WO2018154615A1

WO2018154615A1 - Support base

Info

Publication number: WO2018154615A1
Application number: PCT/IT2018/050022
Authority: WO
Inventors: Giuseppe De' Longhi; Antonio Lorenzon; Alessandro Antonel; Mattia SCATTOLIN
Original assignee: De' Longhi Appliances S.R.L. Con Unico Socio
Priority date: 2017-02-21
Filing date: 2018-02-20
Publication date: 2018-08-30
Also published as: RU2753113C2; CN110892107B; RU2019129477A; IT201700019433A1; ES2847167T3; EP3585932B1; CN110892107A; RU2019129477A3; EP3585932A1

Abstract

Support base (10) for an iron (11), whether it is autonomous or part of a boiler (12) connected or connectable to the iron (11), which has at least one resting seating (20) provided with a stabilizer device (21) which can be driven by an operator and able to clamp the iron (1 1), on each occasion and temporally, in a vertical position to the support base (10).

Description

"SUPPORT BASE"

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention concerns a support base for an iron, both for professional and domestic use, able to temporally clamp the iron in a vertical position.

The present invention also concerns an iron suitable to be associated with the support base, as well as an ironing apparatus comprising the support base.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Irons are known, provided with a boiler which can be integrated in the iron, or can be separated and connected to it with a connection cord.

Irons can be temporally positioned on a support base that can be autonomous, or be part of a boiler.

In order to prevent steam and/or water from escaping from the iron, to prevent burns and/or damage to the support base, as well as the loss of heat from the iron to the support base, it is advantageous to position the iron on the support base in a vertical position.

However, this known solution is not very safe, since the iron is not stable in this position. Therefore, following an unsuitable movement by the operator, or of the support base, which are often fortuitous or involuntary movements, the iron can fall from the support base.

This entails a high risk both for the user of the iron, and for the iron itself, and also for anything with which the iron comes into contact during the fall.

It should also be noted that, in the event that the boiler is separated from the iron, but reciprocally connected, in order to put down the boiler-iron assembly, an operator normally carries the iron with one hand and the boiler with the other hand, especially when the iron is still hot.

This is impractical, because both hands of the operator are occupied and in the repositioning step this can be negative, because, for example, the new support base must be prepared.

Then, if the operator transports the boiler with the iron positioned on it, it can happen that the iron falls during the movement, or during the positioning step.

Furthermore, during the ironing step, it is often necessary to temporally put down the iron to change the article to be ironed or to rearrange it, and an inadvertent gesture can easily cause the iron to fall from its position.

Document FR-A-2.653.792 (FR'792) describes a support base for an iron to temporally clamp the iron onto it in a vertical position. The support base is provided with a clamping member activated by means of a slider by a user which allows to position two clamping elements in respective housing seatings by means of translation.

However, this known solution does not allow to position the clamping elements precisely and reliably in the desired position. This known solution is particularly sensitive to wear and knocks, and therefore does not allow to clamp the iron effectively to the support base, so as to prevent the clamping elements from accidentally escaping from the respective housing seatings.

Documents US-A-4,948,945 and JP-A-S63.130100 describe other known support bases having similar problems to the previous ones.

There is therefore a need to perfect and make available a support base for an iron, an iron associable with said support base, and an ironing apparatus comprising said support base and said iron, which overcome at least one of the disadvantages of the state of the art and which ensures stability of positioning where necessary.

The present invention therefore sets itself the purpose to provide a support base for an iron which allows to clamp the iron in a vertical position, on each occasion and according to the user's needs, in a stable and secure manner on the support base itself.

The present invention also sets itself the purpose to provide an iron and an ironing apparatus comprising said iron and said support base able to allow the iron to be associated in a stable and secure manner with the support base.

The Applicant has devised, tested and embodied the present invention to overcome the shortcomings of the state of the art and to obtain these and other purposes and advantages.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is set forth and characterized in the independent claims, while the dependent claims describe other characteristics of the invention or variants to the main inventive idea. In accordance with the above purposes, the present invention concerns a support base for an iron, whether it is autonomous or part of a boiler, which has at least one resting seating for the iron, said resting seating being provided with a stabilizer device which can be driven by an operator and able to clamp the iron, on each occasion and temporally, in a vertical position to the support base.

According to possible embodiments, the present invention concerns a support base to temporally clamp an iron on it in a vertical position.

