Garment steamer with a moving plate

Abstract

A garment steamer comprising a housing (1) including a handle (2) and a head (3) including a treatment surface (33A), heated by heating means (60), intended to come into contact with a garment to be steamed and including a plate (5) movable relative to the treatment surface (33A), the movable plate (5) being able to occupy a deployed position in which the plate (5) is away from the treatment surface (33A) and a retracted position, in which the plate (5) is closer to the treatment surface (33A) and is used to pinch the garment against the treatment surface (33A), the plate (5) including an opening (50) opposite a part of the treatment surface (33A) when the plate (5) is in the retracted position, characterized in that the opening (50) has a rounded or beveled edge (50A), configured to facilitate the sliding of the garment to be treated along the plate (5). Figure for the abridged version: Fig. 8

Description

Title of the invention: Wrinkle-steaming device comprising a movable plate. Technical field

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of garment steamers comprising a housing including a handle and a head comprising a treatment surface intended to come into contact with a garment to be steamed and a plate movable relative to the treatment surface. State of the art

[0002] A device comprising a housing with a handle and a head with a soleplate heated by heating means is known from document CN201660790U. The soleplate has a treatment surface intended to come into contact with a garment to be steamed. The head of the device comprises a movable plate that can be in an extended position, in which the plate is away from the treatment surface, and a retracted position, in which the plate is closer to the treatment surface and can be used to clamp the garment against the treatment surface. In this document, the plate includes an opening opposite the treatment surface, and in particular steam outlet holes formed through the latter to allow steam to pass through the plate.

[0003] However, such an opening has the disadvantage of having an edge with protruding edges which tends to create creases and mark the garment when the device is moved along the garment with the plate used in the manner of a clamp. Summary of the invention

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

[0005] To this end, the invention relates to a garment steamer comprising a housing including a handle and a head having a treatment surface, heated by heating means, intended to come into contact with a garment to be steamed and comprising a plate movable relative to the treatment surface, the movable plate being able to occupy an extended position in which the plate is away from the treatment surface and a retracted position in which the plate is closer to the treatment surface and is used to pinch the garment against the treatment surface, the plate comprising an opening opposite a part of the treatment surface when the plate is in the retracted position, characterized in that said opening has a rounded or beveled edge, configured to facilitate the sliding of the garment to be treated along the plate.

[0006] Such an opening allows tension to be applied to the garment on both sides of the treatment surface, thereby improving the effectiveness of the wrinkle removal in the treatment area. Furthermore, the rounded or beveled shape of the opening's edge facilitates the garment's glide and optimizes wrinkle removal performance as the device is moved along the garment.

[0007] The device may also have one or more of the following characteristics, taken alone or in combination.

[0008] According to an advantageous feature of the invention, in the retracted position, the treatment surface of the head comprises an inclined wall opposite the edge of the opening.

[0009] According to an advantageous feature of the invention, the edge of the opening is beveled and extends parallel to the inclined wall.

[0010] According to an advantageous feature of the invention, the edge of the opening forms, at the junction with the rear face of the plate, an obtuse angle greater than 110°.

[0011] According to an advantageous feature of the invention, the plate and / or the treatment surface is covered with a non-stick coating, for example enamel or PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene).

[0012] Such a feature makes it possible to promote the gliding of the device along the garment to be treated and therefore to limit the risk of the formation of creases.

[0013] According to an advantageous feature of the invention, the front face of the plate is substantially flat.

[0014] According to an advantageous feature of the invention, the treatment surface is substantially flat.

[0015] According to an advantageous feature of the invention, in the retracted position, the front face of the plate and the treatment surface are arranged substantially in the same plane, the front face of the plate being advantageously contiguous with the treatment surface.

[0016] According to an advantageous feature of the invention, the treatment surface is at least partially inserted through the opening when the plate is in the retracted position.

[0017] Such a feature has the advantage of exerting significant traction on the fabric on both sides of the treatment surface, which optimizes the effectiveness of the wrinkle removal.

[0018] According to an advantageous feature of the invention, the treatment surface opposite the opening has at least one vapor outlet orifice.

[0019] This feature enhances the appliance's wrinkle-removal performance thanks to the effect of steam. Furthermore, the opening opposite the steam outlet holes allows the appliance to be used in a more conventional way, with steam but without pinching the garment with the plate.

