Abstract:
An ironing pad having a relatively flexible laminate structure including among its layers an integrally formed, independent layer supporting hollow core units which are disposed adjacent to one another and being received in an individual pocket formed in overlying layers of a closed-sided envelope, and in which hollow core is formed of a plurality of contiguous adjacent open-cell cavities which provide a heat barrier in addition to a layer of relatively high-compressive strength for supporting the weight of steam or flat iron pressing of fabric materials. The pad assembly may include three separate hollow core heat barrier units in hinged relationship with one another to provide a relatively shortened lengthwise dimension to the entire assembly when the end units are folded.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   This invention relates to an ironing pad assembly, and more particularly to an ironing pad that may be made portable, and which is adapted to be used on top of a table or similar flat-topped furniture for ironing. 
   Recently, domestic ironing has been reduced as a household chore from as much as two full days per week to as little as a few hours per week. Thus, the less frequent use of conventional ironing boards, requiring setting up, folding of legs, and storage, has become a nuisance in view of the sporadic times in which ironing is done today. In this regard, there have been several attempts to provide portable pads to alleviate the nuisance of legged ironing boards, as well as providing means for assisting in portability by rolling the pad into a spiral for insertion into a pouch-like cover. These efforts were deficient in desired lateral support, which had, for the most part, been of flat wooden boards. The prior art also taught several efforts to provide portability to ironing pads with folding means to reduce size. By way of example, such means were disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,326,062 and 5,161,319, respectively granted to Beatrice Parker and to Mary Boyd. Both patents suggested the use of conventional wooden boards (See symbolic cross hatching used in the presentation of  FIG. 7  of Parker and see the Abstract of the Boyd patent discussing a “plywood ironing board” with additional “wood supports”), fastened to conventional hardware store hinges  12  in Parker and hinges  20   a  and  20   b  in Boyd. Obviously, those structures are relatively heavy and cumbersome to carry and to set up for accomplishing the ironing task. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention provides an improved ironing pad of multi-layered construction having at least one layer comprising an integrally formed hollow core construction having a plurality of substantially contiguous, open-cell cavities sandwiched between oppositely disposed, parallel panels. Preferably, the cavities are configured to included sidewalls extending between and substantially perpendicular relative to the oppositely disposed panels. It will be apparent that such construction materially lessens the weight of conventional ironing boards formerly utilizing solid wood construction. The compressive strength of open-cell, hollow core construction has been found to be substantially equivalent to solid construction. 
   Further, it is an additional object of this invention to provide a portable, multi-layered ironing pad assembly, which may include the aforementioned supporting layer of hollow core construction, or for that matter, a supporting layer of one or more longitudinally spaced, relatively thin, solid board or plywood construction. Such ironing pad assembly includes a longitudinally foldable sheet which, when folded, defines a close-sided envelope capable of being proportionally divided by transverse sewing stitches to provide adjacent pockets for receiving individual longitudinally adjacent, integrally formed, single panel units or supporting layers of open-core construction. The stitching together of overlying layers of the envelope layer also provides a satisfactory and convenient hinging means for folding the adjacent board or panels together. The folded sections also permit considerable reduction in pad length for convenience in transporting and storage. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an ironing pad in accordance with the invention, and being shown in unfolded position, ready to being placed on a table or other supporting flat surface. 
       FIG. 2  is a perspective view of a selected area broken way from the peripheral facing marginal edge of the pad of  FIG. 1  and showing, in detail, a preferred arrangement of supporting hollow core construction used in forming a supporting layer of the pad. 
       FIG. 3  is a longitudinal side view of the ironing pad of  FIG. 1 , and with its zippered closure member being shown in closed position. 
       FIG. 4  is an enlarged, fragmental, longitudinal side view of an end pocket portion of the ironing pad of this invention, and defined by an elliptically outlined area A 
       FIG. 5  is a longitudinal side view, similar to the view of  FIG. 3 , but with oppositely disposed pocket portions being shown in folded upwardly and inwardly to reduce the length of the pad and enhance its portability. 
       FIGS. 6A–6D , inclusive, are fragmented sectional views of individual, integrally formed, panel units which may be used individually or as a part of a hollow core supporting layer, and of selected size to reside in selected pockets of the preferred embodiment of the ironing pad described herein. 
   

   DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
   Referring to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals indicate like or corresponding parts, and referring particularly to  FIG. 1 , there is shown an ironing pad assembly  10  which may be of portable construction, and which may be supported by a table or similar furniture having a flat supporting surface. It will be obvious that pads of this type should be capable of being folded, or otherwise capable of being of reduced in length and to be of lightweight construction. 
   The ironing pad assembly  10  made in accordance with the present invention, is preferably multi-layered, and includes a cover layer  12  of conventional heat-resistant fabric material that extends around the top of the pad assembly  10 , the side  14  and the under layer  16 . The various layers of the laminated pad assembly  10  may be conveniently enclosed by means of an elongated zipper unit  18 . The zipper unit  18  need only extend around the periphery of the pad assembly  10  to provide access to the open-ended, hinged, pocket portions to be hereinafter described. The upper and lower marginal edges of the pad assembly  10  are preferably joined, sewn together, and covered by a sewn-on welting fabric strip  20 . The pad assembly  10  is preferably constructed to be folded along the dotted lines  22 . 
