Patent Publication Number: US-6992267-B2

Title: Low-temperature steam electric iron with separately heated steam space

Description:
The present application is based on and claims the benefit of Chinese patent application Serial No. 01271593.0, filed Dec. 31, 2001, the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. 
   THE TECHNICAL FIELD 
   This utility model relates to a kind of steam electric iron used to iron fabric material, especially a kind of low-temperature steam electric iron, which can generate steam at low temperature. 
   THE BACKGROUND TECHNOLOGY 
   The conventional steam iron can not generate steam when ironing the fabric materials at low temperature because the temperature at the bottom of iron plate is too low to evaporate the water dropped into the iron evaporating room. If the water in the evaporating room accumulates, it will flow onto the fabric through steam holes. Due to the scale remained in the evaporating room, the water will make the fabric dirty. In order to prevent the water from dropping onto the fabric and making it dirty, some steam irons adopt the water dropping resistance function. When the temperature of the plate is too low, the temperature sensing double metal sheet shall work and make the steam valve closed. This function can prevent the steam valve from being opened by mistake when ironing at low temperature. There are also some preferred steam irons, the double metal sheet, connected with the plate and installed at the steam valve, can control the open and close of the steam valve. When the temperature on the plate is high, the steam volume will increase, and on the contrary, it will decrease, preventing the dropping of water out of the plate. In regard to this method, tinny steam can be produced when at low temperature, but that small amount of steam can not make any effect when ironing. The experiments indicate that the watery steam at low temperature can stretch the fabric with good effects. Therefore, concerning the fabric which needs to be ironed at lower temperature, if it is ironed with the steam, the time of ironing could be reduced and obtain good effects. 
   THE INVENTIVE CONTENTS 
   The purpose of this utility model is to provide a kind of low-temperature steam electric iron, which can produce a large amount of watery steam when ironing any fabric material, without worrying about that the dropped water will make the material dirty when ironing at low temperature and the material will be damaged when part of the plate is at higher temperature. 
   The low-temperature steam electric iron according to this utility model is consisted of ironing plate, temperature adjusting plate and its temperature adjusting circuit, steam space and its temperature auto-control circuit. It is featured that it has independent steam space and temperature auto-control circuit, and there is a heating insulation layer between the temperature adjusting plate and the steam space. The temperature adjusting plate and its temperature adjusting circuit are separated from the steam space and its temperature auto-control circuit. 
   According to the low-temperature steam electric iron of this utility model, the steam space is installed in the inner-cavity of temperature adjusting plate, and the second sheathed electric heater in the temperature auto-control circuit is press-casting inside the steam space, and inside the steam-processing cavity is “U”-shaped water-stop projecting ridge coated with evaporating coating material, the steam space is covered by a covering plate, which is sealed by high-temperature silicone grease around, the steam is discharged through the round holes in the middle of this room. 
   According to the low-temperature steam electric iron of this utility model, the ironing plate is fixed to the lower part of the temperature-adjusting plate, the contacting part between these two plates is coated with heat conducting silicone grease, the first sheathed electric heater of the temperature adjusting circuit is press-casting inside the temperature adjusting plate peripherally, the steam passage is below the sheathed electric heater and can communicate with the steam exit of the steam space, the joint between the steam passage and the steam exist is sealed by the sealing ring, and the steam discharging holes are disposed on the bottom of the ironing plate, which is communicated with the steam passage. 
   According to the low-temperature steam electric iron of this utility model, the temperature-adjusting circuit is consisted of temperature controller, the first heating pipe. 
   According to the low-temperature steam electric iron of this utility model, the temperature auto-control circuit is consisted of plate-shape temperature auto-controller, the second sheathed electric heater and the electrical resistance, the temperature controller is installed in the front part of the steam space, close to the water inlet of the evaporating cavity, the temperature sensing surface is fixed firmly to the sheathed electric heater and being mounted there by a pressing plate. 
