The invention relates to a portable textile treatment device (1) comprising a heatable sole plate (4) intended to be in contact with a textile (TXT) for treating the textile. The portable textile treatment device also comprises an image sensor (5) for taking an image of the textile to be treated, an illumination system (6) for illuminating a portion of the textile when said image is being taken. The portable device also comprises a control unit (8) configured for executing an algorithm stored in said portable textile treatment device, using the taken image as an input of said algorithm, to obtain a classification of the textile; and controlling, based on said classification, at least one operating parameter of the portable textile treatment device. The image sensor and the control unit are integrated within the portable textile treatment device. The image sensor comprises an active surface sensitive to light, the image sensor being oriented with respect to the surface of the heatable sole plate (4), with an absolute value of an orientation angle being in the range from 15 to 70 degrees; and/or the illumination system (6) comprises a light source oriented with respect to the surface of the heatable sole plate (4) being in contact with the textile, with an absolute value of an orientation angle being in the range from 15 to 70 degrees.

The invention relates to a portable textile treatment device (1) comprising a heatable sole plate (4) intended to be in contact with a textile (TXT) for treating the textile. The portable textile treatment device also comprises an image sensor (5) for taking an image of the textile to be treated, an illumination system (6) for illuminating a portion of the textile when said image is being taken. The portable device also comprises a control unit (8) configured for executing an algorithm stored in said portable textile treatment device, using the taken image as an input of said algorithm, to obtain a classification of the textile; and controlling, based on said classification, at least one operating parameter of the portable textile treatment device. The image sensor and the control unit are integrated within the portable textile treatment device. The image sensor comprises an active surface sensitive to light, the image sensor being oriented with respect to the surface of the heatable sole plate (4), with an absolute value of an orientation angle being in the range from 15 to 70 degrees; and/or the illumination system (6) comprises a light source oriented with respect to the surface of the heatable sole plate (4) being in contact with the textile, with an absolute value of an orientation angle being in the range from 15 to 70 degrees.

The invention relates to a method of operating a textile treatment device comprising a heatable soleplate intended to be in contact with a textile for treating the textile. The method comprises a first step (1001) of setting a first temperature target for the heatable soleplate, and a step (1002) of detecting movement of said textile treatment device. If the step (1002) of 5 detecting movement did not detect any movement of said textile treatment device during more than a given first time duration, a step (1004) of actively decreasing the temperature of the heatable soleplate (4) up to reaching a first given temperature having a value below said first temperature target.

A clothes iron including some or all of: a soleplate that narrows in a longitudinal direction and an at least partially enclosed aperture that extends in at least a transverse direction, for receiving at least a portion of a hand when in use; an interface configured to be connectable to and disconnectable from a fluid outlet external to the iron and a valve for enabling transfer of fluid from the fluid outlet to the iron via the interface while the interface is connected to the fluid outlet, and for inhibiting loss of fluid from the iron via the interface while the interface is disconnected from the fluid outlet; an aligning portion and an external aligning portion and one or more outlets to which the iron is connectable, wherein at least one of the outlets is configured to transfer fluid or electrical energy to the iron.

A clothes iron including some or all of: a soleplate that narrows in a longitudinal direction and an at least partially enclosed aperture that extends in at least a transverse direction, for receiving at least a portion of a hand when in use; an interface configured to be connectable to and disconnectable from a fluid outlet external to the iron and a valve for enabling transfer of fluid from the fluid outlet to the iron via the interface while the interface is connected to the fluid outlet, and for inhibiting loss of fluid from the iron via the interface while the interface is disconnected from the fluid outlet; an aligning portion and an external aligning portion and one or more outlets to which the iron is connectable, wherein at least one of the outlets is configured to transfer fluid or electrical energy to the iron.

The present disclosure describes a steam iron having a housing, a handle, a soleplate, a water reservoir comprising a water inlet port, a fill door comprising a plug sized to seal the water inlet port, and a blocking member configured to prevent the plug from sealing the water inlet port during shipment of the steam iron. Methods for preparing a steam iron for shipment are also provided.

The present disclosure describes a steam iron having a housing, a handle, a soleplate, a water reservoir comprising a water inlet port, a fill door comprising a plug sized to seal the water inlet port, and a blocking member configured to prevent the plug from sealing the water inlet port during shipment of the steam iron. Methods for preparing a steam iron for shipment are also provided.

Disclosed are methods and apparatus for cleaning a substrate, such as a fabric material, involving the application of optical energy to the substrate, typically in the form of a beam of light, where the energy of the beam causes removal of the contaminant from substrate, such as from the fibres of a fabric material. The cleaning may occur via any mechanism, including one or more of, alone or in any combination, ablation, melting, heating or reaction with the substrate or contaminant or agent introduced to aid in the cleaning. The optical energy is typically applied to a selected area of the substrate (e.g., as a beam), and the substrate and beam or optical energy source moved relative to one another so as to clean a larger area of the substrate, either by moving the substrate or the beam, or both. Movement of the beam with respect to the substrate can be attained through a beam scanning mechanism or through movement of the optical source itself.

Disclosed are methods and apparatus for cleaning a substrate, such as a fabric material, involving the application of optical energy to the substrate, typically in the form of a beam of light, where the energy of the beam causes removal of the contaminant from substrate, such as from the fibres of a fabric material. The cleaning may occur via any mechanism, including one or more of, alone or in any combination, ablation, melting, heating or reaction with the substrate or contaminant or agent introduced to aid in the cleaning. The optical energy is typically applied to a selected area of the substrate (e.g., as a beam), and the substrate and beam or optical energy source moved relative to one another so as to clean a larger area of the substrate, either by moving the substrate or the beam, or both. Movement of the beam with respect to the substrate can be attained through a beam scanning mechanism or through movement of the optical source itself.

The invention relates to a portable device (1100) comprising a bottom surface (BS) intended to be in contact with a textile (TXT). The portable device comprises an image sensor (5) for taking an image of a textile, and an illumination system (6) for illuminating a portion of the textile when said image is being taken. The portable device also comprises a control unit (8a) for executing an algorithm stored in the portable device, using the taken image as an input of said algorithm, to obtain a classification of the textile. The image sensor and the control unit are integrated within the portable device. The image sensor has an active surface sensitive to light, which is oriented compared to said bottom surface (BS), with an absolute value of the orientation angle being in the range 15-70 degrees; and/or the illumination system (6) has a light source oriented compared to the said bottom surface (BS), with an absolute value of the orientation angle being in the range 15-70 degrees.