The present disclosure concerns an ironing station, specific to cordless ironing, equipped with an adapted iron, particularly a steam iron.
An ironing sequence with a cordless steam iron can be defined as the ironing time corresponding to the sum of the following times, dedicated by the user to this task:
A plurality of sequences is sometimes necessary to iron a single piece and the succession applied to all the garments to be ironed forms an ironing sequence.
An ironing session, comprising the succession of sequences such as previously defined, thus comprises a repetitive succession of phases 1) and 2) such as specified hereafter:
1) A recharge phase during which the cordless steam iron is laid on its power supply base. The iron is then electrically supplied and heat power is stored in the iron by taking a mass contained in the iron up to a given temperature threshold, for example, 180° C., using all the available electric power, for example, generally in the range from 2,400 W to 3,000 W for a home.
2) An ironing phase during which the iron is no longer in contact with its power supply base. The heat power accumulated in the iron is then released to, on the one hand, generate steam from the cold water contained in the iron tank, and, on the other hand, take the iron soleplate to and hold it at a temperature sufficient to de-wrinkle the garments.
It should be noted that, over the total duration of an ironing sequence, the respective recharge and ironing times are generally equal, to within 10% or 15%.
There thus is, during each ironing session, in terms of electric power consumption, an all or nothing operation alternation. The heat power stored in the iron during each recharge phase is progressively consumed during the next ironing phase until it has to be renewed. This induces a significant inrush current each time the iron is laid back on its base to be recharged. Repeated inrushes of such a power at short time intervals may be incompatible with current home electric power systems and may cause overheatings or trippings.
An object of an embodiment is to overcome all or part of the disadvantages of previously-described ironing stations comprising cordless irons.
Another object of an embodiment is for the recharge and ironing phases to be substantially identical to those of known ironing stations comprising cordless irons.
Another object of an embodiment is to decrease, or even to suppress, inrush currents at the beginning of each recharge phase.
Thus, an embodiment provides an ironing station comprising a cordless iron and a base, the iron comprising first heating means, the base comprising a first water tank, a plate, second means for heating the plate, and third means for heating at least part of the water from the first tank.
According to an embodiment, the base comprises a control system capable, when the iron is laying on the plate, of electrically powering the first heating means and of interrupting the electric power supply of the second and third heating means and, when the iron is not laying on the plate, of electrically powering the second and third heating means.
According to an embodiment, the iron comprise a thermal inertia mass. The first heating means are capable of heating the thermal inertia mass and the second heating means are capable of heating the plate to a temperature at least 20° C. higher than the maximum set point temperature of the thermal inertia mass.
According to an embodiment, the first heating means consume an electric power in the range from 1,200 W to 2,400 W, the second heating means consume an electric power in the range from 800 W to 1,600 W, and the third heating means consume an electric power in the range from 600 W to 800 W.
According to an embodiment, the control system is capable of controlling the first, second, and third heating means so that the first heating means are not electrically powered at the same time as the second and third heating means, which results in an electric power consumed by the first heating means smaller than 2,400 W, plus or minus 10%, when the first heating means are used and an accumulation of the electric powers consumed by the second and third heating means smaller than 2,400 W, plus or minus 10%, when the second and third heating means are used.
According to an embodiment, the base comprises a boiler contained in the first tank and the third heating means are capable of heating the water present in the boiler up to a temperature in the range from 95% and 98% of the boiling temperature of water.
According to an embodiment, the control system is an electromechanical system comprising:
and, when the iron is not resting on the plate, the switch is on and enables current to flow to the second and third heating means and, when the iron is resting on the plate, the iron presses on the pusher, which turns off the switch, which prevents the flowing of the current to the second and third heating means.
According to an embodiment, the station comprises a second tank housed in the iron and the iron comprises a female outlet emerging towards the outside of the iron, the female outlet comprising an anti-backflow system.
According to an embodiment, the iron comprises a sole-plate, the female outlet emerging onto the soleplate.
