Telescopic rod assembly for supporting an ironing board

Abstract

The present invention relates to a telescopic rod assembly (100) for supporting an ironing board (102). The telescopic rod assembly comprises an upper rod (104) and a hollow lower rod (106) having an inner surface (108) facing the upper rod. The upper rod is slidable inside the lower rod to enable the telescopic rod assembly to extend and contract. A resilient member (110) is arranged at a lower portion of the upper rod. The resilient member comprises a deformable peripheral rim (112) having an outer shape adapted to at least partially contact the inner surface of the lower rod. The peripheral rim is downwardly inclined.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a telescopic rod assembly for supporting an ironing board.

[0002] The present invention also relates to a garment steamer including an ironing plate assembly and such telescopic rod assembly.

[0003] This invention can be used in the field of garment care. Background Technology

[0004] As is well known, garment steamers are used to iron or steam clothes, eliminating wrinkles by utilizing the heat and moisture of steam.

[0005] One type of garment steamer is the so-called upright garment steamer, which includes a base that houses a water tank. The steamer head is connected to the base via a flexible hose, through which steam and / or water are delivered to the steamer head. Steam can be generated in the base and / or the steamer head. The steamer head is equipped with a steam plate, also known as a base plate, which defines one or more steam outlets through which steam is discharged onto the fabric being treated.

[0006] Garment steamers, especially upright garment steamers, tend to be supplied with an ironing board, such as an ironing board that can be oriented vertically and horizontally to facilitate vertical steaming or horizontal ironing of garments.

[0007] Some upright garment steamers are equipped with a telescopic rod assembly for supporting the ironing board. This telescopic rod assembly can be used to adjust the height of the ironing board according to the user's preference, such as to accommodate the user's height. The telescopic rod assembly can also be retracted, for example, to reduce the shape of the upright garment steamer for storage, packaging, and transportation.

[0008] The safety flaw of this type of telescopic rod assembly lies in the fact that, due to the weight of the ironing board, the upper rod can quickly slide into the lower rod, for example, when the locking mechanism is released to adjust the height of the ironing board. This rapid sliding poses a risk of injury to the user, such as causing fingers to be pinched, and also risks damaging parts of the upright garment steamer.

[0009] JPH0710521U discloses a telescopic rod.

[0010] JPS5221931U discloses an adjustable-length clothesline.

[0011] US2006 / 204322A1 discloses a telescopic tube in which a clamping device is provided.

[0012] EP3828334A1 discloses a garment steamer that includes an ironing board and a telescopic rod assembly for pivoting the ironing board. Summary of the Invention

[0013] Mitigating the aforementioned problems associated with conventional telescopic pole assemblies in a way that minimizes the loss of user convenience remains a challenge.

[0014] The purpose of this invention is to provide a telescopic rod assembly for supporting an ironing board to address this challenge.

[0015] This invention is defined by the independent claims. The dependent claims define advantageous embodiments.

[0016] Therefore, the telescopic rod assembly according to the present invention includes:

[0017] Backswing,

[0018] The lower rod is hollow, and the upper rod can slide inside the lower rod to allow the telescopic rod assembly to extend and retract. The lower rod includes an inner surface facing the upper rod.

[0019] An elastic member is arranged in the lower portion of the upper rod. The elastic member includes a deformable peripheral edge having an external shape adapted to at least partially contact the inner surface, the peripheral edge being inclined downward.

[0020] Because the outer edge of the elastic member has an external shape suitable for at least partially contacting the inner surface of the lower rod, and because the outer edge extends downward (before the outer edge deforms during the retraction of the telescopic rod assembly), the sliding movement of the upper rod to the lower rod can be mitigated by the frictional force generated between the outer edge and the inner surface of the lower rod. On the other hand, during the extension of the telescopic rod assembly, when the upper rod is lifted out of the lower rod, the downwardly sloping outer edge can not impede or only minimally impede the movement of the upper rod, in order to facilitate extension adjustment.

[0021] During the retraction of the telescopic pole assembly, this slowing of the upper bar sliding into the lower bar helps make the telescopic pole assembly safer to use, for example by reducing the risk of the user's fingers being pinched during retraction and mitigating the risk of component damage due to the rapid retraction of the telescopic pole assembly. Nevertheless, during extension, the lower frictional force exerted on the inner surface by the outer edge helps to minimize the impairment of user convenience when extending the telescopic pole assembly.

