Classifications

• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F22—STEAM GENERATION
  • F22B—METHODS OF STEAM GENERATION; STEAM BOILERS
  • F22B1/00—Methods of steam generation characterised by form of heating method
  • F22B1/28—Methods of steam generation characterised by form of heating method in boilers heated electrically
  • F22B1/284—Methods of steam generation characterised by form of heating method in boilers heated electrically with water in reservoirs
• • D—TEXTILES; PAPER
  • D06—TREATMENT OF TEXTILES OR THE LIKE; LAUNDERING; FLEXIBLE MATERIALS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • D06F—LAUNDERING, DRYING, IRONING, PRESSING OR FOLDING TEXTILE ARTICLES
  • D06F75/00—Hand irons
  • D06F75/08—Hand irons internally heated by electricity
  • D06F75/10—Hand irons internally heated by electricity with means for supplying steam to the article being ironed

Definitions

• the present invention relates to an ironing apparatus comprising a vessel for the production of steam under pressure and relates more particularly to an ironing apparatus in which the tank is provided with a filling orifice closed by a removable plug.
• an object of the present invention is to overcome these disadvantages by providing an ironing apparatus with a quick-opening cap providing great ergonomics of use. Another object of the present invention is to provide an ironing apparatus with improved safety.
• the subject of the invention is an ironing apparatus comprising a vessel for the production of pressurized steam provided with a filling orifice closed by a removable plug, characterized in that the plug is immobilized opposite the filling port by fastening means allowing the opening and / or quick closing of the cap by rotation of the latter on less than one turn.
• the plug is coupled to the end of a pipe surrounding the filling orifice by means of a bayonet-type fastener, the plug comprising a jaw comprising claws coming to engage under ramps formed at the end of the tubing .
• the diameter of the filling orifice is between 20 mm and 40 mm.
• the tank, the filler neck and the jaw are made of stainless steel.
• the filling pipe and the stainless steel jaw are surface treated by being covered with Teflon or immersed in a bath comprising tin.
• Teflon or immersed in a bath comprising tin.
• the sealing of the plug is performed by means of a seal carried by a core which is rotatable relative to the plug jaw.
• a seal carried by a core which is rotatable relative to the plug jaw.
• the seal of the cap is made by means of a seal having a height, in the direction of compression, greater than 4mm.
• the seal is made of silicone or Ethylene Propylene Diene Monomer material.
• Such a characteristic makes it possible to have a seal having a good elasticity and a high resistance to steam.
• the apparatus comprises a base enclosing the tank and connecting means connecting the cap to the base when the cap is in an open position allowing access to the port of filling.
• the connecting means are constituted by an articulated arm connecting the plug to the base.
• Such an arm has the advantage of ensuring the correct positioning of the stopper facing the filling orifice when closing the stopper.
• the cap comprises a handle projecting radially from the body of the cap.
• the handle actuates a safety switch when the cap is properly closed.
• Such a feature increases the safety of use of the apparatus by preventing the operation of the apparatus and in particular the activation of the heating means of the tank when the cap is not properly closed.
• the apparatus comprises, at the end of the opening stroke of the cap, guide means raising the cap when the latter is no longer retained on the filling orifice by the fastening means .
• Such guiding means allow to create a lifting torque of the plug at the end of its opening so as to counteract any suction effect of the plug created by a depression inside the tank.
• the apparatus comprises a safety member preventing the opening of the cap when the pressure in the tank exceeds a predetermined threshold.
• the safety member comprises a finger inserted into the handle when the pressure in the tank exceeds a predetermined threshold and there is provided a clearance in the attachment of the jaw relative to the handle.
• the security organ cooperates with a pressure indicator lever.
• FIGS. 1A to 1C are perspective views of a base of an ironing apparatus according to a particular embodiment of the invention, the closure cap being shown in different positions in these figures;
• FIG. 2 represents an exploded perspective view of the closure cap coming opposite the filling orifice of the tank of the apparatus of FIGS. 1A to 1C, the housing of the apparatus not being shown in this FIG. ;
• FIG. 3 is another perspective view, partially exploded, of the closure cap of Figure 2;
• FIG. 4 is a view from above of the apparatus of FIG. 1C;
• FIG. 5 is a section along the line V-V of Figure 4.
• FIG. 6 and 7 show a sectional view of the base of the apparatus along the line VI-VI of Figure 4, when the interior of the vessel is respectively at atmospheric pressure and under pressure.
• FIGS. 1A to 1C show an ironing apparatus comprising a base 1 comprising a housing 10 enclosing a steam generating tank 2, visible in FIG. 2.
