EP3088599B1 - Household ironing appliance comprising a steam generator provided with a discharge opening - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to an ironing appliance comprising a housing containing a steam generator having a drain orifice for the removal of scale and relates more particularly to an apparatus comprising a removable cap accessible from the outside of the housing , coming to close the drain orifice, and comprising a cover that hides the plug.

It is known, from the demand EP 1 764 438 and certain apparatuses sold commercially, ironing appliances comprising a housing enclosing a tank for the generation of pressurized steam connected by a cord to an iron, the tank comprising a drain orifice, allowing the removal of scale closed by a removable cap accessible from the outside of the housing. In such devices, the cap is generally made of metal, to withstand the high temperatures prevailing in the tank, and is screwed on the drain hole. To prevent the user from being burnt by touching the metal part of the plug, the latter may be provided with a plastic part which is generally overmolded on the plug, such a plastic part may advantageously have a shape adapted to facilitate handling of the plug. plug.

Such an overmolded cap, however, has the disadvantage of being relatively expensive to manufacture. Moreover, with such a cap provided with a molded plastic part, the risk remains that the user burns if he touches the plastic part of the cap during operation of the device because it is in direct contact with the party metal and its temperature rise gradually during the operation of the device.

To overcome these disadvantages, it is known to cover the metal cap with a removable plastic cover which is fixed on the housing and no longer on the metal cap, such an independent plastic cover having the advantage of being inexpensive to produce and to ensure better thermal insulation.

However, such a removable plastic cover has the disadvantage of being easily lost and uncomfortable to use so that the device is often used without the cover, with a risk of burn if in contact with the cap.

Also, an object of the present invention is to overcome these disadvantages by providing an appliance with improved safety and ergonomics of use.

To this end, the subject of the invention is an appliance for ironing comprising a housing containing a steam generator comprising a drain orifice for the removal of scale, a removable cap to close the drain orifice, accessible from the outside the housing, and a cover hiding the cap, characterized in that the cover is secured to the housing by a hinge, the cover can occupy a closed position in which it masks the cap and an open position in which it releases the access to the cap.

Such a cover has the advantage of reducing the risk of burn when it occupies the closed position by preventing direct contact with the cap. In particular, the heat transfer between the cap and the cover is slowed by the fact that these two parts are constituted by two separate parts so that there is a thermal brake at the junction between these two parts even if they are in contact one from the other.

According to another characteristic of the invention, the cover is made of plastic material, advantageously polypropylene, the hinge being obtained directly from molding with the cover.

Such a technical solution has the advantage of being very economical to implement. In addition, such a technical feature reduces the manufacturing cost of the device by reducing the number of assembly operations.

According to yet another characteristic of the invention, at least part of the housing is obtained directly from molding with the cover and the hinge.

According to yet another characteristic of the invention, the cover and the hinge are obtained directly from molding with a lower shell defining the base of the case.

According to yet another characteristic of the invention, the hinge is disposed under the drain orifice, the cover in the open position extending under the outlet of the drain orifice and having a hollow shape which collects the liquid flowing out. through the drain hole.

Such a characteristic makes it possible to use the cover in the open position as a collector of the liquid flowing from the drain orifice, which makes it possible to prevent the liquid from spilling uninhibitedly along the housing, by messy, and does not enter the device.

According to yet another characteristic of the invention, in the closed position, the cover extends substantially vertically in front of the stopper and, in the open position, the cover comprises a free end, disposed opposite the hinge, which is inclined towards the bottom.

According to another characteristic of the invention, the cover comprises a cavity in which the stopper engages when the cover occupies the closed position, the cavity comprises a bottom wall bordered by a peripheral wall comprising a discharge opening, the opening being advantageously raised with respect to the bottom wall.

Such a feature allows the cache to be used as a pipe guiding the liquid from the drain port to a sink. In addition, such a cache also makes it possible to better visualize the quantity of tartar flowing through the drain orifice, the major part of the scale being trapped in the cavity before flowing through the discharge opening.

According to yet another characteristic of the invention, the hinge is bistable, the hinge being able to occupy a first stable position in which the cover occupies the closed position and a second stable position in which the cover occupies the open position.

Such a characteristic makes it possible to obtain very good ergonomics of use, the hinge ensuring automatic positioning of the cover in both positions.

According to another characteristic of the invention, the hinge generates a pair of recall on the cache whose direction reverses when passing from an intermediate position between the closed position and the open position, the return torque tending to bring the cover to the closed position when the cover is in a first angular range included between the intermediate position and the closed position and tending to return the cover to the open position when the cover is in a second angular range between the intermediate position and the open position.