   According to the low-temperature steam electric iron of this utility model, the temperature auto-control circuit is consisted of temperature sensors, circuit board, the second sheathed electric heater and the electrical resistance, the temperature sensors are fixed in the front part of steam space by a pressing plate, the circuit board is installed inside the hand grip of the electric iron. 
   According to the low-temperature steam electric iron of this utility model, the heat insulating material between the steam space and the heat adjusting plate is heat preservation cotton or mica cloth. 
   According to the low-temperature steam electric iron of this utility model, it can iron some low temperature fabrics with steam such as nylon and rayon when the plate is at low temperature, resulting in a better effect and shorter ironing time due to the following reasons: 
   Because the evaporating room is a separated heating mechanism, the water will not likely to drop out and make the material dirty when the plate is at low temperature. 
   The low and stable temperature in the evaporating room can produce moisture steam at low temperature, which enables the fabric fiber absorb enough water when ironing, with no worrying about being damaged under high temperature. It can prolong the using time of material. 
   Because the temperature adjusting plate is separated with the evaporating room, the losing of large amount of heat energy occurred when the temperature adjusting plate is producing steam will not break the temperature balance of plate, preventing the fabric material from damage under high temperature on part of the plate. 

   
     THE DESCRIPTION OF THE ATTACHED DRAWINGS 
     The  FIG. 1  is the structural section view of this utility model; 
     The  FIG. 2  is the structural section view of this utility model; 
     The  FIG. 3  is the structural schematic view of embodiment one of this utility model; 
     The  FIG. 4  is the structural schematic view of embodiment two of this utility model; 
     The  FIG. 5  is the schematic view of the steam passage of this utility model; 
     The  FIG. 5-1  is the sectional view along the B—B section of the steam passage of utility model; 
     The  FIG. 5-2  is the structural view of the evaporating cavity of utility model; 
     The  FIG. 6  is the circuit diagram of the embodiment one of this utility model; and 
     The  FIG. 7  is the circuit diagram of the embodiment two of this utility model. 
   

     1 . temperature adjusting plate;  2 . ironing plate;  4 . steam space;  5 . cover plate;  6 . heat insulation layer;  9 . sealing ring;  10 . temperature controller;  11 . heat conducting silicone grease;  14 . temperature adjusting button;  21 . sheathed electrical heater;  22 . steam sheathed electrical heater;  23 . metal sheet;  24 . temperature auto-controller;  25 . High temperature silicone grease;  26 . press sheet;  32 . steam discharge hole;  33 . water inlet of evaporating cavity;  34 . water-stop projecting ridge;  35 . evaporating cavity 
   THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
   Referencing the  FIG. 1 , the electric iron of this utility model is consisted of ironing plate  2 , temperature-adjusting plate  1  and its temperature adjustable circuit, steam space  4  and its temperature auto-adjusting circuit. It is featured that it has independent steam space  4  and temperature auto-control circuit, and there is a heating insulation layer  6  between the temperature adjusting plate  1  and the steam space  4 . The temperature adjusting plate  1  and its temperature adjusting circuit are independent from the steam space  4  and its temperature auto-control circuit. 
   Referring to the FIGS.  2  and  5 - 2 , the steam space  4  is installed in the inner-cavity of temperature adjusting plate  1 , and the second sheathed electric heater  22  in the temperature auto-control circuit is press-casting inside the steam space  4 , and inside the steam-processing cavity  35  is “U”-shaped water-stop projecting ridge  34  coated with evaporating coating, the steam space  4  is covered by a covering plate  5 , which is sealed by high-temperature silicone grease  25  peripherally, the steam is discharged through a round hole  31  in the middle of this room  4 . 
