RU2818853C2 - Ironing device support base - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: household items and household appliances.

SUBSTANCE: invention discloses a support base for ironing device (12) comprising housing (13) having upper part (15) configured to support iron (11), an ironing device comprising support base (10) and iron (11), and a cleaning method ironing device (12).

EFFECT: creation of a multifunctional support base for the iron, which can be used to support the iron both during normal pauses during ironing, and during cleaning and maintenance, wherein the support base does not require any separate devices for cleaning and maintenance.

14 cl, 3 dwg

Description

Field of technology to which the present invention relates

The present invention relates to a support base for a steam ironing device for domestic or professional use, suitable for supporting a steam iron both during pauses during ironing and when cleaning the iron and removing lime deposits. The proposed support base is designed, in particular, with the ability to collect water and/or steam generated by the iron when it is washed.

Prerequisites for the creation of the proposed invention

Steam ironing devices for domestic use are known, typically comprising an iron and an iron support base connected together.

Ironing devices are usually divided into two groups, called “hot” and “cold”. In “hot” ironing devices, the support base acts as a steam generator, inside which steam is generated, which is then supplied to the iron, while in “cold” ironing devices, the support base contains water at room temperature, which is supplied to the steam generator or steam generation chamber inside the iron, in which it turns into steam upon contact with a heating plate.

It is known that when using steam ironing devices, lime deposits form in the steam generator or steam chamber. They may adversely affect the performance of the iron or damage the clothes being ironed if they escape through the holes in the plate.

This problem occurs mainly in cold ironing devices, where the most common cause of failure is a blockage in the steam chamber and/or water inlet area.

Known solutions to this problem consist of cleaning the plate and steam chamber to remove possible lime deposits and/or foreign substances, thereby preventing clogging of the steam outlets.

Ironing devices are known to provide a cleaning and/or rinsing cycle that includes periods of heating and then injecting cold water into a steam generator or steam chamber to create thermal shocks that break down lime deposits and then force them out through a plate or through a suitable outlet.

During these operations, a large amount of hot water and steam is released through the holes provided in the iron plate.

Therefore, the user should carry out cleaning so that water and condensed steam are collected in some container, or clean in a suitable place to prevent water from spilling and damaging delicate parts by water and/or steam.

It should also be taken into account that the total duration of the cleaning cycle is not insignificant.

In addition, when cleaning, keep all nozzles or plate outlets clear to ensure steam escapes from all passages and prevent them from becoming clogged.

To make cleaning easier for the user without having to hold the iron in his hand, containers suitable for use as a support base for the iron are known, consisting of a small reservoir made of thermoplastic material suitable for collecting hot water and condensed steam which are ejected by the plate iron while cleaning.

These known containers are inconvenient for the user since they are devices separate from the ironing device and require separate storage space when not in use.

When performing cleaning, the user may not have or be able to locate the required accessory, or the container may be accidentally thrown away, or it may break or become damaged, causing a delay in cleaning.

In addition, for transport for subsequent emptying, known containers require a certain waiting time so that the hot water can cool down after completion of cleaning. In addition, due to the presence of at least one completely open top, they are not very practical for transport, as hot water may spill during transport, which may cause inconvenience or safety issues for the user who may come into contact with hot and dirty water. water contained in them.

WO-A-2016/030299 describes a device that can be used for descaling and washing an iron, it contains a reservoir for collecting wash water and a support surface formed by an upper edge on which the iron is placed during operation.

Document EP-A-2 410 088 describes a steam ironing device comprising a support base in which there is a water tank and a steam generator, which is connected to an iron on one side by means of a three-way valve for supplying steam to it, and on the other to an external container. . The support base described in EP-A-2 410 088 allows cleaning of the steam generator, but is not suitable for cleaning or removing lime deposits from the iron located above it.

Document GB-A-2 156 864 describes a steam generating apparatus for domestic use, consisting of a box-shaped body to which an iron can be attached, and in which a sleeve is provided, removably and sealedly connected to the plate of the iron to receive the steam exiting through holes in the plate, and direct it through the air duct outside the box body.

The applicant has set himself the task of improving the support base for ironing machines in order to overcome the above-mentioned disadvantages of the prior art.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide a multi-functional iron support base which can be used to support the iron both during normal ironing breaks and during cleaning and maintenance.

