EP2325383B1 - Steam iron with a sole plate having a cavity with steam outlets - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to an iron and more particularly to an iron having a sole of particular shape.

It is known from the patent application FR 2 752 853 filed by the applicant, an iron comprising a sole having a central recess bordered on its entire periphery with a sliding surface coming into contact with the laundry, the recess and the sliding surface being provided with numerous steam outlet holes . Such a sole has the advantage of allowing the creation of a steam cushion, at the cavity formed by the recess, allowing a better flow of steam to the laundry and having a reduced gliding surface to reduce friction. This document teaches in particular that a gliding surface representing at least 60% of the total surface of the soleplate is sufficient to ensure proper drying of the laundry, the sole illustrated on the figure 1 having a sliding surface representing of the order of 75% of the total area.

Such an iron soleplate, however, has the disadvantage of being relatively expensive to achieve for ironing performance little superior to conventional flat soles, less expensive to achieve.

Also, the object of the present invention is to provide a steam iron having an ironing sole providing significantly improved ironing performance. Another object of the invention is to provide an iron providing better ironing performance for less energy expenditure.

For this purpose, the subject of the invention is an iron comprising a sole having a lower face having a sliding surface coming into contact with the laundry and having at least one recess fed with steam, the recess being bordered on any its periphery by the sliding surface so that the recess forms a steam diffusion cavity which is surrounded by the sliding surface when the sole is applied against the laundry to ironing, characterized in that the sliding surface is less than 50% of the total area of the underside of the sole.

Indeed, the plaintiff realized that, surprisingly, a sliding surface reduced to less than 50% of the total surface of the sole could significantly increase the ironing performance. This seems to be explained by the fact that the reduction of the sliding surface makes it possible, for a given footprint size, to increase the surface area of the steam diffusion cavity, which makes it possible to impregnate a larger surface of the laundry. with steam.

In addition, the reduction of the sliding surface also makes it possible to increase the pressure exerted by the weight of the iron on the laundry at the level of the sliding surface, which makes it possible to increase the traction on the fiber of the linen during ironing. , by scraping the fiber, limiting the diffusion of steam at the sliding surface so that the vapor can escape from the cavity only through penetrating the linen, to obtain a very good impregnation linen.

According to another characteristic of the invention, the depth of the recess is between 1 and 5 mm.

According to yet another characteristic of the invention, the bottom of the recess is constituted by a flat surface provided with steam outlet holes.

According to another characteristic of the invention, the sliding surface is devoid of steam outlet holes.

Such a characteristic makes it possible to obtain a gliding surface drying as much as possible the linen moistened by the vapor diffused in the recess.

• la surface de la surface de glisse représente entre 30 et 45% de la surface de la face inférieure de la semelle ;
• la surface de glisse est disposée en bordure de la semelle ;
• la surface de glisse est constituée par une bande plane s'étendant le long du contour de la semelle ;

• la bande plane présente une largeur inférieure à 3 cm ;
• l'évidement comporte une zone d'émission de vapeur au niveau d'une pointe avant de la semelle munie de trous de sortie de vapeur ;
• la surface de glisse de la semelle comporte des excroissances venant réduire localement derrière la zone d'émission de vapeur de la pointe avant de la semelle ;
• la surface de glisse est munie de trous de sortie de vapeur uniquement au niveau de la pointe avant de la semelle ;
• la semelle comporte un seul évidement, cet évidement occupant une position centrale sur la semelle ;
• la semelle comporte plusieurs évidements distincts ;
• l'évidement comporte des éléments en relief faisant saillie dans le fond de ce dernier et venant au contact du linge lorsque la semelle est appliquée contre le linge à repasser ;
• les éléments en relief présentent une forme allongée.

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 surface of the sliding surface represents between 30 and 45% of the surface of the lower face of the sole;
• the sliding surface is disposed at the edge of the sole;
• the sliding surface is constituted by a flat strip extending along the outline of the sole;

• the flat strip has a width less than 3 cm;
• the recess comprises a vapor emission zone at a front tip of the soleplate provided with steam outlet holes;
• the gliding surface of the sole comprises protrusions from locally reducing behind the vapor emission zone of the front tip of the sole;
• the sliding surface is provided with steam outlet holes only at the front tip of the sole;
• the sole has a single recess, this recess occupying a central position on the sole;
• the sole has several distinct recesses;
• the recess comprises raised elements protruding into the bottom of the latter and coming into contact with the laundry when the sole is applied against the clothes to be ironed;
• the raised elements have an elongated shape.

