Iron comprising a body and a metal soleplate folded back against the body

Abstract

Iron including a body (2) and a metal soleplate (1) that is folded back against the body (2), the soleplate including a lower surface defining an ironing surface and including, at least locally, a peripheral edge (11) where the soleplate is folded up in the direction of the body (2) and comes into contact with the latter to help attach the soleplate (1) to the body, wherein the peripheral edge (11) includes a portion (12) that is folded 180 at the place where the soleplate (1) extends parallel to the ironing surface, and in that the portion (12) that is folded 180 is extended by a latch part (13) that comes into contact with the body (2).

Claims

1. Iron comprising a body (2) and a metal soleplate (1) that is folded back against the body (2), the soleplate (1) comprising a lower surface defining an ironing surface and comprising, at least locally, a peripheral edge (11) where the soleplate (1) is folded up in the direction of the body (2) and comes into contact with the latter to help attach the soleplate (1) to the body, wherein the peripheral edge (11) comprises a portion (12) that is folded 180 at a place where the soleplate (1) extends parallel to the ironing surface and where the peripheral edge (11) has a thickness of less than or equal to twice the thickness of the soleplate (1), and wherein the portion (12) that is folded 180 is extended by a latch part (13) that comes into contact with the body (2).

2. Iron described in claim 1, wherein the latch part (13) comprises, successively, starting from the portion (12) that is folded 180, an intermediate portion (13A) folded upward, and then a free end that is pressed down against the body (2) in order to attach the soleplate (1) to the body (2).

3. Iron described in claim 2, wherein the intermediate portion (13A) extends perpendicular to the ironing surface.

4. Iron described in claim 2, wherein the free end (13B) of the latch part (13) is aligned with the intermediate portion (13A) when the soleplate (1) is set in place on the body (2), and then is pressed down mechanically against the body (2) to attach the soleplate (1).

5. Iron described in claim 1, wherein the ironing surface and the peripheral edge (11) of the soleplate (1) are covered with a coating.

6. Iron described in claim 5, wherein the latch part (13) is not covered with said coating.

7. Iron described in claim 1, wherein the soleplate (1) is made of aluminum.

8. Iron described in claim 1, wherein the thickness of the soleplate (1) is between 0.8 mm and 1.5 mm.

9. Iron described in claim 1, wherein said body (2) is a heating body and contains an electrical resistor (20).

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIGS. 1 and 2 are exploded perspective views of an iron bottom set in one particular method of implementing the invention, the bottom set comprising a soleplate and a heating body;

(2) FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the iron bottom set in FIG. 1, with the heating body and the soleplate assembled;

(3) FIG. 4 is a view from above of the iron bottom set in FIG. 3;

(4) FIG. 5 is a cross-section view along Line V-V in FIG. 4;

(5) FIG. 6 is a cross-section view, similar to FIG. 5, before folding the latch part against the heating body;

(6) FIG. 7 is a view from above of the soleplate before folding; and

(7) FIG. 8 depicts a detailed view, in a transverse cross-section, of a bottom set according to one variation of implementing the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(8) FIG. 1 shows an iron bottom set situated traditionally below a container of water, not depicted in the drawings, this set comprising a metal soleplate (1) and a heating body (2) designed to be folded back onto the soleplate (1).

(9) The heating body (2) advantageously consists of an aluminum casting comprising an electrical resistor (20) bent into a horseshoe shape, as well as an indentation (21) arranged to house a temperature-regulating thermostat.

(10) The heating body (2) comprises, in its upper portion, a steam chamber (22) designed to be closed by a closure plate, not depicted in the drawings.

(11) The water in the iron's container is brought, in a self-evident manner, by a drip mechanism, into the steam chamber (22), and the steam thus generated is distributed by a peripheral channel (23) extending around the steam chamber, on the upper surface of the heating body (2).

(12) As shown in FIGS. 2 through 4, the channel (23) has holes (24) through the heating body (2) and leading into a steam distribution chamber (25) extending on the lower surface of the heating body (2), the distribution chamber (25) supplying a network of steam release holes (10) in the soleplate (1).

(13) The soleplate (1) comprises a flat lower surface that defines an ironing surface, comprising an area equipped with steam release holes (10), that extends through the network of steam release holes, and at which place the upper surface of the soleplate (1) comes into contact with the surfaces of the heating body (2) so as to ensure proper heat transfer from the heating body (2) to the soleplate (1), an airtight seal being arranged at the periphery of the heating body (2) to ensure a seal that is airtight against the steam between the soleplate (1) and the heating body (2).

(14) As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the soleplate (1) comprises a peripheral edge (11) that defines the perimeter of the ironing surface, the peripheral edge comprising a portion (12) that is folded 180, obtained by successively folding the soleplate (1) upward, and then toward the interior of the ironing surface, and by pressing it down against the upper surface of the soleplate (1).

