Steam iron
AssigneeBraun GmbH
InventorsDesideri Falcó Sastre, Francesc Carreras Devesa, Vicenc Font Manent, Juan Carlos Coronado Sanz, Antonio Rebordosa Rius, Xavier Cuesta Mundet
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Steam iron having a sole plate with a steam chamber, and a sealed liquid reservoir. A drip valve supplies the steam chamber with liquid from the liquid reservoir. One or more one-way gas valves between the liquid reservoir and ambient air let air enter the reservoir in response to local negative pressures within the reservoir caused by movement of water within the reservoir, such as during reciprocal ironing motion. A pressure-equalizing passage is formed within a manually operable rod of the drip valve, such that only one opening is required in the lower wall of the liquid reservoir.
Claims56
A steam iron comprising
- a sole plate with steam outlet openings in steam connection with a steam chamber;
- a heater that heats the sole plate and the steam chamber for the purpose of generating steam;
- a liquid reservoir with a drip valve for supplying the steam chamber with liquid from the liquid reservoir, the drip valve being in the form of a channel defined between a movable rod and a wall separating the liquid reservoir and the steam chamber;
- a pressure-equalizing passage extending between a first opening in the steam chamber and a second opening in a gas-tight region of the liquid reservoir, the pressure-equalizing passage being an internal cavity defined by the movable rod;
- and
- a first one-way gas valve arranged between the liquid reservoir and ambient air to permit air to enter the liquid reservoir through the valve while impeding fluid flow from the liquid reservoir to the ambient air.
A steam iron comprising:
- a sole plate with steam outlet openings in steam connection with a steam chamber;
- a heater that heats the sole plate and the steam chamber for the purpose of generating steam;
- a liquid reservoir with a drip valve for supplying the steam chamber with liquid from the liquid reservoir;
- a pressure-equalizing passage extending between a first opening in the steam chamber and a second opening in a gas-tight region of the liquid reservoir;
- and
- two first one-way gas valves arranged between the liquid reservoir and ambient air to permit air to enter the liquid reservoir through the valves while impeding fluid flow from the liquid reservoir to the ambient air, the gas valves being disposed at opposite ends of the liquid reservoir.
A steam iron comprising
- a sole plate with steam outlet openings in steam connection with a steam chamber;
- a heater that heats the sole plate and the steam chamber for the purpose of generating steam;
- a liquid reservoir with a drip valve for supplying the steam chamber with liquid from the liquid reservoir;
- a pressure-equalizing passage extending between a first opening in the steam chamber and a second opening in a gas-tight region of the liquid reservoir;
- a first one-way gas valve arranged between the liquid reservoir and ambient air to permit air to enter the liquid reservoir through the valve while impeding fluid flow from the liquid reservoir to the ambient air;
- and
- a second one-way gas valve arranged between the liquid reservoir and ambient air, to permit air to leave the liquid reservoir through the valve.
A steam iron comprising:
- a sole plate with steam outlet openings in steam connection with a steam chamber;
- a heater that heats the sole plate and the steam chamber for the purpose of generating steam;
- a liquid reservoir extending longitudinally over a substantial length of the iron, the liquid reservoir including a drip valve for supplying the steam chamber with liquid from the liquid reservoir;
- a pressure-equalizing passage extending between a first opening in the steam chamber and a second opening in a gas-tight region of the liquid reservoir;
- and
- a first one-way gas valve arranged between the liquid reservoir and ambient air, the valve opening automatically to permit ambient air to enter the liquid reservoir in response to longitudinal motion of liquid in the reservoir during use, while impeding fluid flow from the liquid reservoir to the ambient air to increase pressure within the reservoir.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.