The invention also relates to an ironing apparatus comprising a pressurized steam generator connected by a steam duct to an iron as previously described.

• 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 de côté du fer à repasser à vapeur de la figure 1 dans laquelle la base du boîtier est partiellement arrachée pour laisser apparaître une coupe longitudinale du corps chauffant et de la semelle;
• la figure 3 est une vue de dessous de la semelle du fer de la figure 1 ;
• la figure 4 est une vue en coupe selon la ligne IV-IV de semelle de la figure 3 ;
• la figure 5 est une vue de dessous d'une variante de réalisation de la semelle de la figure 3 ;
• la figure 6 est une vue en coupe selon la ligne VI-VI de la semelle de la figure 5 ;
• la figure 7 est une vue en perspective d'un fer à repasser selon un autre mode particulier de réalisation de l'invention.

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 side view of the steam iron of the figure 1 wherein the base of the housing is partially broken away to reveal a longitudinal section of the heating body and the sole;
• the figure 3 is a bottom view of the iron sole of the figure 1 ;
• the figure 4 is a sectional view along line IV-IV of the sole of the figure 3 ;
• the figure 5 is a bottom view of an alternative embodiment of the sole of the figure 3 ;
• the figure 6 is a sectional view along the line VI-VI of the sole of the figure 5 ;
• the figure 7 is a perspective view of an iron according to another particular embodiment of the invention.

The figures 1 and 2 represent a steam iron having a sole 1 ironing, advantageously made of stainless steel. The sole 1 is surmounted by a plastic housing 2 containing, in a manner known per se, a water tank. The housing 2 comprises a gripping handle 20 connected on the one hand to the front part of the iron and on the other hand to two link arms 21, 22 extending symmetrically at the rear of the iron, these two arms 21, 22 forming a heel on which the iron can stand vertically during inactive ironing phases.

The housing 2 contains a heating body 3, consisting of an aluminum foundry disposed in thermal contact with the upper face of the sole 1, the heating body 3 having an electrical resistance 30 and a vaporization chamber 31 for the production of steam. The casing 2 also contains, in a manner known per se, means for supplying the vaporization chamber with water coming from the reservoir, these means advantageously being constituted by a dropper or by a pump, not shown on the FIGS.

In accordance with Figures 1 to 4 , the sole 1 has a contour of conventional shape, the sole 1 having a front tip connected by divergent curved lines to a rounded rear edge. The underside of the sole 1 comprises a recess 10 whose outer contour substantially follows the contour of the sole 1, this recess 10 having a bottom 10A set back relative to a sliding surface 11 extending along around the sole 1, this sliding surface 11 being intended to come into contact with the laundry during the active ironing phases.

The bottom 10A of the recess is substantially flat and is provided with holes 12 of steam outlet connected to the vaporization chamber 31 by a distribution chamber 32 formed on the lower face of the heating body 3. The recess 10 thus constitutes a cavity for the diffusion of the vapor which is surrounded by the gliding surface 11 and in which the steam is trapped when the sole 1 is applied against the clothes to be ironed.

In accordance with the figure 3 the steam outlet holes 12 are advantageously divided into two groups, a first group comprising more than thirty steam outlet holes 12 distributed in the central zone of the sole and a second group comprising a reduced number of holes 12 steam outlet disposed near the front tip of the sole 1 so as to prefer a better impregnation of the steam in these two areas of the sole 1.

More particularly according to the invention, the sliding surface 11 of the sole is less than 50% of the total surface of the lower face of the sole 1 and preferably between 30 and 45% of the total surface of the underside of the sole 1. By way of example, the gliding surface of the sole illustrated in figure 3 represents only 36% of the total surface of the lower face of the sole 1, the surface of the recess representing 64% of the total surface of the lower face of the sole 1.

Such a characteristic makes it possible to obtain, at the sliding surface 11, a pressure exerted on the fabric to be ironed which is large enough to limit the diffusion of steam under the sliding surface 11. It thus forms under the sole 1 iron a pressurized steam cushion ensuring a very good impregnation of the laundry with steam.

