DEVICE FOR IRONING AND DRYING FABRICS EQUIPPED WITH AUTOMATIC STERILIZATION SYSTEM

Technical field

The present invention concerns the technical field of treatment of fabrics in general, particularly for garments .

In particular, the invention refers to an innovative device which allows to iron and dry clothing at the same time, guaranteeing an ambient sterilization and/or seam cleaning .

Background art

The publication no. EP2202351 of the same applicant has been known for a long time.

Such a publication discloses a new kind of ironing device in which the iron is coupled and cooperating with a recovery chamber for a drying fluid, generally air. A duct connects the recovery chamber to the iron in such a manner as to generate a closed circulation which allows to convey the fluid exiting from the iron towards the chamber and from this chamber again towards the iron. Therefore, a closed circulation of fluid occurs, allowing an effective drying while ironing the garment.

In fact, such a chamber is closed on the upper part by a surface forming the ironing surface and equipped with a plurality of holes for the passage of the air emitted by the iron.

Within such a chamber it is comprised a suction section which pushes the air along the circuit to convey it afterwards inside the iron and from here again towards the chamber.

Such a controlled air flow is generated while ironing and it passes through the ironed fabric, as the latter lies on the holed plate which closes the recovery chamber.

Such a fluid allows an accurate drying of the fabric while it is normally ironed at the same time.

Therefore, thanks to such an embodiment, it is possible to iron articles that have just been washed with no need to use suitable washer-driers with a cost saving, shorter ironing time and better final ironing quality.

In wintertime or rainy days, when it is impossible to dry garments outdoor, such a device is particularly practical and beneficial.

A technical issue is due to the sterilization of the circulating air which may carry a significant bacterial load which obviously is transferred to the fabric while ironing and drying simultaneously.

Therefore, it is important to achieve the sterilization of such a drying fluid and/or the ironed article .

In common art no solution is known for reducing bacterial load and then the ironing may contaminate the fabric .

Disclosure of the invention

It is therefore the aim of the present invention to provide for a new and improved ironing and drying device which solves all the above-mentioned technical inconveniences .

In particular, it is required a device which irons and dries at the same time and during the normal ironing operation allows to reduce as much as possible the possible bacterial load, thus properly sanitizing or disinfecting the circulating air and possibly also the ironed garment.

Therefore, these and other aims are achieved with the present device (1) for simultaneously ironing and drying fabrics and garments according to claim 1.

Such a device (1) comprises:

- An iron (2) comprising at least an inlet section

(4) and at least an outlet section (5) for a drying fluid;

A recovery chamber (10) comprising a support surface (8) on which the fabric or the garment is placed to be ironed/dried, said support surface comprising a plurality of openings (9) passing through the entire section of the surface (8) and configured in such a manner as to be opposed to the section (5) of the iron (2) when used in such a manner that the fluid coming out from the section (5) passes through the support surface (8) and conveys at least in part within said recovery chamber

(10) .

In such a manner, the fluid passes through the fibers of the garment, drying it efficaciously when it is ironed.

A return circuit (13) connecting the recovery chamber (10) with the inlet section (4) of the iron (2) in such a manner that a substantially closed circulation (4, 5, 12, 13) occurs on the whole;

- Means (19) for moving such a fluid along said closed circulation (4, 5, 12, 13).

In this manner, the fluid circulates permanently along the closed circulation, thus drying the article while it is ironed.

According to the invention, it is now further comprised one or a plurality of source of ultraviolet lights (UV) .

In this manner, all the above-mentioned technical inconveniences are easily solved.

In particular, the use of ultraviolet light as such is known for disinfecting and sanitizing.

The arrangement of such sources of lights can hit the fluid and/or directly the surface which is ironed.

In this manner, it is possible to operate an effective reduction of the bacterial load which may form in the drying fluid or in the fabric to be ironed.

Advantageously, this source of ultraviolet light can be arranged in such a manner as to irradiate in a predetermined point or in a predetermined area within the closed circuit (4, 5, 12, 13) .

