DE9000917U1 - Electric steam iron - Google Patents

Description

Description ·

The present invention relates to an electric steam iron with an incorporated water reservoir for domestic use, consisting essentially of a heated metal plate with corresponding holes, a cover which forms a single body with a high handle and covers an iron fixed container for the water, a vent chamber in the said plate and a heat control device.

With these irons, the water that comes into contact with the heated metal parts or is close to them leaves behind limescale deposits that increasingly impair the functioning of the device.

In particular, these limescale deposits appear visibly inside the evaporation chamber, gradually reducing the cross-section of the labyrinth paths inside the chamber as the iron is used. The water dispensing valve in the evaporation chamber, which is located at the mouth of the chamber, is also exposed to limescale deposits, albeit to a lesser extent.

To remove these limescale deposits, it is necessary to intervene from time to time by disassembling the iron and cleaning it of these deposits.

In any case, you are forced to use tap water, which is notoriously high in limescale.

and instead use demineralised water, which has a lower lime content.

All this leads to loss of time and money.

The above-mentioned disadvantages are eliminated by the present invention, which aims to create a steam iron with an incorporated water reservoir, whereby the formation of limescale deposits is satisfactorily avoided, even when the water is taken from the water supply network.

The electric steam iron with incorporated water reservoir according to the invention is characterized in that a reloadable cartridge of a descaling substance for water purification is housed in the hollow space of the handle, which is connected upstream to the container and downstream to an electrically controlled micropump, which in turn is arranged in the cover above the container and is connected to the mouth of the evaporation chamber via a line passing through the container from top to bottom for the purpose of dispensing the water thus purified.

) If the iron is provided with a spray device, the micropump is connected to this device for the external delivery of a water jet. In view of this, the line downstream of the micropump is a two-way line, i.e. one for the delivery of water to the evaporation chamber and the other for the delivery to the spray device. For this purpose, the iron is provided with a pre-set manual diverter device, after which the actual delivery of the water towards one or the other target is initiated by the electrical control of the micropump. The preferred option is the β l^kti isrh<> su-n

the micropump for delivering water to the evaporation chamber a push-button control so that the production of steam during normal use of the iron occurs discontinuously and only at the user's request*

Of course, the push-button control can also be used to operate the snray after the bypass device has been activated by means of a corresponding manual control.

The advantages of the iron ^according to the invention are obvious.

Above all, the iron with an integrated water reservoir can be operated without any disadvantage using water from the water mains, which, contained in the tank, is thoroughly cleaned in the iron itself by being sucked in by the micropump and caused by it to be conveyed against the descaling cartridge and without difficulty through it and then, cleaned in this way, to the evaporation chamber. In addition, the special functioning of this type of iron, i.e. for the delivery of water to the evaporation chamber, is only electrical, instead of the previously used mechanical valve control, which causes limescale deposits to occur.

Finally, by arranging the micropump in the upper part of the iron or at least above the water tank, the micropump itself is protected from the heat radiated by the heating plate to such an extent that any possibility is eliminated that the water already flowing through the micropump evaporates prematurely and thus compromises the functioning of the iron.

The invention is explained in more detail by the following description with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which:

-Figure 1 shows the iron in side view,

-HSo Pi*" ¹ ur 2 which shows the ftiirr** &igr; ^ js^n toil ue &iacgr; co in mit^^^^än^s &mdash; section and partly in view.

As can be seen from the drawing figures, the electric steam iron with incorporated water reservoir has a metal heating plate (1), a cover (2) which forms a single body with a hollow handle (3) and covers a water container (4), an evaporation chamber (5) in said plate with an opening (6) on the upper side and steam outlet holes (7) on the lower side of the plate.

In the cavity (6) of the handle (3) there is a cartridge (9) containing the decalcifier (10) which is arranged vertically and is connected to the container (4) via a pipe (11) which is immersed almost to the bottom of the container and is directly connected downstream to an electric micropump (12).

The micropump (12), which is housed in the cover (2) above the container (4), is connected by a short pipe (13) to a small two-way switching chamber (14), from which the pipes (15) and (16) lead, connecting them to the inlet (6) or, alternatively, to the spray device (18) which is arranged outside the cover (2). In order to reach the inlet (6) of the evaporation chamber, the pipe (15) passes through the container (4) from top to bottom. In order to only use the alternative

In order to use the two lines (15) and (16) in a native way, a manual diversion control (19) is provided on the switching chamber (14), which is arranged on the outside of the iron.

(17) is the control button of the micropump for delivering water to the evaporation chamber or, if necessary, for diverting the water to the spray (1Θ). Of course, to operate the spray, you must first activate the manual diversion control (19), which acts on the switching chamber (14). (20) is the control device for the heat regulator, and 21 is the electrical line.

When using this iron, if the control button (17) of the micropump (12) is kept pressed, the latter sucks in water coming from the tank (4), rises through the pipe (11), passes through the cartridge (9) and its descaling agent content (10) along its entire length, and continues through the pipes (13) and (15) until it reaches the heating plate (1), where it is transformed into steam that comes out through the holes (7). Obviously, with the button (17) in the automatic rest position, no steam is emitted. If you want to use the spray, you first have to operate the manual diversion control (19) to obtain the desired switching, then press the button (17) to control the micropump, which now works to only let a jet of cold water come out of the spray (18).

Claims (3)

Protection claims 1. Electric steam iron with incorporated water reservoir for domestic use, consisting essentially of a heated metal plate with corresponding holes , a cover which forms a single body with a hollow handle and covers a fixed container for the water, an evaporation chamber in said plate, and a heat control device, characterized in that a reloadable cartridge (9) of a descaling substance for water purification is housed in the cavity (8) of the handle (3), which is connected upstream to the container (4) and downstream to an electrically controlled micropump (12), which in turn is arranged in the cover (2) above the container and, for the purpose of discharging the water thus purified, is connected to the mouth (6) of the evaporation chamber (5) via a line (15) passing through the container (4) from top to bottom. 2. Iron according to claim 1, characterized in that by means of a manually controllable switching chamber, the micropump (12) is connected not only to the said inlet but also to a spray device (18) for the discharge of cold water to the outside. 3. Iron according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the micropump is controlled by a push button (17) for delivering the water to the evaporation chamber (5) or to the spray (18).