US3849916A - Self-cleaning steam iron - Google Patents

Self-cleaning steam iron Download PDF

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Publication number
US3849916A
US3849916A US00305574A US30557472A US3849916A US 3849916 A US3849916 A US 3849916A US 00305574 A US00305574 A US 00305574A US 30557472 A US30557472 A US 30557472A US 3849916 A US3849916 A US 3849916A
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US
United States
Prior art keywords
steam
soleplate
iron
water
orifice
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.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
US00305574A
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English (en)
Inventor
W Davidson
K Toft
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.)
General Electric Co
Original Assignee
General Electric Co
Priority date (The priority date 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 date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by General Electric Co filed Critical General Electric Co
Priority to US00305574A priority Critical patent/US3849916A/en
Priority to AU61901/73A priority patent/AU473627B2/en
Priority to IT30760/73A priority patent/IT999106B/it
Priority to NL7314984A priority patent/NL7314984A/xx
Priority to GB5216173A priority patent/GB1445166A/en
Priority to DE2356062A priority patent/DE2356062C3/de
Priority to JP12672573A priority patent/JPS5620039B2/ja
Priority to FR7339826A priority patent/FR2206403B1/fr
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of US3849916A publication Critical patent/US3849916A/en
Assigned to BLACK & DECKER, INC., A CORP. OF DE reassignment BLACK & DECKER, INC., A CORP. OF DE ASSIGNS AS OF APRIL 27, 1984 THE ENTIRE INTEREST Assignors: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY A NY CORP.
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • 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