(15) The soleplate (1) comprises, locally, in the extension of the portion (12) that is folded 180, latch parts (13) comprising an intermediate portion (13A) directed upward to form a 90 bend with the folded-up portion, said intermediate portion (13A) being extended by a free end (13B) that extends vertically upward, such that the heating body (2) can be inserted between the latch parts (13) and applied against the soleplate (1) during the iron assembly process.

(16) Such a free end (13B) is then pressed down horizontally on the edge of the heating body (2), such that the latch parts (13) exert pressure on the heating body (2), which holds the soleplate (1) in contact with the heating body (2).

(17) As shown in FIG. 1, these latch parts (13) are advantageously distributed along the periphery of the heating body (2), the soleplate (1) comprising, in the example illustrated in the drawings, two lateral latch parts (13) consisting of flaps extending from each side of the soleplate (1) from one pointed forward end of the soleplate (1), over roughly two-thirds the length of the soleplate (1), and a back latch part (13) consisting of a flap extending to the back end of the soleplate (1), the heating body (2) advantageously comprising, at the height of these latch parts (13), a flat peripheral edge with a casing (26), shown in FIG. 1, that is adapted to receive the latch part (13).

(18) The soleplate (1) may also advantageously comprise guide parts (14) consisting of divider flaps that remain oriented vertically and that cooperate with the edge of the heating body (2) to laterally guide the soleplate (1) with respect to the heating body (2).

(19) FIG. 7 depicts, as an example, the shape of the soleplate (1) prior to folding, said soleplate (1) being obtained by cutting an aluminum sheet that is between 0.8 mm and 1.5 mm thick. This soleplate (1) then undergoes a first folding step, in which the latch parts (13) and the guide parts (14) are folded 90, and then a second folding step in which the soleplate (1) is folded 180 along the perimeter of the ironing surface, illustrated by a dotted line in FIG. 7, in order to obtain a soleplate as illustrated in FIG. 1, in which the peripheral edge (11) of the ironing surface has a thickness that is roughly equal to twice the thickness of the soleplate (1).

(20) Preferably, the soleplate (1) thus made, is partially coated in enamel prior to its assembly with the heating body (2), as the enamel-coated surface can be limited to the ironing surface and to the peripheral edge (11) of the soleplate (1), while the latch parts (13) can remain in the as-cast state, which is to say not coated in enamel, in order to prevent cracks from forming in the enamel when the latch parts (13) are folded.

(21) However, in one variation of implementing the invention, the latch parts (13) may also be coated in enamel at the same time as the ironing surface, in order to simplify the coating application process. Indeed, the latch parts (13) offer the advantage of being hidden by the casing of the iron when the heating body (2) is assembled to the iron, such that any cracks forming in the coating of the latch parts will not be visible to the user.

(22) The bottom set thus made offers the advantage of being simple and inexpensive to produce, the soleplate offering the advantage of being mechanically connected to the heating body by a simple process of folding the latch parts.

(23) Moreover, the iron equipped with such a bottom set offers the advantage of possessing a soleplate with a flat peripheral edge that is not very thick, allowing for easy ironing around clothing buttons.

(24) FIG. 8 depicts one variation of implementing the bottom set illustrated in the previous drawings, in which the soleplate (1) comprises one or more steam release holes (10A) arranged immediately alongside the peripheral edge (11) of the soleplate (1), and advantageously near the front point of the soleplate (1).

(25) In this variation of implementation, the soleplate (1) advantageously comprises a smaller thickness at the periphery of the ironing surface, in order to promote the diffusion of steam toward the external edge of the ironing surface.

(26) Such an ironing variation offers the advantage of comprising steam release holes at the periphery of the ironing surface for greater efficacy when ironing difficult-to-reach corners of clothes, such as the curves of buttons or shirt collars.

(27) Of course, the invention is in no way limited to the methods of implementation described and illustrated, which are provided only as examples. Modifications remain possible, particularly with respect to the constitution of the various components or by substituting equivalent techniques, while still remaining within the scope of protection of the invention.

(28) Thus, in one variation of implementing the invention that is not depicted, the latch parts may cover the entire perimeter of the heating body or be located only in several places distributed along the periphery of the heating body.

(29) Thus, in one variation of implementing the invention that is not depicted, the soleplate may be made of stainless steel.

(30) Thus, in one variation of implementing the invention that is not depicted, the soleplate may be coated with an inorganic polymer-type coating applied using a sol-gel process.

(31) Thus, in one variation of implementing the invention that is not depicted, the body onto which the soleplate is attached may not be a heating body.