Abstract:
A steam iron with external steam supply, has a handle, a switch for actuating a steam valve on a steam accumulator, a power supply for an electrical resistance heater, a steam tube, an iron base with a temperature-selection switch, a soleplate with a steam-supply connector, and a steam duct with at least one steam-outlet nozzle. The steam iron does not leak water during operation. To prevent spitting, the steam iron includes a steam dryer with a separate external or integrated housing.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    The invention relates to a steam iron such as those with external steam supply, a handle, a switch for actuating a steam valve on a steam accumulator, a power supply for an electrical resistance heater, a steam tube, an iron base with a temperature-selection switch, a soleplate with a steam-supply connector, and a steam duct with at least one steam-outlet nozzle.  
           [0002]    Steam irons with an external steam supply are known. This steam supply takes place via a steam accumulator disposed in the immediate vicinity of the steam iron and filled with superheated steam, for example a steam boiler, a steam line or a steam flask, on which a solenoid valve is connected. The pressure in the container is between 2.5 and 6 bar and the customary steam-tube length is approximately 2 m to 2.50 m. The solenoid valve is connected to a switch on the iron so that, when the switch is actuated, the solenoid valve opens and steam flows out of the steam accumulator, through the steam tube, into the steam iron, where it passes out of openings in the soleplate.  
           [0003]    A known disadvantage of prior-art steam irons is that they leak water from the openings as well as steam. This water is extremely undesirable because it may contain particles of dirt. If a person using the steam iron has not taken any appropriate precautionary measures, the material that is to be ironed is permanently soiled and damaged. Possible reasons for water passing from the openings of the soleplate of the steam iron are a non-sealed solenoid valve, excessively low steam temperatures, cold, excessively long steam tubes, and a cold steam iron.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0004]    It is accordingly an object of the invention to provide a steam iron that overcomes the hereinafore-mentioned disadvantages of the heretofore-known devices of this general type and that does not spray water in any operating state.  
           [0005]    With the foregoing and other objects in view, there is provided, in accordance with the invention, a steam iron. The steam iron includes an electrical resistance heater being able to connect to a power supply that powers the electrical resistance heater. The steam iron also has an iron base. A soleplate is connected to the base. A steam-supply connector is located on the soleplate. A steam duct with at least one steam-outlet opening is connected to the steam-supply connector. A steam dryer with a separate housing connects to an external steam supply.  
           [0006]    The inventive steam iron with external steam supply includes an iron base with a soleplate. The soleplate is heated via an electrical resistance heater. A handle includes a switch for actuating a steam valve on a steam accumulator that is filled with superheated steam. Actuation of the switch routes steam from the steam accumulator, through a steam tube, to the steam iron. Because the steam iron is provided with a steam dryer to with a separate external or integrated housing, it is ensured that only dry steam passes into the steam iron. Any moist steam that may possibly be fed to the steam dryer is converted into dry steam again in the housing.  
           [0007]    A further advantage of the inventive steam iron resides in the possibility of increasing the permissible length of a steam tube because any steam that may possibly be condensed in the steam tube can now be evaporated again in the steam dryer. The result is that the selected tube length is not at all critical as far as the functioning of the steam iron is concerned. It is easily possible, for example, to realize steam tubes of lengths of approximately five meters (˜5 m) without any disruption to operation occurring, that is to say without a steam iron connected thereto leaking water.  
           [0008]    In the case of a particularly preferred embodiment, the steam dryer has a housing with a steam-connection stub for the steam tube, a collecting device for water droplets, and an inner steam inlet that opens out into a connection element that is connected to the steam-supply connector of the soleplate of the steam iron. The heatable steam dryer converts water into steam again. The configuration of the inner steam inlet, extending in the housing of the steam dryer with its opening in the upward direction, separates water contained in the moist steam and collects the water on the housing base. Therefore, the housing base is acting as a collecting device, where it is evaporated again by the heating of the steam dryer. The result is that only dry steam passes through the steam inlet into the steam iron.  
           [0009]    According to an advantageous embodiment of the subject matter of the invention, the housing is disposed in the rear region, directly on the soleplate of a steam iron. This configuration firstly provides the advantage that the proximity of the housing to the steam iron results in dried steam no longer being able to condense again en route from the housing into the steam iron. In addition, the electrical energy for a conceivable active electrical resistance heater of the steam dryer can easily be derived from the supply of power to the steam iron.  
