FR2700560A1 - Steam ironing device. - Google Patents

Abstract

This steam ironing device comprises an electric iron (1) comprising a heating soleplate (5) and a vaporization chamber (6) formed in the sole (5), closed by a metal cover (8) and communicating with the 'exterior by means of outlet openings (7); an independent steam generator (2); and a flexible steam supply pipe (3) connecting the generator (2) to the vaporization chamber (6) of the iron via a steam pipe (16). According to the invention, the vapor duct (16) is a rigid metal tube, one end (17) of which is directly connected to the flexible pipe (3) and the other end (18) of which opens into the vaporization chamber (6). iron by being embedded in a sealed manner in an opening (19) drilled in the cover (8) of the steam chamber of the iron.

Description

STEAM IRONING DEVICE

  The present invention relates to a steam ironing device, comprising: an electric iron comprising a heating soleplate and a vaporization chamber formed in the soleplate, closed by a metal cover and communicating with the outside by means of outlet orifices steam provided in the sole, an independent steam generator; and a flexible steam supply pipe, one end of which is connected to the outlet of the steam generator and of which

  the other end is connected to the vaporization chamber

  tion of the iron through a housed steam pipe

in said iron.

  Various conventional types of electric steam irons are already known for domestic use, comprising in particular a heated metal soleplate closed by a cover, a cap covering the

  sole and thermally insulating it from the

  iron body, water tank and vault chamber

  porization practiced in the sole and in which is

  produced a certain amount of water vapor under pressure

  Zion projected through outlet openings in the soleplate of the iron The water, contained in the tank, is directed by an injection device subjected to actuation, towards the vaporization chamber heated by an electric resistance embedded in the soleplate of iron In contact with the heated metal, water is transformed into vapor and escapes through the orifices of

outlet for this purpose.

  This type of steam iron works

  self-sufficient satisfaction.

  jp- However, currently, we use more and more

  more for a large production of steam under pressure

  sion, a steam generator which is structural-

  independent of an iron, and which is connected to the rear of the iron by a flexible supply hose

steam.

  In this type of ironing installation, it is desirable to use an iron which already exists on the market, such as that described above and

  for which the water injection device is well

  stretched out of service We then proposed to connect the flexible hose to the steam chamber of the iron

  by means of a flexible and insulating vapor conduit, in fact

  sant pass the latter is below the thermal insulation cap of said iron by connecting it to the flexible pipe by insulating intermediate pieces, hence a certain complexity of connection, and by connecting it

  directly to the steam iron vaporization chamber

  ser, hence a relatively difficult assembly of the duct due to its flexibility, or above the thermal insulation cap which inevitably requires major modifications of the iron in question, or even a new specific design of the iron

iron.

  In addition, the vapor conduit used is generally made of a silicone which is relatively subject to deformation with the use of the iron, such a conduit also running the risk of being disconnected, in particular at the level of the vaporization chamber of the iron under

  the action of the pressure of the conveyed vapor.

  The object of the invention is to overcome these drawbacks

  come and realize a steam ironing device, of the type described above, implementing a connection between the flexible steam supply pipe and the vaporization chamber of an iron, which is simple, reliable, economical and easy to set up, and which can easily be adapted to an iron of known conventional constitution, that is to say designed to

operate independently.

  According to the invention, the steam pipe provided

  The connection between the flexible steam supply pipe and the steam chamber of the iron is a rigid metal tube, one so-called rear end is directly connected to the flexible pipe and the other

  so-called front end opens into the vapor chamber

  sation of the iron by being sealed in an opening pierced in the cover of the

vaporization chamber of said iron.

  Thus, a hose connection is obtained.

  full steam chamber of the iron, which is

  both simple to carry out and reliable over time,

  that it only involves a single rigid metal vapor pipe. Such simplicity of assembly is well suited to automatic manufacture in

large series.

  Other features and benefits of

  the invention will moreover emerge from the description which

  will follow from a particular embodiment taken at

  title of nonlimiting example illustrated in the drawings an-

  attached in which: FIG. 1 is a schematic view in partial section of the steam ironing device according to the invention, FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of

  certain constituents, shown in cross-section

  dirty, from the bottom of the iron illus-

  very in Figure 1; Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of the components of Figure 2 once assembled; and Figure 4 is a schematic top view of

  the sole-tube assembly of the iron of the fi-

  gure 1, with representation of the electrical connections of iron. With reference to FIG. 1, a steam ironing device comprises an iron 1, an independent steam generator 2 and a flexible pipe 3 for supplying steam, connecting the steam generator to the

iron.