• the tank 2 conventionally comprises heating means allowing the production of steam under a maximum pressure of the order of 4.5 bar and a solenoid valve intended to be connected to an iron by a cord, not shown in the figures.
• the tank 2 is advantageously made of stainless steel material with a thickness of 1, 2 mm and has a filling orifice 3 around which is welded a filling pipe 4 closed by a removable cap 5.
• the apparatus comprises connecting means 6 connecting the plug 5 to the base 1 when the plug 5 is open to allow access to the filling orifice 3.
• these connecting means are constituted by an articulated arm 6 connecting the plug 5 to the housing 10.
• the articulated arm 6 When the cap 5 is open, the articulated arm 6 is brought back by a return spring 60, visible in FIG. 2, in a substantially vertical position illustrated in FIG. 1A, in which the articulated arm 6 is immobilized by an end stop. race.
• the articulated arm 6 comprises an elongate body 61 of substantially rectangular cross-section, which is provided at one of its ends with a hinge pin 62 pivotally mounted at the edge of the housing 10, another end supporting a circular ring 63 receiving the cap 5.
• the stopper 5 is a quick-opening stopper, the opening of which is effected by rotation of the stopper on less than one turn and preferably by rotation of the stopper between 1/8 and 1/2 of a turn, to have a great ergonomics of use.
• the plug is rotatably mounted on the arm and is rotatable one-third of a turn between an unlocked position shown in Figure 1B and a locked position shown in Figure 1C.
• the plug 5 comprises a cover 50 having a substantially circular body of a diameter of about 6 cm to cap the ring 63, the upper edge of the latter comprising a restricted diameter forming a shoulder 63A under which is engaged a
• the disk 51 pivots inside the circular ring 63 and has a peripheral edge whose upper surface comes close to the shoulder 63A of the circular ring.
• the disc 63 and the cover 50 are made of polyamide material and are secured to one another by assembly pins 52, carried by the disc 51, which are fitted into tubes 50A carried by the cover 50.
• the coupling of the plug 5 on the filler neck 4 is provided by a jaw 53 made of hardened stainless steel material with a thickness of 2.6 mm which is disposed between the cover 50 and the disc 51.
• the jaw 53 comprises two symmetrical claws 53A passing through two lateral indentations 51A of the disc and engaging under ramps 40 formed by a folded edge at the end of the filler neck 4 to make a bayonet type connection, the folded edge locally comprising two cutouts 41 for the passage of the claws 53A.
• the claws 53A of the jaw and the ramps 40 of the stainless steel tubing are covered with Teflon or treated by immersing in a tin bath, then optionally covered with a varnish, to promote sliding during the opening or closing of the cap 5.
• the jaw 53 has two oblong holes 53B in which two assembly pins 52 are inserted so that the rotation of the cover 50 causes the jaw 53 to rotate, the oblong holes 53B allowing a slight rotational movement of the jaw 53 relative to to the cover 50, return springs 54 being provided to bring the jaw 53 into abutment against one end of the oblong holes 53B.
• the disk 51 has a central opening 51 B surrounded by a peripheral sleeve in which is inserted a central core 55 of brass, the upper end of the central core 55 being inserted in a central opening 53C of the jaw 53.
• the core 55 has a first shoulder 55A bearing against the edge of the central opening 53C of the jaw and has a groove 55B receiving an elastic ring 58 axially locking the jaw 53 on the core 55, the core 55 being able to rotate freely relative to the jaw 53.
• the lower part of the core 55 receives an annular seal 56 which is engaged elastically in a groove delimited in its upper part by a second shoulder 55C, the latter having an outer diameter corresponding substantially to the outside diameter of the seal 56.
• Such a shoulder 55C makes it possible to press the annular seal 56 against the edge of the filling orifice 3 when the jaw 53 of the stopper is screwed onto the filler neck 4, as is illustrated in Figure 5, the ramp 40 of the tubing extending helically so that the rotation of the jaw 53 is accompanied by an axial translation of the core 55 to the orifice 3.
• the free rotation of the core 55 relative to the jaw 53 has the advantage of axially applying the seal 56 at the edge of the orifice 3 without causing the latter to rotate, this which makes it possible to considerably limit the wear of the seal 56 by friction.
• the seal 56 is advantageously made of silicone or of EPDM material (Ethylene Propylene Diene Monomer) and has a minimum height of
• the filler neck 4 is provided with an opening 42, or a lateral notch, for evacuating any overflow of water present in the filler neck.
• the filling orifice 3 advantageously has a diameter of between 20 mm and 40 mm, and preferably of the order of 30 mm, so as to allow filling or rapid emptying of the tank 2 without, however, having excessive forces on the ramps 40 of the filler pipe due to the pressure exerted on the cap 5.
