HK1050035B - Steam iron with pressurised hot water refill - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to steam electric irons which allow ironing without the need for an electrical power cord.

Such ironing irons, hereinafter referred to as cordless irons, are generally attached to a base which is connected to the base by a power cord and on which the user regularly deposits the iron. Electrical connections are provided to connect the back of the iron to the power cord connected to the base, so that the iron, particularly its sole, can heat up when placed on the base. Thus, when the iron is sufficiently hot, the user can remove it from the base and proceed with the ironing without being disturbed by the power cord.

During the rest periods of the ironing, the sole stores the energy required for ironing and water vaporization. The energy required for vaporization during the ironing time is much higher than that which would be required for a simple dry ironing. The heating power and heat capacity of the sole must be adapted.

The heat capacity of the sole must be sufficient so that the temperature does not fall too much during ironing. But completely satisfying this requirement leads to thick, heavy soles that are prohibitively expensive. Attempts have been made to use the latent melting heat of complex bodies included in the sole, but these bodies can become dangerous if leaked.

The power of the stand must be high enough to supply the necessary energy during the single break time, but this is limited by the power subscribed to or available from the users' installation.

The irons also have a relatively small vaporization water tank, leading to frequent manual filling, during which it is not recommended to put the iron on voltage because of the risk of overflow.

The patent WO97/21866 describes a cordless iron in which the recharge time in heating energy is somewhat reduced. In the base, energy is produced and accumulated in a heated liquid which is then quickly transferred into the iron at the sole level during the ironing break times, this heated liquid being exchanged with the cooled liquid from the previous sequence.

Patent DE3538544 describes the accumulation of heat energy in the base, which is transferred to the iron by conduction during the ironing break times.

Patent US5315773 describes a cordless iron in which the recharging with vaporization water occurs automatically when the iron is on its base.

There are also steam irons with an integrated steam generator that is thermally independent of the sole, but these devices do not allow ironing without a power cord.

The invention relates to a steam cordless iron whose autonomy in the active ironing phase is increased compared with conventional cordless irons, with automatic recharging in vaporization water to eliminate the need for user intervention.

The purpose of the invention is achieved by an ironing device comprising a hot water-generating stand under pressure, means of rapid hydraulic and electrical connection of a cordless iron to the stand when the iron is laid on the stand, remarkable in that the cordless iron has a sole and an internal steam generator which are thermally independent of each other and respectively equipped with their own heating and regulating means.

This arrangement allows for ironing at a sole temperature that can be adjusted to demand, since the steam is not produced by the heat stored by the sole. On the one hand the sole stores enough energy for cordless dry ironing and does not cool further when the iron vaporizes because on the other hand the internal generator in the cordless iron acts independently as an accumulator, stores and returns another sufficient energy to produce water vaporization during the ironing.

Compared to a conventional cordless iron, all the energy stored by the sole is used for ironing off the vaporization energy, which allows either to lighten the sole to make it more economical or at the same cost to have preferably a significantly increased range.

Preferably, the internal iron generator is a boiler consisting of a pressure resistant tank connected to the hydraulic means of rapid connection of the iron to the base, equipped with an electric heating element and a steam outlet valve.

Preferably, with the iron on its base, the internal steam generator is filled with pre-produced pressurised hot water stored in the base generator.

The boiler is filled by balancing the pressures between the base generator and the iron. The iron being cold or having lost heat during the ironing, the pressure of the iron boiler is low while that of the base generator is kept constantly high. The water in the base is rapidly drawn from the base to the iron boiler through the hydraulic connection means and fills the boiler completely except in the first cycle where there is some air left. This air is carried by steam in the next re-ironing cycles.

The filling water mixes with the remaining water from the boiler by rapidly bringing in a large amount of heat and heating it.

Preferably, while the iron is on its base, the heating of the steam generator inside the iron is on and heats the water, producing steam, increasing the pressure beyond that of the base generator, this pressure pushing back into the base some of the water from the boiler to the mouth of a water intake pipe into the boiler.

