EP1432865B1 - Iron with an open rear cavity - Google Patents

Abstract

A pressing iron having, from bottom to top, a heating soleplate, a body delimited by an envelope that contains a water reservoir, and a gripping handle connected to the body. The reservoir is provided with a vent at the rear of the iron and at the top of the reservoir, the iron is provided with an opening situated at the front of the iron above the reservoir, and the iron further has a tube connecting the vent to the opening.

Description

The present invention relates to irons.

There is schematically and from bottom to top of the irons, a flat sole, a body envelope thermal active parts, electrical, possibly hydraulic, and a handle for handling iron.

The handle is secured to the rest of the device by clashes to the front and / or back of the iron. In the current versions, molded parts, for example, have parts of the casing body and the handle so that there is no discontinuity between the body and the handle.

The lighter irons have only one connection at the front or rear, and the handle is cantilever as in US Patent D415865, which leads to strengthening the unique binding with the body iron, and is not suitable for heavier irons.

The largest irons have a connection of the handle to the body, the front of the iron and the back. It follows that the heel of the iron takes significant proportions unsightly and expensive matter. Attempts have been made to overcome this disadvantage. US Patent D428228 shows an iron whose connection of the handle to the body is lightened. The insufficient stability of this iron placed on its heel required the addition of a ring that increases the stability polygon, but also the costs. US Patent D441929 shows an iron whose rear binding of the handle by the heel is lightened but the stability of the iron on his heel has required materialize a curvilinear polygon heel support that integrates poorly with the rest of the iron. We find such a polygon of support of the iron on his heel in many achievements like that of model DM / 046388. But these achievements solve all the better the problem of stability of the iron on his heel that the polygon obtained is large and they are insufficient to lighten the heel of iron while leaving an important place for handling. Other embodiments show iron heels having a cavity at the rear of the heel. These are often cavities required by the connection of the cordless iron on its support. But these cavities do not increase the grip space of the handle, nor do not decrease the massive aspect of the heel and its cost material.

It is known from DE 38 43 384 an iron with a reservoir and a housing disposed at the heel of the iron for storing a cup for filling the tank. However, such housing at the heel level raises the iron when it is on his heel and increases its instability.

The object of the invention below is an iron whose handle has at the back of the iron a connection to the rest of the body of the device that provides a maximum of room for the manual gripping of the iron on the handle and which allows the arrangement of a filling port of the tank facilitating the filling, while maintaining a good stability of the iron on its heel and the strength of the connection.

The object of the invention is achieved by an iron comprising from bottom to top a heating soleplate, a body bounded by an envelope, a handling handle connected by its rear end to the body of the iron, the iron also comprising a reservoir. water (10), characterized in that the rear link is mainly composed of at least two arms extending substantially symmetrically with respect to the median plane of the iron from the handle away to the body of the iron and between them an open space (7) into which opens an orifice for filling the tank.

The arms can be light, of small section, and small footprint, leaving maximum room for grip by the handle. They provide between them a space or a cavity open in the longitudinal direction towards the back on the one hand and towards the handle on the other hand. Viewed from the back of the iron, the resulting structure is substantially triangulated, which makes it very rigid, and relieves, when it exists, the front connection of the handle with the body, torsion torque induced by the hand. This structure is particularly well adapted to transmit to the iron the lateral movements of the oscillating hand in a horizontal plane.

Advantageously, the arms are arranged so as to generate with the rear of the body a support plane of the iron placed on its heel.

The iron support polygon on the heel is materialized by the arms and lower body, which gives the iron a maximum seat.

Usefully, the shape of the open space is adapted to that of a support on which it is intended to place the iron.

Thus, the support disposed on the worktop is no longer in contact with the hot sole. The materials composing the support can be more economical.

According to another version, the dimensions of the open space allow it to receive a funnel for filling a water tank of the iron.

The reservoir in the body extends from the front to the back of the device. Filling is made easier. Indeed, there is then enough room to accommodate a large funnel compared to those that can be designed at the front of the device.

The funnel is preferably higher than the tank which can not be emptied by this accessory in normal position.

In one version, the funnel is provided with a shutter.

The shutter can be for example a manual removal cap, or a tilting flap that closes, at least when the iron is disposed on its heel, so as to prevent the water tank can not come out of the funnel.

Preferably the funnel is connected to the tank at the front of the apparatus.

The binding at the front prevents the tank from emptying when the iron is placed on its heel. In this position, indeed, the water is collected near the heel. The connection of the funnel to the tank then leads to an air space and the tank can not be emptied by the connection.

