Steam generator of ironing machine and steam generation method of steam generator

Abstract

The invention provides a steam generator of an ironing machine and a steam generation method of the steam generator, and belongs to the technical field of ironing equipment. The steam generator of the ironing machine solves the problems that the whole steam generator of an existing ironing machine is large in occupied space, and carrying and storage of the ironing machine are not facilitated. The water pump, the boiler and the iron are installed on the base, the water pump supplies water into the boiler, a steam outlet is formed in the boiler, and the iron is communicated with the steam outlet through a steam pipe; a mounting frame is arranged on the base, the boiler is fixedly arranged on the mounting frame so that the bottom of the boiler can be suspended, an overhead space is formed between the bottom of the boiler and the base, and a water passing pipe communicated with the boiler is mounted in the overhead space and used for water supply or drainage of the boiler. The boiler has the advantages that enough overhead space is reserved below the boiler, the water passing pipe can be installed for water supply or drainage of the boiler, the switch valve used for controlling on-off of the drainage pipe is also located in the overhead space, and the occupied area is greatly reduced.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the technical field of ironing equipment, and relates to a steam generator for an ironing machine and a method for generating steam thereon. Background Technology

[0002] The working principle of an ironing machine is to use a water pump to draw water into a boiler for heating. The steam generated by heating is sprayed out through the iron, which then comes into contact with the clothes and softens the fibers of the clothes, making the clothes smooth and soft, eliminating the tedious steps of ironing clothes normally.

[0003] Existing ironing machines have the following problems:

[0004] 1. Because the water pump, boiler, iron, and other components such as the connecting pipes for water supply, drainage and steam supply, and electrical components occupy a large area, the entire steam generator of the ironing machine also occupies a very large space, which is not conducive to the transportation and storage of the ironing machine.

[0005] 2. When the water in the boiler is heated and evaporated, the water level in the boiler will drop. In order to prevent the boiler from burning dry, a water level probe is usually installed in the boiler to detect the water level. When the water level is lower than the set value on the water level probe, the water pump starts to supply water into the boiler until the water level reaches the set value. However, during the use of the ironing machine, the water level keeps dropping, so the water pump will start frequently and is prone to damage.

[0006] 3. Before starting the iron, the user can set the ironing temperature, such as 130 degrees Celsius or 160 degrees Celsius. The boiler will heat the temperature to the set temperature before sending steam into the iron. However, since the steam pipe connecting the boiler and the iron is at room temperature, the steam will cool down during the process of being transported in the pipe, resulting in the temperature of the steam sprayed from the iron being lower than the set value. Summary of the Invention

[0007] The first objective of this invention is to address the aforementioned problems of existing ironing machines by proposing a steam generator with a convenient layout of water pump, boiler and iron that reduces the floor space required.

[0008] The first objective of this invention can be achieved through the following technical solutions:

[0009] A steam generator for an iron includes a base and a water pump, a boiler, and an iron mounted on the base. The water pump supplies water to the boiler, and the boiler has a steam outlet. The iron is connected to the steam outlet via a steam pipe. The base also has a storage box with an opening on one side facing away from the boiler. The iron is placed into the storage box through the opening. The steam pipe passes through the storage box and is connected to the iron.

[0010] The feature is that a mounting frame is provided on the base, and the boiler is fixed on the mounting frame so that the bottom of the boiler is suspended in the air. There is an empty space between the bottom of the boiler and the base, and a water pipe connected to the boiler is installed in the empty space for the boiler to supply water or drain water.

[0011] A three-way pipe is provided between the water pump and the boiler. The three-way pipe has an inlet, an outlet and a drain that are interconnected. The water pump is connected to the inlet through an inlet pipe. The aforementioned water pipe is connected to the outlet. A drain pipe is connected to the drain outlet. A switch valve for controlling the opening and closing of the drain pipe is also provided between the drain outlet and the drain pipe.

