GB2414488A

GB2414488A - Steam generating iron

Info

Publication number: GB2414488A
Application number: GB0515434A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Kai Tung Augustine Fung
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2002-12-31
Filing date: 2003-12-31
Publication date: 2005-11-30
Anticipated expiration: 2023-12-31
Also published as: AU2003300213A1; GB2414488B; GB0515434D0; WO2004061193A1; FR2849453A1; DE20321040U1; AU2003303572A1; FR2849453B1; WO2004061192A1; CN1756868A

Abstract

The inventive steam generating iron comprises a sole plate (10) consisting of a heating surface provided with orifices (44), at least one heating element, a control unit making it possible to produce pressurised steam through said orifices and water vaporisation units consisting mainly of a steam generator which is formed by plurality of vaporisation chambers (26,28,30,32,34, 36) beginning with the first chamber where a predefined quantity of water is introduced with the aid of the control unit in such a way that at least the part thereof is vaporised, to the end chamber (42) provided with the orifices. Each chamber is connected to the following chamber by means of a calibrated channel (38) in such a way that the successively arranged chambers from the first to the last becomes hotter, thereby successively heating vapour as it passes from one chamber to another.

Description

PA A' . . : iTI 1 steam generating iron

Technical field

The invention relates to steam irons and in particular to a steam generating iron.

Prior art

Conventional steam irons generally include a water reservoir and a steam chamber heated by heating elements located in the soleplate of the iron in order to rapidly evaporate the water delivered dropwise from the reservoir. The heated soleplate includes the ironing surface with holes generally arranged around the periphery through l o which the steam generated in the steam chamber is released.

Conventional irons have been improved so as to be capable of delivering extra steam for a very short time when creases in the garment being ironed cannot be removed using only the steam generated in the steam chamber, the release of the extra steam being concentrated in a smaller area of the soleplate. These improved irons generally include a second chamber in proximity to the tip of the soleplate, where the heating is more intense, designed to deliver extra steam. Irons with an extra steam chamber are generally equipped with a manual water pump which injects a small volume of water into the chamber each time it is activated. The user must activate the pump repeatedly to obtain further pulses of extra steam. This therefore constitutes a tedious and ergonomically inefficient constraint for the user, both when ironing horizontally and when the iron is used in the vertical position to remove creases.

To overcome the above drawback, a means was devised to obtain extra steam continuously using a steam generator which can be arranged inside or outside the iron.

In both cases, the user presses a button on the handle of the iron either to open a valve when the steam generator is inside the iron, or to control a solenoid to deliver steam to the iron. Unfortunately, the use of such a steam generator makes the iron large and heavy in the first case, or necessitates the use of a cumbersome system if the generator is arranged outside the iron. In both cases, the addition of a steam generator entails significant additional cost.

Summary of the invention

In light of the foregoing, the object of the invention is to provide an iron equipped with a steam generator that does not add to the volume, weight or cost, wherein the generation of steam takes place within the spaces of the iron located in proximity to the heating element.

The invention therefore discloses a steam iron including a soleplate composed of a heating surface incorporating holes, at least one heating element, water vaporization means, and control means designed to deliver steam under pressure through the holes.

The vaporization means including a steam generator formed by a plurality of steam chambers from a first chamber, in which a pre-defined quantity of water is introduced using the control means and is at least partially vaporised therein, to a final chamber in which the holes are placed, each chamber communicating with the following chamber lo by means of a calibrated passage, and the successive chambers becoming progressively hotter from the first chamber to the final chamber thereby heating the steam as it passes from one chamber to the next.

Brief description of the figures

The aims, objects and characteristics of the invention will be made more clearly apparent by reading the following description in reference to the drawings in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a soleplate of an iron according to the invention, showing the succession of steam chambers, and Figure 2 is a view in elevation of a soleplate of a travel iron wherein the first steam chambers are superimposed on the other steam chambers in the soleplate.

Detailed description of the invention

The soleplate 10 of an iron according to the invention illustrated in Figure 1 includes one or more heating elements (not visible) composed of electrical resistances located in the base of the soleplate just above the ironing surface and receiving electrical power supply via the two terminals 12 and 14.

The iron in Figure 1 includes a main steam chamber 16 in which water fed by gravity from a water reservoir located above is vaporised. The steam thus produced follows a circuit passing through a chamber 18 at the rear of the soleplate enabling complete vaporization of entrained water droplets and raising the temperature, before arriving in two side channels 20 and 22 wherefrom it is released via holes 24 passing so through the ironing surface.

The soleplate 10 also includes a steam generator to supply extra steam used principally to remove creases from creased parts of garments. This generator comprises -v 3 a plurality of successive steam chambers 26, 28, 30, 32, 34, 36 separated by walls, each chamber communicating with the next via a calibrated passage such as the passage 38 between chamber 26 and chamber 28. The last steam chamber 36 communicates via an aperture 40 with the final chamber 42 in the form of a U-shaped passage located at the front of the soleplate where steam exit holes 44 are provided through the ironing surface.