[0022] The elastic member is located in the lower portion of the top bar. In this context, the term "lower portion" can encompass the elastic member located at the very bottom, that is, the end of the top bar that is housed within the lower bar. More generally, the term "lower portion" can refer to the lowest part, such as the lowest 10% of the length of the top bar.

[0023] In some embodiments, the elastic member is arranged to deform from an initial shape during contraction and return to its initial shape during extension, wherein the pressure exerted on the inner surface by the peripheral edge when the elastic member is in its initial shape is less than the pressure exerted on the inner surface by the peripheral edge when the elastic member is deformed. When the elastic member is in its initial shape, the peripheral edge extends downward.

[0024] This pressure difference helps ensure that during the extension of the telescopic rod assembly, the frictional force exerted by the outer edge on the inner surface of the lower rod is less than the frictional force exerted by the outer edge during the retraction of the telescopic rod assembly.

[0025] In some embodiments, the lateral dimension of the elastic member extending between a first end of the peripheral edge and a second end of the elastic member opposite the first end is equal to or greater than the internal dimension of the lower rod extending between opposing surface portions of the inner surface, which face the first and second ends respectively in use. In such embodiments, the lateral dimension is measured when the peripheral edge is not deformed and not received inside the lower rod.

[0026] As a result, when assembling the telescopic pole assembly, the outer edge is at least in contact with, or slightly pressed against, the inner surface of the lower pole. Due to friction between the "end / tail" portion of the outer edge and the inner surface of the lower pole, the movement of the "end / tail" portion of the outer edge is hindered as the upper pole moves downward during the retraction of the telescopic pole assembly. This causes the outer edge to deform as the upper pole moves downward. The deformed outer edge is thus compressed / constrained within a distance / space smaller than its free length, which in turn increases its stiffness and therefore further increases the friction between the outer edge and the inner surface of the lower pole. This helps prevent the upper pole from freely falling into the lower pole.

[0027] As the upper rod subsequently moves upward during the extension of the telescopic rod assembly, the deformed outer edge returns to its initial shape, which in turn reduces its stiffness and thus reduces friction between the outer edge and the inner surface of the lower rod. Because the outer edge retains its initial shape, friction between the outer edge and the inner surface of the lower rod remains low / minimum as the upper rod moves further upward. This helps to make upward movement of the upper rod easier than downward movement.

[0028] In some embodiments, the peripheral edge is arranged such that the contact area between the peripheral edge and the inner surface during extension is smaller than the contact area during retraction. The bending capability provided by the downward slope of the peripheral edge, combined with the minimal interference with the inner surface of the lower rod provided by this smaller contact area, can help reduce the frictional force exerted by the peripheral edge on the inner surface of the lower rod during the extension of the telescopic rod assembly.

[0029] As the elastic member returns to its initial shape as the telescopic rod assembly extends, its outer edge extends at an angle relative to the central axis of the telescopic rod assembly away from the upper rod and toward the inner surface, along which the telescopic rod assembly extends and contracts. In other words, the outer edge extends downward toward the bottom end of the lower rod and outward toward the inner surface.

[0030] In some embodiments, the extension angle of the outer edge relative to the central axis is in the range of [110; 140] degrees. This angle range can provide a favorable balance between sufficiently mitigating the sliding of the upper rod into the lower rod during retraction and sufficiently facilitating the sliding of the upper rod out of the lower rod during the extension of the telescopic rod assembly.

[0031] In some embodiments, the telescopic pole assembly includes a support base, with the lower pole standing upright from the support base. In such embodiments, height adjustment of the ironing board above the support base is provided by sliding the upper pole inside the lower pole to retract and extend the telescopic pole assembly.

[0032] In some embodiments, the outer edge extends in the direction of the support base as the elastic member returns to its initial shape as the telescopic rod assembly extends.

[0033] Preferably, at least the outer edge of the elastic member is formed of an elastic material. Such elastic materials can provide a relatively direct and effective way to provide deformability / deflectability of the outer edge.

[0034] In some embodiments, the elastic member is integrally formed of an elastic material. For example, the elastic member includes a rubber pad or rubber washer, such as being defined by a rubber pad or rubber washer.

[0035] In embodiments where the elastic member includes a rubber pad (e.g., defined by the rubber pad), the outer edge can be positioned on the opposite side of the rubber pad. Therefore, the outer edge does not need to be positioned around the entire periphery of the upper rod.

