EP0541383A1

EP0541383A1 - An iron with device for storing the electric cable

Info

Publication number: EP0541383A1
Application number: EP92310171A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Ian Geoffrey Wilson; Richard Lehonde Hoare
Original assignee: Sunbeam Corp Ltd; Sunbeam Corp
Current assignee: Sunbeam Corp Ltd; Sunbeam Corp
Priority date: 1991-11-08
Filing date: 1992-11-06
Publication date: 1993-05-12
Also published as: JPH05237298A

Abstract

A garment iron (10) including a rear face (14) to which there is releasably attached a cord reel (17). The cord reel (17) includes a catch to retain it in its position mounted on the rear face (14). The cord reel (17) is hollow so as to provide a cavity which receives a beaker (28) which may be used to deliver water to the water reservoir of the iron (10). During use, the cord reel (17) and beaker (28) are removed from the rear face (14) so that the iron (10) may be vertically oriented, resting on its rear face (14).

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a garment iron and more particularly to a reel to receive the electric cord of the iron.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Electrically operated irons are provided with an electric cord to extend to a power outlet. It has been known to provide the rear end of irons with means about which the electric cord may be wound for storage purposes. However, this previously known means of storing the electric cord has not been successful as the cord in essence is not retained in a coiled configuration. There has also been the need to reduce the overall length of the iron in order to ensure stability of the iron when it rests on its rear face so as to have the hot plate generally upwardly extending. If the rear of the iron is extended to accommodate the cord, the iron becomes less stable due to its height when in the rest position.
Steam irons are provided with a resevoir into which water is delivered, which water is transformed into steam during the ironing process. Frequently new irons are sold with a beaker which may be used to deliver water to the water inlet of the iron. These beakers are not physically associated with the iron and accordingly become lost.

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

It is the object of the present invention to overcome or substantially ameliorate the above disadvantages.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

There is disclosed herein a garment iron comprising:
a main body providing a handle and being equipped with a soleplate, and electrically operated means to heat the soleplate, said body having a rear face with engagable means;
an electric cord extending from said body to connect said electrically operated means to an electric supply; and
a cord reel about which said cord is wound, said reel having attachment means to releasably engage said engagable means to selectively secure said reel to said main body.
Preferably the reel would be hollow so as to provide a cavity, and a beaker is shaped to be received within said cavity.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A preferred form of the present invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a schematic parts exploded perspective view of an iron incorporating a cord reel and beaker;
Figure 2 is a schematic rear elevation of the reel of Figure 1;
Figure 3 is a schematic front elevation of the reel of Figure 1;
Figure 4 is a schematic top plan view of the reel of Figure 1;
Figure 5 is a schematic bottom plan view of the reel of Figure 1; and
Figure 6 is a schematic sectioned side elevation of the reel as illustrated in Figure 5 sectioned along the line 6-6.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

In the accompanying drawings there is schematically depicted an iron 10. The iron 10 includes a main body 11 provided with a soleplate 12 which is electrically heated. The body 11 is also provided with a handle 13 and a rear face 14. The soleplate 12 is connected to an electric cord 15, which connects the soleplate 12 to a supply of electricity.
Adjacent the rear face 14 is a lip or flange 16, which provides an engagable means to be operatively associated with a cord reel 17. The cord reel 17 has a forward flange 18 of "L-shaped" configuration so as to have a base 19 and a forwardly projecting lip 20. The flange 20 extends down the left and right hand sides of the reel 17 and is adapted to engage the flange 16 so that the reel 17 can be mounted adjacent the face 14. The flange 18 is particularly configured so that the reel 17 is coupled to the flange 16 by downward movement of the reel 17 over the rear face 14.
The reel 17 has a recess 21 which forms a loop and within which the cord 15 is wound. The rear of the reel 17 is also provided with a flange 22 so that the cord 15 has its loops sandwiched between the flanges 18 and 22.
The reel 17 is of a triangular configuration with its upper apex provided with a trough 23 having a forward aperture 24 which enables the cord 15 to enter the trough 23, and a rearward aperture 25 enabling the cord to extend downwardly from the trough 23 to a lower trough 26. The cord 15 passes through the trough 26 and then is wound around the reel 17 so that the loops are contained in the recess 21.
The reel 17 is of a hollow configuration so as to provide a central chamber 27. Locatable within the chamber 27 is a beaker 28 which is of a complementary shape to the chamber 27 and includes a recess 29 into which the trough 23 projects, and a rear recess 30 down which the cord passes to enter the trough 26. The beaker 28 may be of a "dish" configuration so as to have an open face or alternatively may be provided with a filling neck equipped with a stopper. However the preferred construction of the beaker 28 has a filling aperture 38 which inhibits storage of the beaker 28 with water in it.
Preferably the beaker 28 would "snap" fit within the chamber 27.
To secure the reel 17 in position, there is provided a catch 31. The catch 31 is formed integral with the remainder of the reel 17 and includes a lever 32 terminating at one end with a finger grip portion 33. The finger grip portion is moved in the direction of the arrow 34 to cause pivoting of the lever 32 in the direction of the arrow 35. The forward end of the lever 32 is provided with a catch member 36 having a catch lip 37. Pivoting of the lever 32 in the direction of the arrow 35 causes pivoting of the catch member 36 in the direction of the arrow 38. The lip 37 engages a lower portion of the flange 16 or an abutment especially provided. When the reel 17 is moved down the flange 16, the lip 37 is resiliently deflected rearward until the reel 17 has reached its rest position. Thereafter, the lip 37 moves into its clip engagement position. To release the reel 17, the user moves the finger grip portion 33 in the direction of the arrow 34. This then pivots the lip 37 from engagement and permits the reel 17 to be moved upward relative to the flanges 16 until the flanges 18 are disengaged therefrom. Preferably, the reel 17 would be moulded of plastics material. The beaker 28 would be also moulded from plastics material.
The above described preferred embodiment has the advantage of providing a storage for the cord 15, which storage in use will not add to the overall length of the iron body 11 so that when the iron body 11 is resting on its rear face 14, the centre of gravity of the iron body 11 is not too high. Normally in use, the reel 17 is removed together with the beaker 28. Accordingly the reel 17 is not intended to be a fixture in respect of the body 11. When the iron 10 is to be stored, the reel 17 is attached to the body 11.

