GB2211862A

GB2211862A - Iron stand for an electrically heatable cordless iron

Info

Publication number: GB2211862A
Application number: GB8825431A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Karlheinz Frank
Original assignee: Rowenta Werke GmbH
Current assignee: Rowenta Werke GmbH
Priority date: 1987-10-30
Filing date: 1988-10-31
Publication date: 1989-07-12
Anticipated expiration: 2008-10-31
Also published as: DE3736849C2; ES2010847A6; FR2622607B1; DE3736849A1; FR2622607A1; GB8825431D0; GB2211862B

Description

Iron Stand for an Electrically Heatable Cordless Iron The invention

relates to an iron stand for an electrically heatable cordless iron, the stand comprising iron support means and an electric coupling for supplying the iron with electric power and being releaseably connected to the support means.

Iron stands for cordless irons are known, for example from published European patent application 0 210 538.

In order to heat the iron in this known apparatus, the cordless iron is placed on the stand which is connected to the domestic electricity supply by a mains cable. The mains cable has at one end a coupling which can be selectively connected either directly to the electrical appliance or to the appliance stand. In the latter case, the heating current in the stand is is conducted to a coupling box to which the electrical appliance can be connected by placing it on the stand. When changing over from cordless ironing to ironing with an iron which is connected directly to the domestic electricity supply, first of all the mains cable coupling has to be removed from the stand so that the coupling can then be connected to the iron. Care must be taken to ensure that the mains cable does not interfere with the ironing operation in the region of its connection to the iron.

Viewed from one aspect the invention provides an iron stand for an electrically heatable cordless iron, comprising iron support means, an electric coupling for supplying the iron with electric po.,er and being releasably connected to the support means, such releasable connection including a member selectively movable to effect locking engagement between the coupling and the support means.

2 Viewed from another aspect the invention provides an iron stand for an electrically heatable cordless iron, the stand comprising a receiving surface and a stop for an iron, an electric coupling for supplying the iron with electric power and releaseably connected to the stop, the releasable connection between the coupling and-the stop comprising retaining lugs pointing in the same direction and arranged to engage corresponding recesses and a locking pawl movable to effect locking engagement between the coupling and the stop.

With such arrangements,when the electric coupling is selectively locked to the support means or stop of the stand an iron may be used in cordless mode, whilst if such locking is not effected the coupling may remain connected to the iron to supply power thereto during ironing.

Thus the iron can be used both w.th-.or without a mains cable without having to unplug the mains cable each time and, when the iron is being used in cordless mode, it can readily be connected to the coupling in order to heat it.

Preferably the stop is of stepped construction and a retaining lug is provided at the forward end of a step and another such lug is provided at the rear end of the step, the corresponding recesses being provided in the electric coupling, and wherein the locking pawl is provided on the stop and is vertically movable into engagement with a locking surface of the coupling. The coupling may be in the form of an appliance plug.

Preferably the arrangement is such that when the iron is placed on the stand.the iron slides along an inclined plane until the retaining lugs 3 provided on the stop engage in the recesses on the appliance plug. The inclined plane is designed so that in order to place the iron on the stand the iron has onlyto be raised slightly from its horizontal ironing position and then slides automatically into the resting position. Thus the stepped construction may include steps which are inclined to guide the electric coupling rearwardly.

The stop may have a centering lug with guide bevels and a guide groove for the lug may be formed on a mating surface of the electric coupling. This arrangement ensures that the retaining lugs areautomatically guided into the recesses. In this position, the electric coupling can be secured in position on the stand by means of a locking mechanism, consisting of the locking pawl in engagement with the locking surface of the electric coupling. A locking mechanism may also be provided in the electric coupling for the purpose of releaseably fixing the coupling to the iron. In a preferred embodiment, both the locking mechanism in the coupling and also the locking mechanism in the stand are effectively connected to each other by means of a push rod. For cordless ironing, the electric coupling is releaseably connected to the stand. It is particularly advantageous that, when a connection is established between the coupling and the stand, the locking of the coupling to the iron is simultaneously released. The iron is placed on the stand in order to heat up. For ironing with mains connection, the coupling is secured to the iron, whilst the securing of the coupling to the stand is released. This does away with the need for the laborious switching over of the coupling or plug. If the iron is to be put away together with the stand, the operative connection 4 between the two locking mechanisms can preferably be put out of action, so that the electric cOUIDling is connected both to the stand and to the iron.

A preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in-which:

Figure 1 shows & partial view of the iron stand with the iron placed thereon, shown partly in section in the region of the appliance plug holders; Figure 2 shows a partial view of the iron stand with the iron placed upon it, partly in section in the region of the locking mechanism; - Figure 3,shows a partial view'of the iron stand, viewed from above.

