DE19731014C2 - Electric steam iron - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to an electric steam iron according to the preamble of Claim 1 and Claim 3.

Steam irons of the type mentioned above generally generate their steam in that the user has a drip valve between the water storage tank and Evaporation chamber is opened more or less. This is how it starts Water through this drip valve into the one formed in the soleplate Drain the evaporation chamber. The dripping water then evaporates and the resulting steam flows through the steam outlet holes in the area of the Evaporation chamber from the bottom of the iron.

During evaporation, a certain one builds up in the evaporation chamber Pressure that degrades towards the soleplate or the material to be smoothed. The The steam cushion created under the sole forms a layer between the soleplate and the ironing material. This steam cushion layer leaves the iron well on the one hand on the other hand, it pushes the steam through the fabric for better smoothing.

The quotient of what escapes next to the sole and that of the ironing material The steam absorbed is influenced by the force exerted by the hand of the user and the weight of the iron. By applying force the iron can increase the introduction of steam into the iron. Each according to the type and quality of fabric (as well as the quality of the ironing board) however, every item to be ironed has a maximum vapor permeability or  Vapor absorption capacity. Therefore it can happen that a maximum set amount of steam, determined by dropping rate and provided Thermal energy for certain types of fabrics and textures also simply "too much" can be. So more steam is generated than can be absorbed. The too much The steam and pressure produced means not only too much for the user escaping, annoying steam around the iron, but also one increased consumption of water and electrical energy. Furthermore, it can occur that excessively built up pressure peaks in the Evaporation chamber through the drip valve towards the water tank to the outside dismantle. This leads u. a. to bubbling and hissing when the steam is through the drip valve and escapes through the tank.

From DE-OS 40 13 026 a damping device is already known, in which the Water supply to the evaporation chamber is stopped when the pressure in the Evaporation chamber exceeds a predetermined value. This Damping device has a between the water tank and the evaporation chamber manually operable valve unit and one separately and dependent on it Temperature-controlled bimetallic fuse, which when the temperature rises (Additional evaporation) releases the valve unit and which if the temperature drops (less evaporation) blocks the water supply.

DE-OS 29 24 300 only discloses a drip valve with a movable one Valve body and a stationary valve rod. An additional, steam valve pressure controlled second valve device, which automatically the water supply is not provided.

EP 0 328 453 A1 also has only one valve device, with additional a separate device is provided which increases the vapor pressure in the evaporation chamber an increase in the water pressure in the supply line to the Valve causes, with the result that when opening the manual valve pro Unit of time more water in the evaporation chamber  can leak. The steam stop thus acts hydrostatically over the water channel in front of the valve.

DE-OS 40 12 951 discloses the valve seat of a drip valve, which additionally and independently of the manually operable valve needle by a however, temperature-controlled and very expensive memory element can be locked. When the temperature rises, the water supply is interrupted Evaporation chamber causes. The disadvantage is that steam ironing with little Steam at low temperatures is almost impossible because of the dripping water drips directly next to the control element and cools it to the extent that a Steam operation only limited due to the adjustment range of memory elements is possible.

The object of the invention is to provide a device for automatic adjustment and Limit the amount of steam produced in the evaporation chamber below Taking into account the present ironing material.

This object is achieved by the features of claim 1 and claim 3.

This ensures that with increasing pressure in the evaporation chamber the water supply from the water tank into the Evaporation chamber is interrupted until the pressure in the Evaporation chamber falls below the threshold again. This will make it unpleasant bubbling and hissing when the excess steam generated by the Drip valve and escapes through the water tank, avoided, d. H. it will only be so much Steam creates how the ironing material picks up.

Embodiments of the invention are shown in the drawings and are described in more detail below. Show it:  

Figure 1 is a partial view of a steam iron with the device according to the invention.

Fig. 2 shows another embodiment of the invention.

The device 4 shown in FIG. 1 for regulating the water supply from the water tank 1 into the evaporation chamber 3 arranged in the soleplate 2 consists of a valve housing 5 and a valve rod 6 which can be actuated from the outside of the iron. The valve housing 5, a bellows-shaped closure member 7 is fixed from an elastic material, but may be integrally formed with the valve housing. 5 If the pressure in the evaporation chamber 3 rises above a certain threshold value, the valve housing 5 is moved in the direction of the valve rod 6 via the closure element 7 and the water supply is more or less interrupted.

Fig. 2 shows another embodiment in which the closure member is' arranged in the region 7 below a Wasserzuflußöffnung. 8 If the pressure in the evaporation chamber 3 rises above a certain threshold value in this embodiment, this presses the closure element 7 ′ in the direction of the valve housing 5 and more or less closes the inflow opening 8 . The closure element 7 has flow openings 9 at the lower edge and a thickening 10 is provided on the bottom, which seals the inflow opening 8 in the closed position.

Reference numerals

1

Water tank

2nd

Soleplate

3rd

Evaporation chamber

4th

,

4th

' Contraption

5

Valve body

6

Valve stem

7

,

7

'Locking element

8th

Inflow opening

9

Flow opening

10th

thickening

Claims (4)

1. Electric steam iron with a water tank (1), an opening provided in a soleplate (2) vaporization chamber (3) and a device (4) for regulating the water supply from the water tank (1) in the evaporation chamber (3) and with a a valve housing ( 5 ), a valve rod ( 6 ) and an opening ( 8 ) having the first valve device ( 5 , 6 , 8 ), characterized in that the valve housing ( 5 ) is attached to a bellows-shaped element ( 7 ) made of elastic material, the position of which is influenced by the internal steam chamber pressure, the valve housing ( 5 ) being pressed by the element ( 7 ) in the direction of the valve rod ( 6 ) when the internal steam chamber pressure is above a threshold, and thereby the water supply to the evaporation chamber ( 3 ) is more or less interrupted. 2. Electric steam iron according to claim 1, characterized in that the element ( 7 ) with the valve housing ( 5 ) is integrally formed. 3. Electric steam iron with a water tank (1), an opening provided in a soleplate (2) vaporization chamber (3) and a device (4) for regulating the water supply from the water tank (1) in the evaporation chamber (3) and with a one Valve housing ( 5 ), a valve rod ( 6 ) and an opening ( 8 ) having the first valve device ( 5 , 6 , 8 ), characterized in that an independently and automatically operating second valve device ( 4 ', 7 ', 8 ) is provided, in which a closure element ( 7 ') pressurized by the internal steam chamber is essentially designed as an elastic and / or bellows-shaped membrane, the membrane applying an internal steam chamber pressure above a threshold value to the opening ( 8 ) of the valve housing ( 5 ) and thereby supplying water the water tank ( 1 ) in the evaporation chamber ( 3 ) at the opening ( 8 ) more or less interrupts. 4. Electric steam iron according to claim 3, characterized in that the closure element ( 7 ') in its lower edge region throughflow openings ( 9 ) and below the opening ( 8 ) has a thickening ( 10 ).