Ironing Appliance With Cordless Iron And Charging Base

[0001]This invention relates to an ironing appliance comprising a cordless iron comprising a heating soleplate with an ironing surface designed to come into contact with the clothing and a recharging base on which the iron is placed during the inactive ironing phases. The invention relates more specifically to an appliance comprising a hydraulic connector comprising a first part attached to the charging base and a second part attached to the iron.

[0002]Patent application EP3380767 describes an ironing appliance comprising a cordless iron and a charging base on which the iron is placed during the inactive ironing phases. In this document, the appliance comprises a hydraulic connector enabling water to be transferred from a reservoir on the base to a reservoir mounted on the iron, the hydraulic connector comprising a first part attached to the charging base and a second part attached to the iron.

[0003]Such a hydraulic connection enables the reservoir on the iron to be refilled with water from the base each time the iron is placed on the base, thus making it possible to use a low-capacity reservoir on the iron and hence to have a lightweight iron, while retaining a high level of operating autonomy.

[0004]However, in this document, the hydraulic connector is complex to manufacture and calls for relatively high coupling forces. There is thus a risk that the hydraulic connector may not be adequately coupled if the iron is gently placed on its base without the user exerting sufficient downward pressure. This results in an unreliable hydraulic connection and a relatively high risk of leakage.

[0005]Accordingly, one purpose of the present invention is to provide an ironing appliance that remedies these drawbacks, and in particular an ironing appliance that limits the risk of inadequate hydraulic connection when the iron is resting on its base.

[0006]To this end, the invention relates to an ironing appliance comprising a cordless iron having a soleplate with an ironing surface designed to come into contact with the clothing and a charging base on which the iron is placed during the inactive ironing phases, the appliance comprising a hydraulic connector having a first part attached to the charging base and a second part attached to the iron, characterized in that the appliance comprises a magnetic attraction device generating a force that helps connect the first part and the second part of the hydraulic connector.

[0007]The appliance thus created offers the advantage of featuring a magnetic attraction device that helps ensure that the hydraulic connector is effectively coupled when the iron is placed on the charging base.

[0008]This provides a highly ergonomic appliance with a more reliable connection.

[0009]According to another feature of the invention, the force generated by the magnetic attraction device ensures the stable equilibrium of the iron in a charging position in which the iron is hydraulically connected to the base by the connector and the soleplate is only in contact with the ambient air, the charging position corresponding to a position in which the iron would be unstable without the magnetic attraction device.

[0010]Such a feature helps keep the base from overheating due to contact with the soleplate.

[0011]According to another feature of the invention, the ironing surface is flat.

[0012]According to another feature of the invention, the charging base is designed to rest on a work surface, such as an ironing board, the ironing surface being, in the charging position, sloped at an angle a comprised between 0° and 45°, and preferentially comprised between 9° and 20°, relative to the work surface.

[0013]Such a feature provides optimized user ergonomics, as the slight angle of the iron in the charging position helps keep the user's wrist from twisting excessively when connecting and/or disconnecting the iron.

[0014]According to yet another feature of the invention, the magnetic attraction device is incorporated in the first part of the hydraulic connector and in the second part of the hydraulic connector.

[0015]Such a feature enables the magnetic forces to be generated directly between the first part and the second part of the connector, thus optimizing the coupling.

[0016]According to another feature of the invention, the first part of the hydraulic connector and the second part of the hydraulic connector comprise at least one ring-shaped permanent magnet.

[0017]Preferentially, each magnet has a rating of at least 0.6 T.

[0018]According to another feature of the invention, the first part of the hydraulic connector comprises a raised upper surface with a rotational shape that engages in a matching cavity on the underside of the second part of the hydraulic connector.

[0019]Such a feature has the advantage of mechanically centering the two parts of the hydraulic connector, while allowing the first part of the hydraulic connector to rotate freely on the second part of the hydraulic connector.

[0020]According to another feature of the invention, the iron comprises a housing on top of the soleplate that comprises a rear part that extends like a cantilever behind the soleplate, and in that the second part of the connector is mounted on the rear part of the iron.

[0021]Such a construction makes it possible to have a second part of the hydraulic connector that is arranged in a part that is relatively far from the soleplate, thereby keeping it from overheating.