[0036] In embodiments where the elastic member includes a rubber washer (e.g., defined by a rubber washer), the outer edge may surround at least a portion of the upper rod, for example, the entire upper rod may be provided.

[0037] In an embodiment where the elastic member is arranged along the upper rod from the bottommost part (in other words, the end) of the upper rod, the elastic member in the form of a rubber washer can define a hole through which the lower part of the upper rod passes.

[0038] The elastomeric material, such as rubber, preferably has a Shore A hardness in the range of [40; 50]. The downward slope of the outer edge, combined with the flexural capacity provided by this Shore A hardness (in other words, relatively low material hardness), can help minimize the resistance of the outer edge to the upward sliding of the upper rod during the extension of the telescopic rod assembly.

[0039] Alternatively or additionally, the peripheral edge, such as the peripheral edge of an elastomer, preferably has a thickness in the range of [1; 3] mm, for example, about 1.5 mm.

[0040] The thickness can be, for example, the maximum thickness of the outer edge when the outer edge has several thicknesses.

[0041] The downward slope of the outer edge, combined with the flexural capacity provided by this thickness (e.g., along with Shore A hardness in the range of [40; 50]), can help minimize the resistance of the outer edge to the upward sliding of the upper rod during the extension of the telescopic rod assembly.

[0042] In some embodiments, the telescopic rod assembly includes a stop member disposed on the upper rod, the stop member being arranged relative to the outer edge to limit the movement limit of the outer edge during retraction. This helps prevent excessive deformation / deflection of the outer edge during retraction of the telescopic rod assembly, which would otherwise reduce friction.

[0043] In at least some embodiments, the lever assembly includes a locking mechanism adapted to releasably secure the position of the upper lever relative to the lower lever.

[0044] For example, the locking mechanism includes a lever that can be moved by a user to fix the position of the upper lever relative to the lower lever, and can be moved to release the upper lever, thereby allowing the upper lever to slide into or out of the lower lever to retract and extend the telescopic lever assembly.

[0045] In this type of embodiment, the resilient member can help slow the upper lever from sliding into the lower lever when the locking mechanism is released.

[0046] In some embodiments, the telescopic rod assembly includes a third rod arranged to connect the ironing board to the upper rod. For example, when the telescopic rod assembly and the ironing board supported thereon are used in a directional manner, the upper rod is the middle rod, the lower rod is the bottom rod, and the third rod is the top rod.

[0047] In such embodiments, the third rod may be adapted to allow the ironing board to be adjusted (e.g., tilted) between different orientations, such as between a vertical orientation and a horizontal orientation.

[0048] According to another aspect, an ironing board assembly is provided, the ironing board assembly comprising:

[0049] Ironing board; and

[0050] The telescopic rod assembly according to any embodiment described herein is used to support an ironing board.

[0051] In some embodiments, the ironing board may be mounted obliquely to the telescopic pole assembly, for example, via a third rod of the telescopic pole assembly.

[0052] According to another aspect, a garment steamer is provided, which includes a telescopic rod assembly or an ironing plate assembly according to any of the embodiments described herein.

[0053] In some embodiments, the garment steamer further includes:

[0054] The base unit includes a water tank.

[0055] A steam garment steamer head having a treatment plate defining at least one steam outlet and a hose line connecting a base unit to the steam garment steamer head.

[0056] In some embodiments, the base unit includes a steam generator, and the steam iron head includes a steam chamber arranged to reheat steam and / or evaporate hot water received from the steam generator before the steam leaves the steam iron head via at least one steam outlet.

[0057] In an alternative embodiment, the steam iron head includes a steam chamber arranged to generate steam from water supplied (e.g., pumped) from a water tank included in the base unit.

[0058] In some embodiments, the base unit may be supported on a support base, and the lower rod of the telescopic rod assembly stands upright from the support base.

[0059] The following will provide a detailed explanation of the invention and other aspects. Attached Figure Description

[0060] Specific aspects of the invention will now be explained with reference to the embodiments described below, and considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein the same parts or sub-steps are represented in the same manner:

[0061] Figure 1A and Figure 1BThe telescopic rod assembly in its extended and retracted states are schematically depicted respectively.

[0062] Figure 2 Cross-sectional views of the upper and lower poles of a telescopic pole assembly according to another example are provided.

[0063] Figure 3A and Figure 3B Enlarged views are provided of the elastic members attached to the upper rod during the extension and retraction of the telescopic rod assembly.

