Travel steam and dry iron

A travel iron has a hollow handle defining a liquid reservoir which is pivotally mounted for movement between operative and stored positions. The handle is releasably secured in the operative position by a sliding latch. A conduit supplies liquid from the reservoir to the soleplate. A manually operated valve and a gravity operated valve control fluid flow through the conduit.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
1. Field of the Invention 
The present invention relates to a portable apparatus for ironing clothes 
and other textiles. 
2. Description of the Prior Art 
Travel irons have been in use for a considerable period of time and are 
characterized by their portability. Such irons are designed to be light in 
weight and compact in size. However, known travel irons have had to 
compromise versatility and performance to obtain their necessary light 
weight and compact size. 
The compact design of known travel irons has presented problems in 
maintaining uniform heating of the soleplate of the iron while limiting 
the amount of heat transmitted to the handle and housing. Known travel 
irons have required a complex arrangement of parts to be lightweight and 
small in size, resulting in a costly and unattractive product. 
Another problem with known travel irons is incorporation of a steam 
generating mechanism in a compact design. Known travel irons which are 
both lightweight and compact in size have had shortcomings in attempting 
to provide a liquid reservoir that is accessible, well balanced, isolated 
from the heating element, leak proof, and in communication with the steam 
generating surface in a controlled fashion. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a travel 
iron which allows for uniform heating of the soleplate of the iron while 
limiting the amount of heat transmitted to the handle and housing. 
It is another object of the present invention to provide a travel iron 
having a simple arrangement of parts which form a lightweight and portable 
apparatus that is low in cost and attractive in appearance. 
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a travel iron 
having the capability of generating steam in which the liquid reservoir is 
placed and arranged in such a manner that it is accessible, well balanced, 
isolated from the heating element, leak proof, and in communication with 
the steam generating surface in a controlled fashion. 
Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the 
description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the 
description, or may be learned from practice of the invention. The objects 
and advantages of the invention may be realized and obtained by means of 
the instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed out in the 
appended claims. 
To achieve the foregoing objects, and in accordance with the purposes of 
the invention, as embodied and broadly described herein, a travel iron is 
provided comprising a soleplate having inner and outer surfaces and an 
array of steam ports communicating between the inner and outer surfaces, 
means for electrically heating the soleplate, means for controlling the 
temperature of the soleplate, housing means fixed to the soleplate, a 
substantial portion of the housing means being spaced from the soleplate 
for limiting heat transfer from the soleplate to the housing means, a 
hollow handle defining a liquid reservoir and pivotally mounted to the 
housing for movement between operative and stored positions, means for 
releasably securing the handle in the operative position, means for 
filling the handle with liquid, and conduit means for conducting liquid 
from the reservoir to the soleplate. 
A travel iron of the subject invention preferably includes vent valve means 
in communication with the reservoir for allowing air to enter the 
reservoir and preventing liquid from leaving the reservoir. The handle of 
the travel iron preferably includes first and second pivot parts that are 
aligned and spaced for pivotal mounting to the housing, wherein the means 
for releasably securing the handle includes a keyway in the first pivot 
part and a sliding latch mounted on the housing proximate to the first 
pivot part and having a first sliding part for selective engagement with 
the keyway whereby the handle is releasably securable in the operative 
position when the handle is in the operative position and the latch is 
engaged with the keyway. Preferably the latch includes a second sliding 
part for selective engagement with a handle, the second sliding part 
spaced from th first sliding part, and wherein the second sliding part 
wedges the handle against the housing when in selective engagement with 
the handle. The iron is preferably positionable in an ironing position in 
which the soleplate is disposed in a horizontal plane and in a rest 
position in which the soleplate is disposed in a substantially vertical 
plane wherein the vent valve means is open when the iron is in an ironing 
position and closed when the iron is in a rest position. 
The travel iron of the present invention also preferably includes conduit 
valve means for controlling fluid flow through the conduit means. The iron 
is preferably positionable in an ironing position in which the soleplate 
is disposed in a horizontal plane and in a rest position in which the 
soleplate is disposed in a substantially vertical plane, the conduit valve 
means having gravity operated valve means for permitting flow through the 
conduit means when the iron is disposed in the ironing position and for 
prohibiting flow through the conduit means when the iron is disposed in 
the rest position. The gravity operated valve means preferably includes a 
chamber and a slug slideable along a slide surface within the chamber 
between flow permitting and flow prohibiting positions. The slug 
preferably has a liquid receiving surface means oriented at an acute angle 
relative to the soleplate for allowing water droplets to slide off the 
liquid receiving surface means when the iron is in the ironing position. 
