GB2223890A - Power socket assembly for ironing boards and other work tops - Google Patents

Abstract

A work top, typically a work bench or the pressed metal or other top or board (10) of a folding portable ironing table is provided with an electrical socket assembly (16) including a support (24) hinged to the under side of the top or board, typically to a reinforcing rib (14) thereof and carrying an electrical socket (32) provided with a flexible lead (35). Thus the socket can be swung between a stowed position at which it lies generally parallel to the under surface of the top and a use position at which it depends downwardly therefrom so that an iron or other appliance can be plugged into the socket. The support is retained at the stowed position and, preferably, at the use position by resilient tabs (28, 30) snap-engaging therewith. <IMAGE>

Description

POWER SOCKET ASSEMBLY FOR IRONING BOARDS AND OTHER WORK TOPS This invention relates to power socket assemblies for work tops i.e. tables, benches or the like forming a work surface on or in connection with which an electrical appliance is commonly employed. The invention is particularly but not exclusively applicable to ironing tables primarily for domestic use.

Portable electrical appliances such as electric irons are normally provided with a flexible lead which is not more than about 1.5 - 2 meters long as any substantially greater length is regarded as giving rise to possible hazards in use and is also inconvenient for storage for example by winding around the iron or other appliance when the latter is out of use. In an ideal world there would always be an electric socket at a convenient level close to the ironing table or other work top in its position of use but in practice, particularly in a domestic context, the main socket may be at skirting board (near ground) level and may be some distance away from a position at which the table can safely and conveniently be used.

Various proposals have been made to overcome these problems. Many users employ a flexible extension lead which plugs into the wall socket and has a socket on its end into which the iron or other appliance flexible lead is plugged. This is disadvantageous and possibly dangerous because an engaged plug and socket is left trailing, probably on the floor near to the board, where it forms an obstacle and hazard. Further, ironing is often by housewives who may have small children about them, and the e-ngaged socket and plug may be dangerous both electrically and, indirectly, particularly with an heated appliance such as an iron which may fall onto a child if the trailing flex is pulled or tripped over.

So-called ''cordlessl' irons have been proposed as a way of reducing the inconvenience and hazards of a conven:tional iron but these are mor.e-expen.siv- > to. provide and-- not al#ay#: efficient. irT 0pErrstion#, the iron normal#ly has to be returned to-a- rest station where it is "plugged into" an electrical contact arrangement for reheating, the station being built into or clamped onto the ironing table or other work top.The iron cools quite rapidly so needs constant return to the station and the latter needs to be so designed to provide a safe and positive yet speedily connected electric circuit to the iron which will stand up to quite substantial wear and tear.

A further proposal has been to provide the ironing table itself with a socket arrangement mounted at or on the rest end of the ironing board or other table top on a panel which is hinged to project upwardly therefrom in its position of use, the iron being plugged into the socket and the latter being in turn connected to the main socket by a flexible lead. This arrangement is inconvenient where the work top such as an ironing table has to be folded for stowage and its position makes it vulnerable to accidental damage in use or during stowage bearing in mind that any damage to the socket may make it electrically hazardous. It also adds to the bulk and unwieldiness of the table particularly where the latter is provided with a folding or slideaway ironing rest e.g.

the socket may have to be unclamped and removed to permit stowage, also the trailing flex of the socket is not conveniently accommodated when stored and may be left exposed in positions where it can be damaged e.g. by getting caught in and possibly pinched or severed by folding legs cf the table.

The object of the present invention is to provide a socket assembly for an ironing table or other work top which is simple and economical to provide and mount, convenient and safe in use, and neat and easy to stow with facility for storage of the flexible lead particularly when combined with a portable folding ironing table or other work top.

According to the invention a socket assembly for an ironing table board or other work top comprises a mounting for operative attachment to the undersurface of the board or other work top having a support which is hinged for movement between a stowed position at which it lies generally parallel to said undersurface and a use position at which it depends downwardly therefrom; an electrical socket, conveniently in combination with an on-off switch, carried in a housing secured to the support; whereby with the latter at the use position a plug of an iron or other appliance can be inserted in the socket below the board or other work top, and with the support at the stowed position the socket is swung up to lie against or in close proximity to said undersurface: and a clip or other releas ble or resilient retention means for holding or retaining the support positively at least at the stowed position.

The assembly may further include formations on or immediately below said undersurface in use associated with or adjacent to the mounting round which the extension lead can be wound when not in use.

The assembly may further include a clip or other releasable or resilient retention means for holding or retaining the support at the use position.

The invention further resides in a portable folding ironing table with a socket assembly as above defined on the undersurface of its board or top.

An example of the invention is now mote paricularly described with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein: Figure 1 is a fragmentary perspective view showing the underside of a portable ironing table board with a socket assembly of the invention in its condition of use; Figure 2 is a sectional view of said assembly and part of the board; and Figure 3 is a fragmentary perspective view similar to Figure 1 but showing the socket assembly in a stowed condition.