  The steam generator 2, intended to produce a large quantity of pressurized water vapor, is

  of a structure known per se On a purely individual basis

  cative, this steam generator is for example of the type comprising:

  either a tank designed to contain a quantity

  finished with water and steam produced from this water, and a plunging resistor to heat the water and generate this steam, i.e. a boiler supplied with water contained in a

  separate tank via a micropump.

  Next to Figures 1 and 2, the iron -

  ser 1 (figure 1) has a sub-assembly (sole)

  designated by the general reference 4 in Figure 2 and com-

  taking a molded metal sole 5, for example of aluminum, in which a ventilation chamber 6 is formed which communicates with the outside by means

  outlet ports 7 formed in the underside of the sole 5.

  The vaporization chamber 6 is closed by a cover 8 of stamped sheet metal For this purpose, the cover 8 has a curved peripheral edge 9 which is embedded in a complementary groove 10 formed in the upper face of the sole 5 The cover 8 is furthermore held on the sole 5 by means of clamping elements (not shown). In the sole 5 is embedded a shielded electrical resistance 12 in the shape of a U of which only the two

  ends 12 a, 12 b are visible in FIG. 4.

  The sub-assembly 4, FIG. 2, also includes

  ment a sheet metal plate 13, of Z-shaped cross section, which is fixedly disposed on the upper face of the sole 5, overhanging relatively to the rear end of the latter, and which supports in a solid manner a

  earth conductor 14 bent vertically upwards.

  According to the invention, the flexible pipe 3, FIG. 1, connected at the outlet of the steam generator 2 and entering the rear part 15 of the iron 1, is connected to the vaporization chamber 6 of said iron by a single metal tube rigid steam pipe 16, for example made of aluminum, one end of which is called the rear end 17 is directly connected to the flexible pipe 3 and the other end of which is called the front end 18 opens into the vaporization chamber 6 of the iron while being embedded in

  sealingly in an opening 19 pierced in the neck

  circle 8 of the steam chamber 6 of the iron. In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1, the rear end 17 of the tube 16 comprises an annular bead 20 on which the tube 3 is force fitted, the assembly being firmly held in place by

  example using suitable strapping tape 21.

  In this example, Figure 1, the front end

  18 of tube 16 is force-fitted into a tubular joint

  flexible sealing sheet 22 made of an elastomer,

  preferably a silicone, and mounted without play in the opening

  ture 19 of entry into the vaporization chamber 6 of the iron

  iron 1 to prevent steam leakage.

  Note that once the flexible seal 22 in-

  serée in the opening 19, the force fitting of the front end of the tube 16 in said joint causes a radial expansion of the latter, thus ensuring a

  perfect tightening of the seal in the opening 19 and therefore excellent sealing.

  With reference to Figures 1 and 2, the tubular joint

  the sealing strip 22 is presently constituted by a cylindrical flange 23, with a conical inlet (see FIG. 2), which is applied flat against the cover 8 and which

  is extended axially by a tail or cylinder end

  drique 24 projecting into the vaporization chamber 6 and provided with a bead 25 clipping behind a cylindrical groove 26 (FIG. 2) made in the opening

  19 of the cover 8 and coming from stamping.

  The metal tube 16 is preferably pre-

  formed and has a front part 16 a in the form of a swan neck, the front part 28 (FIG. 2) of which extends vertically in the joint 22 over the entire height of the latter, and the rear part of which 29 (FIG. 2) has an end section 30, opposite the elbow 27 of the neck

  swan, which is pressed against the cover 8 of the cham-

  vaporization bre 6, as clearly visible in FIGS. 1 and 3 This end section 30 of the rear part 29 of the swan neck is optionally held in abutment

  against the cover 8 by means of a clamping element, such as for example an adhesive tape (not shown).

