EP2290155B1 - Steam iron and ironing method with constant ironing temperature - Google Patents

Description

TECHNICAL AREA

The present invention relates to a steam iron and a method for ironing textiles by means of a steam iron.

STATE OF THE ART

For example, based on the US 1,757,658 A occupied, ironing devices are known as such for a long time.

Conventional steam irons (cf., eg EP 409 064 A1 ) comprise a heatable soleplate, which is provided with steam outlet openings; a heatable steam generating chamber communicably communicable with the steam outlets; a water tank communicably connectable to the steam generating chamber; a heating means for heating the soleplate and / or the steam generating chamber; and a manually operable ironing temperature adjusting means coupled to the heating means and adapted to manually adjust the ironing temperature of the soleplate within an ironing temperature range of about 70 ° C to 260 ° C during operation of the steam iron. The ironing temperature adjusting device is usually designed as a provided with a knob, button or the like thermostat.

For ironing or steam ironing of textiles by means of such a conventional steam iron, a user must know the thermal properties of the textiles or the textile type exactly and manually adjust the corresponding ironing temperature precisely, so that a good ironing result is achieved and the textiles are not thermally damaged during ironing be burned or melted, for example. This is rather complicated and user-unfriendly for the user and requires more detailed knowledge or prior checking of the textiles concerned. Even users who iron more often therefore often set an inappropriate ironing temperature. Especially for textiles made of synthetic fibers or textiles having a blend of natural fibers and synthetic fibers (eg, 60% cotton and 40% polyester), this increases the risk of thermal damage. In addition, the production of such steam irons with manual ironing temperature adjustment is relatively expensive and expensive.

Incidentally, it is still on the US 2004/0217107 A1 as well as the EP 232 924 A1 pointed.

PRESENTATION OF THE INVENTION

The invention is therefore based on the object or the technical problem of providing a novel steam iron and a corresponding novel steam ironing method, which makes it possible to iron textiles with different thermal properties in a simple and effective manner safe and reliable or steam ironing.

This object is achieved by an inventive steam iron with the features of claim 1. This steam iron comprises: a heatable soleplate, which is provided with steam outlet openings; a heatable steam generating chamber communicably communicable with the steam outlets; a water tank communicably connectable to the steam generating chamber; a heating means for heating the soleplate and the steam generating chamber; and an integrated automatic temperature control device having an electronic temperature control element which is coupled to the heating means and adapted to the ironing temperature of the soleplate exclusively in a fixed preset, manually unchangeable, constant ironing temperature range of 180 ° C to 190 ° C during operation of the steam iron to keep.

The steam iron according to the invention can be designed both as a compact hand-held device with an integrated water tank and an integrated heating device and as a so-called steam ironing station. The latter has a water tank and / or an additional heating device for generating steam, which is housed in a separate housing and connected via a connecting line with a handset, which itself has no water tank. In the heating device it is preferably an electrical heating device. The integrated automatic temperature control device is not manually adjustable or manipulated by a user of the steam iron, in contrast to ironing temperature adjustment of conventional steam irons. And there are no corresponding controls or the like provided in a basic version of the steam iron according to the invention for this purpose (see also below). The integrated automatic temperature control device can be designed so that, in addition to the control of the manually unchangeable, constant ironing temperature range of 180 ° C to 190 ° C, it takes on the evaluation of a temperature-based control functions for other or additional detailed components of the steam iron.