The first chamber 26 is thermally remote from the heating elements and is placed immediately below the inlet for the water to be vaporised, which is effected by means of a manual pump operated by the user, the quantity of steam and the period for lo which the continuous extra steam is delivered being determined by the number of times the user operates the pump actuator.

The essential characteristic of the invention lies in the arrangement of the steam generator chambers. Figuratively speaking, the chambers become "thermally closer" to the heating elements in passing from the first to the last chamber. In physical terms, this means that the heat flux received by each chamber increases from the first to the last chamber. It will be noted that, in order to obtain such an increasing heat flux, it can be foreseen that the chambers are placed successively closer to the heating elements.

However, other factors are involved in the quantity of heat received. Thus, this also depends on the coefficient of conductivity of the metallic materials situated between the chamber and the heating elements, and on the thickness thereof.

When water is injected into the first chamber it vaporises and, under the effect of the resulting pressure, the steam passes into the second chamber and so on until it reaches the final chamber 42 where it escapes via the holes 44. Since the first chamber 26 receives a relatively low heat flux, the water does not vaporise instantly but takes some time (several seconds) to turn completely to steam. The steam passing into the second chamber 28 therefore carries water droplets. Due to the fact that the received heat flux is higher in the second chamber, some of these droplets are vaporised at the same time as the steam increases in temperature. Thus, as the steam passes from one chamber to the other, it heats up and progressively loses the entrained fine water droplets. When the steam arrives in the final chamber 42 incorporating the holes 44, it is no longer carrying any water droplets and is at an elevated temperature and pressure, thus producing jets of steam capable of removing creases.

It will be noted that the iron includes a temperature control device (not shown) which can be a thermostat or an electronic sensor. To prevent the cold water injected into the first chamber 26 from sensitizing the control device (producing an abrupt rise in temperature), it is necessary for the first chamber 26 (and to a lesser extent the following chambers) to be positioned away from the temperature control device.

Although the iron just described in reference to Figure I is a conventional iron having a main steam chamber into which water is fed continuously, it is clear that the invention can be implemented in any type of iron or crease removal appliance, even if it does not have such a main steam chamber. In the case where the iron includes only the steam generator according to the invention, the quantity of steam obtained at the outlet from the holes depends on the number of times the pump is actuated manually by the l o operator. The higher the number of actuations, the longer the time during which steam is delivered.

Use of the steam generator alone according to the invention is justified for travel irons and crease removal appliances which must be of reduced volume. Furthermore, in a travel iron, it is prudent to optimise the reduced volume. Thus, in reference to Figure 2, a soleplate of a travel iron includes, apart from the ironing surface, soleplate fixing posts 52 and 54 and power supply terminals, a steam generator in which the steam chambers are arranged in a rather original manner. In effect, the first chamber or the first two chambers are located in the upper part 58 and are therefore superimposed on the other chambers in the lower part 60, the water being injected via an aperture 62 in the first chamber. Thus, where the first chambers are located in the upper part, they are "thermally" further away than the others, which constitutes the essential characteristic of the invention while at the same time contributing to the reduced volume of the iron. 5

Claims

1. Steam iron including a soleplate (lO) composed of a heating surface incorporating holes (44), at least one heating element, water vaporisation means, and control means designed to deliver steam under pressure through said holes, s said iron being characterised in that said vaporisation means include a steam generator formed by a plurality of steam chambers (26, 28, 30, 32, 34, 36) from a first chamber in which a pre-defined quantity of water is introduced using the control means and is at least partially vaporised therein, to a final chamber (42) in which said holes are placed, each chamber communicating with the following lo chamber by means of a calibrated passage (38) and the successive chambers becoming progressively hotter from said first chamber to said final chamber thereby heating the steam as it passes from one chamber to the next.

2. Iron according to Claim 1, wherein each of said steam chambers (26, 28, 30, 32, 34, 36) has a received heat flux lower than the received heat flux of the following chamber.

3. Iron according to Claim 2, wherein at least the first of said steam chambers (26, 28, 30, 32, 34, 36) is superimposed on the following chambers.

4. Iron according to Claim 2 or 3, wherein droplets of water are entrained with the steam formed in said first steam chamber (26), said droplets being partially vaporised in the second steam chamber (28) and so on, so that no more water droplets are carried with the steam when the latter reaches said final chamber (42).

5. Iron according to any one of Claims 1 to 4, including a temperature control device and wherein said first chamber (26) is remote from said control device so as to avoid causing an abrupt temperature rise when the water is introduced into said first 2s chamber.

6. Iron according to any one of Claims 1 to 5, wherein said control means is a manual pump actuated by the user, the quantity of steam supplied through said holes (44) being dependent on the number of times the pump is actuated.

7. Iron according to any one of Claims I to 6, additionally including a main steam chamber (16) independent of the steam chambers of said steam generator into which water is continuously fed so as to supply steam continuously through holes (24) arranged on the sides of said soleplate.