“IRON”

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention concerns an iron, in particular of the steam type, for domestic or professional use, which is provided with a device to collect the limescale possibly present in one of its evaporation chambers.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Irons are known, provided with a water tank and a boiler, or an evaporation chamber, in which, by means of an electrically heated element, the water coming from the tank is transformed into steam, which is then delivered to the outside through an ironing plate provided with holes for the delivery of the steam itself.

In some models of iron, the tank and/or the boiler, or evaporation chamber, instead of being integrated into the structure of the iron, are separate and connected to the latter by a conduit.

One of the main problems of these irons is that, due to the process of water evaporation, there is often an extensive and non-homogeneous deposit of limescale in the evaporation chamber which entails a significant reduction in the heat exchange capacity in the evaporation chamber, a non-homogeneous diffusion of the steam between the chamber and the ironing plate and a reduction in the steam leaving the chamber.

Furthermore, during ironing it may happen that, together with the steam, limescale particles can escape from the holes of the ironing plate, which can dirty or even irreparably damage the garment being ironed.

Irons are known which comprise a limescale collection device inserted, in a removable manner, into the plate unit in communication with the evaporation chamber, which is provided with a collection cavity in which any limescale possibly formed in the evaporation chamber can accumulate when the iron is positioned vertically.

One example of a known solution of the type in question is for example described in EP-B 1-2584090, which provides an iron comprising an evaporation chamber connected to a limescale collection cavity by means of an aperture made in one of its peripheral walls. One disadvantage of this known solution is that the presence of the peripheral wall can entail an accumulation of limescale on it, with the consequent risk of obstructing the aperture. Furthermore, the collection cavity is very inclined with respect to the evaporation chamber, so this can cause a slowdown in the flow, preventing limescale from accumulating in the collection cavity. The limescale, therefore, can accumulate and solidify along the evaporation chamber, with the disadvantages indicated above.

Document US-A-2015/0068170 describes an iron having an evaporation chamber and a container to collect the limescale, provided with a filter inside it. In this solution, the evaporation chamber comprises an aperture made on a rear dividing wall, which leads to a conduit that extends inclined by about 20° with respect to the plane of the ironing soleplate, to which the collection container is connected. Moreover, a step is provided in the front part of the collection container. In this case too, therefore, the combination of the dividing wall in the rear part of the chamber, together with the inclination of the conduit and the presence of the step, can entail a slowdown in the flow, preventing limescale from accumulating in the collection container.

Another disadvantage of known solutions is that the limescale collection devices are clamped inside the body of the iron by coupling elements of the bayonet type, or by means of a lever mechanism provided with a cam, which require a great force to drive and release, and are therefore not very convenient to use.

There is therefore a need to provide an iron which overcomes at least one of the disadvantages of the state of the art and which is provided with a simple limescale collection device which allows to collect the limescale present in the evaporation chamber effectively.

One purpose of the present invention is to provide an iron which prevents possible accumulations of limescale outside the limescale collection device.

Another purpose of the present invention is to provide an iron with a limescale collection device that can be easily removed by even an inexperienced user with easy operations, without effort in performing the necessary extraction and re insertion operations.

Another purpose of the present invention is to prevent possible risks of bums for a user, in particular when removing the collection device.

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 present invention or variants to the main inventive idea.

In accordance with the above purposes, an iron according to the present invention comprises a plate unit provided with an evaporation chamber and a limescale collection device comprising a collection cavity and able to be inserted, in a removable manner, into the plate unit in such a way that the collection cavity creates a surface without a break in continuity with said evaporation chamber.

In other words, the internal surface of the evaporation chamber is substantially aligned with the internal surface of the collection cavity, at least in correspondence with the reciprocal coupling zone, so that the overall surface is substantially without recesses or ridges that can interfere with the sliding of the limescale toward the collection cavity.

According to some embodiments, the evaporation chamber comprises, in correspondence with a rear aperture thereof, a housing seating having a cross- section larger than the average cross-section of the evaporation chamber and correlated to the cross-section of the lateral wall that delimits the collection cavity.

