WO2011076546A1 - Electrical steam iron and valve - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to an electrical steam iron (33) comprising a water tank (4) for receiving water and a tank vent (8) for venting the water tank (8), said water vent having a valve (34) that has a valve body (30) mounted in a valve housing (14) which contacts a valve seat (20) in a sealing manner upon filling of the water tank (4) and thus closes the tank vent (8), wherein a hollow chamber (32) is formed in the water tank (4) at maximum fill level and the tank vent (8) is opened at least in a vertical rest position of the steam iron (33), wherein the valve (34) has a fluid opening (16) which protrudes into the hollow chamber (32) in the vertical rest position and a valve (34) for said type of steam iron (33). The present invention is particularly suitable for the reliably compensating pressure of a water tank of an electrical steam iron both in a vertical rest position and in a horizontal operating position and for secure filling the water tank.

Description

 description

Electric steam iron and valve

The present invention relates to an electric steam iron according to the preamble of claim 1 and a valve for such a steam iron, wherein the steam iron has a water tank for receiving water with a tank vent for venting the water tank having a valve with a valve body mounted in a valve body , which rests sealingly on a valve seat when filling the water tank and thus controls the tank ventilation, wherein at maximum filling a cavity is formed in the water tank and at least in a vertical rest position of the steam iron, the tank ventilation is turned on.

Known electric steam irons have a heatable sole, a water tank for holding water, and a steam chamber operatively connected to the sole and the water tank for generating and storing water vapor. When heating the steam iron is formed in the water tank, an overpressure, which is discharged in known steam irons via an overflow or a tank vent in the region of its filling opening.

In this regard, for example, from US 4,688,340 A a travel steam iron is known, which has a valve for opening and controlling the tank filling a water tank, wherein the valve comprises a valve housing in which a valve seat is formed and a valve body is mounted.

In particular, in steam irons, the filling opening is arranged in a rear housing portion, such a vent can not be realized. In the German patent application DE 10 2007 060 191 A1 of the Applicant is therefore proposed to provide the water tank on the housing side with an air-permeable and waterproof membrane that allows pressure equalization or pressure reduction in the water tank to the outside environment. Likewise, the Applicant is known an electric steam iron with a rear filler opening having a valve-controlled tank vent. According to FIG. 1, such a steam iron 1 with a heatable sole has at least one housing 2, a water tank 4 and a steam chamber 6. In the water tank 4 a tank vent 8 is arranged, which essentially comprises a valve 10 and a valve 10 connected to the valve 10 the outside environment opening vent line 12 has.

The valve 10 is arranged in a front region of the water tank 4 remote from the filling opening and has a valve housing 14 with a fluid opening 16 and a connecting piece 18 for connecting the venting line 12. Between the fluid opening 16 and the connecting piece 18, a valve seat 20 is formed. The valve housing 14 has a cross-section widened housing portion 22 which defines the fluid opening 16 frontally, a cross-section tapered housing portion 26 for forming the connecting piece 18 and between these two housing sections 22, 26 arranged cone-shaped transition section 28, on the inner circumference of the valve seat 20 is formed. In the querschnittserweiterten housing portion 22, a ball-like valve body 30 is arranged, which preferably consists of a metallic base material and alone due to its weight in abutment with the valve seat 20 can be brought.

As shown in Fig. 1, when filling the water tank 4, the valve body 30 sealingly on the valve seat 20, so that the valve 10 is closed and the inflowing water through the filling opening can not flow through the tank vent 8. After filling, the filling opening is closed and the steam iron 1 is, as shown in Fig. 2, rotated by 180 ° on its rear, the filling opening receiving housing section turned off. In this case, a cavity 32 filled with air is formed in a front region of the steam iron 1 above a water line. In this vertical or almost vertical rest position of the valve body 30 rests on a water tank side console 24 and the tank vent 8 is turned on. This is problematic in that when heating the steam iron 1 in this rest position water enters via the fluid opening 16 in the querschnittserweiterten housing portion 22 and flow through the valve seat 20 into the vent line 12 and thus can escape from the water tank 4. The object of the present invention is to provide an electric steam iron which overcomes the aforementioned drawbacks and which, when heated in a vertical rest position, reliably prevents water leakage from the water tank, as well as to provide a valve for such a steam iron.