[0020] According to an advantageous feature of the invention, the head comprises a complementary treatment surface, advantageously heated by the heating means, which is opposite a solid part of the plate.

[0021] Such a peripheral treatment surface has the advantage of further optimizing the effectiveness of the wrinkle removal.

[0022] According to an advantageous feature of the invention, in the deployed position, the plate extends parallel to the treatment surface.

[0023] According to an advantageous feature of the invention, the plate is movably mounted on the housing by means of a guiding device allowing the plate to always maintain the same orientation when moving from the retracted position to the deployed position, and vice versa.

[0024] According to an advantageous feature of the invention, the guiding device allows movement of the plate only in translation along an axis normal to the treatment face.

[0025] According to an advantageous feature of the invention, the device includes return means which exert a force tending to automatically bring the plate into the retracted position.

[0026] According to an advantageous feature of the invention, the return means comprise at least one spring.

[0027] According to an advantageous feature of the invention, the plate can be moved by means of a control member from the retracted position to the deployed position.

[0028] According to an advantageous feature of the invention, the control element is integrated into the housing and is advantageously located at the handle, preferably near its upper end.

[0029] According to an advantageous feature of the invention, the control member is movable between a rest position in which the plate occupies the retracted position and an activated position in which the plate occupies the deployed position.

[0030] According to an advantageous feature of the invention, the control member is connected to the plate by a transmission mechanism which multiplies the displacement stroke of the plate relative to the displacement stroke of the control member.

[0031] According to an advantageous feature of the invention, the transmission mechanism comprises at least one rack which cooperates with a toothed wheel.

[0032] According to an advantageous feature of the invention, the transmission mechanism is integrated into the housing, the transmission mechanism being advantageously arranged in a housing provided in a lower part of the head which adjoins the handle.

[0033] According to an advantageous feature of the invention, the treatment surface is heated by thermal contact with a heating body.

[0034] According to an advantageous feature of the invention, the heating body contains an instant vaporization chamber.

[0035] According to an advantageous feature of the invention, the head comprises a fixed sole heated by thermal contact with a heating body and the treatment surface is a surface belonging to the sole. Brief description of the figures

[0036] The objects, aspects and advantages of the present invention will be better understood from the following description of a particular embodiment of the invention presented by way of non-limiting example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

[0037] Fig. 1 is a perspective view of an apparatus according to a particular embodiment of the invention with the plate in the retracted position;

[0038] Fig. 2 is another perspective view of the apparatus in Fig. 1;

[0039] Figure 3 is another perspective view of the apparatus of Figure 1 with the plate in deployed position;

[0040] The [Fig.4] is a longitudinal sectional view along line IV-IV of the [Fig.3];

[0041] The [Fig.5] is a longitudinal sectional view along line VV of the [Fig.3];

[0042] The [Fig.6] is a longitudinal sectional view along line VLVI of the [Fig.5];

[0043] Fig. 7 is an exploded perspective view of the plate translation drive device;

[0044] Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the plate translation drive device.

[0045] Only the elements necessary for understanding the invention have been shown. To facilitate reading the drawings, the same elements bear the same reference numerals from one figure to another.

[0046] It should be noted that in this document, the terms "horizontal", "vertical", "lower", "upper", "top", "bottom", "front", "rear", "longitudinal", "transverse", used to describe the device refer to this device when it is arranged vertically with the handle facing downwards and the sole arranged vertically.

[0047] Figures 1 to 6 represent a garment steamer comprising a body having a portable plastic casing 1 including a handle 2 surmounted by a steam emission head 3.

[0048] The lower end of the handle 2 has an outlet for a power cord 20 allowing its connection to a domestic electrical network, and the rear face of the handle 2 includes a switch 21 (visible on [Fig.2]) allowing the garment steamer to be switched on.

[0049] According to [Fig. 4], the steam emission head 3 contains an electric pump 4 whose operation is controlled by means of a button 30 located on the rear face of the steam emission head 3. The button 30 actuates, in a manner known per se, a switch connected to an electronic control board for the pump 4, not shown in the figures. The pump 4 is supplied with liquid from a reservoir 22 provided on a front portion of the handle 2. This reservoir 22 is advantageously removable from the garment steamer to facilitate refilling.

