EP3850148B1

EP3850148B1 - Support base and ironing apparatus

Info

Publication number: EP3850148B1
Application number: EP19783738.8A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Simone BALDISSIN; Daniele VISENTIN; Alessandro Antonel
Original assignee: De Longhi Appliances SRL
Current assignee: De Longhi Appliances SRL
Priority date: 2018-09-10
Filing date: 2019-09-09
Publication date: 2024-03-06
Anticipated expiration: 2039-09-09
Also published as: EP3850148A1; WO2020053907A1; CN112955600B; CN112955600A

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention concerns a support base for an iron, in particular of the type comprising a water tank made inside it, and an ironing apparatus comprising an iron and the support base.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Ironing apparatuses are known comprising a support base inside which a water tank is made or inserted and an iron connected to the tank by means of a pipe.
Ironing apparatuses are generally divided into so-called "hot" apparatuses, in which the tank acts as a boiler for the formation and delivery of steam to be supplied to the iron, and so-called "cold" ironing apparatuses, in which the iron comprises a steam chamber and a pump suitable to feed the water from the tank to the steam chamber, in which the water turns into steam due to the contact with the heated plate of the iron.
These ironing apparatuses, thanks to their greater ironing autonomy, are generally chosen by users who need to iron medium-high quantities of garments and linen.
It is known that ironing operations, in particular if protracted for a long time, are not particularly appreciated by users, therefore manufacturers are looking for solutions that can make ironing less boring.
WO-A-2006/095035 , US2007/0218960 and WO-A-02/09327 disclose an iron comprising a radio receiver built into the casing. WO-A-2018/154615 discloses a support base for an iron.
WO-A-2017/202706 describes an ironing apparatus comprising a support base and an iron. Means to generate an alarm signal are provided in the support base which can generate an audio signal when a determinate position of the iron is detected. This solution, as well as not providing an audio reproduction device, does not require any attention to the geometrical shape of the sound diffusion area, since high fidelity reproduction is not required for the alarm signals.
One purpose of the present invention is therefore to provide a support base in an ironing apparatus which is suitable to provide a diversion for the user while performing the ironing operations, trying to make performing these operations pleasant, or at least less boring.
Another purpose of the invention is to provide a support base suitable to provide high fidelity reproductions of sounds or music.
A further purpose of the present invention is to provide a support base that has a pleasing aesthetic appearance, and that can be kept "in sight" even between one ironing operation and the next.
The Applicant has devised, tested and embodied the present invention to overcome the shortcomings of the state of the art and to obtain these and other purposes and advantages.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is set forth and characterized in the independent claims. The dependent claims describe other characteristics of the invention or variants to the main inventive idea.
Embodiments described here concern a support base for an iron comprising an audio reproduction device integrated therein, configured to transmit sounds, music or other.
The support base comprises a base body provided with an upper surface suitable to support an iron.
The base body is at least partially hollow and inside it are disposed a tank suitable to contain a determinate quantity of water and the audio reproduction device.
The audio reproduction device comprises an antenna or other receiving device, configured to receive radio waves and/or radio transmissions.
The audio reproduction device can be a radio apparatus, suitable to receive signals in amplitude and/or frequency modulation AM/FM.
According to the present invention, the base body has a cylindrical shape, therefore having a substantially circular section.
The cylindrical shape of the base body allows to obtain an optimal sound and amplification box for the audio reproduction device positioned therein, allowing to obtain high fidelity sound reproduction and an optimal diffusion thereof.
Other section shapes are however possible, for example oval, polygonal, or other.
According to some embodiments, the audio reproduction device comprises a sound diffusion member.
According to some embodiments, the sound diffusion member has a cylindrical shape, and extends on the entire periphery of the base body, substantially for 360° around its longitudinal axis. This allows an excellent sound diffusion in every direction.
According to some embodiments, the audio reproduction device comprises a control unit connected to a user interface by means of which the user can activate/deactivate the audio reproduction device, or possibly select the type of sounds and/or music to listen to, the volume, or other.
According to some embodiments, the user interface can be integrated into the support base.
According to other embodiments, the user interface can be external to the support base and communicate with the control unit in wireless mode.
According to some embodiments, the control unit comprises, or is connected to, a data communication module configured to communicate in wireless mode with an electronic device that acts as a user interface to receive information correlated to the sounds to be reproduced, for example audio files, radio transmissions, or other.
By way of example, the electronic device can be chosen from a smartphone, a tablet, a personal computer, a smart-TV, or other electronic device provided with a suitable wireless data communication interface.
According to some embodiments, the communication module can be of the Bluetooth type.
According to further embodiments, a user can select by means of his/her own electronic device an audio file, a radio transmission, or other to listen to and, by means of the communication module, send the information to the control unit, which will command the functioning of the diffuser device in order to reproduce the audio file and/or radio transmission selected.
According to further embodiments, the audio reproduction device can comprise a microphone, by means of which a user can make hands-free calls.
The support base therefore, as well as performing the functions of supporting the iron and accumulating water, also provides a pleasant diversion for the user while performing the ironing operations, thus making them less boring.

