EP1651808B1 - Iron with a vertical crease-smoothing function - Google Patents

Abstract

An iron comprising a sole plate and a heating body (2) provided with a heating element (201), wherein the heating body (2) includes a first steam chamber (210) used for ordinary ironing, and a second steam chamber (220) used to provide extra steam when the iron is in a horizontal position, or a steam jet when the iron is in a vertical position, and liquid is supplied to said second steam chamber (220) by means of a pump manually operated by the user and combined with a steam circuit (223) ending in a set of vapour outlets in the sole plate, characterised in that when the iron is held in a vertical position, the second steam chamber (220) operates as a boiler-type steam generator, and in that when the iron is in said vertical position, the shape of the second steam chamber (220) is such that the liquid injected by the pump can be retained prior to vaporisation.

Description

The present invention relates to irons having two separate water vaporization chambers. The invention relates more particularly to irons having a first vaporization chamber used for the current ironing and a second vaporization chamber used to obtain a surplus of steam when the iron is in a horizontal position and to produce a steam jet when the iron is in a vertical position.

Many documents are known, and in particular the patent US 4,091,551 , Irons comprising two water vaporization chambers, the first chamber being used in conventional ironing mode and the second chamber being used in surplus vapor mode, said steam. In the latter mode, which is particularly useful for stripping difficult spots of a fabric to be ironed, water is injected, usually by means of a piston pump, into the second spray chamber where it is sprayed brutally. under pressure before escaping through a steam circuit that leads to a steam outlet generally concentrated in a lower area of the sole.

Such irons have a second vaporization chamber, instantaneous type, which however has the disadvantage of allowing only a jet of steam of very short duration when the iron is used in a vertical position. In fact, the small volume of water injected by the pump, generally less than 1 ml, is immediately vaporized in contact with the superheated vaporization chamber, thus causing a strong increase in pressure and a jet of steam exiting the sole during about a quarter of a second.

Thus, in order to obtain steam for a sufficiently long time to carry out vertical steaming, the user is obliged to regularly actuate the piston pump so as to obtain a succession of short-lived steam jets. Not only is this manipulation tedious for the user, but in addition the different actuations of the pump can be made too close together because the pressure in the vaporization chamber is very important at the time of the vaporization of the water. It follows that it is painful and difficult to obtain, with such irons, a steam jet occurring substantially continuously over several seconds when the iron is used in a vertical position.

The following invention aims to overcome these disadvantages.

The object of the invention is achieved by an iron having a sole and a heating body provided with a heating element, the heating body comprising a first vaporization chamber used for the current ironing and a second vaporization chamber used to obtain a surplus of steam when the iron is in a horizontal position or a jet of steam when the iron is in the vertical position, the second vaporization chamber being supplied with liquid by means of a user-operated manual pump and being associated with a vapor circuit terminating in a set of steam ports in the soleplate, characterized in that the second vaporization chamber operates as a boiling type steam generator when the iron is held vertically and in that position vertical iron, the second vaporization chamber has a shape adapted to retain the liquid injected by the pump before its vapo authorization.

Such a characteristic makes it possible to obtain an iron producing, in a vertical position, a jet of vapor lasting much longer than the irons of the prior art in which the second vaporization chamber is of the instantaneous vaporization type.

According to another characteristic of the invention, the second vaporization chamber has a shape such that its heat exchange surface between the injected liquid and its walls is lower when the iron is in the vertical position than when the iron is in the horizontal position. .

This characteristic makes it possible to obtain an iron in which the steam generated by the second vaporization chamber is produced over a longer period when the iron is held vertically than when the iron rests horizontally.

According to another characteristic of the invention, the second vaporization chamber is delimited by at least one wall whose shape and thickness are such that, in operation, the thermal energy stored in this wall is greater towards the front. from the sole to the back of the sole.

Such a characteristic makes it possible to limit the amount of energy stored in the walls of the lower part of the vaporization chamber when the iron is held vertically, so as to obtain a slow vaporization in this position. Conversely, a greater amount of energy is stored in the walls of the vaporization chamber located towards the front of the iron, which makes it possible to obtain a faster vaporization of the liquid injected into the second vaporization chamber when the iron rests horizontally.

