EP1657353B1 - Iron with a control device for the selection of an ironing program - Google Patents

Abstract

The iron has a control device allowing a user to choose an ironing program. The device acts on an opening of a drip valve (4) and/or on a thermostat setting to place the valve and setting in a preset relative position corresponding to the selected program. The device has a program selection device with impulsion control including a hand lever (5) to select the ironing program from a predefined number of programs. The drip valve supplies water to a vaporizing chamber, to produce steam, of a sole plate (1) mounted on a body (2). The sole plate is provided with a heating unit associated to the thermostat setting to control the temperature of the plate.

Description

The present invention relates to a steam iron comprising a heating soleplate provided with a vaporization chamber fed by a drip and relates more particularly to an iron having a control device for selecting a program ironing corresponding to a given sole temperature and / or an associated steam flow rate.

It is known from the document US 2,342,653 , a steam iron having a dial for selecting an ironing program on which is indicated the type of fabric that the user wishes to iron. This selector knob, acting via a camshaft, on the thermostat setting and on the drip valve opening, so that the sole temperature and Steam are automatically adjusted to match the type of fabric selected. However, on such an iron, the use of a rotary wheel for the selection of the ironing program has the disadvantage of allowing a continuous adjustment movement so that the position corresponding to the desired fabric is not clear from the manipulation of the wheel. It follows most often a positioning of the wheel in an intermediate position, offset from the ideal position for the fabric to iron, if the user does not look very carefully the positioning of the wheel relative to the indicators. Such an offset position of the wheel induces an adjustment of the sole temperature and the steam flow rate which is not optimized for the ironed fabric, thus degrading the efficiency of ironing.

Thus, an object of the present invention is to overcome these disadvantages by providing a steam iron comprising a control device for the selection of the ironing program offering great ergonomics of use and allowing access only to a predefined number of setting positions each corresponding to a particular ironing program, thus significantly reducing the risk of incorrect settings.

For this purpose, the invention relates to a steam iron having a sole surmounted by a body comprising a handle, the sole. being provided with a heating element and a vaporization chamber for the production of steam, the vaporization chamber being fed with water by a drip-shaped plug, the heating element being associated with a thermostat making it possible to regulate the temperature of the soleplate, the iron comprising a control device, allowing the user to choose an ironing program, acting on the opening of the drip and / or on the thermostat setting to place the latter in a predetermined relative position corresponding to the selected program, characterized in that the control device comprises a pulse-controlled mechanical selector for selecting an ironing program from among a predefined number of programs.

Such a feature simplifies the manipulation to be made by the user to adapt the settings of the iron to the fabric to iron, which reduces the risk of error and ensure an optimized setting of the thermostat and / or the flow rate of steam for the selected fabric.

By mechanical pulse control switch means a device for changing a step-by-step parameter, by discrete value, each value can be reached only one after the other, sequentially, and this by application of a push, in other words a pulse on one or more control members to increase or decrease the value of the parameter.

By way of example, particularly complex variants of this type of mechanism have appeared in a completely different field, such as that of automotive sequential gearboxes or shifts for off-road cycling.

• le sélecteur mécanique comporte au moins une manette de sélection et une roue dentée sur laquelle agit au moins un crochet actionné par la manette de sélection, la roue dentée commandant l'ouverture du boisseau et le réglage du thermostat par l'intermédiaire d'un train d'engrenages ;
• le crochet est monté pivotant sur un coulisseau se déplaçant en translation sous l'action de la manette de sélection, le pivotement du crochet permettant à ce dernier de s'écarter ou de s'approcher de la roue dentée, le crochet étant ramené contre la roue dentée sous l'effet de moyens ressort ;
• le coulisseau est déplacé dans un sens par la manette de sélection et est ramené en sens inverse, vers une position de repos, par des moyens ressort ;
• le sélecteur mécanique comporte un deuxième crochet s'engageant entre les dents de la roue dentée, le deuxième crochet étant monté pivotant sur un coulisseau se déplaçant en translation sous l'action de la manette de sélection et permettant de faire tourner la roue dentée dans le sens opposé de celui obtenu par le déplacement du premier crochet ;
• la roue dentée comporte au moins un déflecteur disposé entre deux dents de la roue, le déflecteur empêchant l'engagement d'un crochet entre ces deux dents de la roue ;