The support base comprises:

- a resting seating able to receive a resting base of the iron, said resting base being located in the rear part of the iron and having at least two anchoring seatings;

- a stabilizer device provided with a clamping/unclamping mechanism which can be driven by a user by means of a selector element and configured to position at least two clamping members between at least an inactive position and a clamping position in which each of the clamping members cooperates through mechanical interference with a respective anchoring seating.

According to one aspect of the present invention, the clamping/unclamping mechanism comprises a conditioning element engaging with the clamping members and connected to the selector element by means of a lever member configured to rotate around its own fulcrum, in relation to the action of the selector element.

The lever member is configured, during use, to move the conditioning element along a linear direction, in order to position and maintain the clamping members in the clamping position or in the inactive position.

This allows to stably and securely clamp the iron in a vertical position, preventing it from accidentally falling from the support base or preventing the clamping members from accidentally exiting from their respective anchoring seatings.

The presence of a conditioning element engaging with two clamping members allows to precisely position the latter and to keep them in position, avoiding possible asymmetries in their positioning, due, for example, to wear.

According to possible embodiments, the selector element can be configured to clamp the lever member in the desired position to prevent the movement of the clamping members.

Thanks to the particular shape of the conditioning member provided with gears, and the possibility of clamping the rotation of the lever member, it is possible to keep the clamping members in position, preventing the latter from exiting from the respective anchoring seatings because of an accidental movement of the conditioning member in the opposite direction.

The invention therefore allows to symmetrically and precisely clamp the iron to the support base and, moreover, allows to drive the clamping/unclamping mechanism from even a lateral position of the support base with respect to the iron.

This is thanks to the lever member that allows to position the conditioning member linearly after the action of the selector member activated by the user.

Formulations of the present invention provide that the iron is provided with a resting base able to cooperate with the resting seating so as to allow the association between the iron and support base, or to insert the clamping members inside the corresponding anchoring seatings, said support base including a mating connection portion.

If the support base is integrated with the boiler, the support base is configured to not allow connections between the compartment that contains the liquid in the boiler and the outside, that is, it is water tight.

Formulations of the present invention also concern an iron with two anchoring seatings able to cooperate with the respective clamping members to clamp the iron, on each occasion and temporally, in a vertical position to the support base. According to other formulations, the present invention also concerns an ironing apparatus comprising an iron with at least two anchoring seatings and a support base provided with respective clamping members able to cooperate with the anchoring seating.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other characteristics of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of some embodiments, given as a non-restrictive example with reference to the attached drawings wherein:

- fig. 1 is a front view of a support base for an iron associated with a boiler according to a possible embodiment of the present invention; - figs. 2a and 2b are two schematic section views of two possible variants of a support base and an iron;

- figs. 3-6 are schematic views of four possible variants of a stabilizer device of the support base;

- figs. 7a and 7b are two views from below of a support base in an inactive and a clamping configuration;

- fig. 8 is a section view of a detail of fig. 7b along the section line VIII- VIII;

- fig. 9 is a view of a support base integrated with a boiler connected/connectable to an iron.

To facilitate comprehension, the same reference numbers have been used, where possible, to identify identical common elements in the drawings. It is understood that elements and characteristics of one embodiment can conveniently be incorporated into other embodiments without further clarifications.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF SOME EMBODIMENTS

Embodiments described here, with reference to the drawings, concern a support base 10 for an iron 1 1 having in the rear part a resting base 11a which can be positioned on the support base 10.

The support base 10 can be autonomous, or it can be part of a boiler 12 connected, or connectable to the iron 11.

The support base 10 has at least one resting seating 20 suitable to receive the resting base 1 la of the iron 11, so that the iron 1 1 remains in a vertical position.

According to possible embodiments, the resting base 1 1a can have a solid form, or can be hollow and able to be associated with the resting seating 20 and/or its mating connection portions 28, for example being disposed outside the mating connection portions 28, or inside them.

The support base 10 is configured to clamp the iron 11 in a vertical position on each occasion and in a stable and secure manner.

By vertical position we mean that the iron 11 is positioned with its ironing surface located substantially perpendicular to the support base 10, or inclined with respect to the latter, that is, with the resting base 1 la located on the resting seating 20.

With reference to the drawings, the support base 10 comprises a covering body 13 having a first side 14a and a second side 14b opposite the first side 14a and a perimeter edge 15 connecting the two sides 14a and 14b.

Along at least part of the perimeter edge 15, connection portions 16 can be provided, conformed to be removably or permanently connected to a support, such as an ironing board, a furnishing element, the boiler 12, or other.

