JPS61209700A - Steam iron - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] This bulletin contains application data before electronic filing, so abstract data is not recorded.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention] [Technical field of invention] The present invention relates to a steam iron.

[Technical background of the invention]

Generally, in a steam iron, water is dripped into a vaporization chamber on the top surface of a base that has a heater, and the steam is ejected from the jet hole on the bottom surface of the base. However, if water is dripped when the base is cold, There are problems in that the water is not completely vaporized and is ejected as water droplets from the ejection hole, or that the water remaining in the vaporization chamber corrodes the material such as aluminum alloy that forms the vaporization chamber.

Therefore, for example, as shown in Japanese Patent Publication No. 60-79, a switch device operated by a reversible bimetal installed near the vaporization chamber is provided in the water passage communicating the water tank and the vaporization chamber, and the base is closed. A device that prevents water from dripping at low temperatures has been proposed.

[Problems with background technology]

In this Nina steam iron, the reversible bimetal is placed close to the vaporization chamber, so when water starts being supplied to the vaporization chamber, the vaporization chamber is gradually cooled down.
The reversible bimetal also gradually cools down because the influence of the moisture in the vaporization chamber is stronger than the average temperature of the base, and even though the base is supplied with enough heat to vaporize by the heater, it finally cools down. There is a problem in that the reversible bimetal operates and blocks the opening/closing device, stopping the steam from blowing out.

In order to improve this drawback, for example, if the reversible bimetal is placed away from the vaporization chamber, if water starts dripping immediately after the heater is turned off, the reversible bimetal will not vaporize. Unable to sense the sudden drop in temperature in the chamber, the base is unable to stop water dripping even when it has lost most of its vaporizing ability, and water that has not been vaporized drips from the nozzle. Otherwise, water remaining in the vaporization chamber may corrode the base, making it impossible to achieve the original purpose.

In addition, as shown in FIG. 4, the position ω of the base in the vaporization chamber,
When the temperature of the base is measured at each point near the outside of the vaporization chamber and at a position Q90 one distance from the vaporization chamber, the temperature of the base is measured at the fifth point.
The humidity distribution will be different from that shown in the figure and FIG. 6. In other words, Figure 5 shows the temperature distribution of the base over time when water is dropped into the vaporization chamber while the heater is energized. ,Φ
) distribution is almost stable. In addition, Figure 6 shows the temperature distribution of the base when water is dropped into the vaporization chamber immediately after the heater power is cut off.
→Φ), and finally matches room temperature. Therefore, the ideal position for the reversible bimetal is the point (c), which indicates the average temperature of the base when steam is injected in a energized state; It is desirable to have a mouth location that can immediately sense changes in room temperature.

[Purpose of the invention]

The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned points, and aims to maintain a stable operating state when steam is ejected, and to reliably stop the supply of water when power is cut off to the heater. It is something.

[Summary of the invention]

The steam iron of the present invention includes a base having a heater and having a vaporizing chamber on the upper surface and an ejection hole communicating with the vaporizing chamber on the lower surface, a water tank provided on the upper part of the base, and a water tank in the water tank. a water passage supplying water to the vaporization chamber, a switching device for opening and closing the water passage, and a switching device disposed near the vaporization chamber of the base, the switching device being operated so as not to supply water when the humidity of the base is below a predetermined humidity. The device includes a thermally responsive member, and a heat transfer member made of a thermally conductive material that is attached to the base and thermally connects the upper surface side of the thermally responsive member to the heater portion.

[Embodiments of the invention]

Hereinafter, one embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3.

1 is a base, and a heater 2 is embedded within this base 1. Further, a vaporizing chamber 3 is formed on the upper surface of the base 1, and an ejection hole 4 communicating with the vaporizing chamber 3 is formed on the lower surface of the base 1, and the vaporizing chamber 3 is covered with a steam cover 5. ing.

A cover 6 is provided on the base 1, a heat shield plate 7 is attached to the upper part of the cover 6, and a handle 9 having a handle portion 8 integrally formed thereon is attached to the heat shield plate 7. At the same time, a cassette-type water tank 10 is removably provided at the front of the handle 9.