[0050] The steam emission head 3 has a slender shape extending transversely to the longitudinal direction of the handle 2 and has a front face provided with a treatment face 31 intended to come vertically opposite a garment to be steamed.

[0051] The treatment face 31 comprises a fixed part carried by a base 32 disposed at a front end of the housing 1 and includes a movable part which is constituted by a plate 5 which can be moved between a retracted position, illustrated in Figures 1, 2 and 6, in which the rear face of the plate 5 is brought against the base 32, and a deployed position, illustrated in Figures 3, 4 and 5, in which the rear face of the plate 5 is moved away from the base 32.

[0052] Preferably, the sole 32 is made of metallic material and has an elongated, advantageously oblong shape, which extends lengthwise in line with the handle 2. The sole 32 is advantageously covered with a non-stick coating, for example enamel or PTFE.

[0053] In the particular embodiment shown in the figures, the sole 32 is in thermal contact with a heating body 6, visible in figures 4, 5 and 6, provided inside the head 3 and which heats the sole 32 by conduction.

[0054] The heating element 6 has a general rectangular parallelepiped shape and comprises, in a manner known per se, a casting, for example made of aluminum, and an electrical resistance 60 integrated into the casting. The supply to the electrical resistance 60 is regulated, in a manner known per se, around a setpoint temperature, advantageously between 110°C and 150°C, by means of a thermostat (not visible in the figures).

[0055] The sole 32 has a protrusion 33 inside which the heating body 6 extends at least partially, the protrusion 33 having a front face forming a projecting treatment surface 33A which is heated by the heating body 6.

[0056] As can be seen in [Fig. 3], the processing surface 33A is substantially flat and occupies a central position on the base 32, the processing surface 33A having a contour similar in shape to that of the base 32, but on a reduced scale. The processing surface 33A has a series of vapor outlet orifices 34 advantageously arranged in the bottom of a groove formed in the center of the protrusion 33, the groove extending longitudinally along the base 32.

[0057] The heating body 6 comprises, in a manner known per se, an instant vaporization chamber 61, visible on [Fig.5], which is supplied with water from the reservoir 22 by means of the pump 4, the water being injected into the instant vaporization chamber 61 through two injection ports 62 provided on a lateral face of the heating body 6.

[0058] The heating element 6 includes a steam distribution circuit 63 through which the steam flow from the instantaneous vaporization chamber 61 is intended to flow. The steam distribution circuit 63 is fluidly connected on one side to the instantaneous vaporization chamber 61 and on the other side to the steam outlet ports 34 via conduits provided in the front face of the heating element 6. The steam distribution circuit 63 is thus configured to supply steam to the steam outlet ports 34.

[0059] According to [Fig. 1], the plate 5 has an oblong opening 50 which is opposite the protruding treatment surface 33A, the opening 50 having a shape complementary to that of the contour of the treatment surface 33A. The plate 5 has a front face which has a peripheral external surface extending to the periphery of the opening 50 when the plate 5 is in the retracted position, the treatment surface 33A of the sole 32 and the peripheral external surface of the plate 5 then being substantially in the same plane.

[0060] As can be seen in [Fig.8], the opening 50 has an edge 50A which is beveled at the rear face of the plate 5. An obtuse angle α (visible in [Fig.4]) is formed at the junction between the edge 50A and the flat rear surface of the plate 5, this angle α being advantageously greater than 110° and preferably greater than 130°.

[0061] Preferably, the plate 5 is made of a metallic material or a heat-resistant polypropylene-type plastic material. The plate 5 is advantageously coated with a non-stick coating, for example, enamel or PTFE.

[0062] As seen in [Fig.3], the protrusion 33 has a frustoconical peripheral wall 33B which is opposite the edge 50A of the opening 50 of the plate 5. The peripheral wall 33B joins a peripheral treatment surface 32A extending along the edge of the base 32, parallel to the treatment surface 33A.

[0063] Preferably, the protrusion 33 protrudes from the peripheral treatment surface 32A by a height of between 1 and 5 mm, and advantageously of the order of 2.5 mm, and the plate 5 has a thickness which corresponds to the height of the protrusion 33.

[0064] To facilitate the sliding of the garment to be treated along the treatment surface 33A and the peripheral treatment surface 32A, the peripheral wall 33B has an inclination relative to the peripheral treatment surface 32A that is advantageously less than 70° and preferably less than 45°. Preferably, the inclination of the peripheral wall 33B is configured so that the peripheral wall 33B extends parallel to the beveled edge 50A of the opening 50 of the plate 5.

