EP3365490B1 - Steam-smoothing apparatus including a base connected to a smoothing head via a pipe - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a steam smoothing apparatus comprising a base for the production of a steam flow connected to an anti-crease head by a duct in which the steam produced by the base freely escapes towards the steam head. smoothing. The invention relates more particularly to a smoothing apparatus in which the steaming head comprises a rear part forming a gripping handle and a flared front part comprising a surface provided with several steam outlet holes through which the steam flow. from the base is broadcast.

It is known, from the patent FR2912429 , a steam anti-crease apparatus comprising a base for the production of a steam flow connected by a duct to a anti-crease head in which the steam produced by the base freely escapes towards the anti-crease head. In this document, the anti-crease head comprises a rear part forming a gripping handle and a flared front part comprising a surface provided with several steam outlet holes through which the flow of steam coming from the base is diffused.

Such an anti-crease apparatus has the advantage of being inexpensive to manufacture and of rapidly producing a flow of saturated steam which makes it possible to very quickly uncrease curtains or clothing suspended vertically on a hanger.

However, such a steam ironing apparatus has a boiling chamber which supplies steam at atmospheric pressure so that the speed of the steam flow at the outlet of the steam ironing head is low, which is detrimental to good penetration. of steam in thick fabrics. In addition, the low speed of the steam at the outlet of the anti-crease brush does not make it possible to obtain a good directivity of the jet of steam in order to precisely treat areas of the garment to be smoothed out.

Also, an object of the present invention is to provide a smoothing device overcoming these drawbacks which is very simple to use. construction.

To this end, the invention relates to a steam anti-crease apparatus comprising an anti-crease head and a base for the production of a flow of steam connected to the anti-crease head by a duct in which the steam produced by the base escapes freely towards the steamer head, the steamer head comprising a rear part, preferably cylindrical, forming a gripping handle and a flared front part comprising a surface provided with several steam outlet holes through which the flow of steam from the base is diffused, characterized in that the flared front part contains a first steam distribution chamber which supplies steam to a first group of steam outlet holes and a second steam distribution chamber which supplies steam a second group of steam outlet holes and in that the anti-crease head comprises means for blocking or reducing the flow of steam in the direction of the two th group of steam outlet holes operable from outside the anti-crease head.

Such a steam anti-crease appliance has the advantage of being simple and economical to produce and of having a de-creasing head exhibiting very good ergonomics of use, the de-creasing head making it possible to rapidly process thin textiles, highly vapor permeable, thanks to the gentle diffusion of steam over all of the steam outlet holes of the anti-crease head. Such an apparatus also has the advantage of allowing the treatment of a more precise and / or more difficult to smooth out area by concentrating the steam flow on a small number of steam holes in the creasing head so as to have a more steam flow. powerful.

The duct includes an end connected to the base which communicates freely with a boiling chamber and an end connected to the steaming head which communicates freely with the first distribution chamber.

Such a characteristic makes it possible to obtain an apparatus having a simple construction, requiring no means of controlling the emission of steam between the base and the anti-crease head.

According to another characteristic of the invention, the anti-crease head comprises a valve which is returned by return means to an open position allowing the passage of the flow of steam to the second steam distribution chamber, the valve being able to be moved manually. to a closed position to reduce or block the flow of steam to the second group of steam outlet holes.

Such a characteristic makes it possible, by a device that is simple and economical to implement, to obtain a steaming head in which the steam is by default diffused over all the steam outlet holes of the steaming head and is located, on command, focused on only certain steam outlet holes when the user presses a button.

According to another characteristic of the invention, the valve can be actuated by a trigger arranged under the handle or by a circular wheel arranged around the gripping handle.

Such a characteristic makes it possible to obtain good ergonomics of use.

According to another characteristic of the invention, the anti-crease head comprises a flexible tube supplying the second steam distribution chamber and a device for clamping the tube.

Such a characteristic represents an alternative for obtaining, by means of a device that is simple and economical to implement, to concentrate the flow of steam on the only steam outlet holes of the first group when the user presses a button.

According to another characteristic of the invention, the device for clamping the tube comprises a button mounted to pivot on the steamer head, the button being integral with an element which clamps the tube when the button is moved to a depressed position, the button being returned to a rest position by elastic return means.

According to another characteristic of the invention, the surface receiving the vapor outlet holes is flat and has a generally triangular outline.

According to another characteristic of the invention, the steam outlet holes are distributed in V on the surface of the steamer head, the steam outlet holes vapor arranged at the pointed end of the V being supplied with vapor by the first distribution chamber, the other vapor outlet holes being supplied by the second distribution chamber.

According to yet another characteristic of the invention, the total number of steam outlet holes is greater than or equal to five holes.

Such a characteristic makes it possible to obtain vapor diffusion over a number of vapor outlet holes sufficient to ensure vapor diffusion over a large area in order to rapidly treat textiles which are sufficiently permeable to vapor.