In this manner, the circulating fluid is directly disinfected.

For example, such an ultraviolet source of light can advantageously be arranged in a predetermined point directly inside said closed circuit (4, 5, 12, 13).

In this case, in a possible embodiment, this source of ultraviolet light could be placed inside the recovery chamber (10) .

In an embodiment, it could be placed in the body of the iron, for example, always in circulation path of the fluid.

Further advantages can be inferred from the dependent claims .

Brief description of drawings

Further features and advantages of the present device, according to the invention, will become apparent from the following description of preferred embodiments thereof, given only by way of non-limiting, indicative, example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein :

- Figure 1 depicts in outline form an overall view of the invention;

- Figure 2 depicts in outline form the coupling of the support surface 8 where to iron the garment with the part below of the recovery chamber 10;

- Figure 3 depicts a view from above of the recovery chamber without its lid 8 in such a manner as to outline inside the arranged sources of ultraviolet lights;

Figure 4 is a further lateral section which outlines the recovery chamber provided with closing 8 and outlines the plurality of sources of light, each one emitting a beam of ultraviolet light.

Description of a preferred embodiment

The present invention discloses an improvement of the previous application EP2202351.

The improvement disclosed below perfectly fits and has been specifically studied for the device disclosed in EP2202351, that is the system with closed circulation of drying fluid.

The previous application EP2202351 has then been fully incorporated by reference to the present application .

Figure 1 quotes and depicts the device 1 for ironing and/or drying fabrics according to the invention, previously disclosed in the previous EP application.

For that purpose, figure 1 depicts the iron 2 which comprises an inlet section 4 and an outlet section 5 for a fluid, for example a gas, such as air. Through the inlet section 4, the fluid is exhausted inside the iron to be conveyed towards the outlet section 5 through a first circuit 7 within the iron (see the dotted line) .

A portion destined to be a handle 3 allows to handle the iron by the user in a known way.

The outlet section 5 comprises a common plate 5 made of metal or even plastic which resists to high temperatures up to 210 °C approximately, to iron and equipped with a plurality of openings or holes 6 through which the fluid exits.

As depicted in figure 1, the iron 2 is operatively placed in combination with a recovery chamber 10, depicted in details in figure 2. Such a chamber 10 comprises a support surface 8 on which the garments are laid and ironed (operating as an ironing board) . For that purpose, the mentioned surface 8 is equipped with a plurality of openings 9 passing along its entire thickness.

When used, as better explained below in the present description, said openings 9 face the openings 6 of the plate 5 which slides over the surface 8 for ironing. Just for reasons of simplicity and clarity of the drawing, figure 1 depicts only an overall number of six openings 6. Moreover, always with a dotted line, it is stressed the fluid path that, through the iron 2, is conveyed trough the outlet section 5 towards the recovery chamber 10.

Going further into the constructive details (see for that purpose also figure 2), the recovery chamber 10 comprises lateral walls 11 so as to realize a containment chamber 12. The support surface 8 closes the chamber 12 above in a way similar to a lid. Naturally, the chamber 12 must be sealed to the plate so as to reduce the leaks as much as possible.

The recovery chamber 10 forms as a whole the ironing board and the surface 8 can be obviously covered by classic fabrics for covering ironing boards and in any case, breathable to the air passage.

Going back to figure 1, a generic duct 13, connected in a suitable point of the recovery chamber 10, creates a return circuit-path for the fluid towards the inlet section 4, thus realizing a closed air re-circulation (path 7 together with path 13) .

Inside chamber 10 suction means 19 are arranged to allow to exhaust the air of the inlet section 4 towards the outlet section 5, thus pulling it inside the chamber 10 to push it again along the return circuit 13 afterwards. Therefore, such means 19 comprise one (or also more than one) turbine 15 (for example, a rotating fan) placed within the chamber 10 near the surface 8.

