# US 5,345,703 A · Steam iron seal with tangential flow for surge

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- Number: US 5,345,703 A
- Document ID: US5345703A
- Status: Granted
- Kind: A
- Application number: 08/132,416
- Filed: 1993-10-06
- Granted: 1994-09-13
- Earliest claimed: 1993-10-06
- Assignees: Black & Decker Inc.
- Inventors: Richard I. Farrington; David Jalbert
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US5345703A

## CPC

- D06F 75/18: the water being fed slowly, e.g. drop by drop, from the reservoir to a steam generator
- D06F: LAUNDERING, DRYING, IRONING, PRESSING OR FOLDING TEXTILE ARTICLES

## Abstract

An electric iron includes a soleplate, a soleplate cover connected to the soleplate, a housing connected to the soleplate, and a water tank associated with the housing. The soleplate and soleplate cover are spaced to form a surge chamber therebetween. The soleplate cover includes a first flow opening communicating the water tank with the surge chambers. A flow control member delivers water from the tank to the surge chamber. A seal overlies the first flow opening and includes a first portion in sealing engagement with the first flow opening. The portion of the seal includes a first leg extending through the flow opening below the lower surface of the cover. The leg includes a nozzle for directing water from the tank into the surge chamber in a tangential flow path relative to the lower surface of the cover. The nozzle directs the water towards a temperature sensing element used to control the temperature of the soleplate heater.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An electric iron comprising:
a soleplate having a top surface and a bottom surface;
a soleplate cover connected to the top surface of the soleplate including first and second fluid flow openings;
a housing connected to the soleplate cover;
said soleplate and soleplate cover including first means forming a steam chamber and second means forming a surge chamber;
a water tank located in the housing and having a first flow control water inlet and at least a pair of water outlets;
valve means controlling the flow of water from said water tank to said steam chamber through said first flow opening in said soleplate cover;
second flow control means for controlling the flow of water from the water tank to the surge chamber through said second flow opening in said soleplate cover;
seal means overlying said first and second flow openings including a first portion in sealing engagement with the first flow opening and a second portion in sealing engagement with the second flow opening, said second portion including a first leg extending through the second flow opening below a lower surface of the cover and having means defining a nozzle for directing water from said water tank into said surge chamber in a tangential flow path relative to the lower surface of the cover; and
temperature sensing means in heat transfer relation with the soleplate and mounted in relatively close proximity to said surge chamber for regulating the temperature of the soleplate, said nozzle directing the water flowing through said second flow opening towards said temperature sensing element.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

An electric iron in accordance with claim 1 wherein the first portion of said seal means is formed integral with the second portion.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

An electric iron in accordance with claim 2 wherein the first portion comprises a relatively large diameter circular sealing member and the second portion comprises a relatively small diameter circular sealing member circumferentially joined to the large diameter circular sealing member.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

An electric iron in accordance with claim 3 wherein the seal means includes a third portion connected to the first portion and spaced from the second portion and overlying a third fluid flow opening in said soleplate cover, said third portion including leg means extending through the third opening.

### Claim 5 (depends on 2)

An electric iron in accordance with claim 2 wherein the seal means includes a third portion connected to the first portion and overlying a third opening in said soleplate cover, said third portion including leg means extending through the third opening.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

An electric iron in accordance with claim 1 wherein the first portion comprises a relatively large diameter circular sealing member and the second portion comprises a relatively small diameter circular sealing member circumferentially joined to the large diameter circular sealing member.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

An electric iron in accordance with claim 6 wherein the seal means includes a third portion connected to the first portion and spaced from the second portion and overlying a third opening in said soleplate cover, said third portion including leg means extending through the third opening.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

An electric iron in accordance with claim 1 wherein the seal means includes a third portion connected to the first portion and overlying a third opening in said soleplate cover, said third portion including leg means extending through the third opening.