This ensures that the resulting mixture is at a suitable temperature to ensure that sufficient water evaporates during the active ironing process and that the steam outlet valve is out of the water to allow the steam to escape.

The steam outlet valve is then always empty, and a volume of steam is available, and since the iron is out of the base in the ironing position, steam can be obtained by acting on the outlet valve.

In this operation, the bulk of the vaporization energy was thus supplied when the boiler was rapidly filled during the ironing break, with additional energy supplied by the heating element of the internal cordless iron boiler.

In addition, at each filling cycle, during the break, the water level is always adjusted to the height of the hot water intake line in the boiler so that the filling level of the iron in the evaporative water is maintained automatically and requires no user intervention.

The advantage is that the quick connection means of the iron are located on the heel of the iron and the level of hot water intake into the boiler at its base is determined by the end of a cannula, the other end of which is connected to the hydraulic connection means.

The cannula is usefully internal to the boiler.

This construction allows for easy adjustment of the filling level and space savings by easily housing the pipework made up of the cannula.

The heating element of the internal iron generator heats the boiler on a wall or part of a wall below the mouth of the water intake pipe when the iron is on its base.

The heated wall is thus in constant contact with the water and no overheating of the heating element can occur.

The advantage is that the steam outlet valve is also a valve that opens in the event of abnormal overpressure in the boiler.

If the water could not be pushed back into the boiler, this provides a safety feature.

Preferably, the hot water generator contained in the stand has a heating tank containing saturated steam over the hot water maintained at a relatively constant level.

The volume of steam is compressed and condensed at a pressure higher than the saturating pressure, and this volume of steam allows the water from the iron to be pushed back into the tank, the volume being less than the volume of steam contained in the tank.

In a preferred version the hot water generator of the stand comprises a tank of water at room pressure and a pump to fill the tank from this tank.

The water filling of the ironing system can be done at any time.

The invention will be better understood by the following example and the attached drawings. Figure 1 is a schematic section through a longitudinal vertical plane of an ironing device according to the invention, with the iron on its base.Figure 2 is a schematic section through a longitudinal vertical plane of an iron according to the invention in an ironing position on a horizontal plane.

In a preferred version shown in Figure 1 the ironing device has an iron 1 and a base 2.

The generator comprises a 201 room temperature water tank with a 202 filling hole, a 203 electromagnetic vibrating electric pump capable of filling the 205 water level in a 204 water heater tank, starting from the 201 water tank. The 203 heater pump includes a water return valve. The 204 water tank is saturated with an electrical element 206 at a 207.2020 level above the 204.20 level.2020 valves allow for the regulation of the temperature in the 209.20 base and allow for the continuous regulation of the temperature of the water reservoir at the 204.20 level.

The iron 1 is placed on a face 211 of the base in an angular position that is close to the vertical. This iron is connected by the heel to the base via the hydraulic 3 and electrical connection means. The inclined position of the iron facilitates connection to the base. The structure of the iron is more detailed in Figure 2 where it is represented in the horizontal ironing position.

The sole 101 of iron 1 is in thermal connection with a heating body 102, which is a heat accumulation mass, equipped with an electric heating element 103.

The iron 1 has an internal steam generator which is a boiler consisting of a 110 tank, about 220 cubic centimeters in this example, equipped with a heating element 111 allowing the water to be heated and vaporized when the iron is on its base. The temperature of the boiler is regulated by a thermostat 112. A valve 113 allows vaporization on the laundry by releasing steam from the boiler 110 to the chamber 105 on command. A button 114 on a boiler spring 115 115 allows the control of the valve 113.

In the case of the 31st means 3 a valve 32 is pulled back to its seat by a spring and by the pressure of the boiler 110 when the connection is not made, while the same valve 32 is mechanically opened in the other case.