According to another characteristic of the invention, the thickness of the lower wall of the second vaporization chamber is greater towards the front of the sole than toward the rear of the sole:

According to another characteristic of the invention, the second vaporization chamber comprises a side wall close to the heating element which is at least locally isolated from the heating body by an air knife.

Such a characteristic makes it possible to reduce the thermal conduction between the side wall of the second vaporization chamber and the heating element so as to lower the temperature of this wall.

According to yet another characteristic of the invention, the second vaporization chamber is delimited by side walls connected to lower and upper walls arranged parallel to the sole, the side wall closest to the front of the iron having an opening connecting the second vaporization chamber to the steam circuit.

Such a characteristic makes it possible to prevent the liquid injected into the second vaporization chamber from flowing outside this chamber before it is vaporized.

According to yet another characteristic of the invention, the opening of the side wall comprises a calibrated passage section for braking the flow of steam. leaving the second spray chamber.

According to yet another characteristic of the invention, the opening comprises an insert of plastic material or rubber which determines the passage section.

According to yet another characteristic of the invention, the insert comprises a cylindrical portion extending towards the inside of the vaporization chamber.

• la température des parois de la deuxième chambre de vaporisation est inférieure à 150°C ;
• le volume de la deuxième chambre de vaporisation correspond à plusieurs fois le volume de liquide injecté par la pompe à chaque sollicitation de l'utilisateur ;
• la deuxième chambre de vaporisation comporte une paroi inférieure, disposée parallèlement à la semelle, comportant des éléments en saillie augmentant la surface d'échange avec le liquide injecté dans la chambre lorsque le fer repose horizontalement sur sa semelle ;
• le volume de la deuxième chambre de vaporisation est de l'ordre de 5 ml et le volume de liquide injecté par la pompe à chaque sollicitation est de l'ordre de 1 ml.

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 temperature of the walls of the second vaporization chamber is less than 150 ° C;
• the volume of the second vaporization chamber corresponds to several times the volume of liquid injected by the pump at each request of the user;
• the second vaporization chamber comprises a lower wall, arranged parallel to the sole, having projecting elements increasing the exchange surface with the liquid injected into the chamber when the iron rests horizontally on its sole;
• the volume of the second vaporization chamber is of the order of 5 ml and the volume of liquid injected by the pump at each loading is of the order of 1 ml.

• la figure 1 est une vue éclatée en perspective d'un ensemble de semelle de fer selon un mode particulier de réalisation de l'invention ;
• la figure 2 est une vue en perspective agrandie du corps chauffant de la semelle du fer de la figure 1 ;
• la figure 3 est une vue de dessus du corps chauffant de la figure 2 illustrant l'injection d'eau dans la deuxième chambre de vaporisation lorsque le fer est tenu verticalement ;
• la figure 4 est une vue similaire à la figure 2 d'un second mode de réalisation du corps chauffant de la semelle du fer selon l'invention;
• la figure 5 est une vue de dessus du corps chauffant de la figure 4 illustrant l'injection d'eau dans la deuxième chambre de vaporisation lorsque le fer est tenu verticalement

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 which :

• the figure 1 is an exploded perspective view of an iron sole assembly according to a particular embodiment of the invention;
• the figure 2 is an enlarged perspective view of the heating body of the iron sole of the figure 1 ;
• the figure 3 is a top view of the heating body of the figure 2 illustrating the injection of water into the second vaporization chamber when the iron is held vertically;
• the figure 4 is a view similar to the figure 2 a second embodiment of the heating body of the iron soleplate according to the invention;
• the figure 5 is a top view of the heating body of the figure 4 illustrating the injection of water into the second vaporization chamber when the iron is held vertically

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

In a first embodiment of the invention, the steam iron, pointed at the front, comprises a set of soles visible at the figure 1 . This assembly conventionally located above the water reservoir of the iron includes a soleplate 1, a heating body 2, a closure plate 3 and another closure plate 4.

The sole is made of pressed sheet to have the raised edges 100, the substantially flat bottom face being the ironing face.

The heating body 2, comprising a resistive element 201 bent horseshoe, adapts in a known manner to the inner face 101 of the sole 1 to be mechanically and thermally bonded thereto. A boss 202 is provided to receive a temperature control thermostat of the sole 1 and another boss 203 is provided to receive the control thermostat of a non-drip valve.