An operation piece 11 is attached to the front part of the handle part 8 on the upper part of the handle 9.
the lock button 12 of the water tank 10 by protruding upward.
is provided so as to be movable in the front and rear direction, and this lock button 12
A locking piece 14 is provided at the tip of the water tank 10 to lock and release the locking portion 13 provided on the water tank 10.A spring 15 is provided at the rear of the lock button 12. is always urged forward to lock the water tank 10, and the lock button 12
By sliding the locking piece 14 backward (to the right in the figure) against the spring 15, the locking piece 14 locks into the locking portion 1 of the water tank 10.
The water tank 10 can be attached and detached by detaching it from 3.

An outflow hole 1G is formed in the lower part of the water tank 10, and a valve device 17 that opens when the water tank 10 is attached to the front part of the handle 9 is installed in this outflow hole 16.

Further, an outflow hole 16 of the water tank 10 is provided in the cover 6 part.
A water guide frame 19 having a water passage 18 communicating with the water guide frame 19 is provided,
A dripping nozzle 20 facing the vaporization chamber 3 is provided at the rear of the water guide frame 19, and a valve rod 21 is provided to the dripping nozzle 20 so as to be movable up and down.
A spring 22 is attached (pull) to always bias the valve 1 upward, that is, in the opening direction of the drip nozzle 20, and an operation button 23 is provided at the upper end of the valve stem 21.

This operation button 23 is located on the upper surface of the handle 9 in front of the lock button 12. Then, by operating the operation button 23, the valve rod 21 is moved up and down to open and close the drip nozzle 20 at its lower end, thereby selecting a state such as "steam" or "dry".

A response rod 24 is provided adjacent to the valve rod 21 so as to be movable up and down, and a spring 25 is attached to the response rod 24 to urge the response rod 24 downward.
A regulating plate 2G is engaged with the upper end of 4 in the middle of the valve rod 21.
is pulled, and the spring 25 of the response rod 24 overwhelms the spring 22 and supports the valve rod 21 downward, that is, in the closing direction of the dripping nozzle 20 (=I force). This forms an opening 11'l device 27 for opening and closing the water passage 18 with respect to the vaporization chamber 3.

Further, a recess 28 is formed in the base 1 below the reaction rod 24 and in the vicinity of the vaporization chamber 3, and a reversible bimetal 29 as a thermally responsive part is provided in this recess 28. . This reversible bimetal 29 has a substantially rectangular projected shape, and one long side of the bimetal 29 has a substantially rectangular shape.
It is placed so that it covers the sides.

Further, a groove 3 is provided adjacent to one side of the groove 28 of the base 1.
3 is formed, and a temperature sensing element 34, such as a thermistor, which detects a warm claw of the base 1, is installed in this groove 33 through a heat-resistant filler so as to have good heat conduction.

A plate-shaped heat transfer member 35 made of a good thermal conductor such as aluminum is arranged over the recess 28 and the groove 33 of the base 1 and fixed with several screws 36, and the reversible bimetal 29
The temperature sensing element 34 is held, and both ends 37 of the heat transfer member 35 are brought into contact with the heater 2 section. In addition, the inner bottom surface of the four parts 28 and the heat transfer member 3
The inner and lower sides of 5 are curved to face the reversible bimetal 29 and follow the shape of the reversible bimetal 29 when the reversible bimetal 29 is inverted vertically.

The lower end of the response rod 24 passes through the center of the heat transfer member 35 and faces the upper center of the reversible bimetal 29.

A switch 38 for setting the temperature of the base 1 is provided on the upper surface of the handle 9 in front of the operation button 23, and this switch 38 is lower than the operation button 23.
Moreover, the movement is a minute vertical movement (approximately 0.5 to 3 mm)
) makes it possible to operate.

A display device 39 is provided in front of and around the switch 38 to display the temperature set by operating the switch 38. In this display device 39, a plurality of light emitting diodes 40 are arranged in a semicircular shape.

A control device 41 to which the temperature sensing element 34, switch 38 and display device 39 are connected is provided at the rear of the handle 9. This control device 41 includes an output switching circuit whose output state is sequentially switched each time the switch 38 is turned on and off, and an output of a comparison circuit including a resistor selected by the output of the temperature detection element 34 and the output switching circuit. It consists of a power control circuit that controls the supply of electricity to the heater 2.

Next, the operation will be explained.

By turning on and off the switch 38 and setting it to a desired temperature, for example, steam temperature (150 to 200 degrees Celsius), the power supply to the heater 2 is controlled, and the temperature of the base 1 reaches the set temperature until it reaches that state. is maintained.

