EP1191140B1 - Steam ironing apparatus with additives - Google Patents

Abstract

Steam iron (7) has steam generator (1) which includes in series a water reservoir (2), a first electric pump (3), a boiler (4) a mixer and atomizer (5), and a pipe (6). Additional circuit consists of a reservoir (8) for liquid additive in series with a second electric pump (9) connected to mixer and atomizer. Steam iron has steam distributor which directs steam along two different circuits dependent upon whether or not additive is being used. The boiler of the steam generator is of the type where the water evaporates almost instantaneously. The steam generator has a anti-scaling cartridge (22) in the water circuit before the boiler and has a circuit which introduces a water fog into the steam . The generator has also a rapid purging circuit.

Description

The present invention relates to ironing apparatus comprising a steam generator.

The housewife does not have at her disposal a fixed production facility for steam generally uses generators which most often include a boiler producing saturated steam, especially in heaters ironing. In the latter the steam is produced under pressure and the distribution is controlled by a solenoid valve, so that relaxed at the atmospheric pressure and after passing through the distribution chamber of the soleplate of iron at high temperature, the steam is in the superheated state. We see so although the simplest generators don't control the steam quality.

In addition, it would be interesting to be able to produce steam carrying a additive allowing either to enhance the use of the device, or to produce an effect perfected. We can think of the use of perfumes or detergents or lubricants introduced into the water tank, then transported and distributed by steam. But the boilers do not support the introduction of such products which distill or destroy themselves with heat.

Patent US4498254 shows an ironing installation where compressed air transports a mist of silicone oil intended to facilitate the sliding of ironing surfaces on the laundry. But such an installation is not transferable to domestic use.

Patent FR2771424 shows an iron comprising a device for textile adjuvant spray. But the additive is transported by water, which strongly moistens the treated support and is not suitable in many cases for use, for example to treat glass surfaces without leaking or to iron laundry that is still wet.

Patent FR2785975 shows a steam generator which, in one version, has an instant boiler and a circuit for adding water mist to the steam, allowing control of the quality of steam. But the circuit is not not intended to receive an additive.

The patent US2627015 and the patent FR2603976 describe generators of steam which allow additives to be introduced into the steam produced, but it a different operating circuit is not provided depending on whether the steam contains or not of the hardly vaporizable additive. The additive can be destroyed or deposited unfortunately in the user device.

The object of the following invention is an improved ironing apparatus, using a such a generator, which overcomes these drawbacks.

Mainly the object of the invention is achieved by an ironing device comprising an iron and a steam generator which includes series a water tank, a first electric pump, a boiler, a mixing and atomizing device, a pipe for connection to the iron, and on the other hand at least one additional circuit composed by a tank for liquid additive in series with a second electric pump connected to the mixing and atomizing device, remarkable in that the iron includes a distributor directing the steam produced in two different circuits depending on whether or not it carries an ironing additive.

The additive can be a liquid or a solution or an emulsion, for example a perfumed solution or a highly diluted soluble silicone oil. The device mixing and atomizing, which can be a simple T connection, being in downstream of the boiler, the additive is not in contact with hot walls and does not not deteriorate.

Preferably the boiler is of the type where the water evaporates almost instantaneously.

The instant boiler can be dimensioned to allow the production of a dry steam which can then be made more humid to adapt to all possible uses.

Thanks to the two pumps which can be started separately, can produce steam with or without additive on demand, which can be referred as appropriate in two different circuits of the device receiving the steam.

The use of several additives with different functions is possible with several additional circuits in parallel, which avoids purging and cleaning the circuit. In this way, we can optionally distribute several additives without having to premix.

Advantageously, the generator comprises an anti-scale cartridge in the water circuit upstream of the boiler.

Advantageously, the generator comprises a circuit introducing a fog of water in the steam.

This circuit allows the control of the quality of the steam by making it more or less close to a state of saturation. This circuit is particularly useful when the generator is used with an iron. Indeed the steam distributed by the soleplate may be slightly overheated, which removes part of it efficiency. Adding water to the vapor solves this problem.

Advantageously, the generator includes a rapid purge circuit.

This circuit consists of a solenoid valve allowing the return of steam to the water tank when the water pump stops. Vapor pressure drop is then instantaneous and the user notes a good reactivity of the system.

The invention will be better understood on the basis of the examples below and of the drawings attached.

Figure 1 is the diagram of a first version of a generator according to the invention that a first device such as an iron uses.

Figure 2 is the diagram of a second version of a generator according to the invention used with an iron.

Figure 3 is the diagram of a third improved version of a generator according to the invention used with an iron.

In a first version shown diagrammatically in FIG. 1, the generator 1 comprises a water tank 2 having a filling opening 21, an electric pump 3 drawing water from the water tank 2 through an anti-scale cartridge 22 and injecting it into a boiler 4 heated by an electric heating element 41 and temperature regulated. The boiler 4 is of the instant vaporization type. To the outlet of the boiler 4 the steam passes through a mixer 5 before being directed to a user device 7 via a flexible connection pipe 6. The generator further comprises a liquid additive reservoir 8 having a filling orifice 81, an electric pump 9 drawing the additive and injecting it into the mixer 5. The mixer 5 is a Y-connector where the vapor circulating at high speed atomizes and entrains the liquid additive in the form of a mist.

