CLOTHES- AND LINEN-WARMING OR DEHUMIDIFICATION APPARATUS WITH CAVITIES

Abstract: Clothes- and linen-warming or dehumidification apparatus (5) comprises warming means (25) for producing heat, a heat-conducting container (20) containing the warming means (25), and at least one cavity (28, 29) for transmitting heat by convection.

Description: CLOTHES- AND LIΝEΝ- ARMIΝG OR DEHUMIDIFICATION APPARATUS WITH CAVITIES The present invention relates to clothes- and linen- warming or dehumidification apparatus and, in particular to a device according to the preamble of the first claim. Devices which can warm and even dry clothes of various types, for example, shirts, jackets, jumpers, and/or various items of linen, for example, towels, bath-robes, dish-cloths, sheets, are known in the art. Hot-water warming devices constituted by tube structures connected to the heating system of a dwelling are expensive, require fixed and complex installation, and cannot be used when the heating system is inactive. Hot-air warming devices are very bulky, require a large amount of electrical energy and are noisy. A particular type of known warming device which is quiet and easy to install is formed with the use of a resistive wire arranged in a coil inside a suitable heat-conducting container and producing heat by the Joule effect. However, this device has a fairly high electrical power consumption of the order of about one hundred W and cannot achieve CO RMAΠON COPY optimal drying of clothes and linen. Moreover, it is prone to malfunction or damage and is quite complex and expensive to produce. The object of the present invention is to overcome the aforementioned drawbacks. To achieve this object, clothes- and linen-warming or dehumidification apparatus as described in the first claim is proposed. Further characteristics and advantages of the clothes- and linen-warming or dehumidification apparatus according to the present invention will become clear from the following description of various preferred embodiments thereof, given by way of non-limiting example, with reference to the appended drawings, in which: Figure la shows the warming apparatus in a partially-sectioned view, Figure lb is a partially-sectioned side view of the apparatus of Figure la, Figure lc shows a different embodiment of the warming apparatus, Figure 2 is a view showing the device for connecting the apparatus of Figures la and lc to the electrical mains, with parts separated. With reference to Figure la in particular, this shows clothes- and linen-warming or dehumidification apparatus 5 hanging on a towel rail 10 by means of a pair of support straps 15; preferably, the support straps 15 are adjustable in height and can easily be unfastened in order to transfer the warming apparatus 5 to a different support element. The apparatus according to the present invention may, however, be used in different applications; for example, it may be fixed to a coat-hanger in order to warm a garment or iron it briefly, it may be mounted on a trolley with wheels so that it can be moved easily from one room to another, or it may be hung on a clothes airer to facilitate drying of clothes and linen (in this case, it is preferably constituted by a plurality of heating elements suitably connected to one another electrically and arranged parallel or side by side) ; alternatively, the apparatus may be fixed to the internal walls of a cupboard, a chest of drawers or any other piece of furniture to eliminate dampness inside it. The warming apparatus 5 comprises a heat-conducting (typically rectangular) container 20 constituted by a front half-shell 21 and by a rear half-shell 22 joined together (for example, glued or heat sealed) along a peripheral edge thereof; the half-shells 21, 22 are preferably electrically insulating and are made of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) which withstands a working temperature of the order of 60°. Alternatively, the container is made of any other equivalent material (even a material which is not electrically insulating) , is flexible, is of a different shape, (so as to fit any garment or item of linen) , or has only one heat-conducting portion, etc.; in particular, if the warming apparatus is used inside a piece of furniture, the container preferably includes a non-conducting surface which bears against a wall of the furniture. Inside the container 20 are a front plate 23 and a rear plate 24 facing one another, joined together, and of a size, for example, slightly smaller than that of the container 20. The plates 23, 24 are made of a heat-conducting and preferably also electrically-insulating material such as, for example, a fireproof wood pulp (MDF) ; alternatively, another equivalent material (which may not even be electrically-insulating) , such as a laminate of bakelite, of glass fibre, of polyester, or of Micarta, is used. A layer 25 of resistive material arranged in the form of a track is fixed to a front surface of the conductive plate 24 (or to a rear surface of the conductive plate 23) and extends over the conductive plate 24 to form a plurality of meanders. The layer 25 of resistive material is made of a conductive, for example, graphite-based paste commonly used in electronic printed circuits and is distributed by means of a silk- screen printing process; preferably several tracks of conductive material are provided, connected to one another electrically in series and/or in parallel to reduce the silk-screen printing error in the distribution of the material and to permit the