GB2593145A - Improvements in ironing booths for clothing - Google Patents

Abstract

The ironing booth 1 for clothes includes a booth 11 with frontal doors 3, 17 having a row of vertical supply panels 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10 inside. The panel surfaces include steam holes 13 and heat points 12. A creation means for steam (33, 41, Figure 2) is provided in the base of the booth. The panels are adapted to receive the steam inside their body and control its release into the booth and exit from the booth using automated control 19. The booth may also include a clothes rail 7 and clothing hangers 2. Clothes may be hung on the hangers between the supply panels. The means to supply steam inside the supply panels may be provided by vertical steam tubes 25, 47 inside each panel. The steam tubes may control the amount of steam entering the supply panel interior via two tubes inserted within each other, having openings which open and close. The heat points may have electrical elements 21 to heat them. The steam creation means may include a water tank linked to a mains supply and a heat plate supplied by mains electricity. Steam may exit from the booth via a vent duct 16.

Description

PATENT APPLICATION

OF

CHIKODI ORAKA

FOR

IMPROVEMENTS IN IRONING BOOTHS FOR CLOTHING

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a booth into which clothes are hung to have their creases removed using steam and heat.

Background

The use of steam and heat to iron and smooth clothing and material is widely known and originates in the form of basic heat irons in 1882. Since then the idea developed into current steam irons and the emergence of presses and larger devices has been witnessed.

The need for a device which can steam and address creased or wrinkled clothing in multiple numbers is a development, to enable a person to place a number of garments together to be treated at one time. Therefore patents have been cited which offer designs to achieve this in domestic and/or commercial use.

This is shown in patent CN206736603 (CHEN) wherein a fully automatic intelligent clothes ironing cabinet, includes the cabinet body, the bottom of the cabinet body is provided with between steam generation, installs the steam generation ware in between steam generation, the steam generator intercommunication steam main pipe, the steam main pipe intercommunication has a plurality of branch steam pipe, and branch steam pipe's other end intercommunication has vapour nozzle, last a plurality of steam nozzle and the distance sensor of being provided with of vapour nozzle, the internal portion of cabinet is provided with servo sharp driver, and vapour nozzle sets up on servo sharp driver, the front side of the cabinet body is provided with the cabinet door, but is provided with the touch -control LCD screen on the cabinet door, be provided with the PLC controller on the inside roof of the cabinet body, but the PLC controller is connected with distance sensor touch -control LCD screen, servo sharp driver communication all, the below of cabinet body roof is provided with and hangs the clothing pole, be provided with the vent on the cabinet body. The utility model discloses can steam raising automatic cycle clothes ironing to can set up the clothes ironing time, guarantee the clothing and stored pleasing to the eye.

Patent CN106579789 (LIU) discloses a multi-purpose wardrobe. The multipurpose wardrobe comprises a wardrobe body, wardrobe doors, adjustable heating boards, an electric rail mounting rack and an air exhaust device, wherein the plurality of adjustable heating boards are arranged in the wardrobe body, a plurality of clamping sliding bases are mounted on the side walls of the adjustable heating boards, a plurality of sliding rails are arranged on the rear wall of the wardrobe body, the sliding rails are matched with the clamping sliding bases, a clothes hanger support rod is mounted in the wardrobe body, the electric rail mounting rack is arranged above the wardrobe body, a plurality of slide wires are arranged in the electric rail mounting rack, the slide wires are matched with the adjustable heating boards, the two wardrobe doors are hinged to the 'wardrobe body, control panels are mounted on the wardrobe doors, the control panels are matched with the adjustable heating boards, the air exhaust device is mounted on the top of the wardrobe body, and a plurality of air exhaust fans are arranged in the air exhaust device. According to the multipurpose wardrobe; by adjusting the boards for integrally heating the hung clothes, the effective drying and damp proofing purposes are achieved; and meanwhile, the number of the working heating boards can be adjusted according to the number of needed clothes, so that the resource utilization rate can be improved.

