Textiles: ironing or smoothing – Smoothing implements – Flatirons
Reexamination Certificate
2002-05-21
2003-11-04
Izaguirre, Ismael (Department: 3765)
Textiles: ironing or smoothing
Smoothing implements
Flatirons
Reexamination Certificate
active
06640472
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a steam iron, more particularly to a steam iron with a detachable water reservoir.
2. Description of the Related Art
Referring to
FIGS. 1 and 2
, a conventional steam iron
1
is shown to comprise an iron unit
11
with a plurality of steam outlets
111
, a base unit
12
formed with a receiving space
121
, an evaporating unit
13
installed fixedly in the receiving space
121
, a metallic relief valve
14
mounted on the evaporating unit
13
, and a connecting tube
15
interconnecting the evaporating unit
13
and the iron unit
11
. The evaporating unit
13
includes a housing
132
that defines a steam generating chamber
131
, a heating unit
133
installed on a bottom portion of the housing
132
, a hollow tube
135
threadedly connected to a top portion of the housing
132
, and a steam port
136
that is formed through the housing
132
and that is in fluid communication with the steam generating chamber
131
. The tube
135
has a water inlet
134
that is in fluid communication with the steam generating chamber
131
. The relief valve
14
is threadedly connected to the tube
135
. The connecting tube
15
is disposed above and is in fluid communication with the steam port
136
. The iron unit
11
further includes a steam switch
112
, which can be pressed to control the release of steam from the steam outlets
111
.
In use, the relief valve
14
is rotatably opened to permit filling of water into the steam generating chamber
131
via the water inlet
134
in the tube
135
. The heating unit
133
is activated after the relief valve
14
is threadedly mounted on the threaded tube
135
to vaporize the water in the steam generating chamber
131
. When steam is needed, the steam switch
112
is pressed such that the steam flows from the steam port
136
into the iron unit
11
via the connecting tube
15
, thereby exiting from the steam outlets
111
.
The following are some of the drawbacks of the conventional steam iron
1
:
1. The entire steam iron
1
has to be moved to a water source for refilling of water into the steam generating chamber
131
, there by making the steam iron
1
inconvenient to use.
2. Because the volume of the steam generating chamber
131
is relatively large, it is time-consuming to vaporize the water in the steam generating chamber
131
. Furthermore, when water is refilled into the steam generating chamber
131
, the temperature of the evaporating unit
13
is lowered, thereby prolonging the heating time.
3. Since steam is accumulated in the evaporating unit
13
and is released through the relief valve
14
, the temperature of the relief valve
14
is relatively high. When the relief valve
14
is opened in order to fill water into the steam generating chamber
131
, the high-temperature relief valve
14
can cause injury, such as scalding, to the user. The conventional steam iron
1
is thus unsafe.
4. It is not possible to view the remaining water in the evaporating unit
13
for timely replenishing of water since the evaporating unit
13
is installed inside the base unit
12
. As such, the evaporating unit
13
is easily burned, thereby rendering the conventional steam iron
1
dangerous to use.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Therefore, the main object of the present invention is to provide a steam iron with a detachable water reservoir that is capable of overcoming the aforementioned drawbacks of the prior art.
According to this invention, a steam iron comprises an iron unit, a base unit, an evaporating unit, a water reservoir, a pump unit, and a connecting tube. The iron unit includes a sole plate and a plurality of steam outlets in the soleplate. The base unit has a receiving space defined therein. The evaporating unit is concealed in the receiving space in the base unit, and includes a thermally conductive housing that confines a steam generating chamber, and a heating unit for heating the housing. The housing is formed with a water inlet and a steam port that is in fluid communication with the steam generating chamber. The water reservoir is detachably connected to the base unit. The pump unit is provided for drawing water from the water reservoir into the steam generating chamber via the water inlet. The connecting tube interconnects the evaporating unit and the iron unit so that the steam outlets in the iron unit are in fluid communication with the steam port in the evaporating unit, thereby permitting discharge of the steam from the steam outlets in the iron unit.
REFERENCES:
patent: 1633568 (1927-06-01), Brewer
patent: 4565019 (1986-01-01), Cavalli
patent: 5398434 (1995-03-01), Biancalani
patent: 5832639 (1998-11-01), Muncan
patent: 6021591 (2000-02-01), Basile
patent: 6212332 (2001-04-01), Sham et al.
Eupa International Corporation
Izaguirre Ismael
Ladas & Parry
LandOfFree
Steam iron with detachable water reservoir does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Steam iron with detachable water reservoir, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Steam iron with detachable water reservoir will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-3137080