Dual surge iron with steam generating areas

In an electric steam iron having a soleplate with a heating element, a water reservoir and means for depositing water from the reservoir onto the soleplate at a first location for ordinary steam generation and at least one second location for surge steam generation and a steam distribution chamber for transmitting ordinary steam and surge steam from said soleplate, wherein the improvement comprises:

• the soleplate having a first primary steam generating area with the first location thereat and at least one substantially separate second surge steam generating area with the at least one second location located thereat, said first primary steam generating area communicating with said steam distribution chamber directly through a first passage and said at least one second surge steam generating area communicating with said steam distribution chamber through a second passage located substantially remotely of and separately from said first passage;
• said at least one second location being located laterally offset of said heating element;
• said at least one second surge steam generating area makes up part of a generally U-shaped chamber;
• and
• said at least one second location includes two locations each defined by collecting pockets and each disposed on symmetrically opposite sides of said generally U-shaped steam generating area.