           [0010]    According to a particularly preferred embodiment of the invention, the housing is produced from material with good heat conduction, for example copper, and, in its bottom region, has a contact surface for contact with the soleplate of the steam iron. This configuration allows the steam dryer to be heated via direct heat conduction from the soleplate into the housing. Accordingly, “good heat conduction” means great enough heat conduction that enough heat from the sole plate is transferred to the housing to cause trapped water to be evaporated to steam. Therefore, the steam dryer can be heated passively from the soleplate, rather than requiring its own electrical resistance heater. Such a soleplate operates at operating temperatures of approximately 220° C., which is quite sufficient for converting even relatively large quantities of water collecting in the housing into steam again.  
           [0011]    The steam inlet of the steam dryer is advantageously constructed as a steam snorkel, which, by way of its part that leads into the connection stub, is disposed directly adjacent to the contact surface of the housing for contact with the soleplate of the steam iron. This results in optimum heat conduction without any obstruction by any possible air gaps. Dry steam passing into the steam snorkel through the snorkel opening is thus heated further, by heat from the soleplate, en route through the steam snorkel, with the result that the operational reliability of the steam iron is further increased. On the other hand, the dry steam flowing through the steam snorkel heats the steam snorkel, which runs in the base region of the steam dryer. This results in a further contribution to the evaporation of the condensation collected there.  
           [0012]    A particularly advantageous embodiment of the inventive steam iron has a steam-drier connection stub. The steam-drier connection stub has a part extending into the housing. The steam-drier connection stub is provided with a sintered-metal attachment through which steam that is fed from the steam tube. This steam may possibly be moist and can be introduced into the housing such that dry steam and liquid water components separate from one another even in the sintered-metal attachment. After separation, the liquid water components drip off and can collect on the base of the housing without them being entrained by the flow of steam. The waste heat from the soleplate of the steam iron and from the steam snorkel heated up by the flowing steam ensure that this water, which has been separated off is evaporated effectively.  
           [0013]    In the case of a particularly advantageous configuration of the inventive steam iron, a hollow screw is inserted into the original steam-supply connector, around which the connection element of the housing extends. The original steam-supply connector can be secured on the soleplate of the steam iron via a closure screw, which can be screwed into the hollow screw. Such a construction makes it possible for commercially available steam irons with an external steam supply to be retrofitted extremely easily with a steam dryer without any further technical changes being necessary. In order to protect a person using the steam iron, the steam dryer is preferably enclosed by a protective cap, with the result that any risk of causing burns is also minimized.  
           [0014]    According to a further preferred embodiment of the invention, the steam iron is provided with a steam dryer at the factory. The steam dryer can be integrated in a base housing such that it cannot be seen from the outside. To integrate the steam dryer in the base, the housing merely has to be extended to the rear. An air gap between the base housing and the housing of the steam dryer also results in a separate protective cap possibly being dispensed, because the air gap ensures a sufficiently high level of heat insulation.  
           [0015]    Other features which are considered as characteristic for the invention are set forth in the appended claims.  
           [0016]    Although the invention is illustrated and described herein as embodied in a steam iron, it is nevertheless not intended to be limited to the details shown, since various modifications and structural changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention and within the scope and range of equivalents of the claims.  
           [0017]    The construction and method of operation of the invention, however, together with additional objects and advantages thereof will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0018]    [0018]FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic partially-sectional, right-side elevational view showing a steam iron;  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 2 is a partially-sectional, rear elevational view of a steam dryer; and  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 1 showing a steam iron with an integrated steam dryer. 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0021]    Referring now to the figures of the drawings in detail and first, particularly to FIG. 1 thereof, there is shown a steam iron  1 . The steam iron  1  includes a base  24 ,  25 , with a soleplate  2 , as well as a handle  17  and a switch  5 . The switch  5  is disposed adjacent the handle  17  and is for actuating a solenoid valve on a container which is filled with superheated steam, but is not illustrated in the drawing. The steam iron  1  is provided with an electrical resistance heater  30  and is supplied with power via a power-supply line  3 . The handle  17  is fastened on the base  24 ,  25  of the steam iron  1  via fastening screws  23 , and a temperature-selection switch  19  is disposed between two fastening screws  23 . The steam tube  4  of an external steam supply, which was originally connected directly to a conventional steam iron according to the prior art, is fastened on a connection stub  8 , which is screwed in by way of a thread in a soldered-in nut  13  of the housing  14  of the steam dryer  7 . The connection stub  8  may also be fastened in some other releasable or non-releasable manner, for example by being soldered directly onto the housing  14 .  
