JP2893957B2 - Cordless iron - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to the detection of fullness of an automatic water supply type cordless iron used in a general household or the like.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, various cordless irons have been sold. An example of a typical structure is shown in FIG.
Is attached to the iron body 2. The capacity of the water tank 1 is relatively large, around 200 cc, and there is no structure with an automatic water supply mechanism. The amount of water cannot be detected except by visually checking the amount of water.

[0003] On the other hand, as far as automatic water supply is concerned,
2. Description of the Related Art Some professional irons used by specialists such as a cleaning business have been put to practical use. As shown in FIG. 6, a water supply hose 5 is connected to the iron body 3 together with a power cord 4, and is connected to a large water tank 6 having a water supply drive unit such as a pump installed at a distant place. Is common. However, this type of iron does not have a tank for storing water in the iron body 3 and has a structure in which water sent through a water supply hose 5 is directly vaporized. No equipment is provided.

[0004]

In the case of a cordless iron having such a conventional structure, since there is no automatic water supply mechanism, a cassette type water tank is removed from the iron main body 2 every time the water tank 1 runs out of water during use of the iron. It was necessary to remove 1 and refill with water before use. Incidentally, when an iron is used in a general household, it is known that the amount of water used in one ironing is about 400 cc on average.
It is considered that it is necessary to refill the water in the water tank 1 up to twice.

[0005] Therefore, in order to solve this problem, it is meaningless to use a cordless iron as a professional iron with a water supply hose connected, and in order to take advantage of the cordless iron, it is necessary to use an iron stand from an iron stand. During use while removing the body (8-10 on average)
It is necessary to provide a small water tank for storing water (15 to 20 cc) necessary for the second) in the iron body. In this case, when automatic water supply is performed, a problem arises that the small water tank must be detected to be full by some method.

[0006] Therefore, the present invention detects that a predetermined amount of water is water in the small water tank provided in the iron main body, the automatic water supply type cordless iron of which was not watered more, the full water The primary purpose is to detect .

A second object is a predetermined amount of water is water, Mitsuru
Simultaneously detecting the water, is to provide a cordless iron can stop the automatic watering operation.

[0008]

Means for Solving the Problems In order to achieve the first object, a cordless iron according to the present invention comprises a cordless type iron body equipped with a small water tank,
An iron stand having a built-in water supply mechanism for automatically supplying water to the iron body and also having a power supply function as a stand for the iron body, and a vent hole provided in a part of a small water tank of the iron body, A water leakage prevention valve that closes the vent when the water is full, branches off the water supply outlet pipe of the water supply mechanism, and provides a check valve on the branch pipe side that opens when a predetermined water pressure or more is reached. By returning to the water supply inlet pipe of the water supply mechanism, the small water tank is full and the overflow prevention valve is operated, the small water tank is closed, and the water pressure in the path increases, so that the check valve is increased. Is opened, and the water supplied by the water supply mechanism is not sent to the small-sized water tank, and the circulation is repeated.

In order to achieve the second object, the present invention
The cordless iron is equipped with a water pressure detector at the water supply outlet pipe of the water supply mechanism, detects that the small water tank is full and the overflow prevention valve operates, and detects that the small water tank is closed and the water pressure in the path has increased. Then, the operation of the water supply mechanism can be stopped.

[0010]

The automatic water supply type cordless iron of the present invention
With the above configuration, the small water tank becomes full and the overflow prevention valve operates, and when the small water tank is closed and the water pressure in the path increases, the check valve provided on the stand side opens,
The water supplied by the water supply mechanism does not go to the small water tank but returns to the water supply mechanism again through the branch pipe and repeats the circulation.

Further, by providing a water pressure detector such as a diaphragm type pressure sensor, the small water tank becomes full and the overflow prevention valve operates to detect that the small water tank is closed and the water pressure in the passage is increased. Then, the operation of the water supply mechanism can be stopped.

[0012]

An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

1 to 3, reference numeral 7 denotes a cordless type iron main body, and reference numeral 8 denotes an iron stand. 9
Is a small water tank built into the iron body 7 and is approximately 20
It has a water storage capacity of cc. Reference numeral 10 denotes a flood prevention valve, which is attached to a vent hole 11 provided in the upper wall surface 9a of the small water tank 9, and is formed of a resin lighter than water when the inside of the small water tank 9 becomes full. Float valve 1
The function of Oa is to close the vent hole 11 to prevent water from overflowing from the small water tank 9.

Reference numeral 12 denotes a main water tank provided in the ironing stand 8, which can store a sufficient amount (400-500 cc) of water necessary for performing one ironing operation. Numeral 13 denotes a water supply mechanism comprising a motor pump such as a vane pump provided for water supply in the iron stand 8 so as to supply water to the small water tank 9 of the iron body 7 via a water channel connector 14. Have been. The main water tank 12 and the water supply mechanism 13 are connected by a water supply inlet pipe 15, and the water supply mechanism 13 and the water channel connector 14 are connected by a water supply outlet pipe 16, and 17 is a branch pipe branched from the water supply outlet pipe 16. The pipe 17 is connected to the water supply inlet pipe 15. Also, 18 is provided in the branch pipe 17,
A check valve that opens when the pressure exceeds a predetermined pressure.
a, a biasing spring 18b. When water is supplied, that is, when the small water tank 9 is not yet full, the check valve 18 is closed because the urging force of the urging spring 18b exceeds the water pressure. 19 is an iron base.