The conduit valve means preferably includes a manually operated valve means 
for selectively controlling fluid flow through the conduit means. The 
outlet of the manually operated valve means preferably diverges to form a 
orifice means to deliver drops of liquid to the gravity operated valve 
means. The inner surface of the soleplate preferably includes a slanted 
steam boiler surface which communicates with the steam ports. 
It is still further preferable that the travel iron include intermediate 
plate means between the housing means and the soleplate and that both the 
housing means and the intermediate plate means extend along at least a 
substantial portion of the area of the soleplate. The housing means and 
the intermediate plate means each preferably include a depending 
peripheral edge extending toward but spaced from the soleplate. 
Preferably, at least a substantial portion of the conduit valve means is 
located between the intermediate plate means and the housing means. The 
means for controlling the temperature of the soleplate preferably includes 
a temperature sensing means located near the central region of the 
soleplate and near the steam boiler surface.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
Reference will now be made in detail to the present preferred embodiment of 
the invention as illustrated in the accompanying drawings. 
In FIGS. 1 and 3 there is shown a travel iron 10 having a soleplate 12 with 
inner surface 14 and outer surface 16. An array of steam ports 18 
communicating between inner surface 14 and outer surface 16 is shown in 
FIG. 9. A means for electrically heating the soleplate includes an 
electric cord for transmitting electrical current to a conventional 
heating element associated with soleplate 12. Also included are means for 
controlling the temperature of the soleplate which preferably includes a 
temperature sensing means such as bimetallic strip 22, a set of electric 
contacts 24 and a rotatable control knob 26 which is connected to a cam 
follower 28. Cam follower 28 rides along cam surface 30 causing rod end 32 
to appropriately position contacts 24 corresponding to a temperature which 
is manually set by positioning control knob 26. Temperature sensing means 
such as bimetallic strip 22 adds an appropriate biasing force on contacts 
24 depending on the temperatures which it senses. Accordingly, the means 
for controlling the temperature of the soleplate act in combination with 
bimetallic strip 22 so that contacts 24 remain closed until bimetallic 
strip 22 senses the temperature set on control knob 26. At that time, 
contacts 24 open to cut off current flow to the heating element in 
soleplate 12 thereby preventing soleplate 12 from exceeding the 
temperature set by control knob 26. When bimetallic strip 22 senses a 
temperature less than the temperature set by control knob 26, contacts 24 
close to allow current flow to the heating element in soleplate 12 thereby 
allowing soleplate 12 to heat to the temperature set on control knob 26. 
Travel iron 10 also includes housing means 34 and intermediate plate means 
36 which are preferably made of heat-resistant plastic. Intermediate plate 
means 36 is direectly attached to soleplate 12 through the use of 
fastening means such as screw 38 and metallic flange 40. Housing means 34 
preferably includes integrally molded spacer posts 42 which are internally 
threaded to receive screws 44 which pass through pre-formed apertures in 
intermediate plate means 36. In this way, housing means 34 is attached to 
intermediate plate means 36 which in turn is connected to soleplate 12. By 
attaching housing means 34 to soleplate 12 through intermediate plate 
means 36 housing means 34 is spaced to soleplate 12. By attaching housing 
means 34 to soleplate 12 from intermediate plate means 36, which in turn 
is spaced from soleplate 12 for limiting heat transfer from soleplate 12 
to housing means 34. Housing means 34 includes a dependent peripheral edge 
46 extending toward but spaced from intermediate plate means 36. 
Intermediate plate means includes a depending peripheral edge 48 extending 
towards but spaced from soleplate 12. 
Travel iron 10 is provided with a hollow handle 50 which defines a liquid 
reservoir 52 in its interior. Hollow handle 50 is pivotally mounted to the 
housing for movement between an operative position indicated by the solid 
lines in FIG. 2 and a stored position indicated by the broken lines in 
FIG. 2. Handle 50 includes a first pivot part 54 and a second pivot part 
56 which are integrally molded surfaces that are axially aligned. Housing 
34 includes trunions 58 and 60 which accommodate portions of first pivot 
part 54 and second pivot part 56, respectively. 