Another object of the invention is to provide a support base that does not require any separate means for cleaning and maintenance.

Another object of the invention is to provide a support base that allows the iron to be cleaned simply and quickly and to collect residual water and lime deposits during cleaning of the ironing device.

Another aim of the invention is to provide an ironing device that allows cleaning of the iron in the time required to maintain the ironing device in a ready state, which allows you to effectively clean the iron from lime deposits.

Another object of the invention is to provide an ironing device that can be transported by the user immediately after cleaning is completed, safely and without the risk of spilling hot water.

Applicant has developed, tested and implemented the proposed invention to overcome the shortcomings of the prior art and achieve these and other objects and advantages.

Brief description of the proposed invention

The invention is set out and characterized in an independent claim. Dependent claims describe other characteristics of the invention or variations of the basic idea of the invention.

In accordance with the above objectives, embodiments of the invention described herein relate to an ironing device support base suitable for supporting a steam iron both during normal ironing pauses and during cleaning and maintenance, thereby collecting and holding steam and hot water and /or lime deposits.

In some embodiments of the present invention, the support base includes a housing having a top portion configured to support the iron.

The housing is at least partially hollow and defines a compartment below the top.

In one aspect of the invention, at least one outlet is provided in the upper part, capable of discharging water and/or steam and/or particles of lime deposits generated during cleaning of the ironing device to means for collecting the drained water.

The support base contains a reservoir for collecting drained water, located in the housing compartment and connected to the outlet.

In some embodiments, this reservoir may be removable to allow collected water to be safely disposed of.

In some embodiments, the support base also includes within the housing compartment a reservoir for clean water and means for supplying that water and/or steam to the iron.

The proposed support base is suitable for a number of different functions.

Advantageously, in addition to the safe and stable positioning of the iron during ironing, it allows the iron to be supported also during cleaning and maintenance, eliminating the need for the user to use separate equipment for these operations.

In addition, another advantage of the proposed support base is that the support element is always accessible to the user when using the iron. With this solution, it is possible to effectively and promptly remove lime deposits from the ironing device.

In some embodiments, the support base includes an outlet manifold through which water and/or steam and/or scale particles generated during cleaning of the ironing device are removed through the at least one outlet and transported to a storage tank.

In some embodiments, the support base also includes a pipeline located between the outlet manifold and the storage tank, having a portion for connection to the outlet manifold and an end portion.

The end section can be adapted for connection, also using gaskets, with the inlet of the storage tank and can form, together with the inlet, a sealed hydraulic circuit.

In accordance with the above-mentioned objects of the invention, the embodiments described here also relate to an ironing device comprising a support base and an iron according to the invention.

Thanks to the design of the support base, the ironing device can be transported by the user immediately after finishing cleaning, when it contains hot water and/or limescale particles, safely and without leaking accumulated hot water that must be removed.

In accordance with the above purposes, the embodiments described here also relate to a method for cleaning the ironing device.

Brief description of the attached graphic materials

These and other aspects, characteristics and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the description of some variants of its implementation, given as examples that do not limit the scope of the invention, with reference to the accompanying graphic materials (drawings).

In fig. 1 the proposed support base is shown in a top view.

In fig. 2 the support base shown in FIG. 1, shown in section along II-II.

In fig. 3 the support base shown in FIG. 1 and fig. 2 is schematically shown in side view in interaction with the iron during operation.

To facilitate understanding, the same reference numerals are used to identify identical common elements throughout the drawings where possible. It is understood that elements and characteristics of one option can be easily incorporated into other options without further explanation.

Detailed description of embodiments of the present invention

The following describes possible embodiments of the present invention, one or more of which are illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawings. Each example is presented for the purpose of illustrating the invention and should not be construed as limiting it. Features presented or described as part of one variant may be modified or adapted to other variants or used in combination with them to create another variant. It is understood that the scope of the invention includes all such variations and modifications.

The embodiments described herein with reference to the drawings relate to a support base 10 for the steam ironing device 12 suitable for supporting the iron 11.

In some embodiments, the support base 10 and the iron 11, coupled to each other, together form the ironing device 12.

According to the invention, the support base 10 supports the iron 11 both during normal ironing pauses and during cleaning and maintenance, and collects water and/or steam and/or scale particles generated during these operations.

