FR3001234A1 - STEAM IRONING APPARATUS COMPRISING A STEAM GENERATOR AND AN IRON - Google Patents

Abstract

Steam ironing apparatus comprising a steam generator (102) and an iron (1) having a flat sole (2) provided with steam outlet holes (20), the steam outlet holes (20) being fed by at least one vapor diffusion chamber (51, 52) provided on a lower face of a body (5) attached to the soleplate (2), the body (5) comprising an upper face having a distribution circuit steam conveying a flow of vapor produced by the steam generator (102) to distribution orifices (50, 54) passing through the body (5) and communicating with said vapor diffusion chamber (51, 52), characterized in that the iron (1) comprises a steam flow deflector (4) disposed under the body (5), opposite at least one of the steam distribution orifices (50, 54), said deflector (4) deviating the flow of vapor from said dispensing orifice (50, 54) to orient it in a similar direction ochant of the plane of the sole (2).

Description

The present invention relates to a steam ironing apparatus comprising a steam generator and an iron comprising a soleplate provided with steam outlet holes, the steam outlet holes being fed by at least one vapor diffusion chamber formed on a lower face of a body attached to the soleplate and more particularly relates to an ironing apparatus in which the body comprises an upper face having a vapor distribution circuit conveying a stream of steam produced by the steam generator to distribution ports passing through the body and communicating with the vapor diffusion chamber. It is known from patent application EP2503052 filed by the applicant, a steam ironing apparatus comprising a steam generator and an iron comprising a sole surmounted by a heating body, the heating body having a top face comprising a steam distribution circuit conveying the flow of steam produced by the steam generator to dispensing orifices passing through the body and opening on the underside of the soleplate in vapor diffusion chambers feeding steam outlet holes of the sole. Such an ironing appliance has the advantage of providing a powerful flow of steam through the steam outlet holes of the sole and very good ironing performance. However, such an ironing apparatus has the disadvantage of generating a steam flow that is relatively noisy when it is emitted through the iron. Also, an object of the present invention is to overcome these disadvantages by providing an ironing apparatus provided with a steam generator under pressure in which the noise generated by the flow of steam through the iron is reduced. Another object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus that is simple and economical to implement. For this purpose, the invention relates to a steam ironing apparatus comprising a steam generator and an iron having a flat sole provided with steam outlet holes, the steam outlet holes being fed by at least one a vapor diffusion chamber provided on a lower face of a body attached to the soleplate, the body comprising an upper face having a vapor distribution circuit conveying a flow of vapor produced by the steam generator to through-flow dispensing orifices; the body and communicating with the vapor diffusion chamber, characterized in that the iron comprises a steam flow deflector disposed under the body, facing the steam distribution or at least one of the dispensing orifices of steam, the deflector deflecting the flow of steam from the orifices of distribution to orient it in a direction approximating the plane of the sole the. Such a characteristic makes it possible to reduce the noise by limiting the turbulence accompanying the change of direction at the outlet of the orifices of distribution, the flow of vapor coming from the orifices being deflected in a direction approximating the plane of the sole at the entrance of the vapor diffusion chamber. According to another characteristic of the invention, the deflector extends opposite all the steam distribution orifices passing through the body so as to deflect the flow of steam from each of the dispensing orifices in a direction approximating the plane of the sole. Such a characteristic makes it possible to optimize the noise reduction by acting on the flow of vapor coming from each of the distribution orifices. According to another characteristic of the invention, the deflector orients the flow in a direction substantially parallel to the sole.

Such a characteristic makes it possible to reduce the noise by orienting the vapor flow perpendicularly to the outlet holes of the soleplate and also has the advantage of making it possible to obtain a very good distribution of the vapor through the exit holes of the nozzle. sole. According to another characteristic of the invention, the dispensing orifices 30 open into an expansion chamber formed on the lower face of the body and the deflector is disposed downstream of the expansion chamber.