Preferably, the depth of the recess 10 is between 1 and 5 mm and advantageously of the order of 1.5 mm. Indeed, the Applicant has realized that when the recess 10 has a depth of less than 1 mm, the steam cushion does not ensure sufficient humidification of the laundry to enable efficient ironing. Conversely, when the depth of the recess 10 is greater than 5 mm, the heat radiated by the bottom 10A of the planar recess is then insufficient to effectively contribute to the drying of the laundry so that the laundry after ironing can stay too wet.

In particular, the depth of the recess will be a function of the emissivity of the material used to make the surface of the sole, the depth of the recess being all the more important as the emissivity of the material is high. By way of example, in the case of a sole made of stainless steel material, the depth of the recess will preferably be of the order of 1.5 mm, the low emissivity of the stainless steel material making it possible to obtain a high degree of humidification. linen by the cushion of vapor due to the low radiation emitted by the bottom of the recess. Conversely, in the case of a sole covered with a layer of enamel, the depth of the recess will preferably be of the order of 4 mm to limit the energy released by radiation from the bottom of the recess.

Advantageously, the gliding surface 11 is devoid of steam outlet holes. Such a characteristic makes it possible to prevent the diffusion of steam under the gliding surface 11 and guarantees an optimum drying of the laundry after its heavy wetting by the steam cushion formed in the recess 10.

The gliding surface preferably has the shape of a flat strip with a width of less than 3 cm extending along the periphery of the sole 1. For example, the gliding surface 11 of the soleplate illustrated in FIGS. Figures 1 to 4 is constituted by a flat strip having a width of the order of 1.5 cm, this width being reduced at the level of the front tip of the sole 1.

Such a sole ensures a very high ironing efficiency, the low gliding surface in contact with the cloth to improve the glide of the sole and the recess allowing the formation of a cushion of steam at which the speed of the vapor flow is reduced compared to that at the outlet of the steam outlet holes, thus ensuring a very good impregnation of the laundry with steam over the entire surface of the recess, before the gliding surface lacking exit holes Steam will not dry the laundry.

This better impregnation of the linen also makes it possible to obtain a steam iron having a better energy efficiency, the steam produced by the iron being in the greater part used to moisten the fabric. linen and not in the atmosphere. The use of such an ironing plate thus provides an equivalent ironing efficiency with an iron having a lower steam flow and therefore a lower power.

The Figures 5 and 6 represent an embodiment variant of the iron soleplate illustrated in FIGS. Figures 3 and 4 , this sole being intended to equip the iron of the figure 1 . In this variant embodiment, the recess 10 locally comprises bosses 13 in relief protruding in the middle of the recess 10, the height of the bosses being such that the top of the boss 13 reaches at or slightly above the surface of the boss. slides 11 defining the periphery of the sole 1.

The upper end of the bosses 13 has a sliding surface 13A coming into contact with the laundry during ironing operations, the bosses 13 preferably having a plurality of branches arranged in a star, each branch advantageously having a width of less than 1 cm so as to constitute squeegees putting the linen under tension when moving the iron.

The figure 7 represents an alternative embodiment of the iron of the figure 1 in which the sole 1 of stainless steel is replaced by an insole 101 of aluminum covered with a layer of enamel.

More particularly according to the invention, the underside of the soleplate 101 has a recess 110 having a bottom 110A plane disposed with respect to a sliding surface 111 extending along the periphery of the sole 101, the sliding surface 111 representative of the order of 45% of the total surface of the sole.

Advantageously, the bottom 110A of the recess 110 is set back by about 4 mm with respect to the sliding surface 111. This relatively large depth of the recess 110 makes it possible to limit the heat received by radiation by the linen because of the high emissivity of the enamel.

The bottom 110A is provided with steam outlet holes 112 which are connected, in a manner known per se, to a vaporization chamber integrated into the body iron or a separate steam generator.

The recess 110 has an outer contour conforming to the contour of the sole 101 in the central zone of the sole 101 so that, in this central zone, the recess 110 is laterally bordered by a gliding surface 111 having a width of 1 mm. order of 1 to 3 cm. The recess 110 is bordered on the rear of the sole 101 by a gliding surface 111 of greater width, of the order of 4 cm, to obtain a large sliding surface on the rear of the sole 101. to dry the laundry.

In an alternative embodiment illustrated in dotted line on the figure 7 the rear part of the sole 101 may also comprise a recess 120, distinct from the recess 110, of a depth of the order of 4 mm, and provided with steam outlet holes 112, the gliding surface 111 arranged between the recess 110 and the recess 120 helping to dry and scrape the laundry.