According to an embodiment, the base comprises a system for injecting water, originating from the first tank and heated in the boiler, comprising an injection nozzle capable of penetrating into the female outlet.
According to an embodiment, the injection system comprises:
According to an embodiment, the displacement system comprises at least one first manual control lever.
According to an embodiment, the displacement system comprises at least one electrical actuator.
According to an embodiment, the injection system comprises a system for pumping water from the first tank after it has been heated in the boiler.
According to an embodiment, the pumping system comprises a plunger and at least one second manual control lever capable of actuating the plunger.
According to an embodiment, the pumping system comprises an electrical pump.
According to an embodiment, the injection system further comprises a slide valve actuated by the pusher between a first configuration where the slide valve prevents the flowing of water in the pipe and a second configuration where the slide valve allows the flowing of water in the pipe.
The foregoing and other features and advantages will be discussed in detail in the following non-limiting description of specific embodiments in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:
For clarity, the same elements have been designated with the same reference numerals in the various drawings and, further, the various drawings are not to scale. The terms “approximately”, “substantially”, and “in the order of” are used herein to designate a tolerance of plus or minus 10%, preferably of plus or minus 5%, of the value in question.
According to an embodiment, the ironing station comprises an iron and a base that may comprise an integrated water tank arranged to enable to obtain ironing results equivalent to those of current cordless steam irons with equivalent ironing sequence times.
According to an embodiment, to take the temperature of the iron mass to a level equivalent to that obtained in known cordless irons, it is provided to use the electric power supplying the base of the station in three different manners to reach a result substantially identical, in terms of ironing performance, to what would be directly obtained by using all the electric power available for the power supply of the station, which for example corresponds to a 2,600-W power.
According to an embodiment, during an ironing session, the use of the electric power supplying the base of the station comprises repeating the three following phases A), B), and C):
According to an embodiment, the temperature thresholds once reached are regulated, for example, by automatic reset temperature limiters, interrupting or restoring the power supplies according to their respective set point temperatures.
Phases A) and B) may take place together, provided for the accumulation of the demand to remain approximately in the range from 1,600 W to 2,400 W.
All the powers and temperatures are to be calibrated according to the results to be obtained in terms either of ironing, or of temperature rise time.
Station 1 comprises an iron 2, partially shown in
The elements of station 1 according to the present embodiment will now be described by being grouped according to the different functions carried out by the station. One can thus distinguish:
The elements taking part in the heating function and forming part of iron 2 comprise a tubular heater (ECT) 10, shown in
The elements taking part in the heating function and forming part of base 3 comprise:
As shown in
Guides 106, 107, 108 are preferably made of a material withstanding temperatures higher than 300° C., for example, polytetrafluoroethylene. They may comprise centering slopes C, shown in
A microswitch 17, shown in
The elements of station 1 according to the present embodiment taking part in the water function will now be described in relation with
The elements of iron 2 taking part in the water function comprise:
The elements of base 3 taking part in the water function comprise:
Shuttle 31 comprises three portions:
an end oriented towards iron 2 forming a cannula 31a intended to be introduced into female outlet 27 of iron 2 and provided, for example, with two O-rings 33 to ensure the tightness when water is injected into tank 26 of iron 2; a central portion 31b of parallelepipedal shape supporting two pins 31c which enable to move shuttle 31 between the top and the bottom; and a downward-facing end comprising an olive 31d.
Shuttle 31 is thoroughly crossed by a hole 31e. Pipe 35 is for example force fit on olive 31d.
Pump boiler 20, shown in detail in
The three check valves equipping pump boiler 20 may have an identical structure, while being calibrated differently. They comprise: A suck-in check valve 54 for example calibrated between 150 g and 300 g, used to fill lower chamber 52 with the tank water; a discharge check valve 55 for example calibrated between 300 g and 600 g intended for the discharge of water from upper chamber 51 in the case of a rise of resilient membrane 47 while discharge pipe 41b is shut; and a security check valve 56 for example calibrated between 400 g and 800 g intended to discharge the water from lower chamber 52 in the case of an overpressure.