production of a single basic module which can easily be adapted to various supply-voltage and/or electrical power values simply by variation of the connection of the various tracks. Alternatively, other equivalent materials such as carbon-based paints or metallic pigments are used, distributed by an immersion, spraying, pad- transfer printing, or rotogravure process or by electrostatic systems, or the like. As shown in Figure lb (the elements common to the two figures are identified by the same reference numerals) , each half-shell 21 and 22 has respective ribs 26 and 27 which project from an internal surface and extend as far as the front plate 23 and as far as the rear plate 24, respectively. The front half-shell 21 and the rear half-shell 22 are thus spaced from the conductive plates 23, 24 so as to define a front cavity 28 and a rear cavity 29, respectively. The ribs 26,27 are preferably formed by suitable shaping of the cross-sections of the half-shells 21, 22 (for example, by means of a pressing process) ; recesses corresponding to the ribs 26, 27 are thus formed on outer surfaces of the half-shells 21, 22. With reference again to Figure la, these recesses extend radially from the centre of a lower edge of the half-shells 21, 22 to the vicinity of the other edges of the half-shells 21, 22, creating a particularly pleasing aesthetic effect. The ribs 26, 27 provide the entire structure with strength, preventing the half-shells 21, 22 from bending under the effect of an external force. The present invention may, however, also be implemented with ribs formed differently, for example, by applied elements, or by other equivalent spacer means; alternatively, different structures which can nevertheless define inside the apparatus 5 any number of closed cavities (or even only one cavity) containing air or another fluid are used. The layer 25 of resistive material is connected by means of a suitable device 30 (described in detail below) to a flexible supply cable 35 terminating in a plug 40. The connection device 30 also preferably houses a fuse, a thermoregulation device (for keeping the working temperature of the warming apparatus 5 around a predetermined value) , and a timing device which can switch the apparatus 5 on cyclically (for example, switching it on during the day and automatically switching it off at night) . The flexible cable 35 preferably has a coil structure so that its length can be adjusted to various positions of electrical-mains supply-sockets (not shown in the drawing) ; alternatively, a turret is provided in the connection device 30 for winding up the excess flexible cable 35, a flexible cable 35 of fixed length is used, or a battery supply-system is provided. When the plug 40 is connected to the electrical- supply mains, a current passes through the layer 25 of resistive material which produces heat by the Joule effect. The use of the layer of resistive material 25 is particularly effective and requires a low specific power; the present invention may, however, also be implemented with a resistive wire, with an oil coil, or with other equivalent warming means which can produce heat . The heat produced by the resistive layer 25 is transferred to the conductive plates 23, 24 which distribute it over their entire surface by conduction. This ensures a good uniformity in the distribution of the heat, preventing the formation of overheated regions alternating with relatively cold regions; the conductive plates 23, 24 also form a heat store which enables thermal energy to be stored and distributed to the exterior when necessary. The use of the plates 23, 24 also improves the electrical insulation of the conductive layer 25 so that this embodiment of the present invention is particularly safe. Alternatively, a single conductive plate (possibly with two layers of resistive material fixed to a front surface and to a rear surface, respectively) or other equivalent heat-conducting and support means are used; in a different embodiment of the present invention, there is no conductive support and the layer of resistive material is fixed directly to an internal surface of the container 20 or is incorporated therein. In the warming apparatus 5 according to the present invention, the heat produced by the resistive layer 25 (and possibly distributed by the conductive plates 23, 24) is transmitted to the air contained in the cavities 28, 29 and is then transferred out of the container 20. If a wet towel 45 is spread over the towel rail 10 so as to face the apparatus 5, the heat produced is absorbed locally thereby; once a portion of the towel 45 is warmed (or even dried) it no longer absorbs heat, creating a thermal imbalance inside the cavities 28, 29. This brings about a circulation of the air by convection which distributes the heat produced to the regions in which it is actually needed. In particular, extremely advantageous operation of the warming apparatus 5 is achieved when two or more wet towels are spread out on top of one another. Similar remarks apply if the warming apparatus is used inside a piece of furniture and, for example, is partially covered by a jumper or other item of clothing. It should be noted that the air circulation takes place inside a closed structure (defined by the cavities 28, 29) and hence without any dissipation of hot air towards the exterior. The warming apparatus of the present invention may, however, also be formed with one or more external cavities (instead of or in combination with the internal cavities described above) . With