To operate the device, the user fills the 201 tank with water through the 202 orifice, places the iron 1 on the base against the face 211 and thereby connects the base to the base by the iron heel. The pump sets the level 205 in the 204 tank and the heating elements 207, 103, 111 are heated under control of the various regulations. The sole 101 and the heat mass 102 are heated to the user-set set temperature.

The pressure in tank 204 rising to about 2.5 bar, the water flows through means 3 into boiler 110 which it fills almost completely except for a residual volume of air 118 maintaining a high level 119. The heating element 111 then raises the pressure in iron boiler 1 slightly beyond the pressure in tank 204. This overpressure pushes the water back through means 3 into tank 204. When the water level in boiler 110 reaches the filling nozzle 117 at the end of the canular 116, the over-vapor produced in boiler 110 escapes and stops repelling the water.The position of the nozzle 117 is such that a significant amount of water remains in the 110 tank while releasing the 113 valve into a space sufficient to prevent water droplets from causing iron splashes. To this end, the 120 deflectors in the valve 113 environment can advantageously complete the device. In this example, there is then about 150 grams of water left in the 110 boiler.

The boiler 204 is compressed and the boiling water is returned to it, causing some of the saturated steam volume 210 above level 205 to condense and leaving room for the boiling water.

The user grabs the iron 1 and can iron. The sole 101 and the mass 102 being hot, it can iron dry, which consumes relatively little energy provided by the sensitive heat of the sole 101 and the mass 102. When pressing the button 114 the steam in the boiler 110 escapes with the residual air to the steam holes 104. The pressure drops in the boiler, and the water boils so as to restore the liquid steam pressure balance, although the heating tube 111 is disconnected from any electricity source. The steam is therefore produced by the water tank 110 without consuming the heat of the boiler.

At this point the iron is cooled and the pressure is relatively low in the boiler which is completely filled since the residual air has escaped, the hot water mixes with the residual water by heating it, then a further reflux occurs thanks to the additional heating by the heating element 111.

Claims (9)

1. An ironing device comprising a base (2) that generates hot water under pressure, with fluid and electrical connection means (3) for quickly connecting a cordless iron (1) to the base when the iron is placed on the base, said ironing device being characterized in that the cordless iron (1) comprises a soleplate and an internal steam generator that are thermally independent from each other, each being provided with its respective heating and regulating means.
2. An ironing device according to claim 1, characterized in that the internal steam generator of the iron is a boiler (110) consisting of a reservoir that withstands pressure, being connected to the fluid quick connection means (31) for connecting the iron with the base, and being fitted with an electrical heater element (111) and with a steam outlet valve (113)
3. An ironing device according to claim 2, characterized in that while the iron (1) is on its base (2), the internal steam generator (110) is filled with pressurized hot water, which has previously been produced and stored in the generator in the base.
4. An ironing device according to claim 3, characterized in that while the iron (1) is on its base (2), the heating system in the internal steam generator in the iron is in operation and heats the water, thereby producing steam, which increases pressure to above the level of pressure in the generator in the base, so that said pressure forces some of the water in the boiler (110) back into the base (2) down to the outlet (117) of a water admission duct in the boiler.
5. An ironing device according to claim 4, characterized in that the quick connection means (31) belonging to the iron (1) are situated in the heel of the iron and the hot water admission level in the boiler (110) on its base is defined by the end (117) of a dip tube (116) having another end connected to the fluid connection means (31).
6. An ironing device according to claim 5 characterized in that the dip tube (116) is inside the boiler (110).
7. An ironing device according to any one of claims 2 to 6, characterized in that the valve (113) serving as the steam outlet is also a valve that opens in the event of an abnormal rise in the pressure in the boiler (110).
8. An ironing device according to any preceding claim characterized in that the generator of hot water contained in the base comprises a heater tank (204) containing saturated steam (210) overlying the hot water that is kept at a substantially constant level.
9. An ironing device according to any preceding claim characterized in that the hot water generator comprises a water reservoir (201) at ambient pressure and a pump (203) for filling the tank (204) from the reservoir (201).