This object is achieved by an electric steam iron with the features of patent claim 1 and by a valve for such a steam iron with the features of claim 1. Advantageous embodiments and further developments are the subject of the respective dependent claims.

An electric steam iron according to the invention has a water tank for holding water and a tank vent for venting the water tank. The tank vent has a valve with a valve body mounted in a valve body, which rests sealingly when filling the water tank to a valve seat and thus the tank venting is heading. In a vertical rest position of the steam iron, a cavity is formed at maximum filling in a front region of the water tank and turned on the tank ventilation. According to the invention, the valve has a Fluidoffnung, which projects into the vertical rest position in the cavity. The positioning of the Fluidoffnung in the cavity prevents that when heating the steam iron on the opened valve water can flow into the tank vent. Depending on the arrangement of the fluid opening in the cavity, more water can be introduced into the water tank. Pressure equalization takes place directly between the air in the cavity and the air of the outside environment. As the steam iron heats up, the waterline can rise without the risk of water leaking out of the tank vent as the fluid vent protrudes far into the cavity.

In a preferred embodiment, the Fluidoffnung is formed by a tubular air passage, which is in fluid communication with a remote from the Fluidoffnung breakthrough of the valve housing. This allows at least the sections circumferentially integration of the air duct in the valve housing, whereby the valve is compact executable. Preferably, the air duct extends in or nearly in the vertical direction of the parked in his vertical rest position steam iron. As a result, the greatest possible distance of the fluid opening from the waterline can be achieved with the smallest possible axial length of the air duct. The compactness of the valve can be increased if the air duct and the valve housing have approximately the same lengthwise extension.

In one exemplary embodiment, the opening is formed in a section of the valve housing that widens in cross-section with respect to an opening cross-section of the valve seat. The cross-sectional widening of the valve housing is used in particular for receiving the valve body in the vertical rest position of the steam iron and allows a trouble-free pressure equalization of the steam iron during heating, since the valve body is arranged virtually outside a forming during pressure equalization flow path in the valve.

The opening is preferably formed circumferentially in the valve housing. In this way, the air channel can be closed at its end remote from the fluid opening end portion together with the cross-sectional widened valve housing portion of a single end-side closure element.

In order to allow a pressure equalization of the water tank even in a working or ironing position of the steam iron, the tank vent is designed such that in about or in a horizontal position of the steam iron air over the tank vent between the water tank and the outside environment can be replaced. Accordingly, the breakthrough is so circumferentially arranged in the valve housing or has such a cross-sectional area that it can not be controlled by the valve body.

An inventive valve for opening and closing a tank ventilation of a water tank of an electric steam iron with a valve housing in which a valve seat is formed and a valve body is mounted, according to the invention has a snorkel-like air channel for forming a fluid opening. The air channel allows the positioning of the fluid opening in a region away from the valve housing, so that, for example, even air can flow through the valve in a vent line when the valve housing including the valve seat and the valve body are under water and only the fluid opening is located above the waterline.

The present invention is particularly suitable for reliable pressure equalization of a water tank of an electric steam iron both in a vertical rest position and in a horizontal working position and for safe filling of the water tank.

Other advantageous developments of the present invention are the subject of further subclaims.

In the following, a preferred embodiment of the invention is explained in more detail with reference to schematic representations. Show it:

1 shows a longitudinal section through a front region of a known steam iron in a filling position,

 2 shows a longitudinal section of the known steam iron of FIG. 1 in a vertical rest position, FIG.

 3 shows a longitudinal section through a front region of a steam iron according to the invention in a filling position,

 Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section through the steam iron of Fig. 3 in a vertical rest position, and

 Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a valve according to the invention shown in Figs. 3 and 4.