[0022]According to yet another feature of the invention, the second part of the hydraulic connector is mounted on a lower surface of the cantilevered rear part.

[0023]Such a construction makes it possible to have a second part of the hydraulic connector that is concealed when the iron is resting on its soleplate, providing better protection against foreign objects and also improving the aesthetics of the iron.

[0024]According to another feature of the invention, the iron comprises a first water reservoir and the base comprises a second water reservoir, the base comprising a pump enabling water to be transferred from the second water reservoir to the first water reservoir through the hydraulic connector when the iron is resting on the base.

[0025]According to another feature of the invention, the appliance also comprises an electrical connector comprising a first part attached to the charging base and a second part attached to the iron.

[0026]According to another feature of the invention, the second part of the electrical connector is positioned above the second part of the hydraulic connector when the iron is resting on its soleplate.

[0027]Such a feature keeps water from leaking out of the second part of the hydraulic connector and gravitating onto the second part of the electrical connector when the iron is in the operating position, that is, resting on its base. This reduces the risk of causing a short-circuit when the iron is subsequently connected to its charging base.

[0028]According to another feature of the invention, the second part of the electrical connector is mounted on a rear surface of the cantilevered rear part of the iron.

[0029]According to another feature of the invention, the electrical connector comprises a presence sensor that detects the presence of the second part of the electrical connector against the first part of the electrical connector.

[0030]According to another feature of the invention, the presence sensor controls the power supply to the first part of the electrical connector only when the first part and the second part of the electrical connector are fitted together.

[0031]Such a feature makes it possible to avoid the risk of short-circuiting and/or of electrocution by contact with the first part of the connector when the iron is disconnected from the charging base.

[0032]According to yet another feature of the invention, the base comprises a lower surface designed to rest on the work surface and the first part of the hydraulic connector is positioned at the top of an access ramp that descends towards the lower surface, the access ramp enabling the iron to be transferred from the work surface to the base by sliding it along the access ramp.

[0033]Such a feature makes it possible to optimize the user ergonomics when connecting and/or disconnecting the iron to the base.

[0034]According to another feature of the invention, the base comprises a fastening device enabling it to be immobilized on the work surface.

[0035]According to yet another feature of the invention, the base comprises a power cable with a plug for electrical connection to a household power supply network.

[0036]According to another feature of the invention, the iron is a steam iron.

[0037]According to another feature of the invention, the iron comprises a steam chamber fed by a reservoir mounted on the iron.

[0038]According to another feature of the invention, the iron soleplate comprises steam outlet holes.

[0039]The purposes, aspects and advantages of the present invention, according to the description given below of a particular embodiment of the invention, presented by way of non-limiting example, will be better understood by referring to the attached drawings in which:

[0040]FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 are perspective views of an ironing appliance according to a particular embodiment of the invention, with the iron disconnected from the charging base;

[0041]FIG. 3 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the appliance shown in FIG. 1 with the iron connected to the charging base;

[0042]FIG. 4 and FIG. 5 are detailed longitudinal cross-sectional views of the connection device fitted to the appliance shown in FIG. 1, when the iron is respectively disconnected from and connected to its base;

[0043]FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the first part of the hydraulic connector.

[0044]Only those elements required in order to understand the invention have been depicted. In order to facilitate interpretation of the drawings, the same elements are labeled with the same references across all the figures.

[0045]It should be noted that in this document, the terms “horizontal,” “vertical,” “lower,” “upper,” “top,” and “bottom” used to describe the iron refer to this iron when in use with the ironing soleplate resting on a horizontal plane.

[0046]FIG. 1, FIG. 2 and FIG. 3 show an ironing appliance comprising a cordless iron 1 and a charging base 2 on which the iron 1 is designed to rest during the inactive ironing phases to allow power transfer between the base 2 and the iron 1.

[0047]The iron 1 comprises a conventional soleplate 3 with a flat ironing surface 30, the soleplate 3 being surmounted by a housing fitted with a gripping handle 10.

[0048]The soleplate 3 is in contact with a heating element 4 made of cast aluminum, shown only in FIG. 3, fitted with an electrical resistor 40 with a rating of at least 1,400 W, and preferentially of the order of 2,000 W, the heating element 4 comprising a steam chamber 41 closed in its upper part by a metal cover 42 comprising a water injection nozzle 50 near its front end.

