EP2578745B1 - Iron comprising a steam distribution circuit including a filtering screen - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to an iron comprising an ironing sole surmounted by a housing having a rear end provided with a heel on which the iron can rest substantially vertically during the inactive ironing phases and more particularly relates to a iron comprising a steam distribution circuit provided with a filtering grid for retaining scale particles.

It is known from the document, EP 1 146 164 , an iron comprising an ironing sole surmounted by a housing having a rear end provided with a heel on which the iron can rest substantially vertically during the inactive ironing phases. This iron has a steam distribution circuit comprising a vaporization chamber for producing steam and a filtration grid disposed at the outlet of the vaporization chamber so that the vapor is filtered before being transported to holes steam outlet of the sole.

Such a filtering grid has the advantage of retaining the scale particles inside the vaporization chamber and prevents them from escaping, together with the steam, through the exit holes of the steam of the sole.

However, such a filter grid has the disadvantage of being quickly obstructed by scale particles. Indeed, the scale formed in the vaporization chamber during the production of steam crumbles and quickly clog the filtering grid when the iron is placed on its heel, especially during storage, which causes a decrease significant flow of steam through the outlet holes of the soleplate.

The document US 5390432 discloses an iron with a grid to improve the distribution of water in the bottom of the steam chamber However, this grid does not filter the steam and filter the scale particles.

The document DE 37 43 917 discloses an iron having a filter membrane upstream of the steam outlet holes of the soleplate, this filtering membrane extending parallel to the soleplate and being intended to retain the water droplets carried by the steam and to be avoided the dripping. However, such a membrane has the disadvantage of being quickly plugged by the scale particles carried by the vapor which are deposited on the filtration membrane during operation of the iron.

The following invention aims to overcome these disadvantages by providing an appliance, and in particular an iron, equipped with a filter grid ensuring the retention of the most visible scale particles and is insensitive to scaling.

The object of the invention is achieved by an iron comprising an ironing sole surmounted by a housing having a rear end provided with a heel on which the iron can rest substantially vertically during the inactive ironing phases and comprising a vapor distribution circuit comprising at least one filtration grid for retaining scale particles, characterized in that the filtering grid extends parallel to the longitudinal direction of the soleplate.

Such a characteristic makes it possible to prevent the scale particles from coming massively to rest on the filtering grid when the iron is placed vertically on its heel. In fact, the filtration grid is then strongly inclined relative to the horizontal so that the scale particles fall by gravity from the filtering grid when the iron rests on its heel.

According to another characteristic of the invention, the filtering grid is disposed in the steam distribution circuit so as to be traversed from bottom to top by the steam when the iron rests horizontally on the soleplate.

Such a characteristic makes it possible to prevent the flow of vapor from causing too much scale particles against the filtering grid during an active ironing session, the scale particles having a natural tendency to fall off the grid. filtration due to gravity.

According to another characteristic of the invention, the filtration grid is flat.

According to another characteristic of the invention, the filtering grid extends parallel to the plane of the soleplate.

According to another characteristic of the invention, the filtering grid has a mesh width of between 0.2 mm and 0.6 mm.

Such a filter grid with openings less than 0.6 mm side prevents too large scale particles are emitted through the steam outlet holes of the sole. However, the Applicant realized that the rejection by the iron sole of small particles of scale up to a maximum size of 0.6 mm in diameter was considered as acceptable by the user.

According to another characteristic of the invention, the soleplate is in thermal contact with a heating body and has steam outlet holes fed by the steam distribution circuit.

According to another characteristic of the invention, the heating body comprises a foundry having a lower face in thermal contact with the soleplate and comprising a vaporization chamber closed by a closure plate attached to the upper face of the foundry, the vaporization chamber. being connected to the steam distribution circuit by a steam outlet opening in the closure plate, the filtration grid being disposed at the steam outlet opening.

According to another characteristic of the invention, the steam distribution circuit comprises a first filtration grid and a second filtration grid arranged in series on the path of the vapor, the second filtration grid being disposed downstream of the first filter grid and having passage openings smaller than the passage openings of the first filter grid.

