EP2626623B1 - Household appliance comprising a vessel in which water is boiled and a scale-recovery container - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to an appliance comprising a vessel in which water is boiled and a scale recovery vessel disposed near the bottom of the tank, and relates more particularly to an apparatus in which the vessel has an elongated shape that can be extracted or introduced into the vessel through an orifice formed on a side wall of the vessel.

The document WO 2008/017758 discloses an appliance comprising a tank 1 in which water is boiled and a scale collection container 4 disposed near the bottom of the tank 1, the container 4 having an elongate shape that can be extracted or introduced into the tank 1 through an orifice on a side wall of the vessel 1, the container being engaged in the orifice by an end of the container and comprising at least one cavity 4A having an upper opening providing a passage through which the scale particles are collected in the cavity 4A.

Such an apparatus is known from the patent application FR 2,904,683 filed by the applicant and has the advantage of allowing easy cleaning of the tank, the user can easily extract the container to remove scale. Another advantage of such a tartar recovery vessel is to allow the user to visualize the amount of tartar formed in the tank and to adapt accordingly the frequency of the cleaning operations.

Such a tartar recovery vessel, however, has the disadvantage of not ensuring perfect retention of the finest tartar particles when significant water movements are generated in the tank so that it is possible that a portion of the particles scale, initially recovered in the recovery tank, escape into the tank during boiling or during transport of the device.

Also, an object of the present invention is to provide an appliance in which the recovery performance of the tartar recovery vessel is improved.

To this end, the subject of the invention is a household appliance comprising a tank in which water is boiled and a scale-collecting container placed near the bottom of the tank, the container having an elongated shape that can be extracted. or introduced into the vessel through an orifice formed on a side wall of the vessel, the vessel being engaged in the orifice by a terminal end of the container and comprising at least one cavity having an upper opening providing a passage through which the scale particles are collected in the cavity, characterized in that the upper opening has a passage section reduced in approaching the terminal end of the container.

According to another characteristic of the invention, the cavity has an upper portion closed by a retaining wall at the terminal end of the container.

According to yet another characteristic of the invention, the container is, opposite to the end end, secured to a stopper closing the orifice of the vessel.

According to yet another characteristic of the invention, the orifice is disposed near the bottom of the tank and constitutes a drain orifice.

According to yet another characteristic of the invention, the container has a portion bent towards the bottom of the tank near the cap so that the container rests on the bottom of the tank over most of its length when the cap closes. the orifice.

According to yet another characteristic of the invention, the cavity comprising a bottom wall extending on the sides by side walls rising upwards, leaving between them a space defining the upper opening of passage, the side walls being , near the end of the container, folded towards each other so that the space separating the side walls is reduced.

According to another characteristic of the invention, the bottom wall is semi-cylindrical.

According to another characteristic of the invention, the container successively comprises a central part which is widely open in its upper half, an intermediate part having a narrower opening in its upper half and an end part having a closed upper part.

According to yet another characteristic of the invention, the level of water in the tank is regulated around a mean level h and the side walls are interrupted, at the central part, at a height adapted to come under the average water level h in the tank, and within 5 mm of the latter, when the container rests on the bottom of the tank.

According to yet another characteristic of the invention, the side walls provide between them a space greater than 5 mm at the central part.

According to another characteristic of the invention, the side walls are folded parallel to the bottom of the tube and provide between them a gap of less than 3 mm at the intermediate portion of the container.

According to another characteristic of the invention, the closed end portion extends over a length greater than 10 mm.

According to another characteristic of the invention, the apparatus is an ironing apparatus, the vat for the production of steam being connected to an iron or a steam brush.

• la figure 1 est une vue en perspective d'une cuve génératrice de vapeur sous pression d'un appareil de repassage selon un mode particulier de réalisation de l'invention,
• la figure 2 est une vue en coupe de la cuve de la figure 1 selon l'axe longitudinal du récipient récupérateur ;
• la figure 3 représente la cuve démunie de sa partie supérieure pour laisser apparaître les éléments contenus dans la cuve ;
• la figure 4 est une vue en perspective du récipient récupérateur de tartre extrait de la cuve ;
• la figure 5 est une vue de côté du récipient récupérateur de tartre ;
• la figure 6 est une vue de dessus du récipient récupérateur de tartre ;
• les figures 7 et 8 sont des vues en coupe selon respectivement les lignes VII-VII et VIII-VIII de la figure 6 ;
• la figure 9 est une vue en coupe, schématique, de la cuve selon un plan perpendiculaire à l'axe longitudinal du récipient récupérateur de tartre.

The aims, aspects and advantages of the present invention will be better understood from the description given below of a particular embodiment of the invention presented by way of non-limiting example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which :

• the figure 1 is a perspective view of a steam generating vessel under pressure of an ironing apparatus according to a particular embodiment of the invention,
• the figure 2 is a sectional view of the tank of the figure 1 along the longitudinal axis of the recovery vessel;
• the figure 3 represents the empty bowl of its upper part to reveal the elements contained in the tank;
• the figure 4 is a perspective view of the tartar recovery vessel extracted from the tank;
• the figure 5 is a side view of the tartar recovery vessel;
• the figure 6 is a top view of the tartar recovery vessel;
• the Figures 7 and 8 are sectional views along the lines VII-VII and VIII-VIII respectively of the figure 6 ;
• the figure 9 is a schematic sectional view of the vessel in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the tartar recovery vessel.