Preferably, the recess 110 has a constriction in the front portion of the sole 101, this constriction being formed by two protuberances 111A of the sliding surface 111 extending towards the inside of the recess 110.

The two protuberances 111A form a delimitation between a first group comprising about fifty steam outlet holes 112 arranged in the bottom 110A, at the level of the central zone of the sole, and a second group comprising about ten exit holes. of steam 112A disposed in front of the two protuberances 111A, near the front tip of the sole 101.

The steam outlet holes 112A are advantageously distributed both in the bottom of the recess 110A and at the sliding surface 111 of the front tip of the sole and are preferably fed by a specific steam flow, independent of the steam flow supplying the other steam outlet holes 112 of the sole 101. This characteristic allows to obtain a concentrated vapor flow at the front tip of the sole 101 to strongly moisten an area of the laundry when carrying out the work precision. The protuberances 111 A allow, for their part, to increase the sliding surface coming into contact with the laundry behind the emission zone of vapor at the front tip of the sole 101, which allows more wet dehumidified laundry more efficiently through the steam outlet holes 112A.

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 alternative embodiment, the strip constituting the sliding surface may have, in cross section, a curved surface rather than a flat surface so that the surface in contact is reduced and the pressure exerted by the sliding surface on the linen is further increased.

Thus, in a variant embodiment not shown, the bottom surface of the recess may be non-flat or inclined relative to the sliding surface, so that the depth of the recess varies according to the zones of the soleplate. . Such a characteristic thus makes it possible to obtain a different wetting rate of the laundry according to the zone of the recess, the humidification of the laundry being greater where the recess is the deepest. For example, the depth of the recess may be greater towards the front tip of the sole and gradually decrease towards the rear of the sole.

Claims (15)

1. A steam iron comprising a soleplate (1, 101) including a lower face with a glide surface (11, 111, 13A) coming into contact with the linen and containing at least one recess (10, 110, 120) supplied with steam, said recess (10, 110, 120) being bordered along its entire periphery by the glide surface (11, 111) such that the recess (10, 110, 120) forms a steam diffusion cavity which is surrounded by the glide surface (11, 111) when the soleplate (1, 101) is pressed against the linen to be ironed, characterised in that the glide surface (11, 111, 13A) represents less than 50% of the total area of the inner face of the soleplate (1, 101).
2. A steam iron according to claim 1, characterised in that the depth of the recess (10, 110, 120) is between 1 and 5 mm.
3. A steam iron according to any one of claims 1 to 2, characterised in that the recess (10, 110, 120) contains a base (10A, 110A) formed by a flat surface with steam outlet holes (12, 112).
4. A steam iron according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterised in that the glide surface (11, 111) is devoid of steam outlet holes.
5. A steam iron according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterised in that the area of the glide surface (11, 111) represents between 30 and 45 % of the area of the lower face of the soleplate (1, 101).
6. A steam iron according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterised in that the glide surface (11, 111) is arranged on the border of the soleplate (1, 101).
7. A steam iron according to claim 6, characterised in that said glide surface is formed by a flat strip (11, 111) extending along the contour of the soleplate (1, 101).
8. A steam iron according to claim 7, characterised in that said flat strip (11) is less than 3 cm wide.
9. A steam iron according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterised in that said recess (110) contains a steam emission area at the front end of the soleplate (101) with steam outlet holes (112A).
10. A steam iron according to claim 9, characterised in that the glide surface (111) of the soleplate contains protrusions (111A) that reduce locally behind the steam emission area of the front end of the soleplate (101).
11. A steam iron according to any one of claims 1 to 10, characterised in that the soleplate (1, 101) contains a single recess (10, 110), this recess (10, 110) occupying a central position on the soleplate (1, 101).
12. A steam iron according to any one of claims 1 to 10, characterised in that the soleplate (101) contains several distinct recesses (110, 120).
13. A steam iron according to any one of claims 1 to 12, characterised in that the recess (10) contains raised elements (13) protruding in the base (10A) of the recess (10) and coming into contact with the linen when the soleplate is pressed against the linen to be ironed.
14. A steam iron according to claim 13, characterised in that said raised elements (13) are elongated in shape.
15. An ironing apparatus comprising a pressurised steam generator connected by a steam duct to a steam iron characterised in that said iron complies with one of claims 1 to 14.

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