According to yet another characteristic of the invention, the passage openings of the first filtering grid are between 1 mm and 2 mm side and the passage openings of the second filter grid are between 0.2 mm and 0.6 mm side.

According to another characteristic of the invention, the steam distribution circuit comprises a third filtration grid disposed downstream of the first and second filtration grids, this third filtration grid having openings of smaller sizes than the openings of the first and second filtration grids, the openings of the third filtering grid preferably measuring between 0.1 and 0.3 mm side.

According to yet another characteristic of the invention, the steam outlet opening opens into a steam distribution channel communicating with a steam distribution channel formed in the foundry, the channel comprising orifices passing through the foundry to result in a distribution cavity of steam supplying the steam outlet holes of the soleplate, the second filtering grid being disposed in the lateral channel upstream of the orifices passing through the foundry.

According to yet another characteristic of the invention, the filtering grid is covered with a non-stick coating.

According to yet another characteristic of the invention, the coating is made of fluoropolymer material.

According to another characteristic of the invention, the first filtration grid and / or the second filtration grid is made of stainless steel or glass fabric coated with PTFE.

• la figure 1 est une vue en perspective d'un fer à repasser selon un mode particulier de réalisation de l'invention ;
• la figure 2 est une vue en perspective d'une partie du corps chauffant du fer à repasser de la figure 1 ;
• la figure 3 est une vue éclatée, en perspective, du corps chauffant du fer à repasser de la figure 1 ;
• la figure 4 est une autre vue en perspective du corps chauffant du fer à repasser de la figure 1 avec la plaque de fermeture assemblée sur la fonderie ;
• la figure 5 est une vue en perspective, partiellement coupée, du corps chauffant du fer de la figure 1 ;
• la figure 6 est une vue en perspective, coupée, du corps chauffant du fer de la figure 1 ;
• la figure 7 est une vue similaire à la figure 6 illustrant une variante de réalisation de l'invention.

The aims, aspects and advantages of the present invention will be better understood from the description given below of several particular embodiments of the invention presented by way of non-limiting examples, with reference to the appended drawings in which :

• the figure 1 is a perspective view of an iron according to a particular embodiment of the invention;
• the figure 2 is a perspective view of a part of the heating body of the iron of the figure 1 ;
• the figure 3 is an exploded view, in perspective, of the heating body of the iron of the figure 1 ;
• the figure 4 is another perspective view of the heating body of the iron from the figure 1 with the closure plate assembled on the foundry;
• the figure 5 is a perspective view, partially cut away, of the iron heating body of the figure 1 ;
• the figure 6 is a perspective view, cut, of the heating body of the iron of the figure 1 ;
• the figure 7 is a view similar to the figure 6 illustrating an alternative embodiment of the invention.

Only the elements necessary for the understanding of the invention have been represented. To facilitate the reading of the drawings, the same elements bear the same references from one figure to another.

The figure 1 illustrates a steam iron 1 having a plane ironing sole 2 provided with a set of steam outlet holes 20, the ironing sole 2 being surmounted by a plastic housing 3 enclosing a water reservoir 30 and comprising a gripping handle 31 and a heel 32 on which the iron can rest during the inactive ironing phases, the sole 2 of the iron being oriented substantially vertically when the iron rests on its heel 32.

In accordance with the figure 2 , the sole 2 of the iron is thermally and mechanically bonded to a heating body 4 integrated in the lower part of the housing 3, below the tank 30, the heating body 4 comprising an aluminum foundry 40 comprising a resistive element 5 bent into horseshoe and a boss 49 provided to receive a temperature control thermostat of the sole 2.

The heating body 4 also comprises a peripheral wall 41 projecting from the upper face of the foundry 40, which laterally delimits a space comprising a main vaporization chamber 42, a steamer chamber 43 and a steam distribution circuit. The main vaporization chamber 42 is disposed in the center of the upper face of the foundry 40 and the steam distribution circuit includes side channels 44 extending on either side of the main vaporization chamber 42, the lateral channels 44 having orifices 44A through the foundry 40 to open on the underside of the foundry 40, at the steam distribution cavities, not visible in the figures, arranged opposite the steam outlet holes 20 of the sole.