According to another characteristic of the invention, the hinge comprises a membrane arranged longitudinally between two rectilinear parts defining the axis of rotation of the hinge, the membrane having an almond-shaped shape, with two curvilinear edges joining at the end of the rectilinear parts, the membrane deforming by seeing its curvature reverse when moving the cover between the open position and the closed position.

According to another characteristic of the invention, when the cover occupies the open position, the membrane has a concave upper surface.

Such a feature allows the hinge to channel water flowing from the drain port to the cover.

According to another characteristic of the invention, when the cover occupies the closed position, it is separated from the plug by a layer of air.

Such a characteristic makes it possible to further improve the thermal insulation between the plug and the cover.

According to another characteristic of the invention, the steam generator is constituted by a tank for generating steam under pressure which is connected by a cord to an iron.

• la figure 1 est une vue en perspective d'un appareil de repassage selon un mode particulier de réalisation de l'invention, avec le cache de l'orifice de vidange représenté en position fermée ;
• la figure 2 est une vue en perspective, partiellement éclatée, de la base génératrice de vapeur équipant l'appareil de la figure 1, le cache étant représenté en position ouverte ;
• la figure 3 est une vue en perspective de la base de la figure 2 une fois assemblée, le cache étant représenté en position ouverte avec le bouchon retiré de l'orifice de vidange de la cuve ;
• la figure 4 est une vue de détails, de dessous, du cache équipant l'appareil de la figure 1 ;
• la figure 5 est une vue en coupe selon la ligne V-V de la figure 4 ;
• les figures 6 et 7 sont des vues de détails, en perspective, du cache respectivement en position ouverte et en position fermée.

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 perspective view of an ironing apparatus according to a particular embodiment of the invention, with the cover of the emptying orifice shown in the closed position;
• the figure 2 is a perspective view, partially exploded, of the steam generating base equipping the apparatus of the figure 1 , the cover being represented in open position;
• the figure 3 is a perspective view of the base of the figure 2 once assembled, the cover being shown in the open position with the cap removed from the emptying hole of the tank;
• the figure 4 is a detail view, from below, of the cache equipping the apparatus of the figure 1 ;
• the figure 5 is a sectional view along line VV of the figure 4 ;
• the Figures 6 and 7 are detailed views, in perspective, of the cache respectively in the open position and in the closed position.

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 figure 1 represents an ironing apparatus of the steam generator type, typically comprising an iron 1 and a steam generating base 2 connected to the iron 1 by a bead 3 allowing the transfer of steam from the base 2 to the iron 1, the base 2 being electrically powered by means of a cable, not shown in the figures.

The base 2 generating steam comprises, in a manner known per se, a housing 20 enclosing a water tank 21 provided with a filling orifice 21A and a tank 4 for generating steam under pressure, represented in dashed line on the figure 1 . The tank 4 comprises a heating resistor 40 in the shape of a U, arranged under the bottom of the tank 4, which is regulated to allow the production of steam under a maximum pressure of the order of 4 to 6 bars, the tank 4 being fed in water tank by a supply pipe 41 connected to a pump, not shown in the figures.

The tank 4 also comprises a steam outlet orifice equipped with a solenoid valve 44 connected to the iron 1 by a steam duct integrated in the cord 3, the solenoid valve 44 being controlled at the opening by a button 10 arranged under the handle of the iron 1.

As can be seen on the figure 2 , the housing 20 is made by assembling plastic parts obtained by molding and it comprises in particular a lower shell 20A, opaque polypropylene, which is surmounted by an intermediate shell 20B, also opaque polypropylene, and a upper shell 20C transparent or translucent polypropylene. The intermediate shells 20B and 20C upper are advantageously assembled to one another by overmolding a polypropylene seal, and they have complementary shapes forming between them a space defining the reservoir 21, the latter extending along the periphery of the housing 20.

The lower shell 20A has a main body 22 which forms a base supporting the tank 4, the latter comprising a lateral opening which communicates with a rigid conduit having an axial end provided with a drain hole 42 closed by a removable metal cap 43.

As can be seen on the figures 2 and 3 , the emptying orifice 42 opens on a lateral face of the casing 20 at an arch 23 formed in the intermediate shell 20B and in the upper shell 20C, the lower shell 20A comprising, facing this arch 23, a support protruding comprising a cradle 24 which is positioned under the conduit comprising the emptying orifice 42 and guarantee the correct positioning of the latter.