Next, the operation of the configuration of the embodiment will be described. When the iron body 7 is set on the iron stand 8, the water supply mechanism 13 operates to operate the main water tank 12.
Is sent to the small water tank 9 through the water channel connector 14. Then, when the water in the small water tank 9 increases and the water level rises, the amount of water in the small water tank 9 changes from FIG. 2 (A) to FIG. 2 (B). At this time, as apparent from the drawing, the float valve 10a in the overflow prevention valve 10 closes the vent hole 11 when the water is full, and the water pressure in the small water tank 9 increases. The water pressure in the water supply outlet pipe 16 and the branch pipe 17 on the iron stand 8 side in the same path also increases. Then, the check valve 18 which was in the closed state during the water supply opens when the water pressure exceeds the urging force of the urging spring 18b and pushes the ball valve 18a. The water is not sent to the tank 9, passes through the branch pipe 17, passes through the water supply inlet pipe 15, and returns to the water supply mechanism 13. As described above, since the small water tank 9 is closed and the pressure is increased, the check valve 18 provided on the iron stand 8 side is opened, and the supplied water is circulated without stopping the water supply mechanism 13. By doing so, the water supply to the small water tank 9 can be stopped.

Next, another embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. In the figure, reference numeral 20 denotes a branch pipe branched from the water supply outlet pipe 16, and reference numeral 21 denotes a pressure detector such as a diaphragm type pressure sensor provided in the branch pipe 20, which can detect the pressure in the branch pipe 20. And the pressure detector 21
The water supply mechanism 13 is controlled by this signal.

In this embodiment, the check valve 18 in the previous embodiment is unnecessary. Other configurations are the same as in the previous embodiment.

The operation of the above configuration will be described. The float valve 10a in the flood prevention valve 10 closes the vent hole 11 when the water is full, and the water pressure in the small water tank 9 increases. Then, the water pressure in the water supply outlet pipe 16 and the branch pipe 20 on the iron stand 8 side in the same path also increases. This increase in water pressure is detected by the pressure detector 21 and its signal is sent to a control circuit (not shown) that controls the water supply mechanism 13.
The operation of the water supply mechanism 13 is stopped.

[0019]

As described above, according to the present invention, when an automatic water supply mechanism is added to the cordless iron, the amount of water in the small water tank in the iron body is accurately detected, and when the predetermined amount of water is reached, no more water is supplied. It is very useful.

The present invention detects the amount of water in the small water tank by using the change in the pressure of water supplied from the water supply mechanism in the iron stand. In addition, there is no need to dispose a water level sensor and a detection circuit that require delicate handling, and the present invention has tremendous effects such as a reduction in space for a control circuit provided in the iron body.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a partially broken sectional view showing the appearance of an automatic water supply type cordless iron to which an embodiment of the present invention is applied.

FIG. 2A is a cross-sectional view of a main part when the overflow valve is not operated, and FIG. 2B is a cross-sectional view of a main part when the overflow valve is operated.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing a water supply path around a water supply mechanism.

FIG. 4 is a partially broken cross-sectional view showing an appearance of an automatic water supply type cordless iron showing another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a side view showing a conventional cordless iron.

FIG. 6 is a side view showing a conventional business-use automatic water supply steam iron.

[Explanation of symbols]

 7 Iron body 8 Iron stand 9 Small water tank 10 Overflow prevention valve 13 Water supply mechanism 15 Water supply inlet pipe 16 Water supply outlet pipe 17, 20 Branch pipe 18 Check valve 21 Water pressure detector

Continuation of front page (72) Inventor Shinichi Ito 1006 Kazuma Kadoma, Osaka Prefecture Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. (58) Field surveyed (Int.Cl. ⁶ , DB name) D06F 79/02 D06F 75/14

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] An iron stand having a cordless type iron body equipped with a small water tank, a water supply mechanism for automatically supplying water to the iron body, and also having a power supply function as a stand for the iron body.
A vent hole provided in a part of the small water tank of the iron body, comprising a flood prevention valve for closing the vent when it is full, branching off a water supply outlet pipe of the water supply mechanism,
By providing a check valve that opens when the pressure is equal to or higher than a predetermined water pressure on the branch pipe side, and returning the tip to the water supply inlet pipe of the water supply mechanism,
The small water tank is full and the overflow prevention valve operates, the small water tank is closed, and the water pressure in the path increases, the check valve opens, and the water supplied by the water supply mechanism is supplied. Is a cordless iron that repeats circulation without being sent to the small water tank . 2. An iron stand of a cordless type equipped with a small water tank, an iron stand having a built-in water supply mechanism for automatically supplying water to the iron body and also having a power supply function as a stand for the iron body.
A vent hole provided in a part of the small water tank of the iron body, an overflow valve that closes the vent when it is full, and a water pressure detector at a water supply outlet pipe of the water supply mechanism, A cordless iron capable of detecting that a small water tank is full and an overflow prevention valve is operated to detect that the small water tank is in a sealed state and water pressure in a passage is increased, thereby stopping the operation of the water supply mechanism .