US20070220784A1 - Intelligent steam iron - Google Patents

Intelligent steam iron Download PDF

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Publication number
US20070220784A1
US20070220784A1 US11/449,779 US44977906A US2007220784A1 US 20070220784 A1 US20070220784 A1 US 20070220784A1 US 44977906 A US44977906 A US 44977906A US 2007220784 A1 US2007220784 A1 US 2007220784A1
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United States
Prior art keywords
drip
chamber
water
water reservoir
valve
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Abandoned
Application number
US11/449,779
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English (en)
Inventor
Wen-Ching Li
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Individual
Original Assignee
Individual
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Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Individual filed Critical Individual
Publication of US20070220784A1 publication Critical patent/US20070220784A1/en
Abandoned legal-status Critical Current

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    • D—TEXTILES; PAPER
    • D06—TREATMENT OF TEXTILES OR THE LIKE; LAUNDERING; FLEXIBLE MATERIALS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • D06F—LAUNDERING, DRYING, IRONING, PRESSING OR FOLDING TEXTILE ARTICLES
    • D06F75/00—Hand irons
    • D06F75/08—Hand irons internally heated by electricity
    • D06F75/10—Hand irons internally heated by electricity with means for supplying steam to the article being ironed
    • D06F75/14—Hand irons internally heated by electricity with means for supplying steam to the article being ironed the steam being produced from water in a reservoir carried by the iron
    • D06F75/18—Hand irons internally heated by electricity with means for supplying steam to the article being ironed the steam being produced from water in a reservoir carried by the iron the water being fed slowly, e.g. drop by drop, from the reservoir to a steam generator