  • the invention pertains to a steam iron and, more particularly, to a self-cleaning steam iron. of the general type shown in US. Pat. No. 3,747,241 of common assignment, where a large separate opening in the internal water tank can be suddenly emptied and a resultant gush of water and steam purges the iron.
  • the present invention improves such an iron by providing a high takeoff point in the boiler cavity for the steam to pre vent pickup of condensed water on initial operation of the iron and to provide a simple pressure control in order to generate pressure to assist in the self-cleaning operation.
  • a normal home softener may provide undesirable salt deposits that can also clog passages.
  • the steam ports in the soleplate tend to collect lint from the ironing operation and this lint may find its way into the internal passage structure when the iron is upended and subsequently cause brown spotting.
  • the tap water contains minerals which can collect and produce loose flakes and deposits that plate out on the iron components and clog the fine passages in the iron. These generally consist of lime or calcium carbonate as well as other chemicals in solution in the tap water or in relatively large flake-form in the water.
  • Various screens have been used to keep the fine passageways clear of flakes but eventually even these screens can plug up.
  • a basic iron having a water tank and steam generating soleplate with ports is provided with steam control means including a valve to start and stop a metered flow of water from the tank to a soleplate steam generating boiler cavity and a coverplate is provided over the soleplate to define steam passages between the coverplate and soleplate.
  • a substantially large, separately controlled opening is provided in the tank communicating directly with the inner surface of the soleplate and means are provided so the tank water may be suddenly dumped onto the soleplate to rapidly generate steam and empty quickly through the soleplate ports as steam and water to purge the iron.
  • a continuously open conduit through the coverplate which conduit may act as a pressure control orifice that is spaced separately from the steam control means and which has an entrance in the boiler cavity above the low point of the coverplate for a high steam takeoff.
  • the orifice is formed in an upwardly directed cone and may have screening means to assist in shedding foreign particles.
  • the main object of the invention is to provide an improvement to a self-cleaning iron which prevents the carry through of condensation that may form if the iron is not cleaned after every operation.
  • FIG. 1 is an elevational view, partially in section and broken away, showing general parts of a manual spray iron with the invention
  • FIG. 2 is a partial perspective of the upper portion of the coverplate showing the invention.
  • FIG. 3 is a partial enlarged view of a screening means as applied to the invention.
  • FIG. 1 there is shown a steam iron that includes soleplate 10 having plural steam ports 12 and outer shell 14 connected in any suitable manner to handle 16 all in known fashion.
  • Soleplate 10 may be cast aluminum with an electrical heating element 18 cast in position.
  • the heating element is generally of the sheath type and extends in a loop beginning at the rear of the iron along one side to the forward end and then rearwardly along the other side. Thus, substantially uniform heat distribution is provided to the soleplate.
  • the iron includes means for generating steam by providing interior water tank 20 which may have a vertical outer suitably shaped riser tube means 22 in the forward portion for housing various operating mechanisms or this may be omitted.
  • soleplate 10 has a steam generating cavity or boiler 24 to receive metered water.
  • Steam control means is provided and includes well-known water valve structure, generally indicated at 26, to start and stop a metered flow of water from the tank to steam generating cavity 24 and activated by means such as button 28 through connected spring-biased vertical stem 30 and water is thus metered through an orifice 31 from the water tank to the boiler as indicated in the referenced patents and well-known in the art.
  • the resulting steam is distributed and directed through passages 32 that are formed with overlying coverplate 34 and lie between the coverplate and soleplate as seen in FIG. 1.
  • the steam then passes out ports 12 onto the fabric in a well-known manner.
  • a manual .power spray attachment 36 controlled by suitable means such as diaphragm pump 38, is operated by control button 40.
  • Temperature control 42 operates to thermostatically control the heat generated in the soleplate. The structure thus far described is wellknown.
  • a substantially large separately controlled opening disposed in the bottom of the water tank separate and spaced from water valve structure 26.
  • This is defined as a substantially large opening in that it is intended to include any additional unrestricted flow opening that rapidly empties the tank or dumps it and functions other than as any small restrictive flow metering orifice such as that controlled by valve 26 and which thus bypasses the water valve structure completely.
  • This opening is conveniently placed in the area of the usual steam cavity at dome 46 where the generated steam is normally accumulated and admitted to passages 32 by a normal pressure control valve, as
  • the entrance to the conduit has a high takeoff in the boiler cavity or, in other words, is disposed above the low point of the coverplate as shown.
  • the conduit is in the form of an upstanding cone as shown in FIG. I.
  • the conduit may also be designed to replace the normal pressure control valve by providing the conduit with a pressure control orifice 56 designed, in the manual spray iron shown, to create a low internal pressure within the steam generating area.
  • this pressure is communicated to the upper surface of the water in tank 20 by means of balance tubey58 to provide a balanced pressure system whereby the water will flow into cavity 24.
  • the inclusion in conduit 54 of a pressure control orifice substitutes for the usual pressure control valve assembly and thus omits one of the conventional parts.
  • the open conduit 54 may easily be formed directly in coverplate 34. It will be apparent that the low steam pressure within the iron created by orifice 56 with its high entrance assists and aids in the speed of emptying or dumping the water when the tank is emptied through opening 44.
  • conduit 54 In order to prevent any small particles from being carried through and clogging conduit 54, it is formed with sloping sides and this may conveniently be in the form of an upwardly-directed cone on the outer surface. Any tendency of foreign particles to congregate around orifice 56 is minimized because the sides shed the particles. Additionally, for further protection as seen in FIG. 3, additional means may be placed over the orifice in the form of screen 60 pressed into eyelet 62 which may also be used to create a sharp orifice 56. The screen is cumulative to the sloping sides in repelling any foreign particles.
  • steam control means including a valve to start and stop a metered flow of water from the tank to a soleplate steam generating cavity, the improvement in means to purge the iron through the soleplate comprising,
  • Apparatus as described in claim 5 having means over the orifice to screen out foreign particles.

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Textile Engineering (AREA)
  • Irons (AREA)
  • Control Of Steam Boilers And Waste-Gas Boilers (AREA)
US00305574A 1972-11-10 1972-11-10 Self-cleaning steam iron Expired - Lifetime US3849916A (en)

Priority Applications (8)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US00305574A US3849916A (en) 1972-11-10 1972-11-10 Self-cleaning steam iron
AU61901/73A AU473627B2 (en) 1972-11-10 1973-10-26 Self-cleaning steam iron
NL7314984A NL7314984A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) 1972-11-10 1973-10-31
IT30760/73A IT999106B (it) 1972-11-10 1973-10-31 Ferro a vapore autopulente
GB5216173A GB1445166A (en) 1972-11-10 1973-11-09 Steam iron
DE2356062A DE2356062C3 (de) 1972-11-10 1973-11-09 Elektrisches Dampfbügeleisen
JP12672573A JPS5620039B2 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) 1972-11-10 1973-11-09
FR7339826A FR2206403B1 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) 1972-11-10 1973-11-09

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US00305574A US3849916A (en) 1972-11-10 1972-11-10 Self-cleaning steam iron

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
US3849916A true US3849916A (en) 1974-11-26

Family

ID=23181359

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US00305574A Expired - Lifetime US3849916A (en) 1972-11-10 1972-11-10 Self-cleaning steam iron

Country Status (8)