As the temperature of the base 1 rises, the temperature of the reversible bimetal 29 also rises, reaching a temperature suitable for steam (150
~200°C), it is reversed and has a convex top shape, approaching the curved surface 35a of the heat transfer member 35, and the response rod 2
4 upward against the spring 25.

By operating the operation button 23 in this state, the valve rod 21 moves upward and the dripping nozzle 20 is opened, and the water in the water tank 10 flows from the outflow hole 16 to the water passage 18 of the water guide frame 19.
The water drips into the vaporization chamber 3 through the vaporization chamber 3, and the dropped water immediately turns into steam and is jetted out from the spout hole 4.

As this steam jetting state continues, the vaporization chamber 3
Although the temperature near the reversible bimetal 29 decreases to the return temperature of the reversible bimetal 29, the reversible bimetal 29 is supplied with heat from the heater 2 by the heat transfer member 35, so that the inverted state can be maintained. At this time, since the reversible bimetal 29 and the nail depletion detection element 34 are covered with the same heat transfer member 35, the temperature response of both becomes the same, and stable characteristics can be obtained. Further, since the surface of the heat transfer member 35 facing the inversion type bimetal 29 has a curved shape along the inversion type bimetal 29, heat can be efficiently received between the two. Therefore, the steam does not stop during use.

In this state, operate the operation button 23 again to open the valve lever 21.
When moved downward, the dripping nozzle 20 is closed and dripping stops.

Furthermore, even in the steam state as described in -1-, when the power is turned off, the heat is no longer supplied from the heat transfer member 35 to the reversible bimetal 29, so the temperature of the reversible bimetal 29 suddenly drops. decreases, the temperature becomes lower than the return temperature and it returns to its original shape, and the response rod 24 releases the spring 25.
, the valve lever 21 is pushed down, the dripping nozzle 20 is closed, and dripping is stopped.

In this way, during actual use, that is, when steam is produced with the heater 2 energized, the reversible bimetal 2
Since heat is supplied to 9 by the heat transfer member 35, the opening/closing device 270 and the dripping nozzle 20 can be kept open, and the base 1 is still hot immediately after use, that is, when the heater 2 is turned off. If steam is released into the valley,
Since the drop in temperature of the base 1 is immediately sensed and the dripping nozzle 20 of the opening/closing device 21 is closed, dripping stops while the base 1 has sufficient vaporization ability, and water that has not been completely vaporized becomes hot water. Water spouted from the spout hole 4 or remaining in the vaporizing chamber 3 will not corrode the base 1.

In this embodiment, the reversible thermally responsive member is made of a reversible bimetal, but a shape memory alloy may be used as the thermally responsive member. Further, the water tank may be of a fixed type, in addition to a cassette type one in which a film is deposited.

〔Effect of the invention〕

According to the present invention, the thermally responsive member is arranged near the vaporization chamber,
By thermally connecting the upper surface side to the Jz reheater part to the heat transfer member, the temperature of the thermally responsive member can be maintained during steam use, and its operating state can be kept stable. In a power-cut state, dripping can be stopped rapidly following the temperature drop in the vaporization chamber, resulting in safety and long service life.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a partially cutaway side view showing an embodiment of the steam iron of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a plan view of a portion thereof, and FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the section ■-■ in FIG. FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing the temperature measurement points of the base, and FIGS. 5 and 6 are temperature measurement graphs of the base. 1. Base, 2. Heater, 3. Vaporization chamber, 4. Nozzle hole, 10. Water tank, 18. Water passage, 27. Switching device, 29. Thermal response member etc. Reversible bimetal, 35...Heat transfer member. Bee and Kamo Seven AIA-

Claims (2)

[Claims] (1) A base that has a heater and has a vaporization chamber on the top surface and a jet hole that communicates with the vaporization chamber on the bottom surface, a water tank provided on the top of the base, and a water tank that supplies the water in the water tank to the vaporization chamber. a water passage for supplying water to the base, a switching device for opening and closing the water passage, and a thermally responsive member disposed near the vaporization chamber of the base to operate the switching device so as not to supply water when the base is at a predetermined temperature or lower. A steam iron comprising: a heat transfer member made of a good thermal conductor, which is attached to the base and thermally connects the upper surface side of the thermally responsive member to the heater portion. (2) The steam iron according to claim 1, wherein the heat transfer member has a surface facing the thermally responsive member curved along the thermally responsive member.