According to another characteristic of the invention, the first group of steam outlet holes comprises less than five steam outlet holes and preferably three steam outlet holes.

Such a characteristic makes it possible to obtain a concentration of the vapor on only a few holes, for better precision of the vapor flow.

According to another characteristic of the invention, the gripping handle comprises a longitudinal end at the level of which the duct engages in the anti-crease head and an opposite end at the level of which the gripping handle is extended by the flared front part. .

Such a characteristic makes it possible to obtain great maneuverability and good ergonomics of use for the anti-crease head.

• la figure 1 est une vue de face d'une tête de défroissage selon un premier mode de réalisation de l'invention ;
• la figure 2 est une vue en perspective de la tête de défroissage de la figure 1 ;
• la figure 3 est une vue en perspective éclatée de la tête de défroissage de la figure 1 ;
• les figures 4 et 5 sont des vues en coupe longitudinale de la tête de défroissage, selon la ligne IV-IV de la figure 1, lorsque le bouton est respectivement dans une position relâchée et une position enfoncée ;
• la figure 6 est une vue en perspective d'une tête de défroissage selon un deuxième mode de réalisation de l'invention ;
• la figure 7 est une vue en perspective éclatée de la tête de défroissage de la figure 6 ;
• les figures 8 et 9 sont des vues en coupe longitudinale de la tête de défroissage de la figure 6 lorsque le bouton est respectivement dans une position relâchée et une position enfoncée.

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. wherein :

• the figure 1 is a front view of an anti-crease head according to a first embodiment of the invention;
• the figure 2 is a perspective view of the steamer head of the figure 1 ;
• the figure 3 is an exploded perspective view of the steamer head of the figure 1 ;
• the figures 4 and 5 are views in longitudinal section of the steamer head, along line IV-IV of the figure 1 , when the button is respectively in a released position and a depressed position;
• the figure 6 is a perspective view of a smoothing head according to a second embodiment of the invention;
• the figure 7 is an exploded perspective view of the steamer head of the figure 6 ;
• the figures 8 and 9 are views in longitudinal section of the steamer head of the figure 6 when the button is in a released position and a depressed position, respectively.

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

The figures 1 to 5 show an anti-crease head 1 according to a first embodiment.

The steamer head 1 is connected by a flexible duct 2 to a base, not shown in the figures and similar to that described in more detail in the patent application. FR 2 912 429 , the base comprising a water reservoir and a boiling chamber provided with a steam outlet orifice connected directly to the duct of the anti-crease head.

The steaming head 1 comprises a body comprising a cylindrical rear part forming a gripping handle 3 and a flared front part 4 coming in the longitudinal extension of the gripping handle 3. The flared front part 4 comprises a flat surface 5 having a contour generally triangular in shape, with curved edges, having a front point 50 coming in the longitudinal extension of the gripping handle 3, the flat surface 5 forming an angle of the order of 25 ° with the longitudinal direction of the gripping handle 3 .

Preferably, the gripping handle 3 and the flared front part 4 of the anti-crease head 1 are formed by the assembly of two half-shells 11, 12 of plastic material, visible on the figure 3 , and the flat surface 5 is carried by a sole 13, also of plastic material, which is attached by clipping onto the two half-shells 11, 12.

In accordance with the figure 1 , the flat surface 5 is provided with a first group of steam outlet holes 51, surrounded by dotted lines on the figure 1 , comprising three holes distributed in a V near the front point 50 of the surface 5 and a second group of vapor outlet holes 52 comprising two times three holes arranged in the extension of the holes arranged in a V of the first group of holes steam outlet 51.

In accordance with figures 3 and 4 , the flexible duct 2 engages in the anti-crease head 1 through the rear end of the gripping handle 3 and extends longitudinally inside the gripping handle as far as a connector 6 distributing the flow of steam issuing from flexible duct 2 in two streams of steam supplying respectively the first group of steam outlet holes 51 and the second group of steam outlet holes 52.

To this end, the connector 6 comprises an inlet orifice 60 to which the flexible duct 2 is connected and comprises a first outlet orifice 61 to which is connected a first flexible tube 63 connected to a first distribution chamber 71 supplying only the first group of steam outlet holes 51. The connector 6 also comprises a second outlet port 62 to which is connected a second flexible tube 64 connected to a second distribution chamber 72 supplying only the second group of steam outlet holes 52 .

Preferably, the first and second distribution chamber 71, 72 are provided in a manifold 7, arranged in the steaming head 1, comprising a partition wall 70 extending between the first distribution chamber 71 and the second chamber. distribution 72, the collector 7 being advantageously constituted by a piece of plastic material attached against the rear face of the sole 13 while being connected in a sealed manner to the latter.