The appliance is for example an iron, and water is used as an additive in tank 8.

Upon start-up, the boiler 4 of the generator 1 heats up to its temperature of setpoint. The heating is rapid because the boiler is of the instant spray and does not contain water.

The user can grab the iron 7, and with an appropriate command put on the way the pump 3. The steam then arrives at the iron 7 to produce its effect there. The user can also simultaneously with a second command iron 7 switch on pump 9. Water drawn from tank 8 arrives at mixer 5. The vapor which circulates at high speed atomizes it and the drive in the device 7 where the humidified steam produces a more pronounced effect.

Preferably, the mass flow rate of the added water being lower than that of the steam, pump 9 is clocked quickly but with a duty factor different from that of pump 3. We thus manage to respect the relative flow rates suitable for the work to be performed.

In a second version derived from the previous one and shown in Figure 2, generator 1 further comprises a rapid purge circuit and a circuit for humidify the steam and make it closer to saturated steam. The circuit of rapid purge includes a solenoid valve 10 connected to the boiler 4 and to the tank 2. This solenoid valve opens for a predetermined time each time pump 3 stops. The steam humidification circuit includes a pump 11 which can draw water from the water tank 2 and inject it into the mixer 5. The liquids powered by pumps 9 and 11 arrive at the mixer 5 which preferably has several liquid inlets. The pumps have different average flow rates either because they are of size different, either because the flow is controlled by a calibrated nozzle, or because they are clocked with a different walk factor. In neighboring version liquids from the same pumps are grouped together within the same line before entering the mixer 5.

Usefully, the user device 7 is a steam iron. Iron has on the one hand of a circuit where the vapor leaves the device by orifices located under the sole in order to moisten the laundry, and on the other hand a spraying circuit comprising a nozzle 71 located at the front of the device. On iron 7 the user has a control 72 starting the water pump 3 and directing the steam towards the orifices of the soleplate, and of a control 73 putting simultaneously running the pump 3 and the additive pump 9 at the same time let it direct the steam towards the nozzle 71.

When the user turns on the assembly, the iron 7 and the boiler 4 heat up quickly to their set temperatures. The user can then iron. When it presses the control 72 the pump 3 and the pump 11 start up, injecting water from tank 2 into the boiler instant 4 on the one hand and in the mixer 5 on the other hand. The steam produced passes through the mixer 5 by atomizing the water which arrives from the pump 11 and is moistening. Then the steam follows the pipe 6, arrives at the iron 7 which la distributes on the linen, in a slightly overheated state, through the holes of its sole 74.

The pressure drops being relatively large in the receiving device 7, the pressure in the boiler could maintain, for a moment, a flow of residual discharge in the iron when the user ceases to act on the control 72. But at this time the solenoid valve 10 opens thus allowing the rapid purging of the boiler 4 to the water tank 2, so that the flow of steam instantly stops in the iron.

When the user presses control 73, she starts the pump water 3 to produce steam and pump 9 which sends the additive to the mixer 5. The water pump 11 is only started if it is used in the tank 8 of highly concentrated products, which is generally not the case in Domestic use. The steam loaded with ironing additive arrives at iron 7 which directs it towards the nozzle 71 in order to moisten the laundry. Avoid going into the very hot soleplate, the additive transported by steam is not damaged and may produce its full effect on the laundry. We have a large selection of additives which are in this case textile additives, for example a product which facilitates sliding iron and silky linen such as a derivative of a silicone oil, or a brightener, or a starch product, or an anti-soiling product.

In a more perfected version derived from the previous one and represented in Figure 3, the steam generator 1 comprises several additive tanks 8.8 ', 8 ", each associated with an electric pump 9.9', 9". Each tank can receive a different additive. A switch not shown allows the user to choose the tank and the pump, therefore the additive, which will be used when using the spray command 73.

The operation is the same as in the previous example, but the user may successively use several adjuvants in the same session ironing by selecting them with the switch.

Claims (6)

1. An ironing appliance comprising an iron (7) and a steam generator (1) comprising firstly a series connection of a water reservoir (2), a first electric pump (3), a boiler (4), a mixer and atomizer device (5), and a coupling hose (6) leading to the iron (7), and secondly at least one additional circuit made up of a reservoir (8) for a liquid additive in series with a second electric pump (9) connected to the mixer and atomizer device (5), the appliance being characterized in that the iron includes a dispenser directing the steam that is produced via two different circuits depending on whether or not it is transporting an ironing additive.
2. An ironing appliance according to claim 1, characterized in that the boiler (4) of the steam generator is of the type in which water evaporates almost instantaneously.
3. An ironing appliance according to either preceding claim, characterized in that the steam generator includes an anti-scale cartridge (22) in the water circuit upstream from the boiler (4).
4. An ironing appliance according to any preceding claim, characterized in that the steam generator includes a circuit for introducing a mist of water into the steam.
5. An ironing appliance according to any preceding claim, characterized in that the steam generator includes a rapid purge circuit.
6. An ironing appliance according to claim 1, characterized in that the circuit provided in the iron for passing steam plus additive is terminated by a spray head (71).

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