EP2126189B1 - Steam iron with tank including overpressure safety device - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a steam iron that comprises a housing including a tank (5) above a heating body and a safety device that protects the tank (5) against overpressure, the heating body (3) comprising a vaporization chamber supplied with liquid from the tank (5) by a supply circuit, characterized in that said supply circuit includes a member (93) extending inside the tank (5) and having an opening (12) blocked by a valve (94A), said valve (94A) opening a passage through said opening (12) when the pressure inside the tank (5) reaches a predetermined value.

Description

The present invention relates to steam irons comprising a body enclosing a tank surmounting a heating body and relates more particularly to an iron comprising a tank provided with a safety device against overpressures, these overpressures can in particular be generated by raising the temperature of the reservoir when the supply sluice of the vaporization chamber and the filling orifice of the reservoir are closed.

It is known from the document GB 597,209 , a steam iron having a body enclosing a water tank surmounting a heating body and a vent device to prevent the pressure in the tank is too important. In this document, the outlet of the vent is provided with a deflector to prevent the steam generated in the tank is projected on the hands.

However, such a vent has the disadvantage of allowing water from the tank to escape through the vent during ironing. In addition, in the case of a rise in the temperature in the tank, the vapor and water projections through the vent remain dangerous and are poorly perceived by the user.

Thus, the object of the present invention is to overcome these disadvantages by providing an iron with a reservoir provided with a safety device against deletions that is simple and economical to achieve. Another object of the present invention is to provide a safety device which lets steam escape in the direction of the vaporization chamber when the tank is overpressurized so as to allow the evaporation of any water droplets and the evacuation of the steam through the holes of the sole.

The object of the invention is achieved by a steam iron comprising a housing enclosing a tank surmounting a heating body and a safety device protecting the tank against overpressure, the heating body comprising a vaporization chamber supplied with liquid from the reservoir by a supply circuit, characterized in that the supply circuit comprises an element extending inside the reservoir and having an opening closed by a valve, the valve releasing a passage through the opening when the pressure inside the reservoir reaches a predetermined value.

Such a characteristic makes it possible, by a simple and inexpensive means, to diffuse the steam from the tank under overpressure towards the vaporization chamber so that the vapor escapes progressively through the steam outlet holes of the sole, without risk. projection of droplets of boiling water, the latter being vaporized in the vaporization chamber.

According to another characteristic of the invention, the supply circuit connects a pump, or a plug drop, to the vaporization chamber.

According to another characteristic of the invention, the supply circuit connects a manual pump to the vaporization chamber, the pump being equipped with a non-return valve, the opening being disposed downstream of the non-return valve.

According to another characteristic of the invention, the element comprising the opening closed by the valve is a connecting sleeve of the output of the pump.

According to another characteristic of the invention, the valve is formed by a wall capable of elastically deforming when the pressure inside the reservoir reaches the predetermined value.

According to yet another characteristic of the invention, the wall is carried by a rubber body.

According to another characteristic of the invention, the rubber body is a seal.

• la figure 1 est une vue de côté, en partie en coupe, d'un fer à repasser à vapeur selon un mode particulier de réalisation de l'invention ;
• la figure 2 est une vue en perspective, en partie arrachée, du fer à repasser de la figure 1 ;
• la figure 3 est une vue en perspective de la pompe manuelle du fer de la figure 1 ;
• la figure 4 est une vue en perspective partiellement éclatée de la pompe de la figure 3
• la figure 5 est une vue de détail, agrandie, de la zone de sortie de la pompe représentée à la figure 2, la pression dans le réservoir étant inférieure au seuil d'ouverture du clapet;
• la figure 6 est une vue de détail, en coupe, de la zone de sortie de la pompe lorsque la pression dans le réservoir dépasse le seuil d'ouverture du clapet.

The aims, aspects and advantages of the present invention will be better understood from the description given below of a particular embodiment of the invention presented by way of non-limiting example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which :

• the figure 1 is a side view, partly in section, of a steam iron according to a particular embodiment of the invention;
• the figure 2 is a perspective view, partially broken away, of the iron from the figure 1 ;
• the figure 3 is a perspective view of the manual pump iron of the figure 1 ;
• the figure 4 is a partially exploded perspective view of the pump of the figure 3
• the figure 5 is an enlarged detail view of the outlet area of the pump shown in FIG. figure 2 , the pressure in the reservoir being lower than the opening threshold of the valve;
• the figure 6 is a detail view, in section, of the outlet zone of the pump when the pressure in the tank exceeds the opening threshold of the valve.

Only the elements necessary for the understanding of the invention have been represented. To facilitate the reading of the drawings, the same elements bear the same references from one figure to another.

The figures 1 and 2 represent a steam iron comprising a housing 1 provided with a handle 1A, the housing 1 surmounting a sole 2 in thermal conduction with a heating body 3 whose temperature is regulated by a thermostat 4.

According to these figures, the casing 1 typically encloses a reservoir 5 serving to supply a first vaporization chamber 6 through a drip-shaped plug, not shown in the figures, the vapor thus produced escaping through orifices. 2A output of the sole.

The tank 5 is provided with a filling orifice which is masked by a hatch 7 disposed on the front face of the iron ensuring a tight closure of the filling orifice, the hatch 7 being able to swing about an axis 7A towards a position open, represented in dotted lines on the figure 1 , to allow the filling of the tank 5.

The iron comprises, in a manner known per se, a first manual pump 8, masked on the figures 1 and 2 , for sending water from the tank 5 towards a spray nozzle 8A disposed on the front face of the iron, this pump 8 being actuated by the user by means of a button, not visible in the figures, arranged in front of the handle 1A.