[0064] Figure 4A and Figure 4B A view of the top rod and the elastic member of a telescopic rod assembly, based on yet another example, is provided.

[0065] Figure 5A and Figure 5B A view of the upper pole and the elastic member of a telescopic pole assembly according to another example is provided, as well as

[0066] Figure 6A and Figure 6B The image shows a garment steamer with the telescopic rod assembly included in the garment steamer in both extended and retracted states, according to an example. Detailed Implementation

[0067] Figure 1A and Figure 1B A telescopic rod assembly 100 for supporting an ironing board 102 is depicted. The telescopic rod assembly 100 includes an upper rod 104 and a lower rod 106.

[0068] The lower rod 106 is hollow, and the upper rod 104 can slide inside the lower rod 106 to allow the telescopic rod assembly 100 to extend and retract. Figure 1A The telescopic rod assembly 100 when extended is shown, and Figure 1B The telescopic rod assembly 100 is shown when retracted.

[0069] In the context of the upper lever 104 and the lower lever 106, the terms “upper” and “lower” may refer to the orientation of use of the telescopic pole assembly 100.

[0070] The upper pole 104 and the lower pole 106 may also be used without reference to the usage orientation of the telescopic pole assembly 100, with the term "first pole" used instead of the upper pole 104 and the term "second pole" used instead of the lower pole 106.

[0071] The upper rod 104 and lower rod 106 can be made of any suitable material, as long as they can support the ironing board 102. In some embodiments, the upper rod 104 and / or lower rod 106 are made of at least one material selected from plastic and metal materials. Such metal materials can be metals, such as aluminum, and / or metal alloys, such as steel.

[0072] refer to Figure 1A , Figure 1B and Figure 2 The lower rod 106 includes an inner surface 108. The inner surface 108 defines the hollow interior of the lower rod 106.

[0073] The elastic member 110 is arranged on the upper rod 104, for example, attached to the upper rod 104. The elastic member 110 includes a deformable, in other words, deflectable peripheral edge 112 that contacts the inner surface 108 of the lower rod 106.

[0074] like Figure 1A , Figure 1B and Figure 2 As shown, the elastic member 110 is arranged in the lower portion of the upper rod 104. In this case, the term "lower part" can encompass the elastic member 110 arranged in the lowest part, that is, the end 111 of the upper rod 104 received inside the lower rod 106. More generally, the term "lower part" can refer to the lowest part, such as the lowest 10% of the length of the upper rod 104.

[0075] The elastic member 110 is arranged such that during the extension of the telescopic rod assembly 100, the frictional force applied by the outer edge 112 to the inner surface 108 of the lower rod 106 is less than the frictional force applied by the outer edge 112 to the inner surface 108 during the retraction of the telescopic rod assembly 100.

[0076] During retraction, the greater frictional force exerted by the outer edge 112 on the inner surface 108 helps to slow the slippage of the upper rod 104 into the lower rod 106. This helps to make the telescopic rod assembly 100 safer to use, for example by reducing the risk of the user's fingers being pinched during the retraction of the telescopic rod assembly 100, and mitigating the risk of component damage due to rapid retraction of the telescopic rod assembly 100 (e.g., free-fall retraction). Nevertheless, during extension, the smaller frictional force exerted by the outer edge 112 on the inner surface 108 helps to minimize the impairment of user convenience when extending the telescopic rod assembly 100.

[0077] In other words, the movement of the upper rod 104 sliding into the lower rod 106 can be mitigated by the frictional force generated between the outer edge 112 and the inner surface 108 of the lower rod 106. On the other hand, during the extension of the telescopic rod assembly 100, when the upper rod 104 is raised out of the lower rod 106, the outer edge 100 may not impede or only minimally impede the movement of the upper rod 104 to facilitate extension adjustment.

[0078] to this end, Figure 2 The peripheral edge 112 of the elastic member 110 shown has an external shape adapted to at least partially contact the inner surface 108 of the lower rod 106, and the peripheral edge 112 slopes downward. Also refer to... Figure 1A and Figure 1B The outer edge 112 therefore extends toward the bottom end 113 of the lower rod 106. This downward slope of the outer edge 112 can be considered similar to the piston of a syringe.

[0079] In this configuration, during the retraction of the telescopic rod assembly 100, the upper rod 104 can slide toward the bottom end 113 of the lower rod 106, and as the telescopic rod assembly 100 extends, the outer edge 112 extends downward toward the bottom end 113 and outward toward the inner surface 108.