[0049]The steam chamber 41 is supplied with water by a first pump 5 arranged in the iron housing 1, the pump 5 drawing water from a first water reservoir 11 arranged in the iron housing 1 for delivery to the steam chamber 5, the first water reservoir 11 comprising, in its lower rear part, an outlet port 11A which is connected by a pipe, not shown in the figures, to the first pump 5.

[0050]The operation of the first pump 5 is controlled, in a manner known per se, by a trigger 52 located under the handle 10, preferably near its front end, the first pump 5 being connected by a pipe 51 to an inlet port of the water injection nozzle 50, the overall assembly being sized to allow for the production of a steam flow rate on the order of 35 gr/min when the first pump 5 is in operation.

[0051]The base 2 comprises a lower surface 20 designed to rest on a work surface, such as an ironing board, and includes an access ramp 21 comprising a peripheral lower edge 22 flush with the work surface, the base 2 advantageously comprising a weight and/or a fastening flange, not shown, ensuring its immobilization on the work surface.

[0052]Advantageously, the access ramp 21 is laterally enclosed by two side walls 26 which between them delimit a receiving housing with a shape matching that of the rear part of the iron 1.

[0053]The base 2 also comprises a power cable, not shown in the figures, enabling it to be connected to a household power supply network, and includes a stop 23 against which a rear part 12 of the iron bears, extending as a cantilever behind the soleplate 3 and fitting between the two side walls 26.

[0054]To enable electrical connection of the base 2 with the iron 1, the stop 23 comprises a first part 107 of an electrical connector designed to be electrically connected to a second part 108 of the electrical connector mounted on the iron 1.

[0055]The first part 107 comprises three contacts 107A, 107B, 107C that are electrically connected to an electronic board built into the base 1, the three contacts enabling the iron 1 to be supplied with power from the household power supply network.

[0056]The three contacts 107A, 107B, 107C are respectively arranged inside three grooves extending vertically on the stop 23, the stop 23 advantageously comprising a fourth groove in which there is a presence sensor used to detect the presence of the iron 1 on the base 2.

[0057]This presence sensor cuts the power supply to the contacts 107A, 107B, 107C of the first part 107 of the electrical connector when the first part 107 and the second part 108 of the electrical connector are not pressed against each other.

[0058]In a manner known per se, this presence sensor consists of a switch, not shown in the figures, that is mounted on the first part 107 of the electrical connector and is electrically connected to the electronic board. This switch is actuated by a cam 108D mounted on the rear panel of the iron 1 when the latter is resting on the base 2 in the charging position shown in FIG. 3.

[0059]The second part 108 of the electrical connector is arranged on a rear panel of the rear part 12 of the iron 1 and comprises three contacts 108A, 108B, 108C advantageously formed by conductive pins protruding from the rear panel of the rear part 12 of the iron. The three contacts 108A, 108B, 108C engage in the grooves to establish an electrical connection with the three contacts 107A, 107B, 107C of the first part 107 of the connector when the iron 1 is in the charging position on the base 2. As shown in FIG. 3, the base 2 comprises a second water reservoir 24 and a second pump 25 for drawing water from the second water reservoir 24 into the first water reservoir 11, the pump 25 being controlled by the electronic board so that the first water reservoir 11 is refilled each time the iron is placed on the base 2.

[0060]To enable hydraulic connection of the base 2 with the iron 1, the stop 23 comprises a first part 7 of a hydraulic connector designed to be connected to a second part 8 of the hydraulic connector mounted on the iron 1.

[0061]As shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, the second part 8 of the hydraulic connector is located on the underside of the rear part 12 of the iron 1 and comprises a connection fitting 80 closed by a valve 81 which is returned to a closed position by a return spring 83.

[0062]The second part 8 of the hydraulic connector moves opposite the first part 7 of the hydraulic connector when the rear part 12 of the iron 1 is brought above the access ramp 21 and rests against the stop 23.

[0063]As shown in FIG. 4, FIG. 5 and FIG. 6, the first part 7 of the hydraulic connector comprises a central cavity 70 equipped with a protective grid 71 allowing water to pass through from the second water tank 24, the protective grid 71 comprising a vertically projecting pin 72 designed to cooperate with the valve 81 fitted to the second part 8 of the hydraulic connector.