In accordance with the figure 3 , the heating body 4 comprises a closing plate 7 which rests on the upper edge of the peripheral wall 41 of the foundry 40 and the main vaporization chamber 42 is delimited laterally by a partition 45 up to the closure plate 7 , being sealed with the latter, so that the steam produced in the main vaporization chamber 42 can escape only through a steam outlet opening 70 formed in the closure plate 7.

The main vaporization chamber 42 is of the instantaneous vaporization type and comprises for this purpose a bottom having a multitude of pyramidal pads making it possible to increase the heat exchange surface, the water of the tank 30 arriving at the drip into the chamber main vaporization 42 through an orifice 76 of the closure plate 7 surmounted, in a manner known per se, a drip plug not shown in the figures.

More particularly according to the invention, the steam distribution circuit comprises a first filtration grid extending parallel to the longitudinal direction of the sole.

In the particular embodiment of the invention illustrated in the figures, the first filtering grid is flat and is arranged parallel to the soleplate, at the outlet of steam outlet 70 formed in the closure plate, of so that the first filter grid is traversed from bottom to top by the flow of steam when the iron rests on its sole 2.

This first filtration grid 8 is preferably covered with a non-stick coating of PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene) and advantageously has square openings of 1 mm side, the first filtering grid comprising a core made of a material having a low thermal effusivity preferably less than or equal to 14000 J / (m ² · ° Cs ^1/2 ). For example, the first filtering grid will be made of 0.4 mm diameter stainless steel wire or from a glass fabric having a braided wire 1 mm in diameter.

In accordance with Figures 4 and 5 , the steam outlet opening 70 opens into a distribution channel 71 of the vapor extending transversely to the heating body 4, on the upper surface of the closure plate 7, the distribution channel 71 of the steam being laterally delimited. by a rib 72 projecting on the closure plate 7 which is sealingly connected to a cover 73 which closes the upper end of the distribution channel 71 of the steam.

The closure plate 7 also comprises two lateral openings 74 placing the two ends of the distribution channel 71 in communication with an intermediate chamber 46 formed on the upper face of the foundry 40, on each side of the main vaporization chamber 42, the chamber intermediate 46 extending between the main vaporization chamber 42 and the side channel 44 of the steam distribution circuit.

As can be seen on the figures 3 and 5 the intermediate chamber 46 extends above the resistive element 5 and is delimited on one side by the partition 45 surrounding the vaporization chamber 42 and on the other side by a partition 47 bordering the lateral channels 44 , the partition wall 47 locally having a notch 47A at its upper end allowing the passage of steam from the intermediate chamber 46 to the lateral channel 44 of steam distribution.

Preferably, each side channel 44 of steam distribution is provided with a second planar filtration grid 9, this second filtration grid 9 resting on the bottom of the lateral channel 44 and forming a filtering barrier extending over the orifices 44A passing through the foundry 40 to feed the steam outlet holes 20 of the sole, the second filtering grid 9 having openings of smaller sizes than the size of the openings of the first filtering grid 8 in order to retain the particles of smaller diameter scale having passed through the first filtration grid 8.

By way of example, the second filtering grid 9 has square openings measuring on the order of 0.4 mm per side, and is advantageously made of 0.4 mm diameter stainless steel wire covered with a non-stick coating. PTFE, the filtration grid thus produced having the advantage of having a good rigidity which facilitates its assembly.

In accordance with figures 2 and 3 , the steamer chamber 43 is placed just in front of the main vaporization chamber 42, so as to extend above the resistive element 5 in the shape of a horseshoe, and is closed at its upper end by a lid 43A comprising a water injection orifice 43B connected, in a manner known per se, to a manual pump with piston not shown in the figures.

The steam produced by the vaporizer chamber 43 is diffused in a cavity 48 formed in front of the foundry 40 by conduits bordering the steam chamber, the cavity 48 comprising orifices 48A passing through the foundry 40 to feed a limited number of steam outlet holes 20 disposed at the front tip of the sole 2 and being separated from the side channels 44 of the steam distribution circuit by partitions 75, shown in dashed lines on the figure 3 , protruding under the closure plate 7.