  It will be indicated that the fact of complying with the par-

  front tie 16a of the tube 16 in a swan neck allows, thanks to its end section 30 bearing against the cover 8, to limit the fitting height of the tube in the joint by guaranteeing a determined distance d between the outlet from the front end 18 of the tube and the bottom of the steam chamber 6 of the iron, see figures

1 and 3.

  From the rear part 29 of its swan neck configuration, the tube 16 has an intermediate part 16 b directed towards the rear of the iron to

  iron and partially supported, on a pre-

  first portion, against the cover 8 of the va-

  porization 6, and on a second portion, against the plate 13 of the sole 5 (see FIG. 4), as well as a rear part 16 c extending the intermediate part 16 b, bent vertically upwards and connected to the

  flexible pipe 3, as seen in Figure 1.

  It should be noted that the tube 16, in con-

  tact with the cover 8 secured to the sole 5, is

  itself heated by electrical resistance 12 and by-

  helps to remove any drops of water

  which are entrained by the steam produced by the genera-

  tor 2 and who are likely to enter the

  vaporization bre 6 of the iron where they are definitively vaporized, the vapor then escaping through the outlet orifices 7 The presence of these drops of water entrained by the vapor is in particular due to condensation of the vapor in the pipe flexible connection 3 Their elimination by heating the tube 16 is all the more effective as the tube 16 is of great length,

  small section and has baffles.

  It should also be noted here that the iron 1 is never subject to the known problem of scaling because the lime deposits entirely in the generator 2, so that any drops of water entrained in the pipe 3 and the tube 16 by the steam produced by the generator 2 are drops

demineralized water.

  Next to Figures 1 and 2, the iron -

  ser 1 (FIG. 1) also includes a thermal insulation cap 32 produced by molding in an insulating material and intended to be fixed on the soleplate 5 of the iron, for example by means of screws as illustrated at 33 on the FIG. 1 This cap 32 has a guide orifice 34 which is crossed by the bent vertical rear part 16 c of the tube 16 and which has a vertical internal rib 35, coming from molding, and applied against this bent rear part 16 c of the tube, substantially at the elbow thereof, so as to hold in place the rear part 16 c of the

  tube 16 against the plate 13 secured to the sole 5.

  The cap 32 also has an opening 36 through which the bent ground conductor 14 passes. The tube 16, at its rear part 16 c, is preferably electrically connected to the conductor

earth 14.

  As seen in Figure 1, the tube 16

  is therefore almost entirely arranged below the cap-

  of thermal insulation 32, with a slight clearance J to

  level of its front part 16 has a swan neck.

  With reference to FIG. 2, after completion of the sub-assembly 4 (soleplate) of the iron, the seal 22 is then mounted tightly in the opening 19 of the cover 8, then the front part 16a at the neck of swan of the tube 16 is force-fitted into the seal 22 and the

  cap 32 is attached to sub-assembly 4 with step-

  sage protruding, on the one hand, from the bent rear part 16 c of the tube 16 through the orifice 34 and, on the other hand, from the earth conductor 14 through the opening 36.

  Figure 3 shows such an assembly or

  so it is easy and quick to execute, without risk

  errors, either manually or preferably

  tomatized After this assembly, the flexible pipe 3 (shown in broken lines in FIG. 3) is directly connected to the rear end 17 of the tube 16. An electric cable or cord is designated by 37 in FIG. 1 and incoming iron 1 power supply, such as the hose

  flexible 3, in the rear part 15 of the iron.

  The electrical wires (not shown) of the cord

  37 are respectively connected to electric conductors

  triques designated at 38 in Figure 4 As seen

  in this FIG. 4, the tube 16 extends at an approximate distance

  required of these electrical conductors 38.

  According to FIG. 1, the iron 1 has

  carries a protective cover 39 forming a body with a hollow handle 40 and attached to the insulation cap

thermal 32.

  In addition, the iron used 1 (figure

  1) is conventionally designed to operate in addition to

  tonomie, therefore without independent steam generator, and involves in this respect: a water reserve 41 delimited by the cap 32 and part of the cover 39; a controlled water injection device 42 adapted for

  supply water to the vaporization chamber 6 through

  towards an opening 43 made in the cover 8 and sealed by means of a seal 44, the water being vaporized in the chamber 6 thanks to the heat of the electrical resistance 12 and the steam thus produced leaving through the orifices 7 ; a controlled device for spraying water 45 arranged projecting from the cover 39;

  a thermoregulator control device 46.