According to other particular embodiments, the iron according to the invention may comprise one or more of the following characteristics taken separately or in any technically possible combination:

• the mechanical selector comprises at least one selection lever and a toothed wheel on which acts at least one hook actuated by the selection lever, the gear wheel controlling the opening of the plug and the setting of the thermostat via a gear train;
• the hook is pivotally mounted on a slider moving in translation under the action of the selection lever, the pivoting of the hook allowing the latter to move away from or approach the gear, the hook being brought against the toothed wheel under the effect of spring means;
• the slider is moved in one direction by the selection lever and is brought back in the opposite direction, to a rest position, by spring means;
• the mechanical selector comprises a second hook engaging between the teeth of the toothed wheel, the second hook being pivotally mounted on a slider moving in translation under the action of the selector lever and making it possible to rotate the toothed wheel in the opposite direction from that obtained by the displacement of the first hook;
• the toothed wheel comprises at least one deflector disposed between two teeth of the wheel, the deflector preventing the engagement of a hook between these two teeth of the wheel;

According to yet another characteristic of the invention, the mechanical selector comprises at least one selection lever placed near the front end of the handle, the handle being disposed under the handle or at the lower half of the handle.

Such a feature has the advantage of providing great ergonomics of use, the lever can be manipulated with the thumb or forefinger without releasing the handle.

According to yet another characteristic of the invention, the selection lever is operable laterally to the direction longitudinally of the handle.

According to another characteristic of the invention, the selector lever is pivotally mounted and has two opposed actuating surfaces for pivoting the handle in one direction or the other.

According to yet another characteristic of the invention, a display is driven by the mechanical selector, the display for viewing the selected program;

According to another characteristic of the invention, the gear train connecting the gear to the thermostat of the sole comprises sprockets beam evolutionary graying.

Such a characteristic has the advantage of allowing a non-linear adjustment of the thermostat.

• La figure 1 est une vue en perspective d'un fer à repasser à vapeur selon un mode particulier de réalisation de l'invention ;
• la figure 2 est une vue en perspective du dispositif de sélection de programme à commande impulsionelle équipant le fer à repasser à vapeur de la figure 1 ;
• la figure 3 est une vue de dessus du dispositif de sélection de programme de la figure 2 ;
• la figure 4 est une vue en perspective éclatée du dispositif de sélection de programme de la figure 2 représenté sans le thermostat ;
• la figure 5 est une autre vue en perspective du dispositif de sélection de la figure 2 représenté sans la coque supérieure du boîtier, ni la manette de sélection et le bras de commande de façon à rendre visibles les autres éléments à l'intérieur du boîtier, les coulisseaux étant en position de repos ;
• la figure 6 est une vue de dessus du dispositif de sélection représenté à la figure 5 ;
• La figure 7 est une vue de dessous du dispositif de sélection de la figure 2 représenté sans la coque inférieure du boîtier, ni la manette de sélection et le bras de commande ;
• La figure 8 est une vue en perspective des trains d'engrenages intégrés dans le dispositif de sélection de la figure 2 ;
• Les figures 9 et 10 sont des vues en coupe du système de commande du boisseau goutte-à-goutte respectivement en position haute et en position basse ;
• Les figures 11 et 13 sont des vues similaires à la figure 5 lorsque la manette de sélection est pivotée respectivement dans un sens ou dans l'autre de manière à provoquer le déplacement vers l'arrière de l'un des coulisseaux ;
• Les figures 12 et 14 sont des vues de détail des coulisseaux et de la roue dentée dans les deux positions correspondant aux programmes extrêmes pouvant être sélectionnés ;
• La figure 15 est une vue en perspective du dispositif de sélection de programme de la figure 2 lorsque ce dernier est dans la position de surplus de vapeur.