In this way, in a first operating position, the edge of the lateral wall is disposed abutting against an internal wall of the housing seating, and the internal surfaces of the evaporation chamber and of the collection cavity are disposed in continuity with one another, without recesses or ridges on which the limescale could accumulate.

According to other embodiments, the evaporation chamber and the collection cavity both have a rectilinear extension along a same longitudinal axis.

According to some embodiments, the longitudinal axis is substantially parallel to the ironing soleplate, or slightly inclined with respect thereto. By “substantially parallel” we mean that the longitudinal axis is at most inclined by an angle smaller than 10°, and preferably smaller than 5°.

According to other embodiments, the collection cavity is slightly inclined with respect to the evaporation chamber, for example by an angle comprised between 1° and 5°, that is, it extends along an axis that is inclined with respect to the longitudinal axis of the evaporation chamber.

According to some embodiments of the present invention, the collection device and the iron are provided with respective coupling members configured to create a reciprocal stable coupling between them when the collection device is inserted into the housing seating.

According to some embodiments of the present invention, the iron also comprises an automatic unclamping device associated with the collection device and able to be driven by a user in order to unclamp the coupling members and at least partly extract the collection device from the evaporation chamber.

According to some embodiments, the unclamping device comprises an actuation member able to be driven by the user in order to disengage the coupling members, and elastic means configured to thrust the collection device at least partly outside the iron when the coupling members are not engaged with each other.

According to other embodiments, the collection device is associated with a safety device, configured to impede the extraction of the collection device from the evaporation chamber when the temperature of the plate exceeds a certain threshold value.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS These and other aspects, characteristics and advantages 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 perspective view of a schematized iron according to the present invention;

- fig. 2 is an exploded and partly sectioned perspective view of a plate unit of the iron of fig. 1, which shows a limescale collection device in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention;

- fig. 3 is a lateral, partly sectioned view of an iron with a limescale collection device inserted and clamped in the evaporation chamber;

- fig. 4 is an enlarged detail of fig. 3;

- figs. 5-7 show the limescale collection device of fig. 2 respectively in a clamping position, in an unclamping position and in a release position;

- fig. 8 is a view of a limescale collection device in accordance with a second embodiment;

- figs. 9-11 show the limescale collection device of fig. 8 respectively in a clamping position, in an unclamping position and in a release position;

- fig. 12 is a view of a limescale collection device in accordance with a third embodiment;

- figs. 13-15 show the limescale collection device of fig. 12 respectively in a clamping position, in an unclamping position and in a release position;

- fig. 16 is an exploded view of the rear part of a plate unit of an iron and of a limescale collection device according to a variant embodiment with a safety device;

- figs. 17-18 show the safety device of fig. 16 in a first and in a second operating condition.

We must clarify that in the present description and in the claims the terms upper, lower, front and rear, with their declinations, have the sole function of better illustrating the present invention with reference to the drawings and must not be in any way used to limit the scope of the invention itself, or the field of protection defined by the attached claims.

Furthermore, the people of skill in the art will recognize that certain sizes or characteristics in the drawings may have been enlarged, deformed, or shown in an unconventional or non-proportional way in order to provide a version of the present invention that is easier to understand.

When sizes and/or values are specified in the following description, the sizes and/or values are provided for illustrative purposes only and must not be construed as limiting the scope of protection of the present invention, unless such sizes and/or values are present in the attached claims.

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

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF SOME EMBODIMENTS With reference to fig. 1, an iron 10 in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention comprises a plate unit 11, a known tank 12 configured to contain water and disposed above the known plate unit 11, and a known ironing soleplate 13 provided with known through holes 14 and attached to the lower part of the plate unit 11 in a known manner.

The iron 10 comprises, in a known manner, a containing body 16 provided with a handle 17 and associated with the plate unit 11.

The plate unit 11 comprises an evaporation chamber 21, in which the water fed from the tank 12 - through an aperture 26 - is transformed into steam when it comes into contact with a surface thereof, heated by one or more heating elements 15 of a known type, and the steam exits through the holes 14 of the ironing soleplate 13 (fig. 2).