According to one embodiment, the support base 10 can be attached to the boiler 12, or it can be advantageously integrated in it to enclose the containing compartment 17 of the liquid 18 from which the steam is generated for the iron 11.

In particular, the perimeter edge 15 can have a form mating with the perimeter edge of the boiler 12 so that when they are connected to each other, the first side 14a is accessible by a user and the second side 14b faces the containing compartment 17.

For example, the perimeter edge 15 can be circular, square, polygonal, elliptical, or other shape mating with the perimeter edge of the boiler 12.

In the event that the support base 10 is integrated with the boiler 12, the support base 10 is configured not to allow the passage of the liquid 18 between the containing compartment 17 and the outside.

In other words, the support base 10 is configured to hermetically seal the containing compartment 17 of the boiler 12, since at least the second side 14b and the components of the support base 10 face toward the inside of the containing compartment 17 hermetically sealed, or impermeable to liquid 18 and/or steam generated in the containing compartment 17.

For example, suitable gaskets 19 can be provided, such as O-rings, or other similar or comparable gaskets, put to protect the portion of the covering body 13 of the support base 10 facing toward the containing compartment 17, or on parts of the second side 14b.

According to possible variant embodiments, at least the second side 14b of the support base 10 facing toward the containing compartment 17 can be made of impermeable material, or can be associated with protective elements with respect to the liquid 18 and/or the steam generated by it, such as for example one or more gaskets 19.

According to possible embodiments, the impermeable material can also be suitable to resist the typical temperatures, that is, greater than or equal to 40°C, which occur in the boiler 12, that is, a heat-resistant impermeable material.

According to one aspect of the present invention, the support base 10 has at least one resting seating 20 of the resting base 11a of the iron 11, said resting seating 20 being provided with a stabilizing device 21 able to temporally clamp the iron 1 1 thereon in a vertical position.

According to possible embodiments, the stabilizing device 21 comprises a clamping/unclamping mechanism 22 drivable by a user and configured to position on each occasion at least two clamping members 23 between at least an inactive position, in which the clamping members 23 are not associated with the iron 11, and a clamping position, in which the clamping members 23 cooperate through mechanical interference with respective anchoring seatings 24 present in the resting base 1 la of the iron 11.

According to possible embodiments, the anchoring seatings 24 can be recessed in the resting base 1 la of the iron 11, or provided thereon.

According to possible embodiments, the clamping/unclamping mechanism 22 is located in a protected zone 42 of the resting seating 20, the clamping members 23 being in the inactive position inside a mating connection portion 28 of the resting seating 20 and in the clamping position partly outside the mating connection portion 28.

The protected zone 42 can be comprised in the mating connection portion 28, or is part of the resting seating 20, and is protected in the sense that it is not accessible to a user, at least when the support base 10 is installed on a support, or on the boiler 12, or while the support base 10 is in use.

According to possible embodiments, the clamping members 23 can comprise hooks, bolts or other similar elements which, in coordination with the respective anchoring seatings 24, allow to clamp the iron 11 temporally while keeping it in a vertical position on the support base 10.

According to possible embodiments, the clamping member 23 is located inside the resting seating 20, or in a protected zone 42.

For example, the clamping member 23 can be located inside a mating connection portion 28.

The clamping member 23 can be configured to move toward the outside of the resting seating 20 to assume the clamping position. According to possible embodiments, the clamping member 23 can be configured to move toward the inside of the resting seating 20 to assume the clamping position.

In accordance with possible embodiments, the cooperation between the clamping member 23 and the anchoring seating 24 can provide that the clamping member 23 is located inside the resting seating 20 while it is in the inactive position, the clamping member 23 being configured to position itself in the clamping position with a movement toward the outside from the resting seating 20.

According to possible embodiments, the cooperation between the clamping member 23 and the anchoring seating 24 provides that the clamping member 23 is located at least partly outside the resting seating 20 while it is in the inactive position, the clamping member 23 being configured to position itself in the clamping position with a movement toward the inside of the resting seating 20. According to possible embodiments, the clamping members 23 can have the most varied geometric shapes and can be configured to be driven simultaneously and substantially on a common horizontal plane.

In accordance with possible embodiments, the support base 10 comprises a selector element 25 configured to drive the clamping/unclamping mechanism 22 in order to move the clamping members 23 from the inactive position to the clamping position, and vice versa.

According to possible embodiments, the selector element 25 comprises a first part 26 drivable by a user and a second part 27 integrally associated with the first part 26, said first and second parts 26 and 27 being disposed on opposite sides of the support base 10.