[0065] In the particular embodiment illustrated in the figures, the plate 5 is fixed to the longitudinal end of an arm 7 which exits through an opening 36 provided in the lower part of the head 3, the arm 7 extending perpendicularly to the plate 5 and being fixed at the lower end of the latter.

[0066] The arm 7 has a non-circular cross-section, for example square, which is mounted movably in translation in a housing 35 having a passage section of complementary shape, the cooperation of shapes thus preventing any movement of the arm 7 in a direction other than that of its sliding along its longitudinal axis.

[0067] The arm 7 is driven in translation in the housing 35 by means of a drive device which is shown separately in figures 8 and 9.

[0068] According to these figures, the arm 7 has two racks 70 arranged at the end of the arm 7 which is opposite the plate 5, the two racks 70 extending parallel to each other, along the longitudinal direction of the arm 7.

[0069] The drive device comprises a set of gears 71, 72 which are mounted to rotate freely about a common axis 79 supported by the head 3. This set of gears comprises two large-diameter gears 71, arranged on either side of a smaller-diameter central pinion 72. Each gear 71 is positioned above one of the racks 70 and has a lower end which meshes with said rack 70. The central pinion 72 has an upper end with which a control rack 73 meshes. This rack is carried by a trigger 74 mounted to move in translation at the upper end of the central pinion 72. handle 2, the control rack 73 being advantageously supported by an L-shaped arm which extends above the trigger 74 to take place inside the head 3.

[0070] The drive device thus formed constitutes a mechanism that allows the plate 5 to be moved away from the base 32 when pressure is applied to the trigger 74, the stroke of the plate 5 being a function of the degree to which the trigger 74 is depressed and the transmission ratio obtained using the gears 71 and the central pinion 72. By way of example, in the illustrated embodiment, the gears 71 have a diameter of approximately 2 cm and are equipped with 34 teeth, the central pinion 72 having a diameter of approximately 1 cm and comprising 15 teeth. Thus, a movement of the trigger 74 over a stroke of 1 cm results in a movement of the plate 5 over a stroke of approximately 2.3 cm.

[0071] Preferably, the drive device includes return means 75, 76 which automatically return the plate 5 to the retracted position, in which the plate 5 is applied against the base 32. These return means include at least one first return spring 75, advantageously located at the trigger 74. The first return spring 75 has a front end bearing against the rear face of the trigger 74 and a rear end bearing against the housing 1. It therefore exerts a force which tends to return the trigger 74 to a rest position, illustrated in Figures 1, 2 and 6, and consequently the plate 5 to the retracted position.

[0072] The return means advantageously comprise a second return spring 76, disposed in a cavity 77 formed on the underside of the arm 7 supporting the plate 5, which has a front end bearing against a wall carried by a cover 78, fixed on the housing 1, which covers the cavity 77 and a rear end bearing against a wall of the arm 7. The second return spring 76 exerts a force which tends to return the arm 7 inside its housing 35 and thus to apply the plate 5 against the base 32.

[0073] The first return spring 75 and the second return spring 76 therefore exert forces which add up and tend to bring the plate 5 back to the retracted position.

[0074] The device thus produced has the advantage of being able to be used in two modes of use with great ergonomics of use.

[0075] In a first mode of use, the device is used without pressing the trigger 74, i.e. with the front face of the plate 5 arranged in alignment with the treatment surface 33A, as illustrated in Figures 1, 2 and 6. The device is then used in a traditional way for a portable steam iron.

[0076] In this configuration of the device, the peripheral surface of the front face of the plate 5 and the processing surface 33A of the sole 32 form a surface of Large flat treatment that can be applied against the garment to be treated, the steam from the holes in the treatment surface 33A allowing the garment to be moistened when the user presses the button 30. The plate 5 then being in contact with the sole 32, it is heated by conduction by the hot sole 32 and helps to dry the garment when it is brought into contact with the garment.

[0077] The device also has the advantage of being able to be used in a second mode of use, in which the plate 5 is used like a clamp which pinches the garment to be steamed to apply it against the hot sole 32 of the device.