Such an expansion chamber, disposed between the baffle and the dispensing orifices, has the advantage of reducing the noise by acting as a muffler. According to another characteristic of the invention, the deflector is constituted by a baffle plate which is attached between the lower face of the body and the sole. Such a solution has the advantage of being simple and economical to implement and to offer a great freedom in the positioning of the steam outlet holes on the surface of the soleplate, the latter being able to be arranged behind the baffle plate. According to another characteristic of the invention, the deflector plate extends parallel to the sole. According to another characteristic of the invention, the deflector is constituted by a deflector plate integrated directly into the soleplate, the deflector plate corresponding to an area of the soleplate having no steam outlet holes. Such a feature has the advantage of integrating directly into the sole deflector located opposite the dispensing orifices, thus avoiding the addition of an additional plate. However, such an embodiment has the disadvantage of reducing the area of the sole over which the steam outlet holes may be disposed. According to another characteristic of the invention, the flow of vapor circulates in a space provided between the lower face of the body and the deflector plate, the deflector plate cooperating with the lower face of the body to locally restrict the height of the space up to to reach locally a height less than 1 mm and preferably of the order of 0.4 mm. Such a characteristic has the advantage of giving the best acoustic results. According to another characteristic of the invention, a porous and deformable element 30 is interposed between the baffle plate and the body. Such a characteristic has the advantage of further improving the reduction of noise emitted. According to yet another characteristic of the invention, the steam generator comprises a vessel for the production of steam at a pressure greater than 4 bar.

Such a characteristic makes it possible to obtain powerful jets of vapor through the steam outlet holes of the soleplate. According to another characteristic of the invention, the body is a foundry incorporating a heating resistor. Such a characteristic makes it possible in particular to contribute to the elimination of the condensates that can be transported by the vapor stream. According to another characteristic of the invention, the body is closed in its upper part by a cover and the steam distribution circuit comprises at least one expansion chamber comprising projecting studs carried by the body and projecting studs carried by the lid.

Such a characteristic makes it possible to optimize the quiet effect of the relaxation chamber. According to another characteristic of the invention, the projecting studs have a rounded contour, the outline of the studs having a minimum radius of curvature of 1.5 mm.

According to another characteristic of the invention, the studs have a frustoconical or cylindrical shape of revolution. According to yet another characteristic of the invention, an intermediate layer, without any obstacle, is formed between the studs projecting from the two surfaces.

According to another characteristic of the invention, the intermediate layer is flat and has a thickness of between 2 and 4 mm, the pads of the two facing surfaces extending to the edge of the intermediate layer. The aims, aspects and advantages of the present invention will be better understood from the following description of a particular embodiment of the invention, presented by way of nonlimiting example, with reference to the appended drawings. in which: - Figure 1 is a side view of an ironing apparatus equipped with an iron according to a particular embodiment of the invention; - Figure 2 is an exploded perspective view of the underside of the sole and the heating body equipping the iron of Figure 1; - Figure 3 is an exploded perspective view of the bottom of the heating body and the baffle plate; - Figure 4 is a top view of the heating body of Figure 2 shown without the closure cap; - Figure 5 a cross-sectional view of the heating body of the iron according to the line V-V of Figure 4, the heating body being equipped with its closure cap; - Figure 6 a sectional view of the heating body of the iron according to the line VI-VI of Figure 4; - Figure 7 is an exploded perspective view of the top of the heating body equipping the iron of Figure 1; - Figure 8 is a longitudinal sectional view along the line VIII-VIII of Figure 4, the heating body being equipped with its closure cap; - Figure 9 is a sectional view, in detail, of the heating body according to an alternative embodiment of the invention. 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. FIG. 1 represents an ironing apparatus comprising a steam generating base 100 and an iron 1 connected to each other by a bead 101, the iron 1 conventionally comprising a plane ironing sole 2 surmounted by a casing 3 of material plastic incorporating a handle. The base 100 has an inclined plane on which the iron 1 can come to rest during inactive ironing phases and contains, in a manner known per se, a tank 102 for the production of steam under a pressure of the order of 4 at 6 bars, the tank 102 being supplied with water from a reservoir 103 by means of a pump 104. The base 100 is connected to the home electrical network by an electric wire 105 which allows both the electrical power supply of heating means of the tank 102, not shown in the figures, and the power supply of the iron 1 through the bead 101. In accordance with Figure 2, the sole 2 of the iron is surmounted by a body 5 heating, advantageously constituted by an aluminum foundry, the body 5 comprising a lower face comprising a V-shaped raised central band 53 and a peripheral edge coming directly into contact with the sole 2 to ensure the transfer t hermetic between the body 5 and the sole 2 ironing. In the particular embodiment of the invention illustrated in the figures, the sole 2 ironing is provided with a first group 21 of steam outlet holes 20 arranged in a triangle arrangement near the front tip of the soleplate 2 and a second group 22 of steam outlet holes 20 distributed over the central and rear portion of the sole 2 in two concentric networks separated by a strip of material 23 without holes.