The evaporation chamber 21 comprises a lower surface 22, for example made in a lower shell 19, an upper surface 23, which is located in an upper shell 20, and an internal or front surface 25, that is, disposed toward the front part of the iron 10 (on the left in figs. 2 and 3).

The evaporation chamber 21 has a rectilinear conformation and extends along a longitudinal axis X, and its section can be constant along the longitudinal axis or it can vary.

According to some embodiments, the evaporation chamber 21 preferably has a square or rectangular-shaped section, with possible beveled edges.

The evaporation chamber 21 is also provided with one or more apertures 29 for conveying the generated steam toward the through holes 14 of the ironing soleplate 13 (figs. 3 and 5).

The evaporation chamber 21 is also provided with a rear aperture 30 provided at the rear of the iron 10 (on the right in fig. 3) through which a limescale collection device 31 , described in detail below, is able to be inserted selectively and in a removable manner.

According to some embodiments, the rear aperture 30 has a larger cross- section than the cross-section of the evaporation chamber 21.

Preferably, the evaporation chamber 21 has a rectilinear extension along a longitudinal axis X with a substantially constant section at least in the segment comprised between the front surface 25 and a zone of reciprocal coupling with the collection device 31.

In the embodiments described here, a sleeve 32 with a guiding function is disposed in correspondence with the rear aperture 30 (fig. 3), the sleeve 32 being mounted on the plate unit 11 and having a central longitudinal cavity 33, made through, the cross-section of which is mating with the shape of a rear part 36 of the collection device 31 (fig. 3).

With reference to figs. 2-5 and 12-15, the section of the central cavity 33 of the sleeve 32 and of the rear part 36 is at least partly circular.

According to possible variants, described for example with reference to figs. 8 and 16, it can be provided that the central cavity 33 and the rear part 36 have a section that is at least partly polygonal, for example substantially rectangular, or of another shape.

The collection device 31 can be made with plastic or metal materials, in any case suitable to allow it to be inserted, without deforming, into the evaporation chamber 21, in which the temperature, during use, exceeds 100°C.

The collection device 31 comprises a rear part 36, having a section and a length mating with those of the central cavity 33 of the sleeve 32, and a front part 37 having a collection cavity 38, in which any limescale present in the evaporation chamber 21 can accumulate when the iron 10 is positioned vertically resting on a rear support surface 18 thereof (fig. 3).

One aspect of the present invention provides that the collection device 31 is inserted into the plate unit 11 in such a way that the collection cavity 38 creates a surface without a break in continuity with the evaporation chamber 21, at least in correspondence with the reciprocal connection zone. Preferably, the collection device 31 is directly inserted into the evaporation chamber 21

According to some embodiments, the cross-section of the collection cavity 38 is substantially the same as the cross-section of the evaporation chamber 21 on the entire perimeter, so as to create on the entire periphery, that is, on each side, or on the entire circumference, a continuous surface, that is, without a break in continuity.

According to some embodiments, the evaporation chamber 21 comprises, in correspondence with the rear aperture 30, a housing seating 40 having a larger cross-section than the average cross-section of the evaporation chamber 21.

The shape and the transverse size of the housing seating 40 are substantially correlated to those of the transverse section of the lateral wall 41 that delimits the collection cavity 38.

In this way, during use, the end edge of the lateral wall 41 is disposed abutting against an internal wall 44 of the housing seating, and the internal surfaces 22, 23, 42, 43 of the evaporation chamber 21 and of the collection cavity 38 are disposed in continuity with each other, without creating recesses or ridges on which limescale could accumulate.

Preferably, all the internal surfaces 22, 23, 42, 43 are substantially flat and smooth, that is, without ridges and protrusions, for their entire longitudinal extension.

According to some embodiments, both the evaporation chamber 21 and the collection cavity 38 have a rectilinear extension along the same longitudinal axis X.