ILLUSTRATION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other characteristics of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of some embodiments, given as a non-restrictive example with reference to the attached drawings wherein:

fig. 1 is a schematic view of an ironing apparatus in accordance with embodiments described here.

To facilitate comprehension, the same reference numbers have been used, where possible, to identify identical common elements in the drawings. It is understood that elements and characteristics of one embodiment can conveniently be incorporated into other embodiments without further clarifications.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

Embodiments described here concern an ironing apparatus 10 comprising an iron 11 and a support base 12 suitable to provide a support for the iron 11 during ironing operations and/or when it has to be stored.
According to some embodiments, the support base 12 comprises a base body 13 comprising a lower surface 17 suitable to be disposed resting on a support surface or plane, and an upper surface 18, opposite the lower surface 17, suitable to support the iron 11.
The support base 12 also comprises a tank 14, configured to contain water at room temperature, and made or inserted inside the base body 13. The tank 14 can possibly be removable from the base body 13 to facilitate its filling, or possibly its emptying, operations.
The tank 14 and the iron 11 are connected to each other by a feed pipe 15.
An electric pump 16 can also be present in the base body 13, configured to remove the water from the tank 14 and feed it along the feed pipe 15.
The base body 13 also comprises electrical components and circuits necessary for the functioning at least of the electric pump 16 and the iron 11, which can be connected to a source of energy, for example the electric network, by means of a suitable power cable 19.
According to some embodiments, the electric pump 16 and the iron 11 can be optimized to reduce noise generation to a minimum.
According to some embodiments, the base body 13 has a cylindrical shape, substantially symmetrical with respect to a central axis X.
According to one aspect of the present invention, the support base 12 comprises an audio reproduction device 20.
According to some embodiments, the audio reproduction device 20 comprises an antenna 27, or other reception device, configured to receive radio waves and/or radio transmissions.
According to some embodiments, the audio reproduction device 20 is integrated in the base body 13.
According to the present invention, the audio reproduction device 20 is disposed below the tank 14.
This disposition is advantageous, since the tank 14, as well as being without heating elements, in this way also acts as an insulating layer between the upper surface 18 in contact with the iron 11 and the audio reproduction device 20.
According to some embodiments, the upper surface 18 of the base body 13 can be configured to support the iron 11 in a vertical position, so as to minimize the heat transfer between the latter and the support base 12.
According to some embodiments, not shown, housing seating can be made in the upper surface 18, which is suitable to house a rear part of the iron 11, and possibly clamping members suitable to clamp the iron 11 in a removable manner in the vertical position.
According to the present invention, the base body 13 has an upper portion 13a in which the tank 14 is housed, and a lower portion 13b in which the audio reproduction device 20 is housed.
According to some embodiments, the upper portion 13a and the lower portion 13b have, according to a plan view, a substantially circular shape, with substantially equal respective diameters.
According to possible solutions, the base body 13 comprises an intermediate portion 13c disposed between the upper portion 13a and the lower portion 13b, having a smaller diameter than the latter two, and connected thereto. The intermediate portion 13c can, for example, house the electrical components and circuits.
The audio reproduction device 20, for example, can be connected to and powered by the power cable 19.
According to some embodiments, the audio reproduction device 20 comprises a sound diffusion member 21, for example one or more loudspeakers suitable to transform electrical signals into acoustic signals.
According to some embodiments, the diffusion member 21 can have a circular shape, and extend for the entire external lateral surface of the base body, substantially for 360° around the central axis X.
The circular shape of the diffusion member 21 advantageously allows to install a single loudspeaker without interruptions, so as to obtain an optimal diffusion of the sounds or the music in every direction.
According to some embodiments, the audio reproduction device 20 comprises a control unit 22 configured to control its functioning.
The control unit 22 is connected to a user interface 23 by means of which the user can command the functioning of the audio reproduction device 20.
According to some embodiments, the user interface 23 can be integrated in the support base 12, for example on an external surface of the base body 13 accessible by a user.
According to other embodiments, the user interface 23 can be external to the support base 12 and communicate with the control unit 22 in wireless mode.
According to some embodiments, the audio reproduction device 20 comprises a communication module 24 connected to, or integrated in, the control unit 22 and configured to communicate in wireless mode with the user interface 23 to receive information correlated to the sounds or audio signals to be reproduced.
According to some embodiments, the user interface 23 can be provided on an electronic device 25 associated with a user, so as to communicate remotely with the control unit 22 in order to send/receive instructions and/or information in general.
By way of example, the electronic device 25 can be chosen from a smartphone, a tablet, a personal computer, a smart TV, or other electronic device provided with a communication module 26 compatible with that of the audio reproduction device 20.
According to these embodiments, the user interface 23 can be defined by the same screen of the smartphone, or tablet, by means of which the user can select an audio file to be reproduced, selecting it from an internal memory of the electronic device 25, or possibly from a website.
According to some embodiments, the communication module 24 can communicate with the user interface 23 by means of the Bluetooth data transmission protocol.
According to possible variants, the communication module 24 can communicate with the user interface 23 by means of other data transmission protocols, including, for example, Wi-Fi for LAN (Local Area Network), Zig-Bee, NFC (Near Field Communication), radio waves, or other.
According to some embodiments, by means of the user interface 23 the user can turn on and/or turn off the audio reproduction device 20, and set one or more parameters for the execution of the audio files or transmissions selected, for example the volume, the level of the low tones, or of the high tones, and suchlike.
According to some embodiments, the audio reproduction device 20 can also comprise a microphone 26 suitable to receive sounds and voices from the surrounding environment and transform them into electrical signals.
The microphone 26 can be connected to the control unit 22 and to the communication module 24 and therefore communicate with the electronic device 25 of the user, who can therefore use the support base 12 to make hands-free phone calls.
According to further embodiments, the antenna 27 or other reception device is connected to a user interface 28 provided on the base body 13 by means of which a user can select the desired radio station.
It is clear that modifications and/or additions of parts may be made to the support base 12 and to the ironing apparatus 10 as described heretofore, without departing from the field and scope of the present invention.

