Apparatus for steam treating laundry including a base resting on supports

Abstract

An apparatus for the steam treatment of garments comprising a base (1) resting on a support (100), the base (1) comprising a steam generator (6) and being connected by a duct to ironing and / or ironing flat tools, the base having a shape or first appendages (12B, 12C) adapted to allow the base (1) to rest on the support (100) according to a first stable working position (1), characterized in that the base (1) has a shape or second appendages adapted to allow the base (1) to rest on the support (100) according to a second stable working position, at which the base (1) has an inclination with respect to the support (100) different from that which it has when it is in the first stable working position, the steam generator (6) comprising an instant evaporation chamber (7) shaped so as to evaporate the water injected into the steam generator (6) at both the first and the second stable working position.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of devices for steam-treating clothing, including a base resting on a support, wherein the base includes a steam generator connected via a conduit to an ironing and / or ironing tool. Background Technology

[0002] An ironing device comprising a base resting on a support member is known from patent application EP3783145 filed by the applicant, the base housing a steam generator connected to the iron. Such a device with a separate base offers the advantages of providing good ironing performance and excellent autonomy, while keeping the iron lightweight and easy to operate.

[0003] However, a drawback of this type of device is that the base can only be set up for a single stable working position, where the base extends mostly vertically. At this position, the base is relatively tall, making it suitable for ground-level positioning, but it does not provide optimal ergonomics when placed at a height, such as on an ironing board, and there is a significant risk of lateral swaying when traction is applied laterally to the flexible guide tube. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The present invention aims to overcome this drawback.

[0005] Therefore, the present invention relates to an apparatus for steam-treating clothing, comprising a base resting on a support member, the base including a steam generator and connected via a conduit to an ironing and / or smoothing tool, the base having a shape or first attachment adapted to allow the base to rest on the support member according to a first stable working position, wherein the base has a first inclination relative to the support member, characterized in that the base has a shape or second attachment adapted to allow the base to rest on the support member according to a second stable working position, at which the base has an inclination relative to the support member, the inclination being different from the inclination the base has when it rests on the first stable working position, and the steam generator including an instantaneous evaporation chamber having a shape adapted to evaporate water injected into the steam generator at both the first and second stable working positions.

[0006] Therefore, users can choose to set the device to one or the other of two stable operating positions, which are proposed based on the user-set base position, to improve ergonomic use.

[0007] The device may also have one or more of the following features, which may be used alone or in combination.

[0008] According to an advantageous feature of the invention, the evaporation chamber has a shape suitable for making the difference in evaporation performance between two stable operating positions less than 20%.

[0009] Evaporation performance refers to the maximum steam flow rate that a steam generator can provide at a stable operating position.

[0010] According to an advantageous feature of the invention, the evaporation chamber comprises: a first evaporation surface onto which water is sprayed at a first stable operating position; and a second evaporation surface onto which water is sprayed at a second stable operating position, the first evaporation surface being separate from the second evaporation surface.

[0011] According to an advantageous feature of the invention, the steam generator includes a body containing an evaporation chamber, and a first evaporation surface and a second evaporation surface are respectively disposed on a first surface and a second surface of the body, the first surface and the second surface forming an angle α between them between 45° and 135° and preferably between 50° and 90°.

[0012] According to an advantageous feature of the invention, the two surfaces of the generator meet at a common edge.

[0013] According to an advantageous feature of the invention, the first evaporation surface and the second evaporation surface are arranged symmetrically with respect to the plane P passing through the common edge.

[0014] According to an advantageous feature of the invention, both surfaces of the generator are heated by the same heating resistor, which has a curved portion at a common edge.

[0015] According to an advantageous feature of the invention, a first evaporation surface is equipped with a first temperature sensor, and a second evaporation surface is equipped with a second temperature sensor. The first temperature sensor is used to adjust the power supply to the heating resistor when the base occupies a first stable operating position, and the second temperature sensor is used to adjust the power supply to the heating resistor when the base occupies a second stable operating position.

[0016] According to an advantageous feature of the invention, the steam generator includes at least one inlet that allows water to be introduced into the steam generator and at least one steam outlet that allows steam to be diffused in the direction of ironing and / or flattening tools, and the base includes a reservoir and a pump that allow water to be supplied to said at least one inlet.

[0017] According to an advantageous feature of the invention, the base includes a handle for easy transport, and in a first stable working position the handle is disposed on the top of the base, and in a second stable working position the handle is disposed on the side of the base.

[0018] According to an advantageous feature of the invention, the steam outlet is connected to the tool via a conduit.

[0019] According to an advantageous feature of the invention, the water inlet and the steam outlet are located on the same surface of the steam generator.

[0020] According to an advantageous feature of the invention, the evaporation chamber includes two water inlets disposed on the same surface of the steam generator.