According to possible embodiments, the first part 26 is located on the first side 14a and is accessible to the user to drive the clamping/unclamping mechanism 22, and the second part 27 is located on the second side 14b where, when the support base 10 is in use or fixed to a support, it is not accessible to the user. In accordance with possible embodiments, the first part 26 can comprise a knob which can be rotated for example between 0°and 60°. According to possible variants, the first part 26 can comprise a button, or another similar two-stage mobile element. The second part 27 is configured to be driven when the first part 26 connected to it is driven. For example, by rotating the first part 26, the second part 27 is consequently also rotated around the same axis of rotation.

According to possible embodiments, the resting seating 20 can have a shape mating with the resting base 1 1a of the iron 1 1 and can be made in or on the covering body 13 of the support base 10.

According to possible embodiments, the resting seating 20 can have a mating connection portion 28 with the resting base 1 la.

According to possible embodiments, the clamping member 23 is configured to extend out of the mating connection portion 28 to cooperate through mechanical interference with the corresponding anchoring seating 24 when the clamping member is in the clamping position.

In accordance with possible embodiments, the mating connection portion 28 can comprise one or more portions protruding from the covering body 13 of the support base 10, which delimit a zone in which the clamping member 23 is located when it is in the inactive position.

According to possible embodiments, the resting seating 20, or the mating connection portion 28, have one or more apertures 29 through which the clamping members 23 can transit in order to clamp the iron 11, or to pass from the inactive position to the clamping position, and vice versa.

According to possible embodiments, the clamping/unclamping mechanism 22 can comprise a conditioning element 33 engaging with the clamping members 23 and configured to position them in the inactive position or in the clamping position.

In accordance with possible embodiments, the conditioning element 33 is configured to translate along its longitudinal axis in relation to the drive of the selector element 25 in order to drive the clamping members 23.

For example, the conditioning element 33 can comprise an oblong element provided with suitable gears, or slits, to be associated with the two clamping members 23.

In accordance with possible embodiments, the conditioning element 33 can be functionally associated with at least one lever member 30 configured to rotate around a fulcrum X to drive the conditioning element 33 in relation to the drive of the selector element 25.

According to possible embodiments, the clamping/unclamping mechanism 22 can comprise a lever member 30, interposed between the selector element 25 and the conditioning element 33, configured to drive, for example by means of a rotation thereof, the conditioning element 33 in relation to the drive of the selector element 25.

According to possible embodiments, the selector element 25 and in particular the second part 27 is rotationally associated with the lever member 30.

For example, this connection is obtained by means of a pin 31 attached to the second part 27, which is inserted in an eyelet 32 present in the lever member 30.

The lever member 30 can be pivoted to the support base 10 and in turn connected to the conditioning element 33 and configured to translate along its longitudinal axis when the lever member 30 is driven.

When the selector element 25 is driven by a user, it rotates and makes the lever member 30 rotate, which in turn, according to the direction of rotation, translates the conditioning element 33 in one direction or in the opposite direction along its longitudinal axis.

According to possible embodiments, the clamping/unclamping mechanism 22 comprises at least one holding member 34 configured to temporally hold the selector element 25 in position, and therefore the clamping members 23.

The holding member 34 can comprise an elastic member 34a.

According to possible embodiments, the holding member 34 can comprise at least two holding seatings 35 able to temporally hold the second part 27 of the selector element 25 in position.

The holding seatings 35 allow to define the inactive position and the clamping position.

The selector element 25 can comprise an elastic pin 37 configured to be associated, on each occasion, with one of the two holding seatings 35 and to disengage from it when the selector element 25 is driven by the user. The elastic pin 37 can protrude from a terminal portion 36 of the second part 27 of the selector element 25.

This allows to obtain a stable and partly irreversible mechanism, at least until the subsequent rotation of the selector element 25 by the user. When the selector element 25 is in the inactive position or in the clamping position, the elastic pin 37 is made to abut in the holding seating 35.

The elastic pin 37 can move inside a chamber 38 made inside the terminal portion 36 in which a spring 39 is attached, connected to the elastic pin 37.

In accordance with possible embodiments, when the conditioning element 33 is driven, it drives one or more clamping members 23, by means of its toothed portion, or a series of apertures located along the conditioning element 33 having a defined pitch which engage with a corresponding toothed portion 40 of the clamping member 23.