[0064]In the particular embodiment illustrated in the figures, the upper surface of the first part 7 of the hydraulic connector is frustoconical in shape, and the second part 8 of the hydraulic connector has a lower surface comprising a cavity with a matching shape.

[0065]More specifically according to the invention, the appliance comprises a magnetic attraction device 75, 85 generating a force that contributes both to establishing the mechanical coupling between the first part 7 and the second part 8 of the hydraulic connector and to ensuring the stable equilibrium of the iron 1 in a charging position, illustrated in FIG. 3, in which the rear part of the iron 1 rests against the stop 23 and the first part 107 and second part 108 of the electrical connector are connected to each other.

[0066]Advantageously, when the iron is in the charging position, the ironing surface 30 is raised relative to the work surface and is at an angle comprised between 9° and 20° to the work surface, preferentially of the order of 15°.

[0067]Preferentially, the magnetic attraction device comprises ring-shaped magnets 75, 85 incorporated in the first part 7 and the second part 8 of the hydraulic connector, the magnets 75 of the first part 7 being arranged coaxially with the central cavity 70 and the magnets 85 of the second part 8 being arranged coaxially with the connection fitting 80, the magnetic attraction force generated by the two magnets 75, 85 attracting the first part 7 and the second part 8 against each other.

[0068]These magnets 75, 85 advantageously have an inside diameter of 35 mm and an outside diameter of 48 mm and are sized to generate a magnetic attraction force that keeps the iron 1 balanced in the charging position, the charging position being a naturally unstable position of the iron 1 on the base 2 such that it would automatically tip forward without the magnets 75, 85.

[0069]By way of example, the magnets 75, 85 are made of ferrite or neodymium and have a rating of at least 0.6 T, the rating of the magnets 75, 85 being selected in relation to the weight of the iron 1, to keep the iron 1 balanced in the charging position and to establish the watertight connection between the two parts 7, 8 of the hydraulic connector, while allowing easy disconnection of the iron 1 by the user when the latter pushes down on the front end of the handle 11. By way of example, the magnets used are class N48 neodymium magnets, with the overall volume of each magnet 75, 85 preferably comprised between 1,500 mm³ and 6,000 mm³.

[0070]The return spring 83, which makes it easier to disconnect the iron, is advantageously sized to enable the iron to be disconnected when a force of 1.7N is applied downwards at the front end of the handle 11.

[0071]The operation of the ironing appliance thus produced will now be described.

[0072]When the user wants to do some ironing, he or she fills the water reservoir 24 and plugs the power cord 6 of the charging base 2 into the household power supply network, the base 2 preferably being attached to an ironing board. The user then mounts the iron 1 on the base 2, bringing the cantilevered rear part 12 towards the stop 23. The iron 1 is then drawn towards the base 2 by the magnetic attraction forces generated by the magnets 75, 85 until the second part 8 of the hydraulic connector is opposite the first part 7 of the connector. In this position, the gap between the two parts 7, 8 of the hydraulic connector is small enough for the force provided by the magnets 75, 85 to allow the iron 1 to be lifted, automatically coupling the two parts 7, 8 of the hydraulic connector and tilting the iron 1 into the charging position. Positioning the iron 1 in the charging position simultaneously establishes the electrical connection between the two parts 107, 108 of the connector and activates the presence sensor.

[0073]During this coupling, the insertion of the upper frustoconical shape of the first part 7 of the hydraulic connector into the cavity of the second part 8 of the connector ensures self-centering of the two parts 7, 8 of the hydraulic connector and, under the effect of the magnetic attraction force and of the weight of the iron 1, the pin 72 on the first part 7 pushes against the valve 81 inside the connector 8, compressing the return spring 80. A watertight connection is then established between the first part 7 and the second part 8 of the hydraulic connector, this watertight connection being stabilized by the magnetic attraction force.

[0074]When the presence sensor is activated, the resistor 40 in the body 4 is energized and the pump 25 is actuated by the electronic board.

[0075]Actuating the pump 25 fills the first water reservoir 11 with water stored in the second water reservoir 24, the first water reservoir 11 being equipped with a level sensor that communicates with the electronic board to shut off the pump 25 when the first reservoir 11 is full.