• La figure 1 est une vue longitudinale d'un premier fer à repasser qui n'est pas couvert par les revendications.
• La figure 2 est une vue arrière du fer de la figure 1.
• La figure 3 est une vue longitudinale d'un deuxième fer à repasser selon l'invention, en section partielle par le plan de symétrie de l'appareil.
• La figure 4 est une vue arrière du fer de la figure 3.
• La figure 5 est une vue en perspective du projet industriel d'un troisième fer à repasser selon l'invention.
• La figure 6 est une vue en perspective du projet industriel d'un quatrième fer à repasser selon l'invention ayant un dispositif de remplissage du réservoir à l'arrière du fer.
• La figure 7 est une section schématique longitudinale du fer de la figure 6, le dispositif de remplissage étant fermé.
• La figure 8 est une section schématique longitudinale du fer de la figure 6, le dispositif de remplissage étant ouvert.
• La figure 71 est un détail agrandi de la figure 7.

The invention will be better understood from the examples below and the accompanying drawings.

• Figure 1 is a longitudinal view of a first iron that is not covered by the claims.
• Figure 2 is a rear view of the iron of Figure 1.
• Figure 3 is a longitudinal view of a second iron according to the invention, in partial section by the plane of symmetry of the apparatus.
• Figure 4 is a rear view of the iron of Figure 3.
• Figure 5 is a perspective view of the industrial project of a third iron according to the invention.
• Figure 6 is a perspective view of the industrial project of a fourth iron according to the invention having a reservoir filling device at the rear of the iron.
• Figure 7 is a schematic longitudinal section of the iron of Figure 6, the filling device being closed.
• Figure 8 is a schematic longitudinal section of the iron of Figure 6, the filling device being open.
• Figure 71 is an enlarged detail of Figure 7.

In one embodiment, which is not covered by the claims, shown schematically in FIGS. 1-2, an iron comprises a heating soleplate 1, a body 2, a handle 3. The handle 3 is connected to the body 2 at the front of the iron in known manner by a foot 4 extending one end of the handle. Advantageously, this foot 4 is hollow to contain iron members, and the walls are thin. The handle 3 is connected by the other end to the body 2 at the rear of the iron by two arms 5 extending away from the handle 3 to the body of the iron so that the resulting structure is substantially triangulated. The contour of the rear end of the handle 3, the arms 5 and the body 2, clearly visible in FIG. 2 and marked 6 in FIG. 5 of an industrial embodiment, shows a planar polygon at the rear of the iron, polygon by which the iron is supported on the worktop when it is placed on its heel outside the active ironing sequences. The arms 5 delimit between them a space 7 located between the handle 3 and the body 2, open at the front and rear, where the folded power supply cord, when it exists, can be stored.

The structure of the arms 5 makes it possible to lighten the foot 4 which does not receive torsional forces. The arms 5 can be of small section which releases the space available on the handle for handling. By moving away towards the body of the iron, the arms enlarge to the maximum the polygon of levitation of the iron resting on his heel improving his equilibrium.

Advantageously, the space 7 can be extended downwards in the body 2 at the rear of the iron as shown in Figure 5 of an industrial embodiment, which on the one hand facilitates the storage of the cord, and secondly improves the stability of the iron on his heel. Indeed an obstacle, for example a bead of laundry, being in the support polygon, finds its place in the cavity 7 and does not affect the equilibrium of iron.

The irons comprising a cord may have a cord outlet 8 conventionally located at the rear of the handle 3 as shown in FIG. 5. In the version of FIGS. 1-2, the cord outlet is advantageously implanted on the body 2 in the cavity. 7 to directly feed the active organs. The arms naturally limit the deflection of the cord at the outlet 8, which reduces the bending stresses and increases the service life. The arms eliminate any risk of hanging the cord with the handle during ironing. A notch 9 is made at the back of the iron to allow the passage of the iron cord placed on his heel.

In a cordless iron version not shown, the cavity 7 is used to receive iron connection contacts on its support. Advantageously, the contacts are arranged in the cavity 7 laterally on the arms 5 and / or on the body 2 so as not to generate a delivery force after the engagement of the iron on the support.