[0021] According to an advantageous feature of the invention, the base includes a first series of feet on which the base rests when the base occupies a first stable working position; and a second series of feet on which the base rests when the base occupies a second stable working position. Attached Figure Description

[0022] The objects, aspects, and advantages of the invention will be better understood with reference to the accompanying drawings, and from the following description of specific embodiments of the invention, shown by way of non-limiting example, in which:

[0023] Figure 1 This is a perspective view of an ironing device according to a specific embodiment of the present invention, shown in a first stable working position, also known as a vertical position;

[0024] Figure 2 It is in the first stable working position. Figure 1 A cross-sectional view of the base of the equipment;

[0025] Figure 3 It is in the second stable working position, also known as the horizontal position. Figure 1 A cross-sectional view of the base of the equipment;

[0026] Figure 4 yes Figure 1 Another perspective view of the base of the equipment;

[0027] Figure 5 yes Figure 1 A top view of the steam generator mounted on the base of the equipment;

[0028] Figure 6 It is along Figure 5 A sectional view of line VI-VI;

[0029] Figure 7 yes Figure 1 An exploded perspective view of the steam generator mounted on the base of the equipment. Detailed Implementation

[0030] Only elements necessary for understanding the invention are shown. For ease of reading the drawings, identical elements across different figures are given the same reference numerals. It should be noted that in this document, the terms "horizontal," "vertical," "lower," "upper," "front," and "rear" used to describe the device refer to the state when the device is resting on its first series of feet, such as... Figure 1 As shown.

[0031] Figure 1 A steam ironing device is shown, which includes a portable base 1 connected to a steam iron 2 via a flexible conduit 2 shown in part in the figure. The base 1 itself is electrically connected to a home network via a cable not visible in the figure.

[0032] The iron 2 includes, in a manner known per se, a flat soleplate having a pointed front end abutting a housing. The housing includes a handle 20 with a laterally projecting free rear end. A casting is housed within the housing of the iron 2, maintaining thermal contact with the soleplate, and includes a heating resistor 9, adjustable by means of a non-adjustable thermostat, allowing the soleplate temperature to be maintained near a set temperature of approximately 135°C.

[0033] Preferably, the base 1 of the device includes a receiving portion 10 in which the iron 2 can be disposed for storage. The receiving portion 10 is advantageously formed by a cavity laterally defined by a peripheral wall 10A that conforms to the overall contour of the iron 2 and has a protruding lower end 12C. The base 1 also includes a bushing 11 for storing the flexible conduit 3 and a handle 14 that allows gripping of the base 1 for transport.

[0034] according to Figures 2 to 4 The base 1 of the device is equipped with a first series of feet 12A, 12B, and 12C, which allow the base 1 to be placed in... Figure 1 and Figure 2 The first stable working position, also known as the vertical position, is placed on the support 100, such as a table or the ground. In this first stable working position, the base 1 extends substantially vertically, and the handle 14 is located substantially at the top of the base 1. The first series of feet 12A, 12B, 12C are advantageously formed by two pads 12A, 12B protruding from the lower surface of the base 1 and the protruding lower end 12C of the receiving portion 10 for receiving the front tip of the soleplate of the iron 2.

[0035] Base 1 is also equipped with a second series of feet 13A, 13B, and 13C, which allow base 1 to be placed in... Figure 3The second stable working position, also known as the horizontal position, is where the base 1 rests on the support 100. In this second stable working position, the base 1 extends substantially horizontally, and the handle 14 is located on the side of the base 1. The second series of feet 13A, 13B, and 13C advantageously consist of three pads protruding from the side surface of the base 1, allowing for... Figure 4 This can be seen from the text.

[0036] according to Figure 2 The base 1 includes a storage tank 4, a pump 5, and a steam generator 6, which are shown schematically. The pump 5 draws water from the storage tank 4 to deliver the water to the steam generator 6.

[0037] The steam generator 6 contains a momentary evaporation chamber 7, into which water from the reservoir 4 is injected by a pump. Preferably, the operation of the pump 5 is controlled by a key 21 located below the front end of the grip handle 20, and the pump 5 is advantageously sized to continuously provide a flow rate of approximately 40 gr / min when the key 21 is actuated.

[0038] according to Figures 5 to 7 The evaporation chamber 7 is integrated into an aluminum body 60 with a polyhedral shape having an open surface that houses a sealing cover 8. The sealing cover 8 includes two water inlets 8A and 8B and a steam outlet 8C that leads directly to the evaporation chamber 7. Advantageously, the steam outlet 8C is located at the center of the sealing cover 8, and the water inlets 8A and 8B are symmetrically located on both sides of the steam outlet 8C.