Claims

A garment iron (10) comprising:
a main body (11) providing a handle (13) and being equipped with a soleplate (12), and electrically operated means to heat the soleplate (12), said body (11) having a rear face (14) with engagable means (16);
an electric cord (15) extending from said body (11) to connect said electrically operated means to an electric supply; and
a cord reel (17) about which said cord (15) is wound, said reel (17) having attachment means (18) to releasably engage said engagable means (16) to selectively secure said reel (17) to said main body (11).
The garment iron (10) of claim 1, wherein said rear face (14) is upwardly extending when said soleplate (12) is oriented horizontally, and said rear face (14) is of a rectangular configuration having two upwardly extending sides and a lower base.
The garment iron (10) of claim 2, wherein the sides of said face (14) are provided with flanges (16) providing said engagable means (16), and said reel (17) has cooperating flanges (18) providing said attachment means (18) with respect to the face flanges (16) to secure the reel (17) in position.
The garment iron (10) of claim 2, wherein said cord (15) emanates from within said body (11) at a position adjacent the apex of said face (14), and said reel (17) is of a triangular configuration of complementary shape to said face (14), and is provided with cord apertures (24,25,26) through which said cord (15) may pass, with said reel (17) having a recess (21) extending around its periphery within which the cord (15) is looped, with said apertures (24,25,26) communicating with said recess (21) to enable the cord (15) to enter and leave said recess (21).
The garment iron (10) of claim 3, wherein said reel (17) moves over said face (14) to be secured to said body (11), and said reel (17) further includes a releasable catch (31) to engage said body (11) to retain said reel (17) secured to said body (11).
The garment iron (10) of claim 1, wherein said reel (17) is hollow so as to provide a chamber (27), and there is further provided a beaker (28) shaped to be received within said chamber (27).
The garment iron (10) of claim 6, wherein said reel (17) is of a triangular configuration, and said chamber (27) is also of a triangular configuration, and said beaker (28) is of a complementary shape to said chamber (27) so as to also be of a triangular configuration.
The garment iron (10) of claim 7, wherein said beaker (28) is a snap fit within said chamber (27).
The garment iron (10) of claim 7, wherein said cord (15) emanates from within said body (11) at a position adjacent the apex of said face (14), and said reel (17) is of a triangular configuration of complementary shape to said face (14), and is provided with cord apertures (24,25,26) through which said cord (15) may pass, with said reel (17) having a recess (21) extending around its periphery within which the cord (15) is looped, with said apertures (24,25,26) communicating with said recess (21) to enable the cord (15) to enter and leave said recess (21).
The garment iron (10) of claim 9, wherein said apertures (24,25,26) include a pair of under apertures (24,25) adjacent said apex through which said cord (15) passes, and a lower aperture (26) in said base through which the cord (15) passes to enter said recess (21) to be wound around said reel (17) within said recess (21), and said beaker (28) as a recess (30) extends from adjacent said upper apertures (24,25) to adjacent said lower aperture (26) along which the cord (15) passes.
The garment iron (10) of claim 10, wherein the sides of said face (14) are provided with flanges (16) providing said engagable means (16), and said reel (17) has cooperating flanges (18) providing said attachment means (18) with respect to the face flanges (16) to secure the reel (17) in position.
The garment iron (10) of claim 11, wherein said reel (17) moves over said face (14) to be secured to said body (11), and said reel (17) further includes a releasable catch (31) to engage said body (11) to retain said reel (17) secured to said body (11).