The inventors have found that it is possible to iron all textiles (ie, in particular items of clothing and household textiles) which are to be ironed in a household or in semi-professional applications and which are not special industrial textiles in the said constant ironing temperature range Ironing results are achieved. This also applies to textiles which are made of synthetic fibers or textiles which have a blend of natural fibers and synthetic fibers. The ironing in the said constant ironing temperature range of 180 ° C to 190 ° C works well even without steam, but by steam can be achieved consistently better ironing results. Therefore, the steam iron may be constructed to have a steam selector (eg, a corresponding switch or the like), so that the water vapor can be optionally used. However, in at least one embodiment of the invention, it is also contemplated that, as long as a supply of water is present, there is a permanent supply of steam which the user can not manually influence or shut down. In this case, it is useful if the steam iron has a control and safety device that monitors the presence of water in the water tank and / or steam in the steam generating chamber and prevents heating of the soleplate or shuts off the heater if no water more in the tank or no more steam is present in the steam generating chamber. The checking and securing device may be coupled to an information device which visually and / or acoustically and / or otherwise informed of the condition of the steam iron.

In both of the previously described variants, the steam iron can also be equipped with a steam selector switch and / or a steam quantity adjuster and / or a steam quantity control device (eg by regulating or controlling the amount of water entering the steam generating chamber) and / or a steam impulse Taste and / or be coupled to a spray nozzle water spray button.

The basic version of the steam iron according to the invention can therefore be easily switched on (eg only by connecting a cable supplying the heating device with electrical energy with an electric current or voltage source or by pressing an ON / OFF switch), automatically adjusts to said unchangeable , constant ironing temperature range of 180 ° C to 190 ° C, and maintains the ironing temperature in this ironing temperature range. This applies both in the case of the use of steam during ironing and in the case of ironing without water vapor. As a result, the user always has a constant ironing temperature for all textiles. The user does not have to manually adjust the ironing temperature for ironing or steam ironing textiles. It is also not necessary for the user to know or check the thermal properties of the respective textiles or the type of textile exactly and then to set the corresponding ironing temperature manually precisely. By realizable with the steam iron according to the invention constant-temperature ironing, the user will always achieve a good ironing result regardless of the type of textile and not thermally damage the textiles when ironing. The use of the steam iron according to the invention is therefore extremely simple, uncomplicated and very user-friendly even for inexperienced users.

In addition, the production of a steam iron according to the invention compared to conventional steam irons is simpler and less expensive, because it is possible to dispense with manual ironing temperature adjustment devices or corresponding operating elements and conventional thermostats. The solution according to the invention thus provides a steam iron, which allows textiles with different thermal properties in a simple and effective manner safe and reliable ironing or steam ironing. According to the invention, the automatic temperature control device is provided with an electronic temperature control element (eg an electronic circuit coupled to a temperature sensor) which controls or regulates the supply of electrical energy to an electrical heating device. In this way, the automatic temperature control device is particularly easy to design and produce, and can ensure said constant ironing temperature range.

Further preferred and advantageous design features of the steam iron according to the invention are the subject of the associated dependent claims.

Accordingly, a preferred embodiment of the steam iron according to the invention provides that the automatic temperature control device is associated with a thermal overload protection device which upon reaching a predetermined soleplate threshold temperature, which is greater than 190 ° C (plus a permissible tolerance of about 5%), deactivated the heating device. This ensures that, regardless of the type of textiles being ironed, there is never any thermal damage to the textiles. This is particularly important if it is synthetic textiles or textiles with a blended fabric. The safety device expediently has a temperature sensor or is functionally coupled with such a temperature sensor. The securing means may be set or programmed to control one or more predetermined soleplate threshold temperatures. For example, it is possible that a) the safety device at a first soleplate threshold temperature, which is only slightly greater than 190 ° C, the heater only temporarily disabled, so that the sole plate can cool sufficiently again, so that the ironing temperature then back in the said constant ironing temperature range is from 180 ° C to 190 ° C; and b) at a second soleplate threshold temperature which is substantially greater than 190 ° C (in particular greater than 200 ° C, in particular greater than 240 ° C, in particular greater than 260 °) and either a thermal damage to the iron or steam iron and its components themselves can cause the heating device permanently or completely disabled, so that a renewed operation can be recorded only after replacement of a complete fuse element or after replacement of a possibly defective component of the iron. This also serves the Operational safety of the steam iron and the safety of the user and the textiles to be ironed.