In case of only one turbine, the diameter of it can be conventionally chosen so as to exhaust through all the openings 9 arranged on the area of the plate 8. Means 14 to operate the turbine allow its activation and turning off. In that case, for example, a simple starting motor or the like can constitute a suitable operation device (schematically represented in figure) . Naturally, either different positions of the suction means or equivalent constructive solutions, suitable to realize a suction, can be arranged without for this moving apart from the present inventive concept.

Always as described in figure 1, in a convenient point of the return path 13 a further section 16 destined to the heating of the fluid can possibly be arranged. For that purpose, the section comprises inside one or more electric resistances 17. Thus, the circulating air hits the resistances and absorbs the heat given out by them as a consequence of the electric current that goes through them. It is therefore possible to provide for an intensity adjustment of the circulating current in order to be able to adequately control the air temperature in the circuit. Naturally, although such an arrangement along the circuit 13 minimizes the weights of the iron, nothing would impede in an absolutely equivalent manner to insert such a section either within the iron itself or within the recovery chamber or in any other position along the closed circulation .

According to the invention, now the device object of the invention integrates sources of ultraviolet light 50 which operate at predetermined frequencies typical of ultraviolet light, in order to reduce bacterial loads, thus having a disinfecting/sanitizing effect.

Sources of ultraviolet lights (defined UV lamps in technical jargon) have been well known as such for a long time and their use is well known as well for disinfestation purposes, as it is known that they eliminate bacterial loads.

Therefore, the person skilled in the art can freely select the more convenient sources of ultraviolet lights commonly sold on the market for his purpose.

For that reason, it is not necessary to describe further in the present invention the technology related to lamps or sources of ultraviolet light, which are well known as such, as well as the disinfecting effects thereof .

In the preferred embodiment of the invention, such sources of ultraviolet lights can be in the form of LED, for example.

Regardless of the fact that they are in the form of LED or other forms, such sources of ultraviolet light are applied in one or more points, in order to radiate inside the closed circulation and then acting directly on the circulating fluid.

For that purpose, they are preferably applied inside the closed circulation.

For example, a possible and particularly advantageous embodiment provides for the installation of such sources of ultraviolet lights inside the recovery chamber 10.

This embodiment is outlined both in figure 3 and figure 4. Figure 4 outlines the plurality of sources of UV light (LED, for example) which illuminate, for example directing towards the surface 8. Therefore, while normally ironing, such lamps or sources of ultraviolet lights can be switched on and the flow of circulating air which convoys into the chamber 10 is irradiated by ultraviolet light. In this manner, the circulating fluid is permanently disinfected thanks to the action of the ultraviolet light. This embodiment allows the recovery chamber 10 to simultaneously become a sterilization chamber of the same circulating air.

The arrangement inside the recovery chamber 10 is certainly the preferred embodiment because there is space enough for an easy arrangement, with the lights and the power supply of the same that is far from the heat source emitted by the iron which could damage them.

However, different placements are not excluded.

For example, by adequately protecting the lights from the heat source of the iron, they could be installed in the body of the iron in suitable internal slots formed in the surface 5 of the iron and such as to direct the light directly onto the item of clothing which is ironed.

A further embodiment could provide for the installation of the LED lights in the surface 8 and directed, for example, upwards, so as to point the surface 5.

These two embodiments also allow to disinfect the garment that is being ironed as they point towards it while in use.

In this manner, in case of garments strongly affected by bacterial loads, for example because they are used in health care environments, this solution can help to reduce the bacterial load.

Moreover, these last two embodiments can also be combined with a further arrangement in the chamber 10 as described above.

In this manner, there would be a combined effect of sterilization directly on the garment being ironed and the circulating air.

In a further embodiment such UV lights could always be provided in the body of the iron but, for example, at the inlet of section 4 in such a manner as to irradiate the circulating drying fluid, similarly to the solution of the chamber 10.

The person skilled in the art will be able to select the ultraviolet frequencies that best suits to his case.

According to these described embodiments, a suitable electric switch which can control the switching on or off of these UV lights can easily be provided.