According to some embodiments, the longitudinal axis X is substantially parallel, or slightly inclined, with respect to the ironing soleplate 13.

According to some embodiments, the longitudinal axis X can be inclined by an angle a comprised between 0° and 10° with respect to the ironing soleplate 13, preferably between 0° and 5°.

According to other embodiments, not shown in the drawings, the collection cavity 38 can be slightly inclined with respect to the evaporation chamber 21, for example by an angle comprised between 1° and 5°.

According to some embodiments, the rear part 36 of the collection device 31 can comprise a collar 45 suitable to allow to attach the collection device 31 to the sleeve 32 in a removable manner.

Between the plate unit 11 and the sleeve 32, or between the latter and the collar 45, there can be one or more sealing packings (not shown).

In this way, when the collection device 31 is in a first operating position, inserted inside the plate unit 11 and in continuity with the evaporation chamber 21, a hermetic closure of the rear aperture 30 of the evaporation chamber 21 is created.

Furthermore, according to some embodiments, the collection device 31 can comprise an external end 47, for example of plastic material, or in any case of a material that does not conduct heat, which acts as a grip element for the user of the iron 10, to allow him to insert and/or remove the collection device 31 into/from the evaporation chamber 21, without burning himself.

According to some variants described below, the extraction of the collection device 31 can be performed by means of an automatic unclamping device 50.

According to some variants described below, the extraction of the collection device 31 can be performed only when the temperature of the plate unit 11 is lower than a determinate threshold value.

In order to use the iron 10, the collection device 31 has to be disposed in its first operating position, that is, completely inserted into the housing seating 40 in the evaporation chamber 21 (figs. 3-5).

In this position, as stated, the respective internal surfaces 22, 23, 42, 43 of the evaporation chamber 21 and of the collection cavity 38 are respectively aligned, creating an overall surface without a break in continuity, so as to facilitate the flow of water and limescale residues toward the collection chamber 38.

According to some embodiments, for example described with reference to figs. 2-3 and 5-15, the collection device 31 can be associated with an automatic unclamping device 50, able to be driven by a user to unclamp and at least partly extract the collection device 31 from the evaporation chamber 21 and from the plate unit 11.

According to these embodiments, the plate unit 11 and the collection device 31 are provided with respective coupling members 51, 52 configured to couple to each other and guarantee a stable reciprocal coupling between the collection device 31 and the plate unit 11.

In particular, a first coupling member 51 can be provided on the sleeve 32 and a second coupling member 52 can be provided on the rear portion 36 of the collection device 31.

The first coupling member 51 can be made as a tooth protruding toward the inside of the central cavity 33, and the second coupling member 52 can be made as a tooth protruding toward the outside of the rear part 36, in such a way that in the first operating position of the collection device 31 they are coupled to each other and clamp the collection device 31 inside the evaporation chamber 21. The coupling members 51 and 52 can have respective contact surfaces with an at least partly mating shape, such that when the collection device 31 is inserted into the evaporation chamber 21, the first member 51 acts as a lead-in for the second member 52, until the first operating configuration, in which they are reciprocally engaged, is reached.

According to some embodiments, the unclamping device 50 comprises at least one actuation member 56 able to be driven by the user in order to reciprocally disengage the coupling members 51, 52, and elastic means 57 disposed between the plate unit 11 and the collection device 31 and configured to thrust the collection device 31 toward the outside of the plate unit 11 when the coupling members 51, 52 are not engaged.

The unclamping device 50 can comprise at least one release member 55 associated with at least one of either the first 51 or the second coupling member 52, on which the actuation member 56 is able to act in order to disengage the coupling members 51, 52.

According to one embodiment, as in figs. 5-7, the release member 55 can comprise a flexible tab 61 having one end integral with the rear part 36 and a free end configured to bend, if subjected to the action of a force in a transverse direction, toward the inside of the rear part 36 which, for this purpose, can be at least partly hollow, or have a cavity in correspondence with the free end of the flexible tab 61.

The flexible tab 61 can be directly connected to the second coupling member 52 in such a way that when the flexible tab 61 is bent toward the inside of the rear part 36, the second coupling member 52 follows its movement.

