le plan médian de la surface supérieure convexe de la poignée est incliné de 15° à 20° vers l'avant du fer.
• la surface supérieure comporte un bord avant présentant une portion sensiblement rectiligne s'étendant transversalement à la direction longitudinale de la poignée et deux bords latéraux convexes faiblement convergents sur la partie avant de la poignée, la partie arrière de la poignée présentant un contour sensiblement elliptique.
• le fer comporte des rebords de protection des doigts débordant latéralement de part et d'autre de la base de la poignée, ces rebords servant de butoir pour les doigts de la main.

According to other particular embodiments, the iron according to the invention may comprise one or more combinations in isolation or in any technically possible combination:

• the length / width ratio of the upper surface of the handle is between 1.4 and 2.3 and preferably between 1.7 and 2.
• the recesses originate near the top wall and extend over substantially the entire height of the side wall.
• the side walls of the handle extend over a height greater than 3 cm.
• the recesses originate near the front end of the handle and extend at least to the longitudinal height of the center of gravity of the iron.
• the median plane of the convex upper surface of the handle is inclined 15 ° to 20 ° towards the front of the iron.
• the upper surface has a leading edge having a substantially rectilinear portion extending transversely to the longitudinal direction of the handle and two convex lateral edges weakly converging on the front portion of the handle, the rear portion of the handle having a substantially elliptical contour.
• the iron has finger protection flanges protruding laterally on either side of the base of the handle, these edges serving as a stop for the fingers of the hand.

• les figures 1 à 4 sont respectivement des vues de dessus, de face, de derrière et de côté d'un fer à repasser selon un mode particulier de réalisation de l'invention ;
• la figure 5 est une vue en coupe selon la ligne V-V de la figure 4, les éléments interne à la poignée n'étant pas représentés,
• la figure 6 est une vue en perspective du fer à repasser des figures 1 à 4,
• la figure 7 est une vue en coupe transversale selon la ligne VII-VII de la figure 1, les éléments internes au fer n'étant pas représentés.

The aims, aspects and advantages of the present invention will be better understood from the description given below of a particular embodiment of the invention presented by way of non-limiting example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in FIG. which :

• Figures 1 to 4 are respectively views from above, front, back and side of an iron according to a particular embodiment of the invention;
• FIG. 5 is a sectional view along the line VV of FIG. 4, the elements internal to the handle not being represented,
• FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the iron of FIGS. 1 to 4;
• Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view along the line VII-VII of Figure 1, the internal iron elements not being shown.

Only the elements necessary for understanding the invention have been represented. To facilitate the reading of the drawings the same elements the same references from one figure to another.

Figures 1 to 4 show a steam iron with a sole 1 heated, surmounted by a body 2 and a handle 3 disposed substantially above the center of the sole 1.

The body 2 has walls 21 converging towards the handle 3 of so that the body 2 forms a dome whose base is adjusted to the contour of the sole 1, and whose top has a truncated and flared portion supporting the handle 3, the latter forming a protuberance on the body 2 iron.

The body 2 of the iron advantageously encloses a reservoir, not shown on the figures, which feeds a vaporization chamber integrated into the sole 1.

According to FIG. 1, the sole 1, which is substantially flat, has a particular shape with three points P1, P2, P3, the tips of front ends P1 and rear P2 being arranged on the longitudinal axis of the iron and the third P3 tip being strongly offset from the longitudinal axis. The sole 1 has, on one side of the longitudinal axis, substantially rectilinear edges extending between the points P1 to P2 and P2 to P3 and on the other side of the axis longitudinal, a strongly convex edge joining points P1 and P2. A such shape of the sole 1 has the advantage of allowing an ironing effective in all directions.

More particularly according to the invention, the handle 3 has a shape general one-piece, similar to a pebble, usually parallelepipedic to rounded edges and polished convex or even concave faces.

Advantageously, the handle 3 is provided with an upper surface 31 convex slightly inclined towards the front of the iron, as this is better visible in FIG. 4. Preferably, the average plane of the surface upper 31 is inclined 15 to 25 ° towards the front of the iron and the surface upper 31 of the handle is slightly convex transversely and more strongly convex longitudinally to fit the curvature of the palm and the fingers of the hand when the latter is in relaxed position. For example, the transverse radius of curvature will be the order of 78 mm and the longitudinal radius of curvature will be of the order of 140 mm.

The upper surface 31 advantageously has a width of between 6 and 9 cm wide, and preferably of the order of 7 cm, as well as a length greater than 10 cm and preferably of the order of 13 cm.

With reference to FIG. 1, the upper surface 31 presents, with a view to above, an outline having a substantially rectilinear front edge 31a of which the ends are connected, by a rounding, to lateral edges 31b weakly convex on the front half of the handle 3, the back half of the handle 3 having a substantially elliptical contour.