The support base 10 is suitable for use primarily, although not exclusively, with "cold" ironers 12 in which steam is generated directly within the iron plate 11.

In some embodiments, the support base 10 includes a housing 13 having a front portion 13a positioned during operation in alignment with the tip of the iron 11, and a rear portion 13b opposite the front portion 13a.

In some embodiments, the housing 13 has an upper portion 15 for supporting the iron 11, and a lower portion 16 for allowing the support base 10 to rest on some work surface.

In some embodiments, the top portion 15 may be inclined relative to a horizontal plane such that the front portion 13a is higher than the rear portion 13b.

For example, the support surface for the iron 11 may have an inclination angle α ranging from 10° to 30°.

In some embodiments, housing 13 is at least partially hollow and defines a compartment 28 underneath the top portion 15.

In some embodiments, the support base 10 within the compartment 28 has a reservoir 27 containing clean water, which is connected to the iron 11 by a water supply pipe 32 during operation.

The reservoir 27 can be of a stationary or removable type.

In some embodiments, the support base 10 contains electrical and/or electronic components 31, which are located inside the compartment 28 of the housing 13 and are capable of moving water and/or steam, such as electronic cards, pumps, etc., they can be connected to iron 11 using electrical wires, for example, combined into a single cord together with the water supply pipe 32.

In some embodiments, the upper portion 15 includes at least one outlet 18 configured to release water and/or steam and/or scale particles into the drain water storage means 21, 22 during cleaning of the ironing device 12.

In some embodiments, the top 15 has a substantially continuous surface defining the housing 13 at the top.

The outlet 18 may be a slit or slot extending through the top portion 15 and is significantly smaller than the extension of the topmost portion 15.

For example, it may have a size, measured along the longitudinal median plane of the housing 13, ranging from about 1 cm to about 5 cm.

The size of the outlet 18 in the direction transverse to the median plane can be from 20% to 50% of the width of the housing 13.

In some embodiments, the support base 10 includes a storage tank 22 connected to an outlet 18 into which water and/or steam and/or scale particles are directed.

The storage tank 22 may be located in the housing compartment 28 under the top portion 15.

In some embodiments, the support base 10 at its top 15 has a seat 14 suitable for receiving at least the iron plate 11.

The seat 14 is limited in the lower part by the lower wall 29.

The seat 14 is preferably limited laterally by outer edges 30 that define the area in which the iron 11 can be placed so that it cannot be positioned incorrectly, which would reduce the stability of the ironing device 12.

Preferably, the outer edges 30 extend around the entire perimeter of the bottom wall 29. Thus, during operation, steam and/or cleaning and rinsing water outlets are located within the seat 14 such that water and/or steam escaping from the holes is at least partially assembled into the seat 14, preventing it from coming out laterally.

Said at least one outlet 18 may be located in an area advantageously located at the lowest point of the seat 14, for example at one end thereof facing the rear portion 13b.

With this solution, water and/or steam and/or scale particles generated during cleaning of the ironing device 12, which exit from the iron plate 11, can flow into the outlet 18 under the influence of gravity. In some embodiments, the seat 14 has a depth that increases from the front portion 13a to the rear portion 13b, and the outlet 18 is located at a greater depth to facilitate water flow thereto.

Preferably, the outlet 18 is provided through the bottom wall 29 near the outer edge 30.

In some embodiments, as illustrated in FIG. 2, the support base 10 contains in its upper part 15 a mat 17 designed to support the iron 11.

The mat 17 may be made, at least in part, of a heat-resistant material.

The mat 17 may cover the entire upper portion 15 of the support base 10 or at least the housing seat 14.

The mat 17 can support the iron 11 both during ironing pauses and during cleaning operations.

In some embodiments, said at least one hole 18 is provided through the mat 17.

In some embodiments, the mat 17 has a raised working edge 19, corresponding to its end located near the outlet 18, to introduce water and/or steam and/or scale particles into the outlet 18, preventing them from leaving the seat. places 14.

In some embodiments, the top 15 includes one or more support pads 20 made of a heat-resistant material, such as silicone rubber, that protrude from its top surface, the apexes of these pads defining a support plane P of the iron 11.

The support pads 20 are preferably located inside the seat 14, protruding from the bottom wall 29.

