KR100191581B1 - Method and device for controlling the steam for iron - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to an apparatus for controlling steam amount of an iron and a method thereof, comprising: a water storage means (7) for storing a certain amount of water, and a water supply for supplying a cloth to be ironed by pumping water stored in the water storage means (7). Key input means (102) for selecting a steam function of the iron in the iron having a means (113) and a heating means (1) for generating steam by heating the water pumped by the water supply means (113). And the steam generation time according to the key signal inputted by the key input means 102 to change the driving frequency of the water supply means 113 to adjust the amount of steam generated by the heating means 1. Control means 104, by changing the pump driving frequency with time to adjust the amount of steam to a strong, weak, it is possible to increase the ironing effect.

Description

Steam control device of iron and method

The present invention relates to an electric steam iron, and more particularly, to an apparatus for controlling the steam amount of an iron to increase the ironing effect by repeating the steam amount according to a set temperature in two stages of strong and weak.

In general, when the user sets the desired temperature (hereinafter, referred to as the set temperature) by operating the temperature setting key and then presses the steam setting key, the heater starts to heat according to the heating of the heater.

When the heater is heated to reach the set temperature, the microcomputer controls the pump driving frequency according to the set temperature to drive the pump to pump water stored in the water tank to generate steam on the cloth to be ironed while passing through the heater to steam the iron. It was made.

However, in the conventional iron, since the pump driving frequency according to the set temperature is constant and the amount of steam cannot be adjusted, steam does not penetrate deeply into the cloth, so that ironing is not effectively performed and there is a problem that reliability of the product is lowered.

Accordingly, the present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and provides a steam amount control device and method for improving the ironing effect by changing the pump driving frequency with time to adjust the amount of steam to strong, weak, the ironing effect thereof There is a purpose.

In order to achieve the above object, the steam amount control apparatus of the iron according to the present invention includes water storage means for storing a certain amount of water for generating steam, and water supplied to the fabric to be ironed by pumping water stored in the water storage means. An iron having a supply means and a heating means for generating steam by heating water pumped by the water supply means, comprising: key input means for selecting a steam function of the iron and input by the key input means; Counter means for generating the steam according to the key signal characterized in that consisting of a control means for controlling the amount of steam generated by the heating means by changing the drive frequency of the water supply means according to the time.

In addition, the method of controlling the steam amount of the iron according to the present invention is a control method of the iron for generating steam by heating the water stored in the water storage means while passing through the heating means, and detecting and setting the heating temperature of the heating means. A temperature discrimination step for determining whether the temperature has been reached, a steam discrimination step for determining whether the user inputs the steam setting while informing that the heating means has reached the set temperature, and inputting the steam setting in the steam discrimination step The steam generating step of generating steam by driving the water supply means at a frequency corresponding to the set temperature for a predetermined time (T1), and when the steam generating time in the steam generating step has passed the predetermined time (T1), Steam amount increasing gas step to increase the amount of steam by driving the water supply means for a predetermined time (T2) at a higher frequency in the frequency That consisting of features.

1 is a plan view showing an iron according to an embodiment of the present invention.

2 is a control block diagram of the steam amount control device of the iron according to an embodiment of the present invention.

3a and 3b is a flow chart showing the operation sequence of the steam amount control of the iron according to the present invention.

* Explanation of symbols for main parts of the drawings

1: heating means 3: heat dissipation means

5: body 7: water storage means

9 spray means 13 handle portion

100: power supply means 102: key input means

104: control means 106: temperature sensing means

108: use detection means 110: heating drive means

112: pump driving means 113: pump

114: notification means

Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

As shown in FIG. 1, the iron is a heating means (1) for steaming the water pumped by the heating heat and then spraying it outward through a plurality of steam injection holes (not shown), and the heating means (1). ) And heat dissipation means (3) installed on the upper portion of the heating means (1) to radiate radiant heat radiated from the heating means (1) to the atmosphere while covering the upper surface of the heat dissipation means (3). The main body 5 to be installed, the water storage means 7 installed at the rear of the main body 5 to supply the heat dissipation means 3 while storing a certain amount of water, and stored in the water storage means 7 Spray means 9 installed in front of the main body 5 to supply water directly to the cloth to be ironed, and the operation unit 11 is installed on the upper portion of the main body 5 to adjust the amount of steam and use temperature step by step Consists of.