The first group 21 and second group 22 of steam outlet holes 20 are respectively supplied with steam by a first diffusion chamber 51 and a second diffusion chamber 52 formed on the lower face of the body 5, the first and second diffusion chambers. 51, 52 being itself supplied with steam by distribution orifices 50, 54 which pass through the body 5 and open into a steam distribution circuit formed on the upper face of the body 5. In accordance with FIGS. 2 and 3, the first and second diffusion chambers 51, 52 are separated from each other by a rib 59 in relief on which is supported by a deflector 4 of steam reported under the body 5, the deflector 4 directing the flow from the distribution orifices 50, 54 substantially perpendicular to the steam outlet holes 20.

The deflector is advantageously constituted by a baffle plate 4 of stainless steel with a thickness of about 0.8 mm which extends opposite the dispensing orifices 50, 54 in the form of a horseshoe, the baffle plate 4 having three positioning holes 40 in which engage pins 53A carried by the body 5 and comprising a lower face provided with four bosses 41 on which the sole 2 comes to bear so that a height hl of circulation, visible in Figure 5, of the order of 0.8 mm between the sole 2 and the deflector plate 4. Advantageously, the dispensing orifices 50, 54 open into an expansion chamber 50A, 54A formed on the lower face of the body 5, upstream of the deflector 4, the expansion chamber 50A, 54A having a larger passage section than the passage section of the distribution orifices 50, 54. The expansion chamber 54A is pref rentiellement common to a plurality of distribution ports 54 thereby producing economically a high volume expansion chamber acting as a silencer. According to FIG. 5, the deflector plate 4 bears, at the level of the second diffusion chamber 52, over the entire periphery of the expansion chamber 54A, with the exception of an exhaust zone consisting of a recess 54B, by which the vapor flow illustrated by arrows can escape, the deflector plate 4 extending parallel to the recess 54B, over a length of the order 2 to 5 mm, defining a space for the passage of the vapor flow at which the height is gradually reduced to reach a height h2 of the order of 0.4 mm at the edge of the deflector plate 4. In accordance with Figure 6, the deflector plate 4 extends, at the level of the first diffusion chamber 51, in the direction of an exhaust zone formed by a recess 50B formed in front of the body 5, a space for the passage of the vapor stream, of a height h3 of the order of 0.4 mm, being formed between the baffle plate 4 and the body 5 in the vicinity of the outlet of the expansion chamber 50A, this space extending to the recess 50B. According to FIGS. 4 and 7, the steam dispensing orifices 50, 54 open onto the upper face of the body 5 in a steam distribution circuit delimited laterally by a peripheral wall 55 and intermediate walls 56 obtained directly from molding with the body. 5, the steam distribution circuit being closed in its upper part by a lid 6, the latter being attached by bonding to the walls 55, 56. The steam distribution circuit comprises a steam inlet orifice 62 formed in the cover 6, this orifice 62 having a small passage section and opening into a first expansion chamber 11 of the steam distribution circuit at which the passage section increases strongly, this first expansion chamber 11 being disposed at the edge of the peripheral wall 55, near the rear part of the body 5, and extending over a branch of a ch The first expansion chamber 11 then communicates with an overheating channel 12 whose role is to vaporize all the condensates still present in the steam flow, the superheating channel 12. having a reduced passage section, substantially constant, and snaking in the body 5 to a length advantageously greater than 200 mm and preferably of the order of 300 mm. For this purpose, the overheating channel 12 runs along the rear part of the peripheral wall 55 and winds in the volume of the body 5 disposed next to the first expansion chamber 11, bypassing a boss 57 intended to receive a control thermostat of the heating resistor 7, then opens into a second expansion chamber 13, formed in the front central part of the body 5, whose role is to minimize the speed of the vapor flow. Preferably, the first and the second expansion chamber 11, 13 have a passage section more than thirty times greater than the passage section of the orifice 62 of arrival of steam and more than ten times greater than the sum of passage sections of the dispensing ports 50, 54 of steam. By way of example, the passage cross section of the steam inlet orifice 62 is of the order of 10 mm 2, the passage cross section of the expansion chambers 11, 13 is of the order of 500 mm 2, the cross section The passage of the overheating channel 12 is of the order of 80 mm 2 and the cumulative passage cross section of the steam distribution ports 50, 54 is of the order of 40 mm 2. In order to allow the realization of a first and a second expansion chamber 11, 13 of large volume in a body 5 having a reduced lateral space, the first and second chambers 11, 13 are advantageously arranged in part in the volume of the 5 and partly in a cavity 61, 63 formed in the closure cover 6, visible in Figure 2. Preferably, the steam distribution circuit has studs 58, 65 protruding forming obstacles to the flow of steam circulating in the steam distribution circuit, these pads 58, 65 to limit turbulence and therefore the noise in the steam distribution circuit. These pads 58, 65 have a rounded shape and are advantageously equitably distributed between the body 5 and the lid 6, the first expansion chamber 11 and the second expansion chamber 13 each having more than ten pads 58 rising in height. column from an upper surface of the body 5, the pads 58 being spaced from each other by less than 1 cm. According to FIGS. 5 and 8, the cover 6 advantageously comprises, facing each stud 58 of the body 5, a stud 65 extending towards the body 5 from a lower surface of the lid 6, a free space of a few millimeters being provided between the upper ends of the pads 58 supported by the body 5 and the lower ends of the studs 65 of the cover 6 so that an intermediate layer results in the steam distribution circuit in which the steam can circulate without encountering any 'obstacles. Preferably, the pads 58, 65 have a slightly frustoconical shape and a rounded upper end having a radius greater than 1.5 mm, the height of the pads 58, 65 being adapted so that the layer of no obstacle is flat and has a thickness of between 2 and 4 mm and preferably of the order of 2.5 mm. In this particular embodiment of the invention, the second expansion chamber 13 communicates with a steam distribution device allowing, in a manner known per se, to send the vapor either to the set of the first and second groups of holes. steam outlet 20 of the sole, or only to the first group 21 of steam outlet holes of the sole 2. The vapor distribution device, which will be described only briefly in the following description, takes the principle operation of the steam distribution device described in detail in the patent application EP2503052. This vapor distribution device comprises in particular a main duct 16 connecting the second expansion chamber 13 to a front diffusion chamber 14 which supplies the first group 21 of steam outlet holes 20 with steam through the dispensing orifices 50 and comprises a Vertical chimney 16A opening into a distribution chamber 17 of the steam communicating with two lateral distribution chambers 15 which supply the second group of vapor outlet holes 20 with steam via the dispensing orifices 54. The steam distribution device comprises also a hemispherical joint 9 which, at rest, occupies the position shown in solid lines in Figure 8, wherein the vapor from the second expansion chamber 13 passes freely through the main pipe 16 and the vertical chimney 16A then is diffused to the first and second groups 21, 22 of steam outlet holes 20. By pressing a button 30 dispo at the front of the handle of the iron 1, the gasket 9 is moved to a position shown in dashed lines in FIG. 8, in which the gasket 9 blocks the outlet of the vertical stack 16A and prevents the diffusion of steam towards the second group 22 of steam outlet holes 21 thus making it possible to send the entire stream of steam to the first group 21 of steam outlet holes 20 located at the front of the sole. The ironing apparatus thus produced has the advantage of having a steam distribution circuit allowing the diffusion of steam jets through the soleplate with a flow rate greater than 70 gr / min without generating a large noise.

Indeed, the baffle plate 4 disposed opposite the distribution orifices 50, 54 has the advantage of orienting the flow substantially parallel to the sole 2, as is illustrated by the arrows in FIGS. 5 and 6, so that the flow circulates perpendicularly to the steam outlet holes 20 of the soleplate, which allows to limit the noise of the steam jets. Such an orientation of the vapor flow also makes it possible to obtain a very good distribution of the vapor in the first and second diffusion chambers and thus through the different steam outlet holes of the soleplate, the vapor thus leaving with a homogeneous speed. by each of the steam outlet holes, which allows an optimal humidification of the laundry. Finally, the deflector plate 4 makes it possible to limit the turbulence at the outlet of the expansion chamber 50A, 54A, by directing the flow of vapor parallel to the soleplate 2. The deflector plate 4 also makes it possible to limit the whistle phenomenon occurring. when the fluid passes successively through at least two openings of similar passage section. The studs projecting into the distribution circuit, on either side of the steam flow, also contribute to reducing the noise during the emission of the steam flow by reducing turbulence. In an alternative embodiment illustrated in FIG. 9, the iron may also comprise a porous and deformable element 8 which will be placed in the volume between the baffle plate 4 and the body 5, this element 8 being able for example to be constituted by a heap of ribbon or stainless steel wire, a stainless steel felt or a pre-oxidized fiber felt. Such a porous and deformable element 8 has the advantage of further limiting the noise of the vapor flow, while increasing the losses of charges. 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 embodiment variant not shown, the steam deflector plate may be integrated directly into the sole 2 and be constituted by an area of the sole 2, lacking steam outlet holes 20, extending opposite the orifices distribution of steam 50, 54 so that the flow of steam from the distribution orifices 50, 54 comes to hit the sole plate 2 at the deflector plate and is deflected in a direction substantially parallel to the sole 2 through the steam diffusion chambers 51, 52. In this embodiment, the lower face of the body 5 will be advantageously adapted to define, with the baffle plate of the sole, a space for the passage of the steam flow at the outlet of the chamber 50A expansion, 54A having a height of about 0.4 mm. Thus, in another variant embodiment not shown, the iron may be devoid of the steam distribution device, the steam output of the second chamber being sent continuously to all of the steam outlet holes.

Claims (15)

CLAIMS1) Steam ironing apparatus comprising a steam generator (102) and an iron (1) having a flat sole (2) provided with steam outlet holes (20), the steam outlet holes (20). ) being fed by at least one vapor diffusion chamber (51, 52) formed on a lower face of a body (5) attached to the sole (2), the body (5) comprising an upper face comprising a vapor distribution conveying a stream of vapor produced by the steam generator (102) to distribution orifices (50, 54) passing through the body (5) and communicating with said vapor diffusion chamber (51, 52), characterized in the iron (1) comprises a steam flow deflector (4) disposed under the body (5) facing at least one of the steam distribution orifices (50, 54), said deflector (4) ) deviating the flow of vapor from said dispensing orifice (50, 54) to orient it in a direction irection approaching the plane of the sole (2). 2) An ironing appliance according to claim 1, characterized in that the baffle (4) extends opposite all the steam distribution orifices (50, 54) passing through the body (5) so as to deflect the flow of steam from each of the dispensing orifices (50, 54) in a direction approximating the plane of the sole (2). 3) An ironing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 2, characterized in that said baffle (4) directs the flow in a direction substantially parallel to the sole (2). 4) Ironing appliance according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the dispensing orifices (50, 54) open into an expansion chamber (50A, 54A) formed on the underside of the body (5). ) and in that the deflector (4) is disposed downstream of the expansion chamber (50A, 54A). 5) An ironing appliance according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the deflector is constituted by a deflector plate (4) which is attached between the underside of the body (5) and the sole (2). 6) An ironing appliance according to claim 5, characterized in that the deflector plate (4) extends parallel to the sole (2). 7) An ironing appliance according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the baffle is constituted by a baffle plate (4) integrated directly into the sole (2), said deflector plate (4) corresponding to a zone the sole (2) having no steam outlet holes (20). 8) Ironing appliance according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the flow of steam flows in a space between the lower face of the body (5) and the baffle plate (4) and in that the deflector plate (4) cooperates with the lower face of the body (5) to locally restrict the height of said space to locally reach a height of less than 1 mm and preferably of the order of 0.4 mm. 9) An ironing appliance according to any one of claims 5 to 8, characterized in that a porous element and (deformable) is interposed between the baffle plate (4) and the body (5). 10) An ironing appliance according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the steam generator (102) comprises a vessel for the production of steam at a pressure greater than 4 bar. 11) An ironing appliance according to any one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that the body (5) is a foundry incorporating a heating resistor (7). 12) Ironing appliance according to any one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that the body (5) is closed in its upper part by a lid (6) and in that the steam distribution circuit comprises minus a relaxation room (11, 13) comprising protruding studs (58) carried by the body (5) and protruding studs (65) carried by the cover (6) .13) Ironing apparatus according to claim 12, characterized in that said studs ( 58, 65) have a rounded contour, the outline of the studs having a minimum radius of curvature of 1.5 mm. 14) Apparatus according to any one of claims 12 to 13, characterized in that the pads (58, 65) have a frustoconical or cylindrical shape of revolution. 15) Steam ironing apparatus according to any one of claims 12 to 14, characterized in that an intermediate layer (d), without any obstacle, is formed between the studs (58, 65) projecting from the two surfaces.