reference in particular to Figure lc (elements already shown in Figure la are identified by the same reference numerals) , this shows a warming apparatus 46 in which each half-shell 21 and 22 has respective ribs 47 or 48 (or other equivalent means) which project outwardly. The ribs 47, 48 are preferably arranged in the form of a frame with inner portions (or, alternatively, in a U-shape with inner pegs, or in the form of rays, etc.) and form, with the towel 45, a front external cavity 49 and a rear external cavity 50, respectively, the operation of which is similar to that of the internal cavities described above. The solution of the present invention achieves an extremely uniform distribution of the heat produced. The warming apparatus 5 is very effective and has a low electrical energy consumption (for example, of the order of a few tens of W) , and is particularly suitable for domestic use and for continuous service. Moreover, the above-described structure prevents the heat produced from being concentrated in specific regions so that the towel 45 is softer since it is not subject to intense drying at local level. The apparatus 5 warms and dries the towel 45 in a short time; this prevents stagnation of moisture in the towel 45 which does not therefore absorb any unpleasant odours. The warming apparatus 5 has a low temperature of the order of 40-50°C outside the container 20 so that it is particularly safe in use, avoiding the risk of burning due to accidental contact. Moreover, the apparatus is extremely reliable and can be mass produced very easily and inexpensively. In a particularly advantageous embodiment of the present invention, the layer 25 of resistive material has a non-homogeneous distribution so that less heat is produced by the layer 25 of resistive material in the central region of the apparatus 5; for example, this is achieved by a lesser concentration of meanders in the central region of the conductive plate 24, or by suitable variation of the thickness or of the width of the track 25. This achieves a more uniform distribution of the heat produced by the apparatus 5 compensating for the greater heat losses towards the exterior occurring in its peripheral region, and ensures greater efficiency of the warming apparatus 5. In the particular embodiment shown in the drawings, in which the warming apparatus 5 is intended to be used in a vertical position, the distribution of the layer 25 of resistive material is such that it produces less heat in the upper region of the apparatus 5. This achieves a more uniform distribution of the heat, compensating for the circulation due to the convective motion of the hot air produced by apparatus 5, and achieving greater efficiency thereof. With reference now to Figure 2 (the elements already shown in Figure la are identified by the same reference numerals) , the device 30 for connection to the electrical mains includes a front half-shell 51 and a rear half-shell 52 made, for example, of plastics material, disposed close to the free ends of the track defined by the layer 25 of resistive material; alternatively, only one half-shell is used, disposed, for example, in a front position. Each of the free ends is widened to form a pad to which is connected a supply terminal 54, 55 constituted by a metal strip (of any shape and size) made, for example, of copper or aluminium, fixed to the conductive plate 24; alternatively, layers of material with low resistivity are provided, fixed to the conductive plate 24 by methods similar to those used to form the layer 25 of resistive material. The metal strips 54, 55 are preferably glued to the conductive plate 24 after the production of the layer 25 of resistive material (to prevent the risk of breakages of the layer 25) or before the formation of the layer 25 of resistive material (for example, in the case of thin metal strips 54, 55) . A male element 57, 58 of a quick electrical connector known as a "faston" (or other equivalent means) is connected to the metal strip 54, 55; the male elements 57, 58 are accessible from outside the apparatus 5 through a through-hole 60 formed in the container 20 (and in the plates 23, 24 if they are present) . Each half-shell (front or rear) 51, 52 has a slightly convex, for example, circular shape. A circular groove 63, 64 which houses a corresponding seal 66, 67 (for example, an O-ring) is formed on a peripheral edge of the half-shell 51, 52 facing the container 20. A frame 69, 70 extends perpendicularly inwards from a base of the half- shell 51, 52 and projects slightly from the plane defined by the peripheral edge of the half-shell 51, 52; the frame 69, 70 preferably has a non-circular, for example, square shape, so as to prevent any rotation of the half-shell 51, 52 (when fitted in the hole 60) relative to the container 20. With reference, in particular, to the rear half- shell 52, one or more turrets 72 (three in the embodiment shown) extend perpendicularly from the base (inside the square frame 70) and are preferably of the same height as the square frame 70. Two holes 74 and 75 are formed in the peripheral edge of the rear half-shell 52 and in the square frame 70, respectively. The supply cable 35 extends through the holes 74, 75 and is wound around the turrets 72. The apparatus 5 can thus advantageously be supported by means of the supply cable 35 without any risk of damage; the connection device 30 may however, also be formed without these turrets (and the corresponding square frames) or by equivalent pull- resisting means. The supply cable 35 is constituted by an insulating sheath which surrounds two insulated conductor wires 77 and 78. A free end of each conductor wire 77, 78 extends out of the insulating sheath and is connected to a female element 80, 81 corresponding to the male element 57, 58. A hollow turret 83 extends perpendicularly from the base of the rear half-shell 52 (in the centre of the square frame 70) and has a height slightly greater than that of the square frame 70; a pin 84 corresponding to the cavity of the turret 83 extends perpendicularly from the base of the front half- shell 51. Alternatively, two or more hollow turrets with respective pins or other equivalent means are provided for releasably connecting the half-shells 51 and 52. During the assembly of the connection device 30, the male element 57, 58 is push- fitted in the corresponding female element 80, 81 so as to connect the layer of conductive material 25 electrically to the supply cable 35. The half-shells 51 and 52 thus bear against the container 20. The square frames 69 and 70 extend through the through-hole 60 and the pin 84 is push- fitted in the matching recess of the turret 83; when the half-shells 51, 52 are arranged in abutment with the container 20, the square frames 69, 70 are separated by a gap sufficient for the passage of the male elements 57, 58. The seal 66, 67 is thus compressed between the half-shell 51, 52 and the container 20; this ensures substantially hermetic closure of the connection device 30, preventing damage due to moisture. The connection device 30 described above can also be opened easily, for example, by action on the front half-shell 51 with the tip of a screwdriver; this enables the supply cable 35 to be replaced easily and quickly. Alternatively, the front half-shell (or the rear half-shell) has a hole through which an insulating material (such as silicone) is injected in the liquid state, or other equivalent devices are used for connection to the electrical mains with a substantially hermetic seal. Naturally, in order to satisfy contingent and specific requirements, an expert in the art may apply to the above-described clothes- and linen- warming or dehumidification apparatus many modifications and variations all of which, however, are included in the scope of protection of the invention as defined by the following claims.

Claims: CLAIMS 1. Clothes- and linen-warming or dehumidification apparatus (5; 46) comprising warming means (25) for producing heat, and a container (20) containing the warming means (25) and having at least one heat- conducting portion, characterized in that it includes at least one cavity (28, 29; 49, 50) for transmitting heat by convection. 2. Apparatus (5) according to Claim 1, in which the at least one cavity (28, 29) is closed and is disposed inside the container (20) . 3. Apparatus (5) according to Claim 2, further comprising heat-conducting means (23, 24) for supporting the warming means (25) , the at least one cavity (28, 29) being formed between the container (20) and the support means (23, 24). 4. Apparatus (5) according to Claim 3, in which the container (20) includes a first half-shell (21) and a second half-shell (22) which are heat conductors and are joined together along their peripheral edges, the apparatus (5) further comprising means (26, 27) for spacing the first half-shell (21) and the second half-shell (22) from the support means (23, 24) in order to form a first (28) and a second (29) of said cavities, respectively. 5. Apparatus (5) according to Claim 4, in which the spacer means (26,27) include ribs projecting from an internal surface of each half-shell (21, 22) . 6. Apparatus (46) according to Claim 1, comprising means (47, 48) projecting outwardly from the container (20) in order to form, with a garment or item of linen (45), the at least one cavity (49, 50) . 7. Apparatus (5; 46) according to any one of Claims 1 to 6, in which the warming means are constituted by resistive means (25) for producing heat by the Joule effect. 8. Apparatus (5; 46) according to Claim 7, in which the support means (23, 24) include a first electrically-insulating plate (23) and a second electrically-insulating plate (24) facing one another and joined together, the resistive means (25) being fixed to a surface of the second plate (24) facing the first plate (23) . 9. Apparatus (5; 46) according to Claim 7 or Claim 8, in which the resistive means (25) include at least one layer of resistive material arranged in the form of a track on the second plate (24) . 10. Apparatus (5; 46) according to any one of Claims 1 to 9 in which the warming means (25) has a non- homogeneous distribution such that it produces less heat in a central region of the apparatus (5) . 11. Apparatus (5; 46) according to any one of Claims 1 to 10, in which the warming means (25) has a non- homogeneous distribution such that it produces less heat in an upper region of the apparatus (5) when the apparatus is arranged in a vertical position. 12. Apparatus (5; 46) according to any one of Claims 7 to 11 further comprising a substantially hermetically sealable device (30) for connecting the resistive means (25) to an electrical mains supply. 13. Use of the apparatus (5; 46) according to any one of Claims 1 to 12 for eliminating moisture inside a piece of furniture.

Inventors: ZWEERS ALBERT HENDRIX, ZWEERS, ALBERT, HENDRIX
Applicants: ALL 4 HOUSE S A, ZWEERS ALBERT HENDRIX, ALL 4 HOUSE S.A., ZWEERS, ALBERT, HENDRIX
Application year: 1997
Main classification: A47K10
IPC codes: A47K10, D06F58, D06F59