More particularly according to the invention, the anti-crease head 1 comprises a button 8 making it possible to reduce, or even block, the flow of steam transmitted in the direction of the second group of steam outlet holes 52, so that that a greater part of the vapor flow produced by the base, or even all of this vapor flow, is sent through the first group of vapor outlet holes 51.

According to the first embodiment of the invention, the button 8 is pivotally mounted on the body of the steamer head 1 and comprises a cross member 80 which clamps the second tube 64 when manual pressure is exerted on the button 8, thus as shown on the figure 5 , the button 8 comprising an opening 81 above the cross member 80 allowing the free passage of the first tube 63.

The button 8 is advantageously disposed near the front end of the gripping handle 3, on the upper face of the latter, and is returned to a rest position, illustrated in the figure. figure 4 , by the elastic return produced by the second tube 64 when the latter returns to its initial shape when no pressure is exerted on the button 8.

The anti-crease head 1 thus produced makes it possible to obtain a concentration of the steam flow on the only steam outlet holes 51 belonging to the first group, that is to say those arranged near the front tip of the surface 5. when the user presses button 8.

Such a concentration of the steam flow over a small number of holes has the advantage of making it possible to obtain a powerful and precise steam flow capable of better targeting a particular zone to be smoothed out.

The figures 6 to 9 illustrate an anti-crease head 101 according to a second embodiment, the anti-crease head 101 being connected by a flexible duct 102 to a base for the generation of steam according to that described for the first embodiment.

In this second embodiment, the anti-crease head 101 comprises a body, similar to that described for the first embodiment, comprising a cylindrical rear part forming a gripping handle 103 in which the flexible duct 102 engages, and a flared front part 104 coming in the longitudinal extension of the gripping handle 103 comprising a flat surface 105 provided with steam outlet holes.

In this embodiment, the anti-crease head 101 comprises a device for protecting the flexible duct 102, constituted by a deformable sleeve 120 enveloping the flexible duct 102, at the rear end of the handle 103, the latter advantageously having a notch 130 on its underside in which the deformable sleeve 120 can engage to facilitate the downward bending of the duct.

In accordance with the figure 7 , the gripping handle 103 and the flared front part 104 of the anti-crease head are formed by the assembly of two half-shells 111, 112 in plastic material on which is clipped a sole 113, also in plastic material, supporting the surface 105, the sole 113 having an outline of generally triangular shape, with curved edges, comprising a front point 150 coming in the longitudinal extension of the gripping handle 103.

Similarly to the first embodiment, the surface 105 is provided with a first group of vapor outlet holes 151 comprising three holes distributed in V near the front tip 150 of the surface 105 and a second group of holes. steam outlet 152 comprising two times three holes arranged in the extension of the holes arranged in a V of the first group of steam outlet holes 151.

In accordance with figures 7 and 8 , the flexible duct 102 extends longitudinally inside the gripping handle 103 as far as a distributor 106 distributing the flow of steam coming from the flexible duct 102 into two streams of steam supplying respectively the first group of outlet holes. steam 151 and the second group of steam outlet holes 152.

The distributor 106 comprises, on one side, a connector provided with an inlet orifice 160 to which the flexible duct 102 is connected and comprises, on the other side, a face provided with two outlet orifices 161, 162 on which is coupled to a collector 107 made of plastic.

The manifold 107 comprises a first distribution chamber 171 extending opposite the first group of steam outlet holes 151, which is supplied with steam through one of the two outlet ports 161, 162, called the first outlet port 161. , and has a second chamber of distribution 172 supplied with steam through the other of the two outlet orifices, called the second outlet orifice 162, which extends opposite the second group of steam outlet holes 152.

More particularly according to this second embodiment, the distributor 106 comprises a main channel 163 which directly connects the first outlet port 161 with the inlet port 160 and comprises a bypass channel 164 which connects the second outlet port 162 with an opening 165 opening into the main channel 163.

The opening 165 is provided with a valve 109 slidably mounted between an open position, shown in figure 8 , towards which it is returned automatically by a return spring 190 and a closed position, illustrated on the figure 9 , towards which it is brought manually by pressing a button 108 advantageously disposed on the underside of the gripping handle 103, near the front end of the latter.

The valve 109 comprises a disc provided with a peripheral seal 191 which comes to rest at the edge of the opening 165 to hermetically close the latter when the valve 109 occupies the closed position and comprises a central rod 192, integral with the disc, which is mounted. sliding in the distributor 106, the rod 192 comprising an end 192A projecting outside the distributor 106.

The button 108, of the trigger type, is pivotally mounted on the body of the anti-crease head 101 and comprises a cam 108A bearing on the end 192A of the rod 192, pressing the button 108 making it possible to bring the valve. 109 in the closed position, shown on figure 9 .