[0080] In some embodiments, such as Figure 1A and Figure 1B As shown, the telescopic rod assembly 100 includes a support base 114, with a lower rod 106 standing upright from the support base 114. In this type of embodiment, height adjustment of the ironing board 102 above the support base 114 is provided by an upper rod 104 sliding inside the lower rod 106 to retract and extend the telescopic rod assembly 100.

[0081] In this type of embodiment, the outer edge 112 extends in the direction of the support base 114 along the extension direction of the telescopic rod assembly 100.

[0082] Figure 3A The peripheral edge 112 extending downwards as the telescopic rod assembly 100 extends is shown, and Figure 3B The outer edge 112 is shown deforming during or after the retraction of the telescopic rod assembly 100. Figure 3B In the case shown, the pressure exerted by the elastic member 110 on the inner surface 108 of the lower rod 106 via the outer edge 112 is greater than that applied by the elastic member 110. Figure 3A The situation shown is larger.

[0083] This pressure difference helps ensure that during the extension of the telescopic rod assembly 100, the frictional force applied by the outer edge 112 to the inner surface 108 of the lower rod 106 is less than the frictional force applied by the outer edge 112 during the retraction of the telescopic rod assembly 100.

[0084] More generally, the elastic member 110 is preferably arranged to contract during the period of contraction, as shown in the figure. Figure 3A The initial shape deformation is shown, and it returns to the initial shape during the extension of the telescopic rod assembly 100. When the elastic member 110 is in its initial shape, the pressure applied by the outer portion 112 to the inner surface 108 is less than when the elastic member 110 is in its initial shape. Figure 3B When the elastic member 110 is in its initial shape, the outer edge 112 extends downward, in other words, towards the bottom end 113 of the lower rod 106.

[0085] In some embodiments, such as Figure 2 , Figure 3A and Figure 3B In the illustrated embodiment, the peripheral edge 112 is arranged such that during the extension of the telescopic rod assembly 100, the contact area between the peripheral edge 112 and the inner surface 108 of the lower rod 106 is smaller than the contact area during retraction. The flexural capacity provided by the downward inclination of the peripheral edge 112, combined with the minimal interference with the inner surface 108 of the lower rod 106 provided by this smaller contact area, helps to reduce the frictional force exerted by the peripheral edge 112 on the inner surface 108 of the lower rod 106 during extension.

[0086] For example, refer to Figure 2 The cross-sectional view provided shows that the interference INI between the tip of the outer edge 112 and the inner surface 108 of the lower rod 106 is between 0 and 1 mm.

[0087] like Figure 2 As shown, when the elastic member 110 returns to its initial shape as the telescopic rod assembly 100 extends, the outer edge 112 extends at an angle A1 relative to the central axis CA of the telescopic rod assembly 100 away from the upper rod 104 toward the inner surface 108 of the lower rod 106, and the telescopic rod assembly 100 extends and retracts along the central axis CA.

[0088] Preferably, the extension angle A1 of the outer edge 112 relative to the central axis CA is within the range of [110; 140] degrees. This angle range provides a favorable balance between sufficiently mitigating the sliding of the upper rod 104 into the lower rod 106 and sufficiently facilitating the sliding of the upper rod 104 out of the lower rod 106 during the extension of the telescopic rod assembly 100.

[0089] In other words, the flexible peripheral edge 112 can extend at an angle within the range of [20; 50] degrees relative to the flat mounting surface MS of the elastic member 110 (e.g., a rubber pad), for example, about 34 degrees, the plane of which is perpendicular to the central axis CA.

[0090] Preferably, at least the outer edge 112 of the elastic member 110 is formed of an elastic material. Such elastic materials can provide a relatively simple and effective way to provide deformability / deflectability of the outer edge 112.

[0091] Elastomer materials, such as rubber, preferably have a Shore A hardness in the range of [40; 50].

[0092] The downward slope of the outer edge 112, combined with the flexural capacity provided by this type of Shore A hardness (in other words, relatively low material hardness), can help minimize the resistance of the outer edge 112 to the upward sliding of the upper rod 104 during the extension of the telescopic rod assembly 100.

[0093] Alternatively or additionally, the peripheral edge 112, such as the peripheral edge 112 of an elastomer, preferably has a thickness in the range of [1; 3] mm, for example, about 1.5 mm.