         [0022]    At its end directed into the interior of the housing  14 , the connection stub  8  is provided with a sintered-metal attachment  6  which, by virtue of its large surface area, helps moisture which is located in the steam to condense there and initially to drip off as water droplets onto the container base and to collect there. The dry steam supplied can spread without obstruction in the interior of the housing  14 . The flow pressure causes the dry steam to flow first through the snorkel opening  22  into the steam snorkel  11 , then into the connection element  18 , and through the hollow screw  9  to the steam supply connector  28  of the soleplate  2 . A steam duct  29  distributes the steam to at least one steam-outlet openings  20  beneath the soleplate  2 .  
         [0023]    The housing  14  of the steam dryer  7  is configured as a pressureless hollow body made of material with good heat conduction, for example copper, with a volume of, for example, 50 cm 3 . Located in the housing  14  is a steam snorkel  11 , which is constructed as a curved tube and has a rectilinear subsection located directly on the base of the housing  14  and terminates, by way of its snorkel opening  22 , in the top  27  of the housing  14 . This steam snorkel  11  receives the dry steam and leads it via the connection element  18 , through the hollow screw  9 , directly into the soleplate  2  of the steam iron  1 .  
         [0024]    The housing  14  has a contact surface  21  butting against the soleplate  2  of the steam iron  1 , over the entire width and over much of the height of said soleplate. This achieves a direct transfer of heat from the soleplate  2  into the housing  14 . In order to improve the transfer of heat, the steam snorkel  11  is also disposed directly on the wall or the base of the housing  14  of the steam dryer  7 , approximately parallel to the contact surface  21 . By configuring the steam snorkel  11  in this manner, the steam snorkel  11  is also heated in addition by a direct transfer of heat from the soleplate  2  of the steam iron  1  in addition to being heated by the flowing dry steam.  
         [0025]    An embodiment of the invention which is conceivable but is not illustrated in the drawing is one in which one side of the housing wall simultaneously forms part of the wall of the steam snorkel  11 . The configuration ensures an even more efficient functioning of the steam dryer.  
         [0026]    The water collected in the housing  14  is quickly evaporated again by the waste heat from the steam iron  1  and the position of the steam snorkel  11  in the container. This configuration ensures that only absolutely dry steam passes into the steam iron  1  during operation.  
         [0027]    The steam dryer  7  is disposed on a conventional steam iron  1  provided with an external steam supply by directly screwing the hollow screw  9  into the original feed line of the soleplate  2  of the steam iron  1 . Simultaneously, the steam dryer  7  is placed in position by way of its connection element  18 . The connection element  18  encloses the hollow screw  9  on the outside. A closure screw  12 , which can be screwed into an end thread of the hollow screw, firmly fixes the housing  14  onto the soleplate  2  of the steam iron  1 .  
         [0028]    In the case of steam irons  1  with the soleplate  2  projecting to the rear  26 , a correspondingly modified steam dryer  7  may also be similarly fastened on such a soleplate  2  from above. In order to protect the user against being burned and to protect against heat losses, the steam dryer  7  is provided with a protective cap  16  that encloses the housing  14 .  
         [0029]    One embodiment of the steam iron  1 , as is illustrated in FIG. 3, is provided with a base  25  that integrates the housing  14 . The chromium housing of the base encloses the housing  14  of the steam dryer  7  at the top, sides and rear, and is spaced apart from the same. In a downward direction, the base  25  is of open configuration in the region of the steam dryer  7 , although it could also be of closed construction. The spacing between the housing  14  of the steam dryer and the walls of the base  25  produces an air gap  26 , which serves as heat insulation and also as protection against burns. In addition, it would also be possible for the air gap  26  to be filled with insulation material, in order for the heat losses to be reduced further.