Figures 1 and 2 shown an iron stand 1 on which is placed an iron 2. The iron stand 1 has a receiving surface 3 and a stop 4. The receiving surface is constructed as an inclined plane. The stop 4 is of stepped configuration and thus has steps which have "horizontal" surfaces 7 and 8 which slope rearwardly. A retaining lug 9 is formed on the surface 7 and a retaining lug 10 is formed on the end surface 6 of the stop 4. As shown in Figure 3, the stop 4 has a centering lug 15 with guide bevels 17 and 18. A locking mechanism is provided in the stop 4. The locking mechanism consists of a latching slide 19 with push buttons 20 provided thereon, said slide 19 being connected to a vertically moveable locking pawl 11. A special appliance plug 5 is releaseably fixed to the iron 2.

The appliance plug 5 has recesses 12 and 13 and a locking surface 14. In the appliance plug 5 there is mounted a push rod 21 which is operatively connected to the locking pawl 11 and a slide bolt 22 in'."the appliance plug 5. The push rod 21 is connected to an eccentric lever 23.

When the iron 2 is placed on the stand 1, the iron 2 slides over the inclined plane of the stand 1 until the retaining lugs 9 and 10 provided on the stop 4 engage in the corresponding recesses 12 and 13 on the appliance plug 5. The centering lug 15 with its guide bevels 17 and 18 and the horizontal surfaces 7 and 8 on the stop 4, which correspond to matching guides (not shown) on the corresponding surface 16 of the appliance plug 5, cause the retaining lugs 9 and 10 to be guided automatically into the recesses 12 and 13 when the iron 2 is placed on the stand 1. In this state, the appliance plug 5 can be locked on the stand 1, the locking pawl 11 engaging the locking surface 14 on the appliance plug 5. Inside the appliance plug 5 is provided another locking mechanism for releaseably securing the plug 5 to the iron 2. Both the locking mechanism in the plug 5 and the locking mechanism in the stand 1 are operatively connected to each other via the push rod 21 so that when the iron is being used in cordless mode the appliance plug 5 is fixedly connected to the stand 1 and when the iron is being used with the cord the appliance plug 5 is fixedly connected to the iron 2. The eccentric lever 23 makes it possible to put t-he operative connection between the two locking mechanisms out of action, as a result of which the appliance plug 5 can be fixedly connected both to the stand 1 and also to the iron-2.

6 It is to be clearly understood that there are no particular features of the foregoing specification, or of any claims appended hereto, which are at present regarded as being essential to the performance of the present invention, and that any one or more of such features or combinations thereof may therefore be included in, added to, omitted from or deleted- f rom- any of such claims if and when amended during the prosecution of this application or in the filing or prosecution of any divisional application 10 based thereon. Furthermore the manner in which any of such features of the specification or claims are described or defined may be amended, broadened or otherwise modified in any manner which falls within the knowledge of a person skilled in the relevant art, for example so as to encompass, is either implicitly or explicitly, equivalents or generalisations thereof.

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Claims

1. An iron stand for an electrically heatable cordless iron, the stand comprising a receiving surface and a stop for an iron, an electric coupling for supplying the iron with electric power and releaseably connected to the stop, the releasable connection between the coupling and the stop comprising retaining lugs pointing in the same direction and arranged to engage corresponding recesses and a locking pawl movable to effect locking engagement between the coupling and the stop.

2. An iron stand as claimed in claim 1, wherein the stop is of stepped construction and a retaining lug is provided at the forward end of a step and another such lug is provided at the rear end of the step, the corresponding recesses being provided in the electric coupling, and wherein the locking pawl is provided on the stop and is vertically movable into engagement with a locking surface of the coupling.

3. An iron stand as claimed in claim 2, wherein the stepped construction includes steps which are inclined to guide the electric coupling rearwardly.

4. An iron stand as claimed in claim 2 or 3, wherein the stop has a centering lug with guide bevels, and wherein a guide groove for the centering lug is formed on a mating surface of the electric coupling.

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5. An iron stand as claimed in any preceding claim, in combination with an iron releaseably connected to the electric coupling, wherein the electric coupling has a slide bolt for releasable connection with the iron and being operatively connected to the locking pawl.

6. An iron stand and iron as claimed in claim 5, wherein the operative connection is such that the connection between the electric coupling and the iron is released when locking engagement between the electric coupling and the stop is effected.

7. An iron stand for an electrically heatable cordless iron, comprising iron support means, an electric coupling for supplying the iron with electric power and being releasably connected to the support means, such releasable connection including a member selectively movable to effect locking engagement between the coupling and the support means.

8. An iron stand for an electrically heatable cordless iron, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

9. An electrically heatable cordless iron and an iron stand therefor, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Published 1989 at ThePatent Office, State liouse,66,71 Mgh Halborn, LondonWC1R4TP. Further copies maybe obtamedfrom The Patentoffice, Sales Branch, St Mary Gray. Orpington. Kent BR5 3RD Printed by Multiplex techniques ltd, St Mary Gray, Kent. Con. 1187