In accordance with the figure 2 , the heating body 2 has in its upper part a first vaporization chamber 210 of large dimensions and closed by the closure plate 3. The vaporization chamber 210 is of the instantaneous vaporization type. The water of the reservoir drips into this chamber 210 through the orifice 301 of the plate 3, vaporizes suddenly, and the vapor, distributed by channels 211, passes through the body 2 to exit on the fabric ironed by the corresponding holes 103 of the sole 1.

The vaporization chamber 210 receiving water drip produces steam for normal and conventional ironing and its operation is known.

More particularly according to the invention, the heating body 2 also comprises, at the front of its upper part, a second vaporization chamber 220 surrounded by the steam circuit previously described and closed by the plate 4. This vaporization chamber 220 is delimited by the plate 4, a bottom wall 221 parallel to the sole and side walls 222. The vaporization chamber 220 is located substantially midway between the front tip and the rear edge of the sole 1 and is laterally distant from one of the branches of the resistive element 201 horseshoe so that in operation the temperature of the vaporization chamber 220 is less than 150 ° C and preferably of the order of 130 ° C.

In accordance with figures 2 and 3 , the lower wall 221 of the vaporization chamber 220 comprises square-section relief pads 221a increasing the exchange surface of the bottom wall 221. Preferably, the volume of the vaporization chamber 220 is greater than 2 ml and advantageously of the order of 5 ml.

The vaporization chamber 220 is connected to a steam circuit 223 via a single opening 224 made at the side wall 222 closest to the front tip of the sole 1. This opening 224 is made on a nozzle element 225 which is attached to the side wall 222 and which is preferably made of plastic material or rubber.

The nozzle 225 comprises a cylindrical tube 225a projecting towards the inside of the vaporization chamber 220 and a square base 225b inserting into a support groove of the side wall 222. The passage section of the nozzle 225 is determined by the inside diameter of the cylindrical tube 225a which is preferably between 1.6 and 2 mm.

The steam circuit 223 consists of baffled channels extending forwardly of the sole 1 along the curvature of the resistive element 201 shaped horseshoe. The steam circuit 223 has an end provided with two holes 223a vertically traversing the body 2 and facing an area of the front end of the sole 1 provided with steam outlet holes 104.

An orifice 302 is formed in the plate 3 and an orifice 401 is formed in the plate 4, these orifices allowing the introduction of a water inlet tube into the vaporization chamber 220. Preferably, the water arrives under pressure due to the action of the user on a pump. This pump is preferably a piston pump which is dimensioned so as to inject 1 ml of water into the second vaporization chamber 220 with each action on the pump.

The operation of the iron will now be described in connection with the figure 3 which represents the sole when the iron is held in a vertical position.

When the user desires a continuous stream of steam, for example to unwind a curtain, he presses the button actuating the piston pump associated with the second vaporization chamber 220. A volume of water of the order of 1 ml , represented in gray on the figure 3 then suddenly arrives in the chamber 220 and is boiled, the vaporization of the volume of water taking place over a period of the order of one second. This vapor produced by the second chamber 220 escapes towards the steam circuit 223 via the nozzle 225 which forms a bottleneck slowing down the escape of the steam, thus making it possible to obtain, at the outlet of the nozzle 225, a continuous stream of steam over a period of about 4 seconds.

The nozzle 225, and more particularly the cylindrical tube 225a projecting towards the inside of the second chamber 220, also makes it possible to avoid, by a dynamic effect, that droplets of water of too large a diameter pass into the circuit. of steam 223.

Once past the nozzle 225, the steam then travels through the quibble channels of the steam circuit 223 following a path represented by arrows on the figure 3 . During this journey, the steam is strongly heated which causes the vaporization of any small drops of water mixed with steam and the increase of the volume of the steam, thus making it possible to obtain steam leaving at high speed. holes 104 of the sole for a duration of about 4 seconds.