The assembly comprising pump boiler 20 and heating bottom 23 may be fastened to tank 22 via a screw 57 enabling to tighten it thereon, for example, via a metal cup 58, by compressing a seal 59.
Slide valve 60, shown in
The elements of station 1 taking part in the functions of inner connection and of control of the elements specific to the heating function comprise:
This type of fastening will provide a cold wall effect for a casing 101, isolating all the parts of base 3 that it contains from the outside.
The elements of station 1 taking part in the functions of inner connection and of control of the elements specific to the water function comprise:
The mechanical actuator 83, shown in
Flexible blade retainer 85 is for example crimped on guide 34 and is formed to receive stop pin 83f which will maintain in high or low position shuttle 31. Knob 86a is screwed in junction 83g.
The assembly of control levers of plunger 42 of pump boiler 20 comprises:
Angular lever 87 pivots around a shaft 90 and is laterally maintained in place by the sides of connection support 91 connecting supporting cradle 32, of same width, to tank 22 by gluing or crimping. Straight lever 89 pivots around an axis 92 and is laterally maintained in position by the sides of supporting cradle 32. Relay lever 88 pivots around an axis 93 fastened on the side of tank 22.
The assembly of control of slide valve 60 comprises a rocker arm 94 pivoting around an axis 95 fastened to wall 22a extending from tank 22, and pusher 18 freely circulating in a plunger guide 96 also connected to wall 22a. Pusher 18 fulfills a double function: on the one hand, as soon as the beginning of its travel caused by the laying back in place of the iron on heating plate 15, pusher 18 cuts off, by actuating microswitch 17, the power supply of heating plate 15 and the power supply of heating bottom 23 and, on the other hand, pusher 18 actuates sleeve 61, thus allowing the flowing of hot water from pump boiler 20 intended to fill, on demand, tank 26 of the iron.
Clamping nosepiece 97 is operable by an integrated ring 97A, supporting a resilient band 98 which, when it is applied to the iron nose without marking it, holds it in position, during the transport or the storage thereof as well as during the filling of water tank 26 of iron 2 at the time of the introduction of shuttle 31. Clamping nosepiece 97 also comprises a simple arm 97b supporting at its end a wedging pad 97c. Wedging pad 97c is intended to maintain clamping nosepiece 97 in open or closed position, where it is pinched in another flexible blade retainer 85 fastened to wall 32b of supporting cradle 32 by gluing or crimping. Clamping nosepiece 97 pivots around a shaft 102. It is laterally held in position by the sides of supporting cradle 32.
More or less automated embodiments of the ironing station will now be described based on the previously-described embodiment of manually-controlled station 1.
Concerning the heating function, ironing station 110 comprises all the elements of station 1 taking part in the heating of iron 2 and all the elements of station 1 taking part in the heating of heating subassembly 103. However, the heating bottom 23 of station 1 is replaced in station 110 by a plunger subassembly 120 comprising:
Ceramic 121, shown in
Once assembled, plunger subassembly 120 forms a tight assembly having two supply wires 125 and 126 extending therefrom.
As concerns the heating function, station 110 comprises:
Boiler 127 comprises:
The tight assembly between cover 128 and bottom 129 is ensured by the tightening of a seal 130 between the two parts for example by means, either of bolts 131, or of a peripheral crimping 129c.
The fastening of plunger subassembly 120 in boiler 127 may be performed by a fastening screw 138, after the placing of a seal 137 on the edge of clamping plate 123.
Feeding shuttle 139 is mobile in holes provided in walls 140a and 140c of a supporting cradle 140. Shuttle 139 comprises:
Spring 143 and ball 144 installed in cannula 139a form a backflow preventing or check function, ball 144 obstructing, at rest, under the action of spring 143, hole 141c.