In an embodiment according to the invention shown in FIGS. 3-4, the iron comprises a sole 1, a body 2 containing a water reservoir 10, a handle 3 connected to the body 2 at the front of the iron by a foot 4 and the back of the iron by two arms 5 arranged as in previous versions by providing a space 7 between them. The space 7 houses a funnel 11 whose large opening 110 is directed towards the rear and whose large edge is flush with or is set back from the plane of support of the iron on its heel. The small opening 111 of the funnel 11 is directed towards the front of the iron and is connected to the front of the tank 10 by a tube 12. The tank 10 is also provided with a vent at the rear of the iron and at the top of the tank. The vent is connected by an axis tube 13 to an opening located at the front of the iron above the tank 10. The fixed funnel is housed in an extension of the body 2 in the space 7. The reservoir 10 is among others intended to contain the water of vaporization necessary for ironing.

The housekeeper can easily fill the water tank 10 by holding his iron to iron vertically, tip down, by the funnel 11 whose large section of the opening 110 is permitted by this arrangement, the back of the iron between the arms 5. The water flows into the tank 10 through the tube 12 and the air from the tank driven by the filling water escapes through the vent and the tube 13. When the housekeeper rests its iron in normal ironing position, or laying on his heel, the provision of water inlet and vent prohibited water to escape.

In a neighboring version not shown, the funnel 11 can tilt in the body 2 of the iron around a transverse axis passing through the connection of the small hole 111 to the pipe 12, and thus retract, thus freeing up the place to store the cord in space 7.

In a version similar to that of FIG. 5 and represented by FIGS. 6 to 8 and 71, the iron comprises a water reservoir 10 whose filling is effected by an orifice opening into the space 7, this orifice being provided with means of receiving and guiding the liquid through the orifice to the reservoir 10, said means passing through the orifice and being rotatable between a first open position visible in Figure 8 where the liquid can be introduced, and a second closed position visible in Figure 7 wherein said means are retracted into the reservoir 10 and provide closure of the orifice.

The means for receiving and guiding the liquid comprise a rotary shutter 20 ensuring the closure and sealing of the orifice through a seal 201 better visible in Figure 71, and a funnel-shaped 22 integral with the rotary shutter. The flap is provided with journals 202 embodying an axis of rotation substantially parallel to an edge of the filling orifice.

The funnel shape is adapted to the shape of the orifice and its axis of rotation chosen to provide a maximum water passage and have an open water inlet of the handle. To do this, the axis of rotation is horizontal, close to the edge of the rearmost orifice in the space 7.

By these means the user by opening the flap 20, which causes the funnel 22 to emerge, can easily fill its water tank. After closure of the shutter, the funnel is retracted into the tank and no longer clutter the space 7 available for other uses, to store the cord at the end of ironing for example.

As can be seen from the above, the structure of the iron according to the invention has many advantages.

Claims (10)

1. An iron comprising, from bottom to top, a heater soleplate (1), a body (2) defined by a casing, and handle (3) connected via its rear end to the body (2) of the iron, the iron further comprising a water reservoir (10), said iron being characterized in that the rear connection is mainly made up of at least two arms (5) extending substantially symmetrically about the midplane of the iron and diverging from the handle (3) to the body (2) of the iron, and providing between them an open space (7) in which an outlet opens out for filling the reservoir.
2. An iron according to claim 1, characterized in that said filling orifice is provided with receive and guide means for receiving the liquid and guiding it through the orifice towards the reservoir (10).
3. An iron according to claim 1 or claim 2, characterized in that said filling orifice is at the end of a funnel (11).
4. An iron according to claim 3, characterized in that said orifice of the funnel is directed towards the front of the reservoir and is connected to the front of the reservoir via a tube (12).
5. An iron according to claim 3 or claim 4, characterized in that the funnel (11) is provided with closure means.
6. An iron according to any one of claims 3 to 5, characterized in that the funnel (11) is connected via a duct (12) to the reservoir (10) at the front of the appliance.
7. An iron according to claim 2, characterized in that said receive and guide means pass through the orifice and mounted to pivot between an open first position in which the liquid can be fed in, and a closed second position in which said means are retracted into the reservoir (10) and close the orifice.
8. An iron according to claim 7, characterized in that the receive and guide means for receiving and guiding the liquid comprise a pivotally-mounted flap (20) closing and sealing the orifice, and a funnel-shape (22) integral with or secured to the pivotally-mounted flap.
9. An iron according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that said reservoir (10) is provided with a vent at the back of the iron and at the top of the reservoir, said vent being connected via a tube (13) to an opening situated at the front of the iron above the reservoir (10).
10. An iron according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the arms (5) are disposed in a manner such as to co-operate with the back of the body (2) to generate a support plane for the iron standing on its heel.

Images