Patent Application
20100095565
This invention relates to an ironing board comprising a base, a body with a work surface, which body has a first longitudinal axis and is connected to the base. The invention also relates to a system comprising an ironing board and an iron and/or a garment steamer for cooperation with the ironing board. The invention further relates to a method for refreshing an article and a method for pressing an article.
Commonly known ironing boards are equipped with X-legs, the legs are joined at their centre to form a pivot for height adjustment of the board. These ironing boards further comprise a body for placing an article to be ironed. Such an ironing board can be functionally used if the body is in a substantially horizontal position. In that position the feet of the legs function as a base on which the board stands on the floor.
A conventional cross-legged design requires a user to place the ironing board horizontally and almost at floor level, before opening it and raising the ironing board to the required height. For storing the board the reversed steps are taken: the board is lowered to floor level, picked up and put where the user wants to store it. Setting up or storing an ironing board can take considerable space. Furthermore, handling of the board, e.g. moving the board, putting it up or storing it, can be quite a complicated job.
It is an object of the invention to provide an ironing board that is suitable for multifunctional use and is easy to handle when the user wants to put it in a desired operational mode or to store it.
This object is achieved by the ironing board according to the invention, which board comprises a column, which column extends between the body and the base and has a second longitudinal axis, and a tilting means, which tilting means is arranged for tilting the body about a tilting axis extending substantially perpendicularly to both the first axis and the second axis.
The tilting means according to the invention allows for tilting the body relative to the column. In normal operations the column will be substantially vertical. By tilting the body, the user can put the body in several positions or so called operational modes.
The operational modes provide multiple functions for the user. If the body is in a substantially horizontal position, the user can for instance iron an article; if the body is in a tilted position, the user can hang an article over the body to refresh it or to treat it with steam. This will be explained in detail further on. The positions of the body or so-called operational modes can be selected while the column is standing. The user can put the body in the desired position while he/she is standing as well. Therefore, the ironing board according to the invention provides multiple functions and is easy to handle. To store the ironing board according to the invention the user tilts the body in a substantially vertical position and the board is ready to be put where the user wants to store it.
In a practical embodiment the tilting axis is stationary. In an alternative embodiment the tilting axis is rotational whereby a pivot-gliding movement may be made.
An embodiment of the ironing board according to the invention is provided with an axle around which the body can tilt. The axle, serving as a first unit, is fixed to the body and a notch, serving as a second unit, is secured to the column, the units being shaped, particularly complementarily shaped, and coupled to mutually cooperate. In an alternative solution the first and the second unit may comprise a gearwheel design known per se.
In order to be able to put the body in a selected or desired position, a positioning means is preferred. An embodiment of the positioning means comprises a pivot plate having a slot and a pivot clamp having at least one protrusion that fits into the slot. The pivot clamp is connected to the body and the pivot plate is connected to the column. If the protrusion of the pivot clamp is positioned in the slot of the pivot plate, the body is locked in a position. To be able to have several positions for the body, multiple slots can be present. Depending on specific wishes or requirements, the skilled person can incorporate a number of operational modes in the ironing board. The predetermined position or positions are located between 0-90 degrees relative to the horizontal plane, preferably 0-85 degrees relative to the horizontal plane, more preferably around 81 degrees. In a preferred embodiment at least two slots are present on the pivot plate: one at about 0 degrees relative to the horizontal plane and one at about 81 degrees relative to the horizontal plane. These two slots allow for a substantially horizontal body and a tilted body, respectively.
The pivot plate and protrusions function as locking means to avoid rocking of the body relative to the support. In case an increased stability is desired, the pivot clamp might comprise two protrusions fitting into two slots of the pivot plate.
Embodiments with reference to four operational modes are described further on. These modes are: an ironing mode, a refreshing mode, a compact mode and a pressing mode. In these operational modes, optional features according to the invention can be especially beneficial. Embodiments of these features are described further on. In order to be able to describe the optional features in a possible context of an operational mode, the features are described first. Not all the features are described in the context of all—possible—operational modes. The skilled person can combine the features and the modes as he/she deems fit.
