GB2305441A

GB2305441A - Ironing board attachment

Info

Publication number: GB2305441A
Application number: GB9519221A
Authority: GB
Inventors: David Roy Cox
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1995-09-20
Filing date: 1995-09-20
Publication date: 1997-04-09
Anticipated expiration: 2015-09-20
Also published as: GB9519221D0; GB2305441B

Abstract

An attachment for an ironing board comprises a board member which fits over a conventional ironing board so as to project beyond its edges to hold taut the shoulder part of a garment. The board member may be of aluminium.

Description

AN ATTACHMENT FOR AN IRONING BOARD The present invention relates to an attachment for an ironing board.

According to the invention there is provided an attachment for an ironing board, the attachment comprising a board member having an upper board surface providing in use an ironing surface and an under board surface, the board member adapted to overlie the ironing board in use and to receive on its ironing surface a garment for ironing, means being provided associated with the board member for securing the same to the ironing board and the board member including projecting portions which extend beyond the edge of the ironing board in use and which engage with portions of the garment for ironing such that a part of the garment may be restrained substantially taut between the projecting portions over the ironing surface of the board member.

The garment is preferably a torso garment such as a shirt, blouse, jacket, dress, dressing gown, vest, t-shirt, sweatshirt, jersey, sports shirt, etc. For such garments the board member of the attachment for the ironing board conveniently takes the form of a rigid flat sheet having about the same length as the usable length of the ironing board itself, but tapering outwards towards the end which in use overlies the free (pointed) end of the ironing board and shaped at that end to correspond to the shoulder part of the garment, the projecting portions of the board member defining this shoulder shape.

In more detail, the board member may take the form of an elongated pentagon or modified pentagon, preferably symmetrical about a central axis which in use overlies the central axis of the ironing board. The bare side of the pentagon lies on or close to the bare end of the usable portion of the ironing board. The opposite apex of the pentagon lies on or just beyond the free (pointed) end of the ironing board. The two side apices of the pentagon lie beyond the sides of the ironing board and define with the intermediate apex (opposite the base of the pentagon) the shoulder shape of the ironing board attachment.

More particularly, an imaginary line drawn between the two side apices subtends a relatively large obtuse angle at the intermediate apex and defines with the sides of the board member a relatively flat isoscelese triangle. The obtuse angle may suitably be in the range of about 120-170 , preferably about 150 and the height of the triangle may suitably be in the range of about 5-2046, preferably about 10-15% of the width of the board member between the two side apices. In the modified pentagonal arrangement, the outwardly tapering sides of the pentagon may for example be kinked, so adding at least two extra sides to the shape.In a preferred arrangement, each such side may be double kinked, first one way then another, so as to introduce a flat Z-configuration into the line of the side and thereby adding a total of four extra sides to the pentagon shape. In this way the shape of a shoulder may be better defined than is possible by an unmodified pentagon.

The ironing board attachment can be constructed in a variety of sizes, to suit different sizes of ironing boards and different sizes of garments.

The ironing board attachment can receive shirts and like garments, the neck and shoulders of the garment received on the apex of the board member overlying the free end of the ironing board. The sides of the board member, configured as described above, extend beyond the edges of the ironing board and engage the sleeves of the garment at the shoulders to enable the garment to be restrained taut, or even slightly stretched, for ironing.

Means for securing the board member to the ironing board suitably comprise rigid projections at the under surface of the board member which engage with the side edges of the ironing board with a releasable push fit or friction fit when the ironing board attachment is slid onto the ironing board from the free end of the ironing board.

However, any other securing means may be used, as will be apparent to one of ordinary skills in this art.

The board member of the ironing board attachment according to the invention is preferably made out of a rigid heat-resistant material such as aluminium and is suitable provided with a heat-resistant padded cover for good ironing and pressing performance.

Such covers are made analagously to known ironing board covers.

Using the ironing board attachment of the present invention, it has been found that many garments which are difficult to iron well on a traditional ironing board can be ironed and pressed with ease to a high standard.

In a modification of the invention,the attachment defined above may be permanently or semi-permanently incorporated into the actual ironing board, if this is considered desirable.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example and without limitation, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows a top view of an ironing board attachment; Figure 2 shows an underside view of the ironing board attachment of Figure 1 in position on an ironing board; Figure 3 shows a side view of the arrangement of Figure 2; and Figure 4 shows a perspective view of the attachment of Figure 1, from above and one side.

Claims

1. The ironing board attachment is designed to fit all sizes of Ironing Board, 12, 13, 14, and 15 sized boards.

2. All filll button shirts are ironed in three stages i Left hand front side ii Backofshirt iii Right hand front side Pull on shirts ie sweatshirts, T. shirts and sport tops are ironed in two stages.

i Pulled over attachment and front of garment ironed.

ii Reverse garment and iron back of T. slims, sports top and sweatshirts