The lower shell 20A also has a cover 5 which is connected to the main body 22 of the lower shell 20A by a hinge 6 obtained directly from the molding with the main body 22 and the cover 5, the hinge 6 being constituted by an area where the material thickness is reduced.

In accordance with Figures 4 to 7 , the hinge 6 is advantageously arranged at the lower end of the cover 5 so that the latter can occupy a closed position, illustrated on the figures 1 and 7 , in which the cover 5 is arranged substantially vertically, by masking the plug 43 fixed on the emptying orifice 42, and occupy an open position, illustrated in particular on the figures 2 , 3 and 6 , in which the cover 5 is tilted downwards, forming an angle of the order of 45 ° relative to the horizontal, so as to release access to the closure cap 43, the cover 5 then extending under the outlet of the drain port 42.

As can be seen on the figure 5 , the hinge 6 comprises a rectilinear portion 60 at each of its longitudinal ends which defines the axis of rotation of the hinge 6, these straight portions 60 being advantageously constituted by a film of material having a thickness of the order of 0.4mm.

The hinge 6 also comprises a membrane 61 in the general shape of almond which is disposed between the two rectilinear parts 60, the membrane 61 comprising two curvilinear edges 62 joining at one end of the rectilinear parts 60. The membrane 61 is advantageously constituted by a film of material thickness of the order of 0.5 mm and has a curved shape deforming when the cover 5 moves from the open position to the closed position, the membrane 61 preferably having a concave shape when the cover 5 is in the open position .

The hinge 6 thus produced has the advantage of generating a return torque which, when the cover 5 is brought manually from the open position to the closed position, is opposed initially to the movement of the cover towards the closed position and tends to bring it back to the open position, this return torque to the open position corresponding to a first phase of deformation of the membrane 61. This first phase of deformation takes place until the cover 5 reaches an intermediate position where the curvature of the membrane 61 is reversed, and the return torque exerted by the latter, so that the cover 5 is then automatically returned to the closed position, the membrane 61 then having a convex shape.

As can be seen on the figure 6 , the cover 5 has a hollow shape and comprises a cavity 50 having a bottom wall 51 having a shape complementary to that of the arch 23 and a peripheral wall 52 that engages an edge 25 of the housing 20 delimiting the arch 23, the edge 25 comprising two symmetrical lateral bosses 26 engaging resiliently in two grooves 53 formed on the peripheral wall 52 when the cover 5 occupies the closed position.

The peripheral wall 52 has, at the free end of the cover 5 located opposite the hinge 6, a through opening 54 which allows the flow of any liquid present in the cavity 50 when the cover 5 is in the open position, the housing 20 comprising a locking tab 27, located at the top of the arch 23, which engages in the through opening 54 when the cover 5 occupies the closed position.

The advantages of the cache thus realized will now be described.

When the user wishes to use the apparatus, he places the cover 5 in the closed position, illustrated on the figure 7 , by lifting and pressing on the cover 5 so that the lateral bosses 26 and the locking tab 27 carried by the housing 20 engage by elastic deformation respectively in the grooves 53 and the opening 54 through the cache 5.

The apparatus can then be used without risk of burning the user, the metal plug 43 closing the emptying orifice 42 being then masked by the cover 5. In particular, in the closed position, the cover 5 has the advantage of not being in thermal contact with the metal cap 43, but is instead separated from the latter by a layer of air, so that the temperature of the cache 5 remains very low, even after a long period of use of the 'apparatus.

When the user wishes to perform a cleaning of the tank 4 to remove scale, or because it is invited by a light indicator on the device, or because he wants to ensure the cleanliness from the tank 4, it brings the device to the edge of a sink after ensuring that the device was stopped long enough for its tank 4 to be at room temperature.

The user then unlocks the cover 5 by pressing with the thumb on the locking tab 27 inserted in the opening 54 through the cover 5 and pulling laterally on the top of the cover 5 so that the lateral bosses 26 disengage. grooves 53.

Once the cover 5 has been unlocked, the user manually moves the cover 5 towards the open position, the membrane 61 of the hinge 6 then deforming at first by generating a return torque which opposes the movement of the cover 5 to the open position. When cache 5 reaches the intermediate position where the curvature of the membrane 61 is reversed, the return torque generated by the membrane 61 changes direction and the cover 5 is then automatically brought into the open position, illustrated on the figures 3 and 6 .

The user then has access to the cap 43 and can unscrew the latter by means of a screwdriver or a coin. When the plug 43 is extracted, the liquid contained in the tank 4 flows through the emptying orifice 42, taking with it any tartar particles present in the bottom of the tank 4.