In an embodiment of the ironing board according to the invention the body comprises multiple parts, for instance a first part having a first work surface and a second part having a second work surface. The first part of the body is fixed to the column and is preferably provided with a support element for supporting the second part. A hinge, serving as folding means, connects the first and second parts. The hinge, or if desired hinges, allow for the body to be folded. This is a way to create a compact mode. In this compact mode the ironing board is easy to transport and store. For more convenience the base of the ironing board may comprise wheels and the column or board may comprise a handle so that the ironing board can be easily pulled over the floor and the user does not have to lift the ironing board when moving it around. The wheels may comprise blocking means to secure the position of the ironing board, which blocking means are known by the skilled person.
In another operational mode the first work surface and the second work surface are folded towards each other while the first work surface is substantially horizontal. The folded body can be used to press an article in-between the first and second work surface. This is the pressing mode as described further on.
An embodiment of an ironing board according to the invention comprises a resilient element. In practice this can for instance be an elastic band or a strap secured to a spring. The course of the resilient element preferably leads via the column through the first part of the body and ends in the second part of the body. The resilient element is secured at one end to the column and at the other end to the second part of the body. Rollers may function as guiding means to guide the course of the resilient element.
The resilient element functions as a weight balance means to compensate a difference in weight between segments of the body extending at opposite sides of the tilting axis. Due to this measure only a limited force is needed to tilt the board.
In such an embodiment, the resilient element accompanies the folding of the body and prevents slamming in case the user lets go of the board too quickly during folding. In this way folding and unfolding of the body can be done in a controlled manner. The resilient element may further play a role in keeping the parts of the body together while tilting the body. In this case the force of the resilient element has to be stronger than the force needed to tilt the body.
It is to be noted that in case the column is arranged for height adjustment, one end of the resilient element is connected to the moving element of the column and the other end to the second part of the body.
Special care is usually taken in placing an article to be ironed in a flat manner on the work surface of the body. Doubled or folded fabric of the article could—if not taken care of—lead to a self-induced fold or artificial wrinkles in the article after ironing. This is an unwanted effect. In an embodiment of the ironing board according to the invention the ironing board is equipped with means, such as a fan, to blow or suck air through a permeable work surface. The body may be made of permeable material or solid material provided with holes and a permeable cover, for instance made of a textile. The blowing of air through the permeable work surface helps to place the article in a flat manner. The air provides a certain cushion on which the article can be placed in a flat or stretched manner. After the article is placed, the direction of the fan might be changed to suction, for instance by pushing a control button on the iron. Now the fabric of the article, after being placed in a flat manner on the air cushion, is sucked in a flattened manner to the work surface and now ready for ironing, thus reducing the risk of unwanted self-induced folds.
In another embodiment the ironing board may also be provided with means to heat up the work surface. In this way the fabric of the article is warmed from the work surface side, for instance using a hot electric spiral located in the body. Alternatively, a flexible heating element may be attached, e.g. sewn into the cover.
In case the ironing board according to the invention is equipped with a fan and/or a heater, a power supply is needed to supply power to these functions.
In another embodiment of the ironing board according to the invention the work surface is provided with a cover which is made of at least one layer of a heat-resistant fabric that can withstand temperatures from 150 degrees Celsius to 250 degrees Celsius continuously, without scorching. A hot sole of the iron can be placed on such fabric. In this way the user does not have to be bothered with the placing of the iron in a specially designated place or position for instance on a heel rest. Suitable material for the fabric is a woven material of meta-aramid fiber or polybenziimidazole, also liquid crystal polymers can be considered for this purpose. A thickness of up to 5-6 mm for the total cover is preferred. A thicker layer may result in a cover that is too heavy. In practice flame-retardant requirements are taken into consideration when selecting the material for the cover of the body, a self-extinguishing material is preferred. Another benefit of using heat-resistant fabric for the cover is that a stand for the iron is no longer needed. Usually one end of the ironing board is reserved for parking the iron when not in use. Without this so called dedicated iron-parking-place the user is free to use both ends of the board. In case the body has ends that differ in shape and/or size, the user can select the shape/size the most appropriate for the article to be ironed.