Only the elements necessary for the understanding of the invention have been represented. To facilitate the reading of the drawings, the same elements bear the same references from one figure to another.

The figure 1 represents a steam generator under pressure for an ironing apparatus comprising a tank 1 comprising heating means for producing steam under a maximum pressure of the order of 4 or 5 bar, these heating means being conventionally constituted by a resistance heating element U-shaped, shown in dashed lines on the figure 3 , arranged under the bottom of the tank 1.

The vessel 1 is advantageously constituted by a lower shell 1A and an upper shell 1B made of stainless steel, welded together, the upper shell 1B of the vessel having a lateral outlet orifice 11 steam on which is fixed a solenoid valve, not shown in the figure, for controlling the sending of steam to an iron.

The lower shell 1A of the tank comprises a tubular connector 2 screwed onto an opening formed on a side wall of the tank 1, slightly above the bottom of the tank 1, the tubular connector 2 having a drain orifice 20, visible on the figure 2 closed by a plug 3.

The connection 2 comprises a water inlet 21 for maintaining a water level in the tank 1 regulated around a mean level h of the order of 12 mm, shown in dotted line on the figure 2 , the water inlet 21 being, in a manner known per se, connected to a pump fed by a reservoir, not shown in the figures.

In accordance with figures 2 and 3 , the vessel 1 contains a vessel 4 stainless steel scale recovery integral with the plug 3, the container 4 taking place in a cold zone of the bottom of the tank 1 located midway between the two branches of the heating resistor 10 in form of U and having an elongated shape allowing it to be introduced or extracted from the tank 1 by the discharge orifice 20.

Preferably, the container 4 has the general shape of a truncated tube in its upper part comprising an inflected portion 4A near the plug 3, the container 4 having a terminal end 40 closed by a wall and an opposite end connected to the plug 3 by an axis 30 allowing a free rotation of the container 4 relative to the plug 3 about the axis 30.

Such rotational mounting of the container 4 allows the screwing and unscrewing of the cap 3 on a thread surrounding the emptying orifice 20 without driving the container 4 in rotation, the connector 2 having a polarizing element 22 blocking the rotation of the container 4 and now the latter in a predetermined orientation in which the container 4 rests on the bottom of the tank 1 over a major part of its length.

In accordance with Figures 4 to 8 , the container 4 has a semi-cylindrical bottom wall 41 extending on the sides by side walls 42 rising upwards, leaving between them a space d ₁ , d ₂ defining an upper passage opening towards a cavity 43 in which the pie particles are collected.

More particularly according to the invention, the upper opening of the cavity 43 has a passage section which is reduced as it approaches the terminal end 40 of the container, the container 4 advantageously and successively in the longitudinal direction, starting from the inflected portion 4A, a central portion 4B widely open in its upper half, an intermediate portion 4C having a narrower opening and a terminal portion 4D completely closed by a retention wall 44.

Preferably, the drain orifice 20 has a diameter slightly greater than that of the container 4 and the inflated portion 4A of the container is thinned and has a length similar to that of the connector 2 so as to allow easy introduction and extraction of the container 4 in the drain port 20 despite the presence of the inflected portion 4A.

In accordance with the figure 7 , which represents a sectional view of the container 4 at the central portion 4B, the side walls 42 of the container at the central portion 4B rise following the circular curvature of the semicylindrical bottom wall 41 and interrupt at a height close to that of the mean water level h in the tank 1, leaving between them a wide gap d ₁ , greater than 5 mm.

In accordance with the figure 8 , which represents a sectional view of the container 4 at the intermediate portion 4C, the side walls 42 at the intermediate portion 4C have a flat portion folded parallel to the bottom of the tank 1 so that a restricted space d ₂ between 1 and 3 mm is provided between the straight edges of the side walls 42.

For example, the semi-cylindrical bottom wall 41 of the container has a diameter of the order of 12 mm, the central portion 4B extending longitudinally over a length of about 40 mm and having side walls. 42 interrupting at a height of the order of 10 mm by providing between them a space d ₁ of about 7 mm, the intermediate portion 4C extending over a length of the order of 30 mm and having side walls 42 folded at mid-height, leaving between them a space d ₂ of the order of 3 mm, the closed end portion 4D extending over a length of the order of 10 mm.

The operation of the vessel 4 scavenger recovery present in the tank 1 will now be described.

In accordance with the figure 2 when the recovery container 4 is introduced into the tank 1 through the drain port 20, the inflected portion 4A is disposed at the outlet of the connector 2 and the container 4 is applied against the bottom of the vessel 1 over the major part of its length. It is then in a position to harvest the scale particles present in the tank 1.

