Clothes iron with automatic shut off system controlled by multiple switches
AssigneeWindmere Corporation
InventorsChi Kin Mak, Ka Hong Wo, Wai Man Yeung
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A clothes iron comprises an automatic shut off system that is controlled by multiple switches. A first switch located on the iron's handle is closed when the iron is held by a user. A second switch located on the iron's heel is closed when the iron stands in the upright position. The switch on the handle prevents the automatic shut off from functioning when the iron is in use. The switch on the heel determines which of two fixed timing periods are used.
Claims20
An iron comprising:
- (a) a sole plate defining the bottom surface of the iron,
- (b) a heater mounted in the iron to heat the sole plate,
- (c) a handle at the top of the iron sized to be gripped during use,
- (d) a heel stand at the back of the iron to support the iron in an upright resting position,
- (e) a timer electrically coupled to a heater switch for removing power from the heater after one of a plurality of timing periods including a short timing period and a long timing period,
- (f) a first switch for turning on said timer, and
- (g) a second switch for selecting from among the plurality of timing periods.
An iron comprising:
- (a) a sole plate defining the bottom surface of the iron,
- (b) a heater mounted in the iron to heat the sole plate,
- (c) a handle at the top of the iron sized to be gripped during use,
- (d) a heel stand at the back of the iron to support the iron in an upright resting position,
- (e) a mechanical handle switch located on the handle, the handle switch having at least a first handle switch state and a second handle switch state,
- (f) a mechanical heel switch located at the heel stand, the heel switch having at least a first heel switch state and a second heel switch state, and
- (g) an electronic timer electrically coupled to a heater switch for removing power from the heater after a first period of time or a second period of time based on the handle switch state and heel switch state.
An iron according to 16 wherein the relay is energized when the handle switch is in the second handle switch state.
An iron according to 16 wherein the relay is deenergized when the handle switch is in the first handle switch state and the timer has completed a timing count.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.