Country Link
US (1) US3849916A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
JP (1) JPS5620039B2 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
AU (1) AU473627B2 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
DE (1) DE2356062C3 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
FR (1) FR2206403B1 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
GB (1) GB1445166A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
IT (1) IT999106B (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
NL (1) NL7314984A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)

Cited By (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4130954A (en) * 1977-10-11 1978-12-26 General Electric Company Iron self-clean valve assembly
US4669207A (en) * 1984-11-23 1987-06-02 Seb S.A. Water injection device for a steam iron
US5345703A (en) * 1993-10-06 1994-09-13 Black & Decker, Inc. Steam iron seal with tangential flow for surge
US5829175A (en) * 1996-09-20 1998-11-03 Black & Decker Inc. Steam iron with all temperature steam production
WO1999045190A1 (en) * 1998-03-04 1999-09-10 Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. Device for ironing laundry
DE102010063081A1 (de) 2010-11-19 2012-05-24 BSH Bosch und Siemens Hausgeräte GmbH Bügeleisen und Bügeleisen-Set
RU2501898C2 (ru) * 2008-07-31 2013-12-20 Конинклейке Филипс Электроникс Н.В. Паровой утюг

Families Citing this family (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE10014815A1 (de) * 2000-03-27 2001-10-11 Rowenta Werke Gmbh Physikochemische Kesselsteinverhütungsvorrichtung mit einem flockenverhindernden Gitter für Dampfbügeleisen

Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3238649A (en) * 1964-09-17 1966-03-08 Gen Electric Steam iron boiler cleaning
US3691660A (en) * 1971-05-10 1972-09-19 Sunbeam Corp Electric pressing iron
US3728805A (en) * 1972-05-31 1973-04-24 Gen Electric Multi-function steam iron
US3747241A (en) * 1971-10-06 1973-07-24 Gen Electric Self-cleaning steam iron

Patent Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3238649A (en) * 1964-09-17 1966-03-08 Gen Electric Steam iron boiler cleaning
US3691660A (en) * 1971-05-10 1972-09-19 Sunbeam Corp Electric pressing iron
US3747241A (en) * 1971-10-06 1973-07-24 Gen Electric Self-cleaning steam iron
US3728805A (en) * 1972-05-31 1973-04-24 Gen Electric Multi-function steam iron

Cited By (10)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4130954A (en) * 1977-10-11 1978-12-26 General Electric Company Iron self-clean valve assembly
DE2844149A1 (de) * 1977-10-11 1979-04-12 Gen Electric Dampfbuegeleisen
US4669207A (en) * 1984-11-23 1987-06-02 Seb S.A. Water injection device for a steam iron
US5345703A (en) * 1993-10-06 1994-09-13 Black & Decker, Inc. Steam iron seal with tangential flow for surge
US5829175A (en) * 1996-09-20 1998-11-03 Black & Decker Inc. Steam iron with all temperature steam production
WO1999045190A1 (en) * 1998-03-04 1999-09-10 Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. Device for ironing laundry
RU2501898C2 (ru) * 2008-07-31 2013-12-20 Конинклейке Филипс Электроникс Н.В. Паровой утюг
DE102010063081A1 (de) 2010-11-19 2012-05-24 BSH Bosch und Siemens Hausgeräte GmbH Bügeleisen und Bügeleisen-Set
ES2387204A1 (es) * 2010-11-19 2012-09-18 BSH Electrodomésticos España S.A. Plancha y conjunto de plancha
DE102010063081B4 (de) * 2010-11-19 2013-09-05 BSH Bosch und Siemens Hausgeräte GmbH Bügeleisen und Bügeleisen-Set

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
GB1445166A (en) 1976-08-04
JPS49133696A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) 1974-12-23
AU473627B2 (en) 1976-06-24
DE2356062C3 (de) 1978-05-18
DE2356062B2 (de) 1977-09-29
NL7314984A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) 1974-05-14
IT999106B (it) 1976-02-20
FR2206403A1 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) 1974-06-07
FR2206403B1 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) 1978-06-16
DE2356062A1 (de) 1974-05-22
JPS5620039B2 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) 1981-05-11
AU6190173A (en) 1975-05-01

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AS Assignment

Owner name: BLACK & DECKER, INC., 1423 KIRKWOOD HIGHWAY NEWARK

Free format text: ASSIGNS AS OF APRIL 27, 1984 THE ENTIRE INTEREST;ASSIGNOR:GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY A NY CORP.;REEL/FRAME:004349/0275

Effective date: 19840824

STCK Information on status: patent revival

Free format text: ABANDONED - RESTORED