Supporting tank 145 is partly used as a support for some of the components of base 3 of station 110. Tank 145 is filled by the pouring of water into flexible pipe 25 after the removal of plug 24, which it put back in place after the filling. In particular, tank 145 supports:
Motorization assembly 153 comprises:
All these elements may be installed between walls 140b and 140c of supporting cradle 140 and fastened in place as soon as the center-to-center distances have been adjusted.
As for the function of electric connection of the elements of station 110 taking part in the water function, the switches embedded in casing 101 are powered by a cable 167 coupling the outputs of a general switch 160 to the different motor-driven components of the water function. The connections are performed according to needs, either by wires, or by welded metal connections.
In particular, station 110 comprises:
As concerns the function of mechanical connection of the elements of station 110 taking part in the water function, the mini-pump 147 installed on extension 145b is maintained via plates 148, for example, fastened by crimping of rivets 149 and boiler 127 is fastened to tank 145 via nuts 179 screwed on studs 129d. A gasket ring 180 locally pierced to give way to studs 129d ensures the thermal isolation between the latter and the bottom of tank 145.
As concerns the control function, station 110 comprises general switch 160 which allows all startings and the entire heating function.
The different power supplies of the water function are controlled by:
In addition to the security devices specific to the heating function, which are entirely kept, as well as the keeping in place, identically, of clamping nosepiece 97, station 110, to guarantee a proper operation of the elements taking part in the water function, may comprise:
Reflective plate 165 substantially has the same surface area as heating subassembly 103. The reflective plate has a double function, on the one hand of protecting from heat the motorization elements of the water function and the inside of the tank base, on the other hand of reflecting the thermal radiation emitted by heating subassembly 103 back towards it, improving its temperature rise speed. Reflective plate 165 is placed substantially parallel to the surface of heating subassembly 103 and at a distance d from its cooling fins, the distance being adjusted according to needs, on construction of the base, according to the iron power.
There is a multitude of possible construction possibilities to create motorization assembly 153, and to determine the characteristics of mini-pump 147. Examples of parameters will be described.
The total average duration of an ironing sequence may be 2 minutes, and thus 120 seconds comprising:
For the semi-automated refill with hot water of tank 26 of iron 2, a stroke C of penetration of feeding shuttle 139 into female outlet 27 of the iron of 30 mm plus or minus 0.5 mm may be selected. The 50-s duration available for this operation, may be divided into:
An endless screw 141 with standard pitch M12, that is, 1.75 mm per revolution, may be selected. In this case, to travel a forward or return stroke of 30 mm, 30/1.75=17.2 revolutions have to be made, that is, if 5 s are available, a rotation speed of 17.2*60/5=206 revolutions/min is necessary for counterdriven gear 156.
It may be chosen to set the center-to-center distance between gears 155 and 156 to 45 mm and to define counterdriven gear 156 by 52 teeth at module 1, which provides a primitive radius Rpt of 52/2=26 mm. Drive gear 155 may then be defined by a primitive radius Rp2=45 −26=19 mm, which results in a number of teeth at module 1 of 19×2=38 teeth, and a rotation speed of 206*52/38=280 revolutions/min.
A capacity of 200 cl may be selected for iron tank 26. In semi-automated mode, the latter can be refilled as soon as its level has decreased by half, this level being determined either by a visual mark or by contactless detection means. Mini-pump 147 should in this case inject back 100 cl within 34 s, which results in a flow rate in the order of 0.2 l/min, that is, approximately 30 Uhr.
Ironing station 185 comprises most of the mechanical elements of semi-automated ironing station 110, in particular:
Ironing station 185 comprises all the elements of ironing station 110 relative to the water function except for a reduced boiler 190 which replaces boiler 127. Reduced boiler 190, which incorporates plunger subassembly 120, remains formed of the same parts, except for:
Ironing station 185 further comprises a mobile nosepiece 193 replacing clamping nosepiece 97. Mobile nosepiece 193 pivots around axis 102 and is laterally held in position by the sides of supporting cradle 140. Integrated ring 97a is suppressed, wall 193a being kept to support resilient band 98. Simple arm 97b is replaced with a supporting arm 193b, having the same shapes and bulks as simple arm 97b. Supporting arm 193b supports a female nut 194 and is provided at its end with a wedging pad 193c instead of wedging pad 97c.