The iron also comprises a second manual pump 9 supplied with water from the reservoir 5 and operable by the user by means of a button 9A, each pulse on the button 9A for sending a predetermined volume of water into a second chamber of vaporization 11 allowing the production of a surplus of steam during ironing.

In accordance with Figures 3 and 4 these two manual pumps 8, 9 are carried by the same body 10 disposed in the chamber of the tank 5, this body 10 having two cylinders in parallel in which slides a piston secured to an actuating rod 80, 90, each rod being brought upwards by a spring 81, 91.

These two pumps 8, 9 respectively comprise an inlet duct 82, 92 whose end is conventionally equipped with a ball valve allowing the introduction of water into the body 10 during the rise of the piston and prohibiting the passage of the water through the inlet duct 82, 92 during the descent of the piston.

The inlet duct 92 of the second pump 9 is advantageously connected to a tube, not shown in the figures, opening at the rear of the tank 5 so that the pump 9 remains supplied with water when the iron is arranged vertically, for example. example to smooth the curtains.

In accordance with Figures 3 to 6 , the first pump 8 comprises an outlet conduit 83 opening laterally to the body 10 and the second pump 9 has an outlet orifice 9B provided with a connection sleeve 93 opening vertically to the base of the body 10.

The connecting sleeve 93 receives a seal 94, advantageously made of silicone or neoprene material, providing a tight connection with a feed tube 95 opening above the second vaporization chamber 11, at a second level. seal 96, visible on the figures 1 and 2 .

In order to prevent the vapor produced in the second vaporization chamber 11 goes up in the second pump 9, the outlet 9B is provided with a ball valve comprising a ball 97 brought against the outlet orifice 9B by a spring 98 extending between the ball 97 and the seal sealing 94.

More particularly according to the invention, the supply circuit of the second vaporization chamber 11 comprises a safety device protecting the reservoir against the deletions that could occur if the temperature rose significantly in the tank 5 while the bushel drip was closed as well as the hatch 7 of the tank.

This safety device is constituted by an opening 12 closed by a valve capable of releasing a passage through said opening 12 when the pressure inside the reservoir 5 reaches a predetermined value.

In accordance with Figures 5 and 6 , the opening 12 is carried by the connecting sleeve 93 of the second pump 9 and the valve is advantageously constituted by a wall 94A forming an integral part of the seal seal 94. The wall 94A extends to the upper end of the seal 94, to come in front of the opening 12, and inside the connecting sleeve 93 by marrying the cylindrical shape of the inner bore of the latter.

For example, the opening 12 of the connection sleeve 93 has the shape of a square of 2 mm side and the wall 94A has the shape of a tongue with a thickness of the order of 0.4 mm, a height of about 3 mm and a width of about 3 mm gradually decreasing from the base of the tongue to its free end.

Such a wall has the advantage of ensuring a tight closure of the opening 12 when using the second pump 9 for the production of steam, the vapor pressure generated in the second vaporization chamber 11 tending to maintain the wall 94A applied against the edges of the opening 12 thus ensuring perfect vapor tightness, as illustrated in FIG. figure 5 .

Conversely, when the iron is used as a dry iron with the drip plug closed and the heating of the tank 5 causes a rise in pressure by a predetermined value, for example of the order of 5 to 30 mbar, then the pressure applied on the wall 94A is such that the latter is deformed towards the inside of the connecting sleeve 93 thus allowing the air and the possible droplets of water to escape towards the second vaporization chamber 11, as well as that this is illustrated by the arrows on the figure 6 .

Any water droplets carried by the steam are then completely vaporized in the vaporization chamber 11, and the steam escapes gradually through the outlet holes 2A of the sole, without surprising the user.

Of course, the invention is not limited to the embodiment described and illustrated which has been given by way of example. Modifications are possible, particularly from the point of view of the constitution of the various elements or by substitution of technical equivalents, without departing from the scope of protection of the invention.

Thus, in an alternative embodiment, the opening may be made on the conduit connecting the connection sleeve of the pump to the second vaporization chamber.

Claims (7)

1. A steam iron comprising a housing (1) containing a reservoir (5) above a heating body (3) and a safety device protecting the reservoir (5) against overpressure, the heating body (3) comprising a vaporisation chamber (11) supplied with liquid from the reservoir (5) by a supply circuit, characterised in that said supply circuit comprises an element (93) extending inside the reservoir (5) and comprising an opening (12) blocked by a valve (94A), said valve (94A) opening a passage through said opening (12) when the pressure inside the reservoir (5) reaches a predetermined value.
2. An iron according to claim 1, characterised in that said supply circuit connects a pump (9), or a drop-by-drop body, to the vaporisation chamber (11).
3. An iron according to claim 2, characterised in that said supply circuit connects a manual pump (9) to the vaporisation chamber (11), said pump (9) being equipped with a check valve (97, 98) and in that said opening (12) is positioned downstream of the check valve (97, 98).
4. An iron according to claim 3, characterised in that said element comprising the opening (12) blocked by the valve (94A) is a connector sleeve (93) of the outlet of the pump (9).
5. An iron according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterised in that said valve is formed by a wall (94A) being able to elastically deform when the pressure inside the reservoir (5) reaches said predetermined value.
6. An iron according to claim 5, characterised in that said wall (94A) is supported by a rubber body (94).
7. An iron according to claim 6, characterised in that said rubber body is a seal (94).

Images