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 a perspective view of a steam iron according to a particular embodiment of the invention;
• the figure 2 is a perspective view of the pulse control program selection device of the steam iron of the figure 1 ;
• the figure 3 is a top view of the program selection device of the figure 2 ;
• the figure 4 is an exploded perspective view of the program selection device of the figure 2 represented without the thermostat;
• the figure 5 is another perspective view of the selection device of the figure 2 shown without the upper shell of the housing, or the selection lever and the control arm so as to make visible the other elements inside the housing, the slides being in the rest position;
• the figure 6 is a top view of the selection device shown in FIG. figure 5 ;
• The figure 7 is a bottom view of the selection device of the figure 2 shown without the bottom shell of the housing, the selection handle and the control arm;
• The figure 8 is a perspective view of the integrated gear trains in the selection device of the figure 2 ;
• The Figures 9 and 10 are sectional views of the control system of the drip plug respectively in the up position and in the down position;
• The Figures 11 and 13 are views similar to the figure 5 when the selection lever is rotated respectively in one direction or the other so as to cause the rearward movement of one of the sliders;
• The Figures 12 and 14 are detailed views of the slides and the gearwheel in the two positions corresponding to the selectable extreme programs;
• The figure 15 is a perspective view of the program selection device of the figure 2 when the latter is in the position of surplus steam.

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.

The figure 1 represents a steam iron having a heating soleplate 1 surmounted by a body 2 comprising a handle 3, the sole 1 comprising a vaporization chamber fed by a drip plug 4, better visible on the figure 2 . The drip plug 4 is fed by a water reservoir integrated into the body of the iron, the iron also comprising a mechanical thermostat 8 of conventional construction, shown only on the figure 2 , ensuring the regulation of the temperature of the sole.

More particularly according to the invention, the iron comprises an impulse control program selection device having a selection lever 5 disposed under the front part of the handle 3 and having two actuating surfaces 5a arranged laterally, on each side of the handle 3. The iron is also provided with a rotary display 6 moving opposite a window disposed on the front of the iron, the display being rotated by the program selection device and comprising pictograms such as wool, synthetic, •, ••, ••• etc ...

The Figures 2 to 4 represent in detail the pulse-driven program selection device of the iron of the figure 1 .

According to these figures, the device comprises a housing 10 in two parts consisting of an upper shell 10a and a lower shell 10b assembled one on the other and containing several gear trains. These gear trains are in connection with the drip plug 4 of the iron disposed on the front part of the casing 10 and with an adjustment ring 7 of the thermostat 8 of the iron disposed on the rear part of the casing 10.

The upper shell 10a supports the selection lever 5 pivotally mounted about an axis 20, the lever 5 having two actuating surfaces 5a projecting laterally under the handle 3 of the iron and for rotating the lever 5 in one direction or in the other by a simple pressure on one or other of the actuating surfaces 5a.

The handle 5 is rotatably connected to a control arm 9 extending transversely to the pivot axis 20, the control arm 9 acting on two slides 11 carried by the upper shell 10a and causing the displacement in translation of the one or the other of these sliders 11 toward the rear of the housing 10, depending on the pivoting direction of the lever 5.

For this purpose, the rear face of each of the ends of the control arm 9 abuts against the front face of a stop 11a carried by the sliders 11, the sliders 11 being arranged symmetrically on either side of the longitudinal plane passing through. by the pivot axis 20. The slides 11 are guided in longitudinal translation by studs 12, visible on the figure 4 , which are carried by the upper shell 10a, the studs being inserted into a guide groove formed in the lower surface of the slider 11 and serving as limit stop for translational movement of the sliders 11.

In accordance with the figure 3 , the slides 11 are brought against the arm 9 by a return spring 13 carried by the upper shell 10a so that the pivoting of the arm 9 causes the rearward movement of one of the slides 11 against the forces of the spring 13. When no force is applied on the handle 5, the return spring 13 brings the sliders 11 back to their rest position so that the handle 5 then extends substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the iron.

As can be seen better on the figure 4 each slider 11 supports a hook 14, disposed towards the inside of the housing 10, pivoting about an axis 14a parallel to the axis of rotation 20 of the handle, each hook 14 comprising a head 14b that can move in an arc circle in the space between the two slides 11.

The Figures 5 and 6 represent the selection device without the selection lever 5, without the control arm 9 and without the upper shell 10a of the housing to make visible the other elements of the device.