The displacements of mobile nosepiece 193 are ensured by the following means:
Ironing station 185 comprises all the elements of ironing station 110 relative to the function of mechanical connection of the elements taking part in the water function.
Concerning the function of electric connection of the elements taking part in the water function, switches 161, 162, and 163 are suppressed. The powering via cable 167 coupling the outputs of general switch 160 to the motor-driven components of the water function is kept but it ends up in an electronic control device 200. The connections are ensured according to needs, either by wires, or by welded metal connections. One can distinguish, coupling electronic control device 200 to the different elements of the water function:
A switch 209 is placed on the circuit powering mini-pump 147. Switch 209 enables to control mini-pump 147 independently from electronic control device 200.
Except for the manipulations for starting the tank base of station 185, all the motorized motions are driven by electronic control device 200.
It is possible for station 185 not to comprise microswitch 164, the security being integrated in the driving by electronic control device 200.
Station 185 may comprise surge protection valve 134 in-stalled on boiler 127 and reflective plate 165 fastened to supporting cradle 140.
The automation suppresses all interventions by the user during the operation of ironing station 185, except for the interventions necessary for the starting. In particular, all manipulations for refilling the iron tank with water are sup-pressed. The aim is to automatically supply the iron tank with the quantity of water, close to the evaporation temperature, necessary and sufficient to ensure a short ironing duration, at least equal to that of an average ironing sequence, for example, in the range from 1.5 minute to 2 minutes.
The operating criteria determined for semi-automated ironing station 110 may be kept.
Iron 2 of ironing station 185 may comprise a new tank 212 to replace tank 26, having a capacity smaller than that of tank 26, for example, in the range from 8 cl to 12 cl.
Ironing station 185 may further comprise means for detecting the quantity of water remaining in tank 212 when the iron is placed back on its base. Such a detection may be performed by weighting, visual detection or other. It may be chosen to detect the presence of water or not, when the iron is laying on its base, between a high sensor 210 and a low sensor 211 located at different levels in tank 212. The sensors are coupled to electronic control device 200 by a twin-wire cable 213.
A decrease in the quantity of water to be heated is obtained by the use of a reduced boiler 190. The capacity of boiler 190 may be between 10 cl and 13 cl and its heating power may be between 200 W and 250 W.
One can thus obtain:
The improvement of the performance of station 185 may be characterized by:
Ironing station 215 comprises all the mechanical elements of ironing station 185, that is:
Ironing station 215 further comprises the elements relative to the security and to the driving assigned to these functions of station 185.
Unlike station 185, station 215 comprises a direct injection subassembly 220 comprising:
The new tank 221 has the same capacity as tank 212 to keep a performance identical to the two automated tank base versions. It comprises, in its front portion, a drip, and is adapted to the suppression of shuttle 139, which will visually reflect, further, in the cordless iron soleplate, by the disappearing of the hole necessary for the passage thereof. Tank 221 comprises, in its rear portion, a protrusion 221a equipped with a female tip 222 provided with an access hole 222a which may comprise a significant inlet taper 222b. Female tip 222 is fitted with two 0-rings 223 and integrates a check valve formed of a spherical ball 224, or a spring 225, and of a plug 226.
Injection nozzle 227 comprises a resilient pad 227a overmolding a spraying nozzle 228 and a connection tip 229 with a feeding pipe 230 which replaces silicone pipe 35.
Station 215 advantageously has a lower cost than station 185 due to the suppression of part of the elements contained in station 185 and to a simplification of the construction.
