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 base comprising a tank 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 .
• the user does not know where to put the plug when it has removed the orifice to fill the tank.
• the cap is therefore most often placed on the base, with a significant risk of falling, accentuated by the cylindrical shape of the cap which tends to roll.
• the plug can be damaged during the fall, with possible consequences on the safety of use of the device.
• an object of the present invention is to overcome these disadvantages by providing an ironing apparatus in which the risk of falling of the closure cap of the filling orifice are eliminated.
• the subject of the invention is an ironing apparatus comprising a base comprising a vessel for the production of pressurized steam provided with a filling orifice closed by a removable plug, characterized in that the apparatus comprises means link connecting the removable cap to the base when the cap is in an open position to access the filling port.
• 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 and rapid positioning of the stopper facing the filling orifice when closing the stopper.
• the cap is rotatably mounted on the articulated arm.
• the base comprises a housing enclosing the vessel for producing steam under pressure, the articulated arm being carried by the housing.
• the removable cap is immobilized opposite the filling orifice by fastening means allowing the opening and / or quick closing of the cap by rotation of the latter on less than one tower.
• the plug is coupled to the end of a pipe surrounding the filling orifice by means of a bayonet type connection.
• the cap comprises a handle projecting radially from the plug.
• the handle actuates a safety switch when the cap is properly closed.
• Such a safety switch increases the safety of use of the apparatus by preventing the operation of the apparatus and more particularly the heating of the tank when the cap is not properly closed.
• the apparatus comprises guiding means raising the end cap of its opening, when the cap is not retained on the filling port by the fastening means.
• the apparatus comprises a safety member preventing the opening of the cap when the pressure in the tank exceeds a predetermined threshold.
• 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 on this figure;
• 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.
• 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, 2mm 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 means of link 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 cap 5 is advantageously fast opening and is rotatably mounted on the arm 6 so as to be rotated by a third of a turn between an unlocked position shown in Figure 1 B and a locked position illustrated in Figure 1C.
• the plug 5 comprises a cover 50 having a substantially circular body of a diameter of the order of 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 disc 51.
• 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 of hardened stainless steel material having 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 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 achieve a bayonet type connection, the folded edge locally with 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 at the cover 50, recoil springs 54 are 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 a diameter outside corresponding substantially to the outside diameter of the gasket 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 plug is screwed onto the filler neck 4, as is illustrated in FIG. 5, the ramp 40 of FIG. the tubing extending helically so that the rotation of the jaw 53 is accompanied by an axial translation of the core 55 towards the filling orifice 3.
• the free rotation of the core 55 relative to the jaw 53 has the advantage of applying axially the seal 56 at the edge of the orifice 3 without driving the latter in rotation, which allows to significantly limit the wear of the seal 56 by friction.
• the gasket 56 is advantageously made of EPDM (Ethylene Propylene Diene Monomer) or silicone material and has a minimum height of 4 mm and preferably of the order of 10 mm, so as to be compressed, when the cap 5 is screwed on the filling pipe 4, at least 10% of its height and at most 30%, depending on the manufacturing tolerances.
• EPDM Ethylene Propylene Diene Monomer
• silicone material has a minimum height of 4 mm and preferably of the order of 10 mm, so as to be compressed, when the cap 5 is screwed on the filling pipe 4, at least 10% of its height and at most 30%, depending on the manufacturing tolerances.
• 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 filling pipe due to the pressure exerted on the plug 5.
• a diameter of 30mm of the orifice makes it possible to have 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 casing 10 and is placed at the end of the path swept by the handle 57 when the cap 5 is closed.
• An indicator 70 is associated to this safety switch 7 so as to warn the user about 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, comprising a finger 90 that can move vertically as a function of the pressure in the tank, the finger 90 passing through the housing 10 at an orifice 10A facing the opening 57A of the handle when the latter is in the closed position shown 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. Indeed, when the safety member 9 is in this position, the handle 57 is not locked in rotation by the finger 90 and can be rotated without difficulty by the user.
• the finger 90 of the safety member When the pressure difference between the tank 2 and the atmospheric pressure is greater than 0.02 bar, for example following the activation of the means of heating, 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 hole 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 opposite the window 57B, this second part 82B is advantageously red in order to alert the user to the impossibility of opening the cap 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.
• the slight rotational movement existing in the connection between the handle 57 and the jaw 53 due to the presence of the oblong holes 53B, allows not to leave the safety finger 90 under lateral stress, the return springs 54 tending to bring the handle 57 in a correct position relative to the safety pin 90. The risk that the safety pin 90 is jammed in the upper position by the lateral forces generated by the handle 57 is thus eliminated.
• 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 great ergonomics of use by ensuring the maintenance of the cap when the latter is removed from the filling orifice, thus avoiding any drop of the stopper.
• the articulated arm has the advantage of ensuring the correct positioning of the cap facing the filler neck during closing of the cap so that the risks of poor engagement of the cap are eliminated. This last characteristic is particularly important in the case of a coupling of the cap on the pipe by means of a thread, because it eliminates the risk of deterioration of the threads and blockage of the cap that can happen when the cap is not properly engaged.
• 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.
• the coupling of the plug on the filler neck can be carried out conventionally by screwing several turns of the plug instead of a bayonet connection.

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)
• Cookers (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

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Family Applications (1)

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Family Cites Families (19)

• 2006
  • 2006-03-14 FR FR0602208A patent/FR2898611B1/fr not_active Expired - Fee Related
• 2007
  • 2007-03-06 CN CN2007800091066A patent/CN101400849B/zh not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 2007-03-06 EP EP07731092A patent/EP1996759A2/de not_active Withdrawn
  • 2007-03-06 US US12/282,857 patent/US20090064545A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2007-03-06 WO PCT/FR2007/000393 patent/WO2007104847A2/fr not_active Ceased
  • 2007-03-06 RU RU2008140523/12A patent/RU2008140523A/ru not_active Application Discontinuation

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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