When the user wishes to obtain a substantially continuous stream of steam over a longer period of time, he can actuate the pump up to four times in a short time so as to fill the second vaporization chamber 220 with water. possibility is offered thanks to the large volume of the second chamber 220, of the order of 5 ml, compared to the volume of the pump and the low pressure in the vaporization chamber 220 after the injection of the first volume of water, due to the moderate temperature of the vaporization chamber 220.

The four successive solicitations of the pump then make it possible to obtain continuous steam jets at the outlet of the soleplate for a duration greater than 15 seconds, the large volume of water injected into the vaporization chamber 220 gradually evaporating while being raised to boiling.

Of course, the user can further extend the duration of the steam jet by operating at regular intervals the piston pump.

The iron according to the invention also has the advantage, when used in a horizontal position, of maintaining a steam surplus mode close to that previously known for irons comprising a second vaporization type vaporization chamber.

Indeed, when the iron rests horizontally and a volume of water of 1 ml is injected into the vaporization chamber 220 by pressure on the pump, the injected water spreads on the bottom wall 221 by covering the all raised studs 221a then leading to a heat exchange surface with the bottom wall 221 hot much larger than when the iron is held vertically. The vaporization of the water in the vaporization chamber 220 is therefore much faster, which allows to obtain a sudden influx of steam at the outlet of the sole for smoothing difficult spots of the ironed fabric.

The figures 4 and 5 represent a heating body 2 according to a second embodiment of the invention in which the nozzle 225 previously described has been removed and the second vaporization chamber has a shape changed. The other elements of the iron remain unchanged. This heating body 2 is just like the heating body of the figure 1 , associated with a sole 1, and closing plates 3 and 4 not shown on the figures 4 and 5 .

In accordance with the figure 4 , the heating body 2 comprises a second vaporization chamber 230, with a volume of the order of 5 ml, extending parallel to one of the branches of the resistive element 201 shaped horseshoe. The second vaporization chamber 230 is delimited by the plate 4, a bottom wall 231 disposed parallel to the sole 1 and side walls 232. The bottom wall 231 has raised studs 231c and has a transverse cutting market the vaporization chamber 230 in two parts 231a and 231b of substantially equal size. The front zone 231a of the bottom wall 231 is raised relative to the rear zone 231b of the bottom wall 231 when the iron rests horizontally so that the thickness of the bottom wall 231 is greater at the front zone. 231 a at the rear area 231 b.

The side wall 232 closest to the resistive element 201 comprises a portion 232a of reduced thickness located at the rear zone 231b of the bottom wall 231. This portion 232a is separated from the rest of the heating body 2 by a throat 235 which immobilizes a blade of air achieving a local thermal insulation.

The vaporization chamber 230 is connected to the steam circuit 223 through an opening 224 constituted by a channel passing through the side wall 232 closest to the front of the sole 1.

The operation of the iron equipped with such a heating body 2 will now be described in connection with the figure 5 which represents the heating body 2 when the iron is held vertically.

When the user actuates the manual pump to obtain a jet of steam, a volume of water of the order of 1 ml, represented in gray on the figure 5 flows in the lower part of the vaporization chamber 230. The water is then in contact with the rear zone 231b of the bottom wall 231, of the plate 3 and of the side walls 232. The thickness of the wall lower 231 at the zone level rear 231 b being reduced, the thermal energy stored in this area of the bottom wall 231 is low. Thus, only a portion of the water present in the chamber is vaporized instantly when the water comes into contact with the rear zone 231b of the bottom wall 231 hot, the energy necessary for the vaporization of the remainder of liquid then being fed progressively by conduction of the energy diffused by the resistive element 201 through the heating body 2. In addition, the water contained in the lower part of the vaporization chamber 230. is in contact with the portion 232a of the side wall 232 which is a relatively cold wall due to its thermal insulation with respect to the rest of the heating body 2. This results in a progressive vaporization of the water, which is brought to a boil in the vaporization chamber 230, thereby obtaining a vaporization of the volume of water injected by the pump over a period of about 4 seconds. The steam is then superheated in the steam circuit 223 and a jet of steam at high speed and obtained at the outlet of the holes 104 of the sole 1, over a period of several seconds.

Of course, just as in the first embodiment, the vaporization chamber 230 according to the second embodiment can also be filled with water by successively actuating the pump in a reduced time, which makes it possible to obtain jets of vapors continuous out of the sole for a period greater than 15 seconds.