In a practical embodiment the cover comprises two layers: a top layer, which can withstand a temperature of 230 degrees Celsius for at least 30 minutes and a bottom layer, such as a felt or foam layer, which can withstand a temperature of 210 degrees Celsius for at least 30 minutes. The top layer is the layer that is in contact with the article during operation such as ironing. The temperatures mentioned are temperatures relevant for ironing. A lot of ironing boards are used in combination with a steam iron; therefore it is preferred that the cover has a cloth which is permeable to air and or steam.
In another embodiment of the ironing board according to the invention the board has a chamber to house appliances such as an iron, a steam iron and/or a garment steamer. This could be a cabinet with a drawer on or in the column in which the user can store for instance an iron when not in use.
Means to operate such appliances might also be provided for. These means may be for instance a water tank for providing water, a boiler for generating steam, in particular generated from the water from the water tank, and supplying steam to an inlet of the iron and a power supply for supplying power. In this way the ironing board and the iron form and cooperate as a system. Alternatively, the steam may be supplied to an inlet of the garment steamer, if present. In this way the ironing board and the garment steamer form and cooperate as a system.
Embodiments of the ironing board according to the invention are described in claims 2 to 29. The system according to the invention is described in any one of the claims 30 to 32. The methods according to the invention are described in claims 33 to 35.
Four operational modes of the ironing board according to the invention will now be described. The ironing board according to the invention is capable of at least two of these operational modes.
A first operational mode is the ironing mode. In this mode the body is usually in a substantially horizontal position. In an embodiment of the ironing board according to the invention the work surface has a contour that corresponds to the contour of a longitudinal section of an imaginary torso. One end of the board according to the invention has the shape of an imaginary human shoulder. The area of the work surface of the body can be chosen in such a size that the back of a shirt can be placed on it in whole. For instance a man's shirt size 52, 54 or 56 might be a convenient size. In this way the back of the shirt can be ironed in one go. The article does not need to be displaced during the ironing process in order to make sure that the whole back is ironed. Also for other articles an area large enough to fit the whole article—or a large portion of it—is beneficial. In this way less movement of the article is needed. The user has to perform fewer actions, which makes the ironing process less tedious and helps to save time.
A second operational mode is the refreshing mode. In one embodiment of an ironing board according to the invention, the board has a refreshing mode. In this mode the user can refresh articles by attaching the article to the body. In another embodiment of the ironing board according to the invention the work surface has a contour that corresponds to the contour of a longitudinal section of a torso. The article can be for instance a jacket, a blazer, a blouse or a shirt. Attaching can be done by hanging the article over the body. The article may be buttoned and thus closed at the what is usually called front side of the article. In this way the shoulder parts hang over the shoulders of the body. A non-button article like a dress or a sweater may be hung over the body in such a way that the shoulder straps or shoulder parts rest on the shoulders of the body. In both descriptions the body of the ironing board is enwrapped or dressed with the article. Alternatively, attaching can also be done by hanging the article on a hanger, and hook the hanger onto the body, or the article may lie loosely on the body; the body may support the article.
In an embodiment of the refreshing mode the body is in a substantially vertical position. The locking means provide multiple positions; this can be any position that provides a functional use. Usually this is between 0 and about 90 degrees. To refresh a shirt, a blazer or dress an angle between 75-85 degrees is beneficial. For a long wide skirt an angle of 30-60 degrees can be beneficial, because that way the fabric can hang free from the apparatus.
In case the user wants to refresh for instance a cloth or a duvet, a substantially horizontal body might be desired.