[0039] according to Figure 2 The evaporation chamber 7 includes a first evaporation surface 70 onto which water is sprayed at a first stable operating position. The first evaporation surface 70 is disposed on a first surface 60A of the main body 60 facing the closing cover 8.

[0040] according to Figure 3 As shown, the evaporation chamber 7 includes a second evaporation surface 71 onto which water is sprayed at a second stable operating position. The second evaporation surface 71 is disposed on the second surface 60B of the main body 60, which is laterally disposed on the closing cover 8.

[0041] The first surface 60A and the second surface 60B of the main body 60 of the steam generator 6 are integrally flat and meet at a common edge 60C by forming an acute angle. For example, in Figure 2 In the longitudinal section of the steam generator 6 shown, the first surface 60A and the second surface 60B of the body 60 extend along the longitudinal axis A1 and the longitudinal axis A2, respectively, which form an angle α between them that is advantageously between 50° and 90° and preferably about 70°. The first evaporation surface 70 and the second evaporation surface 71 are arranged symmetrically with respect to the plane P passing through the common edge 60C.

[0042] exist Figure 2 As can be seen, the steam generator 6 is fixed in the base 1 such that when the base 1 is in the vertical working position, the first evaporation surface 70, especially its longitudinal axis A1, is inclined at about 3° relative to the horizontal plane toward the common edge 60C.

[0043] exist Figure 3 As can be seen, the geometry of the steam generator 6 causes the second evaporation surface 71, especially its longitudinal axis A2, to be tilted about 3° relative to the horizontal plane toward the common edge 60C when the base 1 is in the horizontal working position.

[0044] Therefore, regardless of whether the working position is vertical or horizontal, the first evaporation surface 70 or the second evaporation surface 71 is tilted toward the common edge 60C, and water from the inlets 8A and 8B is sprayed onto the first evaporation surface 70 or the second evaporation surface 71.

[0045] exist Figure 6 and Figure 7 As can be seen from the figures, the body 60 of the steam generator 6 includes an electric heating resistor 9 extending along the edges of the first evaporation surface 70 and the second evaporation surface 71. In the specific embodiments shown in these figures, the heating resistor 9 has two ends 90 protruding from the surface of the body 60 opposite to the second surface 60B, and these two ends 90 allow for electrical connection of the heating resistor 9. The heating resistor 9 also includes a portion bent at a common edge 60C and a U-shaped portion extending along the periphery of the second surface 60B of the body 60.

[0046] The power supply to the heating resistor 9 is regulated by a power supply circuit comprising a first temperature sensor 91 disposed on the back of the first surface 60a and a second temperature sensor 92 disposed on the back of the second surface 60b. The first and second temperature sensors 91 and 92 are connected to a control unit (not shown) that supplies power to the heating resistor 9 based on data provided by the two temperature sensors 91 and 92. This arrangement of the temperature sensors 91 and 92 has the advantage of allowing the temperature of each of the first and second evaporation surfaces 70 and 71 to be read, enabling the control unit to respond quickly to temperature decreases on one or the other of these evaporation surfaces 70 and 71 by controlling the power supply to the heating resistor 9.

[0047] Preferably, the first evaporation surface 70 and the second evaporation surface 71 have a slightly convex shape, allowing water sprayed onto the first evaporation surface 70 to flow laterally toward the heating resistor 9 by gravity.

[0048] The advantage of equipment equipped with this steam generator 6 is that it can operate with equivalent evaporation performance, regardless of whether the base 1 of the equipment is set in a vertical or horizontal position.

[0049] In fact, when base 1 is set Figure 1 and Figure 2 In the vertical position shown, water injected by pump 5 through the two inlets 8A and 8B is sprayed onto the first evaporation surface 70 by gravity. Figure 2 As shown, most of the water evaporates instantaneously. Any droplets that do not evaporate instantaneously upon contact with the first evaporation surface 70 are deflected toward the heating resistor 9 due to the convex shape of the first evaporation surface 70, and also deflected toward the common edge 60C due to the slight inclination of the first evaporation surface 70 toward the common edge 60C, which allows the evaporation of these droplets to be completed.

[0050] The generated steam then escapes through the steam outlet 8C configured in the closed cover 8, and then reaches the iron 2 through the flexible conduit 3, where the steam diffuses through the steam outlet hole of the soleplate of the iron 2.

[0051] When base 1 is set Figure 3 In the horizontal position shown, water injected by pump 5 through the two inlets 8A and 8B is sprayed onto the second evaporation surface 71 by gravity, where most of the water evaporates instantaneously. Any droplets that do not evaporate instantaneously upon contact with the second evaporation surface 71 are deflected toward the heating resistor 9 due to the convex shape of the second evaporation surface 71, and also deflected toward the common edge 60C due to the slight inclination of the second evaporation surface 71 toward the common edge 60C, which allows the evaporation of these droplets to be completed.