Patent CN105603701 (LAI) where the invention relates to the technical field of wardrobes and in particular relates to a 'wardrobe with a clothes drying function. The wardrobe comprises a 'wardrobe body, a hot air blower and an air inlet pipe, wherein the wardrobe body comprises a wardrobe outer layer plate and a wardrobe inner layer plate; a wardrobe body air guide layer is formed between the wardrobe outer layer plate and the wardrobe inner layer plate; the air inlet pipe is communicated with the wardrobe body air guide layer; the hot air blower is used for blowing hot air into the wardrobe body air guide layer through the air inlet pipe; and air guide holes are formed in a laminated board in the 'wardrobe in an arraying manner. The hot air blower is used for blowing the hot air into the wardrobe body air guide layer through the air inlet pipe; the hot air enters the wardrobe body in a dispersed manner through the air guide holes arrayed on the laminated board in the wardrobe, so that a plurality of clothes hung in the laminated board in the wardrobe can be dried by blowing at the same time; the hot air enters the wardrobes body through the air guide holes in the dispersed mariner so that the hot air is in sufficient contact with the clothes; and the hot air can be prevented from being intensively blown into the wardrobe body from one part, so that a phenomenon that the hot air is prevented from being blocked by the clothes and then the air blowing of other clothes is influenced is avoided, and damages to the clothes are reduced.

Patent W0200920312 (MOON, PARK, HONG, KIM, RYU, CHOI) discloses a clothes treating apparatus, which treats clothes into a more wearable condition. The clothes treating apparatus includes a cabinet; an accommodating space formed in the cabinet and accommodating clothes; a moisture supplying device generating moisture to be supplied into the accommodating space; and a supply unit discharging the moisture generated by the moisture supplying device into the accommodating space and installed on a bottom of the accommodating space.

Patent CN203860730 (YANG) discloses a multifunctional wardrobe which comprises a cabinet. The cabinet comprises an ironing area; a clothes storage area and a shoe drying area. A first exhaust fan is arranged on the top of the ironing area. A plurality of spray holes are formed in the side wall of the ironing area. A water tank and an air heater are arranged below the ironing area. First air ducts are arranged on the portions, on the two sides of the ironing area, inside the wall of the cabinet. A plurality of air holes are formed in the side wall of the clothes storage area. An ozonator and an aroma dispensing device are arranged below the clothes storage area. A second air duct is arranged in the side wall of the clothes storage area. The shoe drying area is located below the cabinet body. A shoe containing frame is arranged in the shoe drying area. An air blowing opening is formed in the top of the shoe drying area. The air blowing opening is connected with the air heater through the first air ducts. A pull door is arranged outside the shoe drying area. A third exhaust fan is arranged on the pull door. The wardrobe has the sterilization function, the dehumidification and odour eliminating function, the ironing function, the drying function and other functions; and the defects that when a traditional steam iron is used, manual operation is needed arid time arid labour are wasted are overcome_ The prior art therefore shows that there is a need for a more effective ironing booth which uses steam and heat to remove the wrinkles from clothing by way of a more basic system with an overall improved final effect.

The present invention aims to provide an improved ironing booth which utilizes the natural effects of steam when controlled and combined with a simple heating and ventilation process therefore.

Summary of the invention

According to the present invention there is provided a booth which is derived from a rectangular cabinet having a base with three vertically extending sides and a flat top side, having two or more opening doors hinged to its front. To the facing edge of the booth is a rubber seal onto which the door closes onto creating a sealed enclosure.

Inside the booth are five vertically appointed slim supply panels, each of which are equally spaced apart within the booth and are fixed to the top and bottom, as shown in the accompanying Figures. The bottom of each supply panel is open and the interior of each panel is hollow. Throughout the surface of the panels are steam holes, which allow steam to pass from within the hollow interior and out through to the inside of the booth. Each hole is made from the same material as the supply panel which is stainless steel. The sides of the booth can also be supply panels as shown.

The steam holes are arranged as shown in the accompanying Figures in rows and between each of them is a heat point. The heat points are smaller holes also set into the stainless steel surface of the panel and between the larger steam holes, with each heat point having a heating element to its rear, inside the stainless steel interior face and each heating element links to the next heat point, to form a linked heating system controlled along with the steam via an automated control panel.