Definitions

  • This invention relates to a steam iron, and more particularly to an intelligent steam iron with an automatic flow control.
  • a conventional steam iron includes a handle 11 and a base 12 .
  • a water storage chamber 13 is formed in an assembly of the handle 11 and the base 12 .
  • the base 12 has a steam chamber 14 in fluid communication with the water storage chamber 13 via an inlet 121 , and a plurality of steam spray ports 122 .
  • a drip valve 15 includes an operation knob 151 and a valve rod 152 that are interconnected fixedly.
  • the operation knob 151 is operable to effect engagement of a lower end of the valve rod 152 with the inlet 121 so as to prevent flow of water from the water storage chamber 13 into the steam chamber 14 .
  • a heating element 16 is disposed within the base 12 for heating the base 12 and the water received within the steam chamber 14 .
  • the object of this invention is to provide an intelligent steam iron that has an automatic flow control, which can prevent the leakage of water via steam spray ports.
  • a steam iron includes a drip-collecting unit disposed between a base and a water reservoir and formed with a drip chamber.
  • the base includes an ironing plate, a heating element, a steam chamber, and a plurality of steam spray ports.
  • the drip-colleting unit cooperates with the water reservoir to define a drip passage.
  • an automatic control unit automatically opens the drip valve so as to allow for flow of water from the water reservoir into the drip chamber via the drip passage.
  • a stop valve is operable to move between an open position whereat flow of water from the drip chamber into the steam chamber is allowed, and a closed position whereat flow of water from the drip chamber into the steam chamber is prevented.
  • FIG. 1 is a partly sectional side view of a conventional steam iron
  • FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the first preferred embodiment of an intelligent steam iron according to this invention
  • FIG. 3 is a schematic bottom view of the first preferred embodiment
  • FIG. 4 is a sectional view of the first preferred embodiment when a drip valve and a stop valve are closed;
  • FIG. 5 is a sectional view of the first preferred embodiment when the drip valve and the stop valve are opened;
  • FIG. 6 is a an exploded perspective view of the second preferred embodiment of an intelligent steam iron according to this invention.
  • FIG. 7 is a bottom view of the second preferred embodiment
  • FIG. 8 is a sectional view of the second preferred embodiment when a drip valve and a stop valve are closed.
  • FIG. 9 is a sectional view of the second preferred embodiment when the drip valve and the stop valve are opened.
  • the first preferred embodiment of an intelligent steam iron includes a base 2 , a drip-collecting unit 3 , a water reservoir 4 , a first automatic control unit 51 , a first drip valve 52 , and a stop valve 6 .
  • the base 2 includes an ironing plate 20 , a steam chamber 21 , a plurality of steam spray ports 22 (only one is shown in FIG. 4 ) in fluid communication with the steam chamber 21 , a heating element 23 for heating the ironing plate 20 , an opening 24 formed in a top surface of the base 2 , and a horizontal mounting plate 25 connected fixedly to and disposed above the ironing plate 20 .
  • the water reservoir 4 is disposed on the base 2 , and has a water chamber 41 , as well as a pair of first and second projecting tubes 42 , 43 extending downwardly from a bottom surface thereof and in fluid communication with the water chamber 41 .
  • the drip-collecting unit 3 is disposed between the base 2 and the water reservoir 4 , and is formed with a drip chamber 30 .
  • the drip-collecting unit 3 includes a valve seat member 31 made of polyphenylene sulfide, a valve member 32 made of silica gel, and a water seal 33 made of silica gel.
  • the valve seat member 31 and the valve member 32 define the drip chamber 30 therebetween.
  • the valve seat member 31 is disposed fixedly on the mounting plate 25 of the base 2 , and includes a horizontal plate body 310 having a top surface formed with first and second projecting tubes 311 , 312 .
  • the first projecting tubes 42 , 311 of the water reservoir 4 and the valve seat member 31 are aligned with each other.
  • a lower end of the first projecting tube 42 of the water reservoir 4 abuts against and is in fluid communication with an upper end of the first projecting tube 311 of the valve seat member 31 .
  • the first projecting tubes 42 , 311 of the water reservoir 4 and the valve seat member 31 define cooperatively a first drip passage 7 .
  • the second projecting tubes 43 , 312 of the water reservoir 4 and the valve seat member 31 are aligned with each other.
  • the horizontal plate body 310 has a hole 315 formed therethrough and in fluid communication with the first projecting tube 311 and the drip chamber 30 .
  • the water seal 33 is sleeved on the upper ends of the first and second projecting tubes 311 , 312 of the valve seat member 31 and the lower ends of the first and second projecting tubes 42 , 43 of the water reservoir 4 in a close-fitting manner. As such, the water seal 33 establishes a watertight seal between the first projecting tubes 42 , 311 of the water reservoir 4 and the valve seat member 31 , and between the second projecting tubes 43 , 312 of the water reservoir 4 and the valve seat member 31 .