In some embodiments, the support pads 20 are formed and positioned to delimit a specific area in the vicinity of the outlet 18 to prevent water from escaping from the iron plate 11 during cleaning, preventing the entire surface of the mat 17 itself from becoming wet and/or contaminated.

As an example in Fig. 2 shows two support pads 20 spaced from each other along the longitudinal axis of the support base 10.

In this example, the support pads 20 are C-shaped and positioned opposite each other, with their free ends facing the front portion 13a and the rear portion 13b, respectively, to provide stable support for the iron plate 11.

The number of support pads 20 may be greater and may have different shapes and configurations.

The support pads 20 can be attached to the mat 17, for example, by gluing or other means, or they can be made integral with the mat 17. Options are possible in which the seat 14 itself is made of a heat-resistant material and is equipped with support pads 20 or other support elements suitable for supporting the iron plate 11.

In some embodiments, the storage means comprises an outlet manifold 21 connected to an outlet 18 through which water and/or steam and/or scale particles generated during cleaning of the ironer 12 can be removed from the top 15 of the support base 10.

In some embodiments, the exhaust manifold 21 is located in a compartment 28 within the housing 13.

Alternative solutions are possible in which the storage tank 22 and/or the outlet manifold 21 are located at least partially outside the housing 13.

In some embodiments, the storage tank 22 is located in a lower region relative to the height of the outlet 18 such that collected water and/or steam and/or scale particles fall into the storage tank 22 by gravity.

In some embodiments, the storage tank 22 is positioned below the clean water tank 27 in correspondence with the front portion 13a so as to occupy a larger volume portion of the housing compartment 12 and optimize spacing, and the components 31 are positioned in correspondence with the rear portion 13b, also to facilitate connection. with iron 11.

In some embodiments, a conduit 23 is located within the housing 13 between the outlet manifold 21 and the storage tank 22, having a connecting portion 24 for connection to the outlet manifold 21 and an end portion 25 for connection to the storage tank 22.

According to the end section 25 of the pipeline 23, the storage tank 22 may have an inlet 26 designed in such a way that it can be connected, also using gaskets, to the end section 25 to form a hydraulic circuit as tight as possible to prevent water spillage during transport total ironing device 12.

The advantage is that the outlet manifold 21, the pipeline 23 and the storage tank 22 can be easily cleaned using flexible cleaning devices of suitable diameter, such as, for example, pipe cleaners.

The advantage is that the storage tank 22 can be removed from the ironing device 12 in order to be cleaned separately, for example to remove accumulated water and lime deposits.

In some embodiments, the storage tank 22, in the portion facing the front end 13a, has a recess 34 to facilitate the user's grip on the storage tank 22 when removing it from the housing 13.

An option is possible (not shown) in which the exhaust manifold 21 is built into the mat 17.

In another embodiment (not shown), both the exhaust manifold 21 and the conduit 23 are integrated into the mat 17.

In yet another embodiment (not shown), the exhaust manifold 21 and the pipeline 23 are made as a single piece.

In one of the options (not shown), the storage tank 22 is absent, and with the possibility of draining from the iron 11 beyond the support base 10, for example, through a hole provided for this purpose, water and/or steam, and/or particles of lime deposits formed during iron cleaning time 11, exhaust manifold 21 completed.

In some embodiments, the support base 10 includes a control unit (not shown) for controlling the operation of the ironer 12.

In some embodiments, the control unit is also connected to one or more user interfaces 33 located, for example, on the iron 11 or on the support base 10.

Through said one or more user interfaces 33, the user can set the operating parameters of the ironing device 12, such as, for example, surface temperature and/or steam mode, etc., and/or check the operation of the ironing device 12, for example, using a light an indicator indicating that the iron 11 is turned on, or that the iron 11 is heating up, or is ready for use, or is ready to start cleaning.

The embodiments described herein also relate to a method for cleaning an ironing device 12 comprising a support base 10 and an iron 11.

The proposed method involves placing an iron 11 on the top 15 of a support base 10, initiating cleaning by activating components 31 to supply clean water from a reservoir 27 contained in the support base 10 to a steam chamber or steam generator inside the iron 11 and heating devices for heating water in the iron 11 and creating thermal shocks to remove possible lime deposits, displace water, steam and possible solid particles from the iron 11 towards the upper part 15 and remove them through the outlet 18, made in the upper part 15, to the storage tank 22 to collect the released water inside building 13.