On the other hand, reference numeral 13 is a handle portion, 15 is a lamp cover installed on the upper portion of the spray means 9 with respect to the front upper end of the main body 5, 17 is to support the power cord to pass through the left and right direction The cord bush is installed in the upper rear of the main body 5 to induce the bending of the power cord.

A block diagram for controlling the steam amount adjusting operation of the iron configured as described above will be described with reference to FIG.

As shown in FIG. 2, the power supply means 100 converts a commercial AC voltage supplied from an AC power supply terminal (not shown) into a predetermined DC voltage necessary for the operation of the iron, and outputs the key input means 102. It is an operation unit 11 provided with a key to adjust the temperature (specifically, the fabric name) and the steam amount to be ironed by the user step by step.

Then, the control means 104 receives the DC voltage (microcomputer drive power) output from the power supply means 100 to initialize the iron, as well as to counter the steam generation time to the time (25 seconds, 5 seconds) According to the pump driving frequency is changed in two stages to adjust the amount of steam strong and weak, the temperature sensing means 106 is a thermistor which senses the temperature of the heating means (1) and outputs it to the control means (104), The sensing means 108 is a hall sensor which detects whether or not the user uses the iron and outputs it to the control means 104.

In addition, the heating drive means 110 receives the control signal output from the control means 104 to turn on the heating means (1) to generate steam by heating the water pumped from the water storage means (7) The pump control means 112, the pump control unit 104 receives the control signal output from the control means 104 to generate steam to the cloth to be ironed by pumping the water stored in the water storage means (7) Drive control.

The notification means 114 receives a control signal output from the control means 104 according to the key signal input by the key input means 102 and LEDs to indicate an operating state of the set temperature, steam amount, use of the iron, and the like. Marked as or caused by sound.

Hereinafter, the effect of the steam amount control device and the method of the iron configured as described above will be described.

3a and 3b are flow charts showing the steam amount adjustment operation procedure of the iron according to the present invention, in which S denotes a step STEP in FIGS. 3a and 3b.

First, after storing a certain amount of water in the water storage means (7) and then connecting the power cord 11 to a power terminal (not shown), the commercial AC voltage supplied from an AC power terminal (not shown) is received from the power supply means (100) It converts into a predetermined DC voltage necessary for driving the iron and outputs it to each driving circuit and control means 104.

Therefore, in step S1, the DC voltage output from the power supply means 100 is input from the control means 104 to initialize the iron.

At this time, the user operates the temperature setting key of the key input means 102 to select the desired set temperature (specifically, cloth of wool, cotton, hemp, etc.), and then presses the steam setting key. 104 outputs a control signal for driving the heating means 1 to the heating drive means 110.

Accordingly, the heating means 110 receives the control signal output from the control means 104 and turns on the heating means 1 so that the heating means 1 starts to heat.

Subsequently, when the temperature sensing means 106 senses the heating temperature of the heating means 1 and outputs it to the control means 104 in step S3, the control means 104 controls the temperature of the heating means 1 to reach the set temperature. If it is reached, if it does not reach the set temperature (NO), the flow returns to the step S2, and the operation of the step S2 or less is repeated while the heating means 1 is continuously turned on.

As a result of the discrimination in step S3, when the set temperature is reached (YES), the process proceeds to step S4, whereby the control means 104 indicates that the iron has reached the set temperature and is ready for use by the LEDs. Display or sound.

At this time, if the user grabs the handle 13 and then uses the iron, the use detecting means 108 detects whether or not the iron is used in step S5, and the steam is not used (if NO). After the adjustment mode is finished, if the iron is in use (YES), the flow advances to step S6 to determine whether the user has set steam by operating the steam setting key.