• a diameter of 30mm of the orifice 3 allows a filling or a drain of 1 liter of water in 6 seconds.
• the lid 50 comprises a handle 57 extending radially, the lateral face of the handle 57 coming to actuate a safety switch 7 preventing the activation of the heating means of the tank 2 when the plug 5 is not perfectly closed.
• This safety switch 7 shown in dashed lines in FIGS. 1A to 1C, is carried by the housing 10 and is arranged at the end of the course of the swept path. by the handle 57 when closing the cap 5.
• An indicator 70 is associated with this safety switch 7 so as to warn the user on the state of the safety switch 7 and thus on the correct closure of the plug 5 .
• the handle 57 incorporates a pressure indicator formed by a lever 8 pivoting inside the body of the handle 57 about an axis 80, this lever 8 having a rounded end 81 coming opposite an opening 57A made in the bottom wall of the handle 57 and an indicator surface 82 moving opposite a window 57B made in the upper surface of the handle.
• This lever 8 is intended to cooperate with a safety member 9 carried by the tank 2, the safety member comprising a finger 90 passing through the housing 10 at an orifice 10A located opposite the opening 57A of the handle when the latter is in the closed position illustrated in Figure 1C.
• FIG. 6 illustrates the position of the safety member 9 when the pressure difference between the tank 2 and the atmospheric pressure does not exceed 0.02 bar.
• the safety member 9 is then in the low position in which the end of the finger 90 of the safety member is flush with the upper surface of the housing 10.
• the lever 8 present in the handle occupies then a first position in which it is brought by gravity. In this position, the lever 8 is abutted against the bottom wall of the handle 57, the rounded end 81 of the lever then being inside the orifice 57A so that a first zone 82A of the indicator surface 82 is next to window 57B.
• this first portion 82A of the indicator surface 82 is green to indicate to the user that it can open the cap 5.
• the finger 90 of the safety member When the pressure difference between tank 2 and atmospheric pressure is greater than 0.02 bar, for example following the activation of the heating means, the finger 90 of the safety member is moved upwards as shown in Figure 7. In this position, the finger 90 of the safety member is engaged in the orifice 57A of the handle 57, preventing any rotational movement of the plug 5.
• the insertion of the finger 90 through the orifice 57A is accompanied by the pivoting of the lever 8 in a position in which a second portion 82B of the indicator surface 82 is facing the window 57B, this second portion 82B is preferably red in color so as to alert the user to the impossibility of opening the plug 5 due to the excessive vapor pressure prevailing in the tank 2.
• the user is then obliged to wait until the pressure in the tank 2 drops below the threshold of 0.02 bar to open the cap.
• This drop in pressure occurs naturally when the temperature of the tank 2 drops and can be accelerated by the user by actuating, for example, the trigger for sending steam equipping the iron.
• a ramp 10B disposed at the end of the rotary opening stroke of the cap 5.
• This ramp 10B has a height of about 3mm which ensures the lifting and pivoting of the handle 57 and therefore the seal 56 during the rotation of the cap 5 for its opening, creating a vent of the tank 2.
• Such a device has the advantage of providing a very great ergonomics of use by allowing the quick opening of the cap for filling the tank while having a very high safety of use.
• the central core is hollow and comprises a central cavity closed by a wall ensuring the sealing of the plug.
• the central cavity may receive, in a manner known per se, a safety valve subjected to the pressure of the tank by means of an orifice made in the wall.
• This safety valve may for example be calibrated to open beyond 6 bars of pressure so as to prevent any regulation fault of the heating means of the tank.

Landscapes

• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Textile Engineering (AREA)
• Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
• Sustainable Development (AREA)
• Sustainable Energy (AREA)
• Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Thermal Sciences (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Pressure Vessels And Lids Thereof (AREA)
• Irons (AREA)
• Cookers (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

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Family Applications (1)

Country Status (6)

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Family Cites Families (20)

• 2006
  • 2006-03-14 FR FR0602207A patent/FR2898610B1/fr not_active Expired - Fee Related
• 2007
  • 2007-03-06 EP EP07731090A patent/EP1996758A2/de not_active Withdrawn
  • 2007-03-06 CN CNA2007800088415A patent/CN101400848A/zh active Pending
  • 2007-03-06 RU RU2008140522/12A patent/RU2008140522A/ru not_active Application Discontinuation
  • 2007-03-06 WO PCT/FR2007/000391 patent/WO2007104846A2/fr not_active Ceased
  • 2007-03-06 US US12/282,873 patent/US20090084006A1/en not_active Abandoned

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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