[0076]Supplying power to the resistor 40 generates a rapid rise in the temperature of the heating element 4 and of the temperature of the ironing surface 30, with no risk of damaging the base 2 and/or the ironing board, since the ironing surface 30 is not in contact with the base.

[0077]When the temperature of the heating element 4 reaches a predetermined setpoint temperature, an indicator light 13 lights up on the iron to indicate to the user that the iron 1 is ready to use.

[0078]The user can then grasp the handle 10 and press down on the front end of the handle 11 until the torque exerted is sufficient to move the second part 8 of the hydraulic connector away from the first part 7 of the connector. The iron 1 then tilts along the access ramp 21 away from the stop 23 and can be freely moved onto the ironing board to do the ironing. When the iron 1 is disconnected from the base 2, the power supply to the first part 107 of the electrical connector is cut off and the valve 81 in the second part of the hydraulic connector 8 is closed by the return spring 83. In particular, the return spring 83 is sized to provide a force that ensures complete impermeability of the valve 81 when the iron is removed from the base 2, without making hydraulic connection between the first part 107 and the second part 108 difficult when the iron 1 is placed on the base 2, due to the connection assistance generated by magnetic attraction.

[0079]If the user spends a relatively long time ironing, longer than one minute with a high steam flow rate, without resting the iron 1 on its charging base 2, the temperature of the heating element 4 will gradually drop until the temperature of the steam chamber 41 no longer enables steam to be produced.

[0080]To avoid this inconvenience, the electronic board of the iron 1 monitors the temperature of the heating element 4 and activates a visual or audible indicator to alert the user to the need to place the iron 1 back on its base 2 when the temperature of the heating element 4 becomes insufficient to effectively do the ironing.

[0081]When the user wants to put the iron 1 back on the base 2, for example to handle the clothing to be ironed or because the iron 1 indicates that it needs to be connected to the base 2, all he or she has to do is slide the soleplate 3 along the access ramp 21, pointing the rear part 12 of the iron towards the stop 23, until the cantilevered rear part 12 is above the first part 7 of the hydraulic connector. The force generated by the magnets 75, 85, which are then in close proximity to each other, automatically tilts the iron 1 into the charging position and couples the two parts 7, 8 of the hydraulic connector. Tilting the iron 1 to the charging position also causes the two parts 107, 108 of the electrical connector to mate, so that the heating element 4 again rapidly rises in temperature until it reaches the setpoint temperature.

[0082]The resulting ironing appliance therefore has the advantage of providing excellent user ergonomics, with easy connection to and disconnection from the charging base. In particular, the magnetic attraction device fitted to such an appliance has the advantage of generating forces that contribute to the automatic tilting of the iron into the charging position and facilitates the establishment of the hydraulic connection. In particular, the connection assistance generated by the magnetic attraction makes it possible to use a hydraulic connector with a shut-off valve fitted with a powerful return spring, ensuring complete impermeability of the connector when the iron is disconnected from the base, without impeding the establishment of the hydraulic connection when the iron is placed on its base. The result is a reliable system with a watertight hydraulic connection, without compromising the iron's ergonomic operation.

[0083]Moreover, the location of the hydraulic connector under the rear part of the iron and of the electrical connector on the rear panel of the rear part of the iron keeps these two connections away from each other, preventing water from the hydraulic connection from coming into contact with the electrical connector and causing a short-circuit. In particular, the fact that the hydraulic connector is below the level of the electrical connector when the iron is resting on its soleplate or base prevents any water droplets leaking from the hydraulic connector from gravitating onto the electrical connector.

[0084]Of course, the invention is in no way limited to the embodiment described and illustrated, since this embodiment was only provided by way of example. Changes can still be made, particularly with regard to the constitution of the various elements or by substituting technical equivalents, without departing from the scope of protection of the invention.

[0085]Thus, in a variant embodiment of the invention not shown, instead of ring magnets, the appliance can comprise a greater number of less powerful magnets arranged in the base and in the iron so as to obtain the same overall attraction force. Such a variant embodiment makes it possible to avoid the drawbacks associated with high-power magnets that attract all ferromagnetic objects.