[0012] In the steam generator of the aforementioned ironing machine, a pipe joint is fixedly installed at the steam outlet. The pipe joint has interconnected steam inlet, steam outlet, pressure relief port one, and pressure relief port two. The steam inlet is connected to the steam outlet on the boiler. The steam pipe is connected to the steam outlet, and a solenoid valve for controlling the on / off state of the steam pipe is also provided between the steam pipe and the steam outlet. A steam exhaust pipe is connected to pressure relief port one, and a safety valve for controlling the on / off state of the steam exhaust pipe is also provided between pressure relief port one and the steam exhaust pipe. A pressure switch is installed at pressure relief port two.

[0013] When the iron is in use, the solenoid valve opens, and the steam in the boiler enters the iron through the steam pipe. When the gas pressure in the boiler is too high, the safety valve opens, and the excess steam flows into the main drain pipe through the exhaust pipe to release the steam and relieve pressure. If the gas pressure in the boiler continues to rise while the steam is releasing pressure, the steam will push open the pressure switch, and the boiler will stop heating, thus achieving power outage protection.

[0014] In the steam generator of the aforementioned ironing machine, the top of the water pump has two interconnected water outlets, one end of the inlet pipe is connected to water outlet one, and the other end is connected to the inlet of the tee pipe; an overflow pipe is connected to water outlet two.

[0015] In the steam generator of the aforementioned ironing machine, a main drain pipe is also provided on the base, and the drain pipe, steam exhaust pipe, and overflow pipe are all connected to the main drain pipe.

[0016] In the steam generator of the aforementioned ironing machine, a mounting column is provided on the base, and a mounting plane is provided on the mounting bracket. The top surface of the mounting column is flush with the mounting plane. The bottom of the water pump is fixed on the mounting column and the mounting plane so that the bottom of the water pump is suspended. There is an overhead space 2 between the mounting column and the mounting bracket. A water pumping pipe connected to the water pump is installed in the overhead space 2 for the water pump to pump water.

[0017] In the steam generator of the aforementioned ironing machine, a water level probe is also provided inside the boiler, which is used to detect the water level height inside the boiler.

[0018] In the steam generator of the aforementioned ironing machine, an NTC thermistor is installed at the bottom of the boiler, which is used to detect the temperature of the water inside the boiler.

[0019] In the steam generator of the aforementioned ironing machine, the mounting frame includes several support columns, which are arranged at intervals along the circumference of the boiler. A mounting plate is fixed on the boiler, and the mounting plate is mounted on each support column and fixedly connected to each support column.

[0020] In the steam generator of the aforementioned ironing machine, the switching valve includes a valve body, a valve core, a cam rotatably disposed within the valve body, and a motor driving the cam to rotate. The valve core is slidably disposed within the valve core along the length of the drain pipe. The cam always rotates and abuts against the valve core. When the motor drives the cam to rotate, it can drive the valve core to move back and forth, so that the valve core extends into or retracts from the drain outlet to correspondingly block or open the drain outlet.

[0021] In the steam generator of the aforementioned ironing machine, the valve core includes an end and a piston rod fixedly connected to the end. The end is slidably disposed in the valve body, and the piston rod extends into the three-way pipe. The cam is movably disposed in the inner cavity of the end, and the outer wheel surface of the cam always abuts against the inner wall of the end.

[0022] The second objective of this invention is to address the aforementioned problems with existing ironing machines by proposing a steam generation method that avoids frequent pump starts and ensures that the output steam temperature matches the set temperature.

[0023] The second objective of this invention can be achieved through the following technical solutions:

[0024] A method for generating steam using a steam generator in an ironing machine, comprising the following steps:

[0025] ① After the ironing machine is turned on, the switch valve controls the drain outlet of the three-way pipe to close. After the water pump is powered on, water is injected into the boiler through the inlet pipe and the outlet pipe. After the boiler is powered on, it starts to heat. When the steam temperature reaches the set temperature T, the system controls the boiler to continue heating until the temperature reaches T+5℃. Then the solenoid valve opens and steam enters the iron through the steam pipe.

[0026] ② After steam is output for 2 minutes, the system controls the boiler to cool down until the steam temperature reaches the set temperature T, and then the system controls the boiler to maintain this temperature to output steam.

