Steam iron with water valve

Details Steam iron with water valve Steam iron with water valve

2000-09-27

2001-11-20

Izaguirre, Ismael (Department: 3765)

Textiles: ironing or smoothing

Smoothing implements

Flatirons

Reexamination Certificate

active

06318009

ABSTRACT:

FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to steam irons which comprise a water reservior communicating with a vaporization chamber via an outlet having a vertical communication passageway, and a device for adjusting the water admission rate into the steam chamber comprising a vertical throttle whose lower end has a bulge and whose upper end is secured to a manual control button, said throttle being movable with an axial translatory movement within the passage of the outlet, under the action of the manual control button, between a so-called dry position in which the throttle completely closes the passage, and at least one so-called steaming position in which water can pass through the passage.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In known steam irons of this type, the throttle is of generally cylindrical shape and is mounted gripped and passing through the passage of the outlet and its bulge opens permanently into the steam chamber; the throttle comprises a longitudinal groove over a portion of its length and is movable axially to occupy either the dry position in which the two ends of the groove are located on the same side of the passage, thereby preventing any passage of water, or its steaming position in which the two ends of the groove are located on opposite sides of the passage, thereby permitting the passage of the water into the steam chamber via the groove in the throttle. However, because the throttle is in surface contact over all the height of the passage of the outlet, each manipulation of the throttle by the user creates high stress in the outlet which operates at a relatively high temperature. Because of this stress to which the outlet is subjected, the pressure drops about the throttle are relatively high, such that when the throttle is in its steaming position, also called the steam position, the flow rate of water passing continuously into the vaporization chamber is particularly irregular, and this the more so as the level of water in the reservoir falls in the course of ironing; the continuous flow rate of steam which results is thus itself very irregular, thereby decreasing the quality of the pressing.
OBJECT OF THE INVENTION
The invention has particularly for its object to overcome these drawbacks and to provide a steam iron having a device for regulating the flow rate of water, of the type described above, which will be simple, less costly, reliable and particularly efficacious to ensure, in the steaming position, a great regularity of the continuous water flow rate no matter what the level of water in the reservoir.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to the invention, the bulge of the throttle is mounted gripped in the passage of the outlet and pointwise bridges a vertical groove which is provided over a portion of the height of the passage and which thus defines with the bulge of the throttle a section of water passage when the throttle is in its steaming position.
Thus, in the steaming position, the bulge of the throttle defines with the vertical groove of the outlet a cross-section for passage of water which is thereafter only at one point, thereby permitting obtaining a very regular flow of water not only when the level of water in the reservoir is at a maximum, but also when it is very low, which thus leads to a steam flow rate which itself is very regular, and hence a high quality of pressing.
According to one preferred embodiment, the passage of the outlet comprises a lower portion which is closed by the bulge of the throttle when this latter is in its dry position, whilst the vertical groove extends above the lower portion of the passage and has a cross-section which varies continuously increasing toward the upper edge of the passage, the throttle thus passing from its dry position to its steaming position with an axial translatory movement that is upwardly directed.
In this embodiment, according to another characteristic of the invention, in the passage of the outlet is provided at least one vertical slot extending over a height from the upper end of the groove and the upper edge of the passage, such that the throttle, by axial upward movement along a predetermined path, comes to occupy a so-called self-cleaning position in which the bulge of the throttle uncovers the slot by being partially in bearing relation against the internal surface of the vertical wall of the passage so as to form a passage permitting abundant flow of water.
Thus, thanks to a simple axial movement of the throttle, the user has a disposition in an easy manner, various positions of adjustment such as the dry position, the steaming position with variable flow rate and the self-cleaning position.


REFERENCES:
patent: 3468043 (1969-09-01), Turner
patent: 3889406 (1975-06-01), Chivers et al.
patent: 4669207 (1987-06-01), Hennuy et al.
patent: 5531037 (1996-07-01), Pons et al.
patent: 5630287 (1997-04-01), Shimosaka et al.
patent: 0 184 496 (1986-06-01), None
patent: 0 831 164 (1998-04-01), None
patent: 2217351 (1989-10-01), None

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