Preferably, the automatic temperature control means is arranged to maintain the ironing temperature within the constant ironing temperature range of 180 ° C to 190 ° C at a single predetermined constant ironing temperature (e.g., only 180 ° C or 185 ° C or 190 ° C, etc.). It is thus exactly a single constant ironing temperature for all textiles to be ironed available, which can be achieved with good ironing results.

For certain applications, however, it may also be advantageous that the automatic temperature control device is designed in a further preferred embodiment of the invention, the ironing temperature within the constant ironing temperature range of 180 ° C to 190 ° C between several (ie two or more) different ironing temperatures to vary to achieve an improved ironing result. This functionality can be implemented quite simply by electronic components.

According to yet another advantageous embodiment, the steam iron according to the invention further comprises: a manually operated ironing temperature setting device, which is coupled to the heating device and with which a desired ironing temperature of the soleplate is manually adjustable during operation of the steam iron; and a manually operable constant ironing temperature preselector coupled to the integrated automatic temperature control device and the manually operated iron temperature setting device and configured to bridge the manual iron temperature setting device and the integrated automatic temperature control device in an activated state so that it automatically maintains the ironing temperature in the fixed preset, manually unchangeable, constant ironing temperature range of 180 ° C to 190 ° C.

The manually operated ironing temperature adjusting device can basically be configured as in a conventional steam iron, for example as a knob or the like. This gives the user the additional option of ironing temperature to manually set the steam iron according to the invention as needed in a conventional steam iron and here also ironing temperatures greater than 190 ° C to choose. For example, during operation of the steam iron, the ironing temperature can be set manually within a total ironing temperature range of about 70 ° C to about 210 ° C or even up to 240 ° C or 260 ° C.

The manually operable constant ironing temperature preselector, in turn, may be configured, for example, as a preselection element, button, switch, touch screen, voice control, and the like. It allows the user to place the steam iron in an automatic ironing mode with one (preferably a single) operating action by automatically re-setting the ironing sole ironing temperature in the fixed, manually unchangeable, constant ironing temperature range of 180 ° C to 190 ° C holds. In the event that prior to actuation of the constant ironing temperature preselecting device having a temperature greater than 190 ° C was ironed, the integrated automatic temperature control device is preferably designed so that it (initially) downshifts the temperature to said constant ironing temperature range.

According to a further preferred embodiment of the steam iron according to the invention, the manually operated ironing temperature setting device and the manually operable constant ironing temperature preselecting device are coupled to the integrated automatic temperature control device. And the manually operated constant-ironing temperature-selection device has a first state in which it activates a first operating state of the automatic temperature control device, in which this the ironing temperature of the soleplate exclusively in the fixed preset, manually unchangeable, constant ironing temperature range from 180 ° C to 190 ° C stops. Further, the manually operable constant-ironing temperature-preselector has a second state in which it activates a second operating state of the automatic temperature control device, in which this on the basis of an input signal of the manually operated ironing temperature setting device, which represents a manually set ironing temperature, the ironing temperature of the soleplate within a predetermined total ironing temperature range at the manually set ironing temperature. In this way, by means of the constant ironing temperature preselecting device between two different operating states the temperature control device can be switched. And the temperature control device performs an advantageous multiple function, since they also process the inputs of the manually operated iron temperature adjustment and so also ironing temperatures of the soleplate outside the constant ironing temperature range can control and hold. The said functionality of the temperature control device is circuitry, for example via an integrated circuit or a circuit board, very easy to implement.

