Electrical appliance having user proximity sensor

A pressing iron, comprising:

• a sole plate;
• an electrically powered heating element that is thermally coupled to said sole plate for heating said sole plate for heating said sole plate to a desired temperature;
• and
• a handle portion adapted for being held by a user of the pressing iron, said handle portion including a user proximity sensor comprising,
• an antenna for coupling a displacement current between the user and said antenna, said antenna having an output;
• circuit means having an input coupled to said output of said antenna, said output signal of said circuit means is an oscillatory signal having a frequency equal to an AC line power frequency signal said circuit means generating said output signal at an output thereof in response to the coupling of the displacement current between the user and said antenna;
• and
• switching means having an input coupled to said output of said circuit means, said switching means being responsive to said circuit means generating said output signal for being switched from a first state to a second state for applying electrical power to said heating element, said switching means further being responsive to said circuit means ceasing to generate said output signal for being switched, after a predetermined interval of time, from the second state to the first state for removing electrical power from said heating element.

A pressing iron, comprise:

• a sole plate;
• an electrically powered heating element that is thermally coupled to said sole plate for heating said sole plate to a desired temperature;
• and
• a handle portion adapted for being held by a user of the pressing iron, said handle portion including,
• means for sensing a proximity of the user to the handle portion and for removing electrical power from said heating element after a predetermined period of not sensing the proximity of the user to the handle portion, wherein said sensing and removing means operates without regard for a motion of said pressing iron and without regard for an orientation of said pressing iron, said means for sensing and removing includes an antenna for coupling a displacement current between the user and said antenna when the user is in proximity to the handle portion, said antenna having an output;
• circuit means having an input coupled to said output of said antenna, said circuit means generating an output signal at an output thereof in response to the coupling of the displacement current between the user and said antenna, said antenna being disposed for being capacitively coupled to the user's hand when the user's hand is in proximity to the handle portion, said output signal of said circuit means is an oscillatory signal having a frequency equal to an AC line power frequency signal.

A proximity sensor for use in an electrically operated appliance, the proximity sensor including:

• an antenna for coupling a displacement current from a user of the appliance, said antenna having an output;
• circuit means having an input coupled to said output of said antenna, said circuit means generating an output signal at an output thereof in response to a reception of the displacement current;
• and
• power supply means for converting AC electrical power to a DC potential that is referenced to a circuit ground for powering at least said circuit means, wherein said AC electrical power is supplied to said appliance through an AC main having two lines, wherein one line is an AC hot line and wherein one line is an AC neutral line, wherein said power supply means includes a half wave rectifier diode, and a power dropping resistor and wherein said half wave rectifier diode is connected in one of said AC main lines in series between said AC main and said circuit ground such that a detectable signal is input to said circuit means from said antenna recess of a polarization of said two lines of said AC main and lid resistor is connected in said other of said AC main lines.