[0094] The thickness can be, for example, the maximum thickness of the outer edge 112 when the outer edge 112 has several thicknesses.

[0095] The downward slope of the outer edge, combined with the flexural capacity provided by this thickness (e.g., along with Shore A hardness in the range of [40; 50]), can help minimize the obstruction of the outer edge 112 to the upward sliding of the upper rod 104 during the extension of the telescopic rod assembly 100.

[0096] Any suitable type of elastic material, such as EPDM, can be considered.

[0097] In some embodiments, the elastic member 110 is integrally formed of an elastic material. For example, the elastic member 110 includes a rubber pad or rubber washer (e.g., defined by a rubber pad or rubber washer).

[0098] These rubber pads or rubber washers can slide tightly along the inner surface 108 of the lower rod 106.

[0099] Figure 4A and Figure 4B An embodiment view is provided, wherein the elastic member 110 is defined by a rubber pad. In these views, the upper rod 104 is shown upside down for easier observation of the elastic member 110.

[0100] exist Figure 4A and Figure 4B In the non-limiting example shown, the outer edge 112 is positioned on the opposite side of the rubber pad. Therefore, the outer edge 112 does not need to be positioned around the entire periphery of the upper rod 104.

[0101] Figure 5A and Figure 5BAn embodiment view is provided, wherein the elastic member 110 is defined by a rubber washer. In these views, the upper rod 104 is shown upside down for easier observation of the elastic member 110.

[0102] exist Figure 5A and Figure 5B In the non-limiting example shown, the outer edge 112 is set around the entire periphery of the upper rod 104.

[0103] In an embodiment (not shown in the figure), an elastic member 110 is arranged along the upper rod 104 from the bottommost part (in other words, end 111) of the upper rod 104. The elastic member 110 in the form of a rubber washer can define a hole through which the lower part of the upper rod 104 passes.

[0104] The elastic member 110 can be attached to the upper rod 104 in any suitable manner. In some embodiments, such as Figure 2 , Figure 3A , Figure 3B , Figure 4A , Figure 4B , Figure 5A and Figure 5B In the embodiments shown, the telescopic rod assembly 100 includes a bracket 115A, which is arranged to secure the elastic member 110 (e.g., a rubber pad or rubber washer) to the end 111 of the upper rod 104 by means of an elastic member 110 being clamped between the bracket 115A and the end 111 of the upper rod 104.

[0105] In such embodiments, one or more fasteners, such as screws (one or more), can secure the bracket 115A and the resilient member 110 to the end 111 of the upper rod 104. Figure 4B and Figure 5B As shown, screw hole 115B can extend through bracket 115A, elastic member 110 and end 111 of upper rod 104.

[0106] Alternatively, it is conceivable to secure the elastic member 110 (e.g., a rubber pad or washer) to the upper rod 104 in other ways, such as by using one or more fasteners 115B (e.g., screws (one or more)), but omitting the bracket 115A.

[0107] In some embodiments, reference Figure 2 , Figure 4A and Figure 5A The lateral dimension LAD of the elastic member 110 extending between the first end E1 of the outer perimeter 112 and the second end E2 of the outer perimeter 112 opposite to the first end E1 is equal to or greater than the internal dimension IND of the lower rod 106 extending between the opposing surface portions S1 and S2 of the inner surface 108, which respectively contact the first end E1 and the second end E2 during use.

[0108] For details, please refer to the following: Figure 4A and Figure 5A The lateral dimension LAD is measured when the outer edge 112 is not deformed and is not contained within the lower rod 106.

[0109] As a result, when the telescopic rod assembly 100 is assembled, the outer edge 112 is at least in contact with, or slightly pressed against, the inner surface 108 of the lower rod 106. Due to friction between the "end / tail" portion of the outer edge 112 and the inner surface 108 of the lower rod 106, the movement of the "end / tail" portion of the outer edge 112 is impeded when the upper rod 104 moves downward during the retraction of the telescopic rod assembly 100. This causes the outer edge 112 to deform as the upper rod 104 moves downward. The deformed outer edge 112 is thus compressed / constrained within a distance / space smaller than its free length, which in turn increases its stiffness and thus further increases the friction between the outer edge 112 and the inner surface 108 of the lower rod 106. This helps prevent the upper rod 104 from freely falling into the lower rod 106.