This liquid then flows by gravity into the cavity 50 of the cover 5, then into the sink passing through the opening 54 formed at the free end of the cover 5, the latter then acting as spout. During this emptying operation, the cover 5 has the advantage of channeling the liquid coming from the emptying orifice 42, thus preventing liquid from flowing anarchically along the housing 20 of the apparatus, with the risk of getting inside the latter.

In addition, the cover 5 also has the advantage of allowing a better visualization of the scale particles exiting through the emptying orifice 42 so that the user can better appreciate the scaling state of the tank 4 and space in consequence the emptying operations. In particular, the opening 54 through the cover 5 may advantageously be located slightly back from the bottom wall 51 so as to result in a step to retain any tartar particles flowing with the water of the vessel 4. The through opening 54 may also be equipped with a filtering grid in order to retain the larger scale particles in the cavity 50 of the cover 5 and thus be able to establish more precisely the scaling state of the tank 4.

Once this emptying operation has been carried out, the user can screw the cap 43 onto the drain orifice 42 and then manually bring the cover 5 into the closed position, the membrane 61 of the hinge 6 then deforming at first by generating a return torque that opposes the movement of the cover 5 to the closed position. When the cache 5 reaches the position intermediate where the curvature of the membrane 61 is reversed, the return torque generated by the diaphragm 61 changes direction and the cover 5 is then automatically brought into the closed position.

This provides a device providing great ergonomics of use, the bistable character of the hinge 6 equipping the cover 5 having the advantage of facilitating the manipulations necessary for emptying, automatically bringing the cover 5 is in the open position to accompany the flow of the liquid leaving the drain orifice 42, or in the closed position to avoid contact with the stopper 43.

Finally, the apparatus thus produced has the advantage of having a cover 5 which is captive, whose hinge 6 is of high mechanical strength and which is directly integrated in the molding with a constituent element of the housing so that the necessary operations to the assembly of the device are reduced.

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.

In an alternative embodiment not shown, the cache may be devoid of an orifice for the flow of the liquid and include only a form of spout at the edge of the cache.

Claims (9)

1. Domestic electric ironing appliance comprising a housing (20) containing a steam generator comprising a drain orifice (42) enabling fur to be discharged, a removable plug (43) closing said drain orifice (42), accessible from outside the housing (20), and a cover (5) masking said plug (43), characterised in that the cover (5) is secured to the housing (20) by a hinge (6), the cover (5) being able to occupy a closed position in which it masks the plug (43) and an open position in which it releases access to the plug (43).
2. Domestic electrical appliance according to claim 1, characterised in that the cover (5) is made from plastic material, advantageously polypropylene, and in that the hinge (6) is obtained directly by moulding with the cover (5).
3. Domestic electrical appliance according to claim 2, characterised in that at least one part (20A) of the housing (20) is obtained directly by moulding with the cover (5) and the hinge (6).
4. Domestic electrical appliance according to either claim 2 or claim 3, characterised in that the hinge (6) is disposed under the drain orifice (42) and in that the cover (5) in the open position extends under the outlet of the drain orifice (42), the cover (5) having a hollow shape that collects the liquid flowing through the drain orifice (42).
5. Domestic electrical appliance according to claim 4, characterised in that, in the closed position, the cover (5) extends substantially vertically in front of the plug (43) and in that, in the open position, the cover (5) comprises a free end, disposed opposite the hinge (6), which is inclined downwards.
6. Domestic electrical appliance according to claim 5, characterised in that the cover (5) comprises a cavity (50) in which the plug (43) comes to engage when the cover (5) occupies the closed position, the cavity (50) comprising a bottom wall (50) bordered by a peripheral wall (52) comprising a pouring opening (54).
7. Domestic electrical appliance according to any of claims 1 to 6, characterised in that the hinge (6) is bistable, the hinge (6) being able to occupy a first stable position in which the cover (5) occupies the closed position and a second stable position in which the cover (5) occupies the open position.
8. Domestic electrical appliance according to claim 7, characterised in that the hinge (6) generates a return torque on the cover (5), the direction of which reverses on passing from a position intermediate between the closed position and the open position, the return torque tending to bring the cover (5) towards the closed position when the cover (5) is situated in a first angular range lying between the intermediate position and the closed position and tending to return the cover (5) to the open position when the cover (5) is situated in a second angular range lying between the intermediate position and the open position.
9. Domestic electrical appliance according to any of claims 1 to 8, characterised in that the steam generator consists of a vessel (4) for generating pressurised steam that is connected by a pipe (3) to an iron (1).

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