During the operation of the steam generator, the start of the heating resistor 10 located under the tank 1 causes the heating up to the boiling of the water located in the immediate vicinity of the branches of the heating resistor 10, this boiling materialized by the formation of vapor bubbles rising towards the surface of the water by lifting the particles of scale which are then brought back to the surface of the water, as is schematically illustrated on the figure 9 . The stirring of the particles by boiling generates a flow transporting the scale particles to a zone of calm situated above the tartar recovery container 4, where the water is quieter because of the distance from this zone with respect to branches of the heating resistor 10, so that the scale particles can be deposited by gravity in the cavity of the recovery container 4.

The heavier scale particles, less sensitive to turbulence, are then deposited essentially in the central part 4B of the container at which the space between the side walls 42 is the largest and the height of the side walls 42, close to the average level h in the tank, is optimal for capture the tartar particles by convection when the water boils heavily.

The finest scale particles, which are more sensitive to the movement of water, tend not to remain trapped in the central part 4B, which has an upper opening that is too large to allow good retention of these particles, but remains trapped in the intermediate portion 4C for which the space between the side walls 42 is reduced.

This provides a vessel 4 tartar recovery ensuring both a good recovery and good retention of tartar particles the finest and most important.

In addition, when the user coldly extracts the recovery container 4 through the drain orifice 20, the closed end portion 4D of the container prevents the tartar accumulated in the cavity 43 from escaping through the end of the container. container 4.

Finally, such a tartar recovery container has the advantage of remaining easy to clean, the terminal end completely closed remaining limited size.

Of course, the invention is not limited to the embodiment described and illustrated which has been given by way of example. Modifications are possible, particularly from the point of view of the constitution of the various elements or by substitution of technical equivalents, without departing from the scope of protection of the invention.

In an alternative embodiment not shown, the recovery container 4 may be associated with a deflector, as described in the patent application. FR 2,904,683 , deflecting the bubbles created by the boiling of the water and away from the area above the tartar recovery vessel to create an even greater calm zone above the recovery vessel promoting the deposition of scale by gravity.

Claims (13)

1. A domestic appliance comprising a vat (1) in which the water is brought to the boil and a scale collection container (4) arranged in the vicinity of the bottom of the vat (1), with the container (4) having an elongated shape allowing it to be removed from or inserted into the vat (1) by an aperture (20) arranged on a side wall of the vat (1), with said container being inserted in said aperture (20) by a terminal end (40) of the container and comprising at least one cavity (43) having an upper opening forming a passage (d₁, d₂) through which the scale particles are collected in the cavity (43), characterized in that said upper opening has a passage section tapering as it approaches the terminal end (40) of the container (4).
2. A domestic appliance according to claim 1, characterised in that said cavity (43) has an upper part closed by a retaining wall (44) at the terminal end (40) of the container.
3. A domestic appliance according to any one of claims 1 to 2, characterised in that the container (4) is, at the opposite end of the terminal end (40), attached to a cap (3) closing the aperture (20) of the vat (1).
4. A domestic appliance according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterised in that said aperture (20) is arranged in the vicinity of the bottom of the vat (1) and forms a drain hole.
5. A domestic appliance according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterised in that the container (4) comprises a part that is bent (4A) towards the bottom of the vat (1) near the cap (3) so that the container (4) rests on the bottom of the vat (1) along most of its length when the cap (3) closes the aperture (20).
6. A domestic appliance according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterised in that said cavity (43) has a bottom wall (41) extending on the sides by side walls (42) rising upwards forming a space (d1, d2) between them defining the upper opening of passage and in which said side walls (42) are, close to the terminal end (40) of the container, folded towards each other so that the space between said side walls (42) is reduced.
7. A domestic appliance according to claim 6, characterized in that the bottom wall (41) is semi-cylindrical.
8. A domestic appliance according to any one of claims 6 to 7, characterised in that the container (4) successively comprises a central part (4B) wide open at the upper half, an intermediate part (4C) having a smaller opening in its upper half and an end part (4D) having a closed upper part.
9. A domestic appliance according to claim 8, characterised in that the water level in the vat (1) is controlled around an average level h and in that the side walls (42) are interrupted, at the central part (4B), at a height set to come under the mean water level h in the vat (1), and less than 5 mm from the latter, when the container (4) rests on the bottom of the vat (1).
10. A domestic appliance according to any one of claims 8 to 9, characterised in that the side walls (42) have a space (d₁) between them greater than 5 mm at the central part (4B).
11. A domestic appliance according to any one of claims 8 to 10, characterised in that the side walls (42) are folded parallel to the bottom of the tube and form a space (d₂) between them of less than 3 mm at the intermediate part (4C) of the container.
12. A domestic appliance according to any one of claims 8 to 11, characterised in that the closed end part (4D) extends over a length greater than 10 mm.
13. A domestic appliance according to any one of claims 1 to 12, characterised in that the appliance is an ironing appliance, the vat (1) for producing steam being connected to an iron or a crease removing brush.

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