WO2003085189A1

WO2003085189A1 - Iron and plate for an iron

Info

Publication number: WO2003085189A1
Application number: PCT/IT2002/000226
Authority: WO
Inventors: Alessandro Doria
Original assignee: Termozeta S.P.A.
Priority date: 2002-04-10
Filing date: 2002-04-10
Publication date: 2003-10-16
Also published as: AU2002256877A1

Abstract

The invention relates to an iron (1) comprising a main body (2) provided with a grip portion (3), a metallic plate (4) associated with said main body on the opposite side to said grip portion (3) and heat generation means acting on said plate (4). The plate comprises a first pointed end portion (5a) coplanar and opposite to the said first pointed end portion (5b). The provision of two pointed end portions (5a, 5b) allows the direction of ironing to be reversed without physically turning the iron or the cloth to be ironed, with a clear greater practicality and convenience particularly when ironing complex cloth with creases, such as shirts.

Description

Iron and plate for an iron

DESCRIPTION

The present invention relates to an iron and to a plate for an iron.

Throughout the present description and the subsequent claims explicit reference shall be made to the term "cloth" to indicate the article to be ironed, for example an item of clothing, sheets, table-clothes or a fabric in general.

As is known, conventional irons essentially comprise a main body provided with a handle portion, a metallic plate associated with the main body on the opposite side to said handle portion and heat generating means (typically electrical resistances embedded into the plate) acting on the plate. The plate comprises a pointed end portion adapted to allow access to, and thus ironing of, hidden or covered portions of cloth, such as the inside of creases or of folds purposefully foreseen on the cuffs of the sleeves of shirts, or on the back of shirts, or on the front side of trousers.

Typically, the ironing of a cloth requires the prior positioning of the cloth on the ironing board and the subsequent passing of the hot iron over the cloth. Normally, to be able to iron all of the zones of the cloth, even the hidden or covered ones, the iron is continually moved on the cloth along various directions. For the same reason, and to always present the iron with new portions of cloth to iron, the cloth is repeatedly moved on the ironing board. All of these operations must be carried out with particular care, in order to avoid creating undesired folds or creases on the cloth.

In particular, to be able to iron some zones of a complex cloth, like for example the cuffs of shirts or the turn-ups of trousers, it is necessary to reverse the ironing direction on the cloth. This is typically effected by physically turning the iron and/or the item to be ironed on the ironing board.

Both of these solutions, however, are very uncomfortable and not very practical for the operator: indeed, by turning the iron the operator is forced, during ironing, to take up an uncomfortable position; substantially he must hold the iron the wrong way round. A more comfortable position, in this case, could be taken up by the operator if he were to hold the iron with the other hand and if he were capable of ironing with such the other hand.

The displacement of the cloth to be ironed on the ironing board, besides being not very practical in the case of large cloth, like for example sheets or curtains, brings the need to continually reposition the cloth on the board; such an operation must be carried out with particular care to avoid creasing the zones of the cloth which have already been ironed.

The technical problem at the basis of the present invention is that of simplifying and making easier the ironing of cloth in all of those cases in which it is necessary to invert the ironing direction.

Therefore, the present invention relates, in a first aspect thereof, to an iron, comprising: a main body provided with a grip portion; - a metallic plate associated with said main body on the opposite side to said grip portion; heat-generation means acting on said plate; in which said plate comprises a first pointed end portion; characterised in that said plate comprises a second pointed end portion coplanar with and opposite said first pointed end portion.

Advantageously, the ironing of a cloth through the iron of the present invention is made extremely easier by the fact that it is possible to reverse the direction of ironing on the cloth without physically turning the iron or the cloth on the ironing board. That is, the iron can continually iron in both directions without changing grip of the iron or position with respect to the ironing board and without moving the cloth on the board, with a clear greater practicality and convenience. The fact of not having to repeatedly move the cloth on the ironing board also allows to reduce the risk of creasing the zones of the cloth which have already been ironed and/or of creating undesired creases or folds.

Preferably, said second pointed end portion is aligned with said first pointed end portion along a longitudinal symmetry axis X-X lying on a longitudinal symmetry plane XY of the iron. The alignment of the two pointed end portions with respect to the symmetry plane of the iron (and thus to the axis of the grip) simplifies and makes easier furthermore the ironing operations in the two opposite directions .

Preferably, said plate comprises first through-holes for delivering steam at said first pointed end portion and second through-holes for delivering steam at said second pointed end portion. It is therefore possible to deliver steam onto the cloth to be ironed at both the pointed end portions of the iron.

The steam supply can be simultaneous, or can be manually selected to deliver steam only at the desired pointed portion according to the direction of ironing. For such a purpose, the iron of the present invention preferably comprises means for selectively activating the steam supply from said first and second steam delivery holes.