[0027] ③ During the continuous steam output process, when the water level probe detects that the water level in the boiler has dropped below the set level, the system delays the timer. After a 2-minute interval, the system controls the water pump to turn on and inject water into the boiler until the water level rises to the set level, at which point the water injection stops.

[0028] ④ When the cumulative steam output time reaches the system set time, the solenoid valve closes and the system enters the cleaning mode. After cleaning is completed, the switch valve controls the drain port of the three-way pipe to open, and the water in the boiler flows into the main drain pipe through the water pipe and the drain pipe and is discharged.

[0029] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following beneficial effects:

[0030] 1. The boiler adopts an overhead installation method, with sufficient overhead space below the boiler for the installation of water pipes for boiler water supply or drainage. The switch valve used to control the on / off of the drain pipe is also located in this overhead space, which greatly reduces the floor space.

[0031] 2. When the water level is lower than the set value on the water level probe, the system delays the timer, and after an interval of 2 minutes, the water pump starts to supply water to the boiler to avoid frequent water pump starts.

[0032] 3. After the iron is started, the steam temperature is heated to T+5℃. The steam enters the steam pipe at room temperature. The steam will cool down during the process of being transported in the pipe to ensure that the temperature of the steam sprayed from the iron is the set temperature T. After the steam is output for 2 minutes, the temperature of the steam pipe rises to match the steam temperature. The system controls the boiler to cool down to the set temperature T, so that the iron always maintains the set temperature for steam output. Attached Figure Description

[0033] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the present invention;

[0034] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the present invention from another angle;

[0035] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram showing the connection between the boiler, water pump, and iron of the present invention;

[0036] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the connection between the boiler and the water pump of the present invention;

[0037] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the boiler installation according to the present invention;

[0038] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the connection of the main drain pipe of the present invention;

[0039] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the connection of the pipe fitting of the present invention;

[0040] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the water pump installation of the present invention;

[0041] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the switching valve of the present invention after it is opened;

[0042] Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of the switching valve of the present invention after it is closed.

[0043] In the diagram: 1. Base; 2. Water pump; 3. Boiler; 4. Iron; 5. Steam pipe; 6. Mounting bracket; 7. Water pipe; 8. T-pipe; 9. Inlet pipe; 10. Drain pipe; 11. Switch valve; 12. Pipe joint; 13. Solenoid valve; 14. Safety valve; 15. Exhaust pipe; 16. Pressure switch; 17. Overflow pipe; 18. Main drain pipe; 19. Mounting column; 20. Water level probe; 21. Support column; 22. Mounting plate; 23. Pumping pipe; 24. Storage box; 30. Valve body; 31. Valve core; 32. Cam; 33. End; 34. Piston rod; 35. Drain outlet; 36. Inlet; 37. Outlet. Detailed Implementation

[0044] The following are specific embodiments of the present invention, which are described in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to these embodiments.

[0045] like Figures 1 to 3 As shown, the steam generator of an ironing machine according to the present invention includes a base 1 and a water pump 2, a boiler 3 and an iron 4 installed on the base 1. The water pump 2 supplies water to the boiler 3, and the boiler 3 has a steam outlet. The iron 4 is connected to the steam outlet through a steam pipe 5. The base 1 is also provided with a storage box 24. The storage box 24 has an opening on one side facing away from the boiler 3. The iron 4 is put into the storage box 24 through the opening. The steam pipe 5 passes through the storage box 24 and is connected to the iron 4.

[0046] like Figure 7 As shown, a mounting frame 6 is provided on the base 1, and the boiler 3 is fixed on the mounting frame 6 so that the bottom of the boiler 3 is suspended. There is an empty space between the bottom of the boiler 3 and the base 1. A water pipe 7 connected to the boiler 3 is installed in the empty space for water supply or drainage of the boiler 3. The mounting frame 6 includes several support columns 21, which are arranged at intervals around the circumference of the boiler 3. A mounting plate 22 is fixed on the boiler 3. The mounting plate 22 is mounted on each support and fixedly connected to each support column 21.