The sleeve 32 comprises a through hole 54 made on an upper wall 53 thereof, the through hole 54 being, in the first operating position of the collection device 31, aligned with the release member 55.

The first coupling member 51 can advantageously be made in continuity with the edge of the through hole 54.

According to this embodiment, the actuation member 56 comprises a button 58 disposed protruding outside the containing body 16, a rod 59 integral with the button 58 and mobile together with it, and elastic return means 60, for example a helical spring, configured to return the actuation member 56 to a condition of non-interference when the button 58 is not driven.

The elastic means 57 can comprise a single helical spring 62, disposed in an annular seating 63 provided in the rear part 36, with a first end in contact with the first coupling member 51 and the second end constrained to the rear part 36.

In the clamping condition (fig. 5), the button 58 is idle, the return means 60 are extended, the first 51 and the second 52 coupling members are engaged with each other, the release member 55 is in an idle condition and the helical spring 62 is compressed.

In a release condition (fig. 6), when the user presses the button 58 in the sense indicated by the arrow FI, the return means 60 compress and the rod 59 thrusts the flexible tab 61 downward, bending it toward the inside of the rear part 36, so as to disengage the second coupling member 52 from the first coupling member 51.

Since there is no longer any constraint, in a release condition (fig. 7) the helical spring 62 can extend, thrusting the collection device 31 toward the outside of the plate unit 11, so as to facilitate its grip by a user. The button 58 and the rod 59 are returned to the position of non-interference by the return means 60 which act in the sense indicated by the arrow F2.

After the limescale has been cleaned, the collection device 31 can be reinserted into the evaporation chamber 21, until the respective coupling members 51, 52 engage with each other again and the internal surfaces 22, 23, 42, 43 of the evaporation chamber 21 and of the collection cavity 38 are disposed in continuity with each other.

Only when the collection device 31 is clamped in the first operating condition is it possible to turn on the iron 10 and start ironing again.

The embodiment of figs. 8-11 differs from the embodiment of figs. 5-7 substantially due to the fact that the elastic means 57 comprise a pair of helical springs 62 disposed on opposite sides of the rear part 36 of the collection device 31. Also in the solution of figs. 8-11, the helical springs 62 are disposed in a seating (not shown) disposed between the rear part 36 and the sleeve 32.

The rear part 36 can have a larger width, mating with that of the central cavity 33 of the sleeve 32, while the front part 37 can have a smaller size and define, together with the central cavity 33, the seating for the helical springs 62.

The functioning is substantially the same as the one described with reference to figs. 5-7.

Figs. 12-15 show, by way of example, another embodiment of a collection device 31 and of an unclamping device 50.

Unlike the embodiments of figs. 5-7 and 8-11, in this embodiment the actuation member 56 is accessible from the rear part of the iron 10 and it is configured to act directly on the collection device 31 in an axial direction along the longitudinal axis X.

According to this embodiment, the elastic means 57 can comprise a helical spring 66, disposed coaxial to the rear part 36 in a seating created on its periphery, in such a way as to have a first end in contact with an internal wall 67 of the sleeve 32 and a second end in contact with an abutment wall of the rear part 36.

The actuation member 56, according to this embodiment, comprises a button 68 kept in position by elastic return means 70 which can comprise a helical spring 71 coaxial to the longitudinal axis X, disposed inside a cavity 77 of the rear part 36 of the collection device 31.

The button 68 can be made on a mobile body 73, which is axially displaceable with respect to a rear closing element 72.

The closing element 72 can comprise a central hole 74 and an annular seating 75 in which, during use, an annular end portion 76 of the mobile body 73 can be positioned.

A central end portion of the mobile body 76 positioned in the central hole 74 can define the button 68.

The end portion 76 of the mobile body 73 can be provided with a pair of uncoupling flaps 79 opposite each other, suitable to interfere with at least one coupling member 51 of the sleeve 32.

