FR2871815A1 - IRON IRON HAVING A PARTICULAR SHAPE HANDLE - Google Patents

Abstract

Iron comprising a body (2) surmounting a sole (1) and a handle (3) forming a protuberance on the body (2) of the iron, characterized in that the handle (3) comprises an upper surface (31) forming a bearing surface for the palm and the first phalanges of the index and middle fingers of the hand, said handle (3) comprising two side walls (32) extending from the upper surface (31) of the handle (3) ) up to the body (2) of the iron, said side walls (32) comprising a gripping zone (32a), preferably intended to receive the end of the other fingers of the hand when the palm rests on the upper surface (31 ), at which the side walls (32) are substantially parallel to each other or slightly converging, the width of the handle (3) at said gripping zones (32a) being greater than 5 cm.

Description

IRON WITH HANDLE

OF PARTICULAR FORM

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

  Most irons have a cylindrical handle extending along the longitudinal axis of the iron and allowing gripping of the iron by grasping a "hammer" grip of the handle. Such a grip "hammer" however has the disadvantage of being relatively tiring when the ironing time is prolonged, causing a twitch of the fingers and the forearm. Handles with hammer grip also has the disadvantage of allowing only limited freedom of movement of the hand relative to the handle, which does not allow the user to change posture to reduce fatigue.

  It is known from WO 01/92631 an iron provided with a multidirectional handle shaped ball. However, such a handle has the disadvantage of generating a closed position of the fingers which also leads to a tension of the latter over time. This document also discloses an elongated handle whose convex upper face is adapted to receive the palm and occasionally the index finger of the hand to actuate a button, the handle being raised relative to the body of the iron so that it results a space under the handle adapted to receive the ends of the fingers of the hand when the user grasps the handle. However, the small width of the handle and the space under the latter favor a closed position of the hand, like a grip "hammer", which leads to a clenching of the hand.

  It is also known from DE 27 12 805 an iron having a semi-elliptical shaped handle with rounded edges having the advantage of offering greater flexibility in the choice of the user's posture by allowing the input handle in different directions. However, such a handle has the disadvantage of not allowing a good grip of the iron, in particular to lift the iron, the hand having a tendency to slide towards the front of the iron when pressure is applied on the edges of the handle.

  Also, an object of the present invention is to overcome these disadvantages by providing an iron with a multidirectional handle whose shape is optimized to provide very good ergonomics.

  To this end, the invention relates to an iron having a body surmounting a sole and a handle forming a protuberance on the body of the iron, characterized in that the handle comprises an upper surface forming a bearing surface for the palm and the first phalanges of the forefinger and major of the hand, the handle having two side walls extending from the upper surface of the handle to the body of the iron, the side walls having a gripping zone, for preferably receiving the end of the other fingers of the hand when the palm rests on the upper surface, at which the side walls are substantially parallel to each other or weakly convergent, the width of the handle at the gripping areas being greater at 5 cm.

  Such a handle has the advantage of allowing the palm of the hand to rest on the handle in a relaxed position, the thumb, the ring finger and the little finger then grasping the handle at the gripping areas without this being a problem. creates a position too close to the hand because of the large width of the handle at this location. Finally, the fact that the side walls are substantially parallel or weakly convergent at the gripping areas provides a good grip of the handle when pressure is exerted between the thumb and the ring.

  According to another characteristic of the iron according to the invention, the width of the upper surface is greater than 6 cm and the gripping zones define a recess on the side walls.

  Such a characteristic makes it possible to have an upper surface forming a comfortable support zone for the palm of the hand, the recesses making it possible for them to obtain a better grip of the fingers on the handle, which allows the user to reduce the pressure exerted by the fingers on the side walls 3 for a better comfort.

  According to yet another characteristic of the invention, the recesses have a slightly concave profile in a cutting plane parallel to the sole and have a more strongly concave profile in a cutting plane transverse to the longitudinal direction of the handle.

  Such a feature improves the grip of the fingers on the gripping areas of the handle during a longitudinal movement of the iron and to obtain a good vertical grip of the fingers on the gripping areas to lift the iron without having to tighten excessively fingers.