Travel iron 10 is also provided with means for releasably securing handle 
50 in the operative position. This means preferably includes a keyway 62 
in first pivot part 54, a corresponding keyway 64 integrally molded in 
housing means 34, and a sliding latch 66 slidably mounted in a 
corresponding keyway 64. Latch 66 has a first sliding part 68, which is 
complementary to keyway 62 and corresponding keyway 64, and is used for 
selective engagement of keyway 62 when handle 50 is in the operative 
position. Latch 66 also includes a second sliding part 70 for selective 
engagement with handle 50. Second sliding part 70 is integral with, but 
spaced from, first sliding part 68. First pivot part 54 preferably 
includes a radially extending wall 72 such that selective engagement 
between second sliding part 70 and handle 50 occurs at a radially outer 
portion of wall 72. Wall 72 preferably includes first corner portion 74 
and second corner portion 76 which are proximate to housing means 34 when 
handle 50 is in the operative position, such that first corner portion 74 
is engageable with housing means 34 and second corner portion 76 is 
engageable with second sliding part 70. In the preferred embodiment, 
housing 34 includes in integral step 78 for engagement with first corner 
portion 74 and second corner portion 76 includes a notch 80 for 
accommodating second sliding part 70. This arrangement allows second 
sliding part 70 to wedge handle 50 against housing 34 when sliding latch 
66 is selectively engaged with handle 50. Sliding latch 66 is preferably 
biased into engagement with handl 50 by latch biasing means such as spring 
82 so that sliding latch 66 engages handle 50 when handle 50 is pivoted 
into the operative position. As can be seen from FIG. 6, radially 
extending wall 72 is arranged to extend a sufficient radial distance to 
block second sliding part 70 from pivotally securing handle 50 when handle 
50 is in a position other than the operative position. 
A portion of housing means 34 is covered with panel means 84 and is 
attached to housing means 34 by screws 86. Panel means 84 form trunion 88 
and 90 complementary to trunion 58 and 60 in housing means 34 for 
accommodating first pivot part 64 and second pivot part 56 of handle 50. 
The outside surface of panel means 84 is substantially aligned with the 
outside surface of handle 50 when handle 50 is both in the operative 
position and in the stored position. Second pivot part 56 includes two 
indentations 92 and panel means 84 includes spring means 94 mounted near 
trunion 90 for engagement with indentations 92 for retaining handle 50 in 
the stored position and in the operative position. 
Handle 50 also includes means for filling handle 50 with liquid such as 
orifice 96 and an orifice closure 98. Orifice closure 98 is preferably 
constructed of a flexible plastic material and includes vent valve means 
for allowing ambient air to enter the reservior and for preventing liquid 
from leaving the reservoir. Preferably, as depicted in FIG. 8, the vent 
valve means includes a ball valve 100 including ball 102 which is movable 
in chamber 104 having an external port 106 in communication with the 
ambient air and an internal port 108 in communication with reservoir 52. 
Ball valve chamber 104 is shaped so that ball valve 100 is closed when the 
soleplate 12 is in a generally vertical plane preventing liquid in 
reservoir 52 from leaking through ports 106 and 108. Conversely, when 
soleplate 12 is disposed in a horizontal plane in an ironing position, 
ball valve 100 is open so that air may enter reservoir 52 to make up for 
the displaced volume lost in reservoir 52 by the outward flow of liquid 
from the reservoir which is used to produce steam. Orifice closure 98 is 
prevented from separating from handle 50 by retaining strap 110 which is 
fastened to a projection 112 inside handle 50. 
Second pivot part 56 includes integrally formed tube 114 in fluid 
communication with reservoir 52. Steam generation chamber 116 is formed in 
the inner surface of soleplate 12. Conduit means for conducting liquid 
from the reservoir to steam generation chamber 116 includes a flexible 
tube 118 having one end 120 connected to rigid tube 114 and a second end 
122 connecteed to a conduit valve means for controlling fluid flow through 
the conduit means. The conduit valve means preferably includes a gravity 
operated valve means 124 and a manually operated valve means 126. 