[0047] like Figure 4 As shown, a three-way pipe 8 is provided between the water pump 2 and the boiler 3. The three-way pipe 8 has an inlet 36, an outlet 37 and a drain outlet 35 that are interconnected. The water pump 2 is connected to the inlet 36 through an inlet pipe 9. The aforementioned water pipe 7 is connected to the outlet 37. A drain pipe 10 is connected to the drain outlet 35. A switch valve 11 for controlling the opening and closing of the drain pipe 10 is also provided between the drain outlet 35 and the drain pipe 10.

[0048] like Figure 6As shown, a pipe joint 12 is fixed at the steam outlet. The pipe joint 12 has interconnected steam inlet, steam outlet, pressure relief port one, and pressure relief port two. The steam inlet is connected to the steam outlet on the boiler 3. The steam pipe 5 is connected to the steam outlet. A solenoid valve 13 for controlling the opening and closing of the steam pipe 5 is also provided between the steam pipe 5 and the steam outlet. A steam exhaust pipe 15 is connected to one of the pressure relief ports. A safety valve 14 for controlling the opening and closing of the steam exhaust pipe 15 is also provided between the first pressure relief port and the second pressure relief port. A pressure switch 16 is installed at the second pressure relief port.

[0049] When the iron is in use, the solenoid valve 13 opens, and the steam in the boiler 3 enters the iron 4 through the steam pipe 5. When the gas pressure in the boiler 3 is too high, the safety valve 14 opens, and the excess steam flows into the main drain pipe 18 through the exhaust pipe 15 to release the steam and relieve pressure. If the gas pressure in the boiler 3 continues to rise while releasing the steam and relieving pressure, the steam will push the pressure switch 16 open, and the boiler 3 will be de-energized and stop heating, thus achieving power outage protection.

[0050] like Figure 5 As shown, the top of the water pump 2 has two interconnected outlets, 37-1 and 37-2. One end of the inlet pipe 9 is connected to outlet 37-1, and the other end is connected to the inlet 36 of the tee pipe 8. An overflow pipe 17 is connected to outlet 37-2. The base 1 is also equipped with a main drain pipe 18, and the aforementioned drain pipe 10, exhaust pipe 15, and overflow pipe 17 are all connected to the main drain pipe 18.

[0051] like Figure 8 As shown, a mounting column 19 is provided on the base 1, and a mounting plane is provided on the mounting bracket 6. The top surface of the mounting column 19 is flush with the mounting plane. The bottom of the water pump 2 is fixed on the mounting column 19 and the mounting plane so that the bottom of the water pump 2 is suspended. There is an overhead space 2 between the mounting column 19 and the mounting bracket 6. A water pumping pipe 23 connected to the water pump 2 is installed in the overhead space 2 for pumping water from the water pump 2.

[0052] The boiler 3 is also equipped with a water level probe 20, which is used to detect the water level inside the boiler 3. An NTC thermistor is installed at the bottom of the boiler 3, which is used to detect the temperature of the water inside the boiler 3.

[0053] like Figure 9 and Figure 10As shown, the switching valve 11 includes a valve body 30, a valve core 31, a cam 32 rotatably disposed within the valve body 30, and a motor driving the cam 32 to rotate. The valve core 31 is slidably disposed within the valve core 31 along the length of the drain pipe 10. The cam 32 always rotates and abuts against the valve core 31. When the motor drives the cam 32 to rotate, it can drive the valve core 31 to move back and forth, so that the valve core 31 extends into or retracts from the drain outlet 35 to correspondingly block or open the drain outlet 35. The valve core 31 includes an end 33 and a piston rod 34 fixedly connected to the end 33. The end 33 is slidably disposed within the valve body 30, and the piston rod 34 extends into the three-way pipe 8. The cam 32 is movably disposed within the inner cavity of the end 33, and the outer wheel surface of the cam 32 always abuts against the inner wall of the end 33.