According to these figures, the two hooks 14 bear against a toothed wheel 15 disposed between the two slides 11 and pivoting freely about the pivot axis 20 of the lever 5, the hooks 14 being applied against the toothed wheel 15 under the effect of a leaf spring 11b interposed between the hook 14 and the slider 11. Advantageously, the head 14b of each hook 14 has a thickness less than the thickness of the toothed wheel 15 and the heads 14b of the two hooks 14 are slightly offset axially relative to each other so that the head 14b of a hook attacks the toothed wheel 15 at a different height of the head 14b of the other hook, this feature being better visible on the Figures 12 and 14 .

The toothed wheel 15 comprises two deflectors 15a having the shape of a solid sector of very small thickness filling the volume between two teeth of the toothed wheel 15. The two deflectors 15a are respectively disposed at the edges of the two opposite side faces of the gear wheel 15 so that each deflector 15a is at a height swept by the head 14b of only one of the two hooks 14 and thus prevents the engagement of the latter between the two teeth of the wheel 15, but allows the engagement of the 14b head of the other hook between the same teeth.

Referring to the figure 6 each hook 14 is provided with a boss 14c forming a rear stop on which a tooth of the toothed wheel 15 bears when the slide 11 returns to its rest position, the combination of the action of the bosses 14c carried by the two hooks 14 vis-à-vis for positioning and immobilizing the gear wheel 15 in pre-established positions for which the teeth of the wheel 15 occupy a given orientation. In the illustrated example, the wheel 15 is provided with eight teeth so that the immobilization of the toothed wheel 15 by the bosses 14c occurs every 45 °.

As we can see it better on Figures 7 and 8 the toothed wheel 15 is rotatably connected to a first gear 16 with an evolving beam radius and a second gear 21 of constant beam radius, the first gear 16 and the second gear 21 being axially offset one of the other.

The first pinion 16 developing beam radius cooperates with a set of gears 17a, 17b, 18, 19 to control the thermostat 8 setting of the sole. For this purpose, the first pinion 16 engages on an intermediate pinion 17a having spiral teeth adapted to be engrained with the teeth of the first pinion 16, the intermediate pinion 17a being integral in rotation with a pinion 17b, axially offset pinion 17a, and having an evolutionary beaming radius of different shape engraining on a final pinion 18 integral in rotation with the adjusting ring 7 of the thermostat 8.

Advantageously, the intermediate gear 17a is also integral in rotation with a lever 19, not shown on the figure 7 , having at its end an actuating cam 19a acting on an arm 30 pivotally mounted under the lower shell 10b of the housing and visible on the figure 15 .

The second pinion 21, integral in rotation with the toothed wheel 15, cooperates meanwhile with constant radius gears for varying the height of the rod 4a of the plug 4 so as to control the opening of the plug drop-in drop. For this purpose, the second pinion 21 engages by means of an intermediate pinion 22 on a ring 23 carried by a rotary sleeve 24 enveloping the rod 4a of the drip plug 4.

As we can see it better on Figures 9 and 10 , the sleeve 24 surrounding the rod 4a of the plug has a bore provided with guide grooves 24a extending in a helical path and in which are inserted two pins 4b carried by the rod 4a of the plug so that the rotation of the sleeve 24 in one direction or the other causes the raising or lowering of the rod 4a of the plug between a high position, represented in FIG. figure 9 , in which the stem of the bushel is raised to its maximum and a low position, represented figure 10 , in which the rod 4a of the plug comes close to the drip plug 4.

Referring to the figure 4 , the outer surface of the sleeve 24 disposed above the ring 23 is provided with a series of teeth 25 extending substantially longitudinally to the sleeve 24 and on which are engrainer a pinion 26 disposed perpendicular to the axis of the sleeve 24, the pinion 26 being secured to the conical display 6 rotating opposite a window formed on the body 2 of the iron.

The operation of the sequentially controlled program selection device will now be described.

When the user presses on the actuating surface 5a disposed to the right of the lever 5 to select the next program, this causes the pivoting of the lever 5 in the clockwise direction and the rearward movement of the slide 11 disposed on the right of the device as well as this is represented on the figure 11 . During movement of the slider 11, the head 14b of the hook 14 engages between two teeth of the toothed wheel 15 and causes the latter to rotate 45 ° in the clockwise direction.