In accordance with a first embodiment of the iron of the present invention, said plate is manufactured in a single piece.

In accordance with a second embodiment of the iron of the present invention, said plate is manufactured in at least two distinct and removably associated coplanar parts, wherein a first part comprises said first pointed end portion and a second part comprises said second pointed end portion. The operator in such a case has the possibility of using an iron with a single pointed end portion or an iron with two pointed end portions according to the specific use foreseen and its requirements. Substantially, it is possible to transform a single-pointed iron into a two- pointed iron by simply associating the second part of the plate with the first part.

Preferably, the iron of the present invention comprises an additional plate having a first free end portion with a form matching that of said second pointed end portion of the plate, and a second free end portion, opposite said first free end portion, with a substantially squared end edge, said additional plate being removably associated with and coplanar to said second pointed end portion of said plate at said first free end portion. The operator in such a case has the possibility of transforming the two-pointed iron of the invention into a single-pointed iron, in case he/she prefers to iron with a single-pointed iron.

Preferably, said second pointed end portion has an opening angle which is different to that of said first pointed end portion. This allows a specific pointed end to be used for a specific task: for example the larger pointed end for a larger surface.

In a second aspect thereof, the present invention relates to a plate for an iron comprising a first pointed end portion, characterised in that it comprises a second pointed end portion coplanar and opposite to said first pointed end portion.

With such a plate it is possible to achieve all of the advantages mentioned above with reference to the iron of the invention. Preferably, said second pointed end portion is aligned with said first pointed end portion along a longitudinal symmetry axis X-X of said plate.

Preferably, the plate of the present invention comprises first through-holes for delivering steam at first pointed end portion and second through-holes for delivering steam at said second pointed end portion.

In accordance with a first embodiment thereof, the plate of the present invention is manufactured in a single piece.

In accordance with an alternative embodiment thereof, the plate of the present invention is manufactured in at least two distinct coplanar parts which are removably associated, wherein a first part comprises said first pointed end portion and a second part comprises said second pointed end portion.

Preferably, the plate of the present invention comprises an additional portion having a first free end portion with a form matching that of said second pointed end portion of the plate and a second free end portion, opposite said first free end portion, with a substantially squared end edge, said additional portion being removably associated with and coplanar to said second pointed end portion at said first free end portion.

Preferably, said second pointed end portion has a opening angle which is different from that of said first pointed end portion.

Further characteristics and advantages of the present invention shall become clearer from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment thereof, made with reference to the attached drawings. In such drawings, figure 1 is a schematic perspective view from below of an iron according to the present inventions- figure 2 is a rear schematic perspective view of the iron of figure 1; figure 3 is a front schematic perspective view of the iron of figure 1; figure 4 is a schematic view from below of the iron of figure 1.

In such figures, an iron in accordance with the present invention is indicated with 1.

The iron 1, in many of its structural aspects, is similar to a conventional steam iron. Most of its known structural characteristics shall not therefore be described in this context; on the other hand, the innovative structural characteristics of the iron of the present invention shall be described in detail.

The iron 1 comprises a main body 2 of the conventional type. The body 2 comprises a grip portion 3 (or handle) . On the opposite side to the handle 3 a metallic plate 4 is provided. Inside the plate 4, conventional heat generation means (not illustrated) are provided; such means are intended to heat the metallic plate 4 and essentially consist of one or more electrical resistances embedded in the plate 4.

The plate 4 comprises a first pointed end portion 5a and an opposite second pointed end portion 5b. The portions 5a and 5b of the plate 4 are coplanar. The second pointed end portion 5b can have an opening angle β equal to, less than or, as illustrated in the attached figures, greater than the opening angle α of the first pointed end portion.

Preferably, the second pointed end portion 5b is aligned with the first pointed end portion 5a along a longitudinal symmetry axis X-X lying on a longitudinal symmetry plane XY of the iron 1.

On the plate 4, at the first pointed end portion 5a and at the second pointed end portion 5b, through-holes (respectively indicated with 6a, 6b) are formed. These holes are intended for allowing the delivery of steam generated by conventional steam generation means (not illustrated) provided inside or outside the body 2.

The iron 1 can, moreover, comprise means for selectively activating the steam supply from the first holes βa or from the second holes 6b. In the specific case of an iron in which the steam generation means are inside the body 2, like the one illustrated in the attached figures, such means comprise for example two valves of the conventional type (not illustrated) inside a water compartment of the conventional type (not illustrated) housed in the body 2, and two distinct vaporisation paths of the conventional type (not illustrated) associated with the holes 6a and βb, respectively. The two valves can be controlled manually through respective push button switches 7a, 7b provided on the body 2 near to the handle 3. By acting upon the switches 7a, 7b the respective valves open and the steam supply from the respective holes 6a, 6b is allowed. Such a supply can thus take place simultaneously from the holes βa, βb (by acting upon both switches 7a, 7b) or just from holes βa (by only acting upon switch 7a) or just from holes βb (by only acting upon switch 7b)

In accordance with the embodiment illustrated in the attached figures, the plate 4 is manufactured in a single piece. The heat generation means for heating the plate 4 in such a case substantially extend for the whole length of the plate 4.