  • the valve member 32 is disposed under and connected fixedly to the valve seat member 31 , and includes a chamber-defining wall 320 cooperating with the valve seat member 31 to define the drip chamber 30 .
  • the first drip valve 52 is disposed within the first drip passage 7 , and includes a projecting post 321 and a resilient member 523 .
  • the projecting post 321 extends integrally and upwardly from the chamber-defining wall 320 of the valve member 32 and through the hole 315 in the horizontal plate body 310 of the valve seat member 31 , and is formed with an integral valve plate 322 at an upper end thereof.
  • the resilient member 523 is configured as a coiled compression spring, and is sleeved on the projecting post 321 of the valve member 32 between the horizontal plate body 310 of the valve seat member 31 and the chamber-defining wall 320 of the valve member 32 .
  • valve plate 322 of the projecting post 321 is biased to abut against the horizontal plate body 310 of the valve seat member 31 so as to close the hole 315 in the valve seat member 31 , as shown in FIG. 4 .
  • the first automatic control unit 51 is connected to the first drip valve 52 so as to automatically open the first drip valve 52 , thereby allowing flow of water from the water chamber 41 into the drip chamber 30 via the first drip passage 7 when the temperature of the ironing plate 20 reaches a first temperature value, as shown in FIG. 5 .
  • the first automatic control unit 51 includes an elongated push plate unit, and the first temperature value is set at about 135° C.
  • the push plate unit has a fixed end 511 disposed fixedly on and in thermal communication with the ironing plate 20 , and a movable end 512 abutting against the chamber-defining wall 320 of the valve member 32 .
  • the movable end 512 of the first automatic control unit 51 moves upwardly so as to remove the valve plate 322 from the horizontal plate body 310 of the valve seat member 31 , thereby allowing for flow of water from the water chamber 41 into the drip chamber 30 via the first drip passage 7 .
  • Such flow control between the water chamber 41 and the drip chamber 30 ensures that water in the steam chamber 21 is vaporized completely before exiting the steam spray ports 22 . That is, the leakage of water from the steam chamber 21 via the steam spray ports 22 is prevented.
  • the object of this invention can be achieved.
  • the stop valve 6 is disposed between the drip chamber 30 in the drip-collecting unit 3 and the steam chamber 21 in the base 2 , and is operable to move between a closed position shown in FIG. 4 and an open position shown in FIG. 5 . In the open position, flow of water from the drip chamber 30 into the steam chamber 21 is allowed. In the closed position, flow of water from the drip chamber 30 into the steam chamber 21 is prevented.
  • the valve member 32 is formed with a water passage 323 that is in fluid communication with the drip chamber 30 and the steam chamber 21 and that has a downwardly converging inlet 324 disposed at an upper end thereof.
  • the stop valve 6 is configured as an upright valve rod disposed movably on the water reservoir 4 , and has a tapered lower end that engages and closes the inlet 324 of the water passage 323 when the stop valve 6 is disposed in the closed position, and that is spaced apart from and disposed above the inlet 324 of the water passage 323 when the stop valve 6 is disposed in the open position.
  • the stop valve 6 includes a rod body 61 and an annular seal member 62 .
  • the rod body 61 extends through the second projecting tubes 43 , 312 of the water reservoir 4 and the valve seat member 31 .
  • the annular seal member 62 is sleeved fixedly on the rod body 61 , and is in sealing engagement with the annular inner surfaces of the second projecting tubes 43 , 312 .
  • a rotary wheel 63 is disposed rotatably on the water reservoir 4 , and is operable to move the stop valve 6 vertically on the water reservoir 4 .
  • FIGS. 6 to 9 show the second preferred embodiment of an intelligent steam iron according to this invention, which is a modification of the first preferred embodiment.
  • the drip-collecting unit 3 cooperates with the water reservoir 4 to further define a second drip passage 8 , within which a second drip valve 55 is disposed.
  • the second drip passage 8 and the second drip valve 55 are similar in construction to the first drip passage 7 (see FIG. 4 ) and the first drip valve 52 (see FIG. 5 ), respectively.
  • a second automatic control unit 54 is connected to the second drip valve 55 , and is configured as a bimetal push plate unit.
  • each of the first and second automatic control units 51 , 54 includes a circular base plate 513 , 541 fastened to and in thermal communication with the ironing plate 20 , and an elongated push plate 514 , 542 welded to an outer peripheral portion of the base plate 513 , 541 at one end, and abutting against the valve member 32 at the other end.
  • the base plates 513 , 541 and the push plates 514 , 542 are made of iron, and are plated with nickel.
  • the first drip valve 52 is activated by the first automatic control unit 51 so as to open the first drip passage 7 (see FIG. 4 ).
  • a second temperature value which is set at about 170° C.
  • the second drip passage 8 is closed, as shown in FIG. 8 .
  • the second drip valve 55 is activated by the second-automatic control unit 55 so as to open the second passage 8 , as shown in FIG. 9 .