During this rotation of 45 ° of the toothed wheel, the rod 4a of the plug is lifted slightly to increase the steam flow and the thermostat 8 controlled by the adjusting ring 7 turns accordingly so that the temperature of the soleplate is increased.

When the user releases the pressure on the handle 5, the latter returns, under the effect of the return spring 13, in its rest position, as illustrated in FIGS. Figures 5 and 6 , without driving the toothed wheel 15 in rotation, the latter being immobilized in the new position by the boss 14c carried by the inner face of the other hook 14. When returning to the rest position of the hook 14, the head 14b the hook 14 comes into contact with the upstream tooth of the toothed wheel 15 and then passes over this tooth away from the toothed wheel 15, the outer shape of the head 14b being adapted to ensure the spacing of the hook 14 to the against the spring 11b when returning the hook to its rest position.

The user can thus give several successive pulses on the actuating surface 5a disposed to the right of the lever 5 to change the ironing program, each pulse on the lever 5 to reach a new ironing program corresponding to a flow rate of steam and at a higher sole temperature. The different pulses on the handle 5 thus make it possible to reach the position of the toothed wheel 15, as shown in FIG. figure 11 , corresponding to the program for which the steam flow and the temperature of the soleplate are at their maximum. On this figure 11 , the slider 11 on the right is shown in a retracted position corresponding to the position occupied by the slider when the user presses the handle 5. When the user releases the handle 5, the slider 11 returns to its rest position and the head of the hook 14b carried by the slider 11 on the right is then facing the deflector 15a of the lower face of the toothed wheel 15, as is shown in detail on the figure 12 . The head 14b of the hook 14 disposed to the right of the device can no longer engage between the two teeth of the wheel 15 and any new pulse on the actuating surface 5a disposed to the right of the handle 5 no longer allows to rotate the toothed wheel 15 in a clockwise direction beyond the "maximum" position of the figure 11 but is accompanied by a shifting of the head 14b of the hook on the deflector 15a during which the hook 14 pivots outward without driving the wheel 15.

When the user wishes to return to previous ironing programs to iron a textile at a lower temperature, it suffices to press the actuating surface 5a of the lever disposed on the left of the iron. Each pulse on this operating surface 5a of the lever 5 causes the rearward movement of the slider 11 disposed to the left of the device, as shown in FIG. figure 13 , accompanied by the rotation of the wheel 45 ° counterclockwise. During this rotation of the toothed wheel 15, the rod 4a of the plug is lowered to reduce the steam flow and the control temperature of the thermostat 8 is lowered by the rotation of the adjusting ring 7.

The user can thus give several successive pulses on the surface actuator 5a disposed on the left of the iron to change the program, ironing, each pulse on the lever 5 to achieve the previous ironing program corresponding to a lower steam flow and a lower sole temperature.

When the gearwheel 15 reaches the position shown on the figure 13 corresponding to the program for which the steam flow and the temperature of the soleplate are the lowest, the return of the handle 5 in the rest position leads to having the head 14b of the hook 14, carried by the slider 11 on the left, in view of the deflector 15a of the upper side face of the gear wheel 15, as is shown in detail on the figure 14 . The head 14b of the left hook 14 can no longer then engage between the teeth of the toothed wheel 15 at the next pulse and any new pulse on the actuating surface 5a disposed on the left of the iron is accompanied by a shifting of the head 14b of the hook on the deflector 15a, the hook 14 then pivoting without driving the wheel 15.

The figure 15 illustrates the program selection device in an extreme position of the selector for obtaining a concentration of steam on the front tip of the sole for ironing thick Jeans type fabric, this program corresponding to the position of the gear wheel 15 for which the steam flow and the temperature of the soleplate are the highest.

In this position, the cam 19a carried by the lever 19 integral with the intermediate gear 17 moves down an arm 30 whose end 30a acts on a valve, not shown in the figures, so as to close the latter. This valve is placed on the steam distribution circuit, downstream of the vaporization chamber, and prevents, when closed, the diffusion of steam to the steam outlet holes disposed on the rear part of the soleplate so that the steam is then concentrated on the steam outlet holes located at the front tip of the sole. Such a feature has the advantage of providing a greater flow of steam on the steam outlet holes of the front tip of the soleplate, which allows better penetration of the steam into the fabric.

