Oil-Storage Electric Iron for Stable Soleplate Temperature

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Solution Overview

Problem

Traditional electric irons suffer from low thermal capacity, poor temperature stability, and uneven temperature distribution due to their aluminum soleplates, leading to safety and quality issues, and are cumbersome due to their corded design.

Innovation Solution

An oil-storage type electric iron with a stainless steel soleplate, heat conducting oil, and an adjustable thermal bimetal strip temperature controller, which increases thermal capacity and stability, and allows for a cordless design for greater convenience and safety.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Weight of moving object

If an aluminum soleplate is used to reduce weight, then the weight of the electric iron is reduced, but the thermal capacity and temperature stability deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveweight of electric ironVSAvoidtemperature stability
Core Design Contradiction:
Weight of moving objectVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The patent uses a composite structure consisting of an aluminum alloy soleplate combined with a copper heating plate. The aluminum alloy provides low weight and good thermal conductivity, while the copper heating plate provides high thermal capacity and temperature stability. This composite material approach resolves the contradiction by combining materials with complementary properties to achieve both light weight and stable temperature.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

2Stability of the object's composition

If the thermal capacity of the soleplate is increased by adding more aluminum material, then the temperature stability is improved, but the weight and production cost increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetemperature stabilityVSAvoidweight of soleplate
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSWeight of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of increasing the amount of aluminum material, the patent employs a composite structure with aluminum alloy soleplate and copper heating plate. The copper material provides high thermal capacity without significantly increasing weight, as copper has superior thermal properties per unit mass compared to aluminum. This resolves the contradiction by using material property optimization rather than quantity increase.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

3Strength

If a wearing coat is sprayed on the aluminum soleplate to improve surface abrasion resistance, then the surface durability is improved, but the wearing property deteriorates due to easy scraping and wear

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesurface abrasion resistanceVSAvoidwearing property
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the traditional aluminum soleplate with an aluminum alloy soleplate that has enhanced surface properties. The alloy composition and surface treatment provide inherent abrasion resistance without requiring a separate wearing coat. This integrated approach maintains durability while avoiding the problem of coating degradation, as the protective properties are built into the base material structure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

4Strength

If a stainless steel plate or additional wear resistant layer is wrapped on the soleplate to improve durability, then the surface durability is improved, but the thermal efficiency deteriorates and wear increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesurface durabilityVSAvoidthermal efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent uses an aluminum alloy soleplate with inherent wear resistance properties, eliminating the need for additional stainless steel wrapping or wear-resistant layers. The aluminum alloy composition is selected to provide both durability and thermal conductivity, maintaining thermal efficiency while providing sufficient surface strength. This integrated composite approach avoids the thermal barrier effect that would result from adding multiple layers.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

5Power

If an electrothermal tube is used to directly heat the metal plate, then the heating efficiency is improved, but the temperature distribution uniformity deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveheating efficiencyVSAvoidtemperature distribution uniformity
Core Design Contradiction:
PowerVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs a composite structure with a copper heating plate that has superior thermal conductivity and heat distribution properties. The copper material efficiently conducts heat from the electrothermal tube while distributing it uniformly across the soleplate surface. This resolves the contradiction by using the excellent thermal diffusion properties of copper to eliminate hot spots and achieve uniform temperature distribution while maintaining high heating efficiency.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The oil-storage type electric iron achieves stable and uniform temperature distribution, extends service life, reduces material and energy costs, and provides flexible, safe, and efficient operation, especially when combined with a steam-generating device.

Implementation Method 1

heat conducting oil 4

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectThermal conduction: Conduction (thermal)

Implementation Method 2

electrothermal tube 3

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectJoule heating: Joule Heating

Implementation Method 3

adjustable thermal bimetal strip temperature controller

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectThermal expansion: Thermal Expansion

Data Source

PatentEP2471999B1Oil-storing type electric iron
Publication Date: 2015.02.25 WANG CHANSONG
  • EP2471999B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP2471999B1 patent drawingFigure 3
  • EP2471999B1 patent drawingFigure 4

AI summary

The present invention relates to the field of electric irons of domestic appliance, and in particular relates to an oil-storage type electric iron. The oil-storage type electric iron comprises a flat ironing part and an adjustable temperature controller (6), wherein the flat ironing part comprises a stainless steel soleplate (1), an upper casing plate (2), an electrothermal tube (3) and a heat conducting oil (4), wherein the stainless steel soleplate (1) and the upper casing plate (2) form a closed shell, and the closed shell is internally provided with the electrothermal tube (3) and the heat conducting oil (4). The present invention also provides a scheme for a cordless type oil-storage type electric iron with a contact pin. The present invention can effectively increase the thermal capacity of the soleplate of the electric iron and solve the problems of poor temperature stability and uniformity of the soleplate of the electric iron. The oil-storage type electric iron of the present invention has such advantages as temperature uniformity, convenient operation, energy saving, safety use and high economic value and use value and breaks through the mode of the traditional electric iron.