Patent Grant
9528220
The present invention generally relates to irons and ironing solutions for smoothing imperfections in garments and other articles.
Irons are traditionally used to straighten or flatten a wrinkled or misshaped garment. Household irons are large, heavy devices that use a heating surface to smooth imperfections in garments. These devices often require long setup and teardown times to allow the heating element to reach operating temperature and then to cool back down after use. Traditional irons also have a heating element that is unshielded and uncovered, which requires constant monitoring during the cooling process.
Traditional irons may require an ironing board or other large, flat surface on which to iron the garments, which require additional storage space and setup time. While useful for large ironing projects, these types of irons are incapable of quickly touching-up a garment without the wearer first removing the garment and setting up the iron and ironing board.
Applicant has identified a number of deficiencies and problems associated with conventional ironing technologies. Through applied effort, ingenuity, and innovation, many of these identified problems have been solved by developing solutions that are included in embodiments of the present invention, many examples of which are described in detail herein.
In general, embodiments of the present invention provided herein include apparatus and methods of using and manufacturing a convertible iron.
In some embodiments, a convertible iron may be provided including a first adjustable wing and a second adjustable wing, a pivoting hub, and a heating plate connected to at least the first adjustable wing. Each of the adjustable wings may be joined to the pivoting hub, and the adjustable wings may be configured to pivot about the hub and with respect to each other. At least a portion of each adjustable wing may be configured to rotate between a detailing position and an ironing position. In the detailing position, the portions of each adjustable wing may be substantially parallel, such that the adjustable wings may be substantially opposing one another and may be configured to receive an article therebetween for ironing. In the ironing position, the portions of each adjustable wing are substantially coplanar and are configured to engage a same side of a surface of an article for ironing.
In some embodiments, at least the first adjustable wing may include an upper portion and a lower portion. The lower portion may be the portion of the first adjustable wing that may be configured to rotate between the detailing position and the ironing position. In some embodiments of the ironing position, the lower portion of the first adjustable wing may be disposed perpendicular to the respective upper portion of the first adjustable wing. In some embodiments of the detailing position, the lower portion of the first adjustable wing is collinear with the respective upper portion of the first adjustable wing.
Some embodiments of the convertible iron may include a hinge connecting the upper portion and lower portion of the first adjustable wing. The hinge may be a two-position hinge adapted to allow a user to rotate the lower portion of the first adjustable wing between the detailing position and the ironing position.
In some embodiments, the heating plate may be disposed in the lower portion of the first adjustable wing. The convertible iron may further include a second heating plate disposed in the second adjustable wing. Each heating plate may include a conductive plate and a heating element attached to the conductive plate. Some embodiments of the convertible iron may include at least one spring connecting each heating plate to the respective adjustable wing, such that the springs are configured to support each heating plate. The heating plate may be substantially free floating within each respective wing, such that the heating plates may be configured to conform to a contoured surface of the article.
Some embodiments of the convertible iron may include an actuator connected to the heating plates, configured to be actuated by a user, and configured to select from a plurality of temperature settings of the heating plates.
A distal end of the first adjustable wing may include a chamfer configured to guide uneven surfaces towards the heating plate. The convertible iron may further include a heat shield disposed opposite the heating plate on the first adjustable wing. In some embodiments, the adjustable wings may be configured to pivot at least twelve degrees about the hub.
Some embodiments may include a method of manufacturing a convertible iron. The method may include providing a first adjustable wing, a second adjustable wing, and a pivoting hub. Some embodiments of the method include joining the first adjustable wing and the second adjustable wing to the pivoting hub. The first and second adjustable wings may be configured to pivot about the hub and with respect to each other. The method may further include positioning a heating plate in at least the first adjustable wing. At least a portion of each adjustable wing may be configured to rotate between a detailing position and an ironing position. In some embodiments of the detailing position, the portions of each adjustable wing are substantially parallel, such that the adjustable wings are substantially opposing one another and are configured to receive an article therebetween for ironing. In some embodiments of the ironing position, the portions of each adjustable wing are substantially coplanar and are configured to iron a surface of the article.