FIG. 3 shows an electric steam iron 33 according to the invention with a rear filling opening, not shown, in a filling position. In this position, the steam iron 33 is supported in principle perpendicular to its sole tip, not shown, so that the filling opening facing upward. The steam iron 33 has at least one casing 2, a water tank 4 accommodated in the casing 2, a tank vent 8 disposed in the water tank 4, and a steam chamber 6. In addition, the steam iron 33 has a heated sole, not shown, and corresponding control devices such as a temperature selector switch for, for example, setting a desired water temperature and steam amount.

The tank vent 8 has a valve 34 arranged in a front region of the steam iron 33 or water tank 4 and a vent line 12 connected to the valve 34, which opens into the outside environment in a rear housing section of the steam iron 33.

The valve 34 is oriented in the longitudinal direction of the steam iron 33 and has a cup-shaped valve housing 14 with a cross-section widened tubular housing portion 22, a cross-section tapered tubular housing portion 26 and a cone-like transition section 28 interconnecting the two housing sections 22, 26 The cross-section tapered housing section 26 has a transversely extending connecting piece 18 for connecting the vent line 12. The querschnittserweiterte housing portion 22 serves to receive a spherical valve body 30 and is on its front side facing away from the valve seat 20 free end portion closed by a plate-like closure member 36. For simplified positioning of the closure element 36, this has an axial flange 38, which projects into the end section and is located peripherally in contact therewith.

The valve body 30 has a spherical shape and consists at least partially of a metallic material or a corresponding alloy. It is freely movable in the cross-sectional widened housing portion 28 and is brought into contact with the valve seat 20 only by virtue of its weight force or removed therefrom. In the filling position shown in FIG. 3, the valve body 30 sealingly rests on the valve seat 20, so that the valve 34 is closed and the water flowing into the water tank 4 can not escape via the tank vent 8. The querschnittserweiterte housing portion 22 is opened via a lateral opening 40 in the direction of an air channel 42 which is at least partially integrated laterally into the valve housing 14 and extending in the vertical direction of the parked in its vertical rest position steam iron 33. The air channel 42 is designed like a tube with two end sections 44, 46, wherein the end section 44 near the break-through is closed by the closure element 36 at the end and the end section 46, which is open at break-through, defines an end-side fluid opening 16. The air duct 42 and the valve housing 14 have approximately the same axial extension, wherein in the embodiment shown here in the rest position shown in Figure 4, the fluid opening above the valve seat 20 and the connecting piece 18 is arranged.

After filling the steam iron 33, the filling opening is closed and the steam iron 33 is transferred to its vertical rest position shown in Fig. 4, in which it is parked on its rear housing portion and points with its sole tip upwards. At maximum filling of the water tank 4 above a water line in the front region of the water tank 4, an air-filled cavity 32 is formed. The valve body 30 rests on the closure element 36 and the valve seat 20 is opened, so that a pressure equalization between the water tank 4 and the outside environment can take place via the tank ventilation 8. In order to prevent water from flowing out of the water tank 4 via the tank vent 8 during heating of the steam iron 33 or during pressure equalization, the position of the fluid opening 16 in the water tank 4 is selected such that it projects far into the cavity 32.

It can be done even in the unlikely event of ingress of water through the fluid port 16 into the air passage 42 and thus into the valve housing 14, the pressure equalization between the water tank 4 and the outside environment, since the valve body 30 is heavier than water and thus not on the water can float and can be brought into contact with the valve seat 20.

In a horizontal working position, not shown, of the steam iron 33, the cavity 32 is increased due to the water discharged into the steam chamber 6, which requires the subsequent flow of outside air. This happens because the fluids 16 also disposed above the now forming waterline and the valve body 30 is spaced from the valve seat 20 and thus the valve 34 and the tank vent 8 is turned on, allowing air circulation between the water tank 4 and the outside environment.