Advantageously, the steamer chamber 43 is also equipped with a filtering grid 10 intended to retain the scale particles transported by the steam, this filtering grid 10 being preferentially constituted by a stainless steel sheet covered with a coating anti-adherent PTFE and having circular openings with a diameter of about 0.6 mm in diameter.

The figure 6 illustrates the path of the steam produced by the main vaporization chamber 42 in the iron thus produced during an active ironing phase, that is to say when the iron rests horizontally on its sole 2. In accordance in this figure, the steam produced by the main vaporization chamber 42 escapes vertically through the steam outlet opening 70 equipped with the first filtering grid 8 so that the particles of scale greater than 1 mm diameter transported by the steam are stopped by the first filtering grid 8 and fall, by gravity, into the main vaporization chamber 42.

The filtered vapor that has passed through the first filtration grid 8 then flows horizontally into the steam distribution channel 71, then vertically through the lateral openings 74 to reach the intermediate chamber 46 of the foundry 40 in which the possible drops of The vapor-transported water is vaporized, the superheated vapor escaping thereafter through the indentations 47A of the partition walls 47 to lateral channels 44 of the steam distribution circuit. The vapor present in the side channels 44 then flows through the second filtration grid 9 and vertically in the holes 44A through the foundry 40 before being diffused through the steam outlet holes 20 of the sole.

When the vapor passes through the second filtration grid 9, any scale particles transported by the steam having a diameter of greater than 0.4 mm are stopped upstream of the second filtration grid 9 so that these particles of scale, having a diameter included between 0.4 and 1 mm, are stored in the part of the vapor circuit extending between the first filtration grid 8 and the second filtration grid 9.

In particular, the orientation of the first and second filtration grids 8, 9 parallel to the longitudinal direction of the sole 2 has the advantage of preventing the particles of scale retained upstream of these filtration grids 8, 9 from agglomerate on these filtration grids 8.9 when the iron 1 rests on its heel 32, especially during inactive ironing or storage of the iron 1.

Such a characteristic thus makes it possible to avoid a rapid obstruction of the filtering grids 8, 9 and thus makes it possible to increase the service life of the iron.

By virtue of such an arrangement of the filtration grids 8, 9, the scale particles retained upstream of the first filtration grid 8 fall into the rear part 42A of the main vaporization chamber 42 when the iron 1 is placed on its heel 32, so that this rear portion 42A of the vaporization chamber 42 serves as a storage area where the scale particles come to agglomerate gradually over time without disturbing the operation of the iron.

The scale particles which are retained upstream of the second filtering grid 9 are stored stored at the rear ends 44B of the side channels 44 when the iron 1 is placed on its heel 32, which allows the avoid rapid clogging of the second filter grid 9.

In addition, the use of two successive filtration grids on the path of the steam, with calibrated openings of smaller size on the second filter grid traversed by steam, prevents the second filter grid is too quickly blocked by large particles of scale. Indeed, thanks to this filtration device, the largest scale particles are maintained in the main vaporization chamber by the first filtering grid and only a smaller amount of smaller scale particles can reach the second filtration grid.

Finally, the non-stick coating of the filtration grids prevents the scale from sticking to the filter grid and closes the filtration grid too quickly. The low effusivity of the material used for the filtration grid, such as the glass fabric, also has the advantage of avoiding significant evaporation of water drops coming into contact with the first superheated filtration grid, which also allows to limit the formation of scale on the filtration grid.

Thus, such an iron is not likely to be quickly unusable due to the clogging of the filter grid by scale, but can be used for several years.

This filtration device therefore solves the problem of discharging large particles of scale which stain the linen during ironing and which is perceived very unfavorably by the user, the rejection by the sole of scale particles to a maximum of maximum size of 0.6 mm in diameter was substantially invisible and considered acceptable by the user.

Of course, the invention is not limited to the embodiment previously described and illustrated which has been given by way of example. Modifications are possible, particularly from the point of view of the constitution of the various elements or by substitution of technical equivalents, without departing from the scope of protection of the invention.