The uncoupling flaps 79 comprise an inclined surface 90 configured to interfere with a respective first coupling member 51 , in such a way as to move it away from a second coupling member 52 provided on the collection device 31 , acting as a release member. In particular, the inclined surfaces 90 cooperate with respective inclined surfaces of the first coupling members 51 and act as a wedge, flexing and divaricating the first coupling members 51 in such a way as to move them away from the second coupling members 52 when the mobile body 73 is thrust toward the inside of the iron 10.

The rear part 36 of the removal member 31, in this case, can comprise slits 91 in correspondence with each second coupling member 52, into which the uncoupling flap 79 can be inserted. The sleeve 32 can be provided with respective slits 78 disposed on one side and on the other of each second coupling member 52, suitable to give a certain elasticity to the latter so that it can flex due to the action of the uncoupling flaps 79.

In the clamping condition (fig. 13), the collection device 31 is clamped in the evaporation chamber 21 by means of the engagement between the first 51 and the second coupling member 52. In this condition, the helical spring 66 is compressed, while the return means 70 are extended, pressing the mobile body 73 toward the rear part of the iron 10 so that the end portion 76 is positioned in the annular seating 75 and the button 68 is flush with the external edge of the central hole 74.

In an unclamping condition (fig. 14), when the user presses axially on the button 68 in the sense indicated by the arrow F3, the mobile body 73 is thrust inward until the uncoupling flaps 79 disengage the first coupling members 51 of the sleeve 32, flexing them outward. When the coupling members 51, 52 are no longer engaged with each other, since it is no longer constrained, in the release condition (fig. 15) the helical spring 66 can thrust the collection device 31 with the mobile body 73 and the closing element 72 toward the outside of the plate unit 11.

At the end of the limescale removal, the user can again insert the collection device 31 and the mobile body 73 inside the plate unit 11, until the coupling members 51, 52 engage with each other and the return means 70 return to the extended idle condition thrusting the end portion 76 toward the closing element 72. Subsequently, it is possible to turn on the iron 10 again.

According to the embodiments of figs. 16-18 and combinable with the embodiments already described, the iron 10 can comprise a safety device 80 configured to impede the extraction of the collection device 31 when the temperature of the iron 10 is higher than a determinate threshold value.

The safety device 80 comprises a bimetallic component 81 configured to assume a concave or convex shape as a function of the temperature of the plate unit 11 , and a pin 82 configured to be inserted into a cavity 83 made in the rear part 36 of the collection device 31.

The pin 82 can be associated with elastic means 89 able to keep it in contact with the bimetallic component 81, and it can be connected to a free end of a thin sheet component 85.

The bimetallic component 81 can comprise a portion having a disc shape 84 and a thin sheet portion 85 which extends radially with respect to the latter.

According to possible variants, there can also be provided only one portion with a disc shape, or other geometric shape, or even only one thin sheet portion.

The bimetallic component 81 can be attached to the sleeve 32 by means of a screw 86 or other known attachment means, preferably resting on a raised support 87 so as to have sufficient mobility to assume both the concave and also the convex shape, without interfering with an upper surface 88 of the sleeve 32.

When the iron 10 is hot, that is, the plate unit 11 in contact with the safety device 80 has a temperature higher than a threshold level, the bimetallic component 81 assumes a shape with the concavity facing downward and the pin 82 is inserted inside the cavity 83, impeding the extraction of the collection device 31 (fig. 17).

When the temperature drops below the threshold value, the bimetallic component 81 assumes a shape with the concavity facing upward and the pin 82 comes out of the cavity 83 so that it is possible to remove the collection device 31 (fig. 18).

It is clear that modifications and/or additions of parts may be made to the iron 10 as described heretofore, without departing from the field and scope of the present invention as defined by the claims.

It is also clear that, although the present invention has been described with reference to some specific examples, a person of skill in the art shall certainly be able to achieve many other equivalent forms of iron, all coming within the field and scope of the present invention.

In the following claims, the sole purpose of the references in brackets is to facilitate reading and they must not be considered as restrictive factors with regard to the field of protection defined by the claims.