   With particular reference to  FIG. 2 , it will be noted that a lightweight, supporting layer  30  is preferably provided, especially when the pad assembly  10  is of the portable type. The layer  30  is preferably comprised of laterally adjacent integrally formed, individual supporting open-cell units, details of which are shown in the views of  FIGS. 2–5 , inclusive, and respectively designated  30   a ,  30   b  and  30   c . The individual hollow core units  30   a ,  30   b  and  30   c  are integrally formed of lightweight, pressed paperboard having a series of open-cells  31  (see  FIG. 2 ) including upstanding side walls  33 . The sidewalls  33  are substantially perpendicular to and extend between parallel, oppositely disposed, relatively flat, upper and lower panel units  36  and  38 . This construction was found to be comparatively lightweight and relatively strong for its size. A very simple compression strength test indicated that a young man of approximately 225 pounds, and wearing flat-healed shoes, was able to stand on a sample piece of ½ inch paper pressboard, as described herein, without any damage to the surface to the panel, even when the panel was covered with a layer of relatively thin, heat reflective, aluminum foil  37  (approximately 2 mils.). As disclosed in the enlarged detail view of  FIGS. 3 and 4 , integrally formed, adjacent supporting hollow core units  30   a  and  30   c , respectively reside in end pocket portions  34   a  and  34   c  and an elongated intermediate pocket  34   b  disposed adjacent to and between end pockets  34   a  and  34   c . The elongated, intermediate hollow core unit  32   b  completes the lateral support for ironing pressure exerted on the cover layer  12  of the pad assembly  10 . The releasable zipper unit  18  provides access for entry of the respective hollow core units  32   a ,  32   b  and  32   c  in their respective pocket portions  34   a ,  34   b  and  34   c . The adjacent pockets  34   a – 34   b  and  34   b – 34   c  are formed by transverse stitching  36  (See  FIG. 4 ). The transverse stitching  36  provides the additional function of becoming a hinge for supporting and folding of adjacent units  30   a – 30   b  and  30   b – 30   c . The stitching  36  sewn at fold lines  22  (See  FIG. 1 ), conveniently provides the means for folding the pad assembly  10  lengthwise to reduce its overall length, and also to eliminate need for heavy, cumbersome, hardware hinges screwed into relative heavy, cumbersome, wood or plywood support members of prior art devices. 
   A preferred construction of individual hollow core units  30   a ,  30   b  and  30   c , as shown in the views of  FIGS. 2 and 4 , include adjacent, contiguous cavities, or cells  31  defined by adjoining side walls  33 . In this preferred construction, each of the sidewalls  33  extend between the upper panel unit  36  and the lower panel unit  38 . Each of the panel units  36  and  38  are relatively flat so that the subassembly of each of the units  30   a ,  30   b  and  30   c , along with substantially perpendicular sidewalls  33 , will provide a supporting layer of maximum cross-sectional strength. It is conceivable, however, where less strength is required, the open-cell units  30   a ,  30   b  and  30   c  may be comprised of hollow core cavities with defining walls not of particular orientation (not shown herein). It will also be apparent that any cavity configuration must be of sufficient dimension to provide low heat conduction characteristics. Such low heat conduction is required to withstand the relatively high ironing temperatures of modern flat irons and steam irons. 
   The construction of the supporting layer  30  ( 30   a ,  30   b  and  30   c ) may be, when desired, reduced in height to include a single panel unit  36 . The individual panel units  36  and/or  38  may be selected from conventional panel board material. There are many available panel boards which provide adequate compressive strength, particularly for an ironing board pad such as the pad assembly described herein. Satisfactory individual supporting panel units  36  and/or  38  have been fabricated from conventional sheets having thicknesses ranging from 3/16 th  inch to 1 inch. 
     FIG. 6A  is illustrative of a conventional plywood substrate with a reflective surface  32   c.    
     FIG. 6B  exemplifies a solid substrate known as “GATORBOARD” multilayer composite or “FIREFLEX” multilayer composite with an exposed heat reflective surface  32   c . A synthetic wood substrate with a heat reflective top surface  32   c  may also be selected from products known as “SYNPLY” cross band products, “GATORPLY” backer products or “LUXCELL” backer/facer products as well as conventional panel board made of multiple corrugated cardboard substrate or composite material with a heat reflective top layer  32   c.    
   Some of these materials are flame resistant or may be treated to be flame resistant. All of them have high tensile and compressibility strength. Thicknesses may vary from 3/16 th  inch to 1 inch thick. An example disclosed in  FIGS. 6A ,  6 B and  6 C, these would be considered rigid solid-core materials, whereas example shown in  FIG. 6C  would be semi- or rigid-open cell (hollow-core) materials. There are, of course, many plastics available on the market that may be used but must be selected where a relatively high temperature caused by the hot iron may be of concern. 
   For purposes of obtaining the above-mentioned materials, “GATORBOARD” multilayer composite is readily obtainable in thicknesses between 3/16 th  inch and 1 inch from Art Grafix, a division of Stover Graphics of Beacon Falls, Conn., whereas “FIREFLEX” multilayer composite is a Melamine base obtainable from FireFlex Systems, Inc. of Boisbarand, Canada 37H 1N8. The three materials identified by the trademarks “SYNPLY” cross band products, “GATORPLY” backer products and “LUXCELL” backer/facer products are each obtainable from Uniwood, Alcan Composites of Statesville, N.C. The multiple corrugated cardboard substrate or composite material is readily available by consulting local business telephone directories through an Internet browser or other local paper suppliers. 
   Depending upon the desired construction of the ultimate manufacturer, there may be another layer  44  added to cushion pressure exerted on the cover layer  12  during ironing. Also, consumer demand may require a bottom layer (not shown) of non-slip rubber mesh material, such as made from polyethylene mesh. 
   The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Furthermore, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described. While the preferred embodiment has been described, the details may be changed without departing from the invention, which is defined by the claims.