GB2083082A

GB2083082A - Steam iron

Info

Publication number: GB2083082A
Application number: GB8126848A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Hotpoint Ltd
Current assignee: Hotpoint Ltd
Priority date: 1980-09-05
Filing date: 1981-09-04
Publication date: 1982-03-17
Also published as: FR2489848A1; AU548563B2; JPS5779166A; AT375407B; DE3133751A1; FR2489848B1; IT1139421B; NL8005024A; AU7486681A; CA1168001A; KR830007890A; IT8123749A0

Abstract

A moulding (4) composed of plastics material forming at least part of the handle of an electric steam iron, such that the exterior of the moulding contains a plane of symmetry running lengthways, enabling both left-handed and right-handed people to use the iron with equal facility. Thus the moulding incorporates two identical water level indicators (7) symmetrically disposed about the plane of symmetry. The moulding is preferably symmetrically indented at its sides to form two thumb rests (6), and has a compartment (18), Figs. 5 and 6 (not shown), at the rear into which the supply lead enters symmetrically.

Description

SPECIFICATION Electric iron This invention relates to electric irons, in particular steam irons, that is to say irons comprising a reservoir from which water can be fed into a steam generating chamber to form steam which is emitted from ports in the ironing surface.

It is an object of the invention to provide a steam iron which is useable by both right-handed and lefthanded people with equal facility.

According to the invention an electric steam iron comprises a moulding of plastics material which provides at least part of the handle of the iron and, at the front of the iron, the sides of the reservoir, the moulding carrying an indicator for indicating the level of water in the reservoir at each side of the iron.

The moulding is preferably symmetrically indented at both sides of the iron above the reservoir to provide a thumb rest on each side of the iron for left or right hand use.

Preferably also the moulding provides a compartment at the rear of the iron containing terminals for connection to an electrical supply lead, and the latter enters the compartment through an opening in a wall thereof in the plane of symmetry of the moulding.

The supply lead may enter the compartment through the top or rear wall of the compartment as may be convenient, such a wall possibly being provided by a separable cover for the compartment.

Each of the liquid level indicators may comprise a cover which is at least partly transparent and carries a plurality of resilient projections inserted through a co-operating opening in the part of the moulding forming the reservoir wall, and shaped so as to engage the wall and hold a surrounding region of the cover in liquid-tight contact with a co-operating sealing surface around the opening or openings to provide a chamber between the cover and said wall which is in communication with the interior of the reservoir such that the level of liquid in the chamber corresponds with the level of liquid in the reservoir.

Such a liquid level indicator forms the subject of co-pending Patent Application No. 8028693, the cover conveniently being formed of transparent plastics material, with the free ends of the projections, of which there are preferably four, each being provided adjacent its free end with a barb portion arranged to engage the edge of the co-operating opening to secure the cover against withdrawal and maintain it in liquid-tight contact with the sealing surface which is conveniently provided by a surface of a resilient sealing member, or by a rubber-like sealant, compressed between the cover and the reservoir wall.

Alternatively the liquid level indicators may be provided by transparent, or partly transparent covers, each having its periphery bonded around an opening or openings in the reservoir wall. Where the covers are of a thermoplastic material they may be bonded to the appropriate part of the moulding wall by welding, for example ultrasonic welding.

In each of the above constructions the covers may be disposed so that they indicate the level of water in the reservoir, both when the iron is in its operative position and when it is upended, that is to say when it is stood on its rear end.

Preferably the iron has a thermostat knob carried by the moulding below the handle, and the knob is associated with a centrally moulded lens or pointer which enables the position of the thermostat knob to be readily seen from both sides of the iron.

One steam iron in accordance with the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to Figures 1 to 7 of the accompanying schematic drawings, in which Figure 1 represents a side elevation of the iron, Figure 2 represents a perspective view, and Figure 3 is plan view of the front of the iron, Figure 4 represents a sectional view of one of two water level indicators employed in the iron, and Figures 5 to 7 illustrate the preferred method of securing the supply cable.

The iron comprises a sole plate 1 carrying on its upper surface a sheathed wire electric heating element (not shown). Over the sole plate 1 is fixed a cover 2 of heat-resistant plastics material, having down-turned sides 3 which contact the upper surface of the sole plate at points around its edge, the cover being surmounted by a moulding 4 of plastics material which provides the main part of the handle 5. In addition the front part of this moulding 4 constitutes, with the upper wall of the cover 2, a reservoir, as indicated by the broken line R in Figure 1, from which water may be fed into one or more steam generating chambers carried by the sole plate above the front of the heating element so that, in use of the iron, steam is generated and issues from ports (not shown) in the base of the sole plate 1.

Above the reservoir, on each side of the iron, and just in front of the handle 5, the moulding is recessed to provide two thumb rests 6 which enables the iron to be used by right- and left-handed persons with equal facility.

In addition the iron has, at each side of the reservoir R, a water level indicator 7 which enables the level of water in the reservoir to be observed from both sides of the iron. Each indicator 7 comprises a transparent cover 8 of moulded plastics material of dished form which fits into a recess 9 in the moulding just below the respective thumb rest 6, and has four integrally moulded axially-extending projections 11 equally spaced around a peripheral wall on the concave side. The projections 11 have barbed ends 12 which latch into four similarly spaced openings 13 in the base of the recess 9, and hold a resilient annular sealing member 14 in compression between the periphery of the cover and the reservoir wall.