Claims

Support base (12) for an iron (11) comprising a base body (13) provided with an upper surface (18) suitable to support an iron (11), and containing a tank (14) configured to contain water and a feed pipe (15) which connects the tank (14) with the iron, characterized in that it comprises an audio reproduction device (20) integrated in said base body (13), wherein said audio reproduction device (20) comprises an antenna (27) or other reception device, configured to receive radio waves and/or radio transmissions and said base body (13) has a cylindrical shape with respect to a central axis (X) and comprises an upper portion (13a) in which said tank (14) is housed, and a lower portion (13b) in which said audio reproduction device (20) is housed, said tank (14) being disposed in an intermediate position between the latter and said upper surface (18).
Support base as in claim 1, characterized in that said audio reproduction device (20) comprises a member (21) to diffuse the sound, having a circular shape and extending for the entire external lateral surface of said base body (13), substantially for 360° around said central axis (X).
Support base as in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that said audio reproduction device (20) comprises a control unit (22) connected to a user interface (23; 28) by means of which a user can command the functioning of said audio reproduction device (20).
Support base as in claim 3, characterized in that said control unit (22) comprises, or is connected to, a communication module (24) configured to communicate wirelessly with said user interface (23), wherein the user interface (23) is provided on an electronic device (25) provided with a communication module (26) suitable to send and receive remotely to/from said user interface (23) information correlated to sounds or audio signals to be reproduced.
Support base as in claim 4, characterized in that said communication module (24) and said user interface (23) communicate with each other by means of a Bluetooth data transmission protocol.
Support base as in any claim hereinbefore, characterized in that said audio reproduction device (20) comprises a microphone (26) suitable to receive acoustic signals and to transform them into electrical signals.
Support base as in any claim hereinbefore, characterized in that said antenna (27) or other reception device is connected to a user interface (28) provided on said base body (13).
Ironing apparatus comprising an iron (11) and a support base (12) as in any claim from 1 to 7.