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US 4,837,952 AGranted
Steam iron having variable heat conductivity between the heating base and sole plate
AssigneeSeb S.A.
InventorsJean Hennuy, Bernard Louison
Life of this patent
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AssigneeSeb S.A.
InventorsJean Hennuy, Bernard Louison
Estimating the term…
Steam generated within a vaporization chamber (4) by water droplets (16) as they fall onto a base (1) in which is embedded a heating resistor (17) is directed onto fabrics to be ironed through sole-plate orifices (26). When the base temperature is high, a closure member (32) attached to a bimetallic strip (33) is opened, steam flows through an intercalary space (23) between the base and the sole-plate, then escapes through a peripheral gap (25), thus completing heat transfers from base to sole-plate by convection and conduction. In the case of low temperatures, the closure member is placed in the closed position, air is admitted into the intercalary space (23) and forms a shield between sole-plate and base. The base temperature is than sufficient for generation of steam while the sole-plate is at a relatively low temperature which permits ironing of delicate fabrics.
A steam iron including a heating base, a sole-plate mounted beneath said heating base so as to provide an intercalary space for containing a fluid between the heating base and the sole plate, ironing steam-generating means for generating steam by bringing a supply of water into contact with a top face of the heating base, means for regulating the steam ironing temperature, and heat conductivity control means for alternatively and selectively introducing into the intercalary space, during steam ironing, two different fluids having different heat conductivities.
A steam iron including a heating base, a sole-plate mounted beneath said heating base so as to provide an intercalary space for containing a fluid medium between the heating base and the sole-plate, ironing means steam-generating means for generating steam by bringing a supply of water into contact with a top face of the heating base, means for regulating the steam ironing temperature and heat conductivity control means for selectively controlling the heat conductivity of the fluid medium in the intercalary space during steam ironing.
A steam iron including a heating base, a sole-plate mounted beneath said heating base so as to provide an intercalary space containing a fluid between the heating base and the sole-plate, means for generating steam by bringing a supply of water into contact with a top face of the heating base, means for regulating the ironing temperature, and means for variably controlling the heat conductivity between the heating base and the sole-plate by modifying the fluid which is present within the intercalary space as a function of the ironing temperature so as to enhance heat transfer from the base to the sole-plate within a range of high ironing temperatures and to retard the aforesaid heat transfer within a range of low ironing temperatures, wherein the fluid which occupies the intercalary space when steam ironing is in progress at a temperature within the low-temperature range is a gas and the fluid which occupies the intercalary space when ironing is in progress at a temperature within the high-temperature range is a liquid.
A steam iron including
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.