EP3985164B1 - Portable crease removal device comprising a textile treatment surface - Google Patents

Description

Technical area

The present invention relates to the field of portable steamer, comprising a handle and a steam emitting head connected to the handle, in which the steam emitting head comprises a treatment face, intended to come vertically opposite of a garment to be smoothed, which is provided with at least one steam outlet and a hot surface.

State of the art

It is known, from the document FR2822480 , a portable steamer comprising a handle and an emission head comprising a treatment face intended to come vertically opposite a garment to be steamed, the treatment face comprising steam outlet orifices and a hot surface intended to come into contact with the garment. The apparatus also includes a removable accessory that can be mounted on the treatment face to clean or degloss a garment.

However, in such a device, the accessory comes to cover the hot surface of the treatment face so that the latter no longer comes into contact with the garment, which reduces the heat transfer to the garment and therefore the effectiveness of the smoothing.

In addition, the accessory includes a cushion intended to remove threads or fibers clinging to the fabrics which is arranged on one side only of the steam outlet orifices so that the user must pay attention to the orientation of the device to properly treat the garment.

Other relevant states of the art are known from the documents CN207498690U , FR2882765A , DE102018222293 A , US2017/260685A And US2010/166396A .

Summary of the invention

The present invention aims to remedy this drawback by proposing a portable steamer with improved performance and ergonomics of use.

To this end, the subject of the invention is a steaming appliance comprising a body comprising a handle and a steam emission head connected to the handle, the steam emission head comprising a treatment face intended to come vertically opposite a garment to be smoothed, the treatment face comprising at least one steam outlet orifice and a hot surface intended to come into contact with the garment, characterized in that the treatment face also comprises a textile treatment extending all around the hot surface.

Such a device has the advantage of having a textile treatment surface which extends all around the hot surface so that the effect provided by this treatment surface on the garment to be treated is the same whatever the direction. movement of the device.

The apparatus may further have one or more of the following characteristics, taken alone or in combination.

According to an advantageous characteristic of the invention, said at least one steam outlet orifice opens onto the treatment face, between the treatment surface and the hot surface.

According to an advantageous characteristic of the invention, the textile of the treatment surface is a velvet or a microfiber.

According to an advantageous characteristic of the invention, the treatment surface has an annular shape.

According to an advantageous characteristic of the invention, the hot surface is in thermal contact with a heating body provided in the head.

Such a characteristic allows the heating of the hot surface by thermal conduction with the heating body.

According to an advantageous characteristic of the invention, the heating body contains a vaporization chamber.

Such a characteristic makes it possible to use the same heating body to heat the hot surface and to produce steam.

According to an advantageous characteristic of the invention, the hot surface is metallic.

According to an advantageous characteristic of the invention, the treatment surface is carried by an accessory removably mounted on the emission head of steam, the accessory comprising a through opening which engages around a protuberance which protrudes from the body, the hot surface being arranged at the end of the protuberance.

According to an advantageous characteristic of the invention, the device comprises a fixing device making it possible to hold the accessory on the head.

According to an advantageous characteristic of the invention, the fixing device comprises magnetic means ensuring the maintenance of the accessory on the treatment face.

Such a characteristic has the advantage of ensuring good support for the accessory while offering very good ergonomics of use.

According to an advantageous characteristic of the invention, the body comprises at least one magnet disposed behind the peripheral surface.

According to an advantageous characteristic of the invention, the body comprises a peripheral surface which extends at the foot of the protuberance and the accessory rests on the peripheral surface when it is mounted on the steam emission head.

Such a characteristic makes it possible to have good stability of the accessory on the head and to allow good heat transfer by conduction between the accessory and the vapor emission head.

According to an advantageous characteristic of the invention, the peripheral surface extends parallel to the hot surface.

According to an advantageous characteristic of the invention, the treatment surface extends substantially in the plane of the hot surface when the accessory is mounted on the head, so that the treatment surface of the accessory comes in the extension of the hot surface.