One way of using the refreshing mode is the following. The user attaches the article to the body and activates the electrical unit to start the fan to produce an air stream. The control unit may be located at any suitable place, for instance at the back of the body or at the column. A suitable place may be a place where the user can easily reach it. The control unit may be a push button, a touch screen, a touch button, a dial or an RF interface. Alternatively, a control unit may be applied that comprises a remote control arranged for communication with an electrical unit for activating a fan. The control unit might be programmable, so a jacket, a shirt or a coat hanging over the body can be refreshed just in time before the owner gets home. In one embodiment according to the invention the air flows through a permeable work surface towards the article. Refreshing an article in this way is more effective than hanging it on a hanger to air.
In one embodiment of the ironing board according to the invention the body comprises at least two parts, a first part connected to the column and a second part connected to the first part. In case the body has multiple parts, the air is guided via air guiding means such as corresponding openings in the sides of the body. In this way the air can flow through the whole body and through both the first and the second work surface.
In an alternative embodiment of the ironing board according to the invention the body is equipped with vents on opposite sides of the body. These are used as refreshing means. During use the vents are opened by means known per se and the air stream is mainly blown out of the vents. The air stream flows towards the sleeves and the upper part of the article. In this way the armpit region, known as a sweat area, is especially refreshed. The sleeves may be puffed out to some extent.
The board may be provided with heating means to warm the air. Warm air may accelerates the refreshing process.
In case the ironing board is part of a system that also comprises a garment steamer, the body can be used to hang the article and the steamer can be activated and moved along the article such that steam contacts the surface of the article. In such a system a boiler, a water tank and the electrical unit would be accommodated and arranged to provide steam to an inlet of the steamer. Optionally, this steaming operation can be combined with refreshing, for instance, after steaming the article it is refreshed.
The ironing board according to the invention may have means to allow for ironing in a non-horizontal mode in case the user prefers this. If the body is inclined upwardly, seen in the direction of a forward stroke of the iron in the iron process, during the forward stroke the frictional force or shear force is increased with respect to such force in case of a horizontally oriented body. This makes the process of wrinkle removal more effective. During a backward stroke of the iron the frictional force is reduced compared to this force in case of a horizontally oriented body thereby providing the consumer more convenience.
The tilted, i.e. inclined body may further provide an ergonomic convenience to the user, this process is similar to a person writing on an inclined desk, which is more convenient as compared to writing on a horizontal desk.
A third operational mode is the compact mode. In an embodiment of the ironing board according to the invention the body can both be tilted and folded. This can be done in such a way that the two body parts are more or less parallel to the column. In this way a compact ironing board results. It is preferred to choose inward folding to prevent stretching of the cover.
Handling of the board, e.g. moving the board, putting it up or storing it or putting it away can be a tedious job. In case the ironing board is equipped with for instance a ventilator for blowing and suction of air through the body, the board can become quite heavy. In the compact mode a substantial height reduction has been achieved as compared to the refreshing mode. In this way the ironing board and in case the board is part of the system, the system is quite easy to store, for instance under a table.
In case the base is provided with wheels, the user can easily pull the compact system to the desired place and set it up for ironing or refreshing. Alternatively, the user could pull the system to the curtains or furniture. In case the ironing board is part of a system that also has a garment steamer and means to supply steam to the steamer. The system can be used to steam and refresh curtains or furniture. In this way for instance smell can be reduced and wrinkles present in a curtain can be reduced.
A fourth operational mode is the pressing mode. Using the pressing mode of the ironing board according to the invention the user can press articles, or parts of articles. In the pressing modes the article is located in-between the first work surface and the second work surface. The parts of the body are clamped together with clamping means. These means may be known per se and a skilled person can select a suitable means. This may be a hook and a protrusion or the like, or a large clip that embraces the first and second part of the body, etcetera.
In one embodiment the clamping means comprise a bistable spring. The clamping means may be electric-power assisted, such as motorised gear or solenoid.
In a preferred mode the body parts are substantially horizontal during use; alternatively a 0-20 degree-angle to the horizontal plane could be selected.