[0110] As the upper rod 104 subsequently moves upward during the extension of the telescopic rod assembly 100, the deformed outer edge 112 returns to its initial shape, which in turn reduces its stiffness and thus reduces friction between the outer edge 112 and the inner surface 108 of the lower rod 106. Because the outer edge 112 retains its initial shape, friction between the outer edge 112 and the inner surface 108 of the lower rod 106 remains low / minimum during further upward movement of the upper rod 104. This helps to make upward movement of the upper rod 104 easier than downward movement of the upper rod 104.

[0111] It should be noted that, Figure 4A and Figure 4B In the non-limiting example shown, the first end E1 and the second end E2 are included in portions of the peripheral edge 112 disposed on opposite sides of the rubber pad.

[0112] In some embodiments, and as Figure 2 , Figure 3A , Figure 3B , Figure 4B and Figure 5B As shown, the telescopic rod assembly 100 includes a stop member 116 disposed on the upper rod 104, wherein the stop member 116 is arranged relative to the outer edge 112 to limit the movement limit of the outer edge 112 during retraction. Figure 3B The diagram schematically illustrates this restriction on the movement of the outer edge 112 during retraction. This helps prevent the outer edge 112 from deforming / deflecting too far, thereby causing a further reduction in friction during the retraction of the telescopic rod assembly 100.

[0113] In at least some embodiments, reference is made to Figure 4A , Figure 4B , Figure 5A and Figure 5B The lever assembly 100 includes a locking mechanism 118 adapted to releasably secure the position of the upper lever 104 relative to the lower lever 106.

[0114] For example, locking mechanism 118 includes a lever that can be moved by a user to fix the position of upper lever 104 relative to lower lever 106, and can be moved to release upper lever 104, thereby allowing upper lever 104 to slide into or out of lower lever 106 to retract and extend telescopic lever assembly 100.

[0115] In such embodiments, when the locking mechanism 118 is released, the resilient member 100 can help slow the upper lever 104 from sliding into the lower lever 106.

[0116] In some embodiments, the rod assembly 100 includes a third rod arranged to connect the ironing board 102 to the upper rod 104. For example, when the telescopic rod assembly 100 and the ironing board 102 supported thereon are used in a directional manner, the upper rod 104 is the middle rod, the lower rod 106 is the bottom rod, and the third rod is the top rod.

[0117] In such embodiments, the third rod may be adapted to allow the ironing board 102 to be adjusted (e.g., tilted) between different orientations, such as between a vertical orientation and a horizontal orientation.

[0118] Refer again Figure 1A and Figure 1B It should be noted that the telescopic rod assembly 100 can be included together with the ironing board 102 in the ironing board assembly 130. Therefore, the telescopic rod assembly 100 and the ironing board 102 can be conveniently provided to the user simultaneously, for example, supplied to the user.

[0119] Alternatively, the telescopic pole assembly 100 may be provided to the user without the ironing board 102, for example, if the user intends to use the telescopic pole assembly 100 to support the ironing board 102 that the user already owns.

[0120] Figure 6A and Figure 6B A view of a garment steamer 150 according to an example is provided. The garment steamer 150 includes a telescopic rod assembly 100 according to any embodiment described herein.

[0121] In such embodiments, and as Figure 6A and Figure 6BAs shown, the garment steamer 150 preferably includes a base unit 152, which includes a water tank, a steamer head (not visible) having a treatment plate defining at least one steam outlet, and a hose (not visible) connecting the base unit to the steamer head.

[0122] Figure 6A and Figure 6B The garment steamer 150 shown can be considered a standing garment steamer 150. In this non-limiting example, the garment steamer 150 includes an ironing board 102, which can be tilted between vertical orientations, for example, via a third rod of the telescopic rod assembly 100. As previously mentioned, the height of the ironing board 102 can also be adjusted via the extension and retraction of the telescopic rod assembly 100. In this respect, Figure 6A The telescopic rod assembly 100 is shown in its extended state, while Figure 6B The telescopic rod assembly 100 is shown in its retracted state.

[0123] In some embodiments, the base unit 152 includes a steam generator (not visible), and the steam iron head includes a steam chamber arranged to reheat steam and / or evaporate hot water received from the steam generator before the steam leaves the steam iron head via at least one steam outlet.

[0124] In an alternative embodiment, the steam generator head includes a steam chamber arranged to generate steam from water supplied (e.g., pumped) into the steam chamber from a water tank included in the base unit 152.