Thus, in an embodiment variant illustrated on the figure 7 the second filtration grid 9 can be fixed on the closure plate 7 and be positioned in the upper part of the side channels 44 of the steam distribution circuit. Such an alternative embodiment has the advantage of facilitating the assembly of the heating body, the first and second filtering grids 8, 9 being positionable on the closure plate 7 in a step prior to assembly of the closure plate on the foundry.

In another variant embodiment not shown, the first filtering grid may be fixed on the closure plate at each of the lateral openings of the steam distribution channel, such an embodiment having the advantage of moving the first filtration grid of the main vaporization chamber so that the probability that a droplet of unvaporized water reaches the first filtration grid is reduced.

In another embodiment of the invention, the iron according to the invention may have only one filtration grid disposed on the steam distribution circuit, this filtration grid having openings between 0.2 mm and 0.6 mm.

In another variant embodiment not shown, the apparatus may comprise a third filtering grid disposed on the steam distribution circuit, downstream of the first and second filtering grids, this third filtering grid having smaller openings. larger than those of the openings of the first and second filtration grids. For example, the openings of the third filter grid will measure between 0.1 mm and 0.3 mm side, so that the particles that can pass through the third grid are invisible to the naked eye.

Claims (12)

1. Iron (1) comprising a soleplate (2) surmounted by a housing (3) having a rear end provided with a heel (32) on which the iron (1) can rest substantially vertically during the inactive phases of ironing and having a steam distribution circuit comprising at least one filtering screen (8, 9) for retaining scale particles, characterised in that said filtering screen (8, 9) extends parallel to the longitudinal direction of the soleplate (2) and is arranged in the steam distribution circuit so that steam crosses from the bottom to the top when the steam iron rests horizontally on the soleplate (2).
2. Iron (1) according to claim 1, characterised in that the filtering screen (8) is flat.
3. Iron (1) according to claim 2, characterised in that the filtering screen extends parallel to the plane of the soleplate.
4. Iron (1) according to any of claims 1 to 3, characterised in that the filtering screen (9) has a mesh width of between 0.2 mm and 0.6 mm.
5. Iron (1) according to any of claims 1 to 4, characterised in that the soleplate (2) is in thermal contact with a heating body (4) and comprises steam outlet holes (20) supplied by the steam distribution circuit.
6. Iron according to claim 5, characterised in that the heating body (4) comprises a casting (40) having a lower side in thermal contact with the soleplate (2) and having a vaporisation chamber (42) closed by a closure plate (7) attached to the upper side of the casting (40), said vaporisation chamber (42) being connected to the steam distribution circuit by a steam outlet opening (70) formed in said closure plate (7) and in that the filtering screen (8) is arranged at said steam outlet opening (70).
7. Iron according to any of claims 1 to 6, characterised in that the steam distribution circuit comprises a first filtering screen (8) and a second filtering screen (9) arranged in series on the path of the steam, said second filtering screen (9) being arranged downstream from the first filtering screen (8) and having passage openings smaller than the passage openings of the first filtering screen (8).
8. Iron (1) according to claim 7, characterised in that the sides of the passage openings of the first filtering screen (8) measure between 1 mm and 2 mm and in that the sides of the passage openings of the second filtering screen (9) measure between 0.2 mm and 0.6 mm.
9. Iron (1) according to any of claims 6 to 8, characterised in that said steam outlet opening (70) opens into a steam distribution channel (71) communicating with a steam distribution channel (44) formed in the casting (40), the channel (44) comprising orifices (44A) crossing the casting (40) leading to a steam distribution cavity supplying the steam outlet holes (20) of the soleplate (2) and in that the second filtering screen (9) is arranged in the side channel (44) upstream from the orifices (44A) crossing the casting (40).
10. Iron (1) according to any of claims 1 to 9, characterised in that the filtering screen (8, 9) is covered with a non-stick coating.
11. Ironing appliance (1) according to claim 10, characterised in that said coating is a fluoropolymer material.
12. Ironing appliance (1) according to claim 11, characterised in that the first and/or second filtering screen is made of stainless steel or fibreglass fabric coated with PTFE.

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