  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 length / width ratio of the upper surface of the handle is included between 1.4 and 2.3 and preferably between 1.7 and 2.

  the recesses originate near the top wall and extend over substantially the entire height of the side wall.

  - The side walls of the handle extend over a height greater than 3cm.

  the recesses originate near the front end of the handle and extend at least up to the longitudinal height of the center of gravity of the iron.

  the median plane of the convex upper surface of the handle is inclined 15 to 20 towards the front of the iron.

  the upper surface has a leading edge having a substantially rectilinear portion extending transversely to the longitudinal direction of the handle and two convex lateral edges weakly converging on the front portion of the handle, the rear portion of the handle having a substantially elliptical contour.

  the iron has finger protruding flanges projecting laterally on either side of the base of the handle, these flanges serving as a stop for the fingers of the hand.

  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: Figures 1 to 4 are respectively views from above, front, back and side of an iron according to a particular embodiment of the invention; FIG. 5 is a sectional view along the line VV of FIG. 4, the elements internal to the handle not being shown, FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the iron of FIGS. 1 to 4, FIG. is a cross-sectional view along the line VII-VII of Figure 1, the internal iron elements not being shown.

  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.

  Figures 1 to 4 show a steam iron having a sole 1 heated, surmounted by a body 2 and a handle 3 disposed substantially above the center of the sole 1.

  The body 2 comprises walls 21 converging in the direction of the handle 3 so that the body 2 forms a dome whose base is fitted to the contour of the sole 1, and whose apex has a truncated and flared portion supporting the handle 3, the latter forming a protuberance on the body 2 of the iron.

  The body 2 of the iron advantageously contains a reservoir, not shown in the figures, which feeds a vaporization chamber integrated into the sole 1.

  According to Figure 1, the sole 1, substantially flat, has a particular shape with three points P1, P2, P3, the front end tips P1 and rear P2 being disposed on the longitudinal axis of the iron and the third tip P3 being strongly offset from the longitudinal axis. The sole 1 comprises, on one side of the longitudinal axis, substantially rectilinear edges extending between the points P1 to P2 and P2 to P3 and on the other side of the longitudinal axis, a highly convex edge joining the points P1 and P2. Such a shape of the sole 1 has the advantage of allowing efficient ironing in all directions.

  More particularly according to the invention, the handle 3 has a generally one-piece shape, similar to a roller, usually parallelepiped with rounded edges and polished convex or even concave faces.

  Advantageously, the handle 3 is provided with a convex upper surface 31 slightly inclined towards the front of the iron, as is better visible in FIG. 4. Preferably, the average plane of the upper surface 31 is inclined by 15 cm. 25 to the front of the iron and the upper surface 31 of the handle is slightly convex transversely and more strongly convex longitudinally so as to adapt to the natural curvature of the palm and fingers of the hand when the latter is in position relaxed. By way of example, the transverse radius of curvature will be of the order of 78 mm and the longitudinal radius of curvature will be of the order of 140 mm.

  The upper surface 31 advantageously has a width of between 6 and 9 cm wide, and preferably of the order of 7 cm, and a length greater than 10 cm and preferably of the order of 13 cm.

  Referring to FIG. 1, the upper surface 31 has, in plan view, a contour having a substantially rectilinear front edge 31a whose ends are connected, by a rounding, to slightly convex lateral edges 31b on the front half of the handle 3, the rear half of the handle 3 having a substantially elliptical contour.

  The lateral edges 31b and the front edge 31a of the upper surface extend in the direction of the body 2 of the iron respectively by two side walls 32 and a front wall 33. The side walls 32 advantageously have a height of the order of 4 cm and the handle 3 comprises, at its base, a width smaller than the width of the flared top of the body 2 of the iron so that a flange 4 is formed on either side of the handle.

  These flanges 4 serve as a stop for the fingers of the hand when the palm rests on the handle 3 and thus constitute a protective guard of the fingers preventing the fingers from accidentally touching the hot walls 21 of the body 2 of the iron.

  As best seen in FIGS. 4 and 6, the side walls 32 are provided with a concave recess 32a originating near the front wall 33 of the handle 3, said recesses 32a extending towards the rear of the there handle on substantially 70% of the length of the side wall 32.