In some embodiments, providing the first adjustable wing may include pivotally connecting an upper portion of the first adjustable wing and a lower portion of the first adjustable wing, wherein the lower portion is the portion of the first adjustable wing that is configured to rotate between the detailing position and the ironing position.
The method of manufacturing may further include attaching the heating plate to the first adjustable wing with at least one spring connection, such that the at least one spring connection is configured to support the heating plate.
In yet another embodiment of the present invention, a method of converting a convertible iron may be provided. The convertible iron may include a first adjustable wing; a second adjustable wing; a pivoting hub, wherein each of the adjustable wings is joined to the pivoting hub, the adjustable wings being configured to pivot about the hub and with respect to each other; and a heating plate connected to at least the first adjustable wing. The method may include rotating at least a portion of each adjustable wing between a detailing position and an ironing position. In some embodiments of the detailing position, the portions of each adjustable wing are substantially parallel, such that the adjustable wings are substantially opposing one another and are configured to receive an article therebetween for ironing. In some embodiments of the ironing position, the portions of each adjustable wing are substantially coplanar and are configured to engage a same side of a surface of an article for ironing.
In some embodiments of the method of converting the convertible iron, at least the first adjustable wing comprises an upper portion and a lower portion. Rotating at least a portion of the first adjustable wing between the detailing position and the ironing position may include rotating the lower portion with respect to the upper portion.
Reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings, which are not necessarily drawn to scale, and wherein:
The present invention will be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which some, but not all embodiments of the inventions are shown. Indeed, these inventions may be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will satisfy applicable legal requirements. Like numbers refer to like elements throughout. The terms top, bottom, side, up, down, upwards, downwards, vertical, horizontal, and the like as used below do not imply a required limitation in all embodiments of the present invention but rather are used herein to help describe relative direction or orientation in the example embodiments illustrated in the figures. The drawings may omit illustration of certain heating materials, padding, insulation, and other coverings to facilitate ease of visibility and understanding of features of the invention. As used in the specification and in any appended claims, the singular forms “a”, “an”, and “the” include plural referents unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.
As used herein, the term “substantially” is meant to encompass the described term and reasonable engineering variances thereof, within the scope of the described feature. For example, when the heating plates are described as being “substantially coplanar,” the plates may be generally within the same plane as one another, but minor deviations such as one plate being deflected by a button or wrinkle, will not cease to make them coplanar. Similarly, when the wings are described as “substantially parallel,” the wings may be generally parallel to one another, but may be slightly skewed from parallel depending on the thickness of the heating plates and/or garment being ironed and the wings' relative position on the hub.
Embodiments of the present invention are directed toward a convertible iron and methods of assembling the same. The iron may be converted from a configuration similar to a traditional iron, in an ironing position, to a compact, detailing iron in a detailing position by rotating one or more heating plates between the two positions. In the ironing position, the heating plates of the convertible iron may be substantially coplanar so as to define a larger, combined ironing surface, which may be used in a similar fashion to a traditional iron. In the detailing position, the heating plates of the convertible iron may opposingly face one another, such that garments or other articles may be ironed between the heating plates without requiring an external surface on which to rest the garment and iron.
In some embodiments, each of the wings 102 may have one or more heating plates 106 attached thereto. As described in further detail herein, the heating plates 106 may include elongate, conductive plates 146 that may be attached to and/or suspended in the wings 102. The heating plates 106 may project from the inner, ironing surfaces 107 of each wing 102 as shown in
Using the detailing mode, a user may iron wrinkles and smooth sections of a garment on a hanger or even while the garment is being worn. In the detailing mode, the user may apply pressure to the garments by mechanically squeezing the exterior housing of each wing 102 to press the heating plates 106 together with the garment therebetween. Alternatively, the heating plates may be disposed within the wings such that the heating plates transfer heat to the ironing surfaces of the convertible iron, but the heating plates do not necessarily project from the wings. In this embodiment, the convertible iron may still be used in the same manner described above.