  Obviously, such an iron 1, when used with the external steam generator 2, is adapted so that its injection device 42

be taken out of service.

  It will be indicated, as also shown in Figure 4, that the opening 19 is preferably offset from the opening 43 which is formed on the axis

  longitudinal XX of sole 5 of the iron.

  Thus, according to the invention, a simple but effective adaptation of a conventional type steam iron has been made in order to be able to use it with an independent steam generator, which among other things is particularly advantageous in

  plan of the manufacturing cost of the assembly.

he

Claims (9)

  1 Steam ironing device, comprising   both: an electric iron (1) comprising a heating soleplate (5) and a vaporization chamber (6)   ticked in the sole, closed by a metallic cover   talic (8) and communicating with the outside by means of steam outlet orifices (7) formed in the sole; an independent steam generator (2); and   a flexible steam supply pipe (3), one of which is   mite is connected to the outlet of the steam generator (2) and the other end of which is connected to the steam chamber (6) of the iron (1) by a steam duct (16) housed in said iron, characterized in that the steam conduit (16) ensuring the connection between the flexible pipe (3) and the vaporization chamber (6) of the iron is a metal tube   rigid of which a so-called rear end (17) is direct-   connected to the flexible hose (3) and the other of which ex-   so-called front end (18) opens into the vault chamber   porization (6) of the iron being embedded in   sealingly in an opening (19) pierced in the neck   ring (8) of the vaporization chamber (6) of said iron.   2 Ironing device according to the claim   tion 1, characterized in that a flexible tubular joint   seal (22) is mounted in the opening (19) of the   ring (8) of the steam chamber (6) of the iron, and is adapted to receive by fitting   forces the front end (18) of the tube (16).   3 Ironing device according to the claim   tion 2, characterized in that the opening (19) of the cover (8) of the vaporization chamber (6) of the iron 12 has a groove (26), and in that the seal (22) has a cylindrical flange (23) which is applied to said cover and which is extended axially by a cylindrical end piece (24) provided with a bead (25) which is clipped behind the groove (26) of the opening (19) of said cover.   4 Ironing device according to claim 2 or 3,   characterized in that the tube (16) is preformed and has, at its front end (18), a part   so-called front tie (16 a) shaped like a swan neck, the front part (28) of which extends vertically in the joint (22), over the entire height of the latter, and the posterior part (29) of which has a section end (30), opposite the elbow (27) of said neck, which is   pressing against the cover (8) of the vapor chamber sation (6) of said iron.   5 Ironing device according to the claim   tion 4, characterized in that the tube (16) has, from   the posterior part (29) of its swan neck, a part   so-called intermediate tie (16 b) directed towards the rear of the iron and partially placed in abutment on the cover (8) of the vaporization chamber (6) of said iron, as well as a so-called rear portion (16 c) bent in the extension of said intermediate part and   extending vertically upward to come together string to the flexible hose (3).   6 Ironing device according to claim 5, wherein the assembly formed by the sole (5) and the cover (8) of the iron (1) is capped by a thermal insulation cap (32), characterized in that that the tube (16), from its front part to the bend of its rear part, extends under the thermal insulation cap (32), and in that the vertical rear part (16 c) of the tube (16 ) protrudes   out of the cap (32) by passing through an ori-   fice (34) practiced in said cap.   7 Ironing device according to claim 6, characterized in that the thermal insulation cap (32) is provided internally with an insulating vertical rib (35) bearing on the rear part (16 c)   of the tube (16), substantially at the elbow thereof   this, so as to keep this rear part in place   of the tube against the soleplate of the iron.   8 Ironing device according to one   conch of the preceding claims,   characterized in that the rear end (17) of the tube   (16) has a bead (20) on which is fitted   force the flexible hose (3).   9 Ironing device according to the claim   tion 8, characterized in that the rear end (17) of the tube (16) is held in place inside the flexible pipe   (3) by means of at least one clamping member (21).   Ironing device according to one   conch of the preceding claims, wherein the iron   iron (1) has electrical conductors (38), one of which constitutes an earth conductor   (14) to which the sole (5) of the said iron,   characterized in that the tube (16) is electrically connected to the earth conductor (14).