However, station 215 may exhibit an electric security risk. Indeed, the fact of placing at the back of the iron the water refill, by a discontinuous feeding device installed close to the electric power supply, may cause, either by the presence of water droplets remaining in female tip 222 or by a faulty operation of too slow a removal of the iron or also due to a significant wearing of the seals, or to local condensation, a presence of residual water capable of incidentally causing an electric connection between powered-on portions and portions of the back of the iron in contact with the user.
Station 215 may further exhibit a risk of painfulness linked to the bad ergonomics generated by the fact that, to install the iron, it has to be well guided and pressed on to have injection nozzle 228 penetrate into female tip 222. Similarly, an at least identical effort has to be applied to perform the removal and retrieve the charged iron. It is estimated that an effort in the range from 100 g to 300 g has to be developed for each maneuver, given the clamping exerted by O-rings 223. Given the user's position relative to the working table and to the ironing tool, such a gesture may be non-ergonomical and may rapidly cause non-negligible fatigue.
Station 215 is more intended for a use of short duration, shorter for example than 30 minutes, while station 185 is intended for all other uses.
It remains possible for those skilled in the art to suppress the ergonomics-related risk by constructing, based on the different previously-described embodiments, a tank base using the principle of a mobile injection cannula which would be located at the back of the iron, but they imperatively have to know, on the one hand, that the cost will be higher, and on the other hand that additional isolation precautions will have to be taken to guarantee the user's security.
Ironing station 240 comprises all the mechanical elements of ironing station 185, that is:
Ironing station 240 further comprises the elements relative to the security and to the driving assigned to these functions of station 185.
As compared with stations 185 and 215, station 240 comprises a direct nasal injection device 241 located on the front of iron 2, and a new iron tank 242 which has the same capacity as tank 212 to keep a performance identical to the previously-described automated versions of ironing stations. It comprises, in its front portion, a drip, and is adapted to the suppression of shuttle 139, which will visually reflect in soleplate 4 of the iron, by the disappearing of the hole necessary for the passage thereof.
The new tank 242 comprises a tip 242a which follows the shape of iron nose 244 and is equipped with a housing 243.
Nasal injection subassembly 241 is extrapolated from clamping nosepiece 193. It comprises a cannula holder portion 241a which replaces wall 193a and identically copies from clamping nosepiece 193, the following elements:
Cannula holder portion 241a imprisons between a junction plate 241d and lateral walls 241e a resilient tip support 244, overmolding on the one hand a curved injection cannula 246 and on the other hand a tube 247 having silicone connection pipe 248 connecting nasal injection subassembly 241 to mini-pump 147 sleeved thereon.
The function of cannula holder 241a is to enable to introduce curved injection cannula 245 into housing 243 by pivoting around axis 102. The tightness of the connection is ensured by a device 243a of socalled “duck-bill” type particularly used in underwater diving devices, formed of two plates 243b pressed against each other, which fulfill a double function: they follow the contour of curved injection cannula 245 when it is inserted therebetween, and they ensure, once the curved injection cannula has been removed, the inner tightness since they close against each other.
Station 240 has a simple and very economical construction but has the disadvantage that injection cannula 246 is protruding on top of the station, where it is highly exposed and risks being submitted to repeated shocks as the iron is placed back on its base.
Specific embodiments have been described. Various alterations and modifications will occur to those skilled in the art. Although in the previously-described embodiments, the means for heating the iron or the base comprise tubular heaters, it should be clear that other types of heating means may be used. As an example, the means for heating the iron and/or the base may correspond to flat overmolded heaters or to ceramics having a positive temperature coefficient (CTP). Further, although in the previously-described embodiments, boiler 20, 127, 190 is arranged in tank 22, 145 housed in base 3, it should be clear that the boiler may be arranged outside of the first tank and supplied with water originating from tank 22, 145.
Further, various embodiments with different variations have been described hereabove. It should be noted that those skilled in the art may combine these various embodiments and variations without showing any inventive step. In particular, the direct injection subassembly 220 of station 215 previously described in relation with
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
1750213 | Jan 2017 | FR | national |
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
PCT/FR2018/050050 | 1/9/2018 | WO | 00 |