[0078] To use the device according to this second mode of use, the user only has to press the trigger 74 to bring the latter into an activated position, illustrated in figures 3, 4 and 5, in which the trigger 74 is pressed down until it is substantially flush with the rest of the handle 2. Pressing the trigger 74 then has the effect of separating the plate 5 from the sole 32 and bringing it into the open position.

[0079] The smoothing of the garment part, for example the sleeves, is then carried out by positioning this part of the garment between the plate 5 and the sole 32 and then releasing the trigger 74 so that the plate 5, heated beforehand by its contact with the sole 32, is applied against the garment with an optimized pressure which depends directly on the force exerted by the first return spring 75 and by the second return spring 76.

[0080] The user can then move the device along the area to be treated after preferably pressing button 30 so that steam is emitted at the holes in the treatment surface 33A. The device is then used like an ironing clip, which allows for optimized performance on thin and light areas of clothing, such as sleeves, which tend to move away from the treatment face 31 when using the device according to the first mode of use described above.

[0081] In addition, the fact that the edge 50A is beveled has the advantage of promoting the sliding of the garment along the edge of the opening 50, which helps to limit the formation of creases when moving the device along the garment.

[0082] This results in a device which offers very high ergonomics of use by allowing two modes of use with very good efficiency.

[0083] Of course, the invention is in no way limited to the embodiment described and illustrated, which has been given only by way of example. Modifications remain possible, particularly with regard to the composition of the various elements or by substitution of technical equivalents, without departing from the scope of protection of the invention.

[0084] Thus, in an alternative embodiment not shown, the plate can be mounted mobile by means of a parallelogram joint rather than being mobile only in translation.

[0085] In an alternative embodiment not shown, the device may include only one of the two return springs.

[0086] In an alternative embodiment not shown, the sole and / or the plate may also have its own resistive element, independent of the heating resistance of the heating body containing the vaporization chamber.

Claims

Demands

1. A garment steamer comprising a housing (1) including a handle (2) and a head (3) having a treatment surface (33A), heated by heating means (60), intended to come into contact with a garment to be steamed, and comprising a plate (5) movable relative to the treatment surface (33A), the movable plate (5) being able to occupy an extended position in which the plate (5) is away from the treatment surface (33A) and a retracted position in which the plate (5) is closer to the treatment surface (33A) and is used to pinch the garment against the treatment surface (33A), the plate (5) comprising an opening (50) opposite a portion of the treatment surface (33A) when the plate (5) is in the retracted position, characterized in that the opening (50) has a rounded or beveled edge (50A) configured to facilitate the sliding of the garment to be treated along of the plate (5).

2. Wrinkle-sewing device according to claim 1, characterized in that, in retracted position, the treatment surface of the head (3) has an inclined wall (33B) opposite the edge (50A) of the opening (50).

3. Wrinkle-searing device according to claim 2, characterized in that the edge (50A) of the opening (50) is beveled and extends parallel to the inclined wall (33B).

4. Wrinkle-sewing device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the edge (50A) of the opening (50) forms, at the junction with the rear face of the plate (5), an obtuse angle α greater than 110°.

5. Wrinkle-sweating device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the plate (5) and / or the treatment surface (33A) is covered with a non-stick coating, for example enamel or PTFE.

6. A garment steaming device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the treatment surface (33A) is at least partially inserted into the opening (50) when the plate (5) is in the retracted position.

7. Wrinkle-steaming device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the treatment surface (33A) has at least one steam outlet orifice (34).

8. A garment steaming device according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the head comprises an additional treatment surface (32A), advantageously heated by the heating means (60), opposite a solid part of the plate (5).

9. Wrinkle-sewing device according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that in the deployed position, the plate (5) extends parallel to the treatment surface (33A).

10. A garment steamer according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the plate (5) is movably mounted on the housing (1) by means of a guiding device (7, 35) allowing the plate (5) to always maintain the same orientation when moving from the retracted position to the deployed position, and vice versa.

11. A garment steamer according to any one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that it comprises return means (75, 76) which exert a force tending to automatically bring the plate (5) into the retracted position.

12. A garment steaming device according to any one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that the plate (5) can be moved by means of a control member (74) from the retracted position to the deployed position.

13. A garment steaming device according to any one of claims 1 to 12, characterized in that the treatment surface (33A; 32A) is heated by thermal contact with a heating body (6) which advantageously contains an instant vaporization chamber (61).

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