The drawings show parts of a folding portable ironing table having a pressed metål-top -4r b.oard 10 of geineural-ly conventional designt in this example including an integral iron rest portion,t2 at one end. Board -10 includes a pair of longitudinal parallel channel -section reinforcing ribs 14 along its underside and to which the folding legs (not shown) are attached.

A socket assembly indicated generally at 16 is attached to one said rib adjacent to rest portion 12.

Assembly 16 includes a mounting comprising a pressed metal formation 18 rivetted or otherwise secured to the associated rib 14 and defining a journal 20 at a lower corner of the rib in which is received a pivot pin 22 on an axis longitudinal of the board. Welded to pin 22 is a cranked support 24 formed from metal rod and shaped so that it can swing on pin 22 between a use position at which a pair of parallel limbs 26 of support 24 depend vertically downwardly of the board undersurface as shown in Figure 1 and in full lines in Figure 2, and a stowed position at which said limbs are folded upwardly to lie transversely parallel to the undersurface as shown in Figure 3 and, in broken lines, in Figure 2.

Formation 18 includes retention means comprising two pairs of opposing ears or tabs 28,30 each forming a respective clip which will snap engage with limbs 26 to releasably secure and locate support 24 at the respective positions.

Mounted on the distal end parts of limbs 26 as shown in Figures 1 and 3 is an electrical socket, in this example a standard British type 13A switched socket 32 in a housing 34 of durable electrically insulated material, the rear wall of the latter being secured to the limbs 26.

A flexible lead 35 of a substantial length extends from socket 32 to a plug, in this example a standard 13A plug 36 for connection to a fixed electrical socket e.g.

on a wall in use. The flexible lead passes through a cable strain-relief bush 38 in the rear wall of housing 34.

A pair of hook-like cable stowage brackets 40 are located on the same rib 14 as the support 24 on either side thereof, the flexible lead being wound round these when not required or possibly any surplus length of lead not needed in use being kept wound thereon so that there is not excessive trailing flex from the ironing table in use.

The socket 32 is simply swung downwards to be clipped in its use position after the table is unfolded and erected and the iron is then plugged into the socket for use. The socket is located entirely below the working surface where it is out of the way and leaves the surface and the rest portion 12 entirely unobstructed, it is well protected from impact or other damage in use and its positioning ensures that the connecting lead of the iron is not subjected to any strain or excessive wear while not restricting its movement to any part of the board surface.

With the socket in the stowed position it is substantially contained within the envelope of the pressed metal board where it is fully protected so that there is little likelihood of it or the flex being damaged as the legs are folded or when the table is put away e.g. in a cupboard or the like and the overall dimensions of the table in its folded condition are quite unaffected by the presence of the socket; The socket assembly is economical to manufacture and mount requiring few extra components and adding little to the weight of the table and it can easily be repaired or replaced or its flexible lead renewed when necessary.

It is to be understood that the invention may be employed with types of ironing board or table other than that shown, for example the board or other work top may be of timber e.g. plywood or the like in which case the socket assembly could be mounted on its underside by including a mounting bracket consisting of a short section of the channel section rib 14 screwed to. the unde-rface of; the board so that-the- same: components can be used operating in the-same way: as with the metal board.

The invention may also be ap-plied to other table# -and- work tops, particularly portable or folding benches or the like used with electrical appliances, for example workbenches used with power tools in the home workshop.

It is also to be understood that other types of socket could be readily used e.g. a continental-type electrical socket can readily be substituted for the British 13A type shown.

Claims (7)

CL#IFS

1. A socket assembly for an ironing table board or other work top comprises a mounting for operative attachment to the undersurface of the board or other work top having a support which is hinged for movement between a stowed position at which it lies generally parallel to said undersurface and a use position at which it depends downwardly therefrom: an electrical socket, conveniently in combination with an on-off switch, carried in a housing secured to the support; whereby with the latter at the use position a plug of an iron or other appliance can be inserted in the socket below the board or other work top, and with the support at the stowed position the socket is swung up to lie against or in close proximity to said undersurface: and a clip or other releasable or resilient retention means for holding or retaining the support positively at least at the stowed position.

2. An assembly as in Claim 1 including formations on or immediately below said under surface in use associated with or adjacent to the mounting round which an extension lead for operatively feed inc current to the electrical socket can be wound when not in use.

3. An assembly as in Claim 1 or 2 including a clip or other releasable or resilient retention means for holding or retaining the support at the use position.

4. A socket assembly substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings.

5. A portable folding ironing table including a socket assembly as in any preceding claim.

6. R table as in Claim 5 having a pressed metal top or board with longitudinal reinforcing ribs on its under side for attachment of folding lege, the mounting of the socket assembly beinc hinged to one of said ribs to depend downwardly therefrom at the use position and to be substantially contained within the envelope of the pressed metal top or board in t-he.stowed position.

7. A portable folding. ironing table substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings.