ELECTRIC PLATE PARTICULARLY FOR STEAM IRONS

Abstract: The present invention relates to an electric plate particularly for steam irons comprising a substantially flat body (1) in which an electric resistor (2) is incorporated. The body (1) defines in its interior a cavity (3) open towards the rear face of the body (1). An insert (10) can be applied so as to close the cavity (3) and defines an inlet (11) for the introduction of water and/or steam into the cavity (3). A plurality of holes for the delivery of steam, communicating with the cavity (3), is provided on the lower ironing face of the body (1).

Description: The present invention relates to an electric plate particularly for steam irons. As is known, various types of plates for steam irons are available on the market which, generally, have a vaporization chamber constituted by a tortuous path capable of favouring the complete vaporization of water and any condensation of steam. In the production of such types of plates, considerable constructive difficulties are encountered and furthermore there is no possibility of diversifying the internal construction of the plate according to contingent requirements unless a completely different plate is produced. Ironing plates are in fact usually used which the manufacturer specializes according to the type of use, with solutions which, naturally, cannot be successively modified or adapted to particular requirements. Furthermore, another severe problem encountered in known vaporization chambers relates to the possibility of removal of the calcareous deposits which generally impose limit actions on the functional characteristics of said plate so as to allow its accessibility for cleaning. In fact the criteria for the choice of location of the steam delivery zones are linked to the possibility of access to the vaporization chamber, thereby sacrificing the possibility of adopting different solutions. Professional-type plates are furthermore known which are manufactured in an extremely complicated manner, which are generally very functional but which, since they do not have the possibility of access for the removal of any calcareous deposits, are limited in use to being steam-fed only. GB-A-512 071 shows an iron plate having ducts for the accommodation of absorbing elements or inserts. US-A-2 795 062 shows an iron sole plate having a rectangular recess for accommodating a sole plate insert. The aim proposed by the invention is indeed to solve the above described problems by providing an electric plate particularly for steam irons which, according to the contingent requirements of the user, can be a water fed with vaporization of the water occurring directly in the plate, or a steam fed, said steam possibly being superheated in the plate. Within the above described aim, a particular object of the invention is to provide an electric plate which is structured so as to allow the changing exclusively of a part thereof which is removably and rapidly connectable, to vary as desired the functionality of said plate, according to the contingent requirements of the users. Still another object of the present invention is to provide an electric plate which is easy to inspect, thus allowing easy and rapid removal of any calcareous deposits. A not least object of the present invention is to provide an electric plate particularly for steam irons which can be easily manufactured from elements and materials which are commonly commercially available, and which, furthermore, is competitive from a purely economical point of view. The above described aim and objects, are achieved by an electric plate particularly for steam irons, according to the invention, as defined in claim 1. Further characteristics and advantages will become apparent from the description of a preferred but not exclusive embodiment of an electric plate particularly for steam irons, shown in the accompanying illustrative, non-limitative drawings, wherein: figure 1 is a schematic exploded perspective view of a possible embodiment of the electric plate; figure 2 is a schematic plan view of the body defining the cavity at its interior; figure 3 is a schematic perspective view of an embodiment of an insert defining, inside the cavity, two mutually communicating separate chambers; figure 4 is a view of a different insert providing, besides the vaporization chambers, an aspiration chamber; figure 5 is a view of an insert defining a tortuous path. With reference to the above described figures, the electric plate particularly for steam irons, according to the invention, comprises a body, generally indicated by the reference numeral 1, which is preferably but not necessarily die-cast, and has a substantially flat lanceolate configuration, as is typical of electric plates for steam irons. An electric resistor 2 is incorporated inside the body 1 and extends substantially at the perimetral zones, with the exception of the rear zone. An important peculiarity of the invention resides in the fact that said body 1 defines at its interior a rearwardly open cavity 3. The cavity 3 has, in transverse cross section, a substantially rectangular configuration, so as to simplify manufacture. The peculiarity of the invention resides in the fact that said cavity may be closed by inserts sealingly applicable at the rear face, which may be variously shaped according to requirements of use, so as to modify the characteristics and the functionality of said plate according to the user's requirements, without thereby having to modify the configuration of the body. The insert which is applied is structured so as to define the inlet for the introduction of water or steam inside the cavity. As schematically indicated in figure 1, a plug insert 10 is provided which has defined therein an inlet 11 for the introduction of water or steam; in this solution the entire cavity is used without modifications which may vary its functionality. Possibly one may introduce into the cavity metal wool which has the function of retaining any water droplets, favouring a more rapid vaporization thereof also due to the fact that the surface area of contact between water and/or steam and the heated parts of the plate is increased. The body 1 defines on its lower ironing face a plurality of through holes, generally indicated by the reference numeral 5, which connect the cavity 3 with the exterior to allow the outward delivery of steam. As can be seen in figure 1, the holes 5 which connect the cavity 3 with the exterior are provided directly at the region of the cavity 3. Said holes may be variously positioned on the plate in such a manner as to create different delivery zones. Merely by way of example, it is noted that in a preferred embodiment it is possible to provide holes, indicated at 5a, which affect the tip zone, holes indicated at 5b which affect the central zone and holes indicated at 5c which affect the lateral zones. The holes 5a, 5b and 5c are variously usable, as a function of the type of insert which is inserted. Thus, for example, as illustrated in figure 3, an insert, generally indicated by the reference numeral 20, has an end crosspiece 21 defining the water and/or steam inlet, indicated by the reference numeral 11, having a perimetral border 22, which separates the zone affected by the holes 5a from the zone affected by the holes 5b and 5c. A depression or recess 25 is provided on the perimetral border 22 so as to allow the passage of the steam from the chamber where the holes 5b and 5c are provided to the chamber where the holes 5a are provided. In this embodiment it is possible to provide a bottom sole which joins the perimetral border, which obstructs at least some of the affected through holes. In the embodiment illustrated in figure 4, the insert, indicated at 30, has besides the end crosspiece an inner border 31 and an outer border 32. The inner border delimits an inner chamber for the steam, while the inner border in cooperation with the outer border delimits an aspiration chamber. For this purpose an inlet 11 for the introduction of water and/or steam is connected to the inner chamber and an aspiration inlet, indicated at 35, is connected to the aspiration chamber arranged substantially at the holes 5c. A through channel 36 is furthermore provided which connects the inner chamber, provided substantially in the zone affected by the holes 5b, to the tip zone affected by the holes 5a. Also in this embodiment it is possible to provide in the inner chamber a sole which can close zone of the affected holes 5b. Figure 5 illustrates an embodiment in which the insert 40 has a plurality of transverse dividing walls 41 provided with upper recesses 42 which in practice provide a tortuous path which facilitates vaporization, thus making this type of insert particularly suitable for feeding the electric plate with water rather than steam. In this embodiment it is possible to provide a sole for joining the dividing walls on the opposite side with respect to the recesses so as to create a succession of mutually intercommunicating cavities in which the water is gradually caused to vaporize, trapping the particles or water droplets which allow therefore a delivery of particularly dry steam in the tip region. From what has been described above it can thus be seen that the invention achieves the proposed aims and in particular the fact is stressed that the provision of the plate with a rearwardly open inner cavity closed by inserts of various configurations allows the possibility of obtaining an improved functionality without modifying the configuration of the plate, but simply by modifying the type and the configuration of said insert, with the possibility therefore of variously employing the delivery holes which are distributed on the plate. The invention thus conceived is susceptible to numerous modifications and variations, all of which are within the scope of the inventive concept. Moreover all the details may be replaced with other technically equivalent elements. In practice, any materials, contingent shapes, and dimensions, may be employed according to requirements. Where technical features mentioned in any claim are followed by reference signs, whose reference signs have been included for the sole purpose of increasing the intelligibility of the claims and accordingly, such reference signs do not have limiting effect on the scope of each element identified by way of example by such reference signs.

Claims: Electric plate for steam irons, comprising a substantially flat body (1) incorporating an electric resistor (2), said body (1) internally defining a cavity (3) open towards the rear face of said body (1) and inserts (10,20,30,40) which have different configurations and are adapted for closing said cavity and defining an inlet (11) for permitting introduction of water and/or steam into said cavity (3), said body (1) defining a lower ironing face, having formed therein a plurality of holes (5) communicating with said cavity (3) for the outward delivery of steam, characterized in that said holes (5) are provided in the lower ironing face of the body (1) directly at the region of the cavity (3) in a manner to, together with the differently configurated inserts, create different steam delivery zones. Electric plate, according to claim 1, characterized in that said holes (5) comprise holes (5a,5b,5c) which are respectively distributed in a tip zone, a central zone and a lateral zone of said body (1). Electric plate, according to the preceding claims, characterized in that one of said inserts is constituted by a plug insert (10) applicable for closing said cavity (3). Electric plate, according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises inside said cavity (3), metal wool adapted to increase the heat exchange surface and to trap water particles. Electric plate, according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that one of said inserts is constituted by an insert (20) having an end crosspiece (21) defining said inlet (11) for water and/or steam from which there extends a perimetral border (22), defining in aid cavity (3) a first chamber and a second chamber, said first chamber affecting the holes (5b,5c) at said central and lateral zones and said second chamber affecting the holes (5a) at said tip zone, said perimetral border (22) defining a recess (25) adapted for communicating between said first and said second chambers. Electric plate, according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that one of said inserts is constituted by an insert (30) comprising, extending from said end crosspiece, an inner border (31) and an outer border (32), said inner border (31) delimiting an inner chamber substantially at said holes (5b) at said central zone, between said inner border (31) and said outer border (32) there being defined an aspiration chamber substantially affecting said holes (5c) at said lateral zone, said aspiration chamber being connected to an aspiration inlet (35), said inner chamber being connected to said inlet (11) for the introduction of water and/or steam. Electric plate, according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that one of said inserts is constituted by an insert (40) having, associated with said end crosspiece, a plurality of dividing walls (41), intersecting one another substantially perpendicularly and provided at one edge with recesses (42) to define a passage for communication between the sectors or chambers delimited by said dividing walls (41) to define a tortuous path for the passage of the steam. Electric plate, according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that one of said insert (10,20,30,40) has a sole adapted to close at least some of said holes (5).

Inventors: RONCHI, COSTANTINO
Applicants: RONCHI, COSTANTINO
Application year: 1988
Main classification: D06F75
IPC codes: D06F75