FIG. 5 shows a perspective view of the valve 34 according to the invention shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. As has already been explained above, this has a valve housing 14 with a cross-sectional widened housing section 22, a cross-sectionally tapered housing section 26 and between these two housing sections 22, 26 The transition section 28 serves to form the non-visible valve seat 20, which is up or is zuusteuerbar via a mounted in the cross-section enlarged housing portion 22 spherical valve body 30. In the region of the cross-sectionally tapered housing section 26, a connecting piece 18 for connecting a venting line 12 is formed in the transverse direction.

In addition, the valve 34 has a longitudinally extending snorkel-like air passage 42 integrally formed with the valve housing 14 and defining a fluid port 16 disposed above the port 18. The cross-section widened housing portion 22 and the air duct 42 are closed at the end via a closure element 36, wherein their interiors are laterally connected via an aperture 40, not shown, (see Figures 3 and 4) in operative connection.

Disclosed is an electric steam iron 33 with a water tank 4 for receiving water and with a tank vent 8 for venting the water tank 8, which has a valve 34 with a valve housing 14 mounted in a valve body 30 which sealingly when filling the water tank 4 to a valve seat 20 and thus the tank vent 8 is headed, wherein at maximum filling a cavity 32 is formed in the water tank 4 and at least in a vertical rest position of the steam iron 33, the tank vent 8 is opened, wherein the valve 34 has a fluid port 16 which in the vertical Rest position in the cavity 32 projects, and a valve 34 for such a steam iron 33rd LIST OF REFERENCES

steam iron

 casing

 water tank

 steam chamber

tank ventilation

Valve

vent line

valve housing

fluid opening

spigot

valve seat

cross-sectionally wider housing section console

cross section tapered housing section cone-shaped transition section

valve body

cavity

steam iron

Valve

closure element

axial flange

breakthrough

air duct

end

end

Claims

claims An electric steam iron (33) with a water tank (4) for receiving water and with a tank vent (8) for venting the water tank (4) comprising a valve (34) with a valve body (30) mounted in a valve housing (14) which, when filling the water tank (4) sealingly against a valve seat (20) and thus the tank vent (8) is headed, with a maximum filling a cavity (32) in the water tank (4) is formed and at least in a vertical rest position the steam iron (33) the tank vent (8) is controlled, characterized in that the valve (34) has a Fluidoffnung (16) which projects in the vertical rest position in the cavity (32). 2. Electric steam iron (33) according to claim 1, wherein the fluid opening (16) is formed by a tubular air duct (42) which is located at a distance from the Fluidoffnung (16) remote opening (40) of the valve housing (14) in fluid connection stands. 3. Electric steam iron (33) according to claim 2, wherein the air channel (42) is at least partially circumferentially integrated into the valve housing (14). 4. An electric steam iron (33) according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the air passage (42) extends in the rest position in the vertical direction. 5. Electric steam iron (33) according to claim 2, 3 or 4, wherein the air duct (42) and the valve housing (14) have approximately an equal longitudinal extent. 6. Electric steam iron (33) according to one of claims 2 to 5, wherein the opening (40) in a relation to an opening cross section of the valve seat (20) enlarged cross-section portion (22) of the valve housing (14) is formed. 7. Electric steam iron (33) according to claim 6, wherein the opening (40) is formed circumferentially in the valve housing (14). 8. Electric steam iron (33) according to one of claims 2 to 7, wherein the air duct (42) at its end remote from the fluid opening (16) end portion (44) and the cross-sectional widened valve housing portion (22) of a front-side closure element (36) are. 9. Electric steam iron (33) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein in the vertical rest position, the valve body (34) is mounted in the cross-sectional widened valve housing portion (22). An electric steam iron (33) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein in a horizontal operating position of the steam iron (33), air is exchangeable through the tank vent between the water tank (4) and an outside environment. 1 1. Valve (34) for opening and controlling a tank vent (8) of a water tank (4) of an electric steam iron (33) with a valve housing (14) in which a valve seat (20) is formed and a valve body (30) is mounted , characterized in that the valve housing (14) with a snorkel-like air passage (42) for forming a fluid port (16) is connected.