Thus the treatment surface of the accessory and the hot surface come into contact simultaneously with the garment to be treated when the device is applied against a garment.

According to an advantageous characteristic of the invention, the accessory is reversible and comprises a first treatment surface and a second treatment surface. treatment arranged on two opposite sides of the accessory.

By reversible accessory is meant that it can be mounted in one direction or the other so as to reveal one or the other of the treatment surfaces.

When the two treatment surfaces are identical, such an accessory has the advantage of being operational regardless of the mounting direction and/or of offering greater longevity when the treatment surface is sensitive to wear.

When the two treatment surfaces are different, this makes it possible with the same accessory to offer two different functionalities.

According to an advantageous characteristic of the invention, the first treatment surface and the second treatment surface have different surface states and/or materials.

By way of example, the second treatment surface may consist of a metal plate, a rubber surface or a textile of the velvet type, microfibers, etc.

Brief description of figures

• [Fig 1] La figure 1 est une vue en perspective d'un appareil selon un mode de réalisation particulier de l'invention équipé de son accessoire ;
• [Fig 2] La figure 2 est une vue en perspective de l'appareil de la figure 1 sur laquelle l'accessoire est illustré démonté du corps de l'appareil ;
• [Fig 3] La figure 3 est une vue de côté de l'appareil de la figure 1 démuni de son accessoire ;
• [Fig 4] La figure 4 est une vue en coupe longitudinale de l'appareil de la figure 1 ;
• [Fig 5] La figure 5 est une vue en perspective éclatée du corps chauffant équipant l'appareil de la figure 1 ;
• [Fig 6] La figure 6 est une vue en perspective éclatée de l'accessoire équipant l'appareil de la figure 1 ;
• [Fig 7] La figure 7 est une autre vue en perspective éclatée de l'accessoire équipant l'appareil de la figure 1.

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 appended drawings in which :

• [ Fig 1 ] There figure 1 is a perspective view of a device according to a particular embodiment of the invention equipped with its accessory;
• [ Fig 2 ] There figure 2 is a perspective view of the device from the figure 1 on which the accessory is illustrated disassembled from the body of the device;
• [ Fig.3 ] There picture 3 is a side view of the device from the figure 1 stripped of its accessory;
• [ Fig 4 ] There figure 4 is a longitudinal sectional view of the apparatus of the figure 1 ;
• [ Fig.5 ] There figure 5 is an exploded perspective view of the heating element equipping the apparatus of the figure 1 ;
• [ Fig 6 ] There figure 6 is an exploded perspective view of the accessory fitted to the device of the figure 1 ;
• [ Fig 7 ] There figure 7 is another exploded perspective view of the accessory fitted to the device of the figure 1 .

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

It will be noted that in this document, the terms "horizontal", "vertical", "lower", "upper", "top", "bottom", "front", "rear", "longitudinal", "transversal", used to describe the device refer to this device when it is lying flat on its base.

There figure 1 represents a steaming device comprising a body having a portable casing made of plastic material comprising a base 1 surmounted by a handle 2 and a head 3 for emitting steam, the base 1 comprising a flat lower face on which the steaming device can come to rest stably in a substantially vertical position.

The base 1 of the steamer includes an electrical power cord 10 allowing it to be connected to a domestic electrical network, and the steam emitting head 3 includes a rear face provided with a button 12 (visible on the figure 4 ) to switch on the steamer.

The base 1 contains an electric pump 4, visible on the figure 4 , the operation of which is controlled by means of a trigger 5 arranged at the top of the handle 2, the trigger 5 actuating, in a manner known per se, a switch connected to an electronic card for controlling the pump 4, not represented on the figures. The pump 4 is supplied with liquid by a reservoir 11 formed in the base 1, this reservoir 11 being advantageously removable from the steaming device to facilitate its filling.

The steam emission head 3 has a slender shape extending transversely to the longitudinal direction of the handle 2 and comprises a longitudinal end provided with a treatment face 30 intended to come vertically next to a garment to be smoothed.

