EP1201813A1

EP1201813A1 - Vaporising plate for any iron with preheating of the water

Info

Publication number: EP1201813A1
Application number: EP00114565A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Douglas Quntum Suite Hulme
Original assignee: Buckfield Contracting Ltd
Current assignee: Buckfield Contracting Ltd
Priority date: 2000-07-07
Filing date: 2000-07-07
Publication date: 2002-05-02

Abstract

The vaporising plate (P) for irons is composed of a base plate (1) and a covering counter-plate (3) wherein a flat gasket (2) is fitted between said base plate (1) and upper counter-plate (3). Said gasket (2) is composed of a layer of graphite (2.1) coupled with aluminium film (2.2), that faces towards the vaporising chamber of the vaporising plate (P).

Description

This patent refers to instant irons and it particularly concerns instant irons with a vaporising chamber and steam generation on the top of the ironing plate.
The instant steam irons currently on the market have the ironing plate which also generates steam, this means that cold water is sent into the vaporising chamber in the plate by a pump and pipe coming from a tank which may be incorporated in the iron or in a separate unit.
The ironing plates of these irons are formed by an aluminium base plate with electric heating resistance, having a labyrinth shaping on the top and an upper covering counter-plate which is fixed to the base plate with screws.
To obtain airtight steam pressure and heat resistance, a gasket composed of a section of silicone rubber is fitted between the upper edges of the base plate and the covering counter-plate.
In the internal chamber thus obtained, called the vaporising chamber, water is fed which vaporises when it comes in contact with the plate heated by the electric heating resistance, passes through the labyrinth channel and comes out as steam through the holes provided on the bottom of the base plate.
These ironing plates have two fundamental negative aspects: rapid cooling of the plate as soon as the water to be vaporised is sent in and limited heat transmission between the base plate and the covering counter-plate which tends to cool rapidly, being without any source of heat.
The silicone rubber gasket between the edges of the base plate and the covering counter-plate acts as thermal insulation, with the result that the heat of the base plate is transmitted only with great difficulty to the covering counter-plate, lowering the temperature of the upper wall of the vaporising chamber and therefore requiring more powerful heating resistances.
The water that is sent into the vaporising chamber is at environment temperature and is therefore very cold in comparison with the plates, which are therefore subject to a strong thermal shock with sudden and repeated lowering of their temperature. Consequently, after a few instants, no steam is produced and water comes out of the holes.
To overcome all the problems described above, a new vaporising plate has been designed and made, suitable for any iron, with preheating of the water.
The new vaporising plate is composed mainly of a base plate, a special intermediate gasket, a covering counter-plate with cradle-shaped channel in the upper part for the pipe that preheats the water.
The base plate does not differ substantially from the known base plates.
The special gasket, fitted between the base plate and the covering counter-plate, comprises a flat element composed of a layer of graphite coated on one side (bottom) with an aluminium film. Both these materials are well-known heat conductors, the graphite layer constitutes the adaptable sealing part of the gasket while the aluminium film, facing towards the vaporising chamber, protects the graphite against water and steam.
On the upper surface of the covering counter-plate there is a cradle- or U-shaped channel which starts from the hole where the water is sent into the vaporising chamber and winds over all or part of the upper surface of said covering counter-plate.
This cradle-shaped channel holds and adheres to the water preheating pipe which, besides being perfectly housed in this channel, receives at one end the water arriving from the tank or from the pump, while the other end is connected to the hole in the covering counter-plate, communicating with the vaporising chamber.
The preheating pipe may be made of any suitable material, preferably copper and/or aluminium.
The new vaporising plate thus composed presents considerable advantages :

the heat of the base plate is easily transmitted to the covering counter-plate through the special graphite and aluminium gasket, at the same time guaranteeing airtight steam pressure and an adequate temperature of the upper wall of the vaporising chamber;
the heat of the covering counter-plate is transmitted, through the cradle-shaped channel, to the preheating pipe; the water flowing through said preheating pipe is heated as it passes so that it is already at a suitable temperature when it reaches the vaporising chamber, avoiding thermal shock of the plates, avoiding the fall of temperature in the vaporising chamber and allowing continuous steam production.

Consequently the heating resistance fitted in the base plate may have a lower power, with consequent energy saving and longer life.
A practical embodiment of the invention is presented, as an example without limitation, in the enclosed tables.
Figure 1 presents a vertical section of the various parts of the new vaporising plate (P) and of the remaining part of an ordinary iron (F).
The vaporising plate (P) comprises the base plate (1) with heating resistance (1.1) and steam outlet holes (1.2), the gasket (2), the counter-plate (3) with cradle-shaped channel (3.1) for housing the preheating pipe (4).
Figure 2 presents a section of part of the gasket (2) in which are shown the layer of graphite (2.1) and the aluminium film (2.2) of which the gasket (2) is composed.
Figure 3 presents an axonometric view of the various parts (1,2, 3, 4) of the new vaporising plate (P) and of an ordinary iron (F).
These are sufficient indications to enable an expert person to realise the invention, consequently, in the final application, variations may be made without prejudicing the substance of the innovative concept.
The following claims are therefore made with reference to the above description and to the enclosed table.

Claims

Vaporising plate for irons composed of a base plate and covering counter-plate wherein a flat gasket is fitted between said base plate and upper counter-plate, composed of a layer of graphite coupled with aluminium film, and where the side with the aluminium film faces towards the vaporising chamber.
Vaporising plate for irons as in claim 1, wherein the flat gasket substantially covers the whole surface of the covering counter-plate.
Vaporising plate for irons as in claims 1, 2, wherein the covering counter-plate presents, on the upper surface, a cradle- or U-shaped channel, and where the water inlet pipe is housed in said channel, receives at one end the water arriving from the tank or from the pump while the other end is connected to the hole in the covering counter-plate and communicating with the vaporising chamber.
Vaporising plate for irons as in claims 1, 2, wherein the U-shaped channel of the upper counter-plate starts from the hole where the water is sent into the vaporising chamber and winds over all or part of the upper surface of said covering counter-plate.