EP0439224A2

EP0439224A2 - Operating device for small household appliances having handles of holdable type

Info

Publication number: EP0439224A2
Application number: EP91200086A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Fermo Rigamonti
Original assignee: Ome Srl
Current assignee: Ome Srl
Priority date: 1990-01-25
Filing date: 1991-01-18
Publication date: 1991-07-31
Also published as: IT9020494U1; IT9020494V0; IT223907Z2; EP0439224A3

Abstract

The invention refers to a new device capable of allowing the electric current to pass or be interrupted to the electric motor working small household appliances of the type constantly held by the user and operated by the pressure of the hand exerted on the outside part of the handle of the appliance, the handle being able to open and close enough to allow the contacts of a microswitch arranged inside the handle to connect or separate.

Description

Small household appliances for various purposes such as hairdryers, mixers carpet sweepers etc are well known and widerspread they are all provided with a plug connecting to an electric socket having an electric cord which before being connected to the driving motor of the aplliance it refers to fixed contact to a current switch working by pushbutton or lever. The present invention refers to a new type of device which allows or interrupts the current flow of the motor driving small household aplliances and precisely those that are constantly handled by the user such as hair dryers mixers, polishers vacuum cleaners or mechanisms operating regulating steam flow in irons etc.
The invention consists in having foreseen the connection of the two parts of the casing constituting the external body of the appliance by means of a hinge so allowing the two corresponding parts of the handle to meet or separate rather than having the parts fixed together and using a microswitch instead of a regular trumbler switch of the known type to interrupt the electric flow coming from the plug of the appliance, said microswitch being contained inside the handle of the appliance and operated by the pressure of the hand practised on the outer part of the handle capable of opening and closing enough to allow the contacts of said microswitch arranged inside the handle to connect or separate.
The invention will be better understood with the description of an example of realization meant to be exemplifying and not limiting in any way illustrated in the enclosed drawing showing a hair dryer. It is however obvious that the invention with the name criteria can be applied to any kind of household appliance constantly held by the user. The drawings represent:

fig. 1 the device at rest and therefore with the microswitch open
fig. 2 the device when working and therefore with the microswitch closed.

With reference to figs 1 and 2, 1 shows a hairdryer made up by an external casing having two parts 2 and 3 of moulded material containing in its upper part the electroventilator and the heating battery not illustrated in the drawings considering that they are well known in the field.
The realization according to the invention foresses that the two parts of the external casing are not fixed together but connected at the top by means of a hinge 4 the inside part of the handle according to the invention is shaped foreseeing:

in the half part 3 of the casing: a hollow space 5 to house microswitch 6; a projecting body 7 to house a screw 8; and a second flat body 9.
in the half part 2: a reentering cavity 10 having a hole at its inside base which is slightly bigger than that of the protruding body 7 but inferior to that of the cavity 10 so as to form a shoulder against which rests a washer 11 arranged between the projecting body 7 and the screw 8; a second projecting body 12 in axis with the flat shaped projecting body 9; a button 13 placed in correspondance to the push button of the microswitch 6.

The device is completed with a held by one of the two parts 3 constituting the body of the appliance having edges of a shape and size fit to cover the inferior tooth of the half part 2 even when the two half parts are in a separated position.
With these parts so arranged, the two half parts can rotate around the hinge 4 and assume when necessary the position of fig. 1: half parts separated in correspondance to the handle and consequently are opened the contacts of the microswitch; and respectively of fig. 2: half parts connected and consequently the contacts of the microswitch closed. The "off" position, that of fig. 1 which involves the two half parts separated and the contacts of the microswitch opened, in obtained due to the opening of the handle of the half part 2 operated by the same spring contained in the microswitch 6, as shown in the example here illustrated, or foresseing the application of a spring in the handle of the two half parts 2 and 3 in a fit position which has the function of keeping the two half handles 2 and 3 separated.
The functioning is evident: to make the appliance work it is sufficient to exent pressure on the handle enough to win the contrary pressure exerted by the spring of the microswitch 6 or inserted in the handle of the appliance, so as to close the contacts of the microswitch giving with this operation voltage to the operating device of the appliance and viceversa diminish same pressure so as to allow the spring to separate the two halves of the handle and open the contacts of the microswitch.

Claims

Operatign device for small household appliances of the holdable type containing an electric switch in correspondance to the entry of the electric cord of the same, characterized by the fact that the two halves 2 and 3 making up the external casing of the appliance are connected by a hinge so that the two corresponding parts making up the handle can separate or meet and that instead of trumbler switch of the known type is used a microswitch 6 which is contained in a proper housing 5 obtained from the inside part of the halves of the handle 3 of the appliance operated by the pressure exerted by the hand on the outside part of the two halves of the handle 2 and 3 which are capable of opening and closing enough to separate or connect the contacts of said microswitch 6.
Device according to claim 1 characterized by the fact that the same spring contained in the microswitch can be sufficient to keep the two halves of the handle separated and consequently the contacts of the microswitch open.
Device according to claim 1, characterized by the fact to keep the two halves of the handle separated and consequently the contacts of the microswitch closed one can use a spring properly housed in a part of the handle.
Device according to claim 1/2/3 characterized by the fact that the cord guide 15 is fixed to one of the handles and shaped so as to cover the corresponding edges of the other half of the handle even when it is in an open position.