The holes 13 are so arranged that when water is introduced into the reservoir through a suitably positioned filler opening as at F, with the iron in The drawing(s) originally filed was/were informal and the print here reproduced is taken from a later filed formal copy.

up-ended position, some of the water passes initially through what is then the lowest of the openings 13 and into the chamber formed between the cover and the base of the recess, air already in the chamber passing into the reservoir through the upper opening. in this way the level of the water in the reservoir is visible through the cover 8, the "Full" position being reached when the level reaches the upper opening. When the iron is in its horizontal, operative position the lowest of the openings 13 is arranged to provide a "Refill" level indicator, a fall in the water level to that opening indicating that the reservoir needs replenishing.

The moulding carries a thermostat knob 15, and a centrally positioned pointer 16 which enables the setting of the thermostat knob to be readily seen from both sides of the iron.

The supply cable 17 passes downwardly into a terminal chamber 18 at the rear of the moulding along the plane of symmetry of the iron, which is again convenient for both right- and left-handed users, the terminal chamber being shown in more detail in Figures 5 and 6 which illustrate a longitudinal section and a transverse section of the terminal chamber respectively. The cable 17 extends through an opening in a removable cover 19 at the rearofthe terminal chamberwhich provides access to the terminal connections 20 when required. The cover car- ries on its inner surface a sleeve 25 through which the incoming supply cable 17 passes, a clamp 26 being provided below the sleeve 25 for clamping the supply lead in position.From the clamp 26 the individual cable cores 21 pass to the terminals 20, and are held in position adjacent the terminal connections by being channelled through narrow slots 22 in an insulating support 23, an enlarged view of part of which is shown in Figure 7. The slots are of such a width that they grip the respective cores 21 sufficiently to hold a core in position should it become disconnected from its respective terminal 20. The support 22 is conveniently formed integrally with the main moulding 4 and the terminals 20 are preferably separated by partitions 24 also formed integrally with the moulding and extending beyond theterminal positions from the support.

One of more control buttons as at 27 and 28 for actuating a valve or valves to admit water to a steam generating chamber or chambers from the reservoir are located towards the front of the handle, also in the plane of symmetry of the iron.

Claims

1. An electric steam iron comprising a moulding of plastics material which provides at least part of the handle of the iron and, at the front of the iron, the sides of the reservoir, the moulding carrying as an indicator for indicating the level of water in the reservoir at each side of the iron.

2. An iron according to Claim 1 wherein the moulding is symmetrically indented at both sides of the iron above the reservoir to provide a thumb rest on each side of the iron for left or right hand use.

3. An iron according to Claim 1 or 2 wherein the moulding provides a compartment at the rear ofthe iron containing terminals for connection to an electrical supply lead, and the latter enters the compartment through an opening in a wall thereof in the plane of symmetry of the moulding.

4. An iron according to Claim 3 wherein the moulding carries, integrallywith it adjacent the terminals within said compartment, an insulating support having a plurality of slots through each of which a respective core of the supply lead is channelled, the width of the slots being such as to grip the respective cores sufficiently to hold a core in position should it become disconnected from its respec- tive terminal.

5. An iron according to Claim 4 wherein the terminals are separated by insulating partitions also forming an integral partofthe moulding and extend-e ing beyond the terminal positions from the support.

6. An iron according to any preceding Claim wherein each liquid level indicator comprises a cover which is at least partly transparent and carries a plurality of resilient projections inserted through a co-operatingopening in the part of the moulding forming the reservoir wall, and shaped so as to engage the wall and hold a surrounding region of the cover in liquid-tight contact with a co-operating sealing surface around the opening or openings to provide a chamber between the cover and said wall which is in communication with the interior of the reservoir such that the level of liquid in the chamber corresponds with the level of liquid in the reservoir.

7. An iron according to Claim 6 wherein each cover is formed of transparent plastics material, with the free ends of the projections each being provided adjacent its free end with a barb portion arranged to engage the edge of the co-operating opening to secure the cover against withdrawal and maintain it in liquid-tight contact with the sealing surface.

8. An iron according to any one of Claims 1 to 5 wherein each liquid level indicator comprises a cover which is at least partly transparent and is bonded around its periphery to a part of the moulding forming the reservoir wall, so as to surround an opening or openings therein, and providing a chamber between the cover and said wall which is in communication with the interior of the reservoir such that the level of the liquid in the chamber corresponds with the level of liquid in the reservoir.

9. An iron according to Claim 8 wherein each said cover is ofthermoplastics material and is welded to the moulding around its periphery.

10. An iron according to Claim 7, 8 or 9 wherein the covers are disposed so that they indicate the level of water in the reservoir, both when the iron is in its operative position and when it is upended.

11. An iron according to any preceding Claim wherein the iron has a thermostat knob carried by the moulding below the handle, and the knob is associated with a centrally mounted lens or pointer which enables the position of the thermostat knob to be readily seen from both sides of the iron.

12. An electric steam iron substantially as shown in and as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 1 to7.