The iron according to this second embodiment also has the advantage, when used in a horizontal position, of maintaining a super-steam mode in which the steam is produced suddenly. Indeed, in the horizontal position, the water injected into the second vaporization chamber 230 is spread over all the front 231a and rear 231b areas of the bottom wall 231 hot, covering the raised studs 231c so that the Heat exchange surface with the bottom wall 231 is much larger than when the iron is held vertically. In addition, the hot bottom wall 231 has a large thickness at the front zone 231a which constitutes a reserve of energy which is rapidly transmitted to the water present in the second vaporization chamber 230. This results in vaporization of the water in the second chamber 230 is performed much faster when the iron is horizontal, which allows to maintain a sudden influx of steam at the outlet of the sole for smoothing difficult places when the iron is based on his sole.

Of course, the invention is not limited to the embodiment described and illustrated which has been given by way of example. Modifications are possible, particularly from the point of view of the constitution of the various elements or by substitution of technical equivalents, without departing from the scope of protection of the invention.

Claims (12)

1. An iron comprising a soleplate (1) and a heater body (2) provided with a heater element (201), the heater body (2) having a first steam generation chamber (210) used for ordinary ironing and a second steam generation chamber (220; 230) used to obtain extra steam when the iron is in the horizontal position or a jet of steam when the iron is in the vertical position, said second steam generation chamber (220; 230) being fed with liquid by means of a manual pump actuated by the user and being associated with a steam circuit (223) terminating by a set of steam orifices in the soleplate, said iron being characterized in that, when it is held vertically, the second steam generation chamber (220; 230) operates as a steam generator of the boiling type and in that, when said iron is in the vertical position, the second steam generation chamber (220; 230) has a shape adapted to retain the liquid injected by the pump before said liquid is transformed into steam, the shape of the second steam generation chamber (220; 230) being such that the heat-exchange area between the injected liquid and the walls (3, 221, 222; 3, 231, 232) of said second steam generation chamber (220; 230) is smaller when the iron is in the vertical position than when said iron is in the horizontal position.
2. An iron according to claim 1, characterized in that the second steam generation chamber (230) is defined by at least one wall (231) of shape and of thickness that are such that, in operation, the heat energy stored in the wall (231) is greater towards the front of the soleplate (1) than towards the back of the soleplate (1).
3. An iron according to claim 2, characterized in that the thickness of the bottom wall (231) of the steam generation chamber (230) is greater towards the front of the soleplate than towards the back of the soleplate.
4. An iron according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the second steam generation chamber (230) has a side wall (232) close to the heater element (201) that is at least locally insulated from the heater body (2) by a film of air.
5. An iron according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the second steam generation chamber (220; 230) is defined by side walls (222; 232) connected to a bottom wall (221; 231) and to a top wall (3), which top and bottom walls are disposed parallel to the soleplate (1), and in that the side wall (222; 232) that is closer to the front of the iron has an opening (224) connecting the second steam generation chamber (220; 230) to the steam circuit (223).
6. An iron according to claim 5, characterized in that said opening (224) has a flow section that is calibrated to brake the flows of steam exiting from the second steam generation chamber (220).
7. An iron according to claim 6, characterized in that said opening (224) is provided with a separate element (225) made of a plastics material or of rubber and that determines said flow section.
8. An iron according to claim 7, characterized in that said separate element (225) has a cylindrical portion (225a) extending towards the inside of the steam generation chamber (220).
9. An iron according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the temperature of the walls of the second steam generation chamber (220; 230) is less than 150°C.
10. An iron according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the volume of the second steam generation chamber (220; 230) corresponds to several times the volume of liquid injected by the pump each time it is actuated by the user.
11. An iron according to any one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that the second steam-generation chamber (220; 230) has a bottom wall, disposed parallel to the soleplate (1), having projecting elements (221a; 231c) increasing the heat-exchange area for heat exchange with the liquid injected into said chamber (220; 230) while the iron is resting horizontally on its soleplate.
12. An iron according to any one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that the volume of the second steam generation chamber (220; 230) is of the order of 5 milliliters (mL) and the volume of liquid injected by the pump each time it is actuated is about 1 mL.

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