To the base of the booth is a separate compartment which houses the means to provide steam and heat to the said supply panels.

The compartment is located to the base of the booth and is vented to the front, with a steam filter set into the vent to prevent any remaining steam passing into the room where the booth is located. Within said compartment is a water tank which is directly supplied with water via the mains of the house or dwelling and the water level is monitored to be kept at the required level by a control unit.

To the base of the water tank is a heat plate which covers the entire base of the tank area and is provided to heat the water within the tank until steam is created. This steam creation continues until the sensor unit within the booth from the control panel tells the control unit of the water tank to stop producing steam. The steam then rises within the water tank to fill the area above the water surface creating a pressure. From the top of the water tank perpendicularly are two hollow vertical steam tubes which have a widened opening to their base, as shown in Figure 2. Along the vertical tubed body of the steam tubes are openings at staggered points along the tube body. The steam tubes are opposed inside the slim hollow body of the supply panel, as shown and the openings are located at spaced apart points from the base to the top of each steam tube. The tubes have a smaller inner control tube, as shown in Figure 7, which remains static but as the outer tube moves it opens and closes the staggered openings to provide the correct amount of steam into the supply panel interior.

This is achieved because the outer tube is fully closed for a pre-determined period by way of the automated control system from the control panel. The inner control tube has the same openings as the outer tube which are six vertically appointed openings on one side of the tube and the outer tube rotates its blank side over the openings of the inner tube to seal the whole steam tube until it is filled with pressured steam.

A rotation wheel which the two tubes pass transversely through and the outer tube is centrally fixed to, is in contact and aligned to a motor driven wheel inside a control housing via an narrow opening in the housing side, as shown. The control system half rotates the motor and thus the rotation wheel sufficiently by half a turn to rotate the outer tube to align its opening with the openings of the inner tube and the pressurised steam is then able to escape from inside the inner tube and flows inside the hollow body of the supply panels. As the supply panels have many steam holes in their surface, the steam passes through said holes and fills the booth equally.

Assisting the action of the steam is said heated element located behind the heat points, with the heating element increasing the temperature of the outer surfaces of the supply panels, conducted quickly via the stainless steel surface and into the booth. The combined action of the steam and heat in the booth creates an ideal environment for removing the creases from material and clothes.

The 'draw' effect of the steam from the supply panels on an ongoing cycle is encouraged by exit ducts provided to the rear of the booth base with the extractor opening inside the booth at each section between the supply panels. This duct is controlled automatically via the system and the panel to remove the excess steam when the clothes are treated. The ducts pass beneath the water tank and out through the filtered venting as shown.

To the top of the booth is a clothes hanging rail which passes from one side to the other, passing though the top centre of each supply panel as it does. Onto this rail are hung clothes hangers which are made of the same material as the booth interior.

Clothing is hung onto the rail using said hangers in between the supply panels, as shown in Figure 5, the steam and heat from the panel removing all creases and wrinkles from the clothes, with the timer of the system monitoring the process and the exit ducts removing all excess condensation.

An improved ability of this booth is that the sides can also be supply panels and therefore they provide steam and heat. The heated sides continue to provide heat, as with all of the heat points on each panel, after the steam has been expelled via the ducting, to remove any remaining condensation, making the booth completely dry in between each use If only some of the supply panels are required for use, when only half of the booth has clothes in it, for example, the other supply panels can be closed off via the control panel, as shown in Figure 5. In Figure 5 only four sections have clothes in them for treatment and therefore the remaining sections are not used and the steam is held inside the steam tubes via the aforementioned closing method thereto.

In a second embodiment of the ironing booth an under section, as shown as 45 in Figure 5. The under section extends the hollow interior of the supply panel and passes steam through it to be released vertically through upward steam holes 53. This under section links at the lower part between each supply panel providing additional upward steam to the clothing which has added benefits when removing creases.

In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should riot be regarded as limiting.

As such; those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon which this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention.