Gravity operated valve means 124 includes a chamber 128 and a slug 130 
which is slidable along a slide surface 132 in chamber 128 between a flow 
permitting position when slug 130 is in the lower portion of chamber 128 
and a flow prohibiting position when slug 130 is in the upper portion of 
chamber 128 as shown in FIG. 3. Slide surface 132 is oriented at an acute 
angle relative to soleplate 12 so that when travel iron 10 is in the 
ironing position with soleplate 12 in a horizontal plane, slug 130 slides 
by gravity into the lower portion of chamber 128 to a flow permitting 
position. When travel iron 10 is placed in a rest position with soleplate 
12 in a generally vertical plane, slug 130 moves to what is shown as the 
upper portion of chamber 128 in FIG. 3 to a flow prohibiting position. As 
shown in FIG. 3, the upper surface of slug 130 has a liquid receiving 
surface means 134 which is oriented at an acute angle relative to the 
soleplate for allowing water droplets to slide off rather than cling to 
slug 130 when travel iron 10 is in the ironing position. As shown in FIGS. 
1 and 2, housing 34 and handle 50 cooperate to define a resting surface 
133 permitting placement of the iron in a rest position with soleplate 12 
in a generally vertical plane. 
As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, manually operated valve means 126 includes a 
chamber 136 which is in fluid communication with the interior of rigid 
tube 138. Rigid tube 138 is attached to end 122 of flexible tube 118. 
Manually operated valve means 126 also includes a plunger member 140 which 
can be manually slid downward to prohibit flow through manually operated 
valve means 126. Plunger 140 is biased in an upward position by spring 142 
engaging a rim 144 on plunger member 140. The other end of spring 142 
engages washer 146 which freely slides on plunger member 140 along with 
sealing ring 148. Plunger 140 is actuated by slide 150 which is mounted in 
panel means 84 for sliding movement within in orifice 152 in panel means 
84. Spring 154 is used to connect the top end of plunger 140 to actuating 
slide 150 thereby maintaining actuating slide 150 in an upper position as 
shown in FIG. 4 until it is manually depressed into a lower position where 
it can be temporarily locked through the use of protruding latch 156 which 
engages the top portion of orifice 152. As shown in FIG. 1, panel means 84 
also includes a second orifice 160 for accommodating a third sliding part 
158 of sliding latch 66. 
As can be seen in FIGS. 4 and 5, the outlet of manually operated valve 
means 126 is also the inlet of gravity operated valve means 124. Also, the 
outlet of manually operated valve means 126 converges to form a metering 
orifice 162 to deliver drops of liquid to gravity operated valve means 
124. Plunger 140 includes pin means 164 for clearing metering orifice 
means 162 when plunger member 140 is actuated. 
As seen in FIG. 3, the outlet of gravity operated valve means 124 is open 
to soleplate 12 so as to deliver drops of liquid to a slanted steam boiler 
surface 166 on the inside surface 14 of soleplate 12. The liquid flows 
onto slanted steam boiler surface 166 in the form of drops. As the drops 
roll down the slanted steam boiler surface 166, they quickly absorb heat 
and rapidly vaporize into steam. As shown in FIG. 3, temperature sensing 
means such as bimetallic strip 22 is located near slanted steam boiler 
surface 166 to better control the amount of heat provided to soleplate 12. 
Rotatable control knob 26 includes finger means 168 for contacting a 
surface 170 having a plurality of indentations around its periphery for 
positive registration with finger means 168. Control knob 26 also includes 
flanges 172 which contact surface 174 of panel means 84 to fasten the 
control knob to panel means 84 without requiring the use of screws. 
A final feature of travel iron 10 is that the composition of handle 50 is 
such that the water level of reservoir 52 can be easily seen. Therefore, 
handle 52 is preferably made substantially from a transparent or 
translucent material. 