[0052] Therefore, users can set the base 1 of the device in the most suitable position for them, either horizontally or vertically, without affecting the performance of the device.

[0053] Therefore, the advantage of this type of device is that it provides improved ergonomic use by allowing optimal operation from two different stable working positions. Thus, the user can choose to set the base vertically, for example, by placing it on the ground, a position that allows the flexible conduit to be oriented upwards towards the direction of the garment to be ironed.

[0054] Users can also choose to set the base horizontally, especially if they prefer to place the base high up, such as on an ironing board. This position has the advantage of providing greater stability to the base and orienting the flexible conduit horizontally toward the clothes to be ironed.

[0055] Of course, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described and shown by way of example. Modifications can be made without departing from the scope of protection of the present invention, particularly from the viewpoint of the construction of various elements or by substituting technical equivalents.

[0056] Therefore, in one embodiment variation not shown, the first and second surfaces may each include their own heating resistors.

[0057] Therefore, in another embodiment variant not shown, the device may include only a single temperature sensor, which is advantageously located near the common edge to control the power supply to the heating resistor.

[0058] Therefore, in another embodiment variant not shown, the base of the device can be configured to operate with the further advantage of a stable operating position, and the shape of the steam generator is adapted to provide substantially equivalent evaporation performance at each of these normally configured stable operating positions.

Claims

1. An apparatus for steam-treating clothing comprising a base (1) resting on a support (100), said base (1) including a steam generator (6) and connected via a conduit (3) to an ironing and / or smoothing tool (2), said base having a shape or first attachment adapted to allow said base (1) to rest on the support (100) according to a first stable working position, characterized in that, The base has a shape or second attachment suitable for allowing the base (1) to rest on the support (100) according to a second stable working position, in which the base (1) has an inclination relative to the support (100), the inclination being different from the inclination of the base (1) when it rests in the first stable working position, and the steam generator (6) includes an instantaneous evaporation chamber (7) having a shape suitable for evaporating water injected into the steam generator (6) in both the first and second stable working positions. The evaporation chamber (7) includes: a first evaporation surface (70), on which water is sprayed at the first stable working position; and a second evaporation surface (71), on which water is sprayed at the second stable working position, wherein the first evaporation surface (70) and the second evaporation surface (71) are separate.

2. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The evaporation chamber (7) has a shape suitable for making the difference in evaporation performance between the first stable operating position and the second stable operating position less than 20%.

3. The device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The steam generator (6) includes a body (60) containing the evaporation chamber (7), and the first evaporation surface (70) and the second evaporation surface (71) are respectively disposed on the first surface (60A) and the second surface (60b) of the body (60), and the first surface (60A) and the second surface (60b) form an angle α between them between 45° and 135°.

4. The device according to claim 3, characterized in that, The first surface (60A) and the second surface (60b) form an angle α between them, which is between 50° and 90°.

5. The device according to claim 3, characterized in that, The first surface (60A) and the second surface (60b) of the steam generator (6) are joined at a common edge (60C).

6. The device according to claim 5, characterized in that, The first surface (60A) and the second surface (60b) of the steam generator (6) are heated by the same heating resistor (9), which has a curved portion at the common edge (60C).

7. The device according to claim 6, characterized in that, The first evaporation surface (70) is equipped with a first temperature sensor (91), and the second evaporation surface (71) is equipped with a second temperature sensor (92). The first temperature sensor (91) is used to adjust the power supply to the heating resistor (9) when the base (1) occupies the first stable working position, and the second temperature sensor (92) is used to adjust the power supply to the heating resistor (9) when the base (1) occupies the second stable working position.

8. The device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The steam generator (6) includes at least one inlet (8A, 8B) that allows water to be introduced into the steam generator (6) and at least one steam outlet (8C) that allows steam to diffuse toward the ironing and / or ironing tool (2), and the base (1) includes a reservoir (4) and a pump (5) for supplying water to the at least one inlet (8A, 8B).

9. The device according to claim 8, characterized in that, The water inlet (8A, 8B) and the steam outlet (8C) are located on the same surface of the steam generator (6).

10. The device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The base (1) includes a handle (14) for easy transport, and in the first stable working position, the handle (14) is located on the top of the base (1), and in the second stable working position, the handle (14) is located on the side of the base (1).

11. The device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The evaporation chamber (7) includes two inlets (8A, 8B) disposed on the same surface of the steam generator (6).

12. The device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The first accessory is a first series of feet (12A, 12B, 12C). When the base (1) occupies the first stable working position, the base (1) rests on the first series of feet (12A, 12B, 12C). The second accessory is a second series of feet (13A, 13B, 13C). When the base (1) occupies the second stable working position, the base (1) rests on the second series of feet (13A, 13B, 13C).

Images