  These recesses 32a take up vertically near the lateral edges 31b of the upper surface 31 and extend over substantially the entire height of the side wall 32.

  According to FIG. 5, the recesses 32a have a low concave profile in a sectional plane parallel to the sole 1 and a more strongly concave profile in a section plane transverse to the iron, visible in FIG. 7. By way of example the radius of curvature of the recess 32a concave will be of the order of 190 mm in the cutting plane parallel to the sole and of the order of 23 mm in the cross sectional plane to the iron.

  The width of the handle at the recesses 32a is greater than 5 cm so that, when the fingers of the hand and more particularly, the thumb and the end of the little finger and / or the ring finger, rests against these recesses 32a, this does not generate a closed position of the hand.

  The iron thus produced has the advantage of having a handle providing great ergonomics and comfort of ironing. Indeed, the ergonomic shape of the upper surface of the handle, having a convexity marrying the palm of the hand when the latter is in a relaxed position, naturally encourages to rest the palm and the first phalanges of the index and major, even the ring finger, on the upper surface of the handle, the thumb and the little finger then taking place in the recesses on either side of the handle without this leading to a closed position of the hand due to the large width of the handle at the recesses.

  In such a position of the hand, the slight recesses of the side walls of the handle can improve the grip of the fingers of the hand during a longitudinal or vertical movement of the iron, which allows the user to move the iron without the fingers exert significant pressure on the side walls of the handle.

  Finally, in this position of the hand, most of the weight of the arm rests on the wrist and the palm which contributes to naturally applying a vertical pressure on the handle which is redistributed by the sole on the laundry and which helps to increase the pressure. Ironing efficiency.

  Of course, the user can if he wants to change the grip position, the rounded shape of the handle for orienting the hand differently on the handle while obtaining a similar ergonomics.

  Such a handle is perfectly adapted to the shape of the sole which allows ironing in all directions. The handle also has the advantage of being symmetrical about its longitudinal axis, which provides the same comfort for a right-handed or left-handed person.

  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.

Claims (10)

  1) Iron comprising a body (2) surmounting a sole (1) and a handle (3) forming a protrusion on the body (2) of the iron, characterized in that the handle (3) comprises an upper surface (31). ) forming a bearing surface for the palm and the first phalanges of the forefinger and middle finger of the hand, said handle (3) having two sidewalls (32) extending from the upper surface (31) of the handle (3) to the body (2) of the iron, said side walls (32) having a gripping area (32a) for receiving preferably the end of the other fingers of the hand when the palm rests on the upper surface (31), at which the side walls (32) are substantially parallel to each other or slightly convergent, the width of the handle (3) at said gripping areas (32a) being greater than 5 cm.   2) Iron according to claim 1, characterized in that the width of the upper surface (31) is greater than 6 cm and in that the gripping areas define a recess (32a) on said side walls (32).   3) Iron according to claim 2, characterized in that said recesses (32a) have a slightly concave profile in a cutting plane parallel to the sole (1) and more strongly concave in a cross sectional plane to the longitudinal direction of the handle (3).   4) Iron according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the length / width ratio of the upper surface (31) of the handle (3) is between 1.4 and 2.3 and preferably between 1.7 and 2.   5) Iron according to any one of claims 2 to 4, characterized in that the recesses (32a) originate near the upper wall (31) and extend over substantially the entire height of the side wall ( 32).   6) Iron according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the side walls (32) of the handle extend over a height greater than 3 cm.   7) An iron according to any one of claims 2 to 6, characterized in that the recesses (32a) originate near the front end of the handle and extend at least to the longitudinal height of the center of gravity of the iron.   8) Iron according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the median plane of the convex upper surface (31) of the handle is inclined 15 to 20 towards the front of the iron.   9) Iron according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the upper surface (31) has a front edge (31a) having a substantially rectilinear portion extending transversely to the longitudinal direction of the handle ( 3) and two convex side edges weakly converging on the front portion of the handle (3), the rear portion of the handle (3) having a substantially elliptical contour.   10) Iron according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that it comprises flanges (4) for protecting the fingers protruding laterally on either side of the base of the handle (3), said flanges (4) serving as a stop for the fingers of the hand.