[0054] The present invention discloses a steam generation method for a steam generator of an ironing machine, which generates steam using the aforementioned steam generator, and includes the following steps:

[0055] ①EA. After the ironing machine is turned on, the switch valve 11 controls the drain outlet 35 of the three-way pipe 8 to close. After the water pump 2 is powered on, water is injected into the boiler 3 through the water inlet pipe 9 and the water outlet pipe 7. After the boiler 3 is powered on, it starts to heat. When the steam temperature is heated to the set temperature T, the system controls the boiler 3 to continue heating until the temperature is heated to T+5℃. Then the solenoid valve 13 opens and the steam enters the iron 4 through the steam pipe 5.

[0056] ② After steam is output for 2 minutes, the system controls boiler 3 to cool down until the steam temperature reaches the set temperature T, and the system controls boiler 3 to maintain this temperature to output steam.

[0057] ③ During the continuous steam output process, when the water level probe 20 detects that the water level in the boiler 3 has dropped below the set liquid level, the system delays the timer. After an interval of 2 minutes, the system controls the water pump 2 to be powered on to inject water into the boiler 3 until the water level rises to the set liquid level and then stops injecting water.

[0058] ④ When the cumulative steam output time reaches the system set time, the solenoid valve 13 closes and the system enters the cleaning mode. After cleaning is completed, the switch valve 11 controls the drain port 35 of the three-way pipe 8 to open, and the water in the boiler 3 flows into the main drain pipe 18 through the water pipe 7 and the drain pipe 10 and is discharged.

[0059] It should be understood that in the claims and description of this invention, all instances of "comprising..." should be understood as having an open meaning, that is, their meaning is equivalent to "containing at least...", and should not be understood as having a closed meaning, that is, their meaning should not be understood as "containing only...".

[0060] The specific embodiments described herein are merely illustrative of the spirit of the invention. Those skilled in the art to which this invention pertains may make various modifications or additions to the described specific embodiments or use similar methods to substitute them, without departing from the spirit of the invention or exceeding the scope defined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A steam generator for an ironing machine, comprising a base (1) and a water pump (2), a boiler (3) and an iron (4) mounted on the base (1), wherein the water pump (2) supplies water to the boiler (3), the boiler (3) has a steam outlet, and the iron (4) is connected to the steam outlet through a steam pipe (5); the base (1) is also provided with a storage box (24), the storage box (24) has an opening on one side facing away from the boiler (3), the iron (4) is placed into the storage box (24) from the opening end, and the steam pipe (5) passes through the storage box (24) and is connected to the iron (4); Its features are, The base (1) is provided with a mounting bracket (6), and the boiler (3) is fixed on the mounting bracket (6) so that the bottom of the boiler (3) is suspended. There is an empty space between the bottom of the boiler (3) and the base (1). A water pipe (7) connected to the boiler (3) is installed in the empty space for water supply or drainage of the boiler (3). A three-way pipe (8) is provided between the water pump (2) and the boiler (3). The three-way pipe (8) has an inlet (36), an outlet (37) and a drain (35) that are connected to each other. The water pump (2) is connected to the inlet (36) through an inlet pipe (9). The above-mentioned water pipe (7) is connected to the outlet (37). A drain pipe (10) is connected to the drain (35). A switch valve (11) for controlling the opening and closing of the drain pipe (10) is also provided between the drain (35) and the drain pipe (10).

2. The steam generator for an ironing machine according to claim 1, characterized in that, A pipe joint (12) is fixed at the steam outlet. The pipe joint (12) has an interconnected steam inlet, a steam outlet, a pressure relief port one, and a pressure relief port two. The steam inlet is connected to the steam outlet on the boiler (3). The steam pipe (5) is connected to the steam outlet. A solenoid valve (13) for controlling the opening and closing of the steam pipe (5) is also provided between the steam pipe (5) and the steam outlet. A steam exhaust pipe (15) is connected to the pressure relief port one. A safety valve (14) for controlling the opening and closing of the steam exhaust pipe (15) is also provided between the pressure relief port one and the steam exhaust pipe (15). A pressure switch (16) is installed at the pressure relief port two.