In case the ironing board comprises heating means and/or air blowing or steam means, these might be used while pressing the article to increase the efficiency of the pressing process. In that case the body is made of a permeable hard material with holes covered with for instance a woven cover.
A concept of an ironing board tilting about a column-like set up instead of X-legs is described in FR 2695145. This document hardly provides technical information about setting up of the board. Moreover the tilting illustrated in FR 2695145 does not allow for a refreshing mode according to the invention, because the disclosed device does not have the required tilting possibilities.
With reference to the claims it is further noticed that the invention also refers to all possible combinations of features as described in the claims.
The invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings. In principle all aspects can be combined. In the figures the same numbers are being used for the same or equivalent features, in which:
a schematically depicts a second embodiment of the ironing board according to the invention,
b schematically depicts the embodiment of
c schematically depicts the embodiment of
a schematically shows a side view of a detail of
b schematically shows a side view of a detail of
a schematically depicts a first embodiment of a torso-shaped body according to the invention,
b schematically depicts a second embodiment of a torso-shaped body according to the invention,
a and 21b schematically show a detail of a second embodiment of the tilting means for the ironing board according to the invention in side view,
a and 22b schematically show a detail of a third embodiment of the tilting means for the ironing board according to the invention in side view,
The figures will now be described in detail and reference is being made to the numbers in the figures. In
In
In
In
In
The tiling is now described with reference to the figures. The starting point of the description is the body in a substantial horizontal position as depicted in
In the second embodiment of the ironing board according to the invention the body 5 (see
The folding of the body of the ironing board will now be explained. The starting point of the description is the body in a substantial vertical position as depicted in
If the user pushes the first button (61) in the direction of the body, the clamp protrusion 73 is released from the second slot 76 in the plate pivot 75 (see
In order to prevent the second part 93 of the body from slamming down on the first part 91 and to accompany the folding process, a resilient element 81 is provided. In
The shifting of the position of the body 5 in the second embodiment from substantially horizontal (stretched state like in
To keep the first part 91 of the body and the second part 93 of the body in a stretched state during tilting, alternatively a fixation means (not shown) might be provided.
This fixation means may be a hinge or spring-loaded hinge, known per se, which has two stable positions e.g. open position and closed position.
Alternatively, the fixation means may comprise a protrusion secured to the first part of the body close to the first part of the hinge (102, see
In
A way of pressing an article using an ironing board according to the invention will now be described. The body in a horizontal position (ironing mode) (
In an embodiment according to the invention the control unit for activating the fan 133 comprises a remote control 137.
In
In an embodiment of an ironing board according to the invention the ironing board is arranged for housing at least either a water tank 125 or a boiler 127 or a power supply (
a schematically depicts a first embodiment of a torso-shaped body according to the invention, where the work surface has a contour 141, which corresponds to the contour of a longitudinal section of a torso.
b schematically depicts a second variant of a torso-shaped body according to the invention having a contour 143.
The torso-shape may be symmetrical relative to an axis III-III.
In an embodiment of the ironing board according to the invention, the board has a refreshing mode. In this mode the user can refresh articles by hanging them over the body 5, the body being in a substantially vertical position (see
The article can be for instance a jacket, a blazer, a blouse or a shirt. The article may be buttoned and thus closed at the, what is usually called, front side of the article. In this way the shoulder parts hang over the shoulder (for example: 142 in
In an embodiment according to the invention the air flows through a permeable work surface. In case the body has multiple parts, the air is guided via air guiding means for guiding air, mobilised during use by the fan 131, from one part of the body to the another part of the body and vice versa.
