JPS5829500A - Steam iron - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] This bulletin contains application data before electronic filing, so abstract data is not recorded.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] The present invention relates to water dripping from the water tank of a steam iron, and the nozzle part is opened when the vaporization chamber is heated to a certain temperature or higher when the iron is energized. At that time, the vaporization chamber is in a heated state, so the water dripping from the water tank is sure to vaporize and evaporate.

Conventionally, in this type of steam iron, the opening/closing rod can be opened and closed regardless of the temperature rise in the vaporizing chamber, so if the vaporizing chamber is kept cool and water is kept dripping, Corrosion occurred in the vaporization chamber, the steam passageway, and the steam nozzle, causing hole clogging.

The present invention is an improvement on this, and one embodiment thereof will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Reference numeral 1 denotes an iron base having a heater 2, and a vaporizing chamber 3 is provided.

A water tank 4 is provided above the vaporization chamber 3, and water stored in the water tank 4' is guided to the vaporization chamber 3 by a drip nozzle 5. The steam generated by this is
Steam outlet 6 provided on the bottom surface of the iron base 1
is derived to the outside.

An opening/closing member 7 facing the upper part of the dripping nozzle 6 and being bent q
has a steam button 8 at its upper end, and a steam button spring 9 is provided between the two. The lower end of the opening/closing member 7 is structured to be brought into close contact with the dripping nozzle 5, and a member 10 serving as an opening/closing spring is provided opposite to this, and is engaged to lift the steam button spring 9. One end of this member 1o is in contact with the dripping nozzle 6 so as to be susceptible to conduction heat due to the heating of the iron base 1. This member 1o drips onto the opening/closing member 7 due to the load balance between the steam button spring 9 and the member 10 due to the stroke generated by the vertical movement of the steam button B, and the above-mentioned member 10
This uses a shape memory alloy made to obtain a constant spring constant when heated above a certain temperature, and its specific operating state is shown in Figure 2, as shown in Figure 2a.
When the iron is energized, the member 10 is heated by conductive heat from the dripping nozzle 6, and the temperature is above a certain level, so this member 1o has a certain spring pressure and is connected to the steam button spring 9. This is to overcome this and place the opening/closing member 7 in a pushed-up state, allowing water to drip from the dripping nozzle 6.

Next, when the iron is turned off, as shown in Figure 2, the conductive heat from the drip nozzle 6 disappears and the member 1 is cooled.
o loses its elasticity as a spring when the temperature falls below the shape memorized temperature, and as a result, the spring pressure of the steam button spring 9 overcomes the spring pressure of the member 1o, bringing the tip of the opening/closing member 7 into close contact with the dripping nozzle 6. Push down to prevent water from dripping. Then, due to the residual heat of the vaporization chamber 3, the water ice left in the vaporization chamber 3 is evaporated and is not left as water in the vaporization chamber 3, the steam passage 11, and the steam outlet 6. Steam outlet 6 due to corrosion
In other words, etc. are eliminated. Note that shape memory alloys are generally Ti, Ni alloys, or Cu, Zn, x (x
The physical properties of the alloy can vary depending on the blending ratio.

Next, FIGS. 3, 4, and 6 will be described as other application examples.

In the one shown in FIG. 3, an opening/closing member 101 made of a shape memory alloy in the form of a plate is joined to a dripping nozzle 102 so that a part of the opening/closing member 101 is in close contact with the dripping nozzle 102, an opening/closing rod 1o3 is attached to the upper surface of the opening/closing member 101, and the above-mentioned steam button spring is attached. It is energized by 9. The one shown in FIG. 3a is in a heated state with the opening/closing member 10
1 is held in a constant shape to enable dripping from the dripping nozzle 102 to the vaporization chamber 3, and as shown in FIG. It is brought into close contact with the upper surface of the dripping nozzle 102 to stop dripping from the dripping nozzle 102.

FIG. 4a shows the state during heating, and FIG. 4b shows the state during cooling. A member 201 made of a spring made of a shape memory alloy is located between an opening/closing member 202 made of a nozzle valve and a drip nozzle 204. The opening/closing member 205 is biased with the spring 203 to maintain balance, and is located below the dripping nozzle 204.
It constitutes a separate valve. The opening/closing member 202 opens and closes depending on whether or not the member 201 is heated.

In the device shown in FIG. 6, a heater member 302 is provided on a drip nozzle 303 to heat a member 301 made of a shape memory alloy/metal spring that supports an opening/closing member 304 when the base is energized. This is an example of increasing the response to the shape memory alloy member 301. It is also possible to restore the shape by self-heating by applying a current directly to the shape memory alloy member 301, and the function can be improved. It is something that enhances it even more.

As described above, the steam iron of the present invention uses a shape memory alloy to eliminate loss due to base corrosion caused by difficult handling of the iron, making it possible to use the iron for a long period of time. , and its effects are extremely powerful.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view of a main part of a steam iron showing an embodiment of the present invention, FIGS. 2a and b are sectional views of main parts showing states before and after operation, FIGS. 3a and b, and 4a. 5b is a sectional view of the main part of another embodiment before and after operation, and FIG. 5 is a sectional view of the main part of another embodiment. 1/... Iron base, 2... Heater, 3... Vaporization chamber, 4... Water tank, 6... Steam outlet , 7,101.202
・・・・・・Opening/closing member, 10°201.301・・・・
··Element. Name of agent: Patent attorney Toshio Nakao and 1 other person No. 1
figure

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] (1) An iron base having a vaporizing chamber, a water tank communicating with the vaporizing chamber via a dripping nozzle, and an opening/closing member for opening and closing the dripping nozzle, and the opening/closing member itself or the opening/closing member. A steam iron 0 (2) in which a member other than the member is formed of a shape memory alloy and a dripping nozzle is controlled by heating the shape memory alloy, and the opening/closing member is formed of a plate-shaped shape memory alloy. (3) The steam iron according to claim 1, further comprising an opening/closing rod that is manually operated separately from the opening/closing member. ←) The steam iron according to claim 1, wherein the opening/closing member is supported by a member made of a shape memory alloy, and is biased in a direction to open the dripping nozzle by heating. (6) Shape memory alloys are heated separately from the iron base.
The steam iron according to claim 1, which is heated by a heater member.