Further, the purpose of the foregoing abstract is to enable the Patent Office and the public generally, and especially the scientists, engineers and practitioners in the art who are not familiar with patent or legal terms or phraseology, to determine quickly from a cursory inspection the nature and essence of the technical disclosure of the application. The abstract is neither intended to define the invention of the application, which is measured by the claims, nor is it intended to be limiting as to the scope of the invention in any way.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved ironing booth for clothes which has all the advantages of the prior art ironing booths and none of the disadvantages.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a new ironing booth for clothes which may be easily and efficiently manufactured and marketed.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a new and improved ironing booth for clothes which is of durable and reliable construction.

An even further object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved ironing booth for clothes which is susceptible of a low cost of manufacture with regard to both materials and labour; and which accordingly is then susceptible of low prices of sale to the consuming public, thereby making such a product available to the buying public.

Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved ironing booth for clothes which provides in the apparatuses and methods of the prior art some of the advantages thereof, while simultaneously overcoming some of the disadvantages normally associated therewith.

These together with other objects of the invention, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the invention; are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and the specific objects attained by its uses, reference should be had to the accompanying drawings and detailed descriptive matter in which there is illustrated preferred embodiments of the invention.

Brief description of figures

Figure 1 shows a dimensional view of the ironing booth.

Figure 2 shows a side section view of the ironing booths system.

Figure 3 shows a frontal view of the ironing booth with interior supply panels shown.

Figure 4 shows a dimensional view of the second embodiment of the ironing booth with under sections.

Figure 5 shows a dimensional view of the second embodiment of the ironing booth with under sections and clothes being treated.

Figure 6 shows a frontal view of the ironing booth with doors closed.

Figure 7 shows a dimensional view of the steam tubes and their rotation system.

Detailed description of &lures

A typical embodiment of the ironing booth is shown in Figure 1. It comprises the ironing booth 1, which has a main body 11 and supply panels 4, 5, 6, 8, 9 and 10 equally spaced apart inside, creating spacing 15; with each panel having a frontal edge 14. To each panel are located steam holes 13 and heat points 12 which provide exit points for steam and heat transfer along each supply panel surface. To the inside upper area is a clothes rail 7 onto which clothes hangers 2 are hung.

A rubber seal 18 is provided along the facing edge of the booth body onto which doors 3 and 17 close. Venting 16 is provided to the frontal base to expel steam created within said booth during use.

A supply panel is shown in Figure 2 as a side view inside the ironing booth 1A wherein the clothes rail 7A end is shown passing through the panel top. The supply panel surface 10 is planar and made of stainless steel having steam holes 26 and 22 and heat points 20. Behind all heat points on the inner side of the panel surface 10 are heating elements 21. To the base is a compartment housing a water tank 33 which has a heat plate 41 covering the entire area of the water tank 33. Electrical power is provided to the heat plate 41 and all electrical components via a main supply cable 23 which passes into a system supply unit 32. Water 30 is supplied to said water tank 33 via water supply tube 28 and the amount of water passing into the tank is monitored and controlled automatically via the automated control panel 19 which remotely talks to said system supply unit 32. The heat plate 41 heats the water 30 to a point where steam is created and the steam then builds within the water tank 33 to exit upwards into the vertical steam tubes 25 and 47 via widened openings 29. The amount of steam created is monitored by the control unit remotely using sensors which commands it to stop or start making steam. As the steam rises it is collected under building pressure inside the vertical steam tubes, because the openings 24 of the vertical steam tubes are closed at the initial stages.

When the steam within the steam tubes reaches a desired level of capacity and pressure the outer tube of the vertical steam tube rotates by way of a motor within a motor housing 34 (see Figure 7).

On rotation the openings of both tubes align within each other and the steam is able to pass into the hollow interior of the supply panel and out through the steam holes 26 and 22. Each panel has a multiple of steam holes.

The steam from the panel is directed in close contact with the clothing within the booth the remove creases in their material.

This action of steaming and the removal of creases from the clothing is enhanced via the heat elements 21 heating the surface of the supply panel with the heat being focused at each heat point, the elements are linked between the heat points 20. The surface of each supply panel has many heat points, as shown.

The direction and flow of the steam in the first stages is shown using black arrows.