The air guiding means comprises a first wall portion of the first part of the body 107 (
In an alternative embodiment the body is equipped with vents 131 (
In an embodiment of the ironing board 2 according to the invention depicted in
The height adjustment means is shown in more detail in
In these figures is depicted that a second button 39 is connected to a shaft 40. The shaft 40 is connected to a strip lift 41 via a second connector 42 (
To adjust the height the user pushes the second button 39 towards the body. In this way the shaft 40 is rotated in the direction of the arrow F (see
In order to facilitate the height adjustment so that the used does not have to apply a force to lift the weight of the body and the frame connected to it, an ironing board according to the invention is preferably equipped with means of exerting a repelling force on the body. Such a force is a force on the body directed away from the base. This force may be provided by electrical, magnetic, hydraulic, pneumatic or mechanical means.
In an embodiment according to the invention the weight of the body 5 is compensated during height adjustment by a constant-force spring 37 (see
In
In this embodiment the tilting means comprises the axle (not shown) as the first unit being fixed to the body and the pivot plate 175 as the second unit being fixed to the column. The axle and the opening 180 in the pivot plate 175 being complementarily shaped for mutual cooperation and the already mentioned first and the second units being rotatably coupled to each other.
The pivot plate 175 has a first slot 174, a second slot 176 and a third slot 178. In comparison with the first embodiment an additional slot is provided. A clamp 177 comprises a first protrusion 173 and a second protrusion 172 and a clamp opening 179 arranged for receiving and cooperation with the already mentioned triangle (not shown here).
In this embodiment the locking means comprises the pivot plate 175 comprising three slots 174, 176 and 178 and the clamp 177 comprising two protrusions 173 and 172. The protrusions shown are trapezium shaped and fit into the also trapezium shaped slots. The skilled person can select any suitable shape as long as the protrusion fits into the slot it has to cooperate with and locks the already mentioned body in the predetermined position.
The locking means may also be constructed in an inverse manner, wherein the pivot plate comprises plate protrusions and the clamp comprises clamp receiving means such as clamp slots arranged for receiving the plate protrusions.
In
As explained above, if the user, simultaneously with pushing the first button 61 (not shown), exerts a force in the direction of an arrow E (see
In the example of
In
a corresponds to the horizontal position of the body (ironing mode).
In
For the following explanation the wording is such that the body is inclined in the upward direction with respect to the movement of the iron tip.
Resolving the weight of the iron W Newton acting in the downward direction gives:
the static shear force Fs along the board in the downward direction as: Fs=W Sinθ
the normal force N acting perpendicular to the ironing board as: N=W Cosθ
Thus, the kinematic frictional force Fk of the iron is: Fk=μs N=μs W Cosθ
The direction of the force depends on the direction of movement of the iron. When the iron moves up the kinematic frictional force acts down and when the iron moves down the kinematic frictional force acts up.
Iron tip moves up: Total Shear Force=μs W Cos θ+W Sin θ
Iron tip moves down: Total Shear Force=μs W Cos θ−W Sin θ
For a horizontal body the shear force is the same for both forward as well as backward direction and is obtained by equating θ=0 in the above equations.
Angle θ=0° relative to the horizontale plane and
assuming μs=1,
Total Shear Force (hor)=μs W=W
Inclined body:
Angle θ=10° relative to the horizontale plane and
assuming μs=1,
and iron tip moves up:
Total Shear Force (up)=μs W Cos 10+W Sin 10=1.16 W>W
The total Shear Force (up) is larger than the Total Shear Force (hor)
and iron tip moves down:
Total Shear Force (down)=μs W Cos 10−W Sin 10=0.811 W<W
The total Shear Force (down) is smaller than the Total Shear Force (hor)
Good results have been obtained by an angle θ in a range of 10-30 degrees relative to the horizontal plane. This may be obtained by providing an slot or slots at dedicated positions on the pivot plate resulting in θ of about 10 degrees, about 20 degrees and/or than about 30 degrees relative to the horizontal plane.
It is noted that numerous embodiments not depicted in the drawings are implied in the invention as described.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 05105961.6 | Jun 2005 | EP | regional |
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind | 371c Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/IB2006/052150 | 6/28/2006 | WO | 00 | 12/7/2009 |