In accordance with figures 1 to 3 , the treatment face 30 comprises a protuberance 34 which protrudes from the body and which comprises one end supporting a hot surface 31, preferably metallic and of oblong shape.

The protrusion 34 also includes a series of steam outlet orifices 33 arranged in the bottom of a groove formed near the periphery of the protuberance 34. The protrusion 34 advantageously occupies a central position on the treatment face 30 and has a slightly tapered shape. The treatment face 30 has, at the foot of the protuberance 34, a peripheral surface 32 which extends parallel to the hot surface 31 and forms a shoulder extending to the edge of the body of the head 3.

Preferably, the peripheral surface 32 is produced by a metal part which is attached to the end of the head 3 and which is in thermal contact with a heating body 6, visible on the figure 4 And 5 , arranged inside the head 3.

The heating body 6 has the general shape of a rectangular parallelepiped and comprises, in a manner known per se, a foundry, for example aluminum, and a resistive heating element 60, such as an electrical resistance, bent in a U and integrated into the foundry .

The heating body 6 comprises a front face coming into thermal contact with the hot surface 31, the front end of the heating body 6 extending inside the protrusion 34. In this way, the hot surface 31 is heated by conduction heat through the protuberance 34.

The heating body 6 also comprises a lid 61 which rests, in a leaktight manner, on the foundry, and an instantaneous vaporization chamber 63 delimited by the foundry and the lid 61. The foundry more particularly comprises a peripheral wall on which the lid 61 rests. and which laterally delimits the instantaneous vaporization chamber 63.

Advantageously, the power supply to the resistive heating element 60 is regulated at the means of a thermostat 9 (visible on the figure 4 ) around a set temperature, measured at the center of the instantaneous vaporization chamber 63, for example between 110° C. and 150° C.

The cover 61 comprises two water injection orifices 68A opening into the instantaneous vaporization chamber 63 in the vicinity of the front end of the latter, the two water injection orifices 68A being connected to the pump 4 by the through a fluid conveying conduit (not shown in the figures).

The instantaneous vaporization chamber 63 has a bottom wall forming a vaporization surface on which the liquid injected via the two water injection orifices 68A is vaporized and has a passage 65 for the vapor outlet provided on the peripheral wall, opposite the treatment face 30.

The steamer further comprises several deflection walls 69 extending in the instantaneous vaporization chamber 63 between the zone where the water is injected on the bottom wall and the passage 65 for the steam outlet. These deflection walls 69 form baffles configured to deflect the flow of steam generated in the instantaneous vaporization chamber 63 and retain any droplets of water that may be transported by the flow of steam.

The heating body 6 also comprises a steam distribution circuit 66 in which the flow of steam coming from the instantaneous vaporization chamber 63 is intended to flow. According to the embodiment shown in the figures, the steam distribution circuit 66 is arranged around the flash chamber 63.

The steam distribution circuit 66 is fluidically connected on the one hand to the instantaneous vaporization chamber 63 via the passage 65 for the steam outlet, and on the other hand to the steam outlet orifices 33 via ducts 36 provided in the front face of the heating body 6. The steam distribution circuit 66 is thus configured to supply steam to the steam outlet orifices 33. In particular, the steam leaving the instantaneous vaporization chamber 63 through the passage 65 can flow in the steam distribution circuit 66, on either side of the instantaneous vaporization chamber 63 to then be diffused through the ducts, the latter opening into a distribution chamber 35 arranged upstream of the steam outlet orifices 33 visible on the figure 4 .

In accordance with figure 1 And 2 , the device comprises one or more accessories 7 intended to be removably mounted against the peripheral surface 32 of the head 3, each accessory 7 having a through opening 70 adapted to allow the passage of the protrusion 34 when the accessory 7 rests against the peripheral surface 32.

The accessory 7 advantageously has an oblong shape, the outer contour of which matches the shape of the outer contour of the body of the head 3, the through-opening 70 being arranged in a central position and having a shape matching the shape of the outer contour of the protrusion 34 so that the insertion of the protrusion 34 in the through opening 70 ensures the centering of the accessory 7 on the head 3.