[0125] In some embodiments, such as Figure 6A and Figure 6B In the embodiment shown, the base unit 152 can be supported on the support base 114, and the lower rod 106 of the telescopic rod assembly 100 stands upright from the support base.

[0126] The above embodiments are merely illustrative and not intended to limit the technical methods of the present invention. Although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to preferred embodiments, those skilled in the art will understand that modifications or equivalent substitutions can be made to the technical methods of the present invention without departing from the scope of protection of the claims. In particular, although the present invention is described based on a garment steamer, it can also be applied to assist in the safe height adjustment of any household appliance or device. In the claims, the word "comprising" does not exclude other elements or steps, and the indefinite article "a" or "an" does not exclude a plurality. Any reference numerals in the claims should not be construed as limiting the scope.

Claims

1. A telescopic rod assembly (100) for supporting an ironing board (102), the telescopic rod assembly comprising: Top of the swing (104). The lower rod (106) is hollow, and the upper rod is slidable within the lower rod to allow the telescopic rod assembly to extend and retract. The lower rod includes an inner surface (108) facing the upper rod. Height adjustment of the ironing board (102) is provided by the sliding of the upper rod (104) within the lower rod (106). An elastic member (110) is fixedly arranged at the lower portion of the upper rod and configured to slow down the sliding movement of the upper rod (104) inside the lower rod (106). The elastic member includes a deformable peripheral edge (112) having an external shape adapted to at least partially contact the inner surface, the peripheral edge being inclined downwards. As the upper rod (104) slides inside the lower rod (106) to extend the telescopic rod assembly, the outer edge extends away from the upper rod toward the inner surface at an angle (A1) relative to the central axis (CA) of the telescopic rod assembly and slopes downward. The telescopic rod assembly extends and contracts along the central axis, wherein the elastic member (110) is arranged to deform from an initial shape during the contraction and return to the initial shape during the extension. When the elastic member is in the initial shape, the pressure exerted on the inner surface (108) by the outer edge (112) is less than the pressure exerted on the inner surface by the outer edge when the elastic member is deformed.

2. The telescopic rod assembly (100) according to claim 1, wherein the lateral dimension (LAD) of the elastic member (110) extending between a first end (E1) of the peripheral edge (112) and a second end (E2) opposite to the first end is equal to or greater than the internal dimension (IND) of the lower rod (106) extending between opposing surface portions (S1, S2) of the inner surface (108), which face the first end and the second end respectively in use, and the lateral dimension is measured when the peripheral edge is not deformed and not contained within the lower rod.

3. The telescopic rod assembly (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 2, wherein as the telescopic rod assembly extends, the angle (A1) is in the range of [110; 140] degrees.

4. The telescopic rod assembly (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 2, wherein the lower portion corresponds to the end (111) of the upper rod (104), the end being received inside the lower rod (106).

5. The telescopic rod assembly (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 2, comprising a support base (114), the lower rod (106) being erected from the support base, and the height adjustment of the ironing board (102) above the support base being provided by the sliding of the upper rod (104) inside the lower rod.

6. The telescopic rod assembly (100) according to claim 5, wherein as the telescopic rod assembly extends, the peripheral edge (112) extends in the direction of the support base (114).

7. The telescopic rod assembly (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 2 and 6, wherein at least the peripheral edge (112) of the elastic member (110) is formed of an elastic material.

8. The telescopic rod assembly (100) according to claim 7, wherein the Shore A hardness of the elastic material is in the range of [40; 50].

9. The telescopic rod assembly (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 2, 6, and 8, wherein a stop member (116) is disposed on the upper rod (104), the stop member being arranged relative to the outer perimeter (112) to limit the movement limit of the outer perimeter during the retraction.

10. The telescopic rod assembly (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 2, 6, and 8, the telescopic rod assembly comprising a third rod arranged to connect the ironing board (102) to the upper rod (104).

11. An ironing board assembly (130), comprising: Ironing board (102); as well as The telescopic rod assembly (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 10 supports the ironing board.

12. The ironing board assembly (130) according to claim 11, wherein the ironing board (102) can be obliquely mounted to the telescopic rod assembly (100).

13. A garment steamer (150), comprising: Base unit (152), the base unit including a water tank, A garment steamer head, the garment steamer head having a processing plate defining at least one steam outlet. A flexible hose connects the base unit to the head of the garment steamer. The telescopic rod assembly (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 10 or the ironing board assembly (130) according to claim 11 or claim 12.

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