It has also been found in this context to be advantageous that in a further preferred embodiment of the invention, conversely, the manually operated ironing temperature adjustment is designed to disable the manually operable constant ironing temperature preselector, as soon as a manually operated ironing temperature adjustment set temperature outside the constant ironing temperature range of 180 ° C to 190 ° C. If the integrated automatic temperature control device, in addition to the control of the manually unchangeable, constant ironing temperature range of 180 ° C to 190 ° C still takes on the evaluation of a temperature-based control functions for other or additional detailed components of the steam iron, so a "deactivation" is here to understand that the integrated automatic temperature control device is not completely disabled in this case, but only that part of the function, which is responsible for the control of the constant ironing temperature range of 180 ° C to 190 ° C. Conversely, this then expediently also applies in the case of activation. The construction method described above thus allows the user to determine the ironing temperature of the steam iron optionally by an AUTOMATIC function ("constant ironing temperature" for all textiles) as well as purely manually and thereby to choose between two different operating modes.

The manual ironing temperature setting device and the manually operable constant ironing temperature preselecting device can be integrated according to the invention in a uniform operating element or in at least two different operating elements. By a single control element, an advantageous multiple function can be realized while the construction with at least two different control elements allows separate functions and for the user an even clearer differentiation.

In yet another preferred embodiment of the steam iron according to the invention this has a coupled with the manually operable constant ironing temperature preselection display device which indicates the activated state upon activation of the manually operable constant ironing temperature preselector (and vice versa, of course, when deactivated their deactivated state). In this way, the respective ironing temperature state or operating state of the steam iron can be brought to the user's knowledge easier. The display device may be formed separately from the constant ironing temperature preselector or integrated into it, and vice versa.

Finally, according to yet another preferred embodiment of the steam iron according to the invention, it is provided that it has no (i.e., not at all) manually operated ironing temperature setting means. The steam iron according to this variant thus has neither a temperature-setting element or temperature selector switch or temperature selector button or a similar control element. In this way, a "simple steam iron" can be realized, which works exclusively and automatically in the said unchangeable, constant ironing temperature range of 180 ° C to 190 ° C and is extremely easy to handle by the user and still achieved good ironing results for all textiles.

With a steam iron according to the invention, the ironing can always be done in a fixed preset, manually unchangeable, constant ironing temperature range of 180 ° C to 190 ° C regardless of the type of textiles.

A maximum permissible deviation from the constant ironing temperature range or the constant ironing temperature within a tolerance range of +/- 5% is preferably permitted. The inventors have found that within the scope of this tolerance range, good ironing results can still be achieved for all textiles. If the mentioned preferred tolerance range is only slightly exceeded, the results are still largely acceptable, but it already shows a deterioration of the ironing results for some textiles or textile types. Further deviations have been found for a constant temperature ironing process, with which all Textiles can be ironed with a sufficiently good result, as proved no longer sufficient.

The ironing temperature can be maintained within the constant ironing temperature range of 180 ° C to 190 ° C at a single predetermined ironing temperature. It is thus exactly a single, constant ironing temperature for all textiles to be ironed available, which can be achieved good ironing results. Also for this single, constant ironing temperature can be provided in practice, in particular for regulatory reasons, an allowable tolerance, preferably to about +/- to 5%.

The ironing temperature can be varied within the constant ironing temperature range of 180 ° C to 190 ° C and between several different ironing temperatures. It has been shown that improved ironing results can be achieved for certain textiles or textile types.

The textiles may be textiles selected from a group of textiles including: Garments (including workwear items that are not special garments with protective surfaces against thermal or chemical agents, such as fireproof clothing, or textiles that are substantially coated with a synthetic material ) and household textiles. These textiles have proven to be particularly suitable for achieving good ironing results by means of the method according to the invention.

Preferably, the textiles used are textiles made from textile fibers selected from a group of textile fibers comprising: natural textile fibers, natural textile fibers, synthetic textile fibers, in particular textile fibers of cotton, linen, wool, hemp, silk, viscose , Cupro, modal fibers, Tencel® fibers, lyocell fibers, acrylic including acrylic, acetate, lycra ™, spandex, elastane, nylon, polyester, polyamide, triacetate, as well as blends and combinations of the aforementioned textile fibers.

It is preferred that the ironing takes place under the action of water vapor. It has been shown that it works well even without steam, by means of water vapor can be achieved, however, consistently better ironing results. The use of water vapor can also be optional.