3. The steam generator for an ironing machine according to claim 2, characterized in that, The water pump (2) has two interconnected outlets (37) on its top. One end of the inlet pipe (9) is connected to the outlet (37), and the other end is connected to the inlet (36) of the three-way pipe (8). An overflow pipe (17) is connected to the outlet (37).

4. The steam generator for an ironing machine according to claim 3, characterized in that, The base (1) is also provided with a main drain pipe (18), and the drain pipe (10), steam pipe (15), and overflow pipe (17) are all connected to the main drain pipe (18).

5. The steam generator for an ironing machine according to claim 1, characterized in that, The base (1) is provided with a mounting column (19), and the mounting frame (6) has a mounting plane. The top surface of the mounting column (19) is flush with the mounting plane. The bottom of the water pump (2) is fixed on the mounting column (19) and the mounting plane so that the bottom of the water pump (2) is suspended. There is an overhead space 2 between the mounting column (19) and the mounting frame (6). A water pumping pipe (23) connected to the water pump (2) is installed in the overhead space 2 for pumping water from the water pump (2).

6. The steam generator of an ironing machine according to claim 1, characterized in that, The boiler (3) is also equipped with a water level probe (20), which is used to detect the water level in the boiler (3); an NTC thermistor is installed at the bottom of the boiler (3), which is used to detect the temperature of the water in the boiler (3).

7. The steam generator for an ironing machine according to claim 1, characterized in that, The mounting frame (6) includes several support columns (21), which are arranged at intervals around the boiler (3). A mounting plate (22) is fixed on the boiler (3), and the mounting plate (22) is mounted on each support and fixedly connected to each support column (21).

8. The steam generator of an ironing machine according to claim 1, characterized in that, The switch valve (11) includes a valve body (30), a valve core (31), a cam (32) rotatably disposed in the valve body (30), and a motor that drives the cam (32) to rotate. The valve core (31) is slidably disposed in the valve core (31) along the length of the drain pipe (10). The cam (32) always rotates and abuts against the valve core (31). When the motor drives the cam (32) to rotate, it can drive the valve core (31) to move back and forth so that the valve core (31) extends into or exits the drain outlet (35) to correspondingly block or open the drain outlet (35).

9. The steam generator of an ironing machine according to claim 8, characterized in that, The valve core (31) includes an end (33) and a piston rod (34) fixedly connected to the end (33). The end (33) is slidably disposed in the valve body (30), and the piston rod (34) extends into the three-way pipe (8). The cam (32) is movably disposed in the inner cavity of the end (33), and the outer wheel surface of the cam (32) always abuts against the inner wall of the end (33).

10. A method for generating steam in a steam generator of an ironing machine, comprising generating steam using a steam generator according to any one of claims 1-9, characterized in that, It includes the following steps: (①E)A. After the ironing machine is turned on, the switch valve (11) controls the drain outlet (35) of the three-way pipe (8) to close. After the water pump (2) is powered on, water is injected into the boiler (3) through the inlet pipe (9) and the outlet pipe (7). After the boiler (3) is powered on, it starts to heat. When the steam temperature is heated to the set temperature T, the system controls the boiler (3) to continue heating until the temperature is heated to T+5℃. Then the solenoid valve (13) opens and the steam enters the iron (4) through the steam pipe (5). A(②E)A、After steam output for 2 minutes, the system controls the boiler (3) to cool down until the steam temperature reaches the set temperature T, and the system controls the boiler (3) to maintain the temperature and output steam. A③EA、During the continuous output of steam, when the water level probe (20) detects that the water level in the boiler (3) has dropped below the set liquid level, the system delays the timing. After a 2-minute interval, the system controls the water pump (2) to be powered on to inject water into the boiler (3) until the water level rises to the set liquid level and then stops injecting water. A④EA、When the cumulative steam output time reaches the system set time, the solenoid valve (13) closes and the system enters the cleaning mode. After cleaning is completed, the switch valve (11) controls the drain port (35) of the three-way pipe (8) to open, and the water in the boiler (3) flows into the main drain pipe (18) through the water pipe (7) and the drain pipe (10) and is discharged.

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