In a non-illustrated alternative embodiment, the plate 4 is manufactured in at least two distinct parts, in which a first part comprises the first pointed end portion 5a and a second part comprises the second pointed end portion 5b. The first part is integrally associated with the body 2, whereas the second part can be removably associated with the first part through coupling means of the conventional type (for example pins) . By doing so, the iron of the present invention is transformed from a single-pointed iron to a two-pointed iron. The two parts are associated so as to guarantee the planarity of the base surface of the plate 4 thus realised. The steam delivery holes βa, βb are all formed on the first part of the plate 4 and the second part can be associated with such a first part close to the holes βb. The heat generation means act directly upon the first part of the plate and the heat is transferred from the first part to the second part by conduction.

In a further non-illustrated alternative embodiment, the iron 1 comprises an additional plate having a first free end portion with a form matching that of said second pointed end portion of the plate and a second free end portion, opposite the first free end portion, with a substantially squared end edge. The additional plate can be removably associated with the second pointed end portion 5b of the plate 4 at said first free end portion. By doing so, the iron of the invention is transformed from a two-pointed iron into a single-pointed iron. The additional plate is associated with the portion 5b so as to guarantee the planarity of the base surface of the plate thus realised. The heat generation means act directly upon the plate 4 and the heat is transferred from the plate 4 to the additional plate by conduction.

In operation, the operator grips the iron 1 by the handle 3. Thanks to the two pointed end portions, he can iron continuously in both directions without changing grip on the iron or without moving the cloth on the board. By actuating the switches 7a and/or 7b, he can control the steam supply from the holes 5a and/or 5b.

Claims

1. Iron, comprising : a main body provided with a grip portion; a metallic plate associated with said main body on the opposite side to said grip portion; heat-generation means acting on said plate; in which said plate comprises a first pointed end portions- characterised in that said plate comprises a second pointed end portion coplanar with and opposite said first pointed end portion.

2. Iron according to claim 1, wherein said second pointed end portion is aligned with said first pointed end portion along a longitudinal symmetry axis X-X lying on a longitudinal symmetry plane XY of the iron.

3. Iron according to claim 1 or 2, wherein said plate comprises first through-holes for delivering steam at said first pointed end portion and second through-holes for delivering steam at said second pointed end portion.

4. Iron according to claim 3, comprising means for selectively activating the steam supply from said first and second through-holes for delivering steam.

5. Iron according to any one of the previous claims, wherein said plate is manufactured in a single piece.

β. Iron according to any one of claims from 1 to 4, wherein said plate is manufactured in at least two distinct coplanar and removably associated parts, wherein a first part comprises said first pointed end portion and a second part comprises said second pointed end portion.

7. Iron according to any one of the previous claims, comprising an additional plate having a first free end portion with a form matching that of said second pointed end portion of the plate and a second free end portion, opposite said first free end portion, with a substantially squared end edge, said additional plate being removably associated with and coplanar to said second pointed end portion at said first free end portion.

8. Iron according to any one of the previous claims, wherein said second pointed end portion has an opening angle which is different from that of said first pointed end portion.

9. Plate for an iron, comprising a first pointed end portion, characterised in that it comprises a second pointed end portion which is coplanar and opposite to said first pointed end portion.

10. Plate according to claim 9, wherein said second pointed end portion is aligned with said first pointed end portion along a longitudinal symmetry axis X-X of said plate.

11. Plate according to claim 9 or 10, comprising first through-holes for delivering steam at said first pointed end portion and second through-holes for delivering steam at said second pointed end portion.

12. Plate according to any one of claims from 9 to 11, characterised in that it is manufactured in a single piece.

13. Plate according to any one of claims from 9 to 11, characterised in that it is manufactured in at least two distinct coplanar and removably associated parts, wherein a first part comprises said first pointed end portion and a second part comprises said second pointed end portion.

14. Plate according to any one of claims from 9 to 13, comprising an additional portion having a first free end portion with a form matching that of said second pointed end portion and a second free end portion, opposite said first free end portion, with a substantially squared end edge, said additional portion being removably associated with and coplanar to said second pointed end portion at said first free end portion.

15. Plate according to any one of the previous claims, wherein said second pointed end portion has an opening angle which is different from that of said first pointed end portion.