The textiles may also have a textile material which has a maximum ironing temperature of 160 ° C. according to standard EN 60311, and which is ironed out in the constant ironing temperature range of 180 ° C. to 190 ° C. under the action of steam, contrary to this maximum ironing temperature. Such materials include in particular cupro, polyester, silk, triacetate, viscose and wool. It has unexpectedly been found that even for such textiles, which in practice can not prove to be problematic when ironing, can achieve good ironing results with the method according to the invention.

Preferred embodiments of the invention with additional design details and other advantages are described and explained in more detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Fig. 1

eine schematische, stark vereinfachte, nicht maßstabsgerechte, teilweise geschnittene Seitenansicht eines erfindungsgemäßen Dampfbügeleisens gemäß einer ersten Ausführungsform; und

Fig. 2

eine schematische, stark vereinfachte, nicht maßstabsgerechte Seitenansicht eines erfindungsgemäßen Dampfbügeleisens gemäß einer zweiten Ausführungsform;

It shows:

Fig. 1

a schematic, highly simplified, not to scale, partially sectioned side view of a steam iron according to the invention according to a first embodiment; and

Fig. 2

a schematic, highly simplified, not to scale side view of a steam iron according to the invention according to a second embodiment;

PRESENTATION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

In the following description and in the figures, the same components and components are also identified by the same reference numerals to avoid repetition, unless further differentiation is required for reasons of clarity.

In the Fig. 1 is shown in a schematic, highly simplified, not to scale, partially sectioned side view of an inventive steam iron 2 according to a first embodiment.

This steam iron 2 has inter alia a housing 4, a heatable soleplate 6, which is provided with steam outlet openings 8, a heatable steam generating chamber 10 communicating with the steam outlet openings 8, and a water tank 12 communicating via a drip channel 14 with the steam generating chamber 10 is connected. In the drip channel 14 sits a not shown in the drawing for the sake of clarity, needle-shaped element, by means of which the amount of water dripped into the steam generating chamber 10 can be adjusted. This needle-shaped element can be actuated via a likewise not shown operating element and thus acts as a vapor quantity adjusting device. Moreover, a steam selector switch 16 and a steam amount adjusting knob 18 are provided. The steam iron 2 may also be equipped with a water spray nozzle and a water spray button operatively coupled thereto (not shown in the drawings). Further, the steam iron 2 is provided with an electric heater 20 for heating the soleplate 6 and the steam generating chamber 10. The heating device 20 can be supplied with electrical energy via a cable 22, which can be connected by means of a plug to an electrical current or voltage source.

The steam iron 2 further has an integrated automatic electronic temperature control device 24 which is operatively coupled to the heater 20 and energized via the cable 22. The temperature control device 24 is designed, during operation of the steam iron 2 or in an operating condition described in more detail below, the ironing temperature of the soleplate 6 in a corresponding mode exclusively in a fixed preset, manually unchangeable, constant ironing temperature range of 180 ° C to 190 ° C. to keep. In the present case, the temperature control device 24 (in addition to other functions described below in detail) is designed to keep the ironing temperature constant at a value of about 185 ° C.

One of the soleplate 6 associated temperature sensor 26 is connected via a signal line 27 (or wirelessly) to the temperature control device 24 and supplies the operation of the steam iron 2 signals to the temperature control device 24, which represent the respective ironing temperature of the sole plate 6.

The steam iron 2 is further equipped with a manually operated iron temperature adjustment device 28, which is designed here as a knob 28 with a temperature scale. This knob 28 is coupled via an interface adapter 24a with the temperature control device 24 and indirectly via this with the heating device 20 and its function, so that during operation of the steam iron 2 by means of the knob 28 and in a FIRST operating state of the temperature control device 24, a desired ironing temperature of the soleplate 6 within a total ironing temperature range of about 70 ° C to 240 ° C in the present case is manually adjustable. For this purpose, the temperature control device 24 regulates the ironing temperature to the manually set ironing temperature on the basis of the selected rotational position of the rotary knob 28.