   Referencing the FIGS.  2 , 5  and  FIGS. 5-1 , the ironing plate  2  is fixed to the lower part of the temperature-adjusting plate  1 , the contacting part between these two plates is coated with heat conducting silicone grease  11 , the first sheathed electric heater  21  of the temperature adjusting circuit is press-casting inside the temperature adjusting plate  1  peripherally, the steam passage  30  is below the sheathed electric heater  21  and can communicate with the steam exit  31  of the steam space  4 , the joint between the steam passage and the steam exit is sealed by the sealing ring  9 , and the steam discharging holes  33  are disposed on the bottom of the ironing plate  2 , which is communicated with the steam passage. 
   The Embodiment One 
   The temperature auto-controller  24  is installed in the front part of steam space  4 , close to water inlet  32  of steam-processing cavity, the temperature sensing face thereof is fixed firmly onto the sheathed electric heater  22  and being secured by a press sheet  26 . Referencing to  FIG. 6 , the temperature adjusting circuit is consisted of temperature controller  10 , the first sheathed electric heater  21  and the electrical resistance R 1 , the temperature auto-controller is consisted of disk-type temperature auto-controller  24 , the second sheathed electric heater  22  and the electrical resistance R 2 . With the power being turned on, the temperature controller  10  is closed when the temperature controller  10  for the first sheathed electric heater  21  has not reached the set temperature; when the temperature auto-controller  24  for the second sheathed electric heater  22  has not reached the set temperature, the temperature auto-controller  24  is also closed, the 120 VAC passes through the first sheathed electric heater  21 , display lamp H, electrical resistance (R 1 , R 2 ), the second sheathed electric heater  22  and the temperature controllers (S 1 , S 2 ). Both of the sheathed electric heaters ( 21 ,  22 ) are heated, and the display lamp H is lighted. When the temperature controller  10  is at the set temperature, the temperature controller  10  is shut off; when the temperature auto-controller  24  has not reached its controlled temperature, the temperature auto-controller  24  is closed. The 120V AC passes through display lamp H, electric resistance R 2 , the second sheathed electric heater  22  and temperature auto-controller  24  with the first sheathed electric heater being not heated and the second sheathed electric heater being heated, the display lamp H is lighted. When the temperature auto-controller  24  for the second sheathed electric heater  22  has not reached the predetermined temperature, the auto-controller  24  is shut off; when the temperature controller  10  has not reached its set temperature, the temperature controller  10  is closed, the 120VAC passes through display lamp H, electric resistance R 1 , the first sheathed electric heater  21  and temperature controller  10  with the sheathed electric heater  21  being heated and the second sheathed electric heater  22  being not heated and the display lamp is lighted. When the temperature controller  10  is at the set temperature, the temperature controller  10  is shut off. When the temperature auto-controller  24  has also reached its set temperature, the temperature auto-controller  24  is also shut off. At that time, there is not current in the circuit passing through the first sheathed electric heater  21 , the second sheathed electric heater  22  and the display lamp H. Therefore, both of the sheathed electric heaters ( 21 ,  22 ) are not heated and the display lamp H is not lighted. 