It will be understood that with respect to the support base 10 suitable for supporting the steam iron 11, the ironing device 12 comprising the support base 10 and the iron 11, and the method for cleaning the ironing device 12 described above, modifications and/or additions of parts and/or steps are possible. not beyond the scope of the invention.

It is also clear that, although the invention has been described with reference to some specific examples, one skilled in the art will certainly be able to create many other equivalent forms of the support body 10, ironing device 12 and cleaning method having the features set forth in the claims, and , therefore, they all fall within the scope of protection defined by this claim.

Claims (18)

1. A support base for an ironing device (12), comprising a housing (13) having an upper part (15) configured to support the iron (11) both during pauses in ironing operations and during ironing operations, and also when cleaning and/or washing, and a compartment (28) of the housing located under the upper part (15), wherein in the upper part (15) there is at least one outlet hole (18) designed for removing water and/or steam, and/or particles of lime deposits released by the iron (11), and said support base contains a storage tank (27) located in the compartment (28) of the housing, configured to store clean water, and a storage tank (22) is provided for collecting water and /or lime deposits, separated from the storage tank (27) and connected to the outlet (18). 2. The support base according to claim 1, characterized in that the upper part (15) is inclined relative to the horizontal plane, so that the front part (13a) of the housing (13) is located higher than its rear part (13b), and the outlet (18 ) is located near the rear part (13b). 3. Support base according to any one of paragraphs. 1 or 2, characterized in that the upper part (15) contains a seat (14), limited by the lower wall (29) and the outer edges (30) and configured to accommodate at least the heating plate of the iron (11), and an outlet hole (18) is located in the seat (14). 4. The support base according to claim 3, characterized in that the seat (14) has a depth increasing from the front part (13a) to the rear part (13b) of the housing (13), and the outlet hole (18) is located in the area of greatest depth . 5. The support base according to any of the previous paragraphs, characterized in that it contains a mat (17) for placing an iron on it, made at least partially of a heat-resistant material, which at least partially covers the upper part (15) and defines the support surface for the iron (11). 6. The support base according to claim 5, characterized in that the mat (17) comprises at least one protruding support pad (20) configured to define said support surface, wherein the support pad (20) has a shape that defines a specific area mat (17), preventing water and exhaust steam from passing through it. 7. The support base according to any of the previous paragraphs, characterized in that it contains an outlet manifold (21) connected to the outlet (18) for supplying water and/or steam and/or lime particles through it to the storage tank (22) sediments. 8. The support base according to claim 7, characterized in that it contains a pipeline (23) located between the outlet manifold (21) and the storage tank (22), having a connecting section (24) for connection with the outlet manifold (21) and an end section (25) for connecting to the inlet (26) of the storage tank (22) and forming, together with the inlet (26), a sealed hydraulic circuit. 9. Support base according to any one of paragraphs. 5 or 7, characterized in that the exhaust manifold (21) is built into the mat (17). 10. Support base according to any one of paragraphs. 5 or 8, characterized in that the exhaust manifold (21) and pipeline (23) are built into the mat (17). 11. Support base according to any of the previous paragraphs, characterized in that the storage tank (22) is located below the clean water storage tank (27). 12. An ironing device comprising a support base (10) according to any of the preceding paragraphs, and an iron (11) connected to the support base (10) via a supply pipe (32). 13. Method for cleaning the ironing device (12) according to claim 12, characterized in that it contains the following steps: - the iron (11) is placed on the upper part (15) of the body (13) of the support base (10), - turn on the cleaning mode to supply clean water from the storage tank (27), located in the compartment (28) of the housing of the support base (10), into the steam chamber or steam generator of the iron (11) and heat the water in said chamber to create thermal shocks for removal possible lime deposits, - displace water and steam together with possible solid particles from the iron (11) towards the upper part (15), - remove water, steam and solid particles discharged by the iron (11) from the upper part (15) through the outlet (18) and conduct them to the storage tank (22) for collecting waste water, located inside the compartment (28) in the housing ( 13) and separated from the storage tank (27). 14. The method according to claim 13, characterized in that it comprises the steps of removing the storage tank (22) from the housing compartment (28), removing water and possible solid residues and reinserting the storage tank (22) into the housing compartment (28).