The iron thus produced has the advantage of great ergonomics of use by proposing only eight preset positions for adjusting the temperature of the sole and the steam flow rate, each of the adjustment positions corresponding to an ironing program provided for a textile whose nature is indicated by the display, limiting thus the risks of bad adjustments by the user.

The selection of the ironing program by means of a tilting lever arranged under the front part of the handle also allows the user to modify the ironing program without releasing the handle, simply by operating the lever with the thumb or the index. Such a feature has the advantage of providing great ergonomics of use by allowing the user to adapt the temperature of the soleplate to each ironed textile without loss of time.

Such iron also has the advantage of having a purely mechanical program selection device which has the advantage of being reliable and inexpensive to implement.

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.

Thus, in an embodiment variant that is not shown, the program selection device may comprise several selection handles rather than just one.

Thus, in another variant embodiment not shown, the selection lever may be oriented longitudinally rather than transversely to the body of the iron, in the manner of a gun trigger.

Claims (11)

1. A steam iron comprising a sole plate (1) on top of which is formed a body (2) defining a handle (3), said sole plate (1) being fitted with a heating element and a vaporisation chamber for producing steam, said vaporisation chamber being supplied with water by a drop-by-drop body (4), said heating element being associated with a thermostat (8) to regulate the temperature of the sole plate, said iron comprising a control device (5) allowing the user to select an ironing programme, said control device acting on the opening of the drop-by-drop body (4) and/or on the setting of the thermostat (8) to place these in a relative predetermined position corresponding to the selected programme, characterised in that said control device (5) comprises a pulse-controlled mechanical selector (5) to select an ironing programme from among a predefined number of programmes, the programmes being reached only one after the other sequentially, by pushing one or more control members (5).
2. A steam iron according to claim 1, characterised in that said mechanical selector comprises at least one selector knob (5) and a toothed wheel (15) on which acts at least one hook (14) actuated by said selector knob (5), said toothed wheel (15) commanding the opening of the body (4) and the setting of the thermostat (8) by means of a train of gears (16, 17a, 17b, 18, 21, 22, 23).
3. A steam iron according to claim 2, characterised in that said hook (14) is mounted pivotally on a slider (11) moving in translation under the action of the selector knob (5), the pivoting of the hook (14) allowing the latter to move away from or come close to the toothed wheel (15) and in that the hook (14) is brought against the toothed wheel (15) by spring means (11 b).
4. A steam iron according to claim 3, characterised in that the slider (11) is moved in a direction by the selector knob (5) and is brought in the reverse direction to a rest position, by spring means (13).
5. A steam iron according to claims 2 to 4, characterised in that mechanical selector comprises a second hook (14) engaging between the teeth of the toothed wheel (15), said second hook (14) being mounted pivotally on a slider (11) that moves in translation under the action of the selector knob (5) and that rotates the toothed wheel (15) in the direction opposite to that obtained by the displacement of the first hook (14).
6. A steam iron according to any one of claims 2 to 5, characterised in that the toothed wheel (15) comprises at least one deflector (15a) arranged between two teeth of the wheel (15), said deflector (15a) preventing the engagement of a hook (14) between these two teeth of the wheel (15).
7. A steam iron according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterised in that the mechanical selector comprises at least one selector knob (5) placed near the front end of the handle (3) and in that said knob (5) is arranged under the handle (3) or in the lower half of the handle (3).
8. A steam iron according to claim 7, characterised in that said selector knob (5) can be actuated laterally to the longitudinal direction of the handle (3).
9. A steam iron according to any one of claims 7 to 8, characterised in that the selector knob (5) is pivotally mounted and in that it comprises two opposite actuating surfaces (5a) allowing the knob to pivot in one direction or the other.
10. A steam iron according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterised in that a display panel (6) is driven by the mechanical selector, said display panel showing the selected programme.
11. A steam iron according to any one of claims 1 to 10, characterised in that the train of gears (21, 17a, 17b, 18) connecting the toothed wheel (15) to the thermostat (8) of the sole plate comprises pinions with variable drive radius.

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