Like from the Fig. 1 it can be seen, the steam iron further has a manually operable constant-ironing temperature selection device 30, which is designed here as a pressure switch 30. This pressure switch 30 has two states or switch positions (ON and OFF) and is coupled via a control line 32 with the integrated automatic temperature control device 24 and indirectly via this with the knob 28 and its function.

The pressure switch 30 is designed, in a switched on, activated state (AN) by means of the temperature control device 24, the knob 28 or predetermined by this predetermined function of the manual ironing temperature setting and disable the FIRST operating state of the temperature control device 24 and a SECOND operating state of the To activate the temperature control device 24, in which this keeps the ironing temperature automatically and exclusively in the fixed preset, manually unchangeable, constant ironing temperature range of 180 ° C to 190 ° C. If the pressure switch 30 is deactivated again (OFF), then the temperature control device 24 is again switched to the FIRST operating state described above, in which the ironing temperature can be set manually freely by means of the rotary knob 28 in the above-mentioned total ironing temperature range.

The knob 28 and the pressure switch 30 represent in this embodiment, two different controls with different functions.

In the present example, the temperature control device 24 regulates the respective ironing temperature or the said constant ironing temperature range by switching the electrical energy supply to the heating device 20 on and off. In principle, it would also be possible to regulate the electrical energy supply in another way, e.g. by varying the amperage or the magnitude of the electrical voltage or the like.

The knob 28, the pressure switch 30 and the temperature control device 24 are further designed and matched in this example that the knob 28 when actuated the pressure switch 30 is deactivated and the temperature control device switches back to the FIRST operating state as soon as manually by the knob 28 set temperature outside the constant ironing temperature range of 180 ° C to 190 ° C. The pressure switch 30 then automatically jumps to the OFF position.

Like in the Fig. 1 can be seen, the steam iron 2 has a coupled to the pressure switch 30 visual display device 34 (here: in the form of an LCD light), which lights up in the ON state of the pressure switch 30 and thereby indicates its activated state and in the OFF state of the pressure switch 30 goes out. The display device 34 is connected via the control line 32 to the pressure switch 30 and the temperature control device and directly or indirectly (eg via an intermediate electrical or electronic component) with their power supply.

Like in the Fig. 1 indicated, the automatic temperature control device 24 is associated with a multi-functional safety device 36 against thermal overload. The safety device 36 receives signals from the temperature sensor 26 via the temperature control device 24. Upon reaching a predetermined first soleplate threshold temperature which is greater than 190 ° C + 5% tolerance, the safety device deactivates 36, the heating device 20 temporarily. In the present example, the safety device 36 is designed such that the aforementioned safety function is activated only if the pressure switch 30 is in the ON state and the temperature control device 24 is consequently in the abovementioned SECOND operating state. In a second soleplate threshold temperature, which is greater than 260 ° C + 10% tolerance in the present case, the safety device 36 switches off the heating device 20 permanently, so that a renewed operation only after replacement of a complete fuse element (eg a fuse) or can be taken after replacement of a possibly defective component of the steam iron 2. This last-mentioned safety function is always activated and can additionally monitor eg the current intensity in the cable 22 (or corresponding internal electric power lines) connected to the heating device 20. An inadmissibly high current strength also indicates a thermal overload.

The above-described functional properties of the integrated automatic electronic temperature control device 24 and the safety device 36 are realized by means of a circuit board with corresponding electronic components including integrated circuits.

There will now be described the function of the steam iron 2 according to the invention according to the first embodiment, with which a method according to the invention for (steam) ironing of textiles can be carried out.

To bracket the steam iron filled with water 2 is connected via the cable 22 and its plug to an electrical power source. The pressure switch 30 is turned ON, so that the internal temperature control means 24 always automatically adjust the temperature of the soleplate 6 in the fixed, manually unchangeable, constant ironing temperature range of 180 ° C to 190 ° C, i. keeps it constant at about 185 ° C. The steam selector switch 16 is turned on in this example, so that the ironing takes place under the action of steam.

