Steam Iron Vaporization Chamber Screen to Prevent Spitting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Steam irons experience spitting behavior at both low and high steam rates due to the Leidenfrost effect and violent boiling, with existing solutions either requiring impractically long steam discharge paths or being sensitive to submersion, failing to effectively prevent the entrainment of water droplets at high steam rates.
Innovation Solution
A steam iron design featuring a steam-permeable screen that divides the vaporization chamber into two zones, with liquid water introduced directly into the vaporization zone without contact with the screen, allowing only steam to pass through, preventing macroscopic liquid water droplets from entering the steam zone and being discharged through the soleplate.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If long and tortuous steam discharge paths are used to vaporize water droplets, then spitting behavior is reduced, but the device complexity and steam discharge path length increase impractically
Solution Approach 1:
The invention divides the vaporization chamber into two distinct zones using a screen: a lower vaporization zone where water is introduced and vaporized, and an upper steam zone where steam accumulates. This segmentation allows water droplets to be vaporized in the lower zone while the screen prevents them from entering the steam discharge path, eliminating the need for long tortuous paths.
Solution Approach 2:
The screen acts as an intermediary element between the vaporization zone and the steam discharge path. It allows steam to pass through while blocking water droplets, thereby mediating the separation between the vaporization process and the steam discharge, preventing spitting without requiring complex path design.
2Productivity
If a screen is used to fragment water droplets, then vaporization performance is enhanced, but at high steam rates the screen loses its water distributing function due to submersion
Solution Approach 1:
The screen is positioned to create a distinct lower vaporization zone with sufficient height to accommodate water pooling during high steam rates. This segmentation ensures that the screen remains above the water level even at high inflow rates, maintaining both its water distributing function and its ability to prevent droplet entrainment.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention introduces a vertical dimension to the vaporization chamber by positioning the screen at a specific height above the bottom surface. This creates a three-dimensional vaporization zone that can accommodate varying water levels during operation, allowing the screen to maintain its function across different steam rate conditions.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If water is introduced directly into the vaporization zone without contact with the screen, then the screen remains effective at blocking droplets, but the steam discharge path must be optimized to prevent droplet entrainment
Solution Approach 1:
The screen serves as an intermediary barrier that blocks water droplets from entering the steam discharge channel while allowing steam to pass through. This simple intermediary structure eliminates the need for complex steam discharge channel design to prevent droplet entrainment.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention extracts the water droplet blocking function from the steam discharge path design and places it in the vaporization zone with the screen. This separation of functions simplifies the steam discharge channel design, as it only needs to transport steam without worrying about droplet entrainment prevention.
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 steam iron operates substantially without spitting at both low and high steam rates by containing splashy boiling water within the vaporization zone and ensuring that only steam is discharged, effectively preventing the entrainment of water droplets at the steam outlet.
Implementation Method 1
the bottom surface may be heated to a temperature well above the boiling point of water, and liquid water may be brought into contact therewith in order to vaporize it and turn it into steam
Implementation Method 2
a steam-permeable screen is disposed such that it at least partially extends over the bottom wall in a spaced apart relationship thereto, and such that it divides the vaporization chamber into a vaporization zone that is at least partially disposed below the steam-permeable screen and a steam zone that is at least partially disposed above the steam-permeable screen
Implementation Method 3
a water droplet dripped onto the hot bottom surface of the vaporization chamber may produce an insulating vapor layer that prevents it from rapid vaporization
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
AI summary
A steam iron (1) comprising: a housing (2) defining a water vaporization chamber (22); a heating element (12), accommodated by the housing (2) and configured to heat the vaporization chamber (22); a sole plate (8), connected to the housing and defining at least one steam outlet opening (10); a steam-permeable screen (24), disposed within the water vaporization chamber (22) and dividing the water vaporization chamber into a vaporization zone (28) and a steam zone (30); a liquid water supply channel (16) having an outlet (16b) that discharges into the vaporization zone (28); and a steam discharge channel (20) having a steam inlet (20a) that originates from the steam zone (30) and a steam outlet (20b) that discharges into the at least one steam outlet opening (10) in the sole plate (8).