In accordance with figure 6 And 7 , the accessory 7 comprises a central body 71 made of plastic material comprising four metal inserts 72, distributed on either side of the through opening 70, and comprises a first flange 73 and a second flange 74 which are clipped onto two opposite sides of the central body 71 of the accessory 7, coming to hide the metal inserts 72.

Preferably, the first flange 73 is covered with a first coating which defines a first treatment surface 75, of annular shape, which extends all around the through opening 70 and the second flange 74 is covered with a second coating, preferably different from the first coating, which defines a second treatment surface 76, of annular shape, which also extends all around the through opening 70.

In the example illustrated in the figures, the first treatment surface 75 is a metal plate which is affixed to the external face of the first flange 73. The metal plate is advantageously fixed by tabs 75A which are folded behind the first flange 73. The second treatment surface 76 is a textile, such as a velvet or a microfiber, which is affixed to the outer face of the second flange 74. The textile is fixed using two retaining rings 76A, 76B which are respectively attached to the level of the peripheral edge and the through opening 70 of the second flange 74.

Preferably, and as is clearly visible on the picture 3 , the thickness of the accessory 7 corresponding substantially to the height of the protuberance 34 so that one of the treatment surfaces 75, 76 comes in the extension of the hot surface 31 when the other treatment surface 76 , 75 of the accessory 7 rests against the peripheral surface 32 of the head 3.

In order to ensure magnetic retention of the accessory or accessories 7 on the head 3, the head 3 comprises four magnets 37 arranged behind the peripheral surface 32, and illustrated in dotted lines on the figure 2 , the magnets 37 being arranged so as to come opposite the metal inserts 72 carried by the accessory 7 when the latter is placed on the head 3.

The device thus produced has the advantage of having an accessory 7 which is very ergonomic to put in place and to remove the head 3 from the device.

Indeed, the user can set up the accessory 7 on the head 3 simply by aligning the protuberance 34 with the through opening 70 of the accessory 7, and by engaging the accessory 7 on the head 3 so as to come and apply one of the treatment surfaces 75, 76 against the peripheral surface 32.

When the accessory 7 is placed in this position, the magnets 37 of the head 3 exert a magnetic attraction on the metal inserts 72 so that the accessory 7 is held in position on the head 3.

The user can then use the device by activating the trigger 5 of the device, to cause the starting of the pump 4 and the sending of water into the vaporization chamber 63, causing the steam to escape from the steam outlet holes 33.

During this use, the accessory 7 then has a treatment surface 75, 76 which is arranged all around the hot surface 31 and the steam outlet orifices 33 so that the treatment surface 75, 76 provides the same efficiency. treatment regardless of the direction of movement of the head 3 parallel to the garment.

In addition, the user has the possibility of choosing, among the two treatment surfaces 75, 76 of the accessory, the one that he will use to treat his garment.

Thus, he can choose to put the accessory 7 on the head 3 so that it is the first treatment surface 75 or the second treatment surface 76 which is found exposed around the hot surface 31.

Thus, if he arranges the accessory 7 in such a way that the first treatment surface 75 is applied against the peripheral surface 32, then the second treatment surface 76 will end up being the active surface which will come into contact with the garment. . Conversely, when the user places the accessory 7 in such a way that the second treatment surface 76 is applied against the peripheral surface 32, then the first treatment surface 75 will end up being the active surface that will come in contact with clothing.

Such a device therefore has the advantage, with a limited number of accessories 7, of offering a greater diversity of treatment surfaces.

In particular, when the user places the accessory 7 in such a way that the first treatment surface 75, consisting of the metal plate, is oriented in the direction of the garment to be treated, the device benefits from the entire surface of the plate. metal of the accessory 7, in addition to the hot surface 31, to heat the garment, the metal surface of the accessory 7 then being heated by radiation and by thermal conduction with the protuberance 34 and the peripheral surface 32 .