With these settings of the steam iron 2 now all possible in the household or in the semi-professional field customarily garnished textiles were ironed, in particular Clothing and household textiles. For example, pants made of cotton, silk blouse, tablecloth made of 100% synthetic fabric, and shirt made of 60% natural fiber and 40% synthetic fiber mixed fabric, always with the aforementioned ironing temperature of constant 185 ° C Ironed under steam. In addition, steam-ironed textiles substantially wholly or partly made from textile fibers selected from a group of textile fibers comprising: natural textile fibers, natural textile fibers, synthetic textile fibers, in particular textile fibers of cotton, linen, wool, hemp, silk, have been steam-ironed in this manner , Viscose, cupro, modal fibers, tencel fibers, lyocell fibers, acrylic including polyacrylic, acetate, lycra ™, spandex, elastane, nylon, polyester, polyamide, triacetate, as well as blends and combinations of the aforementioned textile fibers. Cupro, polyester, silk, triacetate, viscose and wool are textile materials that have a maximum ironing temperature of 160 ° C according to standard EN 60311. Notwithstanding this maximum ironing temperature, however, they are ironed in the context of the inventive method within the constant ironing temperature range of 180 ° C to 190 ° C under the action of steam. For all these textiles good ironing results were achieved.

Fig. 2 shows a schematic, highly simplified, not to scale side view of a steam iron according to the invention 2 according to a second embodiment. This variant is similar to the basic structure according to Fig. 1 , in contrast to this, however, has no manual ironing temperature adjustment device. The steam iron 2 has an ON / OFF switch 54 for turning on and off the electric power for the electric heater. The switch 54 has an integrated light-emitting diode which lights up in the ON state of the switch 54 and thus indicates this operating state. In at least one embodiment of the invention, the switch 54 can even be dispensed with if the power connection takes place only via the plug of the cable 22. The steam iron 2 of Fig. 6 is thus a "Einfachst-steam iron, which works after turning on with the help of its integrated automatic temperature control device 24 only in the single, fixed preset, manually unchangeable, constant ironing temperature range from 180 ° C to 190 ° C.

The invention is not limited to the above embodiments. Within the scope of the appended claims, the steam iron according to the invention may, on the contrary, also assume other than the concretely described embodiment. In particular, the number, type, arrangement and design of controls may differ from the above embodiments. It is also possible, for example, that the integrated automatic temperature control device operates without a temperature sensor which measures the temperature of the soleplate directly or via a component adjacent to the soleplate. Instead, an indirect temperature measurement or temperature control can also be carried out, for example by controlling and manipulating the electrical voltage applied to the electrical heating device and / or the electric current supplied to this device and / or by controlling the supply of electrical energy over time. For the soleplate and the steam generating chamber also different heating devices can be provided.

Reference signs in the claims, the description and the drawings are only for the better understanding of the invention and are not intended to limit the scope.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

2

steam iron

4

casing

6

soleplate

8th

Steam vents

10

Steam generation chamber

10a

Upper wall

12

water tank

14

Drip channel

16

Steam selector

18

Steam quantity adjustment

20

Electric heating device

22

electric wire

24

Integrated electronic automatic temperature control device

24a

Interface Adapter

26

temperature sensor

27

signal line

28

Rotary knob / manually operated ironing temperature adjustment device

30

Pressure switch / manually operated constant ironing temperature preselection device

32

control line

34

Visual display device

36

safety device

54

ON / OFF switches

Claims (12)

1. A steam iron (2) comprising

   - a heatable ironing sole plate (6) provided with steam outlet openings (8);

   - a heatable steam generating chamber (10) connectable in fluid communication to the steam outlet ports (8);

   - a water tank (12) connectable in fluid communication to the steam generating chamber (10); and