As a result of the determination in step S6, when no steam setting is made (NO), the steam adjusting mode ends, and when steam setting is made (YES), the control means 104 goes to step S7. Outputs a control signal to the pump driving means (112).

Accordingly, the pump driving means 112 receives the control signal output from the control means 104 and drives the pump 113 at the pump driving frequency according to the set temperature to pump the water stored in the water storage means 7. The pumped water is steamed while passing through the heating means (1) heated to the set temperature, the steam is supplied to the fabric to be ironed through a plurality of steam injection holes formed in the bottom of the heating means (1) Perform steam ironing.

At this time, in step S8, the control means 104 counters the steam generation time T according to the pump 113 driven at a frequency corresponding to the set temperature, and proceeds to step S9 to determine the steam generation time T which is counted. It is determined whether the time T1 (for example, 25 seconds) has elapsed, and when the predetermined time T1 has not elapsed (NO), the flow returns to the step S7 and the pump 113 is operated at a frequency corresponding to the set temperature. Operation is repeated to perform steps S7 and below while generating steam in accordance with the set temperature.

As a result of the discrimination in step S9, when the predetermined time T1 has elapsed (YES), the process proceeds to step S10, where the pump driving means 112 is operated at a frequency corresponding to the set temperature under the control of the control means 104. Step by increasing the amount of steam generated by driving the pump 113 at a high frequency is supplied to the cloth to be ironed, the steam is permeated deep into the cloth.

At this time, in step S11, the steam generation time T according to the pump 113 driven at the next higher frequency is countered to determine whether the predetermined time (T2: for example, 5 seconds) has elapsed, and the predetermined time (T2). If this has not elapsed (NO), the flow returns to the step S10, and the pump 113 is driven at a higher frequency to repeat the operation of the step S10 or less while increasing the amount of steam so as to infiltrate the steam deeply into the cloth.

As a result of the discrimination in step S11, when the predetermined time T2 has elapsed (YES), the flow advances to step S12, whereby the control means 104 ends the one steam control mode while clearing the steam generation time T. Enter the heating control mode.

On the other hand, the steam control mode from step S1 to step S12 is of course performed repeatedly during the operation of the iron.

According to the steam amount control device and method of the iron according to the present invention as described above, by changing the pump driving frequency in two stages according to the set temperature to adjust the amount of steam to strong and weak, it is possible to increase the ironing effect.

Claims (3)

Water storage means 7 for storing a certain amount of water for generating steam, water supply means 113 for pumping the water stored in the water storage means 7 to the cloth to be ironed, and the water supply An iron comprising a heating means (1) for heating steam pumped by means (113) to generate steam, comprising: key input means (102) for selecting a steam function of said iron and said key input means (102) The control means 104 for controlling the amount of steam generated by the heating means 1 by changing the driving frequency of the water supply means 113 by countering the steam generation time according to the key signal input by the) Steam amount control device, characterized in that made. The method of claim 1, wherein the control means 104 changes the driving frequency of the water supply means 113 in two steps to adjust the steam amount of the iron, characterized in that for controlling the amount of steam. In the control method of the iron which is heated while passing through the heating means (1) at the same time the water stored in the water storage means (7) to generate steam, by detecting the heating temperature of the heating means (1) to reach the set temperature A temperature discrimination step for determining whether the heating unit 1 has reached the set temperature, a steam discrimination step for discriminating whether the user inputs the steam setting while informing that the heating means 1 is available, and a steam setting step is inputted in the steam discrimination step. The steam generating step of generating steam by driving the water supply means at a frequency corresponding to the set temperature for a predetermined time (T1), and when the steam generating time in the steam generating step has passed the predetermined time (T1), An iron comprising: a steam amount increasing step of increasing the amount of steam by driving the water supply means at a frequency one step higher at a predetermined time (T2) How to adjust the amount of steam.

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