The anti-crease head 101 thus produced makes it possible, just as for the first embodiment, to obtain a flow of steam concentrated on the only steam outlet holes 151 belonging to the first group, that is to say those arranged near the front tip 150 of the surface 105 when the user presses the button 108.

Such a concentration of the vapor flow over a small number of vapor outlet holes, near the leading edge of the flat surface, presents the advantage of making it possible to obtain a powerful and precise flow of steam capable of better targeting a particular zone to be smoothed out.

Such a construction therefore makes it possible, through a solution that is simple and economical to implement, to improve the performance of a device for vertical steaming using a flow of steam.

In fact, the device thus produced allows rapid and effective treatment of clothing made of fabric which is highly permeable to vapor when the button is not actuated, thanks to the diffusion of the vapor through a high number of vapor outlet holes covering a large treatment surface.

Conversely, when the user wishes to smooth a garment made from a textile which is not very permeable to vapor, requiring a greater speed of the flow of steam, or when he wishes to precisely treat an area of the garment, all he has to do is press the button for more powerful jets of steam on a limited number of steam outlet holes.

There is therefore obtained an apparatus whose versatility and efficiency in the treatment of garments is improved.

Of course, the invention is in no way limited to the embodiment described and illustrated which has been given only by way of example. Modifications are still possible.

Thus, in an alternative embodiment not shown, the closure of the flow of steam in the direction of the second group of steam outlet holes can be achieved by means of a flap mounted to pivot.

Thus, in another variant embodiment not shown, the surface receiving the steam outlet holes may be convex.

Thus, in an alternative embodiment not shown, the control knob of the valve could be constituted by a circular wheel rotating around the gripping handle.

Claims (9)

1. Steam-smoothing apparatus comprising a smoothing head (1; 101) and a base intended for producing a steam flow and connected to the smoothing head (1; 101) via a flexible pipe (2; 102) in which the steam produced by the base freely escapes to the smoothing head (1; 101), the flexible pipe (2; 102) comprising an end connected to the base which communicates freely with a boiling chamber, and an end connected to the smoothing head (1; 101) which communicates freely with the first dispensing chamber, the smoothing head (1; 101) comprising a rear portion forming a grasping handle (3; 103), and a widened front portion (4; 104) comprising a surface (5; 105) provided with a plurality of steam outlet holes (51, 52; 151, 152) through which the flow of steam from the base is distributed, characterised in that the widened front portion (4; 104) contains a first steam-dispensing chamber (71; 171) which supplies steam to a first group of steam outlet holes (51; 151), and a second steam-dispensing chamber (72; 172) which supplies steam to a second group of steam outlet holes (52; 152), and in that the smoothing head (1; 101) comprises means (80; 109) for blocking or reducing the steam flow in the direction of the second group of steam outlet holes (52; 152), which means can be actuated from outside the smoothing head (1; 101).
2. Steam-smoothing apparatus according to claim 1, characterised in that the smoothing head (1; 101) comprises a valve (109) that is returned by return means (190) to an open position permitting the passage of the steam flow to the second steam-dispensing chamber (172), said valve (109) being manually movable to a closed position in order to reduce or block the steam flow in the direction of the second group of steam outlet holes (152).
3. Steam-smoothing apparatus according to claim 2, characterised in that said valve (109) can be actuated by a trigger (108) arranged under the grasping handle (103) or by a circular wheel arranged around the grasping handle (103).
4. Steam-smoothing apparatus according to any of claims 1 to 3, characterised in that the smoothing head (1) comprises a flexible tube (64) supplying the second steam-dispensing chamber (72) and a device (80) for pinching the tube (64).
5. Steam-smoothing apparatus according to claim 4, characterised in that the device for pinching the tube (64) comprises a button (8) pivotally mounted on the smoothing head (1), the button (8) being integral with an element (80) that pinches the tube (64) when the button (8) is moved to a depressed position, the button (8) being returned to a resting position by elastic return means.
6. Steam-smoothing apparatus according to any of claims 1 to 5, characterised in that the surface (5; 105) receiving the steam outlet holes (51, 52; 151, 152) is flat and comprises a generally triangular contour.
7. Steam-smoothing apparatus according to any of claims 1 to 6, characterised in that the steam outlet holes (51, 52; 151, 152) are distributed in a V on the surface of the smoothing head (1; 101), and in that the steam outlet holes (51, 151) arranged at the pointed end of the V are supplied with steam from the first dispensing chamber (71; 171), the other steam outlet holes (52; 152) being supplied by the second dispensing chamber (72; 172).
8. Steam-smoothing apparatus according to any of claims 1 to 7, characterised in that the total number of steam outlet holes (51, 52; 151, 152) is greater than or equal to five holes.
9. Steam-smoothing apparatus according to any of claims 1 to 8, characterised in that the first group of steam outlet holes (51; 151) comprises fewer than five steam outlet holes and preferably three steam outlet holes.

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