INTELLIGENT STEAM IRON
A steam iron includes a drip-collecting unit disposed between a base and a water reservoir and formed with a drip chamber. The base includes an ironing plate, a heating element, a steam chamber, and a plurality of steam spray ports. The drip-collecting unit cooperates with the water reservoir to define a drip passage. When the temperature of the ironing plate reaches a temperature value, an automatic control unit automatically opens the drip valve so as to allow for flow of water from the water reservoir into the drip chamber via the drip passage. A stop valve is operable to move between an open position whereat flow of water from the drip chamber into the steam chamber is allowed, and a closed position whereat flow of water from the drip chamber into the steam chamber is prevented.
This application claims priority of Chinese Application No. 200620007680.0, filed on Mar. 22, 2006.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a steam iron, and more particularly to an intelligent steam iron with an automatic flow control.
2. Description of the Related Art
Referring to
When water within the steam chamber 14 is heated, steam is generated within the steam chamber 14. The steam flows out of the steam iron via the steam spray ports 122. However, since there is no proper flow control between the water storage chamber 13 and the steam chamber 14, an excessive amount of water may flow from the water storage chamber 13 into the steam chamber 14. As a result, water, rather than steam, may flow from the steam iron via the steam spray ports 122 onto the clothes to be ironed.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONThe object of this invention is to provide an intelligent steam iron that has an automatic flow control, which can prevent the leakage of water via steam spray ports.
According to this invention, a steam iron includes a drip-collecting unit disposed between a base and a water reservoir and formed with a drip chamber. The base includes an ironing plate, a heating element, a steam chamber, and a plurality of steam spray ports. The drip-colleting unit cooperates with the water reservoir to define a drip passage. When the temperature of the ironing plate reaches a temperature value, an automatic control unit automatically opens the drip valve so as to allow for flow of water from the water reservoir into the drip chamber via the drip passage. A stop valve is operable to move between an open position whereat flow of water from the drip chamber into the steam chamber is allowed, and a closed position whereat flow of water from the drip chamber into the steam chamber is prevented.
These and other features and advantages of this invention will become apparent in the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments of this invention, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
Before the present invention is described in greater detail in connection with the preferred embodiments, it should be noted that similar elements and structures are designated by like reference numerals throughout the entire disclosure.
Referring to
The base 2 includes an ironing plate 20, a steam chamber 21, a plurality of steam spray ports 22 (only one is shown in
The water reservoir 4 is disposed on the base 2, and has a water chamber 41, as well as a pair of first and second projecting tubes 42, 43 extending downwardly from a bottom surface thereof and in fluid communication with the water chamber 41.
The drip-collecting unit 3 is disposed between the base 2 and the water reservoir 4, and is formed with a drip chamber 30. In this embodiment, the drip-collecting unit 3 includes a valve seat member 31 made of polyphenylene sulfide, a valve member 32 made of silica gel, and a water seal 33 made of silica gel. The valve seat member 31 and the valve member 32 define the drip chamber 30 therebetween.
The valve seat member 31 is disposed fixedly on the mounting plate 25 of the base 2, and includes a horizontal plate body 310 having a top surface formed with first and second projecting tubes 311, 312. The first projecting tubes 42, 311 of the water reservoir 4 and the valve seat member 31 are aligned with each other. A lower end of the first projecting tube 42 of the water reservoir 4 abuts against and is in fluid communication with an upper end of the first projecting tube 311 of the valve seat member 31. The first projecting tubes 42, 311 of the water reservoir 4 and the valve seat member 31 define cooperatively a first drip passage 7. The second projecting tubes 43, 312 of the water reservoir 4 and the valve seat member 31 are aligned with each other. A lower end of the second projecting tube 43 of the water reservoir 4 abuts against and is in fluid communication with an upper end of the second projecting tube 312 of the valve seat member 31. The horizontal plate body 310 has a hole 315 formed therethrough and in fluid communication with the first projecting tube 311 and the drip chamber 30.
The water seal 33 is sleeved on the upper ends of the first and second projecting tubes 311, 312 of the valve seat member 31 and the lower ends of the first and second projecting tubes 42, 43 of the water reservoir 4 in a close-fitting manner. As such, the water seal 33 establishes a watertight seal between the first projecting tubes 42, 311 of the water reservoir 4 and the valve seat member 31, and between the second projecting tubes 43, 312 of the water reservoir 4 and the valve seat member 31.
The valve member 32 is disposed under and connected fixedly to the valve seat member 31, and includes a chamber-defining wall 320 cooperating with the valve seat member 31 to define the drip chamber 30.