To create a steam drawing circulation and to remove excess steam a vent duct 27 with turbo fan is provided which draws air from the booth between each space between the facing supply panels. The steam is exited via the frontal venting 16A which has a steam filter to its interior.

Figure 3 shows a frontal view of the ironing booth 1B having supply panels 4B, 5B, 6B, 8B, 9B with clothes rail 7B and control panel 35 located to the side of the booth. Rubber seal 18B is shown which passes around the entire frontal facing frame edge and the venting 16B to the frontal base as previously described.

Figure 4 shows the second embodiment of the ironing booth 1C with the direction 36 of the steam and heat distribution, with steam exiting from the vertical steam tube 38 and passing through steam holes 35 and 37. This embodiment has the added under sections 45 which link at the lower part between each supply panel and upward steam holes 53 to enhance the steaming process of the garments, as shown in Figure 5.

The ironing booth 1D as shown in Figure 5 has clothes 39, 40, 43 hung on clothes hangers 2D. The flow direction of the steam and heat is shown 36D passing via steam holes 44 and upward steam hole 53D with the under section 45D. Added heat is provided to the panel via heating elements 42.

Heat plate 41D heats water within the water tank 33D to rise as steam, indicated by the black arrows. Vent duct 27D extracts excess steam and circulates the air inside the booth creating a draw.

Figure 6 shows the ironing booth 1 E with doors 3E and 17E closed. A centrally located handle 46 and the control panel 35E located on the upper left of door 3E.

The embodiment of the vertical steam tube 25F is shown in Figure 7 wherein the steam tube has a smaller inner control tube 48 inside which has the same openings 24F as the outer tube 25F. The outer tube 25F is slightly rotated via wheel 50 to which the outer tube is fixed transversely. The wheel 50 is turned via its direct contact with a smaller wheel motor 52 housed within a motor housing 49. When the opening of the inner control tube and the outer tube are aligned, the steam can escape and when they are not aligned the steam is held inside the vertical steam tubes, as the openings are then facing the covered side of the opposite tube.

Claims (17)

1. Claims 1) An ironing booth for clothes comprising; a booth with frontal doors having a row of vertical supply panels inside with steam holes and heat points on the panel surfaces with creation means for steam provided in the base of said booth and the said panels adapted to receive the steam inside their body and control its release into a booth and exit from a booth using automated control, together defining the invention.
2. 2) An ironing booth for clothes further comprising a cloth rail.
3. 3) An ironing booth for clothes further comprising clothing hangers.
4. 4) An ironing booth for clothes according to claim 1 wherein clothes are hung on said hangers between supply panels.
5. 5) An ironing booth for clothes according to claim 1 wherein said steam holes allow steam to exit into a booth.
6. 6) An ironing booth for clothes according to claim 1 wherein means to supply steam inside said supply panels is provided by vertical steam tubes inside each panel.
7. 7) An ironing booth for clothes according to claim 5 wherein said steam tubes control the amount of steam entering the supply panel interior by way of two tubes inserted within each other having openings which open and close.
8. 8) An ironing booth for clothes according to claim 6 wherein said opening and closing of openings in said steam tubes is controlled by a sensor and panel.
9. 9) An ironing booth for clothes according to claim 7 wherein said opening and closing of openings is derived by a motor driven wheel turning an outer tube.
10. 10) An ironing booth for clothes according to claim 1 wherein heat points have electrical elements to heat them.
11. 11) An ironing booth for clothes according to claim 1 wherein said steam creation means comprises a water tank linked to the mains supply which is located in the base of said booth.
12. 12) An ironing booth for clothes according to claim 1 wherein said steam creating means further comprises a heat plate supplied by mains electricity to heat water in said water tank.
13. 13) An ironing booth for clothes according to claim 1 wherein the amount of steam created is controlled via an automated control.
14. 14) An ironing booth for clothes according to claim 1 wherein said steam is exited from a booth via a vent duct.
15. 15) An ironing booth for clothes in a second embodiment has under sections which link at the lower part between each supply panel.
16. 16) An ironing booth for clothes in a second embodiment wherein said under sections have upward steam holes.
17. 17) An ironing booth according to all preceding claims including a steam and heat system in a booth with means to remove creases from clothing and material.