   The Embodiment Two 
   Referencing the  FIGS. 2 and 4 , the temperature sensor  27  is fixed by a press sheet  26  at the same place as the said temperature auto-controller  24 . The circuit board  29  is installed inside the hand grip of iron. Referencing the  FIG. 7  for circuit diagram, the temperature adjusting circuit is consisted of temperature controller  10 , the first sheathed electric heater  21  and electric resistance R 1 . The temperature auto-control circuit is consisted of temperature sensor  27 , circuit board  29 , the second sheathed electric heater  22 , temperature sensor  27  and electric resistance R 2 . When the power is turned on, 120V AC is provided to the electrical temperature control system. When sensing that the temperature controller  10  for the first sheathed electric heater  21  has not reached the set temperature, the temperature controller  10  is closed; When the chip IC senses through the sensor  27  that the second sheathed electric heater  22  has not reached the set temperature, the switch K of chip IC is closed, the 120V AC passes through sheathed electric heaters ( 21 ,  22 ), display lamp H, electrical resistance (R 1 , R 2 ), temperature controller  10 , switch K, with the two sheathed electric heaters ( 21 ,  22 ) being heated and the display lamp H is lighted. When the temperature controller  10  has reached its set temperature, the temperature controller  10  is shut off; when the chip IC senses through the sensor  27  that the second sheathed electric heater  22  has not reached the set temperature, the switch K of chip IC is closed, the 120 V AC passes through the second sheathed electric heater  22 , display lamp H, electrical resistance R 2  and switch K, the first sheathed electric heater  21  is not heated and the second sheathed electric heater  22  is heated and the display lamp H is lighted. When the chip IC senses through the sensor  27  that the second sheathed electric heater  22  has reached the set temperature, the switch K of chip IC is shut off. When the temperature controller  10  has not reached its set temperature, the temperature controller  10  is closed, the 120V AC passes through sheathed electric heater  21 , display lamp H, electrical resistance R 1 , temperature controller  10  and switch K, with the sheathed electric heater  21  being heated, sheathed electric heater  22  being not heated and display lamp H is lighted. When the temperature controller  10  has reached its set temperature, the temperature controller  10  is shut off. When the chip IC senses through the sensor  27  that the second sheathed electric heater  22  has also reached the set temperature, the switch K of chip IC is shut off. At that time, there is no current flowing through the first sheathed electric heater  21 , the second sheathed electric heater  22  and the display lamp H, therefore both of the sheathed electric heaters ( 21 ,  22 ) are not heated and the display lamp is not lighted. 
   The heat preservation cotton or mica cloth could be used as the heat insulating material  6  between the steam space  4  and the temperature adjusting plate  1 . When using the electrical iron, the power is turned on, the sheathed electric heater  21  in the plate is heated, the heat will be transferred onto the ironing plate  2  through the heat conducting silicone grease  11 . Avoiding a higher temperature on part of the ironing plate  2 , the steam passage  30  below the sheathed electric heater  21  can keep a good balance of temperature at every part of the plate  2 , preventing the fabric material from being damaged by high temperature at part of the plate  2 . 
   When using the electrical iron, the power is turned on, the heating pipe  21  in the plate is heated, the heat will be transferred onto the ironing plate  2  through the heat conducting silicone grease  11 . Avoiding a higher temperature on part of the ironing plate  2 , the steam passage  30  below the heating pipe  21  can keep a good balance of temperature at every part of the plate  2 , preventing the fabric material from being damaged by high temperature at part of the plate  2 . 
   When water is dropped into the evaporating cavity  35  from its water inlet  35  of the steam space  4 , it can be fully evaporated inside the evaporating room due to the U-shaped water-stop projecting ridge  34  installed inside the cavity and being coated with evaporating material, the evaporated steam flows from the exit  31  of steam space  4  into the steam passage  30  at the bottom of the temperature adjusting plate  1 , since the heat preservation cotton or mica cloth is disposed between the steam space  4  and the temperature adjusting plate  1 , which can prevent the heat conduction between them and the temperature of them shall not be affected by each other. The steam can be discharged from the steam discharging holes  33  of the ironing plate  2  while be used. 
   The temperature of the steam space  4  can be controlled by the temperature auto-controller  24 . Because the disk-shaped temperature auto-controller  24  is fixed to the steam sheathed electric heater  22  firmly, when at working, it can sense immediately the temperature of the steam space  4 , thus can keep the power on or off automatically, adjusting the temperature in time. 
   The temperature of the steam room  4  can also be controlled by the temperature sensor  27 , which is fixed closely to the second heating pipe  22  and can monitor the change of temperature in the steam room  4 . Because the temperature sensor  27  is more sensitive than the temperature auto-controller  24 , it can work more effectively. 
   The temperature of the steam space  4  can also be controlled by the temperature sensor  27 , which is fixed closely to the second sheathed electric heater  22  and can monitor the change of temperature in the steam space  4 . Because the temperature sensor  27  is more sensitive than the temperature auto-controller  24 , it can work more effectively.