The toothed portions 40 can either be part of, or can be elements associated with, the clamping members 23, such as for example toothed wheels 40a, or other similar members.

Thanks to the rotation of the clamping members 23, obtained by the action of the conditioning element 33 with the toothed portions 40, it is possible to temporally clamp the iron 1 1 by inserting the clamping members 23 inside the corresponding anchoring seatings 24.

Possible embodiments provide that the conditioning element 33 is driven by means of a selector element 25 directly along the longitudinal axis. In this case, the conditioning element 33 is temporally clamped in the inactive position or in the clamping position by an elastic holding member 41.

According to this variant, the elastic holding member 41 can comprise pins which are held elastically in position inside suitable seatings present in the conditioning element 33. The position of the seatings defines the inactive position and the clamping position of the clamping members 23.

According to possible formulations, the present invention also concerns an iron 1 1 having in the rear part a resting base 11a which comprises at least one anchoring seating 24 suitable to possibly cooperate with a clamping member 23 present in a support base 10 as in any of the embodiments described, advantageously, a support base 10 integrated in a boiler 12 connected, or connectable to the iron 1 1.

Embodiments also provide an ironing apparatus comprising a support base 10 as in any of the embodiments described, and an iron 1 1 having in the rear part a resting base 1 la provided with at least one anchoring seating 24 able to cooperate with at least one clamping member 23 of the support base 10 in order to clamp the iron 1 1 to the support base 10 on each occasion and in a vertical position.

It is clear that modifications and/or additions of parts may be made to the support base 10 for an iron 1 1 as described heretofore, without departing from the field and scope of the present invention.

It is also clear that, although the present invention has been described with reference to some specific examples, a person of skill in the art shall certainly be able to achieve many other equivalent forms of support base 10, having the characteristics as set forth in the claims and hence all coming within the field of protection defined thereby.

In the following claims, the sole purpose of the references in brackets is to facilitate reading: they must not be considered as restrictive factors with regard to the field of protection claimed in the specific claims.

Claims

1. Support base to temporally clamp an iron (11) in a vertical position on it, comprising:

- a resting seating (20) able to receive a resting base (1 la) of said iron (1 1), said resting base (11a) being located in the rear part of said iron (11) and having at least two anchoring seatings (24);

- a stabilizer device (21) provided with a clamping/unclamping mechanism (22) which can be driven by a user by means of a selector element (25) and configured to position at least two clamping members (23) between at least an inactive position and a clamping position, in which each of said clamping members (23) cooperates through mechanical interference with a respective anchoring seating (24), characterized in that said clamping/unclamping mechanism (22) comprises a conditioning element (33) engaging with said clamping members (23) and connected to said selector element (25) by means of a lever member (30) configured to rotate around an its own fulcrum (X), in relation to the action of said selector element (25), wherein said lever member (30) is configured, during use, to move said conditioning element (33) in a linear direction, in order to position and keep said clamping members (23) in said clamping position or in said inactive position.

2. Support base as in claim 1, characterized in that said selector member (25) is configured to clamp said lever member (30) in order to prevent the movement of said clamping members (23).

3. Support base as in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that said clamping members (23) are located inside said resting seating (20) and are configured to move toward the outside of said resting seating (20) in order to assume said clamping position.

4. Support base as in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that said clamping members (23) are located inside said resting seating (20) and are configured to move toward the inside of said resting seating (20) in order to assume said clamping position.

5. Support base as in any claim hereinbefore, characterized in that said clamping/unclamping mechanism (22) is located in a protected zone (42) of said resting seating (20), said clamping members (23) being in said inactive position inside a mating connection portion (28) of said resting seating (20) and in said clamping position partly outside said mating connection portion (28).

6. Support base as in any claim hereinbefore, characterized in that said clamping members (23) are located on a common horizontal plane.

7. Support base as in any claim hereinbefore, characterized in that said selector element (25) has a first part (26) accessible to a user and a second part (27), associated with said first part (26), not accessible to the user.

8. Iron with a resting base (11a) in its rear part, characterized in that said resting base (11a) has at least two anchoring seatings (24) suitable to cooperate with respective clamping members (23) present in a support base (10) as in any of the claims from 1 to 7.

9. Ironing apparatus, characterized in that it comprises a support base (10) as in any of the claims from 1 to 7 and an iron (11) with a resting base (1 la) in its rear part provided with at least two anchoring seatings (24) able to cooperate with respective clamping members (23) of said support base (10) to temporally clamp said iron (11) in a vertical position.