The operation of travel iron 10 will now be described. Travel iron 10 is 
stored in a compact position such that handle 50 is placed in the compact 
position shown by broken lines in FIG. 2. When put into use, handle 50 is 
placed in the operative postion shown by solid lines in FIG. 2. This is 
accomplished by pivoting it into this position where first sliding part 68 
slides into keyway 62 and second sliding part 70 slides into notch 80 
through the biasing action of spring 82. Orifice closure 98 is lifted from 
orifice 96 in handle 50, and reservoir 52 inside hollow handle 50 is 
filled with water. Orifice closure 98 is reinserted in orifice 96, and 
electric cord 20 is plugged into an electric outlet. Control knob 26 is 
rotated to a position corresponding to the temperature proper for the 
textile which is to be ironed. The iron is left to heat in a rest position 
with soleplate 12 in a generally vertical plane. 
Rotation of control knob 26 causes electric contacts 24 to close and 
current to be supplied to the heating element in soleplate 12. When 
soleplate 12 reaches the predetermined temperature corresponding to the 
setting of control knob 26, temperature sensing means such as bimetallic 
strip 22 moves into a position such that electric contracts 24 are pushed 
apart thereby cutting off the supply of the current to the heating element 
and preventing the iron from overheating. As the iron begins to cool, 
bimetallic strip 22 begins to move in the other direction and eventually 
causes the electric contacts 24 to close thereby causing the heating 
element to once again restore soleplate 12 to the temperature set on 
control knob 26. It is by this arrangement that the temperature of 
soleplate 12 is maintained at the temperature set on control knob 26. 
When travel iron 10 has reached the predetermined temperature, the operator 
has the option of deciding whether to use the iron in a steam mode or a 
dry mode. If the operator desires a dry mode, he pushes down actuating 
slide 150 until latch 156 lodges in the top wall of orifice 152. This 
causes plunger member 140 to block flow of liquid through manually 
operated valve means 126. If a steam setting is desired, actuating slide 
150 is left in an up position and plunger member 140 allows flow through 
manually operated valve means 126. 
The iron is then placed in an ironing postion such that soleplate 12 is in 
a horizontal plane. This causes slug 130 in gravity operated valve means 
124 to slide downward on surface 132 to permit liquid flow through gravity 
operated valve means 124. Liquid flows from reservoir 52 through tube 114, 
then through flexible tube 118 to tube 138 in manually operated valve 
means 126. Liquid then flows through metering orifice 162 and enters 
gravity operated valve means 124 in the form of droplets. Liquid droplets 
land on liquid receiving surface means 134 of slug 130 and slide down 
liquid receiving surface means 134 and out gravity operated valve means 
124 onto slanted steam boiler surface 166. The liquid droplets quickly 
vaporize into steam while sliding down slanted steam boiler surface 16 and 
the steam is conveyed through steam ports 18 to outer surface 16 of 
soleplate 12. 
Ambient air enters ball valve 100 through external port 160 and enters 
reservoir 52 to replace the volume of the water which is being transmitted 
through the conduit means to soleplate 12 to generate steam. Clothes or 
other textiles may now be ironed and the iron is kept in a steam 
generating mode so long as actuating slide 150 is properly positioned. The 
iron is maintained in a position such that soleplate 12 is in a horizontal 
plane in the ironing position. 
When ironing is interrupted such as to change the workpiece, the iron is 
placed in a rest position such that soleplate 12 is in a generally 
vertical plane. Gravity operated valve means 124 then closes because slug 
130 slides to block the flow of fluid due to gravity positioning. At the 
same time, ball valve 100 closes to prevent liquid from flowing out of 
reservoir 52 through external port 106. When ironing is resumed, the iron 
is placed in an ironing position such that gravity operated valve means 
124 and ball valve 100 again open to permit liquid to flow through gravity 
operated valve means 124 to slanted steam boiler surface 166 and allow 
ambient air to replace the volume of water lost from reservoir 52 due to 
this flow. 
When ironing has been completed, control knob 2 may be rotated to an off 
position thereby opening contacts 24 and cutting off current to the 
heating element in soleplate 12. Electric cord 20 can be unplugged and 
handle 50 may be pivoted from the operative position to the stored 
position by sliding back third sliding part 158 of latch 66 and rotating 
the handle until it reaches the position marked in dotted lines in FIG. 2. 
Additional advantages and modifications will readily occur to those skilled 
in the art. The invention in its broader aspects is, therefore, not 
limited to the specific details, representative apparatus and illustrative 
examples shown and described. Accordingly, departure may be made from such 
details without departing from the spirit or scope of applicant's general 
inventive concept.