The detailing position may also be a cooling or storage position, whereby the heating plates 106 and/or hot areas of the ironing surfaces 107 face each other to minimize their exposed surface area, which could accidentally contact a user or nearby surface. In this manner, a user may revert the convertible iron 100 to the detailed position when the device is cooling to reduce the risk of accidental burns or fire.
In some alternative embodiments, only one of the two wings 102 may include a heating plate 106, with the opposing wing including non-heating surface. In these embodiments, the non-heating surface may be used in mechanically the same way as the two heating plates 106 detailed herein by providing counter pressure to the opposing heating plate to pinch the garment or other article therebetween.
In some embodiments, each of the wings 102 of the convertible iron 100 may be made of two or more connected pieces, including an upper portion 108 and a lower portion 110. The upper portion 108 of each wing 102 may be pivotally connected to the lower portion 110, such that the lower portion can pivot about an axis joining the upper and lower portions. In some embodiments, the heating plates 106 of the respective wings 102 may be disposed in the lower portion 110 of each wing, so that each heating plate pivots with the respective lower portion. In some embodiments, the pivot between the upper 108 and lower portions 110 may have at least at 90 degree range of motion, such that the lower portions can pivot outwardly until they are approximately one hundred and eighty degrees apart. In such an embodiment, the lower portions 110 and heating plates 106 may be substantially coplanar, excluding any additional rotation from the hub 104.
With reference to
As detailed below, the joint between the upper 108 and lower 110 portions may include a locking hinge, two position hinge, or other similar mechanism for maintaining the lower portions in the ironing and detailing positions. In this configuration, both of the heating plates 106 may be oriented in the same direction to combine their effective surface areas to iron larger surfaces. In the ironing position, a user may grasp the upper portions 110 of the wings 102 and iron the garment or other article by applying heat and pressure opposite an ironing board or other similar surface.
In some alternative embodiments, the wings may define a single, rigid structure, such that the wings pivot between the ironing and detailing positions about the hub. In these embodiments, the heating plates 106 may substantially cover the entire ironing surface of the wing 102.
In the embodiments discussed herein, the heating plates 106 may protrude slightly from the wings 102 to allow the plates clearance to engage the garment. As detailed below, the heating plates 106 may also be floating relative to the wings 102, for example, on one or more springs 154 (shown in
In some embodiments, the structure of the wings 102 may further be configured to improve the performance of the heating plates 106. For example, a mid-section of the ironing side of the wings 114 across both the lower 110 and upper 108 portions may be inset to allow maximum clearance of the garments coming into contact with the heating plates 106. In some embodiments, the outer shell 120, 122 of the respective upper 108 and lower 110 portions may be insulated or shielded to protect the user and nearby surfaces from the heat of the heating plates 106. The outer shell 120, 122 may overhang the ironing surface near the distal end 112 of the lower portion 110 to protect the user and external surfaces from accidentally contacting the heating plates 106 at the distal end. Additionally, or alternatively, the distal end 112 of the lower portion 110 may be chamfered towards the heating plates 106 to allow the garment or other article to smoothly feed into the heating plates. The outer surface 122 of the distal end 112 may further be tapered, such that the thickness of the wings 102 at the distal end narrows and may be received in small openings of the articles to be ironed (e.g., a lapel or between buttons).
Referring to
In some embodiments, as shown in
In some embodiments, multiple indicators on the indicator panel may represent the same temperature. This may be used, for example, in cases where two different types of cloth require the same temperature setting. In these situations, it may be more confusing to omit a certain type of fabric because a user may not know which fabrics share a common ironing temperature. For example, if Denim and Cotton require the same ironing temperature, each of the Denim and Cotton modes and indicators may represent the same temperature despite being separate selectable settings. Alternatively, multiple indicators may simultaneously illuminate if multiple fabric types require the same temperature. In some alternative embodiments, the indicator panel 126 may include temperatures or intensity levels. The indicator panel 126 may additionally or alternatively include illuminating bars that may increase in width relative to each other to represent higher temperature settings.