   - a heating device (20) for heating the sole plate (6) and the steam generating chamber (10);

   characterised by

   - an integrated automatic temperature control device (24) which has an electronic temperature control element (26; 27) which is coupled to the heating device (20) and is designed to keep the ironing temperature of the sole plate (6) exclusively in a permanently pre-set, manually unchangeable, constant ironing temperature range from 180°C to 190°C during operation of the steam iron (2).
2. Steam iron (2) according to Claim 1 characterised in that the electronic temperature element is formed by an electronic circuit (27) coupled to a temperature sensor (26).
3. Steam iron (2) according to Claim 1 or 2 characterised in that the automatic temperature control device (24) has a dedicated thermal overload protection device (36) which deactivates the heating device (20) when a predetermined sole plate threshold temperature, which is higher than 190°C, is reached.
4. Steam iron (2) according to one of the preceding claims 1 to 3 characterised in that the automatic temperature control device (24) is designed to keep the ironing temperature within the constant ironing temperature range from 180°C to 190°C at a single predetermined constant ironing temperature.
5. Steam iron (2) according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterised in that the automatic temperature control device (24) is designed to vary the ironing temperature within the constant ironing temperature range from 180°C to 190°C among a plurality of different ironing temperatures.
6. Steam iron (2) according to one or more of the preceding claims characterised in that it further comprises:

   - a manually operable ironing temperature setting device (28) coupled (24, 24a) to the heating device (20) and operable to manually set a desired ironing temperature of the sole plate (6) during operation of the steam iron (2); and

   - a manually operable constant ironing temperature preselection device (30) which is coupled (24) to the integrated automatic temperature control device (24) and the manually operable ironing temperature setting device (28) and is designed, in an activated state, to bypass the manually operable ironing temperature setting device (28) and to activate the integrated automatic temperature control device (24) so that it automatically maintains the ironing temperature in the permanently pre-set, manually unchangeable, constant ironing temperature range from 180°C to 190°C.
7. Steam iron (2) according to Claim 6, characterised

   - in that the manually operable ironing temperature setting device (28) and the manually operable constant ironing temperature preselection device (30) are coupled to the integrated automatic temperature control device (24) ;

   - in that the manually operable constant ironing temperature preselection device (30) has a first condition in which it activates a first operating condition of the automatic temperature control device (24) in which it maintains the ironing temperature of the sole plate (6) exclusively in the permanently pre-set, manually unchangeable, constant ironing temperature range from 180°C to 190°C; and

   - in that the manually operable constant ironing temperature preselection device (30) has a second condition in which it activates a second operating condition of the automatic temperature control device (24) in which it maintains the ironing temperature of the sole plate (6) within a predetermined total ironing temperature range at the manually set ironing temperature based on an input signal of the manually operable ironing temperature setting device (28) which represents a manually set ironing temperature.
8. The steam iron (2) according to any one of claims 6 or 7, characterised in that the manually operable ironing temperature setting device (28) is adapted to deactivate the manually operable constant ironing temperature preselection means (30) as soon as a temperature set by the manually operable ironing temperature setting device (28) is outside the constant ironing temperature range of 180°C to 190°C.
9. Steam iron (2) according to one of Claims 6 to 8, characterised in that the manually operable ironing temperature setting device (28) and the manually operable constant ironing temperature preselection device (30) are integrated in a common operating element.
10. Steam iron (2) according to one of Claims 6 to 8, characterised in that the manually operable ironing temperature setting device and the manually operable constant ironing temperature preselection device are integrated in two different operating elements (28; 30).
11. Steam iron (2) according to one of Claims 6 to 10 characterised in that it has an indicator (34), which is coupled to the manually operable constant iron-temperature preselection device (30), and indicates its activated condition when the manually operable constant iron-temperature preselection device (30) is activated.
12. Steam iron (2) according to Claim 1 characterised in that it does not have a manually operable ironing temperature setting device.

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