JPS61209699A - 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] [Technical field of invention] The present invention relates to an electronically controlled steam iron.

[Technical background of the invention]

Generally, in a steam iron, water is dripped into a vaporization chamber on the top surface of a base that has a heater, and the steam is ejected from the jet hole on the bottom surface of the base. However, if water is dripped when the base is cold, There are problems in that the water is not completely vaporized and ejects as water droplets from the ejection hole, or that the water remaining in the vaporization chamber eats away at the material, such as aluminum alloy, that forms the vaporization chamber.

Therefore, for example, as shown in Japanese Patent Publication No. 60-79, a switch device operated by a reversible bimetal installed near the vaporization chamber is provided in the water passage communicating the water tank and the vaporization chamber, and the base is closed. A device that prevents water from dripping at low temperatures has been proposed. The reversible bimetal is inserted into the recess of the base and its upper surface is covered with a lid to hold the reversible bimetal.

Furthermore, electronically controlled steam irons are equipped with a humidity sensing element such as a thermistor that detects the temperature of the base, as shown in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 5'8-183199. The sensor is embedded in the four parts of the base and its top surface is covered with a lid to protect the temperature sensing element and prevent its thermal sensitivity from being impaired.

[Problems with background technology]

As mentioned above, it is necessary to cover the heat-responsive member such as an inverted bimetal and the humidity detection element with a lid and install it on the base.
If each of the thermally responsive members and temperature sensing elements is covered with a separate lid as in the past, the workability will be poor and the cost will be high.

[Purpose of the invention]

The present invention aims to solve the above-mentioned problems,
It is easy to assemble and can be provided at low cost,
The purpose is to also improve temperature responsiveness.

[Summary of the invention]

The steam iron of the present invention includes a base having a heater and having a vaporizing chamber on the upper surface and an ejection hole communicating with the vaporizing chamber on the lower surface, a water tank provided on the upper part of the base, and a water tank in the water tank. a water passage for supplying water to the vaporization chamber; a switching device for opening and closing the water passage; a thermally responsive member for operating the switching device so as not to supply water when the temperature of the base is below a predetermined temperature; A temperature sensing element that detects temperature; and a control device that is connected to the temperature sensing element and controls energization of the heater so as to maintain the base at a set temperature, and the thermally responsive member and the temperature sensing element are connected to the temperature sensing element. It is held in the vicinity of the vaporizing chamber of the base by the same heat transfer member.

[Embodiments of the invention]

Hereinafter, one embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

1 is a base, and a heater 2 is embedded within this base 1. Further, a vaporizing chamber 3 is formed on the upper surface of the base 1, and an ejection hole 4 communicating with the vaporizing chamber 3 is formed on the lower surface of the base 1, and the vaporizing chamber 3 is covered with a steam cover 5. ing.

A cover 6 is provided on the base 1, a heat shield plate 7 is attached to the upper part of the cover 6, and a handle 9 having a handle portion 8 integrally formed thereon is attached to the heat shield plate 7. A cassette type water tank 10 is detachably provided in the front of the handle 9.

An operation piece 11 is attached to the front part of the handle part 8 on the upper part of the handle 9.
the lock button 12 of the water tank 10 by protruding upward.
is provided so as to be movable in the front direction, and this lock button 12
A locking piece 14 is provided at the tip of the water tank 10 to lock and release the locking portion 13 provided on the water tank 10. A spring 15 is provided at the rear of the lock button 12, and the lock button 12 is held by the spring 15. The locking piece 14 locks the water tank 10 by being constantly biased forward and slides the lock button 12 backward (to the right in the figure) against the spring 15.
The water tank 10 can be attached and detached by detaching from the holder.

An outflow hole 16 is formed in the lower part of the water tank 10, and a valve device 17 that opens the water tank 10 by attaching the water tank 10 to the front part of the handle 9 is provided in the outflow hole 16.

Further, an outflow hole 16 of the water tank 10 is provided in the cover 6 part.
A water guide frame 19 having a water passage 18 communicating with the water guide frame 19 is provided,
A drip nozzle 20 facing the vaporization chamber 3 is provided at the rear of the water guide frame 19, and a valve rod 21 is provided to be movable up and down with respect to the drip nozzle 20.
A spring 22 is attached that always biases the valve upward, that is, in the opening direction of the drip nozzle 20.
An operation button 23 is provided at the upper end of the device. This operation button 23 is located in front of the lock button 12 on the upper surface of the handle 9. Then, by operating the operation button 23, the valve rod 21 is moved up and down to open and close the drip nozzle 20 at its lower end, thereby selecting the "steam" or "dry" state.

A reaction rod 24 is provided adjacent to the valve rod 21 so as to be movable up and down, and a spring 25 is attached to the reaction rod 24 to bias the reaction rod 24 downward.
A regulating plate 26 is provided at the upper end of the valve rod 21 and engaged in the middle of the valve rod 21, and a spring 25 of the response rod 24 forces the valve rod 21 to overcome the spring 22 and move downward, that is, in the closing direction of the drip nozzle 20. Thus, an opening/closing device 27 for opening and closing the water passage 18 with respect to the vaporization chamber 3 is formed.

Further, a recess 28 is formed in the base 1 below the reaction rod 24 and near the vaporization chamber 3, and a reversible bimetal 29 as a thermally responsive member is provided in the recess 28. This reversible bimetal 29 has a substantially rectangular projected shape and is arranged so that one long side thereof faces the vaporization chamber 3 side.