In some embodiments, the temperature may be controlled by repeatedly pressing the power button 130 to cycle between modes of operation. The modes may further include an “OFF” mode in which the device does not heat. The iron 100 may also include an idle mode or safety timer that turns the device off after, for example, five, ten, or fifteen minutes of inactivity. Embodiments of the convertible iron may have separate indicators representing when the device is warming up or cooling down, or the existing indicators may flash, blink, or otherwise indicate when the device is warm but not ready for use.
Turning to
The wings 102 may include a hinge 138 connecting the upper portion 108 and the lower portion 110. The hinges 138 may enable the wings 102 to rotate between the detailing position and the ironing position. As detailed below, the hinges 138 may be locking hinges that lock the wings 102 in the detailing or ironing position. Alternatively, the hinges may be two position hinges that maintain the wings 102 in the detailing or ironing position, but allow the hinges to rotate upon application of sufficient force without being separately locked and unlocked.
The hinges 138 may be disposed within the wings 102, such that the outer shell 122 of the lower portion 110 pivots an upper edge 140 into the upper portion 108 when the lower portion rotates from the detailing position to the ironing position. Similarly, the inside surface 107 of the wings 102 may include an upper edge 142 on the lower portion 110 that overlaps a lower edge 144 on the upper portion in the detailing position such that the lower edge of the upper portion and the upper edge of the lower portion at least partially conceal the internal components of the iron when folded into the ironing position.
With continued reference to
Turning to
With reference to
For example,
In some embodiments, the hinge 138 may be a multi-position hinge (e.g., a two-position hinge) that includes a positioning mechanism 166 that maintains the hinge 138 in either the detailing position or the ironing position. The two position hinge 138 may allow a user to rotate the lower portion 110 of the wing 102 with sufficient application of force, but may otherwise maintain the lower portion 110 in one of a plurality of predetermined positions. For example, the positioning mechanism 166 may apply enough of a locking force that the lower portion 110 does not rotate with respect to the upper portion 108 when the user pinches the garment or other article in the detailing position. The positioning mechanism 166 may, nonetheless, not lock the hinge 138 completely, such that a user can still rotate the lower portion 138 without having to separately unlock the hinge.
The positioning mechanism 166 may include a spring 168 and detent plate 170 disposed about the hinge pin 162. A sleeve 172 may also be disposed about the pin 162 to provide a surface for the spring 168 to engage, as shown in
Alternatively the hinge may be a locking hinge that includes a pin or latch configured to hold the hinge in the ironing or detailing position. In such an embodiment, a user may manually, or the device may automatically, engage and release the rotation of the lower portion 110 of the wing 102 with respect to the upper portion 108.
Many modifications and other embodiments of the inventions set forth herein will come to mind to one skilled in the art to which these inventions pertain having the benefit of the teachings presented in the foregoing descriptions and the associated drawings. Therefore, it is to be understood that the inventions are not to be limited to the specific embodiments disclosed and that modifications and other embodiments are intended to be included within the scope of the appended claims. Moreover, although the foregoing descriptions and the associated drawings describe exemplary embodiments in the context of certain exemplary combinations of elements and/or functions, it should be appreciated that different combinations of elements and/or functions may be provided by alternative embodiments without departing from the scope of the appended claims. In this regard, for example, different combinations of elements and/or functions than those explicitly described above are also contemplated as may be set forth in some of the appended claims. Although specific terms are employed herein, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation.
This application claims priority to U.S. Design Application No. 29/503,839, which is entitled “Adjustable Iron” and was filed Sep. 30, 2014, and also claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/941,827, which is entitled “Adjustable Shirt Collar Iron” and was filed Feb. 19, 2014, which references are hereby incorporated by reference in their entireties.
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| Number | Date | Country | |
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| Parent | 29503839 | Sep 2014 | US |
| Child | 14618549 | US |