The lateral edges 31b and the front edge 31a of the upper surface are extends in the direction of the body 2 of the iron respectively by two walls 32 and a front wall 33. The side walls 32 are advantageously a height of the order of 4 cm and the handle 3 comprises, at base level, a width smaller than the width of the flared top of the body 2 of the iron so that it results on both sides of the handle a flange 4.

These edges 4 serve as a stop for the fingers of the hand when the palm rests on the handle 3 and thus constitute a finger protection guard preventing fingers from accidentally touching the walls hot 21 of the body 2 of the iron.

As best seen in FIGS. 4 and 6, the side walls 32 are provided with a concave recess 32a originating near the front wall 33 of the handle 3, said recesses 32a extending towards the back of the handle on substantially 70% of the length of the wall lateral 32.

These recesses 32a vertically take place near the lateral edges 31b of the upper surface 31 and extend over substantially the entire height of the side wall 32.

According to Figure 5, the recesses 32a have a profile weakly concave in a cutting plane parallel to the sole 1 and a profile more strongly concave in a sectional plane transverse to the iron, visible on the Figure 7. As an example the radius of curvature of the recess 32a concave will be of the order of 190 mm in the plane of parallel cutting to the sole and of the order of 23 mm in the cross sectional plane to the iron.

The width of the handle at the recesses 32a is greater than 5 cm so that when the fingers of the hand and more particularly, the thumb and the end of the little finger and / or the ring finger, rests against these recesses 32a, this does not generate a closed position of the hand.

The iron thus produced has the advantage of having a handle providing great ergonomics and comfort of ironing. Indeed, the form ergonomic upper surface of the handle, convex marrying the hollow of the hand when the latter is in a relaxed position, naturally encourages to rest the palm and the first phalanges of the index and middle finger, or even the ring finger, on the upper surface of the handle, the thumb and the little finger then taking place in the recesses on both sides of the handle without this leading to a position closed by the hand due to the large width of the handle at the recesses.

In such a position of the hand, the slight recesses of the walls side of the handle to improve the grip of the fingers of the hand during a longitudinal or vertical movement of the iron, which allows the user to move the iron without the fingers exerting significant pressure on the side walls of the handle.

Finally, in this position of the hand, most of the weight of the arm rests on the wrist and palm which helps to naturally apply pressure vertically on the handle which is redistributed by the sole on the linen and which helps increase ironing efficiency.

Of course, the user can if he wants to change the setting position, the rounded shape of the handle for orienting the hand differently on the handle while getting similar ergonomics.

Such a handle is thus perfectly adapted to the shape of the sole which Allows ironing in all directions. The handle also presents the advantage of being symmetrical about its longitudinal axis, which allows to obtain the same comfort for a right-handed or left-handed person.

Of course, the invention is not limited to the embodiment described and illustrated which has been given only as an example. Modifications remain possible, particularly from the point of view of the constitution of the various elements or by substituting technical equivalents, without leaving the domain protection of the invention.

Claims (10)

Iron having a body (2) surmounting a sole (1) and a handle (3) forming a protrusion on the body (2) of the iron, characterized in that the handle (3) comprises an upper surface (31) forming a bearing surface for the palm and the first phalanges of the forefinger and middle finger of the hand, said handle (3) having two sidewalls (32) extending from the upper surface (31) of the handle (3). ) to the body (2) of the iron, said side walls (32) having a gripping area (32a) for receiving preferably the end of the other fingers of the hand when the palm rests on the upper surface (31). ), at which the side walls (32) are substantially parallel to each other or weakly convergent, the width of the handle (3) at said gripping areas (32a) being greater than 5 cm. Iron according to claim 1, characterized in that the width of the upper surface (31) is greater than 6 cm and in that the gripping areas define a recess (32a) on said side walls (32). Iron according to claim 2, characterized in that said recesses (32a) have a slightly concave profile in a sectional plane parallel to the sole (1) and more strongly concave in a cutting plane transverse to the longitudinal direction of the handle (3). Iron according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the length / width ratio of the upper surface (31) of the handle (3) is between 1.4 and 2.3 and preferably between 1 , 7 and 2. Iron according to any one of claims 2 to 4, characterized in that the recesses (32a) originate near the upper wall (31) and extend over substantially the entire height of the side wall (32) . Iron according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the side walls (32) of the handle extend over a height greater than 3 cm. Iron according to any one of claims 2 to 6, characterized in that the recesses (32a) originate near the front end of the handle and extend at least up to the longitudinal height of the center of iron gravity. Iron according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the median plane of the convex upper surface (31) of the handle is inclined from 15 ° to 20 ° towards the front of the iron. Iron according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the upper surface (31) has a front edge (31a) having a substantially rectilinear portion extending transversely to the longitudinal direction of the handle (3). and two convex side edges weakly converging on the front portion of the handle (3), the rear portion of the handle (3) having a substantially elliptical contour. Iron according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that it comprises flanges (4) for protecting the fingers protruding laterally on either side of the base of the handle (3), said flanges (4) serving as a bumper for the fingers of the hand.

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