Conversely, when the user places the accessory 7 in such a way that the second treatment surface 76, consisting of a textile surface, is oriented in the direction of the garment to be treated, the device can be used while benefiting from the properties of this surface to act on the garment.

If this surface is constituted by a velor, the latter will exert a traction on the garment, during the lateral displacement of the steaming head along the garment, which will contribute to improving the steaming performance.

If this surface consists of a microfiber, the latter will have the advantage of being very effective in removing dust or dirt which may be attached to clothing.

A device is thus obtained which allows the performance of different types of work in an optimized manner while having a size and a cost reduced, due to the small number of accessories accompanying the device.

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 remain possible, in particular from the point of view of the constitution of the various elements or by substitution of technical equivalents, without thereby departing from the scope of protection of the invention.

Thus, the device may also include several accessories with different treatment surfaces. By way of example, the device may comprise a first accessory with a first treatment surface consisting of a velor and a second treatment surface consisting of a microfiber. The accessory may also include a second accessory for which the two treatment faces are identical and are, for example, made up of a metal plate

In a variant embodiment not shown, the accessory may also be fixed to the head by a fixing means other than magnetic means, for example by clipping.

In a variant embodiment not shown, the hot surface may also have its own resistive element, independent of the heating resistor of the heating body containing the vaporization chamber.

Claims (14)

1. Smoothing apparatus comprising a body including a handle (2) and a steam emission head (3) connected to the handle (2), the steam emission head (3) comprising a treatment face (30) intended to vertically face a garment to be smoothed, the treatment face (30) including at least one steam outlet (33) and a hot surface (31) intended to come into contact with the garment, characterised in that the treatment face comprises a textile treatment surface (75, 76) extending completely around the hot surface (31), the treatment surface (75, 76) being exposed around the hot surface (31).
2. Smoothing apparatus according to claim 1, characterised in that said at least one steam outlet (33) opens onto the treatment face (30), between the treatment surface (75, 76) and the hot surface (31).
3. Smoothing apparatus according to any of claims 1 to 2, characterised in that the textile of the treatment surface (75, 76) is a velour or a microfibre.
4. Smoothing apparatus according to any of claims 1 to 3, characterised in that the treatment surface (75, 76) is ring-shaped.
5. Smoothing apparatus according to any of claims 1 to 4, characterised in that the hot surface (31) is in thermal contact with a heating body (6) provided in the head (3).
6. Smoothing apparatus according to claim 5, characterised in that the heating body (6) encloses a vaporisation chamber (63).
7. Smoothing apparatus according to any of claims 1 to 6, characterised in that the hot surface (31) is metallic.
8. Smoothing apparatus according to any of claims 1 to 7, characterised in that the treatment surface (75, 76) is supported by an accessory (7) removably mounted on the steam emission head (3), the accessory (7) including a through-opening (70) which engages around a protrusion (34) projecting from the body, the hot surface (31) being arranged at the end of the protrusion (34).
9. Smoothing apparatus according to claim 8, characterised in that it comprises an attachment device (37, 72) for retaining the accessory (7) on the head (3).
10. Smoothing apparatus according to claim 9, characterised in that the attachment device comprises magnetic means which retain the accessory (7) on the treatment face.
11. Smoothing apparatus according to any of claims 8 to 10, characterised in that the body comprises a peripheral surface (32) extending to the foot of the protrusion (34) and in that the accessory (7) abuts the peripheral surface (32) when mounted on the steam emission head (3).
12. Smoothing apparatus according to claim 11, characterised in that the peripheral surface (32) extends parallel to the hot surface (31).
13. Smoothing apparatus according to any of claims 8 to 12, characterised in that the treatment surface (75, 76) extends substantially in the plane of the hot surface (31) when the accessory (7) is mounted on the head (3).
14. Smoothing apparatus according to any of claims 8 to 13, characterised in that the accessory (7) is reversible and comprises a first treatment surface (75) and a second treatment surface (76) which are arranged on two opposite faces of the accessory (7).

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