Further, a groove 3 is provided adjacent to one side of the groove 28 of the base 1.
3 is formed in the groove 33, and a temperature sensing element 34, such as a thermistor, for detecting the temperature of the base 1 is mounted in this groove 33 through a heat-resistant filler so as to have good heat conduction.

A plate-shaped heat transfer member 35 made of a good thermal conductor such as aluminum is arranged over the recess 28 and the groove 33 of the base 1 and fixed with several screws 36, and the reversible bimetal 29
The temperature sensing element 34 is held, and both ends 37 of the heat transfer member 35 are brought into contact with the heater 2 section. Furthermore, the inner bottom surface of the recess 28 and the heat transfer member 3
The inner and lower sides of 5 are curved to face the reversible bimetal 29 and follow the shape of the reversible bimetal 29 when the reversible bimetal 29 is inverted vertically.

The lower end of the response rod 24 faces the upper center of the reversible bimetal 29 through the center of the heat transfer member 35 .

A switch 38 for setting the temperature of the base 1 is provided on the top surface of the handle 9 in front of the operation button 23. Approximately 0.5-3 mm
> enables operation.

A display device 39 is provided in front of the switch 38 and displays the temperature i set by operating the switch 38. In this display device 39, a plurality of light emitting diodes 40 are arranged in a semicircular shape.

A control taII device 41 to which the temperature detection element 34, switch 38 and display device 39 are connected is provided at the rear of the handle 9. This control device 41 includes an output switching circuit whose output state is sequentially switched each time the switch 38 is turned on and off, and an output of a comparator circuit including a resistor selected by the output of the temperature detection element 34 and the output switching circuit. and a power control circuit that controls the supply of electricity to the heater 2.

Next, the operation will be explained.

By turning on and off the switch 38 and setting it to a desired temperature, for example, steam temperature (150 to 200°C), the power supply to the heater 2 is controlled, and the temperature of the base 1 rises to the set temperature, and the state is maintained. is maintained.

As the temperature of the base 1 rises, the temperature of the reversible bimetal 29 also rises, reaching a temperature suitable for steam (150
~200°C), it is reversed and has a convex top shape, approaching the curved surface 35a of the heat transfer member 35, and the response rod 2
4 to one side against the spring 25.

By operating the operation button 23 in this state, the valve rod 21 moves upward and the dripping nozzle 20 is opened, and the water in the water tank 10 flows from the outflow hole 16 to the water passage 18 of the water guide frame 19.
The water drips into the vaporization chamber 3 through the vaporization chamber 3, and the dropped water immediately turns into steam and is jetted out from the spout hole 4.

As this steam jetting state continues, the vaporization chamber 3
Although the temperature near the reversible bimetal 29 decreases to the return temperature of the reversible bimetal 29, the reversible bimetal 29 is supplied with heat from the heater 2 by the heat transfer member 35, so that the inverted state can be maintained. At this time, since the reversible bimetal 29 and the temperature sensing element 34 are covered with the same heat transfer member 35, the thermal response of both becomes the same, and stable characteristics can be obtained. In addition, since the surface of the heat transfer member 35 facing the reversible bimetal 29 has a curved shape along the reversible bimetal 29, heat is efficiently transferred between the two. Therefore, the steam does not stop during use.

In this state, operate the operation button 23 again to open the valve lever 21.
When moved downward, the dripping nozzle 20 is closed and dripping stops.

Furthermore, even in the steam state described above, when the power is turned off, the heat is no longer supplied from the heat transfer member 35 to the reversible bimetal 29, so the temperature of the reversible bimetal 29 rapidly decreases. , the temperature becomes lower than the return temperature and returns to the original shape, and the response rod 24 is moved downward by the spring 25, pushing down the valve rod 21 and closing the dripping nozzle 20 to stop dripping.

Therefore, since the dripping stops when the base 1 has sufficient vaporization ability, water that has not been completely vaporized may become hot water and be ejected from the spout hole 4, or water remaining in the vaporization chamber 3 may leak into the base 1. Will not corrode.

In this embodiment, the thermally responsive member is made of an inverted bimetal, but a shape memory alloy may be used as the thermally responsive member. Further, the water tank may be of a fixed type, in addition to a cassette type that is detachable.

〔Effect of the invention〕

According to the present invention, by arranging the thermally responsive member and the depletion detecting element near the vaporization chamber and covering the upper surface thereof with the same heat transfer member, assembly is easy and can be provided at low cost. can do. Further, since the thermally responsive member and the temperature sensing element are covered with the same heat transfer member, the thirst response of both is also the same, and stable characteristics can be obtained.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Fig. 1 is a partially cutaway side view showing an embodiment of the steam iron of the present invention, Fig. 2 is a plan view of a part thereof, and Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the section ■-■ in Fig. 2. be. 1. Base, 2. Heater, 3. Vaporization chamber, 4. Nozzle hole, 10. Water tank, 18. Water passage, 27. Switching device, 29. Reversible type as thermally responsive member. Bimetal, 34... Temperature detection element, 35... Heat transfer member, 41...
Control device.

Claims (1)

[Claims] (1) A base that has a heater and has a vaporization chamber on the top surface and a jet hole that communicates with the vaporization chamber on the bottom surface, a water tank provided on the top of the base, and a water tank that supplies the water in the water tank to the vaporization chamber. a water passage for supplying water to the base; a switching device for opening and closing the water passage; a thermally responsive member for operating the switching device so as not to supply water when the temperature of the base is below a predetermined temperature; and a temperature sensor for detecting the temperature of the base. a detection element; and a control device connected to the temperature detection element to control energization of the heater so as to maintain the base at a set temperature; A steam iron characterized in that the steam iron is held in the vicinity of the iron by the same heat transfer member.