The first drip valve 52 is disposed within the first drip passage 7, and includes a projecting post 321 and a resilient member 523. The projecting post 321 extends integrally and upwardly from the chamber-defining wall 320 of the valve member 32 and through the hole 315 in the horizontal plate body 310 of the valve seat member 31, and is formed with an integral valve plate 322 at an upper end thereof. The resilient member 523 is configured as a coiled compression spring, and is sleeved on the projecting post 321 of the valve member 32 between the horizontal plate body 310 of the valve seat member 31 and the chamber-defining wall 320 of the valve member 32. As such, the valve plate 322 of the projecting post 321 is biased to abut against the horizontal plate body 310 of the valve seat member 31 so as to close the hole 315 in the valve seat member 31, as shown in
The first automatic control unit 51 is connected to the first drip valve 52 so as to automatically open the first drip valve 52, thereby allowing flow of water from the water chamber 41 into the drip chamber 30 via the first drip passage 7 when the temperature of the ironing plate 20 reaches a first temperature value, as shown in
The stop valve 6 is disposed between the drip chamber 30 in the drip-collecting unit 3 and the steam chamber 21 in the base 2, and is operable to move between a closed position shown in
With this invention thus explained, it is apparent that numerous modifications and variations can be made without departing from the scope and spirit of this invention. It is therefore intended that this invention be limited only as indicated by the appended claims.
Claims
1-11. (canceled)
12. A steam iron comprising:
- a base including an ironing plate. a heating element for heating said ironing plate, a steam chamber, and a plurality of steam spray ports in fluid communication with said steam chamber:
- a water reservoir disposed on said base and formed with a water chamber
- a drip-collecting unit disposed between said base and said water reservoir and formed with a drip chamber. said drip-collecting unit cooperating with said Water reservoir to define a first drip passage;
- a first drip valve disposed within said first drip passage:
- a first automatic control unit connected to said first drip valve so as to automatically open said first drip valve, thereby allowing flow of water from said water chamber in said water reservoir into said drip Shamber in said drip-collecting unit via
- said first drip passage when a temperature of said ironing plate reaches a first temperature value:
- a stop valve disposed between said drip chamber in said drip-collecting unit and said steam chamber in said base and operable to move between an open position whereat flow of water from said drip chamber into said steam chamber is allowed, and a closed position whereat flow of water from saidvdrip chamber into said steam chamber is prevented.
- wherein
- said base includes a horizontal mounting plate connected fixedly to and disposed above said ironing plate:
- said water reservoir has a bottom surface formed with a first projecting tube in fluid communication with said water chamber:
- said drip-collecting unit includes a vaive seat member disposed fixedly on said mouhtlng plate of said base and including a horizontal plate body having a top surface formed with a first projecting tube in fluid communication with said drip chamber, said first projecting tubes of said water reservoir and said valve seat member being aligned with each other. a lower end of said first projecting tube of said water reservoir abutting against and in fluid communication with an upper end of said first projecting tube of said valve seat member, said first prolecting tubes of said valve seat member and said water reservoir defining cooperatively said first drip passage. and a water seal sleeved on said upper end of said first projecting tube of said valve seat member and said lower end of said first projecting tube of said water reservoir in a close-fitting manner so as to establish a watertight seal therebetween: and
- wherein
- said bottom surface of said water reservoir is further formed with a second projecting tube in fluid communication with said water chamber;
- said top surface of said horizontal plate body of said valve seat member is further formed with a second projecting tube, said second projecting tubes of said water reservoir and said valve seat member being aligned with each other, a lower end of said second projecting tube of said water reservoir abutting against and in fluid communication with an upper end of said second projecting tube of said valve seat member;
- said water seal is sleeved on said upper end of said second projecting tube of said valve seat member and said lower end of said second projecting tube of said water reservoir in a close-fitting manner so as to establish a watertight seal therebetween; and
- said valve rod includes a rod body exten g through said second projectingtubes of said valve seat member and said water res oir, and an annular seal member sleeved fixedly on said rod body and in sealing tngagement with annular inner surfaces of said second projecting tubes.
13. A steam iron comprising:
- a base including an ironing plate. a heating element for heating said ironing plate, a steam chamber, and a plurality of steam spray ports in fluid communicatfon with said steam chamber;
- a water reservoir disposed on said base and formed with a water chamber:
- a drip-collecting unit disposed between said base and said water reservoir and formed with a drip chamber, said drip-collecting unit cooperating with said water reservoir to define a first drip passage:
- a first drip valve disposed within said first drip passage:
- a first automatic control unit connected to said first drip valve so as to automatically open said first drip valve, thereby allowing flow of water from said water chamber in said water reservoir into said drip chamber in said drip-collecting unit via said first drip passage when a temperature of said ironing plate reaches a first temperature value;
- a stop valve disposed between said drip chamber in said drip-collecting unit and said steam chamber in said base and operable to move between an open position whereat flow of water from said drip chamber into said steam chamber is allowed, and a closed positfon whereat flow of water from said drip chamber into said steam chamber is prevented,
- wherein said drip-collecting unit cooperates with said water reservoir to further define a second drip passage, said steam iron further comprising:
- a second drip valve disposed within said second drip passage;
- a second automatic control unit connected to said second drip valve so as to automatically open said second drip valve, thereby allowing flow of water from said water chamber in said water reservoir into said drip chamber in said drip-collecting unit via said second drip passage when the temperature of said ironing plate reaches a second temperature value.
14. The steam iron as claim 13, wherein said second temperature value is about 170° C.
Type: Application
Filed: Jun 9, 2006
Publication Date: Sep 27, 2007
Inventor: Wen-Ching Li (Taipei City)
Application Number: 11/449,779
International Classification: D06F 75/14 (20060101);