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Textile Engineering (AREA)
  • Irons (AREA)
US11/449,779 2006-03-22 2006-06-09 Intelligent steam iron Abandoned US20070220784A1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
CN200620007680.0 2006-03-22
CN200620007680 2006-03-22

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
US20070220784A1 true US20070220784A1 (en) 2007-09-27

Family

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Family Applications (1)

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US11/449,779 Abandoned US20070220784A1 (en) 2006-03-22 2006-06-09 Intelligent steam iron

Country Status (2)

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US (1) US20070220784A1 (de)
EP (1) EP1837436A1 (de)

Cited By (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US20100242314A1 (en) * 2009-03-31 2010-09-30 Freescale Semiconductor, Inc Steam iron with acceleration and tilt detection
US20130136151A1 (en) * 2011-11-24 2013-05-30 National Central University Highly adaptive thermal properties measurement system and measuring method thereof
US20160161108A1 (en) * 2013-07-25 2016-06-09 Koninklijke Philips N.V. Apparatus for generating steam
CN113403825A (zh) * 2021-06-24 2021-09-17 杭州点点滴滴节能科技开发有限公司 一种工业熨烫专用供水装置及方法

Families Citing this family (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US20100257760A1 (en) * 2009-04-08 2010-10-14 Lung Wai Choi Electric steam iron with a low temperature steam control system

Citations (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4780973A (en) * 1985-10-30 1988-11-01 Oficina De Investigacion Agrupada, S.A. Water bypass valve for steam irons with displaceable bypass blocking plate
US5345703A (en) * 1993-10-06 1994-09-13 Black & Decker, Inc. Steam iron seal with tangential flow for surge
US5924224A (en) * 1997-03-20 1999-07-20 Rowenta-Werke Gmbh Steam iron with anti-drip device
US6009645A (en) * 1997-06-02 2000-01-04 Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. Steam iron with spray mist
US6105286A (en) * 1998-03-04 2000-08-22 U.S. Philips Corporation Device for ironing with bypass for selfcleaning
US6110406A (en) * 1996-12-26 2000-08-29 Idemitsu Petrochemical Co., Ltd. Method for producing molding material
US6318009B1 (en) * 1998-03-27 2001-11-20 Moulinex S.A. Steam iron with water valve

Family Cites Families (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE1016226B (de) * 1953-06-29 1957-09-26 Philippe Desire Fauveau Verfahren zum Staerken od. dgl. von Waesche und Dampfbuegeleisen zur Ausuebung dieses Verfahrens
ES293008Y (es) * 1984-01-13 1987-08-01 Rowenta-Werke Gmbh Dispositivo para variar el caudal de la valvula de una plancha de vapor electricamente calentada
DE3715059C1 (de) * 1987-05-06 1988-08-18 Rowenta Werke Gmbh Dampfbuegeleisen
SG54401A1 (en) * 1996-12-12 1998-11-16 Philips Electronics Nv Steam iron
FR2857381B1 (fr) * 2003-07-11 2005-08-19 Seb Sa Fer a repasser comportant un reservoir d'eau muni d'un orifice de remplissage sur la face arriere du fer

Patent Citations (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4780973A (en) * 1985-10-30 1988-11-01 Oficina De Investigacion Agrupada, S.A. Water bypass valve for steam irons with displaceable bypass blocking plate
US5345703A (en) * 1993-10-06 1994-09-13 Black & Decker, Inc. Steam iron seal with tangential flow for surge
US6110406A (en) * 1996-12-26 2000-08-29 Idemitsu Petrochemical Co., Ltd. Method for producing molding material
US5924224A (en) * 1997-03-20 1999-07-20 Rowenta-Werke Gmbh Steam iron with anti-drip device
US6009645A (en) * 1997-06-02 2000-01-04 Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. Steam iron with spray mist
US6105286A (en) * 1998-03-04 2000-08-22 U.S. Philips Corporation Device for ironing with bypass for selfcleaning
US6318009B1 (en) * 1998-03-27 2001-11-20 Moulinex S.A. Steam iron with water valve

Cited By (9)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US20100242314A1 (en) * 2009-03-31 2010-09-30 Freescale Semiconductor, Inc Steam iron with acceleration and tilt detection
US8091257B2 (en) 2009-03-31 2012-01-10 Freescale Semiconductor, Inc. Steam iron with acceleration and tilt detection
US20130136151A1 (en) * 2011-11-24 2013-05-30 National Central University Highly adaptive thermal properties measurement system and measuring method thereof
US9103872B2 (en) * 2011-11-24 2015-08-11 National Central University Highly adaptive thermal properties measurement system and measuring method thereof
US20160161108A1 (en) * 2013-07-25 2016-06-09 Koninklijke Philips N.V. Apparatus for generating steam
US20160161107A1 (en) * 2013-07-25 2016-06-09 Koninklijke Philips N.V. Apparatus for generating steam
US10234134B2 (en) * 2013-07-25 2019-03-19 Koninklijke Philips N.V. Apparatus for generating steam
US10422521B2 (en) * 2013-07-25 2019-09-24 Koninklijke Philips N.V. Apparatus for generating system
CN113403825A (zh) * 2021-06-24 2021-09-17 杭州点点滴滴节能科技开发有限公司